‘Everybody In’ book box launched for World Book Day
Everybody in book package available from www.littleboxofbooks.co.uk/product/everybody-in-4-7/
To mark World Book Day, children’s book subscription service Little Box of Books is launching their first ever ‘Everybody In’ box. A carefully curated box of brilliant stories from top publishers that features diversity in race, culture, socioeconomic background, depiction of gender roles and disabilities.
The box of 20 books is a package designed for schools, hospitals, doctors’ surgeries, nurseries and libraries, so more children get the opportunity to see themselves in the books they read, in the places they might visit regularly.
Lynsey Pollard founder of Little Box of Books says,
“At Little Box of Books, we want all children to know they’re normal. Seeing your family in a book can really help with that. Until relatively recently it’s been expected that children from all kinds of racial and cultural backgrounds, different family set ups and different abilities will always read books about able-bodied white boys going on adventures. More variety now exists, more publishers are starting to tell a wider diversity of stories, but we need to get those books into our institutions to start changing perceptions.”
This innovation from Little Box of Books comes after statistics released last year revealed that only 1% of children’s books published in 2017 featured a BAME main character.
“If you’re not choosing books for children intentionally, then you could present a very narrow view of the world to them. The Little Box of Books, ‘Everybody In’ box shows different people, different lives and will start the process of diversifying your bookshelf and reflecting society as it really is”, says Lynsey Pollard.
The box which costs £99.99 (plus delivery), includes 20 titles that show positive gender roles, same sex parents, single parents, BAME main characters and main characters with disabilities and is available from the Little Box of Books website. www.littleboxofbooks.co.uk/product/everybody-in-4-7/
“If you read stories about children who are different from you having adventures. You gain an insight into lives that aren’t like yours. This box promotes understanding and respect for the diversity of our society from a young age. “says Lynsey Pollard.
ENDS
NOTES TO EDITORS
Little Box of Books
Little Box of Books was set up by Lynsey Pollard and partner Neil Langston, two parents who didn’t see their blended family in any of the children’s books they read with their son. The company now seek out diverse and inclusive children’s books for monthly subscription boxes, one off gift boxes and for schools, nurseries and hospitals.
They find brilliant books that feature BAME characters, characters with disabilities, stepdads, step mums, single parents, two mums, two dads, books featuring positive gender representations and anything else that properly reflects society.
The aim of the organisation is for all children to see themselves in the books they read and to feel validated but to also give kids insight into families and worlds that are different to theirs.
Everybody in book package available from www.littleboxofbooks.co.uk/product/everybody-in-4-7/
For more information visit www.littleboxofbooks.co.uk
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CLPE report, Reflecting Realities: https://clpe.org.uk/library-and-resources/research/reflecting-realities-survey-ethnic-representation-within-uk-children