When it comes to writing stories for children, it’s not all about Very Hungry Caterpillars, Jabberwockies, and Cats in Hats (although we do enjoy those things very much, too); it’s about creating a world that helps the reader feel like they belong. Celebrating diversity in children’s books is a huge responsibility for any kid’s author. This is your chance to help educate readers about different races, genders, and cultures, or simply help your young audiences from different backgrounds feel seen.
Jasmine Richards, author, screenwriter, and founder of inclusive fiction studio, Storymix, muses on why diversity will always make a difference in children’s fiction for families, parents, schools, and beyond, now more than ever.
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This question, “Why is diversity in children’s books so important?” is one I have been asked many times. Back in 2018—when I first launched Storymix—this was the question that was put to me, constantly. Why is diversity in children’s books important?
I’ll be honest, I’ve always had an issue with the word diversity, or diverse. Diverse compared to who? But I answered the question anyway because I understood that foundational work needed to be done in the industry if I wanted to see real change.
When Storymix formally launched in 2019, the landscape was bleak when it came to diversity. Only two per cent of British children’s book creators were from a minority ethnic background. Only one per cent of children’s books featured a protagonist of colour.
That was the reality. So I answered the question. Over and over again.
Empathy in children’s literature is one of the most important things
My answer was and is always the same.
Creating books that reflect a range of lived experiences creates empathetic children who grow into empathetic adults. Stories that are more representative make young people global citizens. Books are a bridge between us. They allow children to step into lives that don’t look like their own and to understand that those lives are just as valid—just as rich—just as worthy of attention.
But this isn’t only about empathy for others. It’s also about what happens when a child of colour doesn’t see themselves, their parents, their friends, their family, or their community reflected on the page. What does that say to a small person? The message is clear, even if it’s unspoken. You are not important. Your reality is not worth writing about.
And then we act surprised when some of those children turn away from books. When they look to sport, to screens, to music, to any other space where they are more likely to see someone who looks like them. That isn’t a failure of children. It’s a failure of the industry.
Why I created my own inclusive fiction studio, Storymix
For all these reasons, I launched my fiction studio, Storymix. I needed to use all my knowledge and experience from 20 years in publishing and book packaging to make the change I wanted to see.
If I wanted to walk into a bookshop and see shelves that reflected a range of lived experiences—more children of colour centred in stories, written by Black and Brown creators—then I needed to step up. So I could see types of representation that felt organic and authentic. I wanted that as an editor, a writer, as a mother. I wanted it for the child I was, who never got to read those books.
As writers and editors, we are the custodians of identity and culture. We don’t just entertain children, we shape how they understand the world. That is the difference between writing for adults and writing for young people. We have a responsibility. And we should take that seriously and never cause harm.
For a while, it felt like this question of “why is diversity important” had finally been put to rest. After the pandemic, after the murder of George Floyd, after the black squares of a long summer and the introspection and the industry statements, there was a sense that we’d moved on. That the importance of representation and inclusion across our country no longer needed to be explained.
But here we are again. The pendulum has swung back just as the flags have gone up. And once again, I’m being asked to explain why it matters. I’ve said my piece, but I urge you all to think on this question also—and how you would answer it—through literature and beyond.
Celebrating characters of colour in children’s stories
At Storymix, we’ve spent the last few years proving what’s possible when children of colour are centred as a matter of course. Series like The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries and Aziza’s Secret Fairy Door, and titles like Fablehouse and The Other Father Christmas, put kids of colour at the heart of stories full of adventure, mystery, and magic. Not as sidekicks, but as protagonists. These more diverse books are loved by children and adults alike.
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Is it appropriate to write characters whose experiences you don’t share?
I’m often asked about writing characters who do not share your lived experience. Whether you should do it at all. My honest answer is that it depends.
I think Kit de Waal puts it perfectly when she says, “We should not dip our pen in other people’s blood.” You should not be telling stories of trauma that are not yours to tell. You should not be mining other people’s pain for drama.
But you are a writer. You are imaginative. You are empathetic. Of course it is possible to write characters who don’t look like you, who don’t share your background. In fact, storytelling and art would be incredibly limited if we didn’t.
When you create diverse literature or diverse children’s literature, do your homework
The responsibility is in how you do it. You can set an example. Create an internal education for yourself. Do the work. And if you’re writing for children and haven’t interrogated who is centred in your work and why, start there. And by that, I don’t mean a quick Google search. Talk to people of that background. Listen.
Read books by writers from that lived experience. Watch the films and plays. Focus on the nuance. The history. Respect their stories. Because it will be obvious if your character is a thin, two-dimensional sketch, and that kind of representation does more harm than good.
Getting it right is possible, but it requires effort and humility. It requires being open to correction.
Do the work.
Representation in children’s books remains important forever because stories tell children that they belong. They tell them whose lives are worth conjuring into being.
If we care about the future, then this cannot be a question we keep having to answer. It should just... be.
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Key things to remember when creating diverse representation in children’s fiction
- Do your homework. There are many different ways to do this, but essentially... Read, read, read. Seek out books by writers of other backgrounds and races—absorb the challenges their characters face.
- Talk to people from other cultures. Listen to their stories before writing yours.
- Practice humility in your writing. Be open to criticism when asking others to sense-check your representation.
- Go beyond the two-dimensional. Make sure your characters are fleshed out and avoid stereotypes or cultural appropriation.
- Always think about your young readers of different creeds and ages. Find something they can relate to and identify with. Perhaps your story, or one of your characters, could help positively influence a child’s life!
- Spread the word! How can we get more of these books into more kids’ classrooms? Recommend diverse books to fellow teachers, parents, or carers.
- Get advice from your editor. Some editors use “sensitivity readers”, which you can learn about here.
- Your book could bring hope! Literacy grows deeper through diverse perspectives!
Every writer is nervous before they begin. It takes courage to put pen to paper—and self-belief to keep going. An idea you can’t wait to write is where it starts. What matters next is learning the craft—and seeing it through.
At The Novelry, we teach the craft properly. With bestselling authors. With former Big Five editors. With a clear path from idea to submission-ready manuscript. No gimmicks. Just serious guidance for serious writers. Join us at the fiction writing school where writers become authors.
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