As librarians, we know it is critical that people (especially children!) see themselves in the books they read. It's also important that they see/empathize with others who do not look like them through the books that they read/view. This seeing develops empathy and creates understanding. It's that books as mirrors, windows, and doors idea first introduced by educator Emily Style in 1988 for the National SEED Project. Later, author/educator Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop added to the books and windows concept, describing books as sliding glass doors.
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| Building a Diverse Book Collection – Katy Tessman |
Locating children's books with Indigenous content and by Native authors can be challenging due to a variety of factors but the respected American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL) blog makes it approachable.
Each year the AICL publishes its "Best Of" list - a go-to when looking for book titles with quality content about Indigenous People and mostly from Native authors.
Check out the AICL's Best Books of 2020.