Latin School of Chicago

Lower school teacher-librarians Sheri Snopek and Luke Sutton are heartened by the publishing industry's push in the last five or six years to showcase books with different characters and perspectives. However, there is still a long way to go for equitable representation. Statistics compiled by the Cooperative Children's Book Center at the University of Wisconsin for 2018 indicate that only 23 percent of books published for children feature content by and about people of color. at's up from 14.2 percent in 2015, yet still does not come close to reflecting youth population percentages. "It's definitely getting better," said Sutton, "but we could always use more books with different characters." Sutton and Snopek gather titles through suggestions from students, teachers and parents, as well as professional book reviews, online resources, and various library lists and publishers. "We have age-appropriate books on any topic you can think of," said Snopek. "We try to have something for everyone." e learning around identity at every grade level in the lower school includes books that provide engaging windows and mirrors for students to learn about themselves and others. Every year begins with an all-school read that encourages students to broaden their idea of community. is fall, every lower school class read the book All Are Welcome by Alexandra Penfold. e book's illustrations by Suzanne Kaufman are wonderfully inclusive. Author visits also give students a chance to learn about how writers create these stories. Last semester alone, four visits were arranged by the librarians. Children learned about the Indian holiday of Diwali with author Ajanta Chakraborty, were introduced to the important contributions of a diversity of activists throughout history with author Robin Stevenson, enjoyed Kyle Lukoff's When Aidan Became a Brother featuring a family's embrace of a transgender child and followed the writing process of award-winning author and illustrator Grace Lin. A family presentation about the importance of diversifying children's bookshelves was included as part of Grace Lin's visit, giving adults the opportunity to learn as well. Sutton and Snopek are mindful of the books they put on display and try to pick titles that reflect the diverse world around the students. "It is really awesome when you see a student who is excited to read something because the person depicted looks like them," said Snopek. Middle school affective education focuses on social and emotional learning, and includes character building. Fifth through eighth graders all study identity with middle school wellness teacher Dr. Richard Dickinson. Each grade examines what identity is, how it is developed and how it affects relationships, albeit in age-appropriate ways. "It is essential that all students see themselves in the books that we feature in the library." Author Grace Lin visits the lower school to read to students and meet with parents about the importance of diversifying our students' bookshelves. LATIN MAGAZINE » WINTER 2020 23 23 LATIN MAGAZINE » WINTER 2020

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