Inclusive book company, Little Box of Books, has joined forces with Chelsea Foundation to launch a new school programme, using representative books to teach children about equality, diversity and inclusion. The first session brought children from five London primary schools together for an event at Chelsea’s stadium, Stamford Bridge.
Supporting the initiative is Rochelle Humes, TV host, author and long-term supporter of Little Box of Books, who says “When I was growing up, I didn’t see people like me and my family in the books we read. That’s why I decided to write my own books, so that my children and many others could relate to the characters in the stories. Whoever you are, wherever you’re from, whatever you look like – you should be able to see yourself in the books you read and be the hero of the story. By teaching children about diversity and getting more inclusive books into schools, Little Box of Books and the Chelsea Football Club Foundation are helping us all to work toward a more equal society.”
In the UK 33.9% of school age children are of black, Asian or minority ethnic origins. However, the CLPE report, Reflecting Realities, revealed that only 8% of children’s books published in 2020 feature non-white protagonists. This figure has increased since 2017, when only 1% of children’s books featured a main character of black, Asian or minority ethnic origins. While representation has increased, the challenge now is getting those books into schools. A recent study by National Literacy Trust and Penguin Random House, The Future of Primary School Libraries, showed that 40% primary schools have no dedicated library budget. 1 in 8 primary schools don’t have a library at all and in more deprived areas, that statistic jumps to 1 in 4.
As part of Little Box of Book’s initiative with Chelsea Foundation, 15 schools will receive 100 new inclusive books, that represent society by showing diversity in race, culture, family set up and relationships. The programme will run with five schools over five weeks. Bespoke sessions will bring diversity and inclusion into the classroom through the stories provided, helping children understand diversity and write their own stories. The sessions and resources will help embed inclusive books into schools, so they leave a lasting legacy.
During the first session at Stamford Bridge, 130 children took part in a ‘draw along’ workshop with illustrator and character designer, Selom Sunu. They each designed their own character to create a ‘community of characters’, illustrating that each and every one of us is unique. Other workshops and stories on the day will highlight that everyone deserves to see themselves in the books they read.
Lynsey Pollard, Founder and Director of Little Box of Books, says “This collaboration provides a great opportunity to get more inclusive books into schools, so everyone can see themselves in the books they read. Working with the Chelsea Foundation on this project will allow more children to access books that reflect the society we live in, in all its multicultural and diverse brilliance. The new programme will help children to celebrate diversity and recognise that everyone deserves to see themselves in a leading role.”
Head of Education at Chelsea FC Foundation, Sam Gaskin-Kemp, says: “We are delighted to be launching this very exciting opportunity for primary schools pupils to engage in as it feeds in very naturally to our wider, continuous drive to promote diversity and equality. Providing inclusive resources and activities which enable young readers to recognise relatable characters in stories who look, dress and sound like them is very inspiring for readers and powerful for everyone involved. We look forward to seeing the characters that the children create and the stories they write as part of the project.”
