Our ‘See Myself in Books’ project aims to expand the variety of literature in primary schools and celebrate diversity through the books that children read.
Research shows how important it is for children to see themselves reflected in books:
- The National Literacy Trust’s Reading Trends Report 2023 showed that 1 in 3 children and young people aged 8-18 said that being given books or having books that represent them would make them want to read more.
- 2022 research showed that over half (53.1%) of children aged 8-11 said the find it difficult to find books with characters or people like them.
We have created two ‘See Myself in Books’ collections for primary schools – focused on ethnic diversity and neurodiversity.
Ethnic diversity collection
Our first ‘See Myself in Books’ collection launched in 2022 and includes 25 children’s books that reflect the ethnically diverse communities across Manchester. All the books are written by authors of colour and their central characters are children from a variety of ethnic backgrounds.
We created a teaching resource to support the collection. This provides information about all the books, as well as practical tips on how to use them in the classroom.
We partnered with 55 local schools to provide them with copies of the books in this collection. This included those with high proportion of children from ethnic minorities and those which are less ethnically diverse. We believe that it is important for all children to see and understand more about other people, their cultures, beliefs and differences, and their similarities.
“Our school is a diverse community, with the majority of children from different backgrounds. We used to have a sign in our Reception library area that included a group of happy children reading. A Nigerian girl, aged 4, came over to look at the picture and said, "Miss, look at all those white kids!". It brought home to me the importance of ensuring that children truly see themselves in their school surroundings... and in the books we choose to read and enjoy."
Local primary school teacher
Neurodiversity collection
Our latest ‘See Myself in Books’ collection recognises and represents neurodiverse children, including those with ADHD, autism and dyslexia. It consists of 25 books for primary school pupils that feature children and families’ stories of neurodiversity, as well as a resource sheet and synopsis.
Neurodiversity refers to the way the brain works and interprets information. Estimates suggest that around 1 in 7 of the UK population is neurodivergent, meaning that the brain functions, learns and processes information differently to someone who is neurotypical. We believe that books are a great way to raise awareness and improve understanding of different experiences. Books can be a helpful tool in opening children up to different realities and perspectives and help to counter misconceptions. They can also help children to feel seen and understood.
The books in this collection are being given to 35 schools across the city.
“We have several neurodiverse children at our school and it would be really positive if they could see themselves in books. We would also find it helpful to share with all children so that they can be empathetic and understanding towards others who may be neurodiverse. We could share this information with parents to help support them too.”
Local primary school teacher
If you are a teacher at a primary school in the Manchester Local Authority area interested in receiving a collection, email Cheryl Pridgeon Cheryl.Pridgeon@manchester.gov.uk or Margaret Duff Margaret.Duff@manchester.gov.uk.