See Myself in Books

We have created two See Myself in Books collections for primary school-aged children, which are focused on ethnic diversity and neurodiversity, as well as supporting resources for teachers.

Families can access the books in both collections at their local Manchester library. The collections are just a start: there are loads of other brilliant diverse and inclusive books to explore.

Brilliant young reporters from Birchfield Primary School joined our See Myself in Books Festival. Watch them talk about the campaign and its importance, and interview some of the authors involved.

Reading for enjoyment brings so many benefits. When children and young people enjoy reading in their free time, they find it easier to relax, feel happy, learn new things, understand the views of others, learn about other cultures and be confident. But too many children are missing out because they don’t feel represented in the books they read.

Research from the National Literacy Trust shows:

• Over half (53.1%) of children aged 8-11 said they find it difficult to find books with characters or people like them.
• 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.

When just 1 in 3 (34.6%) children and young people aged 8 to 18 said that they enjoyed reading in their free time in 2024, it's more important than ever to open up a world of stories that all children and young people can relate to.

For more information about See Myself in Books, please email Cheryl.Pridgeon@manchester.gov.uk or Margaret.Duff@manchester.gov.uk.