U N I V E R S I T Y O F I L L I N O I S – G S L I S – 2 0 1 3N E L L F L E M I N G

THE DEMOGRAPHICS OF FICTIONAL PICTURE BOOKSIN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY

2005 Wall Calendar

L I B RA R I A N , M O T H E R , W I F E , C H I L D O F T H E 7 0 ’ S

NELL FLEMING

M I N O R I T Y- S T A T U S C H I L D R E N U N D E R T H E A G E O F 5 M A K E U P 5 0 % O F T H E P O P U L A T I O N A S O F 2 0 1 2 .

AN IMBALANCE EXISTS IN FICTIONAL PICTURE BOOKS WITH WHITE FACES BEING DEPICTED 80% OR MORE OF THE TIME.

BO O K S L I K E T H E S E A R E N O T W R I TT E N F O R E N J OY M E N T

THE MAJORITY OF FICTIONAL BOOKS WITH BLACK FACES ON THE COVER ARE HISTORICAL IN NATURE.

E L E A N O R K LO D O FS KY

CLIP-CLOP

C L A I R E S T. O N G

AT A FANCY RESTAURANT

S A L LY G R I N D L E Y

IT’S MY SCHOOL!

KAT I E DAV I S

KINDERGARTEN ROCKS!

S A RA H M C M E N E M Y

JACK’S BOAT

I R I S H U D SO N

MAC AND THE MESSMAKER

F O R E V E R Y 1 0 F I C T I O N A L P I C T U R E B O O K S , T W O S H O W M I N O R I T Y- S T A T U S S T U D E N T S

AM I A COLOR TOO? BY HEIDI COLE

BRAVE: ONE PERFECT DAY

C A R R I E C L I C KA R D

VICTRICIA MALICIA: BOOK LOVING BUCCANEER

L E SL I E PAT R I C E L L I

FASTER, FASTER!

H E N S O N , H E AT H E R

ANGEL COMING

T I L D E S , PH Y L L I S L I M B AC H E R

THE GARDEN WALL

WA L S H , SH E I L A

GIGI: GOD’S LITTLE PRINCESS

B A S S , SC O TT

GIRL VS. WAVE

F RA N C I S C O , C U N H A

MY VERY OWN LIGHTHOUSE

M A RY A L I C E D O W N Y

A PIONEER ABC

T H E S E BO O K S W E R E N O T W R I TT E N F O R E N J OY M E N T

FREEDOM ON THE MENU: THE GREENSBORO SIT-INS BY CAROLE BOSTON WEATHERFORD

CHILDREN MAY BE DAMAGED BY THESE PATTERNS

• How do you think it feels to be a black child and see these patterns of imagery?• How do you think it feels to be a white child and

see these patterns of imagery?• How do you think it feels to be an Asian child and

see these patterns of imagery?• How do you think it feels…..

RESEARCH QUESTIONS• Are white males are

overrepresented on covers and in illustrations, in children’s [fictional] picture books? YES

• Do picture-book collections in school libraries represent the (approximately) 50-50 gender ratio of the larger U.S. society? YES

• In holiday-themed books, is there a deficiency in how frequently children of color represented on the cover? YES

• Are white female children represented in picture books more often red-haired? NO

• Would a balanced collection require the same ratio of fictional picture books showing students of minority-status at the same ratio as white children? How else might a balanced collection be determined and measured? Unable to determine quantitatively

TYPES OF LITERATURE CONSULTED

• Books about book covers• Books about picture books• Books about Image analysis in picture books• Books about racism in children’s literature (60’s to

present)• Books about the history of children’s literature• Books about multi-racial families• Books about multi-cultural literature• Multi-cultural literature• Websites of publishers, vendors, authors, and

reviewers of multi-cultural literature

FOLLETT TITLE WAVE 2005/2012• Cover art demographic

totals:• Prominent White Male: 212• Prominent White Female: 208• Prominent Black Male: 31• Prominent Black Female: 43• Prominent Asian Male: 4• Prominent Asian Female: 12• Prominent Native American

Male: 4• Prominent Native American

Female: 1• No Prominence 97• Total 612

• Cover Art demographic totals

• White Males: 100• White Females: 99• Black male:17 (2)• Black Female:17 (6)• Asian Male: 4• Asian Female: 2• Native American/American

Indian Male & Female: 0• Zero Prominence:11• Ambiguous and Hidden faces:

8• Total: 258

CCBC IN MADISON WISCONSIN

2005 • 5,000 Total Books• 2,800 Books Received• 75 by and • 149 about African

Americans• 4 by and • 34 about American Indians• 60 by and• 64 about Asian Pacific

Americans

2012• 5,000 Total Books• 3,600 Books Received• 68 by and• 119 about African

Americans• 6 by and• 22 about American Indians• 83 by and about• 76 Asian Pacific Americans

LIMITED THEMES

• White males were not only over-represented but books with their images contained over 80 unique themes.• Black males images were depicted on book

covers with a total of only 23 themes not related to race or culture or skin color.• Asian and American Indian Males depicted on

book covers contained no themes not related to race or culture.

WHY

• Publishers don’t publish books about minority – status children in mass and often reject books about middle class minority-status students

• Publishers don’t market what they do publish as well• Publishers allow these books to go out of print faster• Vendors don’t always carry the books that are

published• Purchasers may see these books as “for” only a

small percentage of students• Award winning books with black faces are almost

always historical fiction or non-fiction

APPLICATIONSLIBRARIANS IN SCHOOLS AND YOUTH SERVICES

HOW WILL THIS RESEARCH IMPACT THE FIELD?

• Librarians will understand the impact of imagery on children’s identity development• Librarians will learn to see balance in terms of

collection development in a whole new light• Librarians will have the tools to evaluate and

manage their collections for future generations

WHAT WILL I DO DIFFERENTLY

• Refer others to my research• Collect data section by section in my current

library and relate it to my research. Correct deficiencies while simultaneously reaching other goals that my administrators will support.• Continue to find ways to receive feedback from

professionals, parents and students of diverse backgrounds to assist in making acquisition recommendations.• Continue to advocate for more diverse staff and

volunteers in the library when applicable.

HOW WILL OTHERS APPLY THE RESEARCH TO THEIR WORK

• First they have to be aware of the work so getting the published paper in the system and sending links to relevant library blogs, journals and websites will be key

• Second, they have to read the work so getting some smaller articles written and smaller blog postings about portions of the work may be key because most people don’t read a full thesis.

• Third, I believe most librarians want balanced collections, and so whatever portions of the information resonates with them I believe they will start to see patterns themselves.

BOOKS ON MY RECOMMENDED LISTS

WEAKNESS’S AND LIMITATIONS

• Bias and strong beliefs• Emotional subjectivity• Working in an environment that is unique• Fear of overcompensating in collection

development due to personal bias• The “things will get better” culture of our society

THANK YOUNELL FLEMING