In order for children to thrive in our diverse global climate, it is vital that they learn beyond the fundamental skills of Maths, Science and English, but the ability to listen to and understand people who are different from themselves.
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Authors of Colour Book Club helps schools across the country teach a dynamic and socially diverse curriculum. By supplying your students with the tools to understand difference and allowing them to feel seen within the books they read, we offer your school the chance to foster an environment of acceptance and inclusiveness within your students.
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In scouring the children's book landscape for the latest and greatest of diverse literature, we have sourced your school the best books that your students to fall in love with.
While schools, educators and governing bodies endeavour to grant their students with 'the essential knowledge that pupils need to be educated citizens' (Ofsted, 2019:43), the access to the tools and resources to achieve this are often limited. Additionally, when discussing protected characteristics such as religion, race and gender, schools are often too stretched to scour publishers and libraries to find the latest in diverse literature for their pupils, and educators are rarely equipped with the resources and support to confidently dissect these topics with their students. This often results in underdeveloped understandings of often heavy topics and neglect of the essential knowledge required for pupils to become 'respectful and active citizens' (Ofsted, 2019:58).
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We understand how difficult it is for schools to find books that reflect and connect with the broad spectrum of pupils in their school. We recognise that, as Rudine Sims Bishop acknowledges, 'when children cannot find themselves reflected in the books they read, or when the images they see are distorted, negative or laughable, they learn a powerful lesson about how they are devalued in the society of which they are a part'. Our book club aims to alleviate this barrier for you so that you can provide your pupils with books that do not encourage negative stereotypes, nor disregards groups entirely, but encourages all pupils to acknowledge, understand and benefit from our diverse world.
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Following the guidelines outlined in the Equality Act 2010 and schools and the Ofsted School Inspection Handbook 2019, and using our G.R.A.D.E.S inclusion strategy, we provide your school with the books, tools and guidance needed to deliver the inclusive and diverse social and cultural education. We offer a booklist centred on the latest titles related to gender, religion and belief, age, disability and mental health, ethnicity and culture and sexual orientation. Each topic we delve into is adapted to the age group and maturity of the pupils in order to explore difference with utmost sensitivity.
How it works.
Step Two: Receive.
After communicating with your school and receiving payment, all the books and resources will be delivered directly by us to a named contact at your school.
We recommend that this process be commenced as soon as possible so that teachers can get familiar with the books and resources at the earliest opportunity.
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Step Three: Review.
After receiving our books, join our closed Authors of Colour Book Club Facebook groups to gain access to exclusive resources, information and conversations with our authors.
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Share your thoughts on our books and resources at @authorsofcolour on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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Tell us about your experience with the Authors of Colour Book Club for Schools so we can learn how best to service your school in the future.
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includes:
EACH COLLECTION
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20 recently published diverse books.
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20 activity packs for each book.
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Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum G.R.A.D.E.S. completion certificates.
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Access to the 'Authors of Colour Book Club for Schools' closed Facebook group.
Price £995
Looking for help with funding?
Are you a state school looking for funding? Find more information on how the Foyle School Library Scheme can help here.
Our topics.
As we scavenge for the perfect books across the globe, we encourage our readers to explore social topics in a way that is often neglected in mainstream children's literature. In selecting each book to send out to you, our subscription holders, we evaluate your specifications, consider the reading-level of the book and examine how the topic is tailored to the age of the child reader. Our topics cover:
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Gender
Religion
Age
Disability
Ethnicity
Sexual
Orientation
Age
Disability
Gender
We believe it is vital that children's reading material's avoid gender based stereotyping. This means not limiting girls and boys to antiquated, restrictive tropes. Our books and resource pack encourage a positive view of gender where character's capabilities are not dependent on their gender.
In an increasingly globalised world, it is becoming more and more important that children learn religious tolerance.
This means fostering a broader understanding of different religions around the world so that our future leaders can disregard religious stereotyping and embrace difference.
Disability is often a topic many children fail to grasp at an early age due to a lack of relations to those with disabilities.
Our resource pack and book list encourage your students to learn about the characteristics, challenges, strengths and experiences of those with disabilities in order to create greater awareness and foster inclusion.
Age
Children's understanding of age is often neglected in the topic of inclusive children's literature, however we believe that through books children can grow a greater understanding of ageing that combats ageist tropes. We encourage a healthy relationship to ageing with the absence of pity and the celebration of intergenerational friendships.
Ethnicity
We believe that, for a child's social and literary development to grow, it is important for children to not only see a range of protagonists of different ethnicities, but to see themselves represented in the books that they read.
As a result, our books urge your children to learn acceptance and tolerance of people who do not look like them, as well as encourage them to feel included in the books they read.
Sexual
Orientation
We believe that in order to encourage acceptance in our society, it is important that children recognise that different types of love exist. As a delicate topic for younger years, our list contains books that demonstrate different family set-ups whereby families with same-sex parents can feel validated.
Our topics.
As we scavenge for the perfect books across the globe, we encourage our readers to explore social topics in a way that is often neglected in mainstream children's literature. In selecting each book to send out to you, our subscription holders, we evaluate your specifications, consider the reading-level of the book and examine how the topic is tailored to the age of the child reader. Our topics cover:
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It is of utmost importance to us that we provide schools with suitable books that facilitate conversations, understandings and a greater awareness of our diverse society. As a result, we ensure that the books and resources offered are appropriate for the age and maturity of your pupils, and are sensitive to the needs of your school.
Through these topics and more, we enable your students to see themselves reflected in the books they read in your school library, as well as encourage them to understand the colourful lives of the people around them.
Testimonials.
"Children are provided with exceptional opportunities to learn about the wider world. [...Authors of Colour for Schools] helps them to deepen their understanding of diversity and cultural difference."
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- Ofsted, 2020
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"Have you ever wondered what book to buy for a classroom of 30 children? Or for a school full of more than 400 children? Authors of Colour has 60 answers for you, introducing your children to stories about the lives of people of different cultures, colours, sexual identities, family make up – almost every difference you can imagine is covered in these books.
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Many of the books are well worth a discussion to help children learn to think about the issues raised. Other books are just fun, with enough silliness to make any child laugh out loud.
The books are well-written, exciting and thought-provoking, books I would have liked to give my children when they were young."
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- Judith Lorman, Local Authority Governor,
St Gregory the great, Cheltenham
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