Book Talk: Why the characters in books matter to students

There is no tool more powerful than a good story to build empathy and promote self-esteem. Teachers tell us time and again: stories have the ability to foster learning, acceptance, growth, and affirmation. 

As award-winning author Tananarive Due put it, “Diversity should just be called “reality.” Your books, your TV shows, your movies, your articles, your curricula need to reflect reality.”

Mrs. Weigand, a dual language teacher in a Title 1 elementary school expands on this idea: “When our students see themselves reflected in these books the positive impact is almost immeasurable. Having quality role models to read about creates positive ripples in schools and communities.”

‍For teachers, having intentional, inclusive reading materials in your classroom can support the full development of your students, regardless of who they are or where they come from. Here’s why:

Windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors

Educator Emily Style was the first to coin the term “windows and mirrors” in 1988 as a way of naming storytelling’s power. In 1990, well-known children’s literature researcher Rudine Sims Bishop expanded that term to include “sliding glass doors,” specifically when talking about children’s books. In using these terms, both Style and Sims Bishop meant that a powerful collection of children’s books should serve as:

1. Windows into the lived realities of other people

2. Mirrors for the reader, reflecting their own lives and experiences back to them

3. Sliding glass doors that help readers walk into a story and become a part of a world created by the author

Let’s take Jessica Love’s Julián Is A Mermaid as an example. Julián Is A Mermaid can function as a mirror for LGBTQ+ children, for students who live in urban settings, or for students who have a special relationship with their grandparent. On the flip side — for kids who live in rural or suburban settings — this book can be a window into life in an urban neighborhood. For every reader, Julián Is A Mermaid offers an engaging, colorful, and immersive world, or a sliding glass door, that celebrates all the ways in which we are different. 

“Reading books like Julian is a Mermaid, Thank you Omu, and Proudest Blue help my students feel seen. It is so important for my students to have books that they can identify with. These are characters that tell stories similar to their own experiences. Their stories are not just their own, but now a shared experience with the whole class. This allows us to meet people who are different than us, and helps us to build those bridges of understanding. As we work on learning about ourselves, each other, and our emotions students need to see characters that look like them and go through similar experiences. We will explore our own identity, who we are, what we want/need, and our emotions. These books will help us do just that!” 

— Creating a Classroom Library That's Reflective of its Students, a project from Ms. Ferguson, elementary school, West Roxbury, MA

How to make sure your students get both windows and mirrors

The bottom line is that children need windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors in their learning material to help them grow into the best versions of themselves… but, because relatively few books are published that feature people of color, people with disabilities, those who identify with the LGBTQ+ community, and members of other marginalized communities, some children only get to experience windows. This teacher from Arizona summarizes the value of diverse books best:

“When students can see themselves in books it is an amazing thing. It helps to give them a voice. It is empowering. When students see others represented in books it helps them to learn acceptance, empathy, and equity.”

Classroom libraries that include a variety of stories and characters help students feel and understand the breadth of experiences and opportunities in this world.

How to expand diversity in your classroom library

For an easy place to start, check out these DonorsChoose projects from teachers requesting books that focus on representation. For specific title recommendations, consider this resource from the DonorsChoose blog.

For younger students, the age-appropriate picture books you choose for your young readers can build a solid foundation. Indiana pre-K teacher Ms. Moriarity shares this:

“Inclusive and diverse texts help me strengthen our classroom community, the school family we work so hard to build from day one. I want the literature I choose to share with students to be relevant to their daily lives and act as a mirror to see themselves and their families, or as vehicles to build empathy for people who are different from them.”

For older grades, consider inviting your students’ recommendations. We’ll leave you with these words from Ms. Sloane about her high schoolers in Texas. They helped her curate her classroom collection:

“[My] selection of books has been hand picked by students over the last couple of years as books they actually want to read. That is another goal of mine — to provide less book lists to choose from and let the students create their own lists. This generates ownership and excitement and a much more diverse set of books than I would have ever found.”