Black and Latina Parents Stymied by Children’s Book Choices in Schools

Chicago, IL — Millions of Black and Latino children head back to the classroom this fall, but they will be hard pressed to find schoolbooks that include children who look like them. It’s a repeating cycle that can limit students’ engagement as they learn to read.

“For a black child learning to read, part of the excitement is imagining themselves in the story,” according to Donna Beasley, founder and publisher at KaZoom Kids Books. “That is hard to do if no Black or Latino children appear in their books.”

KaZoom has partnered with multicultural authors and artists to create e-books that engage multicultural children by including people who look like them in the stories. The KaZoom Kids iStorybooks reading app provides a library of interactive, read-along books on a subscription basis, available on both Android and Apple devices.

“Parents are often stunned by the lack of books with minority characters in their children’s school libraries, if those schools have libraries at all,” Beasley said. “Minority parents are often on their own in the search for the kind of books that will engage their children and make them lifelong readers.”

Educators, parents and children are hailing the series for sparking an early love of reading and learning that could have lifelong benefits, according to Beasley. Filled with whimsical characters and illustrations that delight and fascinate, the stories are fun, but also touch on multiculturally-sensitive issues like black hair and single parenting. Other stories chronicle inspiring tales of success.

“Every child should be able to find themselves, their family and their community in the pages of a book. This lack of diversity in children’s literature creates a gap in the sense of self-love that comes from recognizing oneself in a text, from the understanding that your life and lives of people like you are worthy of being told, thought about, discussed and even celebrated,” Beasley said. Download the app and try the first two books free by clicking here: http://bit.ly/KaZoomKidsBks

 

About Kazoom Kids Books
KaZoom Kids Books is an interactive, digital publishing company that is changing the face of children’s literature by promoting greater inclusivity of multicultural communities. The KaZoom Kids iStoryBooks Reading App is a custom app available for both Android and Apple devices that delivers an ever-expanding library of interactive books featuring diverse characters. KaZoom titles are written for children ages 3 to 8 and highlight stories of multicultural family, lifestyles, and experiences. For more details and/or to purchase their books, visit www.kazoomkidsbooks.com

 

PRESS CONTACT:
KaZoom Kids Books
donna@kazoomkidsbooks.com
(773) 717-4900