Diversity In Children Literature Essay

Children literature is important for youth to understand diversity and cultural differences. Diversity is often a difficult topic for young children to grasp due to most of the time when they are younger only being around people that look like them. Frazier says diversity in literature exposed kids to different types of people in a safe place where they can ask questions and learns (Hawkins). Diversity in children's literature can introduce young children to cultural differences and even similarities. Grasping these concepts at a young age can give children to look around and notice their surroundings and the people and things around them. Children noticing their surroundings helps them acknowledge the differences in the people that make up their everyday lives.

These lessons are not only vital in childhood but are needed throughout life. ‘‘Inclusion, multicultural, and non-sexist children’s literature also gives students in the "majority" an understanding of their "minority" peers struggles, triumphs, and contribution to our culture and society’’(Pirofski). Being exposed to people from different parts of the world or have special needs is very important in child development, hand in hand with them grasping new concepts. Children's literature gives students an understanding of what struggles and issues that goes in their society. This helps children know the full spectrum growing up and now growing up to be ignorant or misinformed of situations around them that are not hardcore taught in society. A child who grows up reading about various different people versus a child who does not usually ends up more educated on issues than the one who does not. Children also can be exposed to “deciding and acting” (Thibault) on situations they are exposed to, meaning that they can choose how they respond in a crisis that is put in front of them. All things considered, children can also learn how to develop their own opinions based on what they have read and