Diversity in publishing a problem in the US

From the Harry Potter series to the Hunger Games trilogy, fiction geared to the tween and teen sets can regularly be found at the top of best-seller lists. But no amount of re-imagining of Hermione Granger as black can erase the reality that youths of color rarely see themselves represented as the main characters of young adult novels—even though they’re the fastest-growing demographic group in the United States. The diversity of the authors writing young adult literature isn’t much better.

In a collaborative effort, the National Education Association Foundation, publishing house Lee & Low Books, and the nonprofit First Book will provide thousands of diverse books to schools and students in low-income communities in the UNited States. The partnership will also fund the creation of companion teacher tip sheets to ensure that students have meaningful learning experiences with the literature, and Lee & Low will publish a book by an author of color. Read more here