After Matt de la Peña received the Newbery Medal this week for his book Last Stop on Market Street,  I was reminded of his work in promoting diversity in publishing.

De la Peña is on the advisory committee for We Need Diverse Books, a non-profit “dedicated to highlighting the best of diverse literature for children and teens and to heightening awareness through continued education.”

Here at the ERB, we value the practice of reading diversely and strive to recommend books that are written by diverse authors and that promote understanding of the experiences of diverse people.

Novelist John Green on why we need diverse books:

HOW CAN I HELP?

Ever since the #WeNeedDiverseBooks movement began, the group has had overwhelming support and positive reception. Once we started our initial campaign in late April and early May, right away we had people asking how they could help and offering to volunteer time, resources, and more. It’s been incredibly heartening. WNDB is currently working hard on a volunteer program for all interested parties. In the meantime, here are a few ways that everyone can help promote diversity in children’s literature!
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