CLPE Reflecting Realities Report 2024 – Summary of Findings
Latest Findings -A Significant Drop
Today, the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) released its 7th annual Reflecting Realities Survey of Ethnic Representation within UK Children’s Literature.
The newly published report can be viewed here. The report, published in November 2024, surveys children’s books published in the UK during 2023 to measure the number of racially minoritized characters included in fiction, non-fiction and picturebooks aimed at readers aged 3-11. Habiba Nabisubi illustrates this year’s report.
The latest findings indicate a significant drop in the presence of racially minoritised characters in books published for children in the UK.
The report also calls for renewed commitment from the publishing industry to improve the volume and quality of inclusive output, alongside a review of practices and investment.
Racially Minoritised Character Representation Drops
For the first time in its history, the newly published Reflecting Realities report shows an overall drop in the percentage of racially minoritised characters featured in published children’s books reviewed – from 30% in 2022 to 17% in 2023.
This decrease is also echoed in the percentage of racially minoritised main characters, down 7 percentage points from 14% in 2022 to 7% in 2023.
For the first time this year, minoritised presence in fiction is down year on year – from 24% in 2022 to 11% in 2023. Fiction is also the text type which has seen much slower growth than non-fiction and picturebooks and these figures represent a significant widening of the gap.
This is echoed in the presence reported in non-fiction – down from 30% in 2022 to 22% in 2023.
Picturebooks continue to have the highest proportion of presence across the three text types. Despite reporting a decrease of 9 percentage points in 2022 to 52% this cycle has seen a slight increase with 55% of picturebook titles published in 2023 featuring characters from racially minoritised backgrounds within their casts.
What is causing the drop?
The report reflects on the current landscape and speculates on why a decrease in the percentage of racially minoritised characters featured in published children’s books is being seen. The report writers acknowledge that the work of Reflecting Realities contributes to a wider ecosystem of cross-sector advocacy connected through the common goal of providing inclusive, quality literature for all children. The report names just a few of the many organisations working towards their shared aims, although within its scope is only able to scratch the surface of some of the excellent work being achieved by individuals and groups – including teachers and librarians – as well as children’s literature advocates and on-the-ground organisations.
The report dwells briefly on the question of what has caused the significant drop in representation shown by this year’s report. One reason it offers that that the drop could be “indicative of an assumption that the gains in the early phase of this research have been sufficient in making the difference.” But the difference, the report urges, can only really mean anything if it is maintained and embedded.
Another reason offered is the sense has urgency felt after the summer of 2020 (during which the murder of George Floyd caused a stirring of the Black Lives Matter movement) has dissipated over time, with the writers urging that “a spike in books affirming Black identities and activism following a heinous murder or miscarriage of justice will not be sustained when the news feeds inevitably move on.”
The report urges the publishing industry to increase its commitment to producing more and better inclusive content, alongside a review of current practices and investments.
Recommendations
In previous years, the published report has offered numerous recommendations or lists of texts. In this year’s report, 15 exemplified texts are named, which stand to add to last year’s list of over 60 named titles. However, the writers point out that recommendations from previous years still stand as a valid place to find actions for anyone interested in furthering the aims, and this year the report offers three simple recommendations for the industry at this time:
1. Recognise that inclusive literature can simultaneously be responsive to social injustice whilst not being solely defined by this.
2. Make the principle of inclusion integral to every stage of the publishing process.
3. Understand the value and remain committed to the principle of inclusion.
Looking Ahead: Remain Steadfast
The overarching message to readers at the end of the report is to encourage the industry to take the lessons learned and remain steadfast in their commitment to reflecting realities and serving readers.
Farrah Serroukh Executive Director of Research and Development at CLPE said: ‘The ethical imperative should go without saying. However, beyond this the principle of inclusion simply makes books better. Through every annual review of the last seven years we have had the privilege of being treated to stories, characters, writing and worlds that have elevated the literary landscape, enriched the culture and transformed reading experiences. This can only be a good thing for the publishing industry and with the appropriate investment can have positive commercial and reputational implications. We encourage the industry to take the lessons learned and remain steadfast in their commitment to reflecting realities and serving their readership.’
If you want to expand your stock of diverse books for children, browse our diversity hub featuring booklists covering the primary age range or browse through the list of last year’s Reflecting Realities books.
Where next?> Browse our Topic Booklists
> Visit the Reflecting Realities Booklist
> Go to our Diversity Booklists
> View our Printable Year Group Booklists.
> See our Books of the Month.