Reflecting Realities Booklist

In November 2023, the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE) released the 6th annual Reflecting Realities Survey of Ethnic Representation within UK Children’s Literature. The findings show that 30% of children’s books published in 2022 feature a racially minoritised character, which marks a significant increase from the 4% first reported in 2017. The published report can be viewed here or you can read a summary of the Reflecting Realities 2023 Report on our blog. 

This year’s report pays particular attention to the range and breadth of genres that have seen minoritised characters become a meaningful part of the literary mainstream. From Fantasy and Historical to Comedy, the report highlights and celebrates stories that include racially minoritised characters in multi-dimensional and nuanced ways. The report names quite a number of texts that exemplify the “quality of presence they hope to encounter in all representative books.”

Titles highlighted in this year’s report include a number that the BooksForTopics community will recognise from our Diverse Children’s Book Lists, as well as our Year Group Recommended Reads and Curriculum Booklists, such as The Lizzie and Belle Mysteries: Drama and Danger, India Incredible India, Serena Patel’s Picture Perfect, Planet Omar and Joseph Coelho’s Our Tower.

This booklist features many of the highlighted books included in this year’s Reflecting Realities report.

Best Diverse Children’s Books for Ages 5-7

Our experts have selected a list of recommended diverse and inclusive books for children in Year 1 and Year 2 (KS1), which feature characters that are traditionally under-represented in children’s books.

This list of the best diverse books for children in Key Stage 1 includes books with minority ethnic main characters, books that celebrate difference and books with representations of cultural diversity, different types of families, physical disabilities, visual impairment and neurodiversity. 

The list includes the story of Faizah as she witnesses her older sister Asiya’s first day of hijab in The Proudest Blue and the celebration of traditional Traveller virtues in Polonius the Pit Pony, as well as the tale of Faruq’s discovery of Caribbean ingredients in Faruq and the Wiri Wiri and Amazing Joe’s story exploring how to respond to disability in You’re So Amazing.

The books selected are chosen to represent a diversity of cultures and experiences that reflect the realities of life for children in modern-day UK classrooms.

You can find Diverse & Inclusive children’s book lists for other primary year groups here:

• Diverse Books for EYFS (Ages 2-5)
• Diverse Books for Years 3 and 4 (Ages 7-9)
• Diverse Books for Years 5 and 6 (Ages 9-11)

Schools can purchase full packs of our diverse book lists via Peters.