Thread by @LindaSuePark

Here’s something I often hear from diverse creators: “I’m writing books for kids because when I was little, I never saw myself in books. I want to make sure every child has the chance to see themselves in a book.” 1/9

Sound familiar? The inspiration is a noble one, and I couldn’t be more excited about the work being produced these days by writers from marginalized communities. It’s a challenging, tumultous, and EXCITING time in the world of children’s books. 2/9

When I hear something like the above, I can certainly relate. There were so few books featuring Asian or Asian-American characters when I was growing up in the 1960s and early 1970s.

BUT. And this is important. 3/9

There WERE people doing that work. There were creators battling conditions a thousand times less woke than today, overcoming the obstacles, publishing one book at a time into what must have seemed like a void. No marketing, no WNDB, no social media communities. 4/9

If you were born after about 1970, and you tell audiences that you are writing books because you never saw yourself in a book, I believe you. But the books were there, AND THEIR CREATORS DESERVE TO BE ACKNOWLEDGED. 5/9

It was not the fault of the creators that their books weren't/aren't better known. Their books got close to ZERO support from the culture at large. When you say that you never saw yourself in a book, *you are actually participating in the erasure of that seminal work.* 6/9

Eloise Greenfield. Lawrence Yep. Donald Crews. John Donovan. Karen English. Those are a few creators that came to mind immediately. There are more. They are not household names, and they should be. 7/9

A humble suggestion. Instead of, “I never saw myself in a book,” how about something like, “I was never fortunate enough to come across the wonderful books by authors like Eloise Greenfield. Or Donald Crews.” 8/9

Honor our forebears. Respond here with lots of another names.

And then make them proud. 9/9

@threadreaderapp unroll please