#DiverseKidLit – Indigenous Children’s Literature Month

The word Indigenous within a Canadian context encompasses First Nations and Inuit and Métis peoples.

Indigenous Literature in North America was once almost exclusively written by white settlers, who, with or without permission from the knowledge-keepers and elders of a community (usually without) published stories that belonged to a community they were not part of. Some of these authors had good intentions; some did not. Even more frequently, Indigenous characters appeared in settler stories only as stereotypes: one-dimensional figures whose sole purpose in existence was to teach the white (usually male) protagonist secret knowledge or to be defeated by him.

Fortunately, through the long advocacy of Indigenous authors and artists, #ownvoices stories are reclaiming their place and displacing harmful narratives. You can look forward to some pretty fantastic stories this month in a range of genres and for a variety of ages, written by authors of different nations, ages, and experiences.

All month long we’re going to be sharing Indigenous children’s materials, including board books and picture books, verse novels, YA and more! We’ll be sharing stories from Canada and around the world, exploring and experiencing #ownstories from a vibrant array of cultures and traditions. Indigenous literature is as diverse as the communities it represents, and we hope you’ll join us as we celebrate Indigenous Month!

The Book Wars is a blog all about literature for young people – we share reviews, news, interviews, guest posts, cover reveals and more! We all have different areas of expertise and interest, so there’s really something for every kidlit lover. Join us, won’t you?

Our theme for #DiverseKidLit in March is the Changing Seasons. Please consider sharing diverse books and resources that support love and families. (As always, the theme is only a suggestion. Diverse posts on alternate topics are always welcome.)

What Is #DiverseKidLit?

Diverse Children’s Books is a book-sharing meme designed to promote the reading and writing of children’s books that feature diverse characters. This community embraces all kinds of diversity including (and certainly not limited to) diverse, inclusive, multicultural, and global books for children of all backgrounds.

We encourage everyone who shares to support this blogging community by visiting and leaving comments for at least three others. Please also consider following the hosts on at least one of their social media outlets. Spread the word using #diversekidlit and/or adding our button to your site and your diverse posts.

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We hope this community will grow into a great resource for parents, teachers, librarians, publishers, and authors! Our next linkup will be Saturday, March 18th and on the first and third Saturdays of every month.

Upcoming Theme

Our theme for the current month is Changing Sesons. Themes are a suggestion only; all diverse book posts are welcome. If you’re interested, you can start planning now for our upcoming themes …

• March 18th: Changing Seasons. As we eagerly await the beginning of Spring in the Northern Hemisphere and Autumn in the Southern, let’s share favorite books and resources on the seasons.

• April 7th and 14th is our one-year anniversary of #diversekidlit! Stay tuned for some big events to celebrate!

Most Clicked Post from Last Time

The most-clicked post from the previous #diversekidlit is Beth’s great roundup of Diverse Novels in Verse, part 2. (You can catch up on part 1 here.) Novels in verse are an incredible and accessible way for kids to get to know a character inside and out. You will find some new favorites!

#DiverseKidLit is Hosted by: