HOW TO MAKE YOUR SCHOOL BOOK FAIR MORE INCLUSIVE
(and more successful)
Empathetic humans grow out of more diverse reading, so why not deliberately make it easier for kids to access a wider array of books?
School book fairs are a great opportunity to offer a wide selection of titles by new and familiar voices that families can purchase in order to diversify their own bookshelves, that of their kids' classrooms and the school library.
With some deliberate effort, you can be a part of making the school book fairs in your district not only more inclusive, but more successful (they are fundraisers, after all). Here’s how.
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1. GET INVOLVED
Volunteer to organize, help run or “work” at the book fairs at your kids’ schools.
THE FINER DETAILS
The book fair is a PTA committee run by a chairperson (or two) and volunteers, plus other team members from the school faculty (like the Media Center Specialist and a Language Arts teacher).
Join the PTA and offer to chair, co-chair or join that committee.
Once you’re on the committee, you are a gatekeeper to which books make it into the sale, working with the book fair company representative assigned to your school to coordinate that list and ensure the gates stay open to welcome as wide a representation as possible.
Also: When you see a school newsletter/social media post announcing the book fair, volunteer to work the sales floor during as many shifts as possible.
Can't volunteer time? Email the Book Fair Committee, CC:ing school administration requesting an increase in representation and literary diversity of the offerings during the fair. Be specific in your ask.
"We need diverse representation not only so every kid can see themselves as the hero of the story, but so that every kid can understand that *other* kinds of kids are *also* the heroes of the story."
Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, Author & Scholar
Rabbi Danya Ruttenberg, Author & Scholar
2. CURATE A DIVERSE LIST OF BOOKS
Instead of simply accepting a default shipment of books to sell at the fair, make sure there is increased representation and literary diversity in the books to sell.
THE FINER DETAILS
Your book fair company’s representative likely will have a default list of books they’d happily send to your fair that includes longtime bestsellers, new books by their own publishing imprint, and books that have a lot of stock of in their warehouse they want to get rid of. Consider this a starting point.
(Remember: Book publishing has historically been very white, so longtime bestsellers and the majority of books overall defaults to this. You don't want only the default in this book fair. Also, SPF's Strategic Plan calls for more diversity, equity and inclusion.)
Search the book fair company’s website to see their full catalogue of offerings, then curate a diverse list of books that represents countless voices, cultures, intersectionalities and experiences in fiction and non-fiction for all ages and reading levels in your school.
Tips for finding books:
- Use search tools on the book fair website for book options by themes, subject matter, key terms, collections, award-winners, etc.
- Reach out to the school’s Language Arts Director and Media Center Specialist to ask if there are titles they think would be good to add to your list.
- Remember that kids like all kinds of books, so seek out joyful, realistic, fantastical, dark, illustrated/graphic novels, historical, mysterious, scary, silly, educational, relatable and anything else your team can think of.
- Get inspiration by perusing our ever-growing list of themed diverse book lists for adults, teens, kids 8-12 and kids 8 and under: R.E.A.L. Parents x SPF book lists for the whole family
- The diversity in the a collection of books' authors and characters includes -- but is not limited to -- race, ethnicity, gender, age, physical ability, neurodiversity, sexual orientation, physical attributes, religious beliefs, family dynamic, nation of origin, national region of origin, language(s) spoken, communication style, socioeconomic status, political beliefs and educational experience.
Now your book fair committee can forward that list to your book fair rep, who works to get as many of those books added to the shipment.
"Growing up, I wasn’t assigned a book written by a living author until I was a junior in high school. That’s a problem. Kids — ALL kids — need to see themselves reflected in the characters of the books they read, and in the creators of those books too."
Jarrett Lerner, Award-Winning Author & Illustrator
Jarrett Lerner, Award-Winning Author & Illustrator
3. MAKE IT EASIER TO SHOP THE SALE
Book fairs tend to have a pretty standard practice of set-up so volunteers can easily unpack the books, display them in grouped categories and point visitors to the general area where their interests and reading level lean.
But going even just a little further than that can increase sales by making everyone feel welcome and included.
THE FINER DETAILS
Know Your Inventory
Once your book fair rep has sent you the packing list of books to expect, split it up between committee members to familiarize themselves with the titles and content (it should all be on the book fair’s website) so that during the sale you can help shoppers find what they are looking for.
Doing this also makes it easier to put books with shared topics, genres, etc. near each other on the shelves during set-up so shoppers can see multiple books they may want all in one glance.
Make Suggestions
Add “If You Liked This, You’ll Like These” displays featuring a book kids know and love, then books that give the same reading experience but by authors of varying identities.
Example:
Is the book fair during Black History Month, Pride Month, Filipino American History Month, Autism and Neurodiversity Awareness Month, Women’s History Month, Native American Heritage Month, National Ice Cream Appreciation Day or the like? Highlight books in the sale that align with that celebration.
Have a Staff Wish List Table
Before the sale, make sure all staff know they can come peruse the books and fill out Wish Lists that visitors can shop from. Then let families know about these Wish Lists via book fair marketing (social media, emails, school website).
This is a great way for educators to fill representation gaps in classroom libraries, and libraries to add to their inventory.
Ensure Books Are Accessible to Everyone
Talk to your book fair company rep about including books that are at price points from $0.50-2.50, and your school administration team about setting aside a budget for students who cannot typically afford to shop the fair. (There are tactful ways to gift them so it’s not obvious to their peers.)
Set up the flow of the fair so books are visible to and within reach of all students, and so those using mobility devices can safely move between displays.
See about virtual book fair options for those who cannot be on site during the sale.
Tell Shoppers What Is Available
When a class shows up, a book fair volunteer often welcomes them, gives the basic lay of the land, then sets them loose to shop the fair.
Let them know (in a way targeted for the age group) that there are all kind of books by and about all different kinds of people on the shelves, and that if they are looking for one by or about someone or something in particular, you are happy to help them find it.
You can even write your message on a white board to display at the entrance, which will let students who seek certain representation in books know that it just might be in the room.
Note: The goal here is to make the shelves more inclusive, and let the book fair shoppers decide what they want from what is offered. Do not make any assumptions; make targeted suggestions only when specifically asked, following that person's lead.
LET'S DO THIS!
By now you have probably heard the recommendation that kids (okay, everyone) should read both “window” and “mirror” books. That is, books that we can see ourselves reflected in, as well as ones that we can look into to better understand people who aren’t exactly like us along the way.
Exposure to both helps the reader see connections between themselves and those around them they might not have seen before, while gaining a respectful understanding of any differences.
Following the steps above puts more window and mirror books on the shelves, giving all students an overall wider selection of options to pick from. Plus, kids who haven't seen themselves represented on those shelves in years past are more likely to have that wonderful experience this time, which sounds like a pretty successful book fair to us.
Good luck!
"Let us not return to what was normal, but reach toward what is next."
Amanda Gorman, National Youth Poet Laureate of the United States & Author
Amanda Gorman, National Youth Poet Laureate of the United States & Author
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RELATED RESOURCES
On the Importance of Increasing Representation and Literary Diversity in Schools
Better understand why student exposure to books with a wide representation of voices, experiences and scenarios benefits them, and how the avoiding/banning of books that include particular voices, themes or scenarios is detrimental to students of all ages by visiting the links below:
- "Why We Need Diverse Books" | National Education Association
- "Teachers Push for Books With More Diversity, Fewer Stereotypes" | Education Week
- "Not OK? That’s OK. Middle Grade Authors Provide Compassionate Portrayals of Mental Health" | School Library Journal
- "10 Books About Autism Featuring Black Autistic Characters" | The Kisha Project
- "Making Elementary School Classrooms LGBTQ-Inclusive" | American Federation of Teachers
- "LGBT Literate in the Classroom" | Association for Middle Level Education
- "5 Reasons Why You Should Read a Diverse Book for Your Next Community Read" | We Need Diverse Books
- "Why We Need Diverse Books" | Anti-Defamation League
- Educators and Race: A Conversation with Author Ijeoma Oluo on Tackling Systemic Racism in U.S. Education | School Library Journal
From The New Jersey Student Learning Standards for English Language Arts (NJSLS-ELA) Notes on Range and Content in Reading
"To build a foundation for college and career readiness, students must read widely and deeply from among a broad range of high-quality, increasingly challenging literary and informational texts.
Through extensive reading of stories, dramas, poems, and myths from diverse cultures and different time periods, students gain literary and cultural knowledge as well as familiarity with various text structures and elements.
By reading texts in history/social studies, science, and other disciplines, students build a foundation of knowledge in these fields that will also give them the background to be better readers in all content areas.
Students can only gain this foundation when the curriculum is intentionally and coherently structured to develop rich content knowledge within and across grades.
Students also acquire the habits of reading independently and closely, which are essential."
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We are R.E.A.L. Parents x SPF.
We are Scotch Plains-Fanwood public school parents, alumni, neighbors and educators united to bring more Representation, Equity, Anti-Racism and Literary diversity to our school libraries, lessons and leaders.
Click the button below to join us!
We are Scotch Plains-Fanwood public school parents, alumni, neighbors and educators united to bring more Representation, Equity, Anti-Racism and Literary diversity to our school libraries, lessons and leaders.
Click the button below to join us!
