In my blog back in April I said I would tell you more about Booktrust. It is an independent national charity based in the UK, which encourages people of all ages and cultures to discover and enjoy reading. See www.booktrust.org.uk. I am particularly interested in the work they are doing to support publishers to include characters with disabilities in the books we read. We need to see more people with disabilities in all media including books, magazines, TV, ads etc. to really move forward and change attitudes.

At the ‘Equal Measures’ event at the London Book Fair earlier this year, Viv Bird Booktrust’s CEO highlighted the social value for all children to see positive images of disability in books and the importance of celebrating difference. Although many educational books include some characters with disability, this is not the case for most ‘mainstream’ childrens’ books.

Alex Strick from Booktrust and Julia Donaldson (author of The Gruffalo and dozens of other books) said it is not necessary to make ‘special books’, just adapt what we have and to include characters with disabilities in a natural way. In fact Julia commented that it is better still if we can tell a funny story and raise awareness that way!

The event was hosted by the wonderful Kelly Knox, winner of BBC’s Britain’s Missing Top Model. She was born without a left forearm, but her family friends always ensured she has felt no different from anyone else. She went on to say how she felt children’s books have the power to get across the same messages as she was exposed to growing up – in other words to help ‘normalise’ disability.
For more information see Alex Stick’s piece on the event.

Booktrust have a great resource on their website called Bookmark which offers information, book reviews and advice on all aspects of children’s books and disability issues. 

It also includes a section on guidelines for Including Positive Images in Books: Ideas for Writers, Illustrators and Publishers authors and illustrators

When I work with the illustrator of my Off We Go series of books David Ryley, we include characters from different backgrounds and some that have disabilities to reflect the world we live in today. But I still have work to do in this area, since I see now that I have used the stereotypical example of the old fashioned wheelchair in my books.

I enthusiastically support organisations like Booktrust in the work they are doing to ensure that the books we read fully reflect the diverse society in which we live.

Please help spread the word about the importance of visually including people with disabilities in all media.

Best wishes as always,
Avril