Though I try to read a lot of books, it is hard to participate in too many challenges. I have limited myself to 3 challenges this year. I posted about the Debut Author Challenge on November 21st. You can click here to read about it. I was going to stop there, but some friends pointed out the Books I Should Have Read Challenge. You can read about this challenge here. Now I was up to 2 challenges, but when I heard about the People of Color Reading Challenge and decided this would be my 3rd and final challenge for the year. To read more about the challenge and to sign up, you can click here.
The People of Color (PoC) Reading Challenge is actually very near and dear to my heart. I have worked in an urban setting for many years and 64% of the students at my school are Latino and another 16% are African American and another 10% are Caucasian and the final 10% are made up of a variety of racially diverse students. It is important for me to find books that feature children of color as the main character and books that appropriately portray People of Color. If I count picture books, I read over 40 books with People of Color represented in the pages of these books.
This year, I intend to read at least 12 Middle Grade or YA books featuring PoC. And I will continue to read a variety of picture books that represent the diversity that fills the halls of my school. My students are diverse and so should the books that they read reflect them.
Can I count on you to join in as well? - Aly
