What do Children’s Books Tell us about Diversity in Australia?
Australia prides itself on being a multicultural society, but is this reflected in our educational foundations? Books are an important way that children learn about things outside their immediate family environment; they also help children to develop empathy. Many of us look back fondly on our own childhood favourites. But what are the dominant trends in young children’s literature? And what kind of underlying messaging does this communicate to kids today? The Daily spoke with Dr Helen Adam – Senior Lecturer in the School of Education at Edith Cowan University – about her recently published study investigating the nature of children’s books in a number of Australian childcare centres.
