Diversity and representation in children’s literature has always been skewed. According to a 2018 study by the librarians at the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education Cooperative Children’s Book Center, only 10% of children’s books depict the main characters as Black, and just 4% of executive-level publishing professionals and literary agents are Black.

ABC Tonight host and bestselling author Lindsey Davis has been carving out spaces in the children’s publishing space, using her son Ayden as inspiration. She’s the author of the bestselling children’s books The World Is Awake: A Celebration of Everyday Blessings and One Big Heart: A Celebration of Being More Alike than Different, both of which feature Black main characters and stories centered on faith and life lessons.   For(bes) The Culture spoke  with Davis  about how she’s continuing her mission to diversify media with that release of her newest book, Stay This Way Forever.

For(bes) The Culture: What inspired you to start writing children’s books? 

Linsey Davis: My almost 7-year-old son. When I was reading a book to my son, I realized that I can do this, I needed to do this. Kids need to see characters that look like them or else they will stop turning to books to find themselves. I wanted to be a part of the solution and start, creating books with Black and Brown characters. It’s important to note that just because my books have Black and Brown characters, they are not for just Black and Brown readers. My hope is that families of all races realize how important it is to have their children get exposure to kids who don’t look like them. It allows children and the reader to peer into a world that is different from their own.

For(bes) The Culture: Kids these days have a lot of access and exposure through the internet and social media. Has your son taught  you  new knowledge about diversity through his eyes?

Davis: The one thing I have established concretely is that kids do see color. He looks at the world in a refreshing way. Kids don’t make a distinction with race and color being negative or positive. Pre-pandemic, my son would go to the park, make friends and come home telling me about how much he and his new friend had in common. Children will lead us in getting back into that space of focusing on what we have in common.  

For(bes) The Culture:  What are some ways publishers can create more space for Black and Brown children’s  stories and authors?

Davis: I think for many companies, the summer of racial reckoning really has propelled them to want to make their books more diverse. I started working with my publisher long before the summer of protest. It didn’t take that for them to see that there was a need. Publishing my books was something I had been talking with them about years ago and they were really accepting of what I wanted to do and saw the value of having children’s books with Black and Brown characters. When I was first researching about the children’s books industry the statistics were that more than 90% of the protagonists were white. If you look at the U.S. census bureau, most children in this country are not white. So there was definitely a need. I think in recent years, we have definitely seen an increase in diversity with children’s books but there certainly needs to be more. 

For(bes) The Culture: What is your specific process when writing a book?

Davis: When I’m trying to think about what I want to write, nothing comes out. I have to be inspired. I would start writing all of my thoughts in an email to myself, whenever my son would do something that I wanted to cherish I would just keep adding to the list. I often would write my ideas at night and keep going back to it and adding ideas that I want to include. 

For(bes) The Culture: What do you want children and parents to take away from Stay This Way Forever?

Davis: The main theme with all of my books is love. This book is a love letter from parents to children. The message it sends to kids is to know that you are loved, adored, appreciated and valued. As a parent, we will be there with you There is power in parents that are reading this to their children. It is a reinforcement of the love a parent has for their children.