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Stories that matter

By Helen Stower, Krystal Gagen-Spriggs

Issue 107, Term 4 2018

Contemporary realistic fiction is a trend in the current young adult (YA) book scene. Some of these books provide insight into issues such as gender and sexual identity, mental health, grief, drugs, suicide and violence. These issues present new horizons for those involved in the care and education

The need for diverse book collections

By Helen Caple, Ping Tian

Issue 122, Term 3 2022

is firmly embedded in every level of the Australian Curriculum (ACARA 2020). The fourth principle of the Early Years Learning Framework, ‘Respect for Diversity’, states:  When early childhood educators respect the diversity of families and communities, and the aspirations they hold for children,

Exploring time and place through children's literature

By Tania McCartney

Issue 97, Term 2 2016

bound by prejudice, stereotypes, or limited thinking. And, of course, global awareness is necessary in this ever-shrinking world. The more cultural diversity children interact with, the larger their world — and opportunities — become. Culturally rich books provide more flavour for children, who

The importance of multicultural literature

By Marianne Grasso

Issue 96, Term 1 2016

(2010) conducted research on critical literacy using a range of multicultural picture books. Her aim was to determine whether student perspectives on diversity and the acceptance of others altered once they were exposed to multicultural texts. Evans concluded that exposure to multicultural literatur

Daring to be different: celebrating diversity in literature

By Ruth Devine

Issue 105, Term 2 2018

hem, in order to validate themselves and build a sense of self-worth. Of course, books need act not only as mirrors, but also as windows. We need a diversity of stories and storytellers that reflect ourselves as much as showing us what else is out there. The world gets smaller by the day and, as

Addressing reconciliation in a school setting

By Jan Poona

Issue 94, Term 3 2015

I have been a teacher librarian in a government primary school for many years. In this time, not only have I taught students but I have made decisions regarding cataloguing and shelving books in the school library as well. I also have a close friend, Christine, who is an Aboriginal Elder and social

The DANZ Childrens Book Award

By Kate Foster

Issue 126, Term 3 2023

How do we assess the representation on offer? Educators are being encouraged to build booklists for their students that represent all areas of diversity. We need only refer to Connections issues 122 and 125 to find guidelines on how to assess what makes a good diverse book, and the red

BlackWords: celebrating writers and storytellers

By Dr Anita Heiss

Issue 90, Term 3 2014

ing up-to-date information on many aspects of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, BlackWords gives teachers and students access to a rich diversity of stories in many forms. Scholarly research relating to these works is also listed, and the full text of some material is available. BlackW

Interview with Gabrielle Wang, Australian Children's Laureate

By Gabrielle Wang

Issue 122, Term 3 2022

Were school libraries an important part of your childhood? Do you have any favourite memories? School libraries were important because I felt they were a  good shelter. I liked playing sport and I liked being outside at lunchtime, but sometimes if you just want quiet time, it’s a really good plac

Metadata to enhance diversity, connection and belonging

By Catherine Barnes

Issue 123, Term 4 2022

School libraries are dynamic, innovative and exciting places, but they are also a place for diversity, connection and belonging. Ben Chadwick (2020) explains: ‘Some things are fundamental  to providing a library service. Of course, you need a decent collection of resources, but you also need to sup