In today’s world, social justice, environmental justice, climate change, and diversity are increasingly important topics. These big, complex subjects can be difficult for children to understand. However, children’s literature is often at the forefront of tackling such topics. Picturebooks are a way to consider current issues, foster awareness and empathy, and help children to imagine new and better ways of being in the world. They are often meant to be read by or with the help of an adult, presenting an opportunity for intergenerational learning, discussion, and enjoyment. In a recent study, Karen Hindhede and Adriana Saavedra at Central Arizona College set out to understand how ideas about social justice, climate change and diversity are portrayed in children’s literature. Read More
They reviewed over 2,000 picturebook descriptions and analyzed 60 picturebooks relating to diversity, the environment, social justice, and environmental justice. They asked the question: ‘To what extent is environmental justice portrayed in recent picturebooks, and how does this compare and intersect with portrayals relating to multiculturalism and social justice?’
The researchers found that 48% of the picturebooks portrayed social and cultural diversity, 34% included ecological or environmental topics, and 15% fit into the social justice category. Only 3% of the books were categorized as being about environmental justice.
Portrayals of social justice mostly focused on racial justice, which may reflect contemporary anti-racism movements. With a few exceptions that depicted collective action, most stories portrayed one person striving to ‘make a difference’. Hindhede and Saavedra found that most books in the social justice category did not include environmental justice issues. The absence of environmental justice stories is striking, given how inequality is implicated in environmental issues.
Even more striking is that environmental justice portrayals have only recently appeared in picturebooks. This study found 27 environmental justice books published in the last five-and-a-half years. However, when the same search was done for the years between 2000 and 2017, only one book appeared. This indicates that, while ideas of environmental protection have traditionally been present in children’s literature, environmental justice is only recently emerging.
These findings may reflect what society, book reviewers, and publishers deem relevant to children. The lack of environmental justice themes might indicate difficulty in considering the relationship between humans and the planet.
However, it is promising that portrayals of environmental justice have expanded to include more communal and collective activities for children, like being part of marches, or engaging in community gardens. Hindhede and Saavedra also highlight that a small number of books depicted stewarding and relational justice, a term they coined that focuses on an indigenous worldview promoting reciprocity between humans and the earth.
Their study reveals a growing but limited representation of environmental justice in children’s picturebooks. It highlights the need for more diverse and interconnected portrayals of social and environmental issues to foster a deeper understanding in young readers.
