S1 Ep. 1: "I wasn't in books, so why should I read them?"

With the help of storytellers, publishers, the Seven Stories archives, and experts from Newcastle university, the first episode of Whose Stories? explores why it’s so important for children to read diverse books and why we need more Black Brits in every aspect of children’s literature. We’ll head over to Seven Stories Museum to talk about their aim to curate a truly representative national archive of children’s books, and we’ll discuss the fact that - while children growing up in the UK today come from a broad variety of cultures, families and backgrounds - the stories written about and for them don’t reflect the diverse reality of the nation we’re living in. And that lack of representation matters, because when children and young people see themselves in the books they read, they are empowered. And when they don’t see themselves, that absence negates the fundamental sense of belonging which every child needs - and deserves - to thrive.