“When we talk about the stigma, isolation and doubt that comes with disability, and the personal and systemic neglect faced by teachers and children with disabilities, can we tap into what it means for a child to read or listen to a story and see themselves reflected; their troubles affirmed?”
The author asks why children’s literature is often given little space in discussions around inclusion and equity. Access to children’s literature is limited in the Global South. In India, for example, there is only 1 book for 11 children in rural areas. The author claims: “If inclusion in education is to move beyond infrastructure and enrolment, then libraries and literature must take their rightful place within these conversations.”