This Author Paid Homage To Black Girls In Children's Books In The Most Creative Way And It's Inspiring
"I’m a firm believer that children should be able to see reflections of themselves in the books they read."
Meet Davina Hamilton, a journalist and editor turned author from London who is now based in Canada. Hamilton is a passionate bookworm and the creator of the children's book series Riley Can Be Anything and Riley Knows He Can.
To celebrate World Book Day on March 5, schoolchildren are encouraged to dress up as characters from their favourite stories. Hamilton described the feeling of seeing children dressed up as her own protagonist, Riley, as "surreal" and "heartwarming".
She told BuzzFeed News: "Over the past couple of years, I’ve received pictures from parents whose children dressed up as my character Riley for World Book Day. That has been surreal but so heartwarming. As a parent, World Book Day allows me to indulge in the fun of bringing certain characters to life, as I acquire costumes for my children to dress up in. That usually involves some sort of makeshift creation and last-minute sewing."
The mother of two is also a major advocate for championing black characters in literature, and World Book Day presents an opportunity to do just that.
"As a children's author, I’m always keen to discuss children’s books, but World Book Day gives me even more licence to do that. I'm particularly keen to share the importance of diversity in children’s literature, so for the past few years on or around World Book Day, I’ve written articles and shared social media posts that highlight books and book characters that offer varied representations of black identity," said Hamilton.
"I’m a firm believer that children should be able to see reflections of themselves in the books they read, so I like to highlight books — including my own — that give black children the opportunity to see themselves reflected."
The author spends the days leading up to World Book Day paying special homage to black girls in children's books by bringing them to life with costumes and front-cover re-creations.
Hamilton said: "All the stats have shown that black characters are underrepresented in children’s literature, and that is something I sincerely hope will change. But in the meantime, as a black author — and mother of black children — I feel it’s important to celebrate the characters that do reflect black identity."
She described her campaign this year as a "labour of love" and will honour 10 fictional characters, including Destiny from Fresh Princess, Sassy from Dancing in the Wings, and Mary from Mary Had a Little Glam.
"[Re-creating] Sassy from Dancing in the Wings was a good laugh for my family because I struggled to pose like a ballerina! Mary from Mary Had a Little Glam was hard work because she has so many accessories. But I loved the end result," said Hamilton.
"I enjoyed being able to transform myself for each dress-up. It was a reminder to myself of the wonderful variety of black characters that exist in children’s literature."
Referencing the lack of diversity of black characters in children's books, the author believes that "there’s always room for more", but acknowledges the strides being made in offering a wider range.
She said: "Ada in Ada Twist, Scientist [by Andrea Beaty] is a budding scientist. Aurora Beam in Lightning Girl [by Alesha Dixon] is a superhero. Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut [by Derrick Barnes] celebrates the universal experiences of black boys when they go to the barbershop. Benjamin the Brave [by Ameshia Arthur] is about a little boy who struggles with anxiety. Those are just a few I can think of.
"So there are a variety of diverse characters and stories out there, but very often we don’t realise what’s been missing until it’s written. So I would encourage budding authors with a story to tell to go ahead and write your story. As the late Toni Morrison said: 'If there's a book that you want to read but it hasn't been written yet, then you must write it.'"
The re-creations have generated positive responses from people online, particularly from the authors of the books Hamilton has chosen to celebrate.
She shared: "People react really well to it, which has been great. It’s particularly heartwarming when the authors of the book characters I’ve re-created have given me their seal of approval. To borrow lyrics from reggae star Chronixx, 'We do it for the love, we nuh do it for the likes.'”
