Literary Organizations Criticize Scholastic for Controversial Book Fair Collection

Literary organizations and authors are taking aim at Scholastic this week for its decision to offer a separate collection of books with LGBTQ and race themes as part of its elementary school book fair packages. The collection, called “Share Every Story, Celebrate Every Voice,” is optional for schools, meaning they can choose to exclude these titles due to state legislation and public scrutiny surrounding these subjects.

Scholastic’s “Share Every Story, Celebrate Every Voice” collection includes biographies of civil rights icons like John Lewis, Ruby Bridges, and Supreme Court Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson. The company has acknowledged that the collection is not perfect but argues that offering these titles separately is intended to protect teachers and librarians from being fired or prosecuted under state laws that limit teaching about LGBTQ identities and racism in schools.

However, literary freedom advocate PEN America has urged Scholastic to find alternative solutions and reject any role in accommodating laws that promote censorship. Nonprofit organization We Need Diverse Books, which aims to promote diversity in literature, criticized Scholastic for failing to stand up for the rights of marginalized groups. They argue that it is important for all children to see themselves represented in books and called on Scholastic to “desegregate” their book fairs.

Some authors whose books were included in the “Share Every Story, Celebrate Every Voice” collection have also spoken out against Scholastic. Author India Hill Brown, whose book The Girl in the Lake is featured, emphasized the importance of book fairs in helping diverse authors gain visibility. Author Ernesto Cisneros, whose book Efrén Divided is also part of the collection, expressed disappointment and stated that he had hoped his books would be included in book fairs nationwide.

In response to the controversy, some librarians have suggested partnering with local independent bookstores as alternatives to Scholastic for hosting book fairs. However, Scholastic’s book fairs have been a longstanding tradition, reaching 35 million children each year.

Scholastic, the largest publisher and distributor of children’s books, has faced backlash and confusion from teachers and librarians on social media since rumors about the separate collection started circulating. Scholastic argued that their intention is to continue offering these titles, and the alternative would be to not offer them at all. The company affirmed its commitment to publishing and distributing stories representative of all voices.

The controversy surrounding the “Share Every Story, Celebrate Every Voice” collection comes amidst a rising number of book bans across the United States. According to a PEN America report, there have been 1,477 instances of individual books being banned during the first half of the 2022-2023 school year, a 28% increase compared to the previous six months. State and local laws are major contributors to these bans, with Texas, Florida, Missouri, Utah, and South Carolina being the most impacted states.

Some of the laws influencing book bans include Florida’s “Parental Rights in Education Act,” also known as the “Don’t Say Gay” law, which restricts education on sexual orientation and gender identity. Another Florida law prohibits teaching material that may make students feel guilt based on their race or sex. The consequences of these laws have already been seen, such as a fifth-grade teacher in Georgia who was fired for reading a book on gender fluidity to her class.

With revenues of $553.1 million in fiscal year 2023, Scholastic book fairs have become a beloved tradition in schools across the United States. The “Share Every Story, Celebrate Every Voice” collection includes titles by acclaimed poet Amanda Gorman, former NFL player Colin Kaepernick, and openly queer dancer and singer JoJo Siwa.

As the debate continues, Scholastic has yet to comment on the criticism it has received from literary organizations and authors.