Why read globally?
A School Library Journal article written by Mahnaz Dar in 2015 explains why so little international literature is published in the United States, as a panel of experts posits that this sparsity is a leftover effect of post WWI isolationism. Our experience at the Bologna International Children’s Book Fair in 2016 confirmed our lack of exposure to the offerings of global children's literature and taught us that American publishers dominate the international children’s publishing market. This new awareness, coupled with movements like We Need Diverse Books, brings us to the realization that exposing young people to other cultures and points of view through literature is a wholly positive thing.
Dr. Marc Aronson points out in a recent article for School Library Journal that the founder of International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY), Jella Lepman, believed in the power of books to build bridges across borders and between peoples. Books published around the globe represent a multitude of perspectives and allow children to examine similarities and differences between countries and across cultures, providing opportunities for building new understandings. In order to foster books as bridge builders, it is important that we provide an awareness of international children’s literature along with access to those books for young readers in the United States.