Librarian in New Westminster is helping find books for kids of all backgrounds

One woman in New Westminster has made it her mission to make sure that all children feel represented by finding them books they can identify with.

Elaine Su is a self-proclaimed “book-matcher,” who works as a teacher and librarian. She says her goal is to find children’s books that feature racialized, 2SLBGTQ+ community, and neurodivergent people.

“Books about intergenerational love, and care, and learning, is to me such an integral part of my culture and my heritage,” Su added.

Inside of a children’s picture book. (Crystal Laderas/CityNews)

Su says there was only one book character that looked like her growing up, Claudia from The Babysitters Club series, and now she is actively trying to change that for the next generation of readers.

“When I was growing up, I never would have thought to ask for the Asian version of Sweet Valley High, because that never would have existed,” Su told CityNews.

According to Su, more parents want their kids to be able to see themselves in the books that they read.

“People ask me, ‘We have a family of two moms and I can never find any books that have two moms. Are there books of kids with disabilities who are also racialized? Are there books about queer kids who are also immigrants? I don’t ever see that captured in books.’”

A self-proclaimed “book-matcher” in New Westminster is helping kids find books that feature racialized, 2SLBGTQ+ community, and neurodivergent people. (Crystal Laderas/CityNews)

With the help of a small neighbourhood grant, Su has matched more than 60 kids with books they can “see themselves in.”

Among her top book requests are on literature featuring multi-racial families, like Gabriel McFarlane’s.

“Books are a great way of illustrating life to children when they’re just trying to figure things out. So I think it’s really great to have diversity in books,” McFarlane said.

In Vancouver’s Chinatown, an Indigenous-owed bookstore says demand for representation led it to open a children’s section.

“Parents are really excited to expose their kids to that kind of stuff, some people have started tearing up and feel overwehelmed with emotion. I know it’s happened with me as well, I never thought there was anyone who could relate to me,” Dani Sidlowski with Massy Books explained.

And the books aren’t just making an impact on kids.

“I read my first book by a Filipino author, when I was in my mid-twenties,” Sidlowski explained.

“Nobody had the same background as me or any shared experiences with me… now I find myself reading children’s books all the time just to kind of soothe that part of my inner child that was missing out.”