Diversity Beyond the Pages: Ways to Add Diversity to Your Reading Material

By Allison Ruffolo

Spring 2025

One of the most common things I hear as an avid reader and a bookseller is, “I haven’t read a book since high school.” While this may be the case for some, reading is a hobby that has continued to grow in popularity. The book industry has seen continued success over the past 5 years thanks to social media and other cultural movements. Social media is an excellent resource for finding new books that other readers love, but it does not always provide diverse recommendations.

A sociology professor at the University of Toronto did a study on the influence of Booktok. This study examined 55 different videos on the platform to see what representation existed within the recommended books. The study found that most of the books were by white women which shows there is a severe lack of authors who are part of marginalized communities.

Many of the book content creators recommend books with little to no BIPOC or LGBTQIA+ representation. The popular books are mostly by white authors, or the characters in the story do not represent diverse groups. Stories featuring plus-size or disabled characters are also severely lacking representation in these communities. This behavior is typically not done maliciously, but some changes must be made so everyone feels they can enjoy reading. The only way these changes can begin is by learning more about representation in stories.  

What Does Diversity in Reading Look Like?

Different themes and topics can make a book diverse, so it is important to explore these themes before searching for your next diverse story. Dr. Sarah K. Silverman did a study on what diversity means, and she determined there are three main themes. These themes of diversity are visible, invisible, and values. Each theme is home to important topics, but diverse stories typically represent the visible and invisible themes.

Visible Traits

This category is what most people think of when they first hear the word “diversity.” Stories will most often feature visible diversity because they are the characteristics that are most easily described by writing. Some examples of visible diversity are:

·      Race

·      Sex

·      Class

·      Age

·      Physical Disabilities

These are all characteristics that reflect what readers initially think of when they are looking for diverse stories. They are typically the most easily accessible and require a small amount of research to discover. Visible diversity is also commonly found across most genres and is featured in all different age groups.

Invisible Traits

The category of invisible diversity considers themes that are heavily tied to identity. These are topics that cannot usually be seen at first glance, but after some observation and interaction, they are revealed.

Authors will often write about these topics through experiences and interactions in the story instead of through surface-level writing. Examples of Invisible diversity are:

·      Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation

·      Mental Health

·      Religious Beliefs and Practices

·      Intellectual Disability

·      Chronic Illnesses

All these topics are not typically noticed by looking at someone. They require more knowledge and situational awareness to understand, which is why they are not always accessible in stories. Recent cultural movements have certainly led to more stories about invisible diversity topics being published, but they are still not as accessible as books that feature visible diversity.

It is important to note that straight and/or white individuals can still experience a lack of representation in stories, but they also have the privilege of being represented in most forms of mainstream media. Now that diversity has been defined regarding storytelling, we can learn why it can be a challenge to find diverse stories and what can be done to challenge that.

Banned Books

Thousands of books are being challenged and banned in schools and libraries. The reasoning behind these bans is often vague, but they have one thing in common: most of them are considered diverse stories. According to data gathered by the American Library Association, 47% of banned or challenged books represent the voices and experiences of BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ communities as of 2023.

These numbers are only continuing to increase, making it hard for readers in the communities to access these stories. Book Bans have turned public libraries into battlegrounds, according to a National Geographic source. Libraries are no longer required to follow banned and challenged book suggestions, but when funding is taken away, they don’t have a choice. This makes it extremely difficult for readers to naturally discover stories that are representative of marginalized communities.

The Publishing Industry

Systemically, publishing houses do not promote books by diverse authors as much as they do for white authors. Even when the stories are published, there is a significant lack of funding and marketing for books by marginalized authors.

Mychal Denzel Smith is a black author who wrote about his experiences in publishing. One of the biggest points he made was, that books are published based on what people are reading. Part of the reason there is a lack of representation in literature, is because readers are not showing their support for diverse authors or stories.

An important note about the lack of representation of representation in publishing is that it goes much deeper than reading preferences. It is also based on a social and cultural bias that says diverse voices are riskier in media. Publishers are less likely to spend the money to promote a black author telling a new type of story than they would a white author writing another romance book.

Libraries are no longer required to follow banned and challenged book suggestions, but when funding is taken away, they don’t have a choice. This makes it extremely difficult for readers to naturally discover stories that are representative of marginalized communities.

Why are Diverse Stories Important?

Readers Should Feel Represented by What They Read

I spoke with three different individuals who are avid readers and represent different demographics. All three of them answered the question: “Do you feel represented by what you read?”

  • Teen Services Librarian, Cody Roecker said they feel more represented than 10 years ago as a member of the queer community, but there is still room for growth.

  • Rachel Strolle, a librarian, communications director, and social media manager, said her physical features are not always represented in mainstream media and literature, but she can find enough to represent her if she looks hard enough.  

  • Xitlali Alonso, a psychology student at DePaul University and bookseller, is an avid romance reader who has expressed she rarely finds books in her favorite genre that represent her Mexican heritage.

 These three readers and professionals of the book industry are just a few examples of how readers feel when they cannot find characters who represent them in some way. The good news is there are plenty of ways to discover stories that represent you and your peers.

We Need Diverse Books is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting marginalized authors and stories. Their mission statement defines the importance of Diverse stories in one sentence: “Our Vision is a world where everyone can find themselves in the pages of a book.” This is the most important factor in promoting diverse stories. Every reader should have the opportunity to see themselves in their favorite story, and these stories should be easily accessible.

Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop came up with the “Mirrors, Windows, and Sliding Glass Doors” theory that focuses on a similar thought process. Bishop refers to books as mirrors which is meant to represent the idea that stories can reflect an individual who is reading, but not everyone has access to these mirrors. This theory essentially says that readers who cannot find themselves represented by literature feel devalued by society.

Learn About New Experiences

In an article for the National Council of Teachers of English, Timothy Rasinski mentions literature has always been a vehicle for learning. He specifically identifies literature as a tool for cultural awareness and appreciation. Historically, without stories, we would not be able to learn about the experiences of others.

Even fictional novels can teach valuable lessons, as we cannot all exist within the same social groups. Professors from Royal Roads University wrote an article explaining that the best way to cultivate empathy and understanding is through stories.

The more we read diverse books; the more they will get published

A New York Times article was written about the publishing industry’s response to demands for more diverse books. The article talks about the backlash that publishing houses faced for promoting white authors more than authors of color. Many publishers said they would try and promote more diverse voices, but they failed to do so.

If more readers chose to read diverse voices, publishing houses would have to publish more books by these authors to keep up with demand. As a bookseller, I see how big of an impact trends have on what books are being published. Readers hold a lot more power than they realize.

These stories deserve to be heard

The last thing to keep in mind about these books is they are written by people before they can even be read. Authors often put their thoughts and experiences in stories to reflect real-world situations. If we do not try to read more books by diverse authors, their work will go unread. 

In a 2021 interview, Young Adult author Tracy Deonn spoke about the importance of her storytelling. She refers to her book Legendborn as, “a story I needed to read when I was growing up, but one we still don’t see enough of today in children’s literature”. Authors can only write these powerful stories if people are going out of their way to read them. These stories all serve a purpose and the only way to uncover that purpose is to support the books.

5 Ways to Increase Reading Diversity

All that information about diversity and storytelling leads us to wonder how to find these stories. There are so many resources put in place by individuals and institutions to help with this discovery process. Below are a few suggestions for finding new stories:   

  1.  Visit Libraries and Bookstores

Libraries are the number one source for information on what diverse books to read. They are easily accessible for all types of readers and librarians are there to help. Cody Roecker had a lot to say about their experiences relating to this.

When I asked how they promote diverse books at the library Cody told me about their personal goals when creating displays. “When I am making any kind of display, I try to make sure at least half of the choices are by diverse voices of some caliber.” This practice is what makes libraries such a great resource for finding diverse books.

Bookstores offer similar resources but on a different level. Their funding is not as restricted, and they have more choice over what is offered in stores. I am a bookseller at Barnes & Noble, and it is also one of my personal goals to promote as many marginalized voices as I can.

If I have to special order books specifically because they are by an author from an underrepresented community, I have the resources to do so. I also try to go through existing displays and refresh them with diverse books. If I see there are too many books that represent white authors or straight voices, I will make sure to make some changes to get the necessary representation.

  2. Look for Curated recommendation lists

Another common resource for finding diverse authors is looking at specifically created lists. Publishers, readers, and authors will often make lists of books that represent a certain demographic. I use these lists as a resource when I am making curated displays for the heritage and awareness months.

An example of this resource is the AAPI month list that Penguin Random House created to promote Asian American & Pacific Islander stories. There are thousands of lists created for a variety of genres and age groups to help promote diverse authors and stories.

 3. Find Dedicated Organizations

One of the best parts of being a reader is joining different communities. Hundreds of communities and organizations are dedicated to supporting a specific diverse reading movement.

Every March, there is a reading marathon called Trans Rights Readathon. This is a program dedicated to promoting transgender, nonbinary, and gender non-conforming authors and characters. They release lists of books that support the theme so readers can join with ease and learn more about the community.

Another organization that makes a concentrated effort to support diverse books is the Andrea Brown Literary Agency. Rachel Strolle runs the social media for ABLA, and she said she makes sure the social media is inclusive and as diverse as possible. The organization is dedicated to making publishing accessible and inclusive in all parts of the world and Rachel is helping to get that message across.

  4. Search for Diverse Content Creators

As I mentioned earlier, social media promotes a large number of books featuring white characters or by white authors. Stories about LGBTQIA+ / BIPOC characters, or by authors of the communities do not get the promotion they deserve.

To combat this phenomenon, it is important to follow creators who promote other types of books. TikTok has so many incredibly diverse content creators for a variety of different genres.

They may not be as popular as the white creators, but they offer the same high-quality, thoughtful recommendations. You are also more likely to find something you have never heard of from these creators because they are not promoting the same 15 books that others might. 

   5.  Make Organic Connections with the Content

The most natural way to find diverse stories is to put yourself in environments where this exploration is welcomed. Joining a local book club or finding online communities can make the process less stressful. It helps create organic discovery so readers can find the stories that suit them. Reading is the best hobby for building relationships with strangers over shared interests so gaining those outside perspectives can add another level of enjoyment to reading.

What Now?

This information about diversity and storytelling might have been enough reading for right now, so I wanted to offer a few pieces of guidance to get you started:

  • The first step to embarking on a new reading journey is examining your values. Determining what cultures or experiences you may be curious about is a great starting point.

  • Once you reach this starting point you can seek out recommendations from the above sources. Get a library card from your local library or stop by the new Barnes & Noble opening in Downtown Naperville! These places are filled with employees eager to help you.

  • Create a Goodreads or Storygraph account to join a community of other readers. This will help you see what your peers are reading, which may help you narrow down your choices.

It is important to look at this goal as something exciting and not as a chore of any kind. Stepping out of our comfort zones as readers can often lead to our new favorite book. The process will take a lot of trial and error to see what diverse stories fit already existing tastes. The only thing left to do is to find your next book, make sure it is diverse, and enjoy!

My Bonus Book recommendations

  • So many of my favorite stories are from diverse authors or feature diverse characters so I thought I would share some.

  • Romance: The Fiancée Farce by Alexandria Bellefluer

  • Adult Fantasy: The Poppy War Trilogy by R.F Kuang

  •  Adult Fiction: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

  • Young Adult Fiction: Ander & Santi Were Here by Jonny Garza Villa

  • Young Adult Fantasy: The Legendborn Cycle by Tracy Deonn

  • Biography: In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

Allison Ruffolo is a fourth-year marketing student at North Central College. She is currently working toward a career in the publishing industry to expand her love of reading. Allison is a senior bookseller at Barnes & Noble and will continue her career with the Naperville location this spring. Most of her free time outside of class and school is spent reading.  She loves being part of the community and encouraging people to read some of her favorite books. Building connections with fellow readers is the most enjoyable part of working in a bookstore. She hopes people can appreciate her love of reading.