Children’s books do not reflect modern UK society, with ethnic minorities significantly under-represented, according to a study.

Researchers say that there are very few characters from a black, Asian or minority ethnic (BAME) background in literature aimed at children, which is at odds with the make-up of the nation’s population.

Government figures show that in England, one in three primary school pupils are from a minority ethnic background.

The study, published by national charity the Centre for Literacy in Primary Education (CLPE), says that of the 9,115 children’s books published in the UK last year, just 391 (4 per cent) featured BAME characters.

And just 1 per cent of children’s books published in 2017 had a BAME main character.

A breakdown shows that ethnic minorities were represented in 3 per cent of fiction books, 6 per cent of non-fiction books and 6 per cent of picture books.

In contrast, statistics published by the Department for Education last month showed that as of January, 33.1 per cent of primary school pupils in England were from a minority ethnic background, compared with 32.1 per cent last year.

The study, which was funded by Arts Council England, makes a series of recommendations, including a call for BAME characters to be better represented in children’s literature in general, and for these characters to be “well-developed and authentically portrayed”.

It adds that these characters “should not be predominantly defined by their struggle, suffering or ‘otherness’, and that they should be a central part of stories, rather than in the margins.

‘The risk of marginalisation’

The study says: “Every child is entitled to feel safe and valued. In the current socio-political and economic climate the risk of marginalisation of minority groups is heightened.

“If in their formative years, children do not see their realities reflected in the world around them or only see problematic representations mirrored back at them, the impact can be tremendously damaging.

“To redress imbalances in representation is not an act of charity but an act of necessity that benefits and enriches all of our realities.

“Energies must be invested into normalising and making mainstream the breadth and range of realities that exist within our classrooms and society in order for all children to feel valued and entitled to occupy the literary space.”

In a foreword to the report, CLPE chief executive Louise Johns-Shepherd said: “We know that being a reader opens the world to children and, therefore, we absolutely believe in every child’s right to access quality literature that honours, values and reflects the reality in which they live.

“But we also know that reading is a tremendously important factor in developing empathy and understanding for lives and contexts beyond your own.

“In fact, books that offer perspectives from beyond your own life or context can be individually and collectively transformative.”

She added: “At CLPE we read thousands of books every year and are always reviewing our book provision and our book lists to ensure that we are introducing teachers to the best children’s literature.

“However, we still find it difficult to find enough books to add to our collections that are truly and authentically reflections of the wide world in which we live.”