Author Identifier
Helen Adam: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3005-7142
Document Type
Journal Article
Publication Title
Practical Literacy: The Early and Primary Years
Volume
30
Issue
2
First Page
18
Last Page
20
Publisher
Australian Literacy Educators' Association
School
School of Education
RAS ID
82139
Abstract
In a recent study, we examined the diversity of main characters and family structures in 90 award listed Australian children's picture books from 2019 and 2020. We found some progress compared to past research (Adam and Barratt-Pugh, 2020; Adam et al., 2021) in terms of culturally diverse representation, though still with predominantly white main protagonists (Adam and Urquhart, 2023). Similarly, we found some increased representation of diverse family structures, albeit with notable absences of LGBTQIA+, step, foster and blended families (Adam et al., 2024). However, a glaring omission caught our attention - the almost complete absence of disability representation among characters in the books. This lack of inclusion is not only disappointing but also contributes to the perpetuation of negative stereotypes and marginalising of individuals with disabilities.
Only one of the 90 books portrayed a character with a physical disability. In this book a child in a wheelchair was visible as a background character on one page, and as the receiver of kindness in another, with another able-bodied child pushing the wheelchair. Interestingly, Aho and Alter, referring to the work of Fritsch (2013), draw attention to on an “ongoing conversation in disability studies about the symbolic dominance of wheelchair use to represent disability experiences” (Aho and Alter, 2018: 305).
There were nine books featuring characters wearing glasses, and one image of a bedridden child with a broken leg. The Australian Bureau of Statistics defines disability as “a limitation, restriction or impairment, which has lasted, or is likely to last, for at least six months and restricts everyday activities” (Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2022). The application of this definition excludes sensory visual impairment that is rectified through the use of glasses or contact lenses. Thus, we argue that each of these instances are unlikely to be considered by readers, or by general society, as disabilities. We note that in one book in the background of one image there was an elderly person using a walking frame, however, this person played no role in the story itself.
This study focused on the overt representation of disability, and we note that intellectual impairment may be less visible, as would diverse abilities such as neurodiversity. We believe representation of these is just as important as that of physical impairment but given the nature of the analysis in this study we limited this study to that of visible representation.
Comments
This is an Author's Accepted Manuscript of:
Adam, H., Murphy, S., Urquhart, Y., & Ahmed, K. (2025). The absence of disability representation: A critical gap in children's picture books. Practical Literacy: The Early and Primary Years, 30(2), 18-20.
https://search.informit.org/doi/abs/10.3316/informit.T2025061000010801537025028