Christian Robinson is an illustrator, author, animator, and designer whose creative journey began in Los Angeles. He grew up in a small apartment, using drawing to create his own space and imagine new worlds. After studying animation at the California Institute of the Arts, Robinson worked with organizations such as Sesame Workshop and Pixar Animation Studios, eventually establishing himself as a children’s book illustrator through solo projects and collaborations. His work has received several honors, including the Caldecott Honor, Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor, and Newbery Medal.

Reflecting Chicago’s Student Population

WITS believes that literacy is the foundation on which all other learning develops. Our mission is to empower Chicago elementary students to discover themselves through reading while developing foundational literacy skills. We cannot do this work without books that reflect Chicago’s unique student population, which consists of almost 90% students of color. As literature researcher, Rudine Sims Bishop, states, “When children cannot find themselves reflected in the books they read, or when the images they see are distorted, negative, or laughable, they learn a powerful lesson about how they are devalued in the society of which they are a part.”

WITS programs foster diverse and inclusive reading experiences, empowering students to see themselves reflected in the stories they read. Robinson says of his books, “I think that’s what I want young people to know — that as crazy, as misfit, as unconventional, as strange as your story may feel, your life, your experience, it isn’t…It’s beautiful, you know?” Highlighting creators from diverse backgrounds promotes empathy. WITS is committed to providing students with books that feature authentic stories about children of color, written by authors and illustrators of color, like Robinson.

WITS Improves Students’ Access to Books

WITS’ main literacy programs fall into two key areas: Student Mentorship Programs and Book Ownership Programs.

Sixty-one percent of low-income families have no age-appropriate children’s books at home. In a school district where 71% of students are from low-income families, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) students need books for their home libraries. Additionally, functioning libraries are found in only 18% of Chicago public elementary schools. Research shows that access to books directly improves literacy outcomes. WITS’ Book Ownership Programs provide more than 10,000 new, high-quality books to students and teachers annually, and our program libraries consist of thousands of books, including the following titles by Robinson.

2 Ways You Can Give Books Like These to Chicago Students and Teachers

1. Fundraise

Every year WITS Summer Books brings our community together to raise funds to give books like “Another” and “You Matter” to students and teachers and to support WITS program libraries. Through WITS Summer Books WITS has sent students home with over 65,000 books and put over 972,000 books in classrooms. Create a fundraiser and join a team of WITS supporters to raise money to put books in the hands of students and teachers.

2. Purchase Books

Purchasing books for our program library ensures students have access to age-appropriate books that reflect their diverse voices during program. This list of books has been curated by the WITS team to meet the specific needs and interests of WITS students and includes several books written and/or illustrated by Christian Robinson.

Learn More About Christian Robinson