Of the 37 percent of girls who don’t feel like actresses, 38 percent thought lead roles in stories always sound like boys.
More than a quarter (27 percent) of parents also agreed that their children are underrepresented – things like being an only child, allergies, and wearing glasses are rarely covered.
It also appeared that two in five (41 percent) thought their child would be more likely to read more often if the main characters had similarities with them.
Assi Sharabi, CEO and co-founder of personal book brand Wonderbly, which commissioned the research, said: “Children want nothing more than to feel part of the story, and the research has highlighted that while some are capable, for various reasons, others are not.
“It is very important to involve the child so that they feel they can relate to the story or the characters in question.
“The research also found that parents are also aware of this when it comes to finding the content they consume, as they strive to find things like books that are more representative of their children.”
Other characteristics that children did not see in their books, according to their parents, include physical disabilities, the different locations children can live in—such as a city or country—and skin diseases.
It’s also rare to be short or tall, have divorced parents, and mental health conditions.
When asked about the traits least represented by the main character, parents identified being transgender, physically disabled, or alopecia areata as untouched areas.
And 61 percent think it is important for children to see themselves represented in the broader content they consume, including movies and television, as well as books.
Nearly four in ten kids (39 percent) would like to see more people like them in movies, while 37 percent said the same on TV shows, and a third of them at school.
Nearly half (46 percent) of children have never seen a character they associate with on television, and a third have asked their parents to buy books with more characters who talk, look or act like them.
Parents believe that representation is vital in such media in order to normalize their feelings, help them relate more to the story, and know that other children find themselves in the same circumstances as they are.
And 36 percent of parents don’t want their children to feel different, according to OnePoll data.
Nearly half (48 percent) also believe that seeing characters like themselves in books will enable them to feel that they can achieve anything.
But 38 percent admit that it’s hard to find books that represent their youngsters – with 37 percent believing that made them stop reading altogether.
Assi Sharabi of Wonderbly, a service where you can customize book characters including their skin colors and hairstyles, added: “It is very important that children feel represented in the books they read.
When children see themselves as the protagonist of the story, it helps them believe that they can do anything they can imagine, and that any story they can imagine can be their own.
“Books are also a way to educate your child about an infinite number of topics and topics that make up his way of seeing the world.
“Personalization helps children relate to the stories of the story, and makes them more receptive to the essential messages and to learning from each story.
“We want as many children as possible to see themselves in their story.”
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