Montreal bookstore focuses efforts on diversity, affordability

Can you name a children’s book off the top of your head about a character who is differently-abled? How about a person of colour? If you answered no, you’re not alone.

That’s why the owner of Honeybooks, a local Montreal bookstore is exclusively highlighting books with characters from all communities – in hopes that every child can see themselves in their favourite stories.

“I started last year and the response to that was really amazing and I do have a lot of people who message me or call me asking for me to get specific books or do you have any books that represent an Asian family? And people seem to really enjoy that and the fact they can call me and I can give them something,” explained Crystal Charles, owner of Honeybooks.

Honeybooks offers a multitude of reading options among other products, representing characters who are differently-abled, from the LGBTQ2+ community, and culturally diverse groups. Something Charles says she never had growing up.

“I would go to the library, but I didn’t see myself in those books at the library. And that’s why now that I’m an adult I want my daughter to have that experience. Cause I didn’t get that growing up. And if I did I think I would have had more confidence growing up, being a young black girl with black curly hair.”

Open Gallery 9 items

To be more accessible, Charles ensures that all items she sells are affordable so families from different socioeconomic backgrounds have access.

“Everybody should be able to purchase books and feel happy that ‘oh I just bought a book’… if you’re a single mom or a single dad you’re going to have to think of other bills, rent, car insurance so a 24 dollar book might be out of budget.”

To Charles selling her products means recognizing otherwise forgotten groups.

“We’re going to families and saying ‘hey you’re a Black family and I see you and I can hear you and I know you’re there and I know you exist and that is what diversity means you are recognizing others,’ it means seeing and hearing all people,” added Charles.