The Importance of Multicultural Children's Books Reprinted by permission Literature is a powerful vehicle for helping children understand their homes, communities and the world. Even before young children can read themselves, family members, childcare providers and teachers are reading them stories about other children in far-away places, sometimes from the distant past, or about children whose lives are not unlike their own. The impressions and messages contained in these stories can last a lifetime. According to the Cooperative Children's Book Center, University of Wisconsin, Madison, of the 4,500 children's books published in the United States in 1997, 88 were by African-American authors and/or illustrators, 88 were by Latino/a authors or about Latino/a themes, 64 books were on Native American themes and 66 were about Asians and Asian Americans. Unfortunately, not all children's literature sends the messages that we want children to learn. 1For updated statistics, please see Children's Books by and about People of Color
Multicultural Fiction for Teenagers | Madison Public Library The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie. 2007Budding cartoonist Junior leaves his troubled school on the Spokane Indian Reservation to attend an all-white farm town school where the only other Indian is the school mascot. American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang. 2006Alternates three interrelated stories about the problems of young Chinese Americans trying to participate in the popular culture. Presented in comic book format. The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation. Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins. 2010Two Burmese boys, one a Karenni refugee and the other the son of an imprisoned Burmese doctor, meet in the jungle and in order to survive they must learn to trust each other. Before We Were Free by Julia Alvarez. 2002In the early 1960s in the Dominican Republic, twelve-year-old Anita learns that her family is involved in the underground movement to end the bloody rule of the dictator, General Trujillo. Down to the Bone by Mayra L.
Resource: Teaching Multicultural Literature: A Workshop for the Middle Grades Workshop 1: Engagement and Dialogue: Julia Alvarez, James McBride, Lensey Namioka, and more In New York City, Carol O'Donnell and her students explore themes of multiple worlds and dual identities. They read poetry by Diana Chang and Naomi Shihab Nye, the novel The Color of Water by James McBride, essays and short stories by Gish Jen, Khoi Luu, Lensey Namioka, and Julia Alvarez, and a monologue by Tina Lee. Through a series of innovative drama, role-playing, and writing activities, students examine the social and cultural experiences of the characters, and reflect on their own definitions and experiences of identity. Go to this unit. Workshop 2: Engagement and Dialogue: Judith Ortiz Cofer and Nikki Grimes The workshop begins with a profile of the writer Judith Ortiz Cofer and then moves to Vista, California, where Akiko Morimoto and her students read short stories from Cofer's collection, An Island Like You.
Multicultural Literature: High School Global rating average: 0.0 out of 50.00.00.00.00.0 This site provides recommended book lists, the historical background of multicultural literature, and informational articles about multicultural literature. Author interviews and book trailers are provided. Grades Links This wiki provides information on teaching multicultural literature: include information on Native American, Chicano, Asian American, and Modern Middle East literature. This article explores the value of teaching multicultural literature in the Reading curriculum. This article explore the importance of using multicultural literature. This article provides leads to 50 great books, tips from authors, illustrators, and educators on how to recognize literature that transcends stereotypes. Multicultural literature allows readers to see the diversity of the world and to inspire discussions about race. Provide a multicultural reading list to grades nine through twelve students. Naming traditions vary across cultures.
Penguin Young Readers Announces Imprint for Diverse Books Penguin Young Readers has announced the launch of a new imprint, called Kokila, that will focus on diverse books for children and young adults. According to Penguin, the imprint's mission is to “add depth and nuance to the way children and young adults see the world and their place in it.” Namrata Tripathi, previously associate publisher and editorial director of Dial Books for Young Readers, has been named publisher of Kokila. Kokila will release approximately 15–20 fiction and nonfiction titles annually, ranging from picture books to middle grade to young adult, as well as graphic novels. Tripathi has, while at Dial, worked with a number of high-profile authors, including, most recently, Junot Díaz. Kokila is being launched, Tripathi told PW, to contribute to the ongoing conversation about diversity in contemporary children’s literature. “Building community will be a large part of our identity,” Tripathi said.
American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL) Pacific Island Books : Children's Books Books for Children and Teens Abby and the Hopplescotch Realm by Julie Folkers. Published by National Pacific Press. ISBN 0958244839. Recommended retail price $16.95. Adventures, The of Horace-Thomas The Magic Horse by David McGill. Out of a secret Kiwi paddock comes a magic horse on an animal freedom ride. They land in Regent's Park Zoo to launch England's second great anti-slavery movement. At the Big Red Rooster by William Taylor. Ever had to be a pall bearer? These stories will take you places you’ll never want to visit in real life – the first dance to the first funeral to the first job and the first sexual experience… well, okay, maybe that last one. A great collection of short stories from one of New Zealand’s foremost writers for teenagers. Australian Birds Jigsaw Book by Shirley Barber. This superb book consists of six jigsaws of birds opposite a description of each. Hard cover, published in 2002. Because We Were the Travellers By Jack Lasenby. ‘…a wise novel. I enjoyed your book.
Why Teach Multicultural Literature? | The Huffington Post iStockphoto.com I have taught literature at the college level for almost a decade and at as many as six different campuses. These have mainly been classes that were focused on non-western writing. One semester, I had assigned Nigerian novelist Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s Purple Hibiscus and only a week earlier her TED talk, Danger of a Single Story had started to circulate on the web. I sent the link to my students and thought we could incorporate it into our discussion on colonialism, multiculturalism, issues of race and of course, the novel itself. Little did I know that this simple talk would elicit the intensely disproportionate response that landed in my inbox the next morning. Why teach U.S. students literature from different countries? Here is the video that set this off, followed by the student’s letter and my response: About the Adichie talk at the TED conference. In my opinion, Adichie perfectly typifies what you could call the ugly side of multiculturalism. My response: