Today, in one of my classes, we had a Children's Book Fair. Each student had to bring in one example of a racist/controversial book and one example of a book that treats cultural differences in a better way. I made a little list of my favorite "good" books:
The Upside Down Boy by Juan Felipe Herrera
Bee-Bim Bop by Linda Sue Park
A Shelter in Our Car by Monica Gunning
Grandfather's Journey by Allen Say
The Rough-Face Girl by Rafe Martin
Now Hiring: White House Dog by Gina Bazer
Goodbye, 382 Shin Dang Dong by Frances Park
Zlata's Diary by Zlata Filipovic
The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
4 months ago
3 comments:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d.html/ref=redir_mdp_mobile/191-2543294-5528021?a=0415969247
that's my vote for best racially/ethnically aware children's book.
-dr. mcnamara
I just realized that my contribution was a compendium and literature analysis of children's literature published in post-war (west) Germany by an Israeli scholar and not, in fact, a children's book.
To that end, I wanted to like Stargirl, and do, in theory to Jerry Spinelli and Maniac, but I really didn't. I hereby change my vote to "The Fox and the Hound." I think the issue of diversity and "otherness is dealt with really poignantly in this story- and made accessible by using different animals as a stand in for different races.
I like The Hello, Goodbye Window because the words don't even mention diversity, but the pictures show a mixed-race family.
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