Multicultural Literature

Dr. Susan M. LandtDr. Joanne S. Landt

What is it?

Multi-Cultural literature from diverse

perspectives

The images we set before our children influence their view of the world and

of themselves.

Through multicultural picture books, children are provided with either a mirror

that reflects a cultural experience familiar to them or a window that offers a view of a cultural experience that is not their own.

Mirrors Children need books they can connect with,

books that reach out to them with characters that reflect themselves, books that feature people who speak and look and act like the people in their lives.

Wilfong (2007) describes the “excitement students feel when they find a text that reflects who they are.

It is a mirror for their life, and it is validating” (p.1).

Readers need to envision characters like themselves in active roles: solving problems, undertaking responsibilities,

exhibiting leadership, accomplishing worthy tasks.

When children see themselves in books, they feel included and are

more apt to be enticed into continuing the story.

Literacy skills, so crucial for academic success, improve when students are able to connect with

the material they are reading.

“White children whose experiences are depicted in books can make more text-to-self, text-to-text, and text-to-

world connections than can children of color” (Gangi, 2008) p. 30).

Teachers must ensure that all students can find selections that reflect their families and their lives so that they

have meaningful reading experiences

When children’s literature presents only white middle class characters as role models students come to see this as “the norm” and view everyone else

as “other”.

“...the world in those books was solidly white, monocultural, and

monolingual; the world in which I lived was not. My family and our

lived experiences were for the most part rendered invisible,

illegitimate, unlucky, and unpleasant”

Windows

Literature can open doors to other cultures and introduce students to ideas and

insights they would otherwise not have encountered.

Literature can serve as a bridge opening students’ eyes and minds, helping them discern the similarities among cultures while learning to appreciate the differences.

When reading about diverse cultures students discover similarities with their

own and begin to look beyond differences taking a step toward

appreciating the cultural connectedness of all humanity.

Literature offering a range of characters in active positive roles, can “engender an

appreciation for the diversity that occurs both within and across social groups. . . .

[and] can help students come to respect and value diversity as natural and enriching”

(Bishop, 1997).

When teachers acknowledge diverse cultures as essential components of curriculum, they

reinforce a positive self-image for non-traditional students and emphasize the

importance of each student’s background.

Not every piece of literature featuring multicultural characters

is an appropriate choice.

• "When I was a child, the teacher read, 'Once upon a time, there were five Chinese brothers and they all looked exactly alike‘… The teacher turned the book our way: bilious yellow skin, slanted slit eyes. Not only were the brothers look-alikes, but so were all the other characters!... all eyes flashed back at me...I sank into my seat." (Aoki, 1981, p.382)

Guidelines for selecting literature from diverse perspectives

Contemporary

Realistic

Fiction

Is the story well written?

What are the qualifications of the author and the illustrator

• Grandmama's Pride and Lucky Beans are based on true events that really happened in my family.

• When we arrived in Missouri to join my father, my mother and I spoke only Spanish.

Illustrations

Accurate portrayal of the culture

Are Characters unique individuals not stereotyped representations

portrayed as different or foreign?

Do the characters accurately represent

the culture?

Are the characters part of

society and not depicted as outsiders?

Text

Are characters multi-dimensional and dynamic?

Are the situations realistic and not perpetuating stereotypes?

Are problems and conflicts solved by individuals from the culture rather

than by outsiders?

Who tells the story, an outsider, or an insider?

Integrating multicultural literature into the curriculum

Story Elements

• Plot

• Character

• Setting

• Theme

Writing

Voice

•Is the author enthusiastic about the topic?•How does the author want the readers to feel?•Will the story hold the readers’ attention?

Conventions

Does the book demonstrate a variety of correct punctuation?

Word Choice• Does the book use strong

verbs or colorful phrases that grab the reader?

• Does the language include unique words?

• Are the words used precise?

• Are common words repeated too many times?

Ideas and Content

• Is the message focused and clear?

• Does the book include important details relevant to the topic?

• Is the story interesting and easy to understand?

Organization

• Does the beginning hook the reader?

• Is the story easy to follow?

• Do the ideas link to a main message?

• Is there a strong conclusion that wraps up the story?

Sentence Fluency

• Is the story easy to read?• Do the sentences begin in

different ways?• Are there some long and

some short sentences?• Does the story sound

smooth when read out loud?

Awards Specific to Cultural Groups

African/African American• ASA (African Studies Association) Children’s

Book Award• Children’s Africana Book Awards• Corretta Scott King Awards • John Steptoe Award• NAACP Image Award

Asian/Asian American

• Asian Pacific American Librarians Association Awards (Illustration in Children’s Lit. & Young Adult Lit)

• Chinese American Association Best Book of the Year

Jewish• National Jewish Book Awards• Notable Children’s Books of Jewish

Content• Sydney Taylor Awards

Middle Eastern• Middle East Book Awards (Middle East

Outreach Council)

Latino/Spanish Speaking • Americas Award for Children’s and Young

Adult Literature• Crticas (Spanish language books) Best of the

Year• Lacapa Spirit Prize• Pura Belpre Award• Tomas Rivera Awards

Native American• American Indian Youth Literature Awards (no

website)• Native American Youth Services Literature

Award• Native Writer’s Circle of the America’s

Awards

Where to find multicultural literature

• Celebrating Cultural Diversity Through Children's Literature Native American http://www.multiculturalchildrenslit.com/

• Lee and Low Books http://www.leeandlow.com/

• Shen’s Books http://www.shens.com/

• Native American http://www.oyate.org/

• http://www.latinoteca.com/

• http://www.childrens-books.com/african-american-childrens-books.html

• http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/books/detailListBooks.asp?idBookLists=42

Resources• Aoki, E. M. (1980). "'Are you Chinese? Are you Japanese? Or Are you a mixed-up

kid?' Using Asian American children's literature." Reading Teacher, 34 (4), 382-385. [EJ 238 474]

• Bishop, R. (1997). Selecting literature for a multicultural curriculum. In V. J. Harris, Using multiethnic literature in the K-8 classroom (pp. 1-20). Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc.

• Franquiz, Maria, (2010) Reflections. Council Chronicle p. 28• Gangi, J. M. (2008). The Unbearable whiteness of literacy instruction: Realizing the

implications of the proficient reader research. Multicultural Review , 30-38.• Landt S. M. (2006). Multicultural literature and young adolescents: A kaleidoscope

of opportunity. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy. 4 ( 8), 690-697.• Wilfong, L. G. (2007). A Mirror, a window: Assisting teachers in selecting

appropriate multicultural young adult literature. International Journal of Multicultural Education , 9 (1), 1-13.