Thursday, May 9, 2013

Topic: Socio-Economic Status

Pam Muñoz Ryan is a Mexican-American author.  She was born in 1951 in California.  She was originally encouraged to begin writing by a professor she had in graduate school.  This push led her to completing numerous award-winning books, such as Esperanza Rising and Becoming Naomi León.  Pam enjoys writing main characters that are strong female protagonists.  She considers Eleanor Roosevelt and Amelia Earhart to be her personal muses.

 Esperanza Rising tells of a girl name Esperanza whose life is drastically changed by the murder of her father on her birthday.  The murderer asks Esperanza's mother to marry him in hopes of taking the family's fortune.  The mother refuses and she and Esperanza sneak out of Mexico to America, where they hear they will be safe and have a job.  They are taken to a labor camp made up of small houses with multiple families living in each house.  Esperanza must face the fact that her old life of having servants wait on her and getting whatever she wants is over.  What's terrific about this story is that it was inspired by the life of Pam Muñoz Ryan's grandmother.

 Children's books to accompany Esperanza Rising:
Those Shoes by Maribeth Boelts
Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez by Kathleen Krull
Happy Like Soccer by Maribeth Boelts
The House on Dirty-Third Street by Jo S. Kittinger
Mama is a Miner by George Ella Lyon
Tia Isa Wants a Car by Meg Medina

Discussion Questions:

  • What are your thoughts and feelings on Jeremy's actions in Those Shoes?
  • How would you discuss the themes "wants" and "needs" in a classroom setting?
  • How would you use Harvesting Hope with Esperanza Rising?
  • How would you discuss power relations and agency in both Harvesting Hope compared to Esperanza Rising?
  • What do you think of the illustrations of House on Dirty-Third Street?  Do they enhance the story?  If so, how?
  • Do you think the reactions of the neighbors/community members provides a realistic solution to the problems facing the little girl and her mom?
  • Do you like the writing style of  Happy Like Soccer and does it fit with the story?  Why or why not?
  • What do you make of Sierra's parents?  Would kids have questions about the unique family structure (Sierra being raised by her aunt)?
  • Did you feel sorry for the characters or hopeful for them in Tia Isa?  
  • Do you think most readers would think about institutional power (e.g. global economic forces) when reading this book or would their attention be focused mainly on the immediate characters and their quest?
  • In Mama is a Miner, what did you think of the poem on the right-hand side of some pages?  Did it add or detract from the story?
  • If children do not have mothers who need to work, would they be able to relate and enjoy this book?  How could we help them understand it if their life experiences were very different?
Resources: 
American Psychological Association, Socioeconomic Status http://www.apa.org/topics/socioeconomic-status/index.aspx
ALA Hunger, Homelessness and Poverty Task force http://www.hhptf.org/resources
Teaching for Change http://www.teachingforchange.org
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Topic: Asian American Literature

Lisa Yee was born and Raised near Los Angeles.  In High School, she ditched class to go to the library
She held a wide variety of jobs, including working for Disney (got to be Mickey once!).  She has published 10 novels (Millicent Min came in 2003).  Lisa Yee was first "discovered" by Arthur Levine, editor of the Harry Potter series.  Fun facts are that she travels with a stuffed Peep.  You can check out her website and blog at these links.

Her website: www.lisayee.com
Blog: lisayee.livejournal.com


Millicent Min is the story of a girl genius.  While she is only 11 years old, she is already attending college classes.  She does not exactly fit in with her peers, so after meeting a nice girl named Emily, Millicent decides to hide the truth from Emily and not tell her she is a genius.  As can be expected, this decision causes much tension between Millicent, Emily, and Sanford -- the boy Millicent is tutoring.  Millicent Min is a funny book that reminds us why children's literature is so wonderful.



Children's books to accompany Millicent Min Girl Genius:
The House That Baba Built by Ed Young
Summer Days and Nights by Wong Herbert Yee
A Hmong Family by Nora Murphy
The Name Jar by Yangsook Choi
Journey Home by Lawrence McKay, Jr.
Dia's Story Cloth by Dia Cha



Discussion Questions

  • What do you think of the illustrations and what they lend to The House that Baba Built?  What sense did you get from the ending?
  • Summer Days and Nights is a melting pot book.  What pros and cons do you see to it?  Does the rhyming add to or detract from the story?
  • In A Hmong Family, do you agree with the introduction's assertion that the book wasn't attempting to debate refugees?  In other words, did they accomplish their goal of not politicizing the story?
  • From the pictures alone, what sense do you get of the Hmong culture?  Is it portrayed in a positive, negative, or neutral light?
  • In what ways, either in the text or illustrations, is the story of the name jar realistic?
  • How do you think Mai might feel as a Vietnamese American in Vietnam in the story Journey Home?
  • Why might it be important for Dia's Story Cloth to be in a collection?

Awards:
Lisa Yee won the Asian American Literary Award, which is issued by the Asian-American Writers workshop since 1998.  To be eligible: the book must be written by someone of Asian descent living in the US. The book must have been first published in English.

Resources:
Asian Pacific American Award for Literature www.apalaweb.org
To honor and recognize works related to the Asian/Pacific American experiences or cultures
For books published in USA or any of its territories or in Canada.

Batchelder Award www.ala.org/alsc/awardsgrants/bookmedia/batchelderaward
Presented by the ALSC.  Named for the Mildred Batchelder.  The award is for an American publisher, recognizes the most outstanding translated work of the year.

For Asian Literature that is great for American audiences check out Asian Festival of Children's Content (afcc.com/sg/_2013) The year 2013 will be their 5th year.  Each year focuses on a different country in Asia.  The festival presents three awards through the National Book Development Council of Singapore: the SingTel Asian Book Award, The Hedwig Anuar Children's Book Award, and The Scholastic Asian Book award.
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Topic: Gender Literature

Amy Ignatow is the author of the Popularity Papers Series.  She was born September 15th, 1977 in Huntington, NY.  She attended SUNY Oneonta, but later transferred to Moore college of Art and design.  Her occupations have included: teacher, farmer, florist, short-order vegan cook, and ghostwriter for internet personal ads.  She gave Popularity Papers a long title because she thought it would be funny.  So far, she has written 5 books.

Here are some statistics on gender:
A Flroida State University study examined almost 6,000 children's books that were published between 1900 and 2000.  It was discovered that males make up 57% of central characters each year with female central characters making up only 31%.

The Popularity Papers: Research for the Social Improvement and General Betterment of Lydia Goldblatt and Julie Graham-Chang is about two friends struggling to find their way through life and the 5th grade.  They share their thoughts, fears, joys, and more in a diary they pass back and forth and draw pictures.  The diary we see as readers lets us explore their lives and see the complexities of what friendships are made of.

 Children's Books to Accompany The Popularity Papers:
Dahlia by Barbara McClintock
A Fire Engine For Ruthie by Leslea Newman
Once Upon a Cool Motorcyle Dude by Kevin O'Malley
The Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch

Discussion Questions:

  • How would you consider Charlotte's agency throughout the book?
  • Do you believe Charlotte is true to her identity? 
  • Compared to Dahlia, how would you describe Ruthie's agency and identity in A Fire Engine for Ruthie?
  • What are your perceptions of gender stereotypes in Once Upon a Paper Bag Princess?
  • Do all fairytale books need a marriage for a happily ever after?
  • What traditional and non-traditional gendered messages do you see in this book?
  • How do you view Ronald's character in The Paper Bag Princess?  How does he challenge traditional stereotypes?
  • It is been over 20 years since The Paper Bag Princess came out.  Why do you believe that there has not been more feminist fairy tale picture books published?

Resources

  • Amelia Bloomer Project. http://ameliabloomer.wordpress.com/about/  Recommendations for feminist literature for birth though 18.  They strive to present well written, strong feminist books.  Fiction and nonfiction, the books must affirm positive roles for girls and women.  Must be accurate and stand on their own.  Must have a copyright of current year. Published in US.  ameliabloomer.wordpress.com
  • Girls Inc. http://www.girlsinc.org/resources/p3-3.html Inspiring girls to be strong, smart and bold. Resources give books for girls.  Some fiction and nonfiction. They have a Latina resources for girls list.  No Africa-American feminist lit for girls, though.

Don't forget the boys

  • Guys Read http://guysread.com by Jon Scieska (rhymes with fresca) geared towards boys from boys.  Many different genres.
  • Boys Read. http://www.boysread.org/index.html  Developing a new generation of literate men.  Trying to educate boys and those around boys.  Offer workshops.




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Tuesday, March 26, 2013

Helpful Multicultural Literature Websites and More

This is a hefty post filled to the brim with hyperlinks!  Don't let it overwhelm you; instead, let it take you to new worlds of ideas!  For your ready-reference, all semester I have been collecting some useful websites for all things related to children's multicultural literature. 

(This list is updated often -- whenever I come across another fun link.)

Awards

Must-Reads

Lesson Plans

Book Review and Storytime Sites

Helpful Organizations/Publishers

Author Resources
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Representing Asian and Asian-American Children's Literature



           We are shaped by our culture.  From early on, we are constantly watching and listening to what’s going on around us and using that information to interpret how we can and should react to the world around us.  What our culture teaches us is a think that is hard to unlearn.  Why, you ask, might you want to unlearn your culture?  A specific cultural view can be a dangerous thing to have.  Narrow viewpoints lead to discrimination and stereotypes.  When you stay within your own cultural view, you do not see multiple perspectives for how things can be done or how others react to your own culture.  You become trapped in your own cultural bubble.  As librarians and teachers, we need to promote a broadening perspective on cultural views by supporting children’s books that present various viewpoints.
            With this idea of a need for various perspectives, I will look at Asian children’s literature.  Asians, historically, were unrepresented.  Weimin Mo and Enju Shen say in their essay “Accuracy is Not Enough: The Role of Cultural Values in the Authenticity of Picture Books” that “Asian cultures and Asian Americans were once the least represented in picture books, but much progress has been made…” (Fox,199).  For years, books that featured Asians or Asian Americans showed them as people who all looked like.  The books had racist sentiments and grouped all Asians together, discounting the fact that Asia is large continent, not a single country.  Asian cultures today are becoming better represented, but there is still a long way to go. 
Writers of Asian children’s literature, as well as illustrators, must do their best to present an accurate and authentic description of the culture.  Librarians and teachers should review children’s books and critique them on their accuracy (did the writer do enough research?  Are they accurately representing a single culture and not promoting stereotypes?) and critique them on their illustrations (did the illustrator study the culture enough?  Do the colors or style of the clothes match the time period of the book?).  It might be that the author has done their part to produce a children’s book worthy of display in a library for its cultural accuracy, but the illustrator did not.  In this case, the librarian or teacher needs to make a call on whether the book stereotypes the culture or if the illustrations are slight enough that the librarian or teacher (more likely the teacher) can talk to the children about why the illustrations are inaccurate.  It may not always be the case that we are able to let the child know the drawings are inaccurate, though.
            Weimin Mo and Enju Shen, say that culture “influences the way we view ourselves, society, and human relations and interactions.  It determines our assumptions about social behaviors or customs and reflects what we value and believe to be true” (Fox, 98).  We grow up with these assumptions and sometimes they carry over into our adult life, into our work.  Mo and Shen say, “Authors and illustrators are not immune to this influence and it has been reflected in their picture books” (Fox, 199).  It is dangerous to take a multicultural book at face value.  Librarians and teachers need to keep in mind the culture that the author grew up in and what their aim is.  I have written about aim and intent before, but I bring it up again because it matters, but not as much as the follow through of the aim.  Authors may have good intention to portray Asian cultures accurately, but if they have a narrow perspective without enough research, their intent is unjustified.  Mo and Shen, along this line, say, “Cultures also affect each other.  They constantly absorb each other’s values, attitudes, and beliefs; sometimes, they actively clash” (Fox, 201).  This could come in the form of author’s good intent.  However, it also could lead to the creation of new stereotypes when cultures clash and that is the last thing we want our children’s literature to do.  Cultural experience and research are the only ways to gain insights into what a culture is really like and how best we can portray them (Fox, 203). 
            Currently, a lot of cultures are summed up by their folklore.  We view folktales as accurate representations of the culture historically instead of treating it as we do our own – as fiction or fictional stories that may have been somewhat derived from history.  Either way we do not see our own (Eurocentric) folklore as a historical text of who were once were and how we once acted.  Wo and Shen say, “Several studies indicate that folktales represent an extremely high percentage of multicultural picture books” (Fox, 203).  Libraries need to ensure that our collections avoid promoting folklore as historical accuracy.  Picture books that tell an accurate story “constitute a rich cultural resource to support us in understanding, respecting, and appreciating ourselves and others” (Fox, 211). 
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Monday, March 25, 2013

Topic: Homelessness, Immigration, and Refugee Literature

Frank Cottrell Boyce was born in 1959 and is a British novelist.  He has worked with movie director Michael Witerbottom and wrote the Millions (which became a movie), as well the sequel to Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  Most recently, he has caught the attention of many as the writer of the opening ceremony for the 2012 Summer Olympics.

Frank Boyce is also the author of The Unforgotten Coat, a fantastic novel, so short it could be called a novella, about a Mongolian family who have come to England.  Two brothers, Chingis and Nergui, say they are being chased by a demon and must always stick together.  They befriend a girl at their new school, Julie (the narrator), and she becomes their Good Guide, leading them through the ins and outs of school life.  Hanging out with the two brothers leads Julie to research Mongolian culture, but eventually she realizes how little she really knows.  This is a story with great twists and wonderfully outspoken characters.


Children's books to accompany The Unforgotten Coat:
Fly Away Home by Eve Bunting
A Shelter in Our Car by Monica Gunning
Everything You Need to Know About Living in a Shelter by Julie Parker
Voices from the Field: Children of Migrant Farm Workers Tell Their Stories by S. Beth Atkins
Landed by Milly Lee


Discussion questions:

  • How would a child react to this book?
  • How could you use it to compare a historical vs. "current" point of view?
  • What is gained from the photos/illustrations?
  • Could you use this book to combat stereotypes?
  • How would you use this in a classroom/program setting?
  • How does Landed fit with immigration stories and stereotypes today?
  • How do you feel about the way A Shelter in Our Car relates homelessness and immigrationz?  What is it teaching?  What isn't it teaching?  How does the author's note help?

Much of the resources from this post come directly from Casey Ince and her presentation called "Homelessness, Immigration, and Refugees in Children's Literature."

Organizations:
Hear Us

Hear Us is a unique, effective national nonprofit organization dedicated to giving voice and visibility to homeless children and youth. One of the missions of the organization is to produce poignant films and books that are used by educators, social service personnel and other audiences to call attention to the invisible crisis of millions of families with children and young people who struggle without a place to call home.


BRYCS provides national technical assistance to organizations serving refugees and immigrants so that all newcomer children and youth can reach their potential. They strive to increase information-sharing and collaboration among refugee-serving and mainstream agencies at the local, state, regional, and national levels resulting in a more coordinated and effective service system for refugee children and youth The also facilitate knowledge building and dissemination for the field of refugee child welfare, building an institutionalized memory for years to come.


Other books of interest:

A Family of Five or Six Written by Pat Van Doren and illustrated by Wanda Platt

Homelessness happens in many ways-Michael and his family landed in a tent following a powerful storm. Family separation, struggles of "camping" without prospects of going home, and difficulties of doing school work at a picnic table are just some of the authentic experiences of this family. What makes Family even more realistic may be found inside. Young students from Carrollwood Day School in Tampa, FL provided artwork and collaborated on the story, sharing valuable insights from their 5th and 6th grade perspective. (Ages 5+)

Where Can I Build My Volcano? by Pat Van Doren and illustrated by Wanda Platt
Young Susan and her mom end up homeless the way so many families do—losing their humble home, grasping onto a friend or family member to stay with, sleeping in a car, then turning to the dreaded shelter. Day-to-day ordeals unfold for Susan both in school and at the shelter. Her world reflects the reality of so many young kids in similar situations—coping with the anxiety of not having a home of their own.(Ages 5+)

The Can Man by Laura E. Williams and illustrated by Craig Orback
After watching a homeless man collect empty soft drink cans for the redemption money, a young boy decides to collect cans himself to earn money for a skateboard until he has a change of heart. (Age 6+)

Rich: A Dyamonde Daniel Book by Nikki Grimes and illustrated by R. Gregory Christie
Free is excited about a local poetry contest because of its cash prize, but when he and Dyamonde befriend a classmate who is homeless and living in a shelter, they rethink what it means to be rich or poor. (Ages 6-9)

At the Sound of the Beep by Marilyn Sachs
Mathew and Mathilda Green run away to San Francisco and take refuge in Golden Gate Park. But no one is safe in this haven for the homeless, because someone is murdering the people who call it home. And unknowingly, Mathew and Mathilda are being drawn into the world of the killer. (Ages 8-12)

It's Our World, Too! Young People Who Are Making a Difference: How They Do It - How You Can, Too! by Phillip M. Hoose
Containing more than a dozen accounts of children who have worked for everything from racial equality to world peace, this book demonstrates how youth have fought for what's right, then offers ideas about how to get involved. (Ages 10+)

We are Americans : Voices of the Immigrant Experience by Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler
A history of immigration to America, from speculation about the earliest immigrants to the present day.Personal stories, writings, and anecdotes appear in sidebars throughout and excellent-quality, black-and-white archival photos and reproductions highlight the text. (Ages 10+)

Additional Booklists and Resources:
A list of 30 children’s books that relate to refugees and immigrants from a child’s point of view. Booklist includes a summary of each book and target reading level.

Online activities and resources designed to help students be aware and better understand the issues surrounding immigrants and refugees.

A list of books, resources and curriculum about homelessness and related topics. All of the children’s books are identified by reading level and give a short summary of the book



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The Truth About Stereotyping


Upon reading chapter 5 “Stereotyping and the Politics of Representation” of Mingshui Cais book Multicultural Literature for Children and Young Adults, Reflections on Critical Issues, it struck me how some of the pro-stereotype arguments were ones I have used in the past.  I do my best to not stereotype people, especially in my writing (I have a degree in Creative Writing from the University of Wisconsin-Madison), but I have thought before, “well, the stereotype only exists because it is based on truth.  It wouldn’t exist in the first place unless that’s how it started.”  This is not the best view to take.  In fact, it is highly flawed.  Mingshui Cai’s fifth chapter discusses why.
Similar to my naive thinking, Cai gives the says, “When stereotypes in books for children and young adults are criticized, a typical argument put forward in their defense is: Aren’t some people in real life like that?  It implies that if the images exist in reality, it is then legitimate to present them in literature” (Cai, 74).  What he is saying here is that some authors use the excuse that if you’ve seen a stereotype once, it is okay to reuse it, it is a legitimate way to represent a character.  It therefore reinforces the stereotype and creates an “other” identity for the group being portrayed.  Cai says, “It should be acknowledged that stereotypes are partially true, but partial truth is not the whole truth” (Cai, 74).  And therein is where the danger lies.  Partial truth is not the whole truth.  A partial representation is not the whole representation. 
A stereotype is created when a person or group is referred to in a specific way over and over and over.  Without this repetition, a portrayal cannot become a stereotype—it is not an overused representation.  It is only one form of a whole story and the group can be seen in many other lights.  When repetition occurs, though, the group is seen in only that one way.  From then on, anyone in the group can be connected to the overused representation, whether the circumstance that created the stereotype applies to them or not.  This is all theoretical and vague, so I’ll give an example.  A cop eating a donut.  One story about a copy eating a donut is not a stereotype, but if another author decides to use that representation in their story to portray cops, the dangerous cycle begins.  When the stereotype is created, even a cop who does not like donuts is grouped with cops who do.  That example is on the “lighter” side of stereotypes that exist.  Most stereotypes promote violence and segregation between groups (the idea of “the other”).  For instance, the stereotype that all black men are dangerous is absurd and completely untrue.  The stereotype has just lumped a whole race together without considering the quality of the individuals.  Cai says it best when he says, “The reason why partial truth can be imposed as reality is because the people who impose it hold the power over representation through control of the media and the publishing industry” (Cai, 75).  Those in control have the power to promote or tear down stereotypes.  We should stop encouraging them and start looking at why the stereotype was created – most likely as a form of control – and why the stereotype has continued. 
This week many of my classes talked about stereotyping.  In my intro to cataloging class, we discussed social injustice.  One slide was on stereotyping.  It brought up the idea of Barbie and how stereotypes can have a hyper and hypo affect.  There is bad stereotyping and "good" stereotyping.  By good I do not actually mean good, but rather something unreachable.  Something so good that no woman (or at least not most women) can achieve.  On this slide contained the over makeup-ed, ultra thin, perfectly-busty-and-curvy-in-all-the-right-places Barbie.  That's when I realized that stereotypes exist in so many other ways that I've never thought of.  The media creates stereotypes that, for the most part, are “invisible” or subliminal.  We see them so often they start to become “the norm” for how we see ourselves and others.  Barbie is one of many.  There is a long way to go before we can actively identify what is a stereotype and what is real.
This week, ironically, on top of so much discussion in classes on stereotyping, a friend and future art teacher came in while I was working at the reference desk and brought up the idea of good stereotyping in a positive (or rather funny) way.  The way she talked about her cooperating teacher, to her, portrayed him in a stereotypical old, out of touch, laughing-at-his-own-jokes type of guy that she interpreted as a positive stereotype.  She used the term “stereotype” herself and talked about it as if stereotypes had a good side.  This thought provoking idea of “good” stereotypes led me to do some research.  In an article called "There's No Such Thing as a Good Stereotype," by Eric Horowitz, Eric says,
Because positive stereotypes seem relatively harmless, they are less likely to arouse skepticism and more likely to be accepted.  Yet at the core of every positive stereotype there remains the toxic idea that group differences are biological, genuine, and static.  The same idea resides at the core of all negative stereotypes.
Horowitz’s reflection on “good” stereotyping should strike a chord when you think of “good” stereotypes like “Asians are good at math.”  In a way, it is a compliment.  In reality, it creates the boundary within which “the other” exists. 
            With a quick final note on children’s books, I would suggest that librarians and teachers choose carefully what books they select for children.  It is important that the books we choose portray people as individuals, not as stereotypes.  And remember, Africa is NOT a country!





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