Multicultural children's literature: a critical issues approach

Preface Acknowledgments Part 1: Taking A Critical Issues Approach 1: Introduction to multicultural children's literature: a critical issues approach Children's literature defined Multicultural children's literature Brief historical overview Role of multicultural children's literature in today's schools Critical literacy and multicultural children's literature Forming issues into and through critical literacy lessons Creating a "web of significance" Reflection questions for the teacher Sample response lesson 1-1: Forming a critical literacy lesson using educational drama Examples of responses to lesson 1-1 Selected annotated bibliography References 2: Essentials and foundations of multicultural children's literature Tracing a brief history of multiculturalism Multiculturalism to multicultural children's literature Evolution of multicultural children's literature Before and after the Civil Rights Movement Multicultural children's literature and levels of multiculturalism Defining multicultural children's literature Melting pot books Socially conscious books Culturally conscious books Need for multicultural children's literature Equal representation and validation Cultural authenticity Cultural authenticity: whose perspective? Insider and outsider perspectives Conclusion Reflection questions for the teacher Sample response lesson 2-1: Check for authenticity Selected annotated bibliography References 3: Choosing books and reading critically Choosing critical children's books Traditional read-aloud Reader response Reading aloud and transactional theory Critical read-aloud Questioning Functions of questioning Ask the experts: authors, parents, educators, and teachers Reflection questions for the teacher Sample response lesson 3-1: Change is not easy Example of response to lesson 3-1 Sample response lesson 3-2: Negotiating a deal Selected annotated bibliography References Part 2: Exploring Issues In Multicultural Children's Literature 4: Responding to censorship, book banning, and controversies What is censorship? Book banning, book challenge, and censorship Intellectual freedom and the First Amendment Types of censorship Why are books censored? Literature suppressed on political grounds Literature suppressed on social grounds Literature suppressed on religious grounds Literature suppressed on sexual grounds Literature suppressed on other grounds What does censorship really do? What do authors, publishers, teachers, and parents say about censorship? Useful resources Organizations Formats and guides Reflection questions for the teacher Web sites of organizations Sample response lesson 4-1: Censorship Selected annotated bibliography References

5: Gender, sexuality, and equity

Gender roles portrayed in children's literature

Children's reading preferences

Gender equity and finding a balance

Some considerations and recommendations

Children's books and sexuality

Sexuality portrayed in children's books

Gay and lesbian families addressed in children's books

Using children's books to promote equity and understanding

Reflection questions for the teacher

Sample response lesson 5-1: Gender roles

Sample response lesson 5-2: Gender and coming of age

Selected annotated bibliography

References

6: Understanding or justifying violence

Defining violence

Justifying violence in children's books

Popular images in media

Movies and television

Video games

Steps to counter violence in the media

Gang violence

Traditional tales and violence

Real life, history, and violence

Understanding violence

Reflection questions for the teacher

Sample response lesson 6-1: Violence

Sample response lesson 6-2: Violence

Selected annotated bibliography

References

Part 3: Realities In Life And Multicultural Children's Literature

7: War, terrorism, justice, and freedom

Making Meaning: A historical perspective

Making Meaning: A current perspective

Making meaning and critical connections

Freedom

Justice

War and terrorism

Using children's books to address war, terrorism, justice, and freedom

Past depictions

Current depictions

Reading authentic accounts

Finding resilience in the face of adversity

Conclusion

Reflection questions for the teacher

Sample response lesson 7-1: Exploring issues of war using educational drama

Examples of responses to lesson 7-1

Selected annotated bibliography

References

8: Prejudice, bullying, abuse, and other challenging situations

Defining and discussing challenging situations

Prejudice

Bullying

Poverty

Abuse

Physical and emotional abuse

Drug and alcohol abuse

Divorce

Abandonment

Child labor

Reflection questions for the teacher

Sample Response Lesson 8-1: Poverty

Sample Response Lesson 8-2: Foster care

Selected annotated bibliography

References

9: Disabilities and the special child

Need for representing disabilities and special needs in classrooms

Special child

Lived realities

Disabilities as a "multicultural" group

Children who are health impaired

Reflection questions for the teacher

Sample Response Lesson 9-1: Children with special needs

Sample Response Lesson 9-2: Children with special needs

Selected annotate bibliography

References

10: Influences of a digital world

Internet, television, and the video industry

Digital age literature

TumbleBooks

ICDL books

Computer books and programs

Accelerated reader

Magic School Bus

Dr Suess

Audiobooks

Reflection questions for the teacher

Sample Response Lesson 10-1: http://www.tumblebooks.com

Sample Response Lesson 10-2: http://en.childrenslibrary.org

Selected annotated bibliography

References

Glossary

Index

About the author

About the contributing author.