Using Multiethnic Literature in the K-8 Classroom.

Harris, V.J. (1997). Using Multiethnic Literature in the K-8 Classroom. Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc. (300 pp., SBN 0-926842-60-9).

Stories have meaning far beyond their plots. Stories imply the nature of `reality,' at least from a particular author's or illustrator's point of view. Authors and illustrators use their creativity and imaginations to convey meaning through visual and verbal pictures of their fictional realities. Since children are impressionable they can walk away with an author's or illustrator's inaccurate, albeit, wonderfully creative picture of an unfamiliar culture. I have heard many teachers worry about whether or not a book about a particular culture has inaccurate or accurate information within its fictional text.

In her book Using Multiethnic Literature in the K-8 Classroom, editor Violet J. Harris provides us with discussion and research about meaning and accuracy in multiethnic literature and, together with eleven other chapter authors, she describes how that literature affects students' perceptions of identity, race, class, gender, age, power and privilege. Teachers who use literature and who are interested in accurate portrayals of the customs, histories, and values of various cultures will devour this book. Here's why.

Without advocating censorship the authors discuss books that contain examples of subtle cultural stereotypes and cultural inaccuracies which most people living outside a culture would miss. These inaccuracies are quite abundant in children's literature, even award winning books. In Using Multiethnic Literature in the K-8 Classroom each chapter is written from an insider's view, a person who has lived as a member of a particular cultural group (Puerto Rican, Asian Pacific, Native American, African American, and Mexican American). To assist the consumer in recognizing books with accurate information as well as artistic merit, each chapter author points out some pitfalls of problematic texts and gives examples of exemplary books. For example in the chapter on Puerto Ricans depicted in children's books, Sonia Nieto presents a helpful annotated list of exemplary children's books written by Puerto Rican authors and another annotated list of books written by non-Puerto Rican authors who wrote with awareness, knowledge, and respect about the Puerto Rican experience. Nieto advocates achieving a balance between folk literature and realistic stories which show the many different lifestyles of Puerto Ricans in the United States and Puerto Rico.

In the chapter on Native American children's literature, authors Debbie Reese and Naomi Caldwell-Wood describe many award winning book's with inaccuracies obvious to Native Americans. For example, the popular book by Gerald McDermott, Arrow to the Sun (1987), contains false information about the Pueblo kiva. The kiva is never used as a place where trials are conducted because they are places of sacred ceremony. Annie and the Old One (Miles, 1971) was a Newbery Honor Book and received excellent reviews as a book about a Navajo girl. However, the illustrations show Annie wearing traditional clothing to school, something the girl would not do; she would wear street clothes such as jeans and a shirt. The author of Annie and the Old One also borrowed words which give false impressions about Navajo beliefs. For example, calling a coyote "God's dog" hides the uneasiness which Navajos feel towards coyotes and replaces it with an impression of reverence. This may be a term used in other Native American cultures but runs counter to the Navajo.

Each chapter author researched the past and present status of children's books. For example, Harris' chapter discusses books that depict Blacks in a variety of genres and with controversial and contemporary themes and trends such as universal themes, historical themes, family themes and gender issues. Universal themes involve events any social group could encounter such as the first days at school, meeting a baby-sitter, going to the hospital, or experiencing a mother returning to work. These are topics which all races experience and usually do not qualify as multiethnic literature since they often have little to do with a particular culture and more to do with the dominant culture in which we all live and participate.

Christine Jenkins in her chapter on the The Baby Sitters Club book series cites Rudine Sims [Bishop's] (1982) categorization of African American characters in children's fiction. The first category of books involves "social conscience;" race was the obstacle and desegregation was the way around it. Later, books appeared with "melting pot" themes which recognized the universality of the human experience but often ignored everyday cultural experiences or problems with integration and racism. These books depict characters of color but racial diversity is little mentioned and integration is taken for granted. Still later, "`culturally conscious' books began to be published. These are books in which African Americans are portrayed in a culturally accurate manner." Very specific examples reveal aspects of each of these categories within The Babysitters Club book series.

Sandra S. Yamate believes that Asian Pacific American children's literature expands all students' perceptions about who Americans are. She weaves her discussion of children's literature with historical information about the Asian Pacific American experience in the United States. "Too often the depiction of Asian Pacific Americans in children's literature is two-dimensional and uninspired. It does not begin to reflect the diversity of Asian Pacific Americans or the issues, realities, and experiences common to them (p. 97)." Unfortunately, among the nearly five thousand children's books published yearly, fewer than ten are about Asian Pacific American cultures. The last person of color to win a Newbery Medal was Mildred Taylor in 1976 for Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry.

Some of the chapter authors give suggestions for dealing with inaccurate information as well as for teaching from those books that may be otherwise imaginative, creative, or beautifully illustrated but with cultural inaccuracies, nevertheless. The final two chapter authors, both teachers of literature, discuss "reading multiculturally" and "developing a multicultural perspective." Daniel Hade's methods involve disbanding the surface "tourist" approach to multiculturalism and the find-the-right-answer type of teaching to a more "semiotic" approach where the meanings the reader assigns to the symbols are honored in reading for understanding. Giving many examples, Hade recommends contrasting two books and comparing what each of the books "mean" to the students about race, class, privilege and gender. Dierdre Glenn-Paul reveals in her chapter the six year journey of a novice teacher from prescribed curriculum toward interest based, yet challenging reading material with characters who represented the cultures of her middle school students. Her focus on the way specific texts made students feel and toward constructing their own meanings rather than summarizing or relying on teacher-answers brought discussions into personal issues of affect. Yet she balanced her teaching strategies with teaching of skills in meaningful contexts. Her story is lively and filled with student reactions toward her attempts to become an effective teacher of multiethnic literature.

Rudine Sims Bishop mentions in her chapter that teachers lament the impossibility of becoming "expert on the cultures and literature of numerous diverse social groups." They want to choose books that give their students access to voices from all cultures, religions, economic backgrounds and genders. And they want these books to be culturally accurate. But in-depth readings of all new books is impossible. Bishop explains that it is "not necessary to attempt an in-depth reading of every book.... "However, she does recommend that teachers make an effort to increase their knowledge about the cultures and literary traditions of the books they read with students and that teachers read book reviews and background information by writers from the culture of the book being considered.

As an instructor at the graduate level for Lesley College's Creative Arts in Learning Program, I plan to recommend that teachers in my Introduction to Storytelling class read this book and keep it nearby as a reference. I certainly consider it a valuable resource for any teacher of literature. The strategies in Harris' book for dealing with inaccurate, stereotypical, and oppressive information are especially useful for teachers of students who need and want extra challenges and enrichment projects. The dearth of multiethnic children's literature and the number which contain cultural inaccuracies can provide interested students with many real-life projects of persuasion involving possible interactions with authors, publishers, and the community.

Reviewed by Gail N. Herman, Storyteller and Enrichment Consultant, affiliated with Lesley College, Creative Arts in Learning Graduate Program and Garrett Community College, Early Childhood Education, McHenry, MD. She is a Contributing Editor of the Roeper Review.