ERIC EJ1125370: When Worlds Collide: Recent Developments in Children's Literature

2017·1.3 MB·English

by  ERIC

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When
Worlds
Col lide
Recent Developments
in Children’s Literature
Debbie Reese
[email protected]
22 Knowledge Quest | Diversity Matters
All materials in this journal subject to copyright by the American Library Association
may be used for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement
granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. Address
usage requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions.
Volume 45, No. 3 | January/February 2017 23
All materials in this journal subject to copyright by the American Library Association
may be used for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement
granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. Address
usage requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions.
It is a collision of media, but it is also a collision of the
point of view and critical lens that Native people and
people of color bring to our analyses of children's and
young adult literature. And it is making a difference.
Something unprecedented is hap- were recalled, and the book will be and their significance to the Native
pening in children’s and young reprinted without that line (Hertzel peoples who create them. Given our
adult literature. Within the space 2016). relationship (we worked together on
of a year, three different publishers an article for Booklist), I wrote to the
recalled books that were criticized On August 4, 2016, an editor at author about the line and asked if
on social media. Within that same Candlewick sent out an e-mail it might be edited. Pérez responded
period, second printings of several stating that When We Was Fierce would immediately, and the line is not
other books were revised, and two not be released as scheduled on in the second printing of the book
children’s literature review journals August 9, 2016 (Barack 2016). (Reese 2016).
took action to address the way they During the summer months, librar-
write reviews. Additionally, writers ian Edith Campbell and writer In August 2016 Julie Murphy,
and editors for several journals, as Jennifer Baker, both of whom are author of Dumplin’ (HarperCollins
well as bloggers at those journals’ African American, had written 2015), wrote that she is revising the
online sites, wrote about issues extensive critical analyses of the passage in her book in which she
specific to diversity. depiction of African American used “spirit animal.” This revision,
youth in When We Was Fierce. Accord- she said, is in response to her lack of
I see these developments as worlds ing to the e-mail, the book’s understanding of problems associ-
colliding. In short: Native people author, e. E. Charlton-Trujillo, ated with use of that phrase (Murphy
and people of color are using social and publisher are reflecting on the 2016).
media and content-area blogs to critiques. It is unclear if the book is
review books that misrepresent us. being revised. In Murphy’s and Pérez’s books
This effort is, in essence, more than the problematic phrases can easily
one kind of collision. It is a collision On January 17, 2016, Scholastic be revised because neither book
of media, but it is also a collision of issued a statement that it was with- is about Native peoples. As these
the point of view and critical lens drawing its picture book A Birthday authors realized, the same ideas can
that Native people and people of Cake for George Washington by Ramin be communicated without using
color bring to our analyses of chil- Ganeshram. In the weeks prior phrases that are microaggressions
dren’s and young adult literature. to that decision, Scholastic had (seemingly innocuous phrases that
And it is making a difference. received a great deal of criticism for denigrate or demean a person or
the book’s whitewashing of the lives culture of a marginalized com-
of the enslaved people in George munity).
Book Recalls and Revisions
Washington’s home. The book will
In late August 2016 the University not be revised. Review Journals Respond to
of Minnesota Press recalled Sky Blue
Societal Change
Water: Short Stories for Young Readers The next printing of Ashley Hope
(edited by Peterson and Morgan Pérez’s Out of Darkness (Carolrhoda On May 4, 2016, Vicky Smith, the
2016) days before its launch date Lab 2015) will have a small but book review editor at Kirkus Reviews,
because its foreword included a significant revision. Her story, set wrote about a recently instituted
paragraph with the line “Columbus in 1937 in East Texas, is about two change. Her article “Unmaking
discovered America.” Shannon teens who fall in love. One of them the White Default” is aptly titled.
Gibney, one of the authors who has a is Black. On page 98 of the first Reviews in Kirkus now identify
story in the collection, took a photo printing, a character uses “low the race of all major characters,
of the page with that line, put it on man on the totem pole” to refer to including white ones. Prior to this,
her Facebook page, and wrote to his status. Although that phrase the race of major characters was
the editors. Within a few days, the is commonly used that way, it is a mentioned only if they were not
four thousand copies of the book misrepresentation of totem poles white. Over the summer of 2016,
24 Knowledge Quest | Diversity Matters
All materials in this journal subject to copyright by the American Library Association
may be used for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement
granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. Address
usage requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions.
Figure 1. Characters in childrens’ books less diverse than children in U.S. population. (Illustration credits: Sarah Park Dahlen, Molly Beth Griffin, and
illustrator David Huyck)
Kiera Parrott of School Library Journal
This effort is, in essence, more
offered its reviewers an eight-week
course designed to increase their
than one kind of collision. It is a
awareness of issues specific to depic-
tions of marginalized peoples and
collision of media, but it is also a
how reviewers can improve their skills
in describing and reviewing books
(Miller 2016). collision of the point of view and
After several online discussions of critical lens that Native people
Lane Smith’s picture book There Is
a Tribe of Kids (Roaring Brook Press
and people of color bring to
2016), School Library Journal ran a story
on the differing positions people have
our analyses of children’s and
taken about it (Barack 2016). I had
seen the cover of Smith’s book, but it
young adult literature. And it is
was Sam Bloom’s 2016 review of it at
Reading While White that prompted me
to take a look at the ways the children making a difference.
are depicted adorned in leaves. Some
Volume 45, No. 3 | January/February 2017 25
All materials in this journal subject to copyright by the American Library Association
may be used for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement
granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. Address
usage requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions.
racial cultural
The and

demographics of the
United States are
suggest it is harmless play, while
Sam and I argue that the children
changing. It follows, are playing Indian; debates related
to the picture book occurred on
therefore, that the multiple online discussion forums.
In the article Barack (2016) cited
librarians who felt that, in their
content of books will
defense of the book on the Asso-
ciation of Library Service to Chil-
change, too.
dren (ALSC) online discussion
list, their “neutral” point of view
was being attacked. Uncomfortable
with the discussion, one librarian
decided not to renew her member-
ship in ALSC and the American
Resources American Indians in Children’s
Library Association. Her decision
Literature <https://americanindian-
That Provide sinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com> is, of course, unfortunate; however,
the stories and art in books we
a Critical Lens Crazy Quilt Edi: Promoting Literacy give to children are not neutral or
apolitical. If a book’s agenda aligns
for Teens of Color, One Book at a
for Evaluating with one’s own, it is seen as neutral
Time <https://campbele.wordpress.
or the norm. What those who are
com>
Children’s and
uncomfortable are experiencing
DeColores: The Raza Experience in is a collision in which their worlds
Young Adult
Books for Children are being challenged in ways
Literature <http://decoloresreviews.blogspot. they’ve not seen before.
com>
Most librarians use the major Librarians’ Perspectives
review journals to select and Disability in Kidlit <http://disability-
In 2015 ALSC revised its “Com-
deselect materials, but as inkidlit.com>
petencies for Librarians Serving
recent developments show,
Latinxs in Kidlit: Exploring the World Children in Public Libraries” to
their reviewers may not have
of Latinx YA, MG, and Children’s include competencies related to
the critical lens to identify
Literature <https://latinosinkidlit.com> diversity. In section I, “Commit-
problematic content. For that
ment to Client Group,” the first
critical lens, see the resources
Reading While White: Allies for two items are about respect for
listed below.
Racial Diversity & Inclusion diversity and the need to recognize
in Books for Children & Teens “racism, ethnocentrism, classism,
<http://readingwhilewhite.blogspot. heterosexism, genderism, ableism,
com> and other systems of discrimina-
tion and exclusion,” and to inter-
Rich in Color <http://richincolor.com> rupt those systems by providing
culturally competent services
(ALSC 2015).
26 Knowledge Quest | Diversity Matters
All materials in this journal subject to copyright by the American Library Association
may be used for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement
granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. Address
usage requests to the ALA Office of Rights and Permissions.
The guidelines for some of ALA’s Debbie Reese, a former elementary school teacher and assistant professor in
award committees were also revised American Indian Studies, publishes the blog American Indians in Children’s
in 2015, and, in a meeting with
Literature. Tribally enrolled at Nambe Pueblo, her book chapters and articles are
committee chairs, Kathleen T.
taught in university classrooms in English, education, and library science across the
Horning (2015) recommended that
committee members recognize their U.S. and Canada. She is frequently invited to deliver keynote lectures and workshops
Photo credit: Della Noh
personal and experiential limita- at major universities and for tribal associations and organizations.
tions and seek out content-area
blogs like mine (American Indians
in Children’s Literature), Latinxs
Works Cited:
in Kidlit, and Rich in Color to
improve their competency in exam- Association for Library Services to Miller, Rebecca T. 2016. “The Power
ining books under consideration Children. 2015. “Competencies of Words: Answering the Call to
for Librarians Serving Children in Action on Inclusion.” Library Journal
for ALA awards. See the sidebar for
Public Libraries.” <www.ala.org/ (June 16). <http://lj.libraryjournal.
resources that provide a critical lens alsc/edcareeers/alsccorecomps> com/2016/06/opinion/editorial/the-
for evaluating children’s and young (accessed September 9, 2016). power-of-words-answering-the-call-
to-action-on-inclusion-editorial/#_>
adult literature. Barack, Lauren. 2016. “ ‘When We (accessed September 10, 2016).
Was Fierce’ Pulled as Demand
Grows for More #OwnVoices Murphy, Julie. 2016. “When You
Moving Forward Stories.” School Library Don’t Get It Right (or That Time I
Journal (August 12). <www.slj. Appropriated Spirit Animal).” And I’m
All of the developments I’ve com/2016/08/diversity/when-we- Julie (August 15). <http://andimjulie.
described are significant. The was-fierce-pulled-as-demand- tumblr.com/post/148995659582/
grows-for-more-ownvoices- when-you-dont-get-it-right-or-that-
racial and cultural demographics
stories> (accessed September 8, time-i> (accessed September 8, 2016).
of the United States are chang- 2016). Reese, Debbie. 2016. “Ashley
ing. It follows, therefore, that the Bloom, Sam. 2016. “Reviewing Hope Pérez’s Out of Darkness.”
content of books will change, too. While White: There Is a Tribe of American Indians in Children’s
Native children and children of Kids.” Reading While White (July 8). Literature (August 12). <https://
<http://readingwhilewhite.blogspot. americanindiansinchildrensliterature.
color deserve the mirrors that white com/2016/07/reviewing-while- blogspot.com/2016/08/ashley-
children have had for literally white-there-is-tribe-of.html> hope-perezs-out-of-darkness.html>
hundreds of years (see figure 1). I’m (accessed September 10, 2016). (accessed September 8, 2016).
using social media to create new Hertzel, Laurie. 2016. “UM Scholastic. 2016. “New Statement
Press Pulls Copies of ‘Sky Blue about Picture Book ‘A Birthday
understandings among writers,
Water,’ Postpones Launch Cake for George Washington’.” On
editors, reviewers, teachers, profes- Party.” Star Tribune (September Our Minds (January 17). <http://
sors, librarians, and parents. As this 1). <www.startribune.com/ oomscholasticblog.com/post/new-
um-press-pulls-copies-of-sky- statement-about-picture-book-
glimpse into worlds colliding shows,
blue-water-postpones-launch- birthday-cake-george-washington>
others are here to do that, too. party/391797031> (accessed (accessed September 11, 2016).
September 8, 2016). Smith, Vicky. 2016. “Unmaking the
Horning, Kathleen T. 2015. “ALSC White Default: Writing about Race.”
Awards and Diversity Discussion.” Kirkus (May 4). <www.kirkusreviews.
<https://soundcloud.com/alsc- com/features/unmaking-white-
658268146/alsc-awards-and- default> (accessed September 10,
diversity-discussion> (accessed 2016).
September 9, 2016).
Volume 45, No. 3 | January/February 2017 27