Text Set

I chose to look at African American literature.  One of the main reasons I chose this topic was because I am currently in an African American Language class and am fascinated and intrigued in content of the course.  I have learned a lot about AAL and I wanted to see if I could expand upon my knowledge through children’s literature.  I had a couple books in mind when I started this project and the other books I just happened to come upon on my search.  All of the books I chose were written by insider authors, all of whom were female except for one.  The lone male author in my text set is both an author and an illustrator, and it was interesting to see his illustrations with his own text as well as with the text of another author. 

I enjoyed reading all of my books in my set and I plan to have them all in my future classroom.  They all contained quality writing and detailed unique illustrations.  In some of the books historical events were represented and all of them were portrayed with accuracy.  Four out of the five books in my set were from the perspective of an African American youth.  Some of the themes that ran throughout my books were strength, friendship, social justice/action, courage and pride.  The youthful characters bring life and perspective to heavy issues.  The characters fought to resist prejudice and build bridges between segregation.  The children of the stories brought an innocence and an open mind in creating a relationship that was once looked down upon.  In one of the stories AAL was used and it was used correctly and authentically.  Not only is character representation important but language use is key as well. 

The themes throughout these books are ones that any one can relate to and they are present in society today.  When I read each story, I found a way in which I could connect to the character or some other aspect of the story.  I am excited to further my exploration and add to my text set.  It is nice to find quality pieces of literature that represent multiculturalism and see how they can be incorporated in to the classroom.

Professional Resource

Copyright National Council of Teachers of English Conference on College Composition and Communication May 2006

 

Rosa Written by Nikki Giovanni Illustrated by Bryan Collier Holt, 2005, ISBN 0-805-07106-7.

This powerful and moving tribute to Rosa Parks captures the quiet strength of the woman who refused to give up her seat on the bus and so helped to establish a course of action that led to the Civil Rights movement. Giovanni's words and Collier's watercolor and collage illustrations ground readers in the realities of the era. Giovanni artfully weaves in references to the historic events of the day including the 1954 Brown vs. the Board of Education decision and the heinous murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till. The portrayal of Rosa Parks as a gifted seamstress, a devoted daughter, and loving wife only magnify her humanness, helping readers recognize the need to come to know others in a deeper way. Readers cannot fail to see the peaceful dignity and quiet resolve of this great lady in the words and images presented in this beautiful work.

Lester L Laminack,  Barbara H Bell. (2006). Rosa. Review of Rosa. Language Arts, 83(5), 459.  Retrieved April 23, 2008, from Research Library Core database. (Document ID: 1039341711).

When looking for reviews, most of them were along the same lines as the one above.  I trusted this review because it comes from a credible source and it is written in a professional manner.  The content of the review covers the important parts of the story in a detailed and concise way.  Reading the review just makes me want to read the book again.  The review discusses the multicultural characteristics of this piece of literature and it shows how the author's and illustrator's work combine to create a reality for the reader.  

When looking for reviews I accessed the library as a resource and found it difficult to find longer more in depth reviews.  After locating a credible review it was nice to see the difference between a professional review of the text and a reader's review of the text.  

Book Review: Mirandy and Brother Wind

Title: Mirandy and Brother Wind

Author: Patricia C. McKissack

Illustrator: Jerry Pinkney

Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf, Inc

Date of Publication: 1988

This is the story of a young girl, Mirandy, and her quest to win the local cakewalk.  She knows the best chance she has for winning is if she can catch Brother Wind.  With Brother Wind as her partner no one stands a chance against her.  Mirandy is full of life and energy.  She attempts to catch the wind in various ways, each time she turns up unsuccessful she keeps up her determination and spirit to try again.  The illustrations are full of color, detail and the spirit of the text.  All of the illustrations are full page and follow the content of the text.

This book is a great piece of multicultural literature.  The history of how the cakewalk came to be is included in the author’s note at the forefront of the book.  The dialect in the text is very authentic and gives the reader a feel for the time and location in which this story takes place.  African American culture is represented through the tradition of dance and the use of language.  Children will be able to relate to this story by connecting modern day cakewalks to the history of the dance.  With the use of AAL the author provides a connection for those students who speak AAL or have a family member that does.  

Book Review: The Other Side

Title: The Other Side

Author: Jacqueline Woodson

Illustrator: E.B. Lewis

Publisher: G.P. Putnam’s Sons

Date of Publication: 2001

This is the story of a young girl named Clover, who is left to wonder what is on the other side of the fence and why is it that she cannot cross it.  The fence is a representation of the separation between blacks and whites.  Day after day Clover sees a young Caucasian girl sitting on top of the fence, rain or shine.  Clover is told by her mother that she must never cross the fence, Annie the girl who sits on the fence is told the same by her mother.  Once the two girls start to talk, Annie tells Clover that sitting on the fence doesn’t mean you are crossing the fence.  The two girls form a friendship and build a bridge between the segregation that occurs between whites and blacks.  The beautiful pictures aide the beautiful story in creating a poignant message for all readers. 

Woodson does a great job in creating characters that are likeable and relatable.  The two girls are dealing with social injustice and breaking social norms.  The girls are not sure why it is that they cannot be friends and once they both see that they are both going through the same thing they forge a bond.  They sit atop the fence and look out at the world and hope that everyone else will be able to see all that they can see from their fence.  Readers are able to connect to the book through the topic of friendship.  In creating new friendships and relationships we broaden our horizons, learn new things, and see things from a different perspective.  Prejudice still exists today and the friendship these girls make starts to break down the barrier of prejudice that adults may have.  The girls are proof that children are young and impressionable and see things for what they are.  Clover saw Annie as another friend, not as a superior or a symbol of inequality.

Book Review: Rosa

Title: Rosa

Author: Nikki Giovanni

Illustrator: Bryan Collier

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company, LLC

Date of Publication: 2005

 

Rosa is the winner of the Caldecott Honor Medal and the 2006 Coretta Scott King Medal. 

Nikki Giovanni writes about the momentous day in history where Rosa Parks took a stand and would not give up her seat on the bus.  The author brings Rosa Parks to life by describing her home life, she has a husband, she works as a seamstress, and she takes care of her mother, this allows the reader to see Ms. Parks as a human rather than just an icon or symbol.  The book addresses the Civil Rights movement upon the arrest of Ms. Parks.  The author gives us a glimpse of the Women’s Political Council, Dr. Martin Luther King, and the protest Montgomery, Alabama held by walking instead of riding the bus.  The illustrations by Bryan Collier bring Giovanni’s words to life.  The facial expression he gives to the characters and the subdued colors add to the power in the message of the text.  This story represents the silent strength and determination of Rosa Parks, after a long day of work she is tired and she finds the power deep within to take a stand for herself and others because she is even more tired of succumbing to white supremacy. 

 

This book is a great piece of multicultural literature.  The author gives a different perspective on the day Rosa Parks changed the history of our country.  The reader is able to connect when they see that Rosa Parks lived a “regular” life, going to work, taking care of a family, feeling tired, etc.  The book offers historical and authentic information about the Civil Rights movement, showing the reader how Rosa Parks’ actions relate to other events in the Civil Rights movement.  The front cover alone shows the attitude of society when the story takes place, a white male looking down on an African American female.  Giovanni explores the bravery of Rosa Parks and gives the reader a feel for the prejudice, segregation, and racism that was occurring during this time.  In some parts of the country these issues still exist in varying degrees, this book offers an opportunity to delve into a class discussion about how these issues may have or do affect the lives of the students.  

Book Review: Smoky Night

Title: Smoky Night

Author: Eve Bunting

Illustrator: David Diaz

Publisher: Harcourt Inc.

Date of Publication: 1994

 

Smoky Night is a winner of The Caldecott Medal.  Eve Bunting writes about the Los Angeles riots in the perspective of a young boy named Daniel.  Daniel is witnessing events that no child should ever have to see.  He is exposed to an unsettling time of prejudice, violence, and stereotypes yet still maintains the innocence of a child.  Bunting gives a realistic situation when Daniel is asking his mother questions and wanting to know what is going on.  The fire is a devastating event that happens to Daniel and his mother, yet from that the neighbors are brought together.  Before the fire there was separation but through coping bridges are crossed and it is through the cats that we see you don’t have to look alike to be friends.  The illustrations in this story bring the text to life with detailed and dark pictures.  The dark color scheme gives the reader a feel for the mood and struggles taking place during these riots.  Within the illustrations there is paint as well as real life objects to represent what is taking place in the text. 

The author introduces the reader to the Los Angeles riots without really going into detail about the horrific behavior of the rioters.  Daniel is a character that youth can relate to when he shares his experience of being frightened and has inquisitive behavior about an event that will probably forever affect his life.  Social relevance exists in this story as the prejudices that existed then still exist today and stereotypes are still in use.  Giving students the opportunity to see how people can overcome these issues opens the door for conversations about steps the students can take to put an end or take a stand against prejudice and stereotypes.  

Book Review: Uptown

Title: Uptown

Author: Bryan Collier

Illustrator: Bryan Collier

Publisher: Henry Holt and Company, LLC

Date of Publication: 2000

Uptown is the winner of the Coretta Scott King Award and the Ezra Jack Keats Book Award.  Uptown is the story of a young African American boy who gives the reader a tour of Harlem through his eyes.  Bryan Collier creates a vivid picture of the city through his unique and beautiful illustrations.  The city of Harlem is described by what it means to this young boy, he is telling the reader what his home is like.  Each page of the story begins with “Uptown is...” followed by a different characteristic.  Through the descriptions of Harlem, it is apparent that this young man takes pride in his city and each description has special meaning to him.  This story takes a positive look at a city that is usually made out to be less than extraordinary.  To this young boy Harlem is a stage, a song, a weekend shopping, jazz and so much more.  Collier backs his words with vibrant and detailed pictures.  The text portrays a calm and collected view of the city, but through the illustrations one can see many different directions and fast pace of a busy city.  Children can relate to this story and the main character because he is sharing what Harlem is to him, just like children describe their hometown as it is to them.  Children like to share where they come from and where they grew up and in doing so are showing their sense of pride and knowledge in the community that they know.  Readers can also see how their hometown is similar and different from that of the character in this book.  Collier creates a dynamic short story full of character and bright colors.  He finds the positive in a city that is usually referred to as a place of violence, gangs, and drugs through the eyes of the city’s youth. 

 

This book is a great piece of multicultural literature.  The culture of a city is shown through the description of the streets, the people, the food, and the illustrations.  Collier has created a main character that is likeable and easy to relate to.  He has also created pictures that give a realistic and authentic feel for the city of Harlem.  

Language in Literature

Throughout this course we have discussed how the language can affect how the book is read.  I think that language is such an important and powerful tool in life.  Language should be valued and appreciated.  I am currently taking an African American Language class and have learned so much about language but also about AAL (African American Language).  I have noticed that in some books that use AAL people say that the characters are talking "ghetto" or certain slang is used that they don't know what it means.  AAL is not to be looked down upon or disregarded, it is just as much a language as Standard English.  There is grammatical structure and rules in AAL.  When AAL is used correctly in literature it gives the book authenticity.  I plan to use literature with AAL in my classroom and I think that it is important for my students to understand the history behind the language so that they can gain an appreciation for it and be proud to speak the language.  I want to make sure that the students understand the vocabulary and look at comparisons between AAL and Standard English.  A colleague of mine recently wrote a lesson in which the students take phrases and translate them from one language to the next, this can also incorporate code-switching.  In today's society is important for students to know when it is appropriate to use Standard English and AAL, for instance society expects that test essays and legal documents, etc be written in Standard English.  

In the field I work in a 6th grade classroom.  The majority of the students in the class speak and write in AAL (African American Language).  When my colleague and I had to edit some papers that our CT asked us to edit, she never gave us a rubric, which created some dilemmas when editing.  My colleague and I were puzzled as to how to correct some of the sentences in which AAL was used, because the work made sense, but we didn’t know if our CT wanted the students writing in Standard English.  How do you correct someone on something that is correct in one form but not in another?  How do you show the students why they got it wrong when in actuality it was right?

I think it is important to introduce speakers of AAL to literature that incorporates the language, so that they can see a positive representation of the language.

Confessions of a Closet Catholic

The main focus of this book was on religion, but during our book talk groups we talked about another underlying theme in the story.  Our group focused on body image and the significance of chocolate in the story.  The main character just wants to be like the rest of her family but she knows she will never be able to look like her mom.  When we were researching to try and find out if the author was an insider, we came about some relevant information in regards to some of the details in the book.  The author’s favorite food is chocolate and she at one point battled with bulimia.  The author’s second book is called Purge and its focus is on a young girl who is battling with eating disorders and body image.  Finding out this information led our group to wonder if the first book was a platform to set up the second book or if in writing the first book she came up with the idea of writing the second book.  This book is about self-discovery and through the research of various religions she is finding out who she wants to become and what lies within her.  Our group was the only group that varied off of the path (religion) when talking about the book.  This just proves that multicultural literature can reach different audiences, people can connect with different parts of the story, and that the reader’s perceptions of the content can determine what they take from the text.

It was also talked about how the author’s research influenced her take on the Catholic religion.  We were unable to find out the religious background of the author, but we figured since she interviewed a priest and attended confessional for the first time in a church that she was not a Catholic herself.  

Project Mulberry

When reading this book, I tried something different.  I purchased the audio version of the book and uploaded it to my iPod, so that could listen to it while reading it or just listen to it on its own.  The reason I decided to do this was because I had just completed a new literacies project in another class.  My focus was on how iPods can be beneficial in the classroom and how they offer different mediums for different learners.  I enjoyed listening to the book because I was able to do other things while listening.  One of the concerns I had with the audio was that the reader read at a slower pace than I would have read the book, so it took longer for me to finish the book by listening to it and when I would read along as the audio was going I caught myself reading ahead and realizing that I couldn’t do that and listen at the same time.  Another thing I noticed about the audio was that the person who was telling the story had a very stereotypical Asian accent when speaking the mother’s voice.  It was surprising to me that this would happen since the book tries to fight stereotypes.  I understand that authenticity of the character may have been the goal, but it was still interesting to me that this was the case.  

Personal Philosophy on Multicultural Literature

I chose to take this class because I think having multiculturalism present in the classroom is very important.  I had also heard rave reviews of the class from my friends.  Throughout my journey in becoming an elementary school teacher, one of the biggest questions I have had is "how do I determine what literature to have in my classroom?"  TE348 gave me a good introduction into what quality literature is and I enrolled in this class to help me look further into literature and its quality.  

Multicultural literature presents a great opportunity for children.  Literature in general is a bridge for students to learn and to be enlightened on new experiences.  Multicultural literature gives students the chance to explore cultures, and all that they encompass, different from their own.  Culture represents, race, gender, language, abilities, religion, food, clothing, education, etc.  The best way to eliminate prejudice and misunderstandings is through education.  Literature of a multicultural base can be a great tool in helping students gain an understanding and respect for something that is different from what they know.  As a teacher I hope to establish a strong community in my classroom where the students respect each other for their differences and similarities, and through this have the students realize that they can learn many things from their classmates.

The United States is so diverse in itself that it would be detrimental to the students' future for them not to learn about all the differences and cultures within their town, state, country and around the world.  Each student that comes into the classroom is unique and I hope that I will be able to have a quality piece of literature in my classroom that they can relate to in some way.  Creating a quality library of multicultural literature will be a task that will take time and lots of thought, but it is something that I know I will be continually working on and building for my classroom.  

Al Capone Does My Shirts

Talking about disabilities most people just look at the physical, forgetting about mental, learning, and emotional impairments.  I am very fortunate to have known and know people who have a disability.  My best friend in elementary school was bound to a wheelchair, he was able to use a walker for short periods of time, and an aide dog assisted him.  My uncle lost his vision in his later years, eventually going blind.  I have a friend who has downs syndrome and have babysat for a young boy who has autism.  Both of my brothers suffer from A.D.D., one more severe than the other and both of them of struggled in school because of this.  Through learning about disabilities, I have come to appreciate the fact even more that we should give credit to people for their abilities and realize that they are not defined by a disability.  Moose sees Natalie’s ability to work with numbers and when people try to talk about her like she is a spectacle, Moose puts a stop to it right away, saying that she doesn’t do tricks.  Because disabilities vary so much in form and intensity, the people first –disability second mentality is even more important.  Stereotypes and lack of knowledge on disabilities can lead people to make judgments on a person with a disability, for instance saying “they’re autistic” can have someone thinking that this person suffers from the most severe form of autism, when in actuality they do not.  Regardless of a person’s disability they should be looked at for the person they are and valued because of that.

What are you?

Habibi was a book I really enjoyed reading and found many connections between the text and myself.  During our small group discussion many things arose in regards to the insider-outsider debate and personal struggles with finding a way to identify.  I was able to share a story that had happened to me while in the field.  While talking with my 6^th grade students, the girls were talking about hair.  I had recently straightened my hair and they were shocked in the transformation from my usually poofy, frizzy, curly hair.  One of the girls asked me why I don’t have “white girl hair like Ms.H” and I said because our hair is just different.  This student then looked at me with a puzzled look and said, “what are you?”  I said “what do you mean?” and they answered with “like what race, are you white or black?”  It was interesting to me that the girls were making a connection with hair texture and race, because by looking at me I am pasty white.  The girls referred to my hair as nappy and more like one of their fellow students who is African American.  When responding to the question of “what are you?” I started to say I was white and then corrected myself by saying I was Caucasian, because I don’t look like the white board, and that I was French and Irish, and I am a female, etc.  I did my best to show them that who I was wasn’t a label but that I was I, Allison.

Insider-Outsider Debate

Through reading the articles, it seems that the insider-outsider debate will continue on and on.  I don't feel that I can take a side in the debate.  Each article brought different things to light for me, but the one recurring theme in each of the articles dealt with race.  All of the articles seemed to address the fact that multiculturalism is not just about race.  I think that this is a great point to be made, through experience with students when multiculturalism comes up the response from students  is that they will be learning about people of another race or culture.  Cai states "Multiculturalism is about diversity and inclusion, but what is more important, it is also about power structures and struggle", Shannon states "Culture, then, is not limited to race because it includes region, gender, language, ethnicity, economic class, and other social markers which can demarcate a social group from others."  Multicultural literature that includes diversity as a whole can be very beneficial to the classroom setting.  When it comes to who should be allowed to write multicultural literature, I don't think that it should exclusively be insiders or outsiders.  When topics are covered by an insider the audience receives a more authentic experience and are able to see themselves in the literature.  But at the same time who is to say that an outsider can not achieve that same result.  Seeing literature through the eyes of an insider gives us the chance to hear the voices of those who have been oppressed.  I think that using multicultural literature in the classroom gives the teacher a great opportunity to inform students and give them a chance to open their minds and see things from other peoples' perspectives.  Cai states "To affirm diversity is to ultimately achieve equity.  Diversity without equity is not the goal of multiculturalism."  Multicultural literature can help teachers encourage empowerment among students, students should be able to not only learn but understand the literature.  Understanding brings about abilities to take action.  I am left questioning the insider-outsider debate, who is to say that someone cannot write quality literature as an outsider and who is to say that an insider will always produce quality literature?

Introduction

I am in my senior year at Michigan State University.  I am in the process of becoming an elementary school teacher with a focus in Language Arts.  As a child I was an avid reader and loved to explore new books.  Literature is a great resource to have in the classroom as well as a support for all subject matter.  Diverse literature is an interest to me because I know that my classroom will consist of a diverse population.  Having a quality set of diverse literature in my classroom is something that I hope to have.  Through this course I would like to gain the skills and knowledge to determine what is quality multicultural literature.  I would also like to learn appropriate and effective ways of applying the literature in my classroom so that the literature can be more than just words on a page.