The Tiny Activist
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Latinx Communities
POC-Centric Narratives
The Current State of Latino Children's Literature in the US
CCBC received ~3,700 books last year, ~3500 of these were from U.S. publishers. According to CCBC, 215 books or 6% either had a Latino main character/subject or was featured significantly in the narrative. Of these 6%, only 73 books or 33.8% were actually written or illustrated by and about Latinos (#OwnVoices). This represents only 2% out of the total number of books CCBC received. (see CCBC February and June blog data.)
Moreover, according to the Pew Research Center, Hispanics continue to account for more of the US's overall population growth than any other race or ethnicity and made up about 18% of the total population in 2017. Yet, its quite concerning that this demographic continues to be largely ignored by traditional publishers. The CCBC has collected this data since 2002 and the percentage of books about Latinos has only slightly budged from 3% in 2002 to 6% in 2017. Books either written by or illustrated by Latinos continues to be dismally low and has not significantly risen in the past 15 years (between 1 and 3% over this time period). This is clearly not keeping up with current population growth trends.
Multicultural literature as a whole had percentage numbers rise only slightly (including Black, Latinx, Asian Pacific and Native authors in addition to Latino). Collectively, these authors and illustrators wrote just 14% of new children's books (507 out of 3,700 books). (See CCBC data here.)
Additionally, the CCBC data does not further categorize the books written or illustrated by Latinos by language. We obtained the 2017 list of books written by and/or about Latinos from CCBC and found only 11 new bilingual books, including our own previous bilingual alphabet book, were published last year. There was an additional 3 books written in Spanish, which were translations of English original editions. Let that soak in, 14 total books, out of 3,700! This is eye opening and shows the gross lack of quality bilingual / and/or Spanish original work published in the US, which also speaks volumes about the work that is needed in developing U.S. biliterate authors. (See list here.) How can we increase the number of U.S. born bilingual/biliterate individuals (some of whom, will hopefully choose to become bilingual teachers for which there is a great shortage of) if we can't even produce enough literary works? Many have sought out books written in foreign countries like Spain and South American countries for more resources, and while that is a step in the right direction, oftentimes, some of these books do not reflect the realities of U.S. born Hispanics living in this country.
We recently attend the National Latino Children's Literature Conference in San Antonio. It was so refreshing to see so many bilingual education students, teachers, and professors. Much was discussed on this very subject. During the keynote address, a notable quote from Erika Prosper Nirenberg, first lady of San Antonio, TX and chairwoman of the SA Hispanic Chamber of Commerce resonated with us.
"The stories that are out there, about communities matter. They shape identities. They shape self-esteem, they shape how much people invest in those communities,"
-Erica Prosper Nirenberg
There is a crisis brewing in this country. An excellent example is public education in Texas. Today, nearly 52% of public school students in Texas are categorized as Hispanic according to the Texas Education Agency (TEA). Additionally, Texas is facing an urgent educational challenge with 18% of Texas students facing a language barrier. This demographic is in dire need of educational opportunities in order to address the achievement gap. Bilingual books serve as a bridge between the home and school environment. Moreover, culturally relevant, authentic books help Hispanic students connect with and identify themselves with the content, which in turns leads to greater empowerment and academic achievement.
Connecting With Latino Children:
Bridging Cultural Gaps with Children's Literature
By Kathy Escamilla & Sally Nathenson-Mejía
In the Bilingual Research Journal Volume 27 No. 1,pg 101-116
The Journal of the National Association for Bilingual Education
Recent reports put the teaching population at 90% White, female, and middle class. If only 10% of teachers are linguistic and ethnic minorities and almost 40% of students are linguistic and ethnic minorities, it is clear that many thousands of students are being taught by teachers who have little or no background in the children's culture, language, traditions, and history.
"According to the U.S. Department of Education (2000), over 37% of K–12 students are culturally, linguistically, and ethnically different from the dominant U.S. culture.
Whatever ethnicity they come from, teachers are finding themselves in schools where their own experiential background differs from that of their students (Grant & Gomez, 2001; Taylor, 2000; Nieto, 2000). Teachers who are born in the United States and grow up in some strata of the middle class may have little in common with students of the same ethnicity who are immigrants or who grow up in lower socioeconomic status situations (Zeichner, 1993, in Taylor, 2000; Chávez Chávez, 1996). In discussing the use of multicultural literature in teaching, Taylor (2000) suggests, "Considering the current mismatch between students' and teachers' diversity, teachers may want to sensitize and expose their students and themselves to multiple perspectives and cultures of U.S. society" (p. 25).
"We know that students must connect with teachers and the school culture if they are going to connect with school at all (Garcia, 1994). We have also seen that one characteristic of successful teachers is that they tend to know a great deal about their students' lives (Davis, Clarke, & Rhodes, 1994). However, it is difficult for teachers to tap into children's extensive funds of knowledge (Moll, 1993) if they don't have any idea that those funds exist or how to access them. We believe strongly that educators can learn about the myriad cultures that make up our country's population and that it is imperative that all students and teachers, no matter their own ethnicity and culture, learn about as many other cultures, traditions, and histories as possible over the course of their education and professional careers. This can best begin by learning about the cultures and traditions of the children in their classrooms.
We have found that most teachers come out of teacher education programs with very little background in multicultural issues and instructional techniques (Garcia & Pugh, 1992; Villegas, 1996). For several years we have used Latino children's literature in various methods courses with our teacher candidates to help them gain background knowledge of the cultures, traditions, language, and issues surrounding the various Latino people in the United States. In turn, the teacher candidates use the same literature in elementary classrooms, encouraging the children to respond in a personal way. The experience enriches the teacher candidates' work with children and begins to broaden their perspective and understanding of cultures different from their own. This particular project was a part of seminars conducted within partner schools. The idea was to go beyond children's literature and language arts courses and bring the learning experience into the field experience itself."
"The cultural, linguistic, and ethnic mismatch has led education researchers and practitioners to conclude that teacher education programs must address diversity and equity when preparing teachers for the 21st century (Banks, 2001; Dana & Lynch-Brown, 1993; Grant & Secada, 1990; Ladson-Billings, 1994). Banks goes beyond the idea of mere acceptance of diversity; he challenges teacher education institutions to prepare teachers as "cultural mediators who interpret the mainstream and marginalized cultures to students from diverse groups and help students understand the desirability of and possibility for social change'' (p. 240)."
First Criterion:
Country of origin, for selecting the literature was important because most of the Latino student population in our area comes from families who have immigrated throughout the past 15 years from Mexico or who have been in the southwestern United States for several generations. Therefore, we looked for books written by Mexican and Mexican American authors and those coming from Mexican and Mexican American traditions. We also chose books with origins from other Latino countries, such as El sancocho de sábado/Saturday Sancocho (Torres, 1995) from Colombia and El tapiz de Abuela/Abuela's Weave (Castañeda, 1993) from Guatemala. We felt these books reflected experiences and values similar to the Mexican and Mexican American children's lives and literature. The concepts included in these books, such as extended family, going to the mercado [market], working to support family, and humor are reflective of the lives of the Mexican and Mexican American children with whom our preservice teachers work.
Second Criterion:
language (i.e., Spanish or English), was important because about half of the teacher candidates were becoming bilingual teachers. Their school experiences were in bilingual classrooms. We wanted to provide opportunities for them to read in Spanish and to be able to use literature in Spanish with the children. We looked for books that had both Spanish and English versions or had both languages within one book since many of the teachers were not fluent in Spanish or did not speak Spanish at all. We were fairly successful; in the first year we found 14 books that were available in both languages, such as the "Carlos" books mentioned above. In the second year we added 6 more titles that came in both languages. We found that the teacher candidates with Spanish-speaking abilities were eager to read the books in Spanish and use them with their students in the schools. Those teacher candidates working only in English were also happy to have access to the Spanish books because many of their students, though learning in English, were also Spanish speakers.
However, we learned that there is a difference between books that are published with each language in its own edition and those in which the two languages are in the same book. When each language is in a different book, everything else remains the same: illustrations, format, and fonts. However, when both languages are in the same book, subtle differences make it difficult for some readers, usually those reading in Spanish. In most of the dual-language books, the Spanish is underneath the English, in a font (such as italics) that is more difficult for children to read and sometimes in a color (such as blue) that is more difficult to see. These differences, though they may appear to be insignificant, hinder the reading experience of the child reading in Spanish. The placement of Spanish below the English (as it was in most of the bilingual books) reinforces the lower status that Spanish occupies in the dominant U.S. culture (Shannon, 1995; Escamilla, 1994; Shannon & Escamilla, 1999).
Third criterion:
"Contemporary literature versus folk tales, is important because multicultural education has a long tradition of using folk tales to teach about various countries and cultures. We agree that folk tales are an essential component of culture, and we chose various folk tales to include in our selection. However, we feel strongly that contemporary literature based on people's lives (whether fiction or nonfiction) brings the teacher candidates closer to the real lives of the children they teach. It also brings them face to face with challenging issues we believe they must address. Many of the realistic fiction books deal with situations children must confront when they live in two cultural worlds: "It is important that our teacher candidates also understand that cultural conflict and negotiation are components of becoming bicultural" (Escamilla & Nathenson-Mejía, in press). These issues include not having a permanent home (migrants), being an undocumented resident, being sick, having your name changed, feeling devalued by institutions such as school, moving from one country to another, serving as a translator between home and school, and growing up."
Fourth Criterion:
"High-quality text and illustrations, is important because research on children's literature stresses that we must demand high quality in the books we provide for children. Characteristics we looked for included: a) strong, believable story lines, well crafted, not contrived or condescending; b) believable, well-written language; and c) quality illustrations that matched and supported the story. We also looked for translations (whether from Spanish to English or English to Spanish) that represented conceptual equivalents (Barrera, 1992; Escamilla, Andrade, Basurto, & Ruiz, 1996). We rejected books that we felt were stereotyping, condescending, or inaccurate."
We wanted teacher candidates to use the books to create lessons that would achieve the following:
1. Create cultural connections between teacher candidates and their students.
2. Create connections between the books and children's lives (personal connections).
3. Enhance the verbal skills and abilities of their students in both Spanish and English.
4. Utilize literature to teach skills and strategies in reading and writing.
Preparing Culturally Responsive Teachers:
Using Latino Children's Literature in Teacher Education
Equity and Excellence in Education, Vol. 36, pg 238-248
The color-blind perspective, although safe and comfortable for professors and practitioners, will not likely encourage prospective teachers to learn to see the world from different perspectives. We, the authors, as teacher education professors, are not arguing against the need for teachers to understand common human characteristics; however, we feel strongly that they must also understand that groups have unique cultural heritages and backgrounds. Rather than ignore these differences in schools under the guise of emphasizing our similarities, it is important for prospective teachers to recognize, understand, and respect differences. That our differences make us unique and valuable must be a theme running through teacher education programs and into our schools. Villegas and Lucas (2002) define "culturally responsive teachers'' as those with "a high degree of sociocultural consciousness [and who] see themselves as agents of change'' (p. 9) in the schools and educational systems.
Six Characteristics of Culturally Responsive Teachers
"Such a teacher:
(a) is socioculturally conscious, that is, recognizes that there are multiple ways of perceiving reality and that these ways are influenced by one's location in the social order
(b) has affirming views of students from diverse backgrounds, seeing resources for learning in all students rather than viewing differences as problems to be overcome
(c) sees himself or herself as both responsible for and capable of bringing about educational change that will make schools more responsive to all students
(d) understands how learners construct knowledge and is capable of promoting learners' knowledge construction
(e) knows about the lives of his or her students
(f) uses his or her knowledge about students' lives to design instruction that builds on what they already know while stretching them beyond the familiar (p. 2)."
"Three general research questions guided our study and informed the discussion of issues.
Does reading Latino children's literature help teacher candidates develop or expand their knowledge base about Mexicans and Mexican Americans and other Latino groups?
Are teacher candidates able to relate Latino literature to their own life experiences?
Are teacher candidates willing to utilize Latino children's books when teaching?"
"While we recognize the importance of connecting with the literature and the children on a universal or hu- man level, we also recognize that this is not sufficient. To only identify with the students in a way that confirms"we are all alike'' encourages teacher candidates' tenden- cies to want to use the educational system to make the children more like themselves. As their professors, we must provide the opportunity to explore and understand the value in how we are all different. If teacher candidates do not learn to recognize and value these differences, they will not be convinced that there is a real need to make sure the educational system values and addresses these differences. It is our obligation as teacher educators to help them see that in recognizing the differences, we can celebrate and share the wonderful variations human cultures produce, thus placing value on all cultures."
Amigos del Otro Lado/ Friends from the Other Side
"It also is important, for example, for teachers to understand the place that la migra has in the lives of the Mexican and Mexican American community. It is näıve on the part of Teacher Candidates (TC's) to think that if books such as Amigos del otro lado / Friends from the Other Side (Anzaldúa,1993) are not included in the school curriculum, the issues will not be a part of the children's lives. Here again, ignoring the reality of students' lives promotes an education system that is not culturally responsive to its community.
Most difficult for TCs were the portrayals of the border patrol and la migra, the act of harboring "illegal aliens,''and how the community members relied on a curandera for health care and advice. It is important for us as professors to help TCs see the world in its varied colors, rather than only in black and white. We need to help TCs begin to understand and accept the realities and traditions of the Latino community, and not judge these children or their families by the middle-class values with which the majority of TCs were raised.
The book, Amigos del otro lado (Anzaldúa,1993), helped us to bring to light very real issues that TCs need to un- derstand to value their students' culture and social reality. In this way, they can learn to respond in a manner which is supportive and comprehending rather than negative and dismissive."
Welcome to The Tiny Activist!
To find the best books!
To spread knowledge and understanding
To make education transformative, not transactional
"Windows and Mirrors" Approach
Lee Locke-Hardy
Corrie Locke-Hardy
Today we have the honor of helping with a big announcement! We are so excited to share that our friends at Bharat Babies are growing up! 5 years ago, Bharat Babies started with a vision to share the stories of their home and heritage of India. Their vision is expanding to tell the stories of the entire South Asian experience. Stories that go beyond the borders of India. Stories that go beyond childhood. To reflect their broader mission and vision, their name is changing as well to Mango and Marigold Press, an award-winning independent publishing house that shares the sweet and savory stories of the South Asian experience. So folks, get ready to see a whole new look over at Mango and Marigold Press along with stories of the South Asian experience told not only in children's literature but also middle grade and young adult. Let us know below what kind of stories you want to see and tag @mangoandmarigoldpress. Who knows, it might become a story! . . #weneeddiversebooks #bharatbabies #new #bigthingscoming #diversereads #readersareleaders #diversebooks #diversekidlit #southasianstories
A Boy Like You opens by talking about how unique every person is, and how the world needs someone exactly like each and everyone one. Our main character (a young boy of color) demonstrates the many attributes a person can have, and how everyone is different. Everyone is smart, but in different ways. Some are more gifted athletically, and some artistically. But everyone should be kind, polite, and help others. Teaching empathy and compassion is crucial to dismantling toxic masculinity, and continuing the fight to dismantle the racist patriarchy that upholds systemic oppression in our nation. Only by continuing the radical fight that our predecessors began can we hope to have an anti-racist and inclusive future. This book is geared towards boys, to help dismantle the stereotypes that force boys and men to feel pressure to embody a single type of masculinity, which can become toxic. Murphy tells the reader to leave every place and every person, better than you found them. The message about the importance of being true to yourself but also a kind and sensitive human being. Although the words in the book could easily be shifted to include "people" instead of "boys" all the time, the text is sending a profound message to boys that they don't have to be macho and emotionless in order to be seen as a man. We chose this book to also represent our book club theme of Inspire this month as well! This book was sent to us by @sleepingbearpress as part of the #findmestories_bestof2019 list, but all opinions are our own. . . #findmestories_inspire #socialemotionallearning #weneeddiversebooks #diversebooks #toxicmasculinity #kindness #friendship #childrensbooks #picturebook #picturebooks #education #secularhomeschool #diversity #childrenslit #inclusion #diversekidlit #diversebooksforkids #readersareleaders #librariansofinstagram #teachersfollowteachers
This is a really cute, short rhyming book that celebrates not only different skin colors but different families as well! Throughout the book the reader learns all about the wonderful things that skin does for a person, and how it can look differently for everyone. We really love the diverse representation present in these illustrations. Right off the bat, the cover image shows a young girl of color in a wheelchair with a soccer ball playing with other kids running and scootering outside! There are other fabulous examples of diverse families with gay parents, different families with religious head coverings, a child with a large birthmark on their cheek, and a long-haired child with very strong eyebrows. Lauren Tobia has illustrated an incredibly fantastic representation of what life really looks like in many different environments. The text is simple and the rhymes would be really fun to say out loud with a group! This is a book that truly celebrates kindness, community, and loving the unique skin you were born in. . . #weneeddiversebooks #picturebook #picturebooksaremyjam #childrensbooks #readersareleaders #diversebooks #diversebooksforkids #friendship #outdoors #uniqueness #diversity #childrensliterature #education #inclusion #learning #teachersfollowteachers #secularhomeschool #diversekidlit #librariansofinstagram #earlychildhoodeducation #socialemotionallearning #happiness #literacy #learning #readingisfundamental
This book opens with Miep hearing the footsteps of Nazi soldiers, coming to arrest the 8 Jewish people that she's been helping to hide in attic storage rooms for the past two years. Miep manages to avoid arrest by realizing that she and the soldier are both from Vienna, and is left alone. Miep is able to summon the courage to go upstairs to the secret annex where the Franks and others have been hiding, and she saves Anne's diary. She is able to hid the diary until the war is over and Mr. Frank returns, he is the only one that makes it out alive. Eventually, the diary is published. This book is somber, tender, and based on Miep's autobiography. It gives another facet of the WWII experience, this time from a non-Jewish activist committed to the anti-Nazi cause. While the story of Anne Frank is well-known throughout the world, Miep's story is lesser known. In the back of the book is an author's note, more information about Miep, and a timeline of her life. She is a beautiful, courageous person. Although she didn't do any of the actions she's famous for for glory, she did it to be a good person, not seeing herself as a hero but rather a person just doing her duty. This is a beautiful book to add into any Holocaust education/curriculum, or world history learning. This book was sent to us by Sleeping Bear Press ( @sleepingbearpress )as an entry in the Best Books of 2019 list, but all opinions are our own, as was the decision to review the book separately from the list project. .✍🏽. #findmestories_bestof2019 #childrensbooks #readersareleaders #picturebook #picturebooksaremyjam #history #historicalfigure #AnneFrank #childrensbooks #weneeddiversebooks #neveragain #diversebooks #diversechildrensbooks #secularhomeschool #Judaism #jewishhistory #education #holocaust #holocausthistory #education #inclusion #librariansofinstagram
This book is amazing for several reasons. First, it introduces young children not only to poetry but also to an accomplished poet that they might not be familiar with if they don't live in Jamaica! Second, it helps normalize the linguistic cultural funds of knowledge that students bring into the classroom with them. Many times, children of color that might speak a patois, pidgin dialect, or AAVE outside of the classroom are shamed for bringing it into school. This invalidates their experiences and furthers the elitism associated with formal/standard English. We should be embracing the lived experiences of students, and having this book that celebrates such a prolific woman is a great addition to bookshelves! Louise is a young girl living in Kingston, Jamaica. She loves words and writing poetry, but the words get stuck when she tries to speak. Louise gains inspiration for her poetry by listening to the sights and sounds of those around her, but she is shamed for it at school. Louise ends up going to another school, but has trouble reciting the poems she memorized out loud. Instead, she musters up courage to speak the lyrical flow of Jamaican Patois that she hears on the streets and in her house, rather than the formal English that she feels might be expected of her in school. To her surprise, her classmates and teachers love Louise's poem! . . #weneeddiversebooks #diversespines #poccentricnarratives #historicalfigure #louisebennettcoverley #poet #womenpoets #writer #Jamaica #childrensbooks #picturebooks #education #inclusion #diversity #diversebooks #poetrybooks #diversebooksforkids #secularhomeschool #librariansofinstagram #teachersfollowteachers #diversekidlit
Since it's Corrie's birthday, she wanted to post a book that she's currently loving and can't stop talking about. This book is SO cute, we're a bit obsessed with it. It tackles several issues all at once, and each is incredibly well-done and easy for young readers to understand. This is a book that belongs in every classroom as soon as possible, and we are so grateful to the author and incredibly talented illustrator for bringing this story to life. Everyone thought that Aidan was a girl when he was born, and when he was young it was frustrating to be so misunderstood. Eventually, he figured out a way to express himself and his parents helped make the adjustments he wanted so he could feel more comfortable in what he wore and what his bedroom looked like. Now that Aidan's mother is pregnant again, Aidan wants to make sure he's the best big brother possible and this includes making sure that the new baby isn't misunderstood like he was. The book goes through a lot of the preparations a family makes when getting ready for a new addition, with special care taken not to gender the new baby or put any stereotypes in place in terms of a name or room color. A particularly adorable illustration shows Aidan researching names in a baby name book, but he has changed the title from "boys and girls" to "babies and babies", specifically wanting a neutral name. The care that Aidan takes shows an immense amount of empathy for his new sibling, wanting them to feel wholly loved and cared for without any of the pressures that gender stereotyping places on a new life. In the back of the story is an author's note about Kyle Lukoff's own journey to being his authentic self, and it adds another level of tenderness to the story itself. When Aidan Became A Brother is also our pick for this month's Read With River book theme of #findmestories_inspire because we love the way that Aidan uses his own experiences as a learning opportunity to make sure that his sibling does not experience the same distress surrounding gendered expectations that he did. This book was sent to us by the @leeandlow for review, but all opinions are our own! . . #weneeddiversebooks #lgbtq #lgbtqyouth
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