experts in multicultural education frequently emphasize the importance of using literature to increase cultural awareness piper, 1986 tway, 1989. The literature used should accurately portray the history, customs, values, and language of a particular cultural group sims, 1982. Through sharing carefully selected literature, students can learn to understand and to appreciate a literary heritage that comes from many diverse backgrounds norton, 1990.

improves self concept

students also benefit from reading literature that reflects their own ethnic and cultural background. Such literature can be an important tool in helping all students develop a healthy self concept one that is based on a knowledge of and a sense of pride in family background hittleman, 1978.

promotes understanding among cultures

the use of multicultural literature can also extend students' knowledge about parallel cultures by exposing them to the differences and similarities between their culture and that of other groups norton, 1983. These observations, documented in research, support the notion that incorporating multicultural literature into the curriculum can expand students' awareness and decrease negative stereotyping of individuals from other cultures litchner amp johnson, 1973.

Literature can present students with clear contrasts in perspectives and can help them to understand their own cultural heritages and those of others within and outside the classroom rasinski amp padak, 1990. Go on to strategies to support multicultural instruction welcome to the wonderfully diverse world of children's multicultural literature, literature that represents any distinct cultural group through accurate portrayal and rich detail yokota, 1993, p. Such literature appears in different genre which together present a multitude of perspectives about the lives, culture, and contributions of each cultural group to american society.

This web site contains links to annotated bibliographies of children's multicultural books appropriate for the elementary grades kindergarten through grade six. Cultural groups currently listed include: african americans, chinese americans, latino/hispanic americans, japanese americans, jewish americans, native americans, and korean americans. Books are categorized by genre: realistic fiction, information non fiction , traditional literature, biography, historical fiction, poetry, and fantasy. No attempt has been made to evaluate the literary quality of each work nor its appropriateness in terms of cultural content. It is left to teachers to determine each book's appropriateness/relevance to his/her children and curriculum. There is no single definition of the term multicultural literature as it is applied to books for children and young adults. At the ccbc, we use the term to mean books by and about people of color and first/nation nations.

All children deserve books in which they can see themselves and the world in which they live reflected. Multicultural literature belongs in every classroom and library on the shelves and in the hands of children, librarians, and teachers. The challenge for librarians, teachers and others is identifying authentic, reliable books by and about people of color and first/native nations. The ccbc compiles annual statistics on the number of books published annually by and about people of color. Over the years, we've seen those numbers grow, but multicultural literature still represents a small percentage of the overall number of books published for children and teenagers. We strive to integrate multicultural literature into all of our work here at the ccbc. Of special note: other ccbc recommended books: check out the advanced search feature of our searchable database of ccbc recommended titles.

African/african american, american indian, asian pacific/asia pacific american, and latino. small presses of color owned/operated by people of color and first/native nations publishers. A ccbc listing of small publishers devoted to creating books by and about people of color spanish language literature resources.

A ccbc listing of resources for identifying and purchasing spanish langauge materials selected sites offering critical information and perspectives, as well as children's and young adult literature awards with a multicultural focus selected articles: caldwell, naomi, gabriella kaye and lisa mitten. Program for the ala/olos subcommittee for library services to american indian people, american indian library association, june 2007. free within ourselves: the development of african american children's literature. heinemann, 2007. embracing, evaluating and examining african american children's amp young adult literature. scarecrow press, 2008.

stories matter: the complexity of cultural authenticity in children's literature. national council of teachers of english ncte , 2003 harris, violet h. american indian themes in young adult literature. scarecrow press, 2005. diversity in youth literature: opening doors through reading. ala editions, 2013. shadow amp substance: afro american experience in contemporary children's fiction. national council of teachers of english, 1982.

Indian studies center, university of california, c1998 biographical dictionary of hispanic literature in the united states: the literature of puerto ricans, cuban americans, and other hispanic writers by nicol s kanellos. Guide of hispanic writers living and writing in the united states and puerto rico. Entries on major chicano authors and important topics in the study of chicano literature. Each author entry includes brief biographic information, a discussion of major works, a bibliography of the author's writings, and sources of criticism. Handbook of hispanic cultures in the united states: literature and art edited by nicol s kanellos and claudio esteva fabregat. Surveys the history and development of puerto rican, cuban, chicano, and hispanic literatures in the united states.

Hapi hispanic american periodicals index contains information about central and south america, mexico, the caribbean basin, the united states mexico border region and hispanics in the united states. Includes articles on classic and newly popular works of fiction and nonfiction general essays about the plays, short stories, poetry, and essays of major latino writers and thinkers. Teachers corner workshops training equity case studies awareness activities curriculum transformation equity diversity quizzes printable handouts research room humane education join our listserv contact us receive email updates awards recognition multicultural literature and the children's literary canon by kira isak pirofski. San jose state university this article reviews historical research that has affirmed the value of multicultural literature in school curriculum. It summarizes the outcomes of pioneer pilot programs which successfully integrated culturally authentic literature into school reading and social studies programs. The article documents findings of researchers who investigated the lack of multicultural literature in the children's classics, newbery medal, caldecott award books, trade books and best sellers.

The author discusses reasons for under representation of minorities in the children's literary canon and offers possible solutions to the problem. for past three decades, researchers have continued to affirm that culturally authentic children's literature engages the imagination and enhances the language skills of minority children. In addition, during the last three decades, there have been successful children's literature programs which attest to the unique ability of multicultural literature in improving the reading skills of minority and at risk children. Despite this clear indication of the merits of multicultural literature, a concurrent body of research has found that there is a historic and current lack of culturally authentic literature in the existing literary canon for children including classics, newbery medal and caldecott books, tradebooks, best sellers. This paper presents an historical overview of research and reading programs which have found that multicultural literature is a valuable learning tool as well as research which documents the longstanding lack of multicultural literature in the children's literature. Reasons for the exclusion of culturally authentic reading materials in the canon are discussed as well. Pioneer researcher, florez tighe 1983 , was one of the first educators to advocate the use of multicultural literature in school curriculum. Her research indicated that culturally authentic children's literature enhances language development and thought processes of african american children florez tighe, 1983.

Florez tighe 1983 believes that use of african american folktales by teachers in the classroom can teach respect for african american culture and affirm a child's feeling of self worth florez tighe, 1983. Grice and vaughn's 1992 research involved 9 african american and 4 caucasian third grade children who attended a southern metropolitan area elementary school where fifty eight percent of the population were african americans. Grice and vaughn 1992 were able to document that a measurable percentage of african american children responded more positively to books with african american themes than they did towards books with caucasian characters grice vaughn,1992. The children who showed a preference for multicultural books had been labeled slow learners and their reading level was two grades below their actual grade level.

Yet responses gleaned from post study interviews showed that the children were able to recall story lines, assert whether or not the characters were authentic, and whether or not the children could imagine themselves as one of the book's characters. They were also able to comment as to why or why not they liked the book grice vaughn, 1992. At the conclusion of the program, the 9 children in the research group who had scored below the twenty fifth percentile on the mat 6 nationally standardized achievement test, were able to connect to the characters and situations presented in the african american centered books they had selected. And as noted by the researchers the children, overcame some of their earlier problems with stories grice vaughn, 1, 1992. Smith 1995 found that african american children prefer to read culturally conscious, multicultural books.

In her study of three african american fifth graders, she discovered that when instructed to self select literature, african american children chose books that dealt with african american experiences. In subsequent one on one interviews, the students were more likely to respond favorably to texts that had illustrations and themes that reflected their own culture than those which did not smith, 1995. Taylor 1997 conducted a study of twenty four african american and hispanic american fifth grade students from the southwest. The children were given twenty four picture books and were instructed to give their opinions of each book. Two categories of books were offered, one were њculturally conscious.' these books used african american vernacular, highlighted awareness of skin color, included afro american history, tradition, religious faith, and portrayal of extended families. The second group of books were 'melting pot' books which largely ignored ethnic differences and issues like prejudice, conflict or discrimination taylor, 1997.