My last two attempts to post here haven’t worked…

Child_lit and YALSA are having extended conversations about these topics.

And, I continue to post to my blog about the issues.

It isn’t easy for educators to determine accuracy and authenticity for every book they buy for or use in the classroom or library. We do have to rely on review sources and other people’s judgments. It is ideal when we can ask a person – or two – from a particular culture to share their opinions, but that isn’t possible in all cases.

Questions about cultural accuracy and authenticity are soooo hard. I believe this is a critical conversation for all librarians and educators. There are some truly horrid books that have contributed to promoting stereotypes and prejudices. Once we become conscious of these issues, it is easier to identify these – but even then we can make mistakes.

I used a book that I love – The Day of Ahmed’s Secret (Heide/Lewin)- as an anchor book in one of the lessons in my professional book. The story is about an Egyptian Muslim boy who has learned to write his name. (I have been using this book for years when I teach children’s literature as well as with elementary students. It has a lovely message about literacy as empowerment.)

Then, I learned that some of the story/illustrations are inaccurate – a gate that’s actually in Morocco is shown in Cairo, an Egyptian wearing a hat that’s Tunisian, camels on the streets of Cairo (which they weren’t in 1990 when the book was published).

I also learned that the doctoral students who authored the critical view of this book wondered how Ahmed could be smiling (about his secret) – as he was engaged at that moment in child labor! For me, this is a clear example of the reading transaction. These students – like all readers – brought their bias to the text.

Fortunately, I use the book in teaching the reading comprehension strategy of questioning. Students can legitimately question this text! (And I have added information about the accuracy questions on my Web site support for this lesson.)

Striving to see the world from another’s point of view, remaining open to learning, and yes, making a mistake from time to time and correcting one’s missteps are all part of being an educator – a human being.

I hope more people will join in this conversation.

Recently I picked up a title with Jewish characters. I have lived in a Jewish community and was very excited. Unfortunately, I hate that book. So much so that I will never share the name. I tried putting it in a variety of other types of people’s hands, but they hated it so much most wouldn’t finish it. Why won’t I review it? Because I am not qualified to debate the Jewish merits of this book. Fortunately it’s not intended for children, so I know you are safe. The people who have reviewed it comment on the brilliant writing and the scandalous ideas. I’m relieved there are so many varieties of reviewers out there,

But how do we value the reviewer’s background? My children are multi-racial. They do not believe most authors are writing effectively about them. If they were to write books (which I keep trying to get them to do!!!), who should review their titles? Chinese reviewers? Norwegian reviewers? French reviewers? Iowans? Tennesseans? Illinoisans? Kentuckians? Germans? All of those places and people have an impact on who they are. Whose opinion counts most?

Both are with merit.

But let’s not use what she said as an auto-defense mechanism. Let’s not use it as an excuse to ignore or dismiss negative critiques. Doing THAT only maintains the status quo, and that status quo is a mess.

I often think of this because no one can represent me and who I am. If someone tried to portray me, we’d get caricatures of a girl growing up on the Prairie who dreamed of international travel. Do I represent small-town Iowa? Not to the people who stayed in my small-town. Do I represent Tennesseans? Not to the people who were born here. Could I write about any of these groups? Sure, but someone would be bound to object. I’d expect that. But, I also have a responsibility to be as accurate as possible if I am the only glimpse of a culture that an outsider will see. It’s a fine balancing line. I would be “cut more slack” than if I were basing all my writing on the year I lived in Taiwan and if I were pretending to be a Chinese expert. I’m glad you mentioned the opposite side Judi because we do need more discussion of titles and not to just assume because a title receives one negative review that we should disregard it. I’ve written about that before. I’ll keep thinking about titles.

My book has been embraced by many members of the Tohono O’odham Nation, elders and youth alike. It continues to be performed by students and families as a choral reading further spreading the beauty and power of Tohono O’odham traditions. It honors a people and a culture that are invisible to many.

I believe it is important for librarians and educators to remember that no one person or organization speaks for all members of a particular group. It behooves us to do our homework, to make reasoned judgments, and to spread the positive potential of an inclusive, respectful diverse society.

That is so ironic, because Americans are so in love with American Indians. They want to emulate us–on the football field, in psuedo-rituals, in fiction, the cars they drive, the tools of war (helicopters, battleships, etc. that are named after tribes).

But they don’t want to hear from us. They seem to want us to stay “in a glass case” where they can admire what they think we were.

In the end, it isn’t just the books. It is the context and the voices that MUST be brought to the table. OUR voices, that must be heard AND acted on. Not just treated as great wisdom, or provocative. We’ve all got to ACT.

And KNOW that if you like a book that someone has criticized as stereotypical, you are NOT a racist for liking it. I don’t say that, because I don’t believe it to be true.

More later! Gotta run.