Using Multicultural Literature in
the Pre-K to 2nd Grade
Classroom
by Michelle Chenot
Special Topics 5903-21
WHAT?
• Multicultural literature is about books
dealing with American society to help
create a positive understanding of others.
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African American
Asian American
Hispanic American
Native American
Special Needs
“The function of multicultural
literature is to ensure that students
have the opportunity to reflect on it
in all its rich diversity, to prompt
them to ask questions about who
we are now as a society and how
we arrived at our present state, and
to inspire them to actions that will
create and maintain social justice.”
Harris, p.19
WHY?
 To Foster an awareness, understanding, and
appreciation of people who seem at first glance
different from the reader
 Present a positive and reassuring representation of
a reader’s own cultural group.
 Introduce readers to literary traditions of different
world cultures or cultural groups in the United
States.
“If children’s literature is to have
an impact in schools, it cannot
be separated from the rest of the
curriculum”. Harris, p78.
WHEN?
• 1949, First African American to appear on
Newbery list, Arna Bontemps, Story of the Negro.
• 1950, First Hispanic American Protagonist to win
the Caldecott Award, Song of the Swallows by Leo
Politi.
• 1952, First Native American author to win
Newbery Award, Secret of the Andes by Ann
Nolan Clark.
• 1953, First Latino author to win Newberry Award,
And Now Miguel by Joseph Krumgold.
• 1960’s- Move to create literature to be more,
“culturally conscious”.
• 1966- The Council on Interracial Books for
Children (CIBC) was founded to help promote and
get into print the works of authors and illustrators
of color, especially African Americans.
• 1969-the American Library Association (ALA)
established the Coretta Scott King Award to
recognize distinguished authors and illustrators of
African Americans.
• 1974- The National Council for the Social Studies
created the Carter G. Woodson Award for the most
distinguished children’s books that are on topics
related to ethnic minorities and race relations.
• 1975- First African American to win the
Newbery Award, M.C. Higgins, the Great
by Virgina Hamilton.
• 1990- First Chinese American to win the
Caldecott Medal, Lon Po Po: A Red Riding
Hood Story from China, by Ed Young.
• 1995-First Hispanic to win the Caledcott
Medal, Smoky Night by David Diaz.
• 1996- ALA established the Pura Belpre
Award to recognize the work of
Latino/Latina writers and illustrators.
HOW?
Key Ingredients
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Positive images that leave lasting impressions,
Accurate factual information that enjoyable to read.
Cultural authenticity/cultural specificity.
Meaningful stories that reflect a range of values and lifestyles.
A clear and positive perspective for people of that culture in the 21st
century.
Nonfiction that is relevant to today’s issues
Material that is self-affirming.
Strong three dimensional characters.
Attractive graphics
Durability and affordability
A vehicle that opens knowledge, information seeking, and selfdiscovery.
African American Culture
• “African American” is generally preferred when
referring to this cultural category
• Most immigrants may prefer to be called by their
home country, as well as their American country,
for example, Nigerian American or Jamaican
American
• Other possibilities
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Afro-American
Black
Negro
Negro American
• Based primarily on Family and great men
and women in the recent past. Not a lot of
science fiction or fantasy.
• Average number of African American books
published in the United States every year is
around 50.
• Award for African American Literature:
Coretta Scott King Award
Publishers & Resources
• Just Us Books http://www.justusbooks.com
• Bookstores in the Dallas/Ft Worth area:
– Black Images- 230 Wynnewood, Dallas, TX
http://www.blackimages.com
– The Black Bookworm- 605 Berry Street, Ft
Worth, TX
African American Books for Prek2nd grade
Clinton, Catherine, ed. 1998. I, too, Sing America. Illustrated by
Stephen Alcorn. Houghton.
Cline-Ransome, Lesa. 2000. Satchel Paige. Illustrated by James
Ransome. Simon & Schuster.
Hopkinson, Deborah. 1999. A Band of Angels: A Story Inspired by
the Jubliee Singers. Illustrated by Raul Colon. Atheneum.
Howard, Elizabeth Fitzgerald. 2000. Virgie Goes to School with Us
Boys. Illustrated by E.B. Lewis. Simon & Schuster.
McKissack, Patricia. 1988. Mirandy and Brother Wind. Illustrated
by Jerry Pinkney. Holt.
Pinkey, Andrea. 1996. Bill Pickett: Rodeo-Ridin’ Cowboy.
Illustrated by Brian Pinkney. Harcourt.
Schroeder, Alan. 1996. Minty: A Story of Harriet Tubman.
Illustrated by Jerry Pickney. Dial.
(These are just a few samples of this cultures books, there are others available)
Asian American Culture
• The term “Oriental” is no longer socially correct.
• Compromised of over 50 different ethnic groups
who share no common history, language, religion,
or culture.
• Few than 10 children’s books a year are published
by or about Asian Americans.
• “Positive” Stereotypes are just as damaging as
negative ones, such as “an Asian is good at math”.
Publishers & Resources
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Asia for Kids http://www.afk.com
Lee and Low Books http://leeandlow.com
Polychrome Publishing Corporation
Shen’s Books http://shens.com
Tsai Fong Books http://bookswindow.com
Kamishibai for Kids http://kamishibai.com
Asian American titles for Pre-K
to 2nd grade
Ho, Minfong. 1996. Hush: A Thai Lullaby. Orchard.
Lee, Milly. 2001. Earthquake. Illustrated by
Yangsook Choi. Frances Foster Farrar, Straus &
Giroux.
Say, Allen. 1993. Grandfather’s Journey. Houghton
Mifflin.
Wong, Janet. 2000. The Trip Back Home. Illustrated
by Bo Jia. Harcourt.
Young, Ed. 2001. Monkey King. HarperCollins.
(These are just a few samples of this cultures books, there are others available).
Hispanic American Culture
(Latino)
• Do not use the generic label of “Mexican” or “Spanish” for
all people from the Hispanic culture.
• Mexican Americans are the fastest growing group in the
United States.
• Most literature is about holidays/special days, migrants,
immigrants, and foods. (more fiction than non fiction)
• An average number of 19 books published every year that
are by or about Hispanic Americans.
• Awards for Hispanic Children’s Literature
– The Americas Award for Children’s and Young Adult Literature
– Pura Belpre Award
– Thomas Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award
Publishers & Resources
• Arte Publico Press 1-800-633-ARTE
• Del Sol Books, Inc. 888-335-7651
• Imported Books 2025 W. Clarendon St, PO Box
4414, Dallas, TX 75208
• Mariuccia Iaconi Book Imports
http://www.mibibook.com
• http://www.tsl.state.tx.us/Id/Publications/ninos/
Hispanic American titles for Pre-K
to 2nd grade
Alarcon, Francisco X. 1997. Laughing Tomatoes and Other
Spring Poems. Illustrated by Maya Christina Gonzalez.
Children’s Book Press.
Anacona, George. 1993. Pablo Remembers: The Fiesta of the
Day of the Dead. Lothrop.
Dorros, Arthur. 1991. Abuela. Illustrated by Elisa Kleven.
Dutton.
Lomas Garza, Carmen. 1996. In My Family/En mi familia.
Children’s Book Press.
Mora, Pat. 1992. A Birthday Basket for Tia. Macmillian.
Soto, Gary. 2000. Chato and the Party Animals. Illustrated by
Susan Guevara. Putnam.
These are just a few samples of this cultures books, there are others available)
Native American Culture
• In the U.S., there are some 500 different tribal groups, 308
of which are recognized by the government.
• More than half of the Native US population reside in six
states: OK, CA, AZ, NM, AK, WA.
• In 1995, 98.5% of Native American literature was written
by non-native authors.
• There is currently no literary award specifically for this
culture group.
• Many young Native people were forbidden to speak their
Native languages, and, as a result, only 206 of the 600
languages that once existed are currently in use.
Publishers & Resources
• Oyate http://www.oyate.org
• Greenfield Press http://greenfieldreview.org/
• Falcrum Publishing http://fulcrumresources.com/index.html
• Native American newspapers
http://www.nativeculture.com/lisamitten/media.html
Native American Books for PreK to 2nd Grade
Bruchac J and Bruchac J. 2004. Racoon's Last
Race. Dial. (also Chipmunk Got His Stripes
and Turtle’s Race with Beaver)
Cohen, Carol. 1988. The Mud Pony. Illustrated by
Shonto Begay. Scholastic.
Dorris, Michael. 1996. Sees Behind Trees. Hyperion.
Goble, Paul. 2002. Mystic Horse. HarperCollins.
Sneve, Virginia Driving Hawk, ed. 1989. Dancing
Teepees: Poems of American Indian Youth.
Illustrated by Stephen Gammell. Holiday House.
These are just a few samples of this cultures books, there are others available)
Special Needs
• When referring to the child, always put the
person first, disability second, for example,
“A child with Autism”, not an “autistic
child”.
• Includes one out of seven Americans
• 1990- American Disabilities Act (ADA)
promotes the importance of reading books
about disabilities.
Publishers & Resources
• Albert Whitman and Company 6340 Oakton
St., Morton Grove, IL 60053
• DisAblity.Gov http://www.disability.gov/
Special Needs titles for PreK to
2nd grade
Clifton, Lucille. 1980. My Friend Jacob. Dutton. (MR)
Dwight, Laura. 1997. We Can Do It! Star Bright Books.
(special needs)
Fraustino, Lisa Row. 2001. The Hickory Chair. Illustrated by
Benny Andrews. Scholastic. (Blindness)
Gernis, Meg. 2000. ABC for You and Me. Photographs by
Shirley Leamon Green. Albert Whitman. (Down’s
syndrome)
Millman, Issac. 2000. Moses Goes to School. Farrar.
(Deafness)
Yin. 2002. Dear Santa, Please Come to the 19th Floor.
Philomel. (wheelchair)
These are just a few samples of this cultures books, there are others available)
Resources:
Fox, D. and Short, K. (2003). Stories Matter:
The Complexity of Cultural Authenticity in
Children's Literature. Urbana, IL: National
Council of Teachers of English.
ISBN: 0814147745.
Harris.V. (editor) (1997). Using Multiethnic
Literature in the K-8 Classroom. Norwood,
MA: Christopher Gordon.
ISBN: 0926842609.
Jacobs, J. and Tunnell, M. (2004). Children's
Literature, Briefly (third edition). Merrill.
ISBN: 0130499242.