Multicultural
Literature Survey
Allison Jenkins
LS 5903 Vardell
Summer 2006
Multicultural Literature
Children not only need to read
literature that they can find themselves
depicted within, but they need to reach beyond
the confines of their own culture to experience
others as well. "Children need the opportunity
to view issues from a variety of perspectives, to
think critically about social constraints, and to
engage in decisions that result in action. They
need to understand concepts from various
perspectives and deal with issues of oppression
and human rights.“ (Pang, et al.) By reading
multicultural literature and opening oneself up
to other possibilities, it helps foster feelings of
tolerance and understanding. Multicultural
literature helps children build their view of
themselves and the variety of those around
them.
Colleyville, Texas
• Website:
• Population:
• Racial Makeup:
http://www.colleyville.com
21,700
93.14% White
3.23% Hispanic/Latino
3.15% Asian American
1.31% African American
0.39% Native American
0.03% Pacific Islander
0.59% Other Race
1.40% Two or More Races
Age of Library
Opened November 24, 2003
Years of Experience of Current Librarian
2 years in September
# of Items in Library Collection
41,811
# of Circulations for Library Since July 1, 2005
159,881
# of Items in Youth Services Dept.
15,390
# of Circulations for YS Dept. Since July 1, 2005
61,217
Selected Multicultural Books in Collection
142 titles / 179 items
# of Circulations of Selected Multicultural Books 958
% of Selected Multicultural Books of Total Youth 0.92%
Services Collection
% Circulation of Selected Multicultural Books of
Total Youth Services Circulation
1.56%
International Authors
David Almond
# of Copies
# of Circulations
1
Counting Stars
1
5
2
The Fire-Eaters
1
0
3
Heaven Eyes
1
2
4
Kit’s Wilderness
1
1
5
Secret Heart
1
0
6
Skellig
1
5
Total
6
11
International Authors
Mem Fox
# of Copies
# of Circulations
1
A Bedtime Story
1
8
2
Boo to a Goose
1
19
3
Feathers and Fools
1
1
4
Guess What?
1
2
5
Harriet, You’ll Drive Me Wild
1
9
6
Hattie and the Fox
1
10
7
Hunwick’s Egg
1
3
8
Koala Lou
2
14
9
The Magic Hat
1
14
10
Night Noises
1
6
11
Possum Magic
1
8
International Authors
12
Sleepy Bears
1
20
13
Sophie
1
0
14
Time for Bed
3
21
15
Tough Boris
2
2
16
Where is the Green Sheep?
1
4
17
Whoever You Are
1
0
18
Wilfrid Gordon McDonald
Partridge
2
15
19
Wombat Divine
1
3
Total
24
159
International Authors
Cornelia Funke
# of Copies
# of Circulations
1
Dragon Rider
2
38
2
Inkheart
2
60
3
Inkspell
1
16
4
Pirate Girl
1
4
5
The Princess Knight
1
23
6
The Thief Lord
2
32
7
The Wildest Brother
1
3
Total
10
176
International Authors
German author Cornelia Funke is the most popular international
author surveyed. Many of her books are available in both print and
compact disc formats. Though she has a significantly lower number of
titles than Mem Fox, her fantasy novels remain young readers’
favorites. Fox also shows strong circulation records, but only a few of
her titles circulate on a regular basis. Many others are overlooked.
Though David Almond’s books have been recognized by the Michael L.
Printz Award committee, his books are ignored by the library’s younger
patrons.
All book jacket images were taken from the Colleyville OPAC.
African American Authors
Christopher Paul Curtis
# of Copies
# of Circulations
1
Bucking the Sarge
3
5
2
Bud, Not Buddy
2
18
3
Mr. Chickee’s Funny
Money
2
3
4
The Watsons Go to
Birmingham - 1963
2
4
Total
9
30
African American Authors
Angela Johnson
# of Copies
# of Circulations
1
The First Part Last
1
7
2
Heaven
1
12
3
I Dream of Trains
1
18
4
Just Like Josh Gibson
1
3
5
The Leaving Morning
1
0
6
Looking for Red
2
4
7
One of Three
1
1
8
Running Back to Ludie
1
0
9
Violet’s Music
1
8
10
When I Am Old With You
1
0
Total
11
53
African American Authors
Jerry Pinkney
# of Copies
# of Circulations
1
Back Home
2
1
2
Black Cowboy, Wild Horses
1
12
3
Goin’ Someplace Special
1
2
4
John Henry
2
8
5
Miranda and Brother Wind
2
0
6
New Shoes for Silvia
1
6
7
Nightingale
1
4
8
Sam and the Tigers
2
7
9
The Sunday Outing
2
4
10
The Tales of Uncle Remus
1
5
11
Tanya’s Reunion
1
0
Total
16
49
African American Authors
Mildred Taylor
# of Copies
# of Circulations
1
The Land
1
6
2
Roll of Thunder, Hear
My Cry
2
15
3
The Well: David’s Story
1
0
Total
3
21
# of Copies
# of Circulations
Jacqueline Woodson
1
Hush
1
5
2
If You Come Softly
1
3
3
Locomotion
1
3
4
Miracle’s Boys
1
4
Total
4
15
African American Authors
Angela Johnson has the highest number of circulations among the
selected African American authors. Her books include young adult
and juvenile novels, as well as picture books. Her picture book, I
Dream of Trains, and Christopher Paul Curtis’s Newbery Medal winner,
Bud, Not Buddy, have circulated more than any other African American
title. Jerry Pinkney also has a large number of titles that circulate well.
As both author and illustrator, he has developed many picture books
and non-fiction titles for children.
Hispanic/Latino Authors
George Ancona
1
# of Copies
# of Circulations
The Folk Arts
1
2
Total
1
2
Pat Mora
# of Copies # of Circulations
1
Tómas and the Library Lady
1
13
2
Uno, Dos, Tres
1
17
Total
2
30
Hispanic/Latino Authors
Pam Muñoz Ryan
# of Copies
# of Circulations
1
Becoming Naomi León
1
2
2
Esperanza Rising
2
11
3
Riding Freedom
1
5
4
When Marian Sang
2
3
Total
6
21
Hispanic/Latino Authors
Gary Soto
# of Copies
# of Circulations
1
Accidental Love
1
1
2
The Afterlife
1
12
3
Canto Familiar
1
1
4
Chato and the Party Animals
2
16
5
Chato Goes Cruisin’
1
6
6
Chato’s Kitchen
3
17
7
Marisol
1
7
8
Nickel and Dime
1
0
9
The Old Man and His Door
1
7
10
Pacific Crossing
1
2
11
Poetry Lover
1
1
12
Too Many Tamales
2
9
Total
16
79
Hispanic/Latino Authors
Despite the limited number of selected Hispanic titles, the library’s
collection includes many of the popular titles and award winners.
Well-known author, Pam Muñoz Ryan only has a handful of titles
within the collection. Esperanza Rising was a Bluebonnet Award
Nominee in 2003 and the 2002 Pura Belpré Award Winner. Another
one of her juvenile fiction titles, Becoming Naomi León was one of this
year’s Pura Belpré Honor Books. Two of Gary Soto’s picture books,
including Chato’s Kitchen and Chato and the Party Animals were Pura
Belpré Award winners for illustration.
Native American Authors
Joseph Bruchac
# of Copies
# of Circulations
1
The Arrow Over the Door
1
7
2
A Boy Called Slow
1
2
3
Code Talker
1
0
4
The Earth Under Sky Bear’s Feet
1
0
5
Four Ancestors
1
0
6
The Heart of a Chief
1
0
7
Hidden Roots
1
7
8
Jim Thorpe’s Bright Path
1
0
9
The Journal of Jesse Smoke
1
1
10
Skeleton Man
1
11
11
The Story of the Milky Way
1
8
12
Thirteen Moons on Turtle’s Back
1
0
13
Turtle’s Race with Beaver
1
9
Total
13
45
Native American Authors
Michael Dorris
# of Copies
# of Circulations
1 Morning Girl
2
2
2 Sees Behind Trees
1
3
3
5
Total
Paul Goble
# of Copies # of Circulations
1 Death of the Iron Horse
1
3
2 The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses
1
9
3 Iktomi and the Buzzard
1
1
3
13
Total
Native American Authors
The library has a very small selection of Native American books and
has no titles by Native American author, Cynthia Leitich Smith.
Almost half of Joseph Bruchac’s titles have never circulated. The most
popular titles include the Caldecott Medal winner, The Girl Who Loved
Wild Horses, and the juvenile novel, Skeleton Man. This collection of
titles are vastly overlooked and go unnoticed. The library should
acquire more Native American titles and promote them using displays
throughout the children’s collection. Recommended reading lists could
be developed to guide readers toward Native American literature.
Asian American Authors
Allen Say
# of Copies
# of Circulations
1
The Bicycle Man
1
2
2
The Boy of the Three-Year Nap
1
3
3
Emma’s Rug
1
9
4
Grandfather’s Journey
3
27
5
The Lost Lake
1
5
6
The Sign Painter
1
9
7
Tea with Milk
1
13
8
Tree of Cranes
1
8
Total
10
76
Asian American Authors
Linda Sue Park
# of Copies # of Circulations
1
The Firekeeper’s Son
1
10
2
The Kite Fighters
2
18
3
Project Mulberry
2
6
4
Seesaw Girl
1
1
5
A Single Shard
1
2
6
When My Name Was Keoko
1
4
Total
8
41
# of Copies
# of Circulations
Apple Pie Fourth of July
1
8
Total
1
8
Janet Wong
1
Asian American Authors
Laurence Yep
# of Copies
# of Circulations
1
The Boy Who Swallowed Snakes
1
7
2
Cockroach Cooties
2
0
3
Dragon Prince
1
7
4
Dragonwings
1
6
5
Dream Soul
1
5
6
The Ghost Fox
1
1
7
Hiroshima
1
0
8
The Journal of Wong Ming-Chung
1
0
9
Lady of Ch'iao Kuo
1
7
10
The Lost Garden
1
0
11
Spring Pearl: The Last Flower
1
13
Total
12
46
Asian American Authors
The titles by the selected Asian American authors circulate fairly well
and there is a large diversity among racial ethnicities. Laurence Yep
and Janet Wong focus on Chinese American literature, while Linda Sue
Park creates Korean American characters and Allen Say concentrates on
Japanese literature. These authors choose to focus on the various
cultural groups that make up Asians and Asian Americans. Their
stories are not only limited to American settings, but travel back to the
culture’s original country.
Inclusive Literature
Nancy Garden
# of Copies
# of Circulations
1
Endgame
1
0
2
The Year They Burned the Books
1
4
Total
2
4
# of Copies
# of Circulations
Isaac Millman
1
Howie Bowles and Uncle Sam
1
3
2
Howie Bowles, Secret Agent
1
4
3
Moses Goes to a Concert
1
9
4
Moses Goes School
1
14
5
Moses Goes to the Circus
1
16
6
Moses Sees a Play
1
5
Total
6
51
Inclusive Literature
Naomi Shihab Nye
# of Copies
# of Circulations
1
19 Varieties of Gazelle
1
2
2
I Feel Jumpy Around You
1
0
3
Is This Forever or What?
2
2
4
A Maze Me
2
1
5
Sitti’s Secrets
1
14
6
What Have You Lost?
1
1
Total
8
20
Inclusive Literature
The library does not own any titles by inclusive author, Michael
Wilhoite. Inclusive literature makes up the lowest percentage of the
selected multicultural titles. With only fourteen titles, the youth
services collection has very few books on characters with disabilities
and gay or lesbian characters. Because of the conservative
community it serves, the library is especially careful about which
children’s titles it selects that focus on homosexuality or alternative
families. This prejudicial selection, however, limits young readers’
exposure to alternative lifestyles, and perhaps their own.
Results
Total Number of
Titles
Percent of Total
Collection
International
32
0.208
African American
32
0.208
Hispanic/Latino
19
0.123
Native American
18
0.117
Asian American
27
0.175
Inclusive
14
0.091
Total
142
0.922 %
Results Analysis
Based on the results of the multicultural literature survey, the Colleyville
Public Library has a long way to go in providing its youngest patrons with a diverse and
authentic youth services collection. It was found that out of the twenty-four possible
multicultural authors the library has titles by twenty-two of the selected authors. No
books are owned by the Native American author, Cynthia Leitich Smith, and the
inclusive author, Michael Wilhoite. Between the 22 selected authors, there were 179
items, which includes duplicate copies and books on compact disc. Of those items, the
library's collection consists of only 142 unique titles. In comparison to the 15,390
volumes in the Youth Services collection, the selected multicultural titles make up a
fraction of the books on the shelves. They make up a dismal 0.92 percent of the total
items in the children's collection.
Circulation statistics were acquired and based on a one year period beginning
on July 1, 2005 and running through July 24, 2006. The circulation statistics are slightly
better than the library's holdings. Of the 61,217 circulations within the children's
collection, 958 of those were multicultural titles. The percentage of circulations for the
selected books in comparison to the total number of circulations comes out to 1.56
percent. The low circulation and title numbers are partially justified because the library
has not even been open for three years. The youth services librarian is in the process of
building up the children's and young adult collections. There are numerous award
winners, honor books, and nominees that the library is still lacking. As funding allows,
the librarian is attempting to fill in these gaps.
Results Analysis Cont’d
With three authors and 346 circulations, the selected international authors have
circulated more frequently than any other culture. Cornelia Funke's fantasy novels and
picture books make her a popular choice among Colleyville's young readers. Her novel,
Inkheart has circulated an astounding sixty times. The children's collection has more
Mem Fox titles than any other author. Her nineteen picture books circulate almost as
well as Funke's. In turn, the Native American titles circulate the least. With only three of
the four selected authors, the Colleyville Public Library's eighteen books have only been
checked out sixty-three times. Though the collection contains numerous Joseph Bruchac
titles, almost half of them have never circulated in the previous year.
Keeping in mind the city's racial makeup, the multicultural titles that circulate
the most (aside from the international books) are those that correspond to the highest
minority percentages. The materials depicting Asian Americans, African Americans, and
Hispanics or Latinos have the next highest circulation records. In turn, the city has a
very low Native American population, which correlates with the disappointing
circulation statistics for the past year. However, multicultural literature is not written
solely for the ethnic group it portrays. Sandra S. Yamate states, "When it comes to
multicultural children's books, a dangerous stereotype exists. This stereotype insists that
multicultural books are only intended for the particular racial or ethnic group
represented." (105) This is an unhealthy notion and stereotype that limits children from
experiencing cultures other than their own.
Results Analysis Cont’d
By reading literature that focuses on one ethnicity, children develop a distorted
and homogenous view of the world. Multicultural literature helps break down these
barriers and provide young readers with a more accurate representation of the world's
population. Even though the Colleyville Public Library services a population, in which
the majority of patrons are Caucasian, does not mean that it should not provide a
balanced and diverse children's collection. Though the circulation statistics and titles
lists appear limited, one should keep in mind that the survey only encompasses a select
list of authors and books. Overall, the Colleyville Public Library offers its patrons a fairly
diverse collection, especially in young adult fiction.
However, my first recommendation for strengthening and building a more
comprehensive collection would be to purchase all the award winners and honor books
for those given by the American Library Association. This includes, but is not limited to,
the Pura Belpré Award, the Batchelder Award, and the Coretta Scott King Book Awards.
By using these award lists as collection development tools, the library will be able to add
authentic and quality titles to their collection. In addition to these awards, the librarian
should utilize the selection resources known for promoting multicultural literature, such
as Bookbird and School Library Journal. Also, by browsing publishers' catalogs, the library
will be able to locate appropriate books to add to its collection. Then the librarian should
focus on building up the inclusive literature within the library, since this is the area with
the fewest amounts of titles.
Results Analysis Cont’d
Finally, the library should work to promote the multicultural literature it
already owns. By creating recommended reading lists, patrons can easily locate
multicultural award winners and books based on a specific culture or ethnicity. Setting
up displays throughout the children's section and in the main entryway of the library
will attract the patrons' attention. The key is placing the books in plain sight and making
them easily accessible. Patrons are always asking for reading suggestions. This provides
the youth services librarian the opportunity to booktalk the multicultural titles within the
children's collection on a one-on-one basis. The Youth Services department can also
incorporate multiculturalism into its programs. By offering multilingual story times,
children can be introduced to various cultures and languages. It provides the chance to
dispel the stereotypes and preconceived notions about certain cultures. It allows
children to ask or address any questions or concerns they may have about a foreign
custom. A family craft time could be arranged, so long as the librarian researches the
cultural significance of the craft and does not stereotype cultural groups with projects,
such as dream catchers and piñatas. In addition to the story times and family programs,
the library can participate in annual cultural events, such as El Día de Los Niños: El D
Día de Los Libros. The idea is to get the children in the community to actively participate
and be exposed to cultures other than their own.
Multicultural Publishers
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Albert Whitman and Company
Alyson Publications
Arte Público Press
Del Sol Books, Inc.
Greenfield Press
Just Us Books
Kane/Miller Book Publishers
Lee and Low Multicultural Books
Mantra Publishing
Polychrome Publishing
Multicultural Websites
• American Library Association Literary Awards
• Asia for Kids
• Barahona Center for the Study of Books in Spanish for Children and
Adolescents
• El Día de Los Niños
• Happy Ever Afters
• International Board on Books for Young People
• International Reading Association
• Michigan State Libraries: Multicultural Children’s Literature
• Multicultural Pavilion
• Oyate
• Shen’s Books
• Texas Library Association Reading Lists
• United States Board on Books for Young People
Multicultural Resources
Journals
• Bookbird: A Journal of International Children’s Literature
• Book Links
• Journal of Children’s Literature
• School Library Journal
• The Horn Book
Books
• Stories Matter: The Complexity of Cultural Authenticity in Children’s
Literature, edited by Dana L. Fox and Kathy G. Short
• Using Multiethnic Literature in the K-8 Classroom, edited by Violet J.
Harris
My Final Thoughts
Working at the Colleyville Public Library, I have always had
trouble finding the required reading for my classes. I had assumed
that this was because the library is only two years old and still has a
very young collection. However, when conducting the survey of the
circulation records, I was shocked by how low the percentage of
multicultural books was and how many award winners are missing
from the children's collection. I feel that by promoting the collection the
library already has and supplementing it with multicultural
programming will boost the circulation statistics for the children's
collection. Also, though the survey provides a general overview, it is
difficult to determine how many multicultural titles actually make up
the children’s collection. It has helped point out to me the cultural
groups that need the greatest attention and work, in order to build a
more balanced collection. It has offered a great starting point for
multiculturalism.
Reference List
Colleyville Public Library. 2006. Library.Solution PAC.
http://www.youseemore.com/Colleyville (Accessed July 24, 2006).
Pang, V.O., C. Colvin, M. Tran, and R. Barba. 1992. Beyond chopsticks
and dragons: Selecting Asian-American literature for children. The
Reading Teacher 46 (3): 216-23.
Wikipedia. 2006. Colleyville, Texas.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Colleyville,_Texas (Accessed July 24,
2006).
Yamate, Sandra S. 1997. Asian Pacific American children’s literature:
Expanding perceptions about who Americans are. In Using
Multiethnic Literature in the K-8 Classroom, ed. Violet J. Harris, 95-128.
Norwood, MA: Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc.