The U.S. population is experiencing dramatic changes in terms of ethnic backgrounds. People without a European-American legacy are a substantial portion of the census.
Because schools have not adapted, modified or revised curricula in proportion to the diversity of the population change, there is great need for parents and other caregivers to acknowledge and affirm the cultures that surround us.Literature - fiction, nonfiction, poetry and picture books - is an excellent source providing text and visuals that mirror all cultures. Children can see through literature the differences as well as the universalities in our lives.
In recent books on different cultures, I have been delighted with the portrayal of children and the expressions of their viewpoints. It is obvious that some cultures are not well-represented, such as the Middle Eastern groups and the Pacific Island cultures. However, there are some excellent books on the market, and following are a few facts that support the learning about some multiethnic groups.
AMERICA: MY LAND, YOUR LAND, OUR LAND by W. Nikola-Lisa, illustrated by 14 American artists. Lee and Low Books.
Cut-paper collages and watercolor from Adjoa Burrowes in Huntington, W.Va., the acrylics of Yoriko Ito who lives in a houseboat in Sausalito, Calif., and the computer techniques of Darryl Ligasan of New York City are three of the diverse examples of art in "America" that portray children in a dozen different scenes.
OUR FAVORITE STORIES FROM AROUND THE WORLD by Jamila Gavin, photographs by Barnabas Kindersley, illustrated by Amanda Hall. Dorling Kindersley Publications.
It is assumed that children from all over the world love stories. This book presents favorite stories of 10 children, accompanied by each child's photograph. Presented here is Rachel from France, Bankang in Botswana, Houda from Morocco and Erdene from Mongolia. The stories, varying as much as the children, range from history and folk tales to religion. "Our Favorite Stories" is a perfect example of the unique qualities of children and the unity among them.
For a book of legends from around the world, I'd choose "The Silver Treasure," collected by Geraldine McCaughrean, illustrated by Bee Willey. McElderry Books.
As in a previously acclaimed collection, "The Golden Hoard," the editor has drawn from the background of 23 cultures by retelling the tales of the past. Represented are well-known stories of William Tell, a Swiss legend, but also lesser-known stories from Japan, Egypt and Greece.
Two books that include the words and art of children are "A Rainbow at Night," a book by Navajo children, collected by Bruce Hucko (Chronicle Books) and "ThePalm of My Heart: Poetry by African American Children" edited by Davida Adedjouma (Lee and LowBooks). The Hucko book is a lively collection of imaginative paintings representing American Indian children and their special traditions.
For example, Tonya Silas, age 7, shows the sheep that are such an important part of her family's livelihood. And Adelina Reed uses watercolor and colored pencil to draw the sunset and the mountains. Photos are included of the 19 children who participated in an art project in Santa Fe, N.M., where "the children learned to apply their art knowledge in the creation of their own image and to think about the process of art as a conversation."
"The Palm of My Heart" is a result of a workshop of the Inner City Youth League. Twenty children's poems are included with Gregory Christie's bold il-lus-tra-tions.
The previous titles were my "sampler-picks." Following are titles that win praise for the diversity they portray:
AMERICAN INDIAN INTEREST:
"Giving Thanks: A Native American Good Morning Message" Chief Jake Swamp (Lee and Low Publications).
"North American Indians: An Introduction to the Lives of America's Native Peoples, From the Inuit of the Arctic to the Zuni of the Southwest" Herman J. Viola, photographs and paintings by Bryn Barnard (Crown).
"In Two Worlds: A Yup'ik Eskimo Family" A. Jenness (Houghton Mifflin).
HISPANIC AMERICAN INTEREST:
"The Birthday Swap" Loretta Lopez (Lee and Low Books).
"Senor Cat's Romance and Other Favorite Stories" Lucia M. Gonzalez (Scholastic).
"Abela'a Weave" Omar Castenada, illustrated by Enrique Sanchez (Lee and Low Books).
AFRICAN-AMERICAN INTEREST:
"Kofi and His Magic" Maya Angelou, photographs by Margaret Courtney-Clarke (Clarkson-Potter).
"Down by the River: Afro-Caribbean Rhymes, Games and Songs for Children" compiled by Grace Hallworth, illustrated by Caroline Binch (Scholastic).
"Creativity" John Steptoe, illustrations by E.B. Lewis (Clarion).
ASIAN-AMERICAN INTEREST:
"Passage to Freedom: The Sugihara Story" Ken Mochizuki, illustrated by Dom Lee (Lee and Low Books).
"The Farmer and the Poor God: A Folktale from Japan," retold by Ruth Wells, illustrated by Yoski (Simon & Schuster).
"The Rainbow People," Laurence Yep (Harper and Row).