We share here articles and ideas that parents and teachers can use to help children develop critical literacy skills that will help them as citizens and consumers for years to come. Critique the Scholastic Catalog #StepUpScholastic is a campaign for teachers, parents, and students to tell Scholastic to publish and distribute children’s books that reflect and affirm the […]
Creating an Anti-Bias Library
In addition to selecting books that reflect the criteria of the Guide for Selecting Anti-Bias Children’s Books, consider the balance of books in your library or classroom as a whole. All books should portray people who are real and distinctive without stereotyping or tokenism. Find books that represent groups who are often invisible. Look for […]
Missing From the Shelf: Book Challenges and Lack of Diversity in Children’s Literature
By Pen America Reading is a formative part of childhood: educating, widening horizons, offering adventures and stoking imagination and creativity. Books for children and young adults are not often thought of as a free expression battleground in the United States—and yet every year, hundreds of demands to remove books…
Guide for Selecting Anti-Bias Children’s Books
By Louise Derman-Sparks Based on “Ten Quick Ways to Analyze Children’s Books for Racism and Sexism.” Updated in 2013.* Children’s books continue to be an invaluable source of information and values. They reflect the attitudes in our society about diversity, power relationships among different groups of people, and various social identities (e.g., racial, ethnic, gender, […]
Under Pressure, Scholastic Recalls Racist Children’s Book
By Deborah Menkart A firestorm erupted when Scholastic released a children’s book early this month, A Birthday Cake for George Washington, by Ramin Ganeshram and illustrated by Vanessa Brantley-Newton, featuring smiling enslaved people baking a cake for George Washington. The back cover portrayed George Washington and his enslaved chef, Hercules, arm-in-arm, like best buddies. The image […]