Multicultural children's literature (4^th Ed.)
Through the eyes of many children

Through the most outstanding examples of children's and adolescent literature in the cultures of African American, Native American, Latino, Asian, Jewish, and Middle Eastern literature, adults interested in evaluating, selecting, and sharing multicultural literature written for children and young adults gain a valuable resource to use in their classrooms, workshops, seminars, and at home.

Throughout this guide, the author presents a balance of research about the culture and the literature, discussions of authentic literature for students from early childhood through young adults, and teaching activities designed to develop higher cognitive abilities. She organizes each chapter into two distinct sections, one that discusses specific nonfiction and fiction literature that develops a historical perspective of the culture, and a second section that develops the techniques and methods adults can use to help children, young adults, and interested adult learners develop an understanding of the culture and an appreciation for its literature.

Preface

Chapter 1 - Introduction to Multicultural Literature

     Developing a Study of Multicultural Literature

     Survival

Chapter 2 - African American Literature

     Issues Related to African American Literature

     Changing Availability of Quality Literature

     Authors Who Write and Illustrate African American Literature

     Traditional Literature

     Historical Nonfiction and Fiction

     African American Poetry

     Contemporary African and African American Literature 37

     Survival

     Summary

     Suggested Activities for Developing Understanding of African American Literature

     Involving Children with African American Literature

     Phase One: Traditional Literature

     Phase Two: Folklore of the American South

     Phase Three: Historical Nonfiction and Phase Four: Historical Fiction

     Phase Five: Contemporary Literature

     Research and Writing Connections

Chapter 3 - Native American Literature

     Historical Perspective

     Authors Who Write and Illustrate Native American Literature

     Issues Related to Native American Literature

     Traditional Literature

     Historical Nonfiction and Fiction

     Native American Poetry

     Contemporary Realistic Fiction

     Nonfiction Informational Books

     Survival

     Summary

     Suggested Activities for Developing Understanding of Native American Literature

     Involving Children with Native American Literature

     Phase One: Traditional Literature

     Phase Two: Folklore from Specific Peoples

     Phase Three: Historical Nonfiction

     Phase Four: Historical Fiction

     Evaluating Historical Fiction about Native Americans

     Authentication of The Birchbark House

     Analysis of The Birchbark House

     Analytical Reading of Jan Hudson's Sweetgrass

     Phase Five: Contemporary Literature

     Visualizing Native American Culture

Chapter 4 - Latino Literature

     Historical Perspectives

     Authors Who Write and Illustrate Latino Literature

     Values in Latino Culture

     Folklore

     Historical Nonfiction and Fiction

     Contemporary Realistic Fiction and Nonfiction

     Survival

     Summary

     Suggested Activities for Developing Understanding of Latino Literature and Culture

     Involving Children with Latino Literature

     Phase One: Ancient Aztec and Mayan Folklore

     Phase Two: Stories That Reflect Interaction with Other Cultures

     Phase Three: Historical Nonfiction

     Phase Four: Historical Fiction

     Phase Five: Contemporary Literature

     Analytical Reading of Nancy Farmer's The House of the Scorpion

     Visualizing Latino Culture

     Writing Connections with Latino Literature 

Chapter 5 - Asian Literature

     Values That Are Part of the Cultures

     Concerns over Stereotypes in Literature from the Past

     Asian Folklore

     Early History of the People and the Culture

     Poetry

     Contemporary Literature with Asian Roots

     Survival

     Summary

     Suggested Activities for Developing Understanding of Asian Literature

     Involving Children with Asian Literature

     Phase One: Traditional Values in Folklore

     Phase Two: Folklore Told in the United States

     Phase Three: Historical Nonfiction

     Phase Four: Historical Fiction

     Phase Five: Contemporary Literature

     How Would Confucius, Buddha, or the Dalai Lama Respond to These Issues?

     Visualizing Chinese Art

     Writing Connections with Asian Literature

Chapter 6 - Jewish Literature

     What Does It Mean to Be Jewish?

     Folklore and Ancient Stories of the Jewish People

     Early History of the Jewish People

     Years of Emigration and Immigration

     The Holocaust in Children's and Young Adult Literature

     Jewish Poetry

     Contemporary Jewish Literature

     Survival

     Summary

     Suggested Activities for Developing Understanding of Jewish Literature

 Involving Children with Jewish Literature

     Phase One: Traditional Literature

     Phase Two: Adaptations of Traditional Literature

     Phase Three: Historical Nonfiction

     Phase Four: Historical Fiction

     Analytical Reading of Miriam Bat-Ami's Two Suns in the Sky

     Phase Five: Contemporary Literature

     Chapter 7 - Middle Eastern Literature

     Historical Perspectives

     Authors Who Write and Illustrate Middle Eastern Literature

     Values Identified in the Culture and Literature

     Folklore and Ancient Stories from the Middle East

     Early History

     Contemporary Literature with Middle Eastern Roots

     Survival

     Summary

Suggested Activities for Developing Understanding of Literature from the Middle East