The Scholarship of Engagement Community at the University of Illinois
American Indians in Children's Literature
In Summer 06 I started blogging on this topic (American Indians in children's literature) as a way of reaching parents, teachers, librarians, and others who work with children and books but do not have easy access to the journals and books academics in which academics are expected to publish.
The blog also allows me control of my writing. I started professional reviewing in the mid 90s but stopped, partially because the journal edited my reviews on the basis that my critiques were 'extra-literary.' The lens I bring to my study of the ways that American Indians are presented in children's and young adult literature focuses on accuracy, bias, stereotypes and the like. There are more books with problematic depictions of Native peoples than there are books that I recommend. Most people, teachers and librarians included, have not been taught to view this content critically. Hence, the overall quality of such imagery has changed little. There are excellent books that provide a realistic portrayal of cultures in conflict. One example is Ojibwe writer Louise Erdrich's BIRCHBARK HOUSE, but teachers reach for Laura Ingalls Wilders LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE instead.
I average about 3000 page visits a week. My site is linked to by several professional teacher and librarian organizations as well as Indian Education websites. It is read by review journal editors, editors at publishing houses, writers, professors in English, Education, and Library Science in the Unites States, Canada, the UK and Australia.
The blog also allows me control of my writing. I started professional reviewing in the mid 90s but stopped, partially because the journal edited my reviews on the basis that my critiques were 'extra-literary.' The lens I bring to my study of the ways that American Indians are presented in children's and young adult literature focuses on accuracy, bias, stereotypes and the like. There are more books with problematic depictions of Native peoples than there are books that I recommend. Most people, teachers and librarians included, have not been taught to view this content critically. Hence, the overall quality of such imagery has changed little. There are excellent books that provide a realistic portrayal of cultures in conflict. One example is Ojibwe writer Louise Erdrich's BIRCHBARK HOUSE, but teachers reach for Laura Ingalls Wilders LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE instead.
I average about 3000 page visits a week. My site is linked to by several professional teacher and librarian organizations as well as Indian Education websites. It is read by review journal editors, editors at publishing houses, writers, professors in English, Education, and Library Science in the Unites States, Canada, the UK and Australia.
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