Nonfiction Picture Challenge: What are you reading? - 5/3/17

In April, I did a number of "What are you reading?" posts on 2016 titles that I had missed. Now, I am working to catch up in sharing 2017 titles. Here are some of the nonfiction titles that I read recently.  Here are three books you shouldn't miss. 

Balderdash! John Newbery and the Boisterous Birth of Children's Books by Michele Markel; Illustrated by Nancy Carpenter (Chronicle Books, April 4, 2017) - Though I knew some general things about John Newbery, there was much I didn't know about the man whose name graces the biggest award for Children's Literature. Learning about how Newbery really paved the way for the publishing of children's books was fascinating. A fabulous introduction to John Newbery. Carpenter's illustrations are a perfect match to Markel's lively text. 

Strange Fruit: Billie Holiday and the Power of a Protest Song by Gary Golio; Illustrated by Charlotte Riley-Webb (Millbrook, February 1, 2017) - I have read a number of Gary Golio's picture book biographies and I appreciate the way that he presents information about individuals with very complicated life experiences and does so in a way that is appropriate for the audience. In his most recent book, Golio puts the spotlight on jazz great Billie Holiday by focusing on her 

willingness to sing a protest song and make it even a part of her contract that she would sing the song. Riley-Webb's gorgeous paintings make readers feel the music. Definitely get your hands on this book. 

Since I had never heard Billie Holiday singing Strange Fruit, I went in search of it on YouTube and discovered this video.

In this rare footage, Holiday performs Strange Fruit, and just wow!

Wake Up! by Helen Frost; Photographs by Rick Lieder (Candlewick Press, March 14, 2017) - Frost pairs up with Lieder for another beautiful book. Lieder's photo are framed by Frost's poetic text. I love these books for introducing young children to books written in verse. They love the photographs and are drawn to the text.

Look for each of these books at your local bookstore or public library. 

Artwork by Sarah S. Brannen @2017

Don't forget to link up your nonfiction reviews:

#Road2Reading Challenge: Evaluating Diverse Books for Young Readers

In March, I did a post about "Where are the diverse books?" For the past several weeks, I have been mulling over another aspect of diverse books? How do you determine if a book is culturally appropriate and free of stereotypes? Recently, I picked up a book that appeared to be a perfect match for the #Road2Reading Challenge. It was written by an author of color. The book featured a family living in another country. However, as I read through the first couple of chapters, I realized I was uncomfortable with the portrayal of the main character. I put the book down because I needed to think about it. Shortly after this experience, I read another book where the main character had a learning disability. Again, a title that could have been a nice match for the #Road2Reading Challenge, but once again, I had to stop and think about it. Please note that I am being intentionally vague about the books because I am not here to trash books. I do think that the questions that I am raising are good ones and ones that educators and librarians need to wrestle with. 

Typically, when I think about diverse books, I focus on whether that book is free of stereotypes and portrays characters of color or from diverse backgrounds or with special needs in an accurate and positive manner.  However, I struggle when a book may portray something accurately but not in a positive manner. For example, is it ever okay to use the word "retard" in reference to a character with cognitive challenges? Where do I draw the line? What is acceptable? And as a teacher or librarian, when does it become censorship? If the character who uses a negative or stereotypical word in reference to another character but learns that this is not acceptable and changes his/her behavior, can I then keep it in my classroom library? 

In a book set in another country, if the author includes language and behavior that is seen as acceptable in that country but maybe not in the majority of schools within this country, is this okay? One of the issues in the first book I referenced was the fact that they family had a tendency to refer in very negative ways to the main character's weight. The way that it was written bothered me. It did not come across as a term of endearment but more as fat shaming. However, I do know that in the country where the book was set did have a different attitude about a person's weight than we do. Again, what is acceptable and who gets to draw the line? If a book is written by a character with a disability and s/he portrays the character with a disability in an extremely humorous light is this okay because of the author's personal experiences? Or because the audience may not be able to understand how it may be okay for the individual with special needs to make fun of himself/herself but not for others to do it that we keep the book out of our classroom collections? 

I do not have any definite answers. However, I would love to hear what you have to say on this topic? What guidelines do you use? Where do you draw the line? 

Some resources to check out:

Guide for Selecting Anti-Bias Children's Books by Louise Derman-Sparks, Anti-Bias Educator & Retired Professor

Seven Ways to Evaluate Multicultural Literature from the University of North Carolina

CBC Diversity: Resources for Teachers and Librarians

All journeys have a starting place.
This is a weekly place to find books and tools
that you may use with readers at the start of their reading journey.
Join in the conversation at #road2reading.

Each week, Michele Knott and I post about new early readers and transitional chapter books.  Don't forget to pop over to Michele's blog to check out her post as well.