Final Post: Course Overview

I've learned a lot over the course of this semester, but now more than ever I understand just how difficult it is to select quality pieces of children's and adolescent multicultural literature. On one hand I feel much more prepared and informed about multicultural literature, but on the other hand I still feel completely overwhelmed. The more we talked about multicultural topics, the more complicated things got! Although I don't feel comfortable completely trusting my own judgment, I now have a wealth of resources to confer with. I think this is one of the most important things I have learned; you don't have to know it all, but you have to know where to look. Multicultural literature will never be flawless, but its how you approach the questionable content that is important. Sometimes discussing the "bad things" will lead you to better understand of the "good things."
I think the most important thing to keep in mind while working with multicultural literature is that the topics are not issues, they are identities. This is something David Levithan mentioned in his article included in our course reading. In his article Levithan was referencing LGBTQ literature, but I think this idea applies to all multicultural literature. Someone's cultural identity is not an issue, it is a fact about their identity and should be treated accordingly with respect.
Overall, this course challenged me to think more critically about literature than I have ever done before. I now know what to question and what to challenge in order to better understand and truly appreciate multicultural literature. Building an authentic multicultural library is not easy, but the best things never are.

Text Set Overview

I knew right away I wanted to focus on disability as my text set topic. Disability is often very closely linked with special education, a passion of mine. At first, I was open to literature that portrayed any disability, but as I read through possible books, I kept coming back to the ones that featured Deaf or Hard of Hearing characters. As someone studying Deaf Education, I knew my experience with these pieces of literature would be further enhanced by my previous knowledge and experience with Deaf and Hard of Hearing people. Three of the books I chose feature Deaf characters, while one book features a young boy who is Hard of Hearing. I felt like it was important to include a Hard of Hearing character who does not use sign language as a way of representing a large portion of people who have a hearing loss. Not everyone who is deaf or has a hearing loss signs, and I wanted my text set to be reflective of this reality.

When it came to making my final selections, I really considered the author’s insider experience. Of the books I chose, one author is Deaf, another is the child of deaf adults, or a CODA, one wears a hearing aid and one closely works with two Deaf teachers to write his books. I think I included a nice array of authors with diverse experience with deafness. They are reflective of diversity within a unified group or culture of people—an important element of multicultural literature to keep in mind. They each have different experiences and share theses experiences in very different forms of children’s literature.

I included each book in my text set for its own unique reason. One of my favorite books is Dad, Jackie and Me by Myron Uhlberg. This book goes beyond simply focusing on a son and his Deaf father, but also addresses the racial prejudice experienced by Jackie Robinson. I really appreciate the fact that this book tackles two major themes at once. Placing a Deaf character within a historical time period filled with racism creates a very realistic experience—of course there were deaf people who watched baseball and rooted for Jackie Robinson during his rookie season. All too often I think books solely focus on disability or racial issues, when in all reality they are much more connected than sometimes originally thought. Uhlberg does a really nice job of integrating and connecting a Deaf father and the racial prejudice he and his son witnessed at Ebbets Field.

Moses Sees a Play certainly had a place in my text set for its use of both English and American Sign Language, ASL. Many of the books I came across featured characters who signed, but the illustrations didn’t accurately portray their language with any realism. All of the Moses book by Isaac Millman feature accurate illustrations of the characters signing in ASL. Although the illustrations are very cartoon-like, ASL is still accurately portrayed. This brings me to me selection of Deaf Child Crossing by Marlee Matlin. Matlin’s novel includes numerous references to how the characters sign, giving the adventuresome reader the opportunity to learn a few signs themselves. Although there are no illustrations, the description of how a sign is done is very detailed. I also chose Deaf Child Crossing because of Matlin is one of the few Deaf authors who has written for adolescents. There are not many deaf authors to begin with, let alone deaf authors who write for children and adolescents. I think Matlin’s book would be enjoyed by young adolescent girls in particular. The experiences of the characters are very relatable and realistic to that age group.

I had a difficult time choosing the last book in my text set. I decided on Cosmo Gets an Ear by Gary Clemente mainly because it featured a Hard of Hearing character. Like I mentioned before, I thought this was an appropriate choice because of the diversity within the Deaf and Hard of Hearing population that is reflects. I also enjoyed the book and its humorous, unique style of involving the reader by writing the majority of the text as silly multiple-choice questions. The illustrations are also humorous and still manage to accurately portray a modern hearing aid.

I found compiling a text set focused on a topic of my choice to be a worthwhile and valuable project. Throughout my college career I have come across the titles of many children’s books with deaf characters, but never really took the chance to explore them. I’m glad I had the opportunity to take some time and find several quality pieces of literature that positively and accurately portray Deaf and Hard of Hearing characters. I plan to someday share these books with my own students, hoping that they appreciate meeting characters similar to themselves.

Professional Resource Review

The article, Dynamic Characters with Communication Disorders in Children’s Literature by Carolyn D. Sotto and Angel L Ball, focuses on quality children’s literature that feature characters who play dynamic, active roles in the story and happen to have a communication disorders. Sotto and Ball selected eighteen children’s books that provide positive role models who have communication disorders and promote understanding of diversity. Characters with a hearing loss are included under their broad category of communication disorders. Two of the books on Sotto and Ball’s list feature Deaf or Hard of Hearing characters. Moses Goes to a Concert by Isaac Millman is part of a short series on Moses, a young deaf boy. Moses Sees a Play is included in my own text set. Patrick Gets Hearing Aids is also found on Sotto and Ball’s list of recommended books. Patrick, a rabbit, is diagnosed with a hearing loss and is fitted with hearing aids to improve communication with his classmates.

When selecting appropriate pieces of literature, Sotto and Ball considered several things. Books that featured the character with a communication problem as weak, timid, withdrawn or spineless were immediately discarded. Sotto and Ball did not want children who may identify with these characters to feel a sense of diminished self-esteem. Instead, they searched for books where the “main character is a capable, resourceful hero who happens to also have a communication disorder (42).” They looked for books where the character was “able to participate in an adventure, interact with others, and show personal growth regardless of their disability (42).” According to Sotto and Ball, “These books can be used to help provide positive role models for students, as well as expose them to characters with communication impairments within the context of a well-written story (42).” They go on to claim that, “Children can learn from these books about the struggles that the people with communication impairments face with everyday issues and attitudes (42).”

It is important to consider the language and connotations applied to Deaf and Hard of Hearing characters by Sotto and Ball. Members of the Deaf community may not appreciate being considered as having a communication disorder. It is a commonly held belief among Deaf culture and the Deaf Community that deafness is not an impairment in need of fixing. To consider Deaf characters as having a communication impairment may be quite offensive. Many Deaf people may more accurately consider hearing people who do not know how to sign to be the ones with the communication disorder. Although the terminology and categorization of Sotto and Ball may be controversial, their criteria for choosing pieces of literature is still valid and respectable. Even if a Deaf person does not consider themselves to have a disorder, they might still respect the positive characterization elements required of the chosen literature as previously mentioned.

While compiling my own text set on disability, specifically, deafness, I considered many of the same things Sotto and Ball did. I critically looked at the role of the character who was either deaf or hard of hearing. All of the books I chose feature characters who are active, vivacious and perform typical “kid things.” None of them rely on characters without a hearing loss to do things for them. They are independent and resourceful on their own. I believe my chosen texts would fulfill Sotto and Ball’s requirement of providing a positive role model. Deafness and hearing loss are accurately portrayed in my text set, providing typical children broadening the “perspectives of student readers to diversity in the world (42).” Children who may personally identify with the featured characters are provided with positive role models who are “problem solvers, protectors, heroes and friends (42).” Overall, Sotto and Ball identify several important elements to consider while choosing appropriate children’s literature that can be applied beyond literature that only features characters with communication disorders.

Ball, Angel L., Sotto, Carolyn D. “Dynamic Characters with Communication Disorders in Children’s Literature.” Intervention in School and Clinic Vol. 42, No.1. Sep 2006: 40-45.

Dad, Jackie and Me

It was the summer of 1947 and all of Brooklyn just knew this was the year the Dodgers were going to win! Their rookie player, Jackie Robinson, promised an exciting and successful season as the first Black player in the major leagues. For one young boy, sharing his love of baseball with his deaf father made that memorable summer even more special. For the first time, his father showed an interest in the game his son so dearly loved. The two of them went to games at Ebbets Field, played catch on the street, started a baseball scrapbook and even caught a ball tossed by Jackie Robinson himself!

Dad, Jackie and Me shares the story of not only a deaf father and his hearing son, but also a glimpse at the racial prejudice experienced by the first Black baseball player of the major leagues. At the baseball diamond, the young boy felt embarrassed the first time his father yelled Jackie’s name because it sounds more like, “AH-GHEEE, AH-GHEE, AH-GHEE!” At first the crowd stared, but soon enough no one even seemed to notice. The young boy also witnessed prejudice towards Robinson, hearing the Giants call him horrible names and seeing a St. Louis Cardinal spike him on purpose. This beautifully illustrated picture book goes beyond simply focusing on one multicultural issue. It is not just a story about a deaf father and his son, nor is it only about Jackie Robinson as the first Black major league baseball player. The story naturally weaves together issues of both disability and race in a realistic manner that furthers the reader’s experience with both topics.

Inspired by his own childhood experiences, Myron Uhlberg further explains the parallels between his own deaf father and Jackie Robinson in his author’s note at the end of the story. Uhlberg points out how his father experienced prejudice similar to Robinson based on his hearing loss. Uhlberg is a child of deaf adults, also known as a CODA. He has a very personal and close connection with the Deaf Community and Deaf culture. Uhlberg also wrote The Printer which draws on similar childhood experiences of growing up as a CODA and his father’s trade as a printer for The New York Daily News. Dad, Jackie and Me is a quality piece of children’s literature that depicts deafness in a respectful and positive manner.

Uhlberg, Myron. Dad, Jackie and Me. Atlanta: Peachtree Publishers, 2005.

Moses Sees a Play

Moses, a young deaf boy attends a special school where his classmates and teacher, Mr. Samuels, are also either deaf or hard of hearing. They all use American Sign Language, ASL, as their preferred mode of communication. One day, Ms. Morgan and her class from a different school, come for a visit. Although Ms. Morgan and her students are not deaf, Ms. Morgan knows ASL and has been teaching her class. All the children are excited to see the play the Little Theatre of the Deaf is going to put on after lunch! The children spend the morning getting to know each other. Moses meets Manuel who has just come to the United States and does not yet know English or sign language. Throughout the rest of the day, the two boys communicate using gestures.

After lunch, the production of Cinderella begins! The Little Theatre of the Deaf includes four actors who perform in ASL and spoken English. When the play is over, the children are eager to work on their own classroom productions that they will share with each other. At the very end of the story, Moses tells his Mom all about his exciting day and talks to his grandparents on his TTY.

Moses Sees a Play seamlessly incorporates ASL and English in a positive and enlightening way. Both languages are recognized as important and necessary to Moses and his classmates. The very beginning of the book includes an author’s note which gives a brief explanation of ASL as well as instructions on how to read the arrows and symbols featured throughout the book. In his note, Millman shares his inspiration for his most recent Moses book. After seeing a production put on by the Little Theatre of the Deaf, Millman knew he wanted Moses and his classmates to experience the same thing. Millman got the idea to include a group of hearing students after visiting “47” The American Sign Language and English School for the Deaf in New York City. There, he saw both deaf and hearing children interact using ASL. In his note, Millman also thanks two Deaf teachers, Dorothy Cohler and Joel Goldfarb, who teach at “47.” The two advised Millman while illustrating the featured sign language diagrams.

While the majority of the text is in English, most of the pages include a sentence or phrase in ASL. At the end of the book, there is a full-page spread completely in ASL with English glosses underneath the diagrams of the Moses signing. These pages accurately portray the proper facial expression, handshape, movement and syntax of ASL. The very last page depicts Moses using a TTY, a Teletype device used by the deaf to communicate over the telephone.

Moses Sees a Play is just one book in Millman’s Moses series. Other books include, Moses Goes to a Concert and Moses Goes to the Circus. Overall, Moses is a dynamic deaf character who positively portrays deaf people as capable and independent. Not only may deaf children relate to Moses and his classmates, but hearing children are given the opportunity to learn about another culture, Deaf culture.

Millman, Isaac. Moses Sees a Play. New York: Frances Foster Books, 2004.

Cosmo Gets an Ear

Cosmo has “terrible hearing” according to his sister, Alice. “In fact, one day when he was watching a war movie, the bombs were BOOM-BOOMING so loud and the machine guns were RAT-A-TAT-TATTING with such racket that [their] mother took [Cosmo] right away to get his ears checked (4-5).” Sure enough, Dr Mussedhair confirmed that Cosmo had a hearing loss and suggested he wear a hearing aid. Cosmo isn’t too sure about the idea of a hearing aid. He and his friend, Gilbert, think of ways to find Cosmo’s lost hearing, but nothing works. Finally its time to go back to see Dr. Mussedhair and pick up Cosmo’s new hearing aid. Upon putting on his hearing aid for the first time, “Cosmo’s eyes immediately lit up. He couldn’t believe how clear Dr. Mussedhair sounded. He even heard a chirping parakeet in the background and an old, squeaky door being closed behind him—small sounds that he never heard that well before (34).” Even though Cosmo can hear better with his aid, he’s still worried about what the kids at school are going to think. He doesn’t want to be different.

Cosmo Gets an Ear is a fun, interactive book that tells the story of a young boy getting his first hearing aid. Cosmo goes through a range of emotions about the experience of wearing a hearing aide for the first time. First he must cope with loss of his hearing and then work through his fears and uncertainties about wearing a hearing aid and how others will respond to him. Author, Gary Clemente, is a hearing aid user just like his character, Cosmo. “His hope for the book is to show that wearing a hearing aid can be a pleasant experience for children and a door to open up a new world (back-cover).” Children who have a hearing loss may be able to identify with Cosmo and their own experience of wearing hearing aids.

The fun and humorous style of Cosmo Gets an Ear would attract a variety of readers. Almost every page is written like a multiple-choice question with silly answer options along with the truth according to Cosmo’s sister, the story’s narrator. Alice portrays her brother as an energetic young boy who is always on the go. At times she feels bad for Cosmo and the anxiety and sadness he is going through, but by the end, she is proud of him for accepting his hearing loss and willingly wearing his new hearing aid. The ending also portrays the positive acceptance of Cosmo’s classmates when they find our about his hearing aid. “Before he knew it, everybody was crowing around Cosmo. They all wanted to touch it, see it, feel it—even look at the tiny battery inside (42).” One of the correct answers to Alice’s multiple-choice question includes, “Cosmo learned never to judge things too soon (42).” This sends another important message to the reader that is not necessarily directly connected to hearing loss.

Cosmo’s experience is realistic with an overall positive message about hearing loss and wearing hearing aids. He has mixed emotions about getting hearing aids, which is common for many people. It is important for young readers to recognize that their own peers may use hearing aids and that they aren’t something only grandparents have. Cosmo as a fun, dynamic character certainly promotes a positive image of children with a hearing loss.

Clemente, Gary. Cosmo Gets an Ear. Los Alamitos: Modern Signs Press, Inc, 1994.

Deaf Child Crossing

Megan cannot wait to meet her new neighbors—rumor has it that the new family has a little girl her age! Finally, Cindy and her parents arrive and Megan quickly rushes over to meet her potential new best friend.

“Cindy looked straight at Megan. Now she looked a little frustrated. “What’s the matter? Are you deaf or something?” she yelled back.

Megan screamed out and then fell to the ground, laughing hysterically. “How did you know that?” she asked as she laughed (10).”

Despite the fact that Megan is deaf and Cindy is hearing, the two soon become inseparable. Cindy starts to learn sign language and Megan is pleased to have a friend her age in the neighborhood! The girls head off to summer camp together, but problems soon arise. Megan resents that Cindy is always trying to help her even when she doesn’t ask. Cindy feels left out when Megan spends all her time with Lizzie—another camper who is also deaf. The two girls go through some trying times, but by the end of the summer they both have a better understanding of what it means to be a friend.

Deaf Child Crossing is the story of two nine year-olds who learn what it means to be a friend. The major difference between this novel and other’s of similar nature is that one of the main characters is deaf. Author Marlee Matlin, provides an insider perspective being deaf herself since she was eighteen months old. Matlin captures some of the struggles many deaf people experience as well as some of the curiosities and uncertainties many hearing people have about deafness. Along with Cindy, the reader learns about Megan and her experience as a deaf child.

One major point of contention between the two friends ignites when Cindy interprets for Megan without asking Megan first. “Cindy was proud she could translate so quickly for Megan. But suddenly Megan was frowning. “I didn’t ask you to help me, Cindy,” Megan said angrily (95).”

It is important that readers understand Megan’s frustration and anger about this situation. Although Cindy is only trying to help, Megan feels like she doesn’t think Megan can do things on her own. Megan’s reaction helps the reader understand that offering help is fine, but only if you first ask. You don’t want to assume someone who has differing abilities from you cannot do things on their own. Cindy certainly represents the majority, but is challenged by Megan’s reaction which provides an important message for all readers.

Throughout the story, Cindy comes to learn a lot about Megan’s deafness, which in turn helps to accurately inform the reader. Megan’s Mom explains to Cindy that “Megan wasn’t born deaf, either, but she got very sick when she was a baby, and when her fever finally came down she had lost most of her hearing (19).” This is one of the several common causes of hearing loss. Cindy is also bewildered by the flashing show of lights inside Megan’s house when she rings the door bell. She quickly realizes that the flashing lights provide Megan with a visual clue that someone is at the front door. Flashing lights are often common place in many deaf people’s lives. In the chapter entitled, telephones are stupid, the reader is exposed to some of the frustrations many deaf people experience about living in a hearing world. “But is wasn’t the same as talking on the phone. She wanted to do what everyone could do (40). “Megan couldn’t hold back any longer. Tears streamed down her face. “It’s not fair! I want to use the phone like you and Daddy and Matt! (43).”

Megan is a vivacious and enthusiastic character. She is often portrayed as participating in very common activities any 9-year-old girl would enjoy. This portrayal certainly promotes a positive image of deaf people. The character of Cindy seems to provide an avenue in which Matlin can inform the reader and attend to a hearing person’s curiosities and confusion about deafness. Deaf Child Crossing would certainly intrigue young readers since the characters are so relatable in so many ways.

Matlin, Marlee. Deaf Child Crossing. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 2002.

Honors Option: Multicultural Poetry Anthology

I've recently completed my Honors Option which required me to create a multicultural poetry anthology featuring inside authors. If you are at all interested in poetry, please feel free to use the following introductory handout I wrote as a resource.

Almond Cookies, Pomegranates and Tea

A Multicultural Poetry Anthology Selected by Caitlin M. Knapp

When first presented with the task of creating a poetry anthology that specifically featured minority groups traditionally underrepresented in children’s and adolescent literature, I was consumed with an overwhelming feeling. First of all, I do not particularly care for poetry and second, I couldn’t name one multicultural poet off the top of my head. Over the course of completing this project however, I have come a long way. To select my texts, I heavily relied on our course readings as well example pieces of literature brought to class by my instructor. Only one of the poets, Janet S. Wong, was completely new to me. I was already familiar with both Langston Hughes and Gary Soto and I came to know Naomi Shihab Nye through reading Habibi. Once I actually went out to gather the books, I was pleased to find that both my local library from home, the Royal Oak Public Library, as well as the East Lansing Public Library, had books written by all four authors. Gary Soto’s Neighborhood Odes as well as Naomi Shihab Nye’s 19 Varieties of Gazelle, were actually classified under Adult-Non-Fiction, but both Poetry for Young People: Langston Hughes and A Suitcase of Seaweed by Janet S. Wong were located in the children’s section.

While pouring through all four books of poetry, I had one thing in mind. What poems might children relate to? I see the end product of this project as a resource which I can someday use in my own classroom. Therefore, I wanted to choose poetry that I felt young students could not only understand, but also appreciate. As I read through each book, I found myself appreciating poetry more than I ever have before. I still wouldn’t say I like poetry, but I think I have a better understanding of it as a creative outlet for the authors to share about their life and culture. All four of the featured poets are insiders of the culture they identify with. Their poetry is reflective of their personal experiences within their culture and as well as the cultures around them. It is important to keep in mind that although all of the poets have an inside perspective, they are still only one person. Based on what I read I was able to develop a sense of what was important to each author and how these things may be valued by others with the same cultural identity. To compile my poetry anthology, I used the following four texts.

Hughes, Langston. Poetry for Young People: Langston Hughes. New York: Sterling Publishing, 1994.

This book is part of Poetry for Young People series that feature well-known poets. Each book provides a beautifully illustrated collection of one poet’s work. The book that features Langston Hughes includes several of his most famous poems. Throughout the book are publisher notes that provide clarification of some of the vocabulary used in the poems to help young readers better understand and appreciate the art form.

Nye, Naomi Shihab. 19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East. New York: Greenwillow Books, 1994.

The content and reading level of Namoi Shihab Nye’s poetry collection, 19 Varieties of Gazelle: Poems of the Middle East, is certainly most appropriate for the older, more mature adolescent reader. Nye’s poetry covers a broad range of topics that often revolve around war and the present-day conflict in the Middle East. Her heart-felt poetry is emotionally charged and provide readers with a lot of food for thought.

Soto, Gary. Neighborhood Odes. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1992.

Gary Soto’s poetry collection, Neighborhood Odes, may best be enjoyed individually by older adolescent readers or as a shared experience for younger readers. Soto’s book is beautifully illustrated with black and white block prints designed by David Diaz. The poems in this collection work together to recreate the sense of neighborhood community Soto experienced as a child.

Wong, Janet S. A Suitcase of Seaweed and Other Poems. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 1996.

Wong’s poetry collection, A Suitcase of Seaweed, is specifically geared towards young readers. The book is set-up in three sections entitled, Chinese Poems, Korean Poems and American Poems as a way of representing Wong’s multicultural identity. At the beginning of each section, Wong provides a brief background on her experience with each culture. The text of the poems is accessible to young readers and the content is appealing to all ages.

The following is a brief sample of poetry included in my anthology.

Still Here

I been scared and battered.

My hopes the wind done scattered.

Snow has frize me, sun has baked me.

Looks like between ‘em

They done tried to make me

Stop laughin’, stop lovin’, stop livin’—

But I don’t care!

I’m still here! *Frize—dialect for “froze”

Hughes, Langston. “Still Here.” Poetry for Young People: Langston Hughes. New York: Sterling Publishing, 1994. 39.

Albert J. Bell

Forty years of friendship

with my grandfather,

and still Uncle Al cannot eat

with chopsticks.

Forty years of friendship

with Uncle Al,

and still my grandfather forgets

to offer him a fork.

Wong, Janet S. “Albert J. Bell.” A Suitcase of Seaweed and Other Poems. New York: Margaret K. McElderry Books, 1996. 17.

Ode to La Piñata It sways In the tree In the yard, This paper pig Bloated with Candies, this Piñata my father Bought and hung On a low branch. I’m Rachel. Today’s my birthday. If six fingers Go up, that’s how Old I am. I’m going To strike the Piñata six times, And then let my Six guests swing A broom at the pig. Dad works the rope. Mom blindfolds me With a dish towel And turns me six times, My lucky day. When she stops, I keep going, Dizzy and sick— Inside my belly

A merry-go-round Of hot dog, chips, Pink lemonade, And cake with ice cream I stagger and swing. I fall to a knee, Rise, and swing again. I’m more dizzy Than when I started, And then, wham, The stick explodes Against the piñata. My friends laugh And squeal, and I hit It again, the first Rain of candies. I pull away The dish towel, dazed By the sunlight. I give the stick To a friend, And more candies Rain to the ground, Kisses and jawbreakers, Tootsie Rolls like Chocolate worms. My six friends All take a turn, And then baby brother From his stroller Whacks a plastic bat— Candies rain down, And by magic, one falls Into his squealing mouth.

Soto, Gary. “Ode to La Piñata.” Neighborhood Odes. New York: Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, Inc., 1992. 37-38.

Confessions of a Closet Catholic

I really enjoyed reading Confessions of a Closet Catholic by Sarah Darer Littman. From the various characters to the life-changing events, I think the story's sense of reality is what attracted me so much. I loved the character of Justine. She was dramatic, obsessive, humorous and most of all, confused--everything 12 year old girls are! I also really appreciated the relationship between Bubbe and Justine. When Bubbe died, I felt like crying because I truly believed in their relationship and understood their connection. Although Justine's mom, Mrs. Silver, did not portray the ideal mother, she did represent a real-life, typical mom just trying to figuring things out for her family. All of Justine's relationships with family and friends influenced her during this exciting and scary time of her life, the pre-teen years.
One of my favorite aspects of the book was its portrayal of diversity within Judaism. Each side of Justine's family represented great diversity within Jewish culture and religion. For one set of grandparents, being Jewish was more about community than spirituality. They did not keep kosher or regularly observed Sabbath, but they still strongly identified as Jewish. Justine's other grandparents were much more traditional and followed the spirituality of Judaism as a religion. Justine was able to draw on both these backgrounds and experiences while searching for her own religious understanding. The inclusion of characters who identify as Jewish in different ways is an important element of the story. It helps break over-generalizations and stereotypes by showing how even people who identify similarly can still be very different.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book and would certainly recommend it. I found a lot I could identify and connect to even though I'm not Jewish or Catholic. Confessions of a Closet Catholic is a humorous coming of age story that offers readers a lot to think about without coming across as too "teachy" or unnaturally informative.

So Many Books, So Little Time

While compiling me text set, I came across a lot of great pieces of children's literature. Even though I couldn't include all these books, I think they are certainly worth mentioning. The focus topic of my text set is disability. All of my chosen books feature Deaf or Hard of Hearing characters, but the following list includes other disabilities such as blindness, mobility impairments and autism. I included a brief summary of some of my favorites!

Looking Out for Sarah by Glenna Lang
This is a great book about a woman who is blind and her guide dog. The illustrations are sophisticated, yet appealing and the story is realistic and heartwarming. The book follows a day in the life of Perry, Sarah's guide dog. Perry and Sarah are seen about town doing errands, visiting schools and meeting friends. There is a short flash back section that tells the story of the duo walking from Boston to New York on foot. Based on the real-life Sarah and Perry, readers will love the charm of this book.

Ian's Walk: A Story About Autism by Laurie Lears

Ben Has Something to Say: A Story About Stuttering by Laurie Lears

Ballerina Dreams by Lauren Thompson
Ballerina Dreams is the true story of five little girls who shared the dream of being beautiful ballerinas. Fulfilling their dream would take some extra work since they all have cerebral palsy or other physical disabilities that limit their mobility. Their dedicated teacher worked with the girls to develop and strengthen their muscles so they too could dance on stage. Each little girl has a special helper who assists her with movement. This inspiring story is beautifully illustrated with photographs of the girls rehearsing and them performing as the dancers they always dreamed about.

Moses Goes to a Concert by Isaac Millman
Moses Goes to the Circus by Isaac Millman
Isaac Millman's Moses series features a young deaf boy who attends a special school where all his classmates are also deaf. All the children and their teacher use American Sign Language, ASL, to communicate. Illustrated ASL accompanies the English text and gives the reader some background information about the language. Moses and his classmates experience many of the same things their hearing peers do, but sometimes in a different way. I really like the integration of the two languages and the dynamic character of Moses.

Dad and Me in the Morning by Patricia Lakin

The Deaf Musicians by Pete Seeger and Paul Dubois Jacobs
The Deaf Musicians by Pete Seeger and Paul Dubois Jacobs, tells the story of Lee, a jazz pianist who is loosing his hearing. After he is cut from his band, Lee looks for other ways to experience the music he loves. He attends a Deaf school where he learns sign language and befriends a fellow music lover. Together, the two of them start a band of Deaf musicians who use their hands to express their own version of jazz.

ASL Poetry

For the past few days I've been working on my Honors Option, creating a multicultural poetry anthology. The anthology is supposed to include insider poets from minority groups that are often absent or underrepresented in children's and adolescent literature. I easily made my text selections based on references found in our course readings and class discussions. Overall, I'm just about done with the project, but I still feel like my anthology is missing representation from a culture that I have a special interest in--Deaf culture.
Most Deaf poets compose their work in American Sign Language, or ASL. There is no written component of ASL, so poetry in this language must either be enjoyed in person or through video. I considered including links to online videos in my anthology, but I felt like posting a blog would be a more appropriate venue for sharing such information. Even if you don't know sign language, experiencing ASL poetry by Deaf poets is a sight to behold. Anyone can recognize the passion and sometimes even humor infused in this unique form of poetry simply watching the poet perform their personal work.

One well known Deaf poet is Peter Cook. The following link will take you to the Flying Words Project website which was a project lead by Peter Cook and his hearing cohort, Kenny Lerner. The two worked together to promote the growing field of ASL performance, including poetry.
http://web.mac.com/peterscook1/Site/Flying_Words_Project.html
Take some time to explore the website especially link to Excerpts from FWP Performance.

Other well known Deaf poets include Clayton Valli and Ella Mae Lentz. The following link will take you to a youtube video of Clayton Valli reciting his poem, Dandelions in ASL.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=GmhbuGZJyJA

Some people consider number or alphabet stories to be a form of ASL poetry. A story is signed using the number or alphabet handshapes in numerical or alphabetical order. In these stories, the various handshapes do not represent the number or letter themselves. Number or alphabet stories are usually fun and capture a tradition within Deaf culture. The following link will take you to a youtube video featuring a number story.
http://youtube.com/watch?v=SZGj-mMEjrs&feature=related

I hope you take a moment to explore this rich form of poetry and expose yourself to Deaf poets.

Who Can Write a Review?

This past week in class we were asked, "Do you feel qualified to write a literary review?" No one confidently raised their hand and confirmed that they were qualified to write an appropriate review of multicultural children's literature. I didn't expect anyone to, but this question has been on my mind since. What does qualify someone to write a literacy review? As Yamate pointed out, there is no formal reviewing process or qualifications. This concerns me. I actually feel more lost about selecting quality children's literature than ever before. Every time I turn around there seems to be another thing to consider. Not only do you have to think about the author and the actual piece of literature, but you must also critically consider anyone who reviews the book. As Yamate mentioned, one review does not qualify a piece of literature as "good" or "bad." The perspective of the reviewer must be taken into consideration. A review from an outside perspective my interpret a piece of literature very differently from someone who has an inside perspective. It always seems to come back to the great insider vs. outside debate.

While collecting pieces of literature for me text set, I have become more aware of how to choose quality pieces of literature. This is not to say I don't still second guess myself. Until I become much more knowledgeable about children's literature, I think I will always have this nagging concern about whether or not my selections are truly quality. I can however recognize some personal growth in the matter since taking this course. I own the picture book, The Deaf Musicians, by Pete Seeger. I received this book about 2 years ago as a gift. While doing research for my final project I found out that this book as won the Schneider Family Book Award. Even though I enjoy the book, I caught myself from automatically assuming it is a quality piece of literature simply because it has won an award. Even though this book has won an award for children's literature that portrays disability, I am not including it in my text set for one important reason. At the end of the book there is an author's note by Pete Seeger. He basically says that he's never actually worked with any Deaf musicians. The closest he's come is having sign language interpreters at some of his concerts. Seeger really has no insider experience with the culture of people he chose to write about. Now, don't get me wrong, The Deaf Musicians, is a good book that positively portrays the Deaf culture, but I also know now that it is important to consider the author's insider experience or lack thereof. I don't think this will stop me from someday using this book, but it will encourage me to address this point of concern with my students to help them grow as more critical readers.

Personal Philosophy

I've always been interested in children's literature and after taking TE 348, I realized I still had a lot to learn about this rich and vast world of books for kids. At first, one may think children's literature is just a simplified version of writing that doesn't take nearly as much commitment or talent to produce. Boy, are they wrong! In a way I think children's literature is even more difficult to write and illustrate considering the tender age and experience of its intended audience. Adults may be able to read a book through various lenses to better understand the author's message, but children don't necessarily have the ability to fully comprehend this yet. It is extremely important to consciously think about all the subtle and not-so-subtle messages a piece of children's literature conveys. This course has helped me to really think critically about literature selections, especially when it comes to addressing multicultural issues.
It is easy to say, "I want my personal library to reflect all my students' experiences as well as go beyond what's familiar." Actually building this type of library is another story. All too often I think people assume that simply because a book features a White kid, a Black kid and an Asian kid, surely it is multicultural. but there is so much more to consider! I want my future students to be exposed to a wide variety of issues and cultures on a regular basis when engaging with the text I feature in my classroom. In order to accomplish this, I know I must critically consider each piece of literature I use in my classroom. My ultimate goal would be to seamlessly integrate a wide spectrum of multicultural literature so that all of my students can see various aspects of their personal selves reflected on a regular basis.
Even though this course does not focus on issues of pedagogy, I constantly find myself thinking about how I could use each piece of literature in a classroom setting. I think how you use literature is just as important as the literature you use. This certainly ties in with my thoughts and ideas about multicultural education. I want to be able to lead my students through lesson plans and literacy units that reflect multicultural principles as well as multicultural literature. This includes providing them with various outlets in which to complete work such as assignments that include oral components, dramatic movement, creativity and more. Reaching every type of learner through the way I teach is just as important to me as reaching them through the literature I select.
My biggest concern is accomplishing all my goals. I know I need to keep in mind that it takes time. While I can always be striving to design better lessons and use quality pieces of literature, I believe I will naturally develop this with the more teaching experience I procure. I look forward to the challenge, but I also know I have plenty more to learn myself.

Al Capone Does My Shirts

I really enjoyed reading Al Caponse Does My Shirts and discussing the issues surrounding people with dissabilities. As someone studying Deaf Education, I have a real passion for learning as much as I can about people with disabilities through reading scholarly articles, literature and discussion. Not only did I enjoy this past week's novel, but I also found the Linton article to be especially pertinent and important to discuss. Linton's focus on language and public percpetion of people with disabilities was really interesting. As future educators, I think it is especially important that we engage in discussion about dissability to better understand our future students. With the popularity of mainstreaming, it is inevitable that everyone will be responsible to educate special needs students.
I really enjoyed the historical fiction element of Al Capone Does My Shirts. I think engaging in a discussion about the differences in attitudes and language of the 1930s and today is a productive way to learn more about the topics and issues at hand. My Questioning the Text Paper revolved around looking at the historical attitude towards dissability, particularly autism, and how it has or has not changed over the years. I think positive changes had developed, but I also think there are things that are very much the same. For example, the Flannagan family was always searching for a cure for Natalie. At first it may seem like this attitude has changed in the last 75 years, but I'm not so sure it has. I think the same "something needs to be fixed" attitude is still prevelant especially with the medical advances of today. If this weren't true, cochlear implant technology for the deaf would not be nearly as prevelant as it is.
This past week's class has really inspired me for my final project. I chose the topic of dissabilities to focus on for my text set. I look forward to researching more about the literature available and analyzing the attitudes this literature portrays. As I mentioned in class the novel, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime by Mark Haddon is an fascinating book written from the voice of an austistic teenaged boy. I've already begun rereading it, inspired by the video we watched in class. I hope to develop a well rounded personal library that definetly includes an extensive collection of literature that focuses on people with dissabilities.

Bronx Masquerade

I just finished reading Bronx Masquerade and I loved it. At first I wasn't sure if I was going to like the book at all. I'm not a huge fan of poetry and it seemed like the use of multiple voices was going to be confusing, but after I starting reading, I couldn't put it down. I literally read the entire book in one sitting.
Surprisingly, one of my favorite elements of the book was the use of multiple voices. At times, it was hard to remember who was who and what details went with each voice, but the more I read, the more I liked the challege. It was like a piecing together a puzzle while figuring out who was friends with who and who had a crush on who--it made me an active reader. I was also very impressed how well each voice was developed into a unique character. Even with almost 17 different voices, I really felt like each one was unique and reflected each characters' personal experiences. The wide vareity poetic styles also portrayed the uniqueness of each voices' character.
My favorite voice was definetly Tyrone. Acting as a narractor, Tyrone's voice occured the most throughout the book. I found myself looking forward to his commentary after each piece of poetry. He was honest and supportive of his fellow peers in ways I didn't always expect. A compliment from Tyrone was quite the honor. Throughout his commentaries, he voiced several very poignant thoughts and opinions. His voice seemed to reaffirm the issue the previous voice had just shared in narration and then poetry. For example, when Janelle shared her poem, inside, Tyrone responded saying, "You never think other folks got feelings. Like Janelle. I must've cracked a wise a hundred times about her weight, Never even thought about it. It was just something I did for a laugh. Listening to her now, it don't seem all that funny."
Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed Bronx Masqurade. I look forward to discussion on Wednesday to talk about this piece of literature and hear other people's opinions and thoughts about this piece of literature.

Insider vs Outsider

The great "insider/outsider" debate may always be a point on contention, but I do think it is an important element to consider when it comes to reading multicultural literature. I don't think authorship of multicultural literature should be limited only to people who are considered "insiders" of a particular culture. For me, the most important aspect of any piece of multicultural literature is the appropriate and accurate representation of the featured culture. I do believe "outsider" authors are capable of writing quality pieces of literature that accurately portray a culture even if they themselves are not "insiders."
When considering a piece of multicultural literature written by an "insider" author, one cannot automatically assume that is a quality piece of literature that accurately represents that culture. While an "insider" author does have particular experiences that an "outsider" author may not have, it is still important to look at the piece of literature with a critical eye. "Insider" authors have the potential to bring a sense of personal experience and understanding that is unique to their culture because of their direct experience inside that culture. I think it is especially important to call attention to "insider" authors, but at the same time keep in mind that they are still only one person. It is unfair to expect one "insider" author to represent their entire culture.
One aspect of this debate that I still struggle to understand is, who decides what constitutes someone as an "insider" or an "outsider?" Is it a personal choice? Does the featured cultural group have to decide? I most closely identify as a white, middle-class, female, but I've never seen a checklist to make sure. Is it alright if I consider myself as an "insider" in the white, middle-class, female culture? These questions lead me to my knowledge and understanding of Deaf culture. Hearing children who are born to Deaf parents group up immersed in Deaf culture, but are they still an "outsider" since they themselves are not Deaf? Some would argue yes, since they can hear, they will never know the Deaf experience. Others argue, no, Deaf culture is just as much theirs as their Deaf parents. Once again, who really decides?
When it comes down to it, the most important element of multicultural literature is how it represents a culture. If both "insider" and "outsider" authors can write quality literature that accurately and respectfully portrays a culture, then great! We now have two people trying to inform and influence the literature of today. I would hate to think of all the literature we might not have or all the cultures that might not be written about if only "insider" authors were recognized. A healthy balance of "insider" and "outsider" authors when available, may provide a well rounded understanding and representation of a culture that will further emphasize the underlying principles of multicultural literature.

Introduction

Hello! Over the years I have become increasingly fascinated by children's literature. I could easily spend hours in the children's section of a bookstore and buy dozens of books every month from those classic Scholastic Book Orders. Reading literature for children and adolescences is only half the fun for me. I really enjoy going to the next level of understanding and appreciating this form of literature intended for such a unique audience. Engaging in academic discussions and reading related articles that relate to children's literature really interests me. I look forward to exploring certain elements of adolescent literature over the course of my last semester at MSU. I am especially interested in looking at the use of language in the text and how children and adults use language in conversations and their own writing. I am particularly concerned with how people approach using or not using "politically correct" terms.
Overall, I am excited to develop my knowledge and understanding (and personal library!) of quality, diverse children's literature. Within the next few years, hope to be sharing quality literature with my future deaf and or hard of hearing elementary aged students.