http://wowlit.org/blog/2009/09/21/culturally-authentic-fairy-tales/ International Collection of Children's and Adolescent Literature Thu, 10 May 2012 01:00:31 +0000 hourly 1 http://wowlit.org/blog/2009/09/21/culturally-authentic-fairy-tales/comment-page-1/#comment-8081 Janine Schall Fri, 25 Sep 2009 21:20:37 +0000 http://wowlit.org/blog/?p=198#comment-8081 I asked a colleague who is originally from Colombia to evaluate the Spanish in a bilingual picture book. The book was about a Mexican-American family living on the West Coast. As my colleague read it through, she kept saying things like, "Well, I wouldn't say it this way, but maybe Mexican-Americans would" and "My Mexican-American students here in the Rio Grande Valley wouldn't use this phrase, but maybe they do on the West Coast." It's complicated! I asked a colleague who is originally from Colombia to evaluate the Spanish in a bilingual picture book. The book was about a Mexican-American family living on the West Coast. As my colleague read it through, she kept saying things like, “Well, I wouldn’t say it this way, but maybe Mexican-Americans would” and “My Mexican-American students here in the Rio Grande Valley wouldn’t use this phrase, but maybe they do on the West Coast.” It’s complicated!

]]> http://wowlit.org/blog/2009/09/21/culturally-authentic-fairy-tales/comment-page-1/#comment-8080 Marilyn Carpenter Fri, 25 Sep 2009 19:47:04 +0000 http://wowlit.org/blog/?p=198#comment-8080 Janine & Barb, I keep wondering about how to carefully evaluate books that are not from my culture? But I especially wonder about how K-12 classroom teachers have the time to evaluate books for authenticity. I have received review copies from most of the major publishers for the last 28 years. When I gave workshops for teachers, especially in California, I would highlight books in Spanish. However, I stopped. The reason was that I was not a proficient speaker of Spanish and couldn't be sure that the books were accurately written in Spanish. When I had bookstalked books in Spanish for children the teachers would always inquire what region was the basis of the language - Chilie, Spain, Mexico, etc. I couldn't be sure. So I stopped sharing such books. However, the need for teachers to know such books was still there. Janine & Barb,
I keep wondering about how to carefully evaluate books that are not from my culture? But I especially wonder about how K-12 classroom teachers have the time to evaluate books for authenticity. I have received review copies from most of the major publishers for the last 28 years. When I gave workshops for teachers, especially in California, I would highlight books in Spanish. However, I stopped. The reason was that I was not a proficient speaker of Spanish and couldn’t be sure that the books were accurately written in Spanish. When I had bookstalked books in Spanish for children the teachers would always inquire what region was the basis of the language – Chilie, Spain, Mexico, etc. I couldn’t be sure. So I stopped sharing such books. However, the need for teachers to know such books was still there.

]]> http://wowlit.org/blog/2009/09/21/culturally-authentic-fairy-tales/comment-page-1/#comment-8079 Janine Schall Thu, 24 Sep 2009 21:28:53 +0000 http://wowlit.org/blog/?p=198#comment-8079 It's also complicated by the fact that cultures are complex, multifaceted and sometimes contradictory. People from the same culture don't all have exactly the same cultural traits and values. Stories are going to reflect that complexity. Even if a person is from the country where the book is set, that person may not be familiar with the culture/s represented in the book. It’s also complicated by the fact that cultures are complex, multifaceted and sometimes contradictory. People from the same culture don’t all have exactly the same cultural traits and values. Stories are going to reflect that complexity. Even if a person is from the country where the book is set, that person may not be familiar with the culture/s represented in the book.

]]> http://wowlit.org/blog/2009/09/21/culturally-authentic-fairy-tales/comment-page-1/#comment-8078 Barbara Thompson Book Thu, 24 Sep 2009 19:38:28 +0000 http://wowlit.org/blog/?p=198#comment-8078 Marilyn- You raise excellent points. I recently gave "Climbing the Stairs" to a colleague who is Indian (from India) as I was unsure of it's authenticity. She said she would have her mother read it as well as it's an historical piece. It's a slippery slope we navigate when working with literature not of our own culture ( Give me a book about a dairy farm and I am all over it now!) Barb Marilyn- You raise excellent points. I recently gave “Climbing the Stairs” to a colleague who is Indian (from India) as I was unsure of it’s authenticity. She said she would have her mother read it as well as it’s an historical piece. It’s a slippery slope we navigate when working with literature not of our own culture ( Give me a book about a dairy farm and I am all over it now!) Barb

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