Diverse Perspectives in Children's Literature

Before anything a child needs to understand what diversity means. They need to understand that it is the ability to see other cultures and life experiences as well as their own cultures and life experiences. A child needs to be able to recognize all the different areas of diversity such as the following:

 

• Culture
• Language
• Religion
• Social Class
• Age
• Family Structure 
• Exceptionality

 The list above is things that students are faced with in everyday life, whether it is at home or at school, and with that said diverse perspectives need to be addressed. This isn't an area to where it should be ignored.

When looking into further educating children in the area of diversity, there tends to be a lack of diverse backgrounds and sometimes when their is the children pick up taught behaviors or not sure as to how to react.  The following needs to addressed to students:

• Discrimination
• Inferior education
• Linguistic differences 
• Cultural differences 
• Higher-level thinking 

Weather children think they have or have not been exposed to any of the above, I think the teacher needs to address them, and perhaps have student walk in someone else s shoes for a day, accompanying this lesson with a book on multicultural literature. Just because a child is Caucasian does not mean they have not been a victim to any of the above, which is commonly though of as not true. 

 Benefits to Multicultural Literature

• It provided enjoyment of quality literature that meets the criteria of literacy and artistic merit. 
• It presents information and knowledge about the historical and continuing contributions of the people of diverse cultures who live in the United States. 
• It connects children to the world by exposing them to diverse viewpoints other than the mainstream.
• It fosters awareness, appreciation, and understanding of people who are different from and similar to themselves. 
• It promotes critical inquiry into issues of equal representation of how people of diverse cultures are depicted in all books.

When children read multicultural books they are exposed to a different life of their own or able to relate with characters in a book, regardless the child is involved into the book. They are understanding what is going on or learning something from the first time. It also can open the eyes for many children that may come from a sheltered life. 

Top Ten Read Alouds: Diverse Perspectives in children's Literature

1. El Barrio by Debbie Chocolate by David Diaz (2009, Holt)
2. Faith by Maya Ajmera, Magda Nakassis (2006, Scholastic)
3. I Lost My Tooth in Africa by Penda Diakite (2006, Scholastic) 
4. Jazzy Miz Mzetta by Brenda Roberts (2004, Farrar, Stratus, and Giroux)
5. Only One Year by Andrea Cheng (2010, Lee & Low)
6. Poems to Dream Together/ Poemas Par Sonar Juntos by Francisco X (2005, Lee & Low)
7. Rickshaw Girl by Mitalo Perkins ( 2007, Charlesbridge)
8. Saltypie: A Choctaw Journey from Darkness into Light, by Tim Tingle (2010, Cinco Puntos Press)
9. Uncle Peter's Amazing Chines Wedding by Lenore Look (2006, Atheneum) 
10. We by Alice Schertle (2007, Lee & Low)