Introduction

The term multicultural literature is used to represent literature of many cultures, races, religions, genders, disabilities, sex preferences and so forth. It seems we can look around and find a good amount of multicultural literature, but are these texts GOOD representations of that culture? We need to ask ourselves, what is the purpose of this text? Is it sending a positive or negative message about the group it is representing? The representation of Asian Americans in literature, or literature written by Asian Americans, is vastly underrepresented in the multicultural literature that is being published. This means that the voice of a group that for so long has been struggling to be heard, is still going unheard, or all to often, is being misrepresented in other texts. We need to hear the stories and knowledge only an insider can provide us with. The three books I chose for my project provide that insider's look into a culture so many know very little about. "A Step from Heaven" by An Na, "Kira-Kira by Cynthia Kadohata", and "Hiroshima Dreams" by Kelly Easton are all extremely touching, and eye opening books about Asians and/or Asian Americans struggling to find their place in the American culture. By reading these books, one has the opportunity to feel what it is like to be an outsider, to go unheard, and to go unwanted, in a land that has been known as the land of opportunity. These books all give readers the amazing opportunity to experience the pain, the suffering, and hopefully, the triumph of being Asian or Asian American- an experience many readers have failed to be exposed to due to the lack of good Asian American literature being published. The article, "Editors’ Introduction: Critical Perspectives on Asian American Children’s Literature" by de Manuel and Rocio G. Davis further pushes the need for more Asian American literature in our society. This need, these books, will finally let us hear the voice of Asian Americans, and the amazing insights their stories can provide us with.

Scholarly Article

Editors’ Introduction: Critical Perspectives on Asian American Children’s Literature, by de Manuel and Rocio G. Davis

This article by Dolores de Manuel and Rocio G. Davis successfully discusses many important aspects concerning Asian American literature. Manuel and Davis bring it to the reader’s attention that despite the increase in multicultural literature within our society, the amount of Asian American literature is still marginally low. This article’s main theme could be described as one of insistence. It insists that we as readers open our eyes to how little literature on (or written by) Asian Americans is actually being published. This article also speaks to teachers, describing how even in the classrooms Asian American literature is all too often overlooked, and motivates teachers to change this. The article zeros in on just how important Asian American literature is by explaining how to this day, society often still sees Asian Americans as foreigners who will never fully blend into the “melting pot” we call America. Manuel and Davis successfully stress the importance of children’s literature in telling the story of ethnic American writing by describing how Asian American children are caught in a triple bind. They are “pressured to remain faithful to ancestral heritage, while at the same time admonished to assimilate and become fully American, but ultimately finding that because of their Asian genes, many Americans will never give them full acceptance”. In today’s society where the acceptance and the embracing of one another’s differences is encouraged and promoted, how is it that Asian American’s are not being welcomed into this embrace as easily as other cultures? Manuel and Davis succeed by leaving this question embedded into your mind by the time you finish this article. This article is very informative to the past and current struggle of Asian Americans to make themselves and their stories visible in society. We as readers finish the article with the strong desire to help bring Asian American literature to the forefront and to help bring forth the voice of a group who has been overlooked for far too long.

de Manuel, Dolores and Davis, Rocio G. "Editors’ Introduction: Critical Perspectives on Asian American Children’s Literature." The Lion and the Unicorn 30(2006): v-xv. Print.

Book Three

A Step from Heaven, by An Na

A Step from Heaven, by An Na is an excellent book that is hard to put down and will indeed bring tears to your eyes. This is a coming-of-age novel as well as a coming-into-the-country novel. This is a story about an Asian immigrant, Young Ju, who comes to America only to find herself entering into a life long game of tug-of-war between two distinct cultures. The story is also about Young Ju growing up in the shadow of an abusive father, and of how she gains the courage to choose freedom for herself and her family. A Step from Heaven, allows readers to step outside themselves for a moment and walk in the shoes of an outsider. Readers gain the opportunity to experience a story of a culture, and of an abused child, both voices that are often overlooked in today’s society. An Na writes with lyrical inventiveness that as the ability to bring forth so much emotion, and to really help the reader experience the pain, sorrow and joy of Young Ju. An Na uses short, powerful strokes of language to propel us great distances – from foreign to familiar, from happiness to a domestic nightmare- all which allows readers to look at situations with new eyes. Na laces Young Ju’s tale with Korean words, their meaning evident from the context, making the experience feel all the more real for the reader. Readers are able to see the transformation of a young, scared child to a strong, admirable young woman with a future full of hope. Anyone who has lived in America all their life and never felt like an outsider, as well as those who have moved to here from another country and had to struggle fitting into American culture, will be able to connect to Young Ju's struggles and eventual triumph. The voice of this story is one that is not often seen in children’s literature. This book successful makes the voice Young Ju’s heard which in turn makes the voice of those who can relate can finally be heard as well.

Na, An. A Step from Heaven. United States: Front Street, 2000. Print.

Book Two

Kira-Kira, by Cynthia Kadohata

“Kira-kira” is a Japanese word meaning glittering, shimmering. It is the first Japanese word Lynn teachers her little sister, Katie. For the Takeshima sisters, “kira-kira” is the things in life that give us hope, give us faith, and in general are the things in life worth remembering. Lynn is Katie’s best friend and teacher. She teaches Katie lessons she deems worthy of knowing. Lynn is the one who tells Katie how the sky and ocean are special, that the family is moving from their Japanese community in Iowa to Georgia, and the injustice of racial prejudice that takes place at school and around town. Both girls have trouble adjusting in a new community where there are only thirty one other Japanese-Americans. The reader sees how the community treats Katie and her family differently because of their appearance, despite the fact that they were all born in America. Katie witnesses as her sister Lynn struggles to fit in with the other girls and in an effort to do so attempts to be less Japanese in appearance or custom, not wanting to partake in anything related even remotely to the Japanese culture. Katie’s mother and father work in a poultry processing plant under horrid conditions typical of factories in the mid-1950s. The girls seldom see their parents who must work constantly in an effort to put food on the table, and later, to pay for Lynn’s medical bills when she falls fatedly ill. The combination of all of these stories, tied together closely with a young girl’s perception of all of these events, provides for a beautifully written story about a young girl struggling to find her own way in a family torn by illness and atrocious work conditions. The reader is exposed to themes of loss, prejudice, and love, just to name a few in this tear-jerker novel. If anything we walk away from this book in search of the “kira-kira” in our own lives.

Kadonhata, Cynthia. kira-kira. New york: Simon & Schuster, 2004. Print.

Book One

Hiroshima Dreams, by Kelly Easton

Hiroshima Dreams is a coming of age novel about a girl with a sixth sense for seeing events of the future. However, more than that, this book is about a girl’s blooming relationship with her grandmother. By integrating some Japanese words, discussing traditions, and painting a strong picture of the relationships between mother, daughter, and grandmother, this novel does an excellent job portraying Japanese culture and intergenerational relationships. Lin’s grandmother, Obaasan, comes to America when Lin is in kindergarten. Obaasan and Lin share a special gift of second sight and it is not long before Obaasan becomes Lin’s best friend and mentor. Obaasan exposes Lin to the Japanese culture, a culture Lin’s mother chose to leave behind when she came to America as a young woman. Kelly Easton portrays the Japanese culture in a very realistic way, discussing the bombing of Hiroshima, the power of meditation, family and religion. The reader really gets a feel for how difficult it is to be Asian and living in the United States through Lin’s struggle to conform to “what society expects of her” versus what her culture expects of her, but the concept isn’t beaten over the reader’s head because the story is about so much more than the Japanese culture. The book spans from when Lin was five to when she is a teenager, covering events such as September 11th to her grandmother’s death. At times it may seem like the author did not dedicate enough time to each of these big events, but overall the book still sends many messages to the reader and is hard to put down. The many strong themes of the novel, such as being shy, learning to be confident, being lonely, left out, losing a loved one, or the theme of growing up really become apparent to the reader through the emotion they evoke in you as you read. Every reader is sure to relate in some way to this novel, which makes it an excellent read. Kelly Easton’s insider experiences allows readers, whether they be an insider or an outsider, to experience the pain and eventual triumph of a young Japanese girl growing up in a confusing culture.

Easton, Kelly. Hiroshima Dreams. United States: Dutton Children's Books, 2007. Print.

Confessions of a Closet Catholic.. video?

this is really cute..and kinda lame, haha.. but I wanted to share it anyways. I found this online--it's a recreation of some of the book by a young girl who is pretending to be the main character of "Confessions of a Closet Catholic"..

Stand up Comedian.. Gay Native American

Here is an insider making fun of being gay and native american. When you are an insider, you can make fun of yourself, but if this comedian was not gay or native american, he would not be able to make the same jokes.. But do you find this funny? It seems like the audience doesn't know whether or not to laugh..

Homosexuality worse than terrorism??

Oh you've got to be kidding me.. I can't believe someone is that ignorant to say such a thing.. OKLAHOMA CITY — A YouTube audio clip of a state lawmaker's screed against homosexuality, which she called a bigger threat than terrorism, has outraged gay activists and brought death threats rolling in. (reported Fox News on Sunday, March 16, 2008) This is just plain sad.



Sally Kern:

Controversy with Homosexuality in schools

http://tnjn.com/2008/feb/21/homosexuality-in-schools-creat/

I came across this article discussing how in schools there is much controversy regarding homosexuality. Apparently there was a bill that State Representative Stavey Campfield's was trying to get passed. It prohibiting homosexuality references in pre-k to eighth grade in Tennessee school systems. Fortunately, this bill was turned down though. The bill "would allow for the teaching of heterosexuality." I liked how the article mentioned that by teaching only one side of the argument is like giving a child only half of his or her education. This is so true! I mean, society needs to get it through their heads that homosexuality is not an issue, it is someone's identity. It's not right to take away, or shun, a part of who someone is! How is this any different than being racist? Telling someone to cover up their skin because it makes you uncomfortable? I mean come on... Like the article said, "People fear what they don't understand - they fear change." .. I guess this means we just need more opportunities for people to be educated on accepting people for who they are, not what they are.

soap carvings

Carvings of soap or radishes was a big part of "Becoming Naomi Leon" by Pam Munoz Ryan. Apparently, reading about Oazacan wood carvings was where Ryan had her inspiration to write the book in the first place. She says, "I came across a one-line reference to the Night of the Radishes. The event sounded so magical I knew I had to see it. In 1997, on the 100th Anniversary of La Noche de los Rabanos, I visited the romantic and mysterious Oaxaca City, a feast of colors, tastes, pageantry, and festivals. When I began writing Naomi's story and she evolved into a soap carver, my imagination rushed me back to Oaxaca. Or was it Oaxaca's spell that first mesmerized me, and inspired the lioness, Naomi León?"

source: http://www.pammunozryan.com/naomi.html

I personally have never carved anything out of soap or radishes or.. out of material. I've thought about it before. I think it would be really cool. But I wouldn't even know where to begin. It actually seems really hard, and rather intimidating. So I looked up how to do it. The Ivory soap website really breaks it down for newbies.

What You’ll Need to Begin
Soap carving can be simple and inexpensive. You’ll need:
• A large bar of Ivory soap – Ivory's shape and texture are ideal for carving
• A paring knife
• 1-2 orangewood sticks used for manicures
• Pencil and paper for sketching
• Optional – Large tray to hold soap chips from carving Unwrap the soap and let it dry for a day. Scrape off the lettering and any raised edges before beginning.

1. Developing Your Design
Begin with a simple design. Start with solid, basic shapes with simple cuts or extensions. Sketch your idea on paper first.

2. From Design to Soap Carving
• If you have a clear mental picture of your idea or have carved before, you can begin by carving directly on the soap.
• Or, you can use the orangewood stick to outline a rough sketch on each surface before you carve.
• Beginners may want to sketch or use a pre-existing pattern on paper and trace it onto the soap.

3. Begin with Rough Cuts
The actual carvings begin with rough cuts that remove the large parts of the soap not necessary for your design.
• Place the soap on the table or tray.
• If you are right-handed, hold the soap with your left hand and start cutting at the upper right-hard corner. (If left-handed, use the opposite hand.)
• Leave about 1/4" margin beyond your outlined sketch to allow for mistakes and more detailed work later.
• Cut clear through the bar, removing excess soap all the way around.
• ALWAYS CUT AWAY ONLY SMALL PIECES OR SLICES. Soap often breaks if cut in big chunks.
4. Adding the Details
• After the first cuts, you may find it more comfortable to use the knife as if peeling a potato. Continue to stay 1/8" to 1/4" away from your sketch guidelines to allow for finer work later.
• As you work, keep turning the soap, always keeping the shape of the piece in mind. Step back from time to time to look at the entire piece.
• Watch your high points -- those that jut out farthest from the surface -- and your low points -- those farthest in.
• Carve gradually from the high points toward the deepest cuts. Your knife point is useful for this.
• Don't try to finish any one part in detail before another.
• When the piece is almost finished, smooth rough edges with the knife’s edge and mark in details like eyes or ears with the knife tip or an orangewood stick.


5. Polishing
• Allow your sculpture to dry for a day or two.
• Then, rub it with a soft paper napkin, being careful not to break off corners or high points.
• Finish by rubbing it gently with finger tops or palm.


SOURCE: http://www.ivory.com/PureFun_IvoryProjects_SoapCarvingTips.htm

Project Mulberry

After reading Project Mulberry, I noticed how much of an influence other children have on students. From my understanding, the only reason Julia did not want to do Silkworms as her project was because it was 'too Korean.' The children had already called her different names and had even been rude when it came to the different smells of her house. When one of Julia's friends came over her house she boldly asked Julia what that sick smell was. "The first time she came over to play, she stopped dead in the entryway and said, 'Eww! What's that smell (Pg. 2)?" All because of this girl and two of her other friends Julia began despising her own culture. It just goes to show you how just one simple sentence a friend says can make children question their own identity. It's impressive how much an impact children have on other children. I thought the book showed a good representation of how she overcame the negative comments told to her.

talking about diversity

I found this website about talking diversity issues with children (when you feel most uncomfortable).

Don’t assume that the statement isn’t coming from an experiential basis.

Talk to your child about the similarities and differences between themselves and others.

Educate yourself and model openness to learning about cultural assumptions and characteristics.

Pay attention to your own conscious and unconscious stereotypes and behaviors.

Expose your child to cultural traditions as part of their typical experience.

Don’t make or share assumptions based on media or isolated experiences alone.

Practice talking and explaining cultural characteristics and answers to your child.

source: http://www.alliancefordiversity.org/resources/handout_talkingwithchildren.shtml

I think this class is really amazing because it exposes us to books that we normally may have never been exposed to. During class there are topics that come up that make some of us uncomfortable. As teachers, we can't always know what topics are going to come up in the classroom. There is a very good chance a topic will come up that makes us uncomfortable, but I think that makes discussing such a topic all the more important. We need to be exposed to all sorts of topics on diversity, we need to research them and become knowledgeable on them, so that we can effectively talk about it with our children, our students. I think this list from the alliance ford diversity website is really helpful. I like how it points out that we need to pay attention to our own inner stereotypes and behaviors, unconscious or not. Lord forbid we pass on any stereotypes or negative behaviors to our children or students. The best way to expose our children/students to topics of diversity is by.. drum roll please... TALKING to them. By talking with them we can answer their questions, their doubts, and clear up any misconceptions before these things develop into negative stereotypes. Children watch tv and read magazines, and these forms of media can offer really negative/untrue images. These biased points of view need to be explained to our students/children so that they can identify these views as being untrue, and therefore be able challenge the views portrayed by the media on their own.

Salvador Late or Early

Salvador Late or Early, by Sandra Cisneros

"Salvador with eyes the color of caterpillar, Salvador of the crooked hair and crooked teeth, Salvador whose name the teacher cannot remember, is a boy who is no one’s friend, runs along somewhere in that vague direction where homes are the color of bad weather, lives behind a raw wood doorway, shakes the sleepy brothers awake, ties their shoes, combs their hair with water, feeds them milk and cornflakes from a tin cup in the dim dark of the morning. Salvador, late or early, sooner or later arrives with the string of younger brothers ready. Helps his mama, who is busy with the business of the baby. Tugs the arms of Cecilio, Arturito, makes them hurry, because today, like yesterday, Arturito has dropped the cigar box of crayons, has let go the hundred little fingers of red, green, yellow, blue, and nub of black sticks that tumble and spill over and beyond the asphalt puddles until the crossing-guard lady holds back the blur of traffic for Salvador to collect them again.Salvador inside that wrinkled shirt, inside the throat that must clear itself and apologize each time it speaks, inside that forty-pound body of boy with its geography of scars, its history of hurt, limbs stuffed with feathers and rags, in what part of the eyes, in what part of the heart, in that cage of the chest where something throbs with both fists and knows only what Salvador knows, inside that body too small to contain the hundred balloons of happiness, the single guitar of grief, is a boy like any other disappearing out the door, beside the schoolyard gate, where he has told his brothers they must wait. Collects the hands of Cecilio and Arturito, scuttles off dodging the many schoolyard colors, the elbows and wrists crisscrossing, the several shoes running. Grows small and smaller to the eye, dissolves into the bright horizon, flutters in the air before disappearing like a memory of kites. "

I really like this poem. To me it is about poverty, and how kids can get lost in the cracks of the education system. It is about how we as teachers don't always know the life of our students outside the classroom. To me, the crayons represent how Salvador is depended on to pick up all the pieces, the fallen pieces, of his family. Salvador bears scars but has "limbs stuffed with feathers". He is still fragile. Life is forcing him to mature fast, but he is still a child. Salvador wants happiness. His chest "throbs with both fists"- he's fighting to hold on to keep from falling further behind, into the cracks. Salvador is going to do his best to get that bright future, and he's taking his brothers with him. When I read the line, "Grows small and smaller to the eye, dissolves into the bright horizon, flutters in the air before disappearing like a memory of kites." it makes me feel like it is getting harder and harder to save Salvador, or kids like Salvador, with each day that passes. As teachers we want to give our students that bright future they deserve.. Is it too LATE to help kids like Salvador? Or by opening our eyes can we catch these students EARLY enough to save them from falling into the cracks.. I certainly pray it is the former.

Controversial Children's Picture Books..

(according to amazon.com)

Standing Up by Marie-Anne Gillet; Isabelle Gilboux

"A book on a boy learning how to pee, as the title suggests, standing up."

Where Willy Went by Nicholas Allan

Willy is a fast swimming sperm and this story takes on a rather odd whimsical approach to the baby-making process, though it does provide some insight for youngsters on where babies come from."

In the Night Kitchen (Caldecott Collection) by Maurice Sendak

Challenged because of the little boy shown nude in the story, Sendak's classic has inspired some folks (even librarians) to draw clothes or glue clothes on him!"

And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell

"Based on the true story of two male penguins at the zoo who hatch and raise an orphaned chick, this book might take anthropomorphizing a bit far at times. But this book has folks up in arms for the implications it might have in the human world. Ages 6 and up."

The Un-Wedding by Babette Cole

"A startlingly different book on divorce where two kids whose parents hate each other have an "unwedding" for them. Not necessarily the most realistic approach to divorce for most."

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

"Yes, this good old classic has a controversy surrounding it: the picture of the author on the back originally had a cigarette in his hand, the publisher digitally erased it from later publications and hubbub ensued in the book community!"

The Lorax (Classic Seuss) by Dr. Seuss

"This classic by Dr. Seuess won the ire of the logging industry, who challenged it as negatively portraying said industry in this "tree hugger" book."

Where's Waldo?: Reissue by Martin Handford

"I'm unaware whether the reissue has the challenged pick, but apparently when most folks were looking for Waldo, someone found a lady with her bikini top off . . . furor naturally followed."

The Story of Ferdinand by Munro Leaf

"Not a recent controversy, but when Ferdinand came out it was challenged as promoting a pacifist agenda."

Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam

"Plenty of Halloween stuff gets challenged on the basis that it includes the occult and/or frightening images for children, this is one of the top challenged picture books on the subject."

The Story of Little Black Sambo by Helen Bannerman

Ah, a famous book for controversy, more for the pics than the story, since the boy in the story is actually Indian. Several reworkings of this are available that change the title and the images, but the classic tale still raises eyebrows."

Little Red Riding Hood by Trina Schart Hyman

"I think this is the version that was challenged on the basis of Red Riding Hood having wine in that basket she was taking to grandma . . ."

Sylvester and the Magic Pebble (Stories to Go!) by William Steig

"The biggest issue I've heard in regards to this Steig classic is that all the characters are animals of one sort or another. And Steig draws the police as--you guessed it--pigs."

Happy to Be Nappy (Jump at the Sun) by bell hooks

"Another book that's got mixed opinions. The idea of "nappy hair" seems to raise red flags, though the book is a positive image builder for gals that have this sort of hair."

Manneken Pis: A Simple Story of a Boy Who Peed on a War by Vladimir Radunsky

"Okay, don't know what I think of this book, except that it's definitely a book for boys! About a boy who stops a war by peeing on it."

Pinkerton, Behave! by Steven Kellogg

"Kellog's "bad dog" story may be funny, but many feel the burgaler holding a gun to the mother's head not once, but twice in pictures is just unacceptably scary for a picture book for young children."

The Sissy Duckling by Harvey Fierstein

"If you can't tell from the cover, there is a definite gay theme to this story by Harvey Fierstein, but there's also an objection to the use of "Sissy" as a positive thing, as the word is meant as an insult."

A Light in the Attic by Shel Silverstein

"This grandmaster of children's poetry is often challenged for his outrageous and often shocking poems. "Someone Ate the Baby" being an example."

The Amazing Bone (Reading Rainbow Book) by William Steig

"Another Steig on the list! Here there were objections because one of the animal characters uses tobacco."

The Five Chinese Brothers (Paperstar) by Claire Huchet Bishop

"This story of five brothers with special talents who manage to thwart execution is one I loved as a child. It's a folk tale with many versions, but this version has raised eyebrows because of its violent content, and for the non-PC character depictions."

The Stupids Have a Ball (Sandpiper) by Harry G. Allard

"This is the 27th most censored book on the ALA's top hundred challenged books from 1990-1999. Mostly for depicting family in a derogatory way."

The Rabbits' Wedding by Garth Williams

"Here's a historical one, this one was put on the reserve shelf in Alabama in 1959 because it depicted a black rabbit marrying a white rabbit. Thus, I suppose, interracial marriage. Wonder what they made of the Owl and the Pussycat . .

Little Zizi by Thierry Lenain

The most controversial children's books of all time...

(according to amazon.com)

His Dark Materials Trilogy (The Golden Compass; The Subtle Knife; The Amber Spyglass) by Philip Pullman

"Winner of every award you can imagine. The most recent young adult series under fire from the religious right mostly because the books author Philip Pullman, an atheist, says his books are about killing God."

The Higher Power of Lucky, by Susan Patron

"A winner of the Newberry Medal, the most prestigious award in children’s literature. But some libraries banned the book because of the word "scrotum.""


Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain

"The subject of racism has followed this classic as well as praise and contempt."

Heather Has Two Mommies: 10th Anniversary Edition (Alyson Wonderland) by Leslea Newman

"The book title says it all."

The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger

"An instant classic, one of the most significant literary works of the 20th century, immortalized when the murderer of Beatle John Lennon was found carrying a copy."

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

"Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, great reading, but has drawn a lot of heat beecause of racially derogatory language."

Daddy's Roommate (Alyson Wonderland) by Michael Willhoit

"Much like Willhoite's other book listed."

Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

"Another Newberry Medal winner, but this one has been accused of being satanic and promoting secular humanism."

Harry Potter Boxset Books 1-7 by J. K. Rowling

#7 on the list of The 100 Most Frequently Challenged Books..."

Forever . . . by Judy Blume

"Blume's tackles children's serious thoughts about sex and her candid portrayal of a teenage sexual relationship has been causing controversy since it was printed in 1975."

Asian Pacific American Award

History of the APAA
Founded in 1980 as the Asian/Pacific American Librarians Association (APALA)
Became part of the American Library Association (ALA) in 1982
Branched off from the Asian American Librarians Caucus (AALC)
A nonprofit organization

Purpose of APALA
To provide a forum for discussing problems of APA librarians.
To provide a forum for the exchange of ideas by APA librarians with other librarians.
To support and encourage library services to APA communities.
To recruit and mentor APA librarians in the library/information science professions.
To seek funding for scholarships in library/information science masters programs for APAs.
To provide a vehicle whereby APA librarians can cooperate with other associations and organizations having similar or allied interests.


According to http://www.apalaweb.org/about/aboutapala.htm

APALA Awards
Asian Pacific American Award for Literature
Honors work about Asian/Pacific Americans and their heritage on both literary and artistic merit
Three awards for illustrations in a picture book, youth literature and adult books


APALA Awards
Scholarship Award
Gives a student of Asian/Pacific background financial support
Must be enrolled in a master’s or doctoral degree
Must be working towards a degree in library and/or information science at a library school accredited by the ALA

APALA 2008 Award Winners
Adult Non-Fiction
Driven Out: The Forgotten War Against Chinese Americans By: Jean Pfaelzer
Illustration in Children Literature
Surfer of the Centruy By: Ellie Crowe, Illustrated by: Richard Waldrep
Young Adult Literature
Hiroshima Dreams By: Kelly Easton


Eligibility Requirements
These are a few of the several requirements for eligibility to receive the APALA award:
Works must be related to Asian/Pacific Heritage, not necessarily written by or illustrated by an Asian/Pacific American. The individual must be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident.
Anthologies or books containing the work of more than one author are not eligible.
Works must be originally written in English.
Works must have been published by a large publishing house, trade or small press/publisher located in the United States or one of its territories. Self-published works and exclusive internet publications are not eligible.

Who Decides?
Nominating Committee
Committee Charge: To nominate candidates for elective offices of APALA. The Nominating Committee shall consist of at least three past APALA presidents. The immediate past president shall be appointed chair.
The Literary Awards Committee
Committee Charge: To solicit nominations, review and vote for an award each for Adult Fiction, Illustration in Children's Literature, and Youth Literature.

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian

I know it was a couple of weeks ago when we were discussing Native Americans, but I stumbled across a book the other day worth mentioning. I pretty much live at Barnes and Nobel and the other day I came across a book called: The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian. I then realized it was by Sherman Alexie. I read his book "Indian Killer" over the summer and absolutely loved him. "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian" is Alexie's first book for young adults. The book is about this boy named Junior who loves to draw cartoons. He leaves his school on the Spokane Indian Reservation and attends an all-white high school. There's talk about the school's mascot, like when we read "Heart of a Chief" and I truly believe this book would be a good book to keep in mind for next year's class. I did like how "Heart of a Chief" was not about a boy in search of his identity, torn between two worlds, like many Native American novels. And although this book by Alexie discusses a Native American boy's attempts to break away from his heritage, and the struggle he has with his own identity, the story is based on a lot of Alexie's own experiences, so it has a very realistic feel. I'm really excited to read this book.

Bronx Masquerade

I really enjoyed reading the book "Bronx Masquerade". The book seemed very unique and unlike anything I have read before. I especially liked the way it was broken into stories and poems. Although the multi-vocal text was hard to keep up with at times, I enjoyed the different point of views. I think the majority of the class enjoyed the book also. The discussions in class seemed to be praising the book and thinking of how the format of the book contributed to the readers opinion of the book. I would definitely recommend this book to teachers in middle school or high school. I love poetry and I think this book did an excellent job of showing how poetry is a great way to express yourself, and to learn a lot about others.

Arab Stereotyping

Before I embark on reading "Habibi" by Naomi Shihab Nye for class, I wanted to address the topic of Arab stereotyping. After September 11th, this stereotyping reached a whole new level. And I'm ashamed to admit, I contribute(d)to it. No, I did not verbally discriminate anyone or through my actions make any one feel unwanted.. but to this day when I get on a plane and I see an Arab, 9/11 quickly comes to mind. I dismiss this thought for I know that it is immature to relate all Arabs to the terrorists attacks of that tragic September day. But for that quick second, that thought was there. And I feel bad for it. The thing is, I know I am not the only one who takes part in airline passenger profiling. It's sad to think of all the innocent Arabs and Muslims that were taken off planes or not allowed to board because of their ethnicity.

The stereotyping of Arabs goes back way before 9/11. Think of the Disney movie, "Aladdin". Aren't all the characters Arabic? Then why is it that Aladdin and the Princess, who conveniently look so American, are the ones we are rooting for, while Jaffar, with his strong Arabic physical characteristics, is deemed the evil one? Sure, I never really picked up on this as a child, but now that I see this negative stereotyping I can't NOT see it. Children are being exposed to these negative stereotypes before they even leave the house and enter into the real world. No wonder negative stereotypes still exist. You can't get away from them.




I hope that "Habibi" will address such stereotypes, and get its readers to not only acknowledge that such stereotypes exist, but inspire its readers to no longer take part in stereotyping.

Insider/Outsider debate

The "insider/outsider" debate is a very interesting debate, and honestly I don't know what side of the debate I stand on. I can see both sides. I would hate to limit writers and researchers by saying, you aren't white enough, black enough, female enough, gay enough, or so forth, so you can't write about a certain topic. How can I write a book about the troubles of being a certain thing, if I have never experienced first hand any of those troubles? How could I write about the inner turmoil or relief I felt coming out to my parents, if I never did that? How could I write about the pain my family still suffers due to the slavery imposed on them generations ago, if no one in my family was ever a slave? I really don't think I could do the literature justice.

At the same time, if I have done my research and I have talked to people who have experienced certain turmoils or victories, why can't a write about being white, black, female, gay, or so forth? Maybe I AM white but I grew up near a reservation, I experienced and saw first hand the turmoil of those living on the Native American reservation. I probably could write a very insightful piece of literature about living on a reservation, maybe even more so than someone who is Native American but did not grow up on a reservation. But I bet many members of society would critique me and say I am not Native American enough to be writing about Native Americans.

But how often does an outsider writer have this sort of background? Usually the outsider writer has an academic background, and has(hopefully)done research via books or interviews. Is this enough? Can this really capture the essence of someone's history, struggle, victory? In most cases.. no. Does this mean that this sort of literature serves no purpose? No. Outsider literature can still educate and inform its readers, just not to the degree insider literature can.

I guess I support outsider literature/perspective, but I strongly feel there is great need for insider perspective in literature.

Like I said, there is so much to consider when discussing this topic. I can see why it is so controversial.

Stereotyping American Indians

The book we have been reading, "The Heart of a Chief", has revolved around an important issue- that issue being the use of Indian names for team mascots. I found a website article that discussed recent cases.

http://www.tolerance.org/news/article_tol.jsp?id=1269

I find it so interesting how many schools or teams used Indian terms/names for mascots. I knew that there were such situations that existed, but there were so many more cases that I expected. The insensitivity really surprised me.

I really liked this site because it showed the stereotypes of Indians presented by Hollywood. The video on this site showed how Indians were described as savages, bloodthirsty. Check out the youtube videos on this site. It is really interesting.

http://www.aistm.org/1indexpage.htm

This was one of the videos from that site. Check it out. I think you'll really enjoy it.

Autobiographical Poem

Love.

Those dinners at Grandma’s where the family all gathers
To eat some Polish dish, which all somehow contain the same ingredients:
Meat, cheese, and potatoes
We laugh away our worries, we laugh away our doubts
Mainly, we just laugh at one another
Like how Grandma sneaks out for a smoke, claiming the dog has to pee
Or how loud my dad is snoring, though
later he’ll claim he never fell asleep
It’s the laughter, the sarcasm, the feeling of home
That makes me never want to grow up, never want to forget all the special moments
Never to forget those not so significant moments
Like seeing my parents wash the dishes together,
as my dad leans in to kiss her cheek
Like watching my brother and dad work on the car,
the smell of oil and grease in the air
I am in such a hurry to grow up and make a life for myself
As kids, we spend our time trying to be older than we really are
And then once we grow up, we spend our lives yearning for childhood
Life comes at us fast
Father is out of a job, mother leaves for work at 4am
The nation is at war, brother joins the military to do his part
Father has cancer, the fear overtakes us all
Prayer is mother’s answer for everything
Family is the most important thing in all our minds
Despite any obstacle, despite life’s obligations
Love keeps us together, keeps us moving forward
I will always be the baby, always kiss my parents goodnight
Because that is how I deal with things, I keep my family close and tight.

Hello!

My name is Amanda and I am currently enrolled in a diversity literature class. I am really excited to be taking this class. I took a similar class a year or so ago and I just loved it. I find it so interesting to explore the appearance of diversity, or lack of diversity, in children's and adolescent literature. I am not really good with blogs but I am also currently blogging for another class, so I am sure I will pick it up in no time. I am going into Elementary Education and I know a course such as this will be more than beneficial for me in when I have my own classroom.