Book Reviews

You will select and evaluate 3 children’s books from your childhood and 3 other children’s books from the following lists.

https://www.ala.org/advocacy/literacy/inclusive-booklists
https://diversebookfinder.org/books/
https://www.weareteachers.com/childrens-books-about-disabilities/
https://www.ala.org/alsc/sites/ala.org.alsc/files/content/awardsgrants/bookmedia/caldecottmedal/caldecott-medal-honors-to-present.pdf
For each book you review, complete the following tasks.
-Read the book and attend to the pictures.
-Think critically about the book using the Derman-Spark article as a guide for considering the pictures and words.

• Respond in writing to the following prompts about how well the book affirms self-concept, teaches accurate (or misleading) information about people of various identities, and fosters positive (or negative) attitudes about diversity.
  1) Provide the following information about the book: Title, copyright date, author, and illustrator.
  2) Evaluate the illustrations:
  Look for Stereotypes – Are they present? If so, how and where?
  Look for tokenism – If present, how and where do you see it?
  3) Evaluate the relationships between characters – Who has power? Whose voices are centered? Who are the doers and achievers? Who are the problem makers?
  4) Evaluate the lifestyles depicted – Are their assumptions? Is there value placed on different lifestyles? Is it current and/or real?
  5) Evaluate the effect on self and social identity – Does the book reinforce or counteract messages that teach children to feel inferior or superior because of their skin color, gender, family income, abilities, or type of family structure?
  6) Review the copyright date. How current is the book? Evaluate if the copyright date matters based on the content.
  7) Describe the appeal – Is the book interesting and appealing to young children? What age group would be most interested in this book?
  8) Summary thoughts –
  After responding to each of the previous prompts, what are your thoughts about the appropriateness of the book for affirming children’s concepts about themselves and others?
  Describe how you might use the book in your classroom OR if you would not use the book, explain why.