I’ve been looking for some for the last several days — apparently Ethan has been on the receiving end of racist sentiments at school recently, and he’s really confused and hurt by it. Because E is such a big reader, I figured we could look at something together and talk about it. My conversations with him have been trying because I’ve hardly ever been on the receiving end of racism and because other than explaining the concept itself, agreeing that it’s incredibly unfair and hurtful, and telling him that it’s not his fault, I don’t know where to go from there.
My online searches have been really unfruitful. All I can find online are fictional narratives for older kids, like these, and essays on how to scan your children’s books for racism, sexism, and intolerance, which is something I already do anyway and nevertheless doesn’t address the immediate need at hand. I need something more explanatory for an advanced reader in the second grade, and preferably, something extra inclusive that deals with racism against all people of color.
Does anyone have any suggestions?
UPDATE: I refined my search and came up with the series Asian Americans of Achievement, which isn’t quite what I’m looking for, but it’s a start. I also want this one for myself.
I’m dropping money on this book on pay day.
UPDATE II: Lubu has a fantastic round up on Asian-American resources thanks in part to Rethinking Schools.
We were one of five black families in our town, so I learned the pain racism can cause much earlier than I’m sure my parents hoped. I understand what he’s going through, and I’m very sorry that it’s happening.
As for book recommendations, my parents always gave me biographies of civil rights leaders, and encouraged me to learn all I could about that struggle. Seeing people who looked like me making a difference in the world was really helpful. I don’t know if that’s what you’re looking for though.
Good luck.
Thanks, Aja! I’ve been eyeing some of the books on civil rights leaders, but one of the issues we ran into tonight is that Ethan, because he’s partly of Asian heritage, doesn’t connect the black civil rights movement to why he’s experiencing what he’s experiencing personally. I was trying to help him draw the connections but it seemed over his head — and much of that seems to be the personal hurt. He is very familiar with Dr. King, so I definitely plan to expand on that, but it would be great if I could find something on the Asian-American experience for kids.
Are you looking for something that employs metaphor or do you want something more direct?
I was hoping for something more direct.
Hi Lauren,
Not sure if this is the type of thing you are looking for, http://ricedaddies.blogspot.com is a site written from the perspective of fathers of Asian children in public schools, with some of the goals being community, education and advancing ideas of inclusion. There is also a link to a site entitled “Myself & Others” written by a woman who teaches kindergarten in San Francisco and often gears her classes to age appropriate cultural diversity as well as Asian American empowerment exercises in self perception etc. Even if they don’t have any book recommendations specifically, they seem as if they’d be able to provide direction. Good luck.
Let me ask around tomorrow at work. A woman I work with has an Asian mother and a white dad. She might know of something that would work.
Check with Ethan’s school librarian and maybe she can guide him to suitable books.
What kind of comments/actions has he been experiencing? If he seems too upset, he may want to talk to his school guidance counselor.
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American Born Chinese by Gene Yang is an extraordinary piece of work – one of my favorite comicbooks of the past couple years
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that said, it is not a comicbook written for kids – one character (Cousin Chin-Kee) is based entirely upon racist caricatures of Chinese people – the character is utilized in a subversive fashion, eventually revealing himself to be an empty delusion, a product of ignorance & (self)hate, but it does require one know the history behind such caricature in order to get what Yang is doing
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here’s an interesting bit with Yang about stereotypes
http://firstsecondbooks.typepad.com/mainblog/2007/05/gene_yang_on_st.html
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also, the publisher has a set of lesson plans for the book (for middle-schoolers)
http://www.firstsecondbooks.com/teachers/abcLesson.html
My workmate doesn’t have any book recommendations. But, she had some interesting things to say about the situation.
She talked of her own child and how he isn’t a very good witness to his own life. I’ll email you more about it offline.
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hello again – here’s another suggestion – do you know about Kip Fulbeck’s “Part Asian, 100% Hapa” project? it might be worth checking out – seeing all the faces Fulbeck has photographed may help Ethan locate himself in a larger continuum/community
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here’s some websites on the project
http://www.janm.org/exhibits/kipfulbeck/home
http://www.seaweedproductions.com/hapa/
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here’s the book – it’s really nicely done – folks who come to my bookstore often sit for a long time just leafing through it – we’ve had many people thank us simply for carrying it
http://www.chroniclebooks.com/index.php?main_page=pubs_product_book_info&products_id=5532&store=books
billieb, considering that I’ve tried to contact the counselor on many occasions and he’s never bothered to even attempt to call me back, I’m a little unimpressed.
jam, I just ordered American Born Chinese and 100% Hapa. ABC is actually a perfect example of what I was trying to get ahold of — Ethan and I were really having problems talking about stereotypes, partly because I was so bothered that he was asking for specific stereotypes about the Chinese in America. I find the stereotypes so bothersome that I was loathe to perpetuate them. I’m excited that the book has this kind of awful, stereotyped character that seems to be used in a clever way with, again, a clever resolution — it seems like a perfect learning tool. I know it’s a little bit old for him, but he’s really into graphic novels right now and I think he’ll definitely get into the book.
My first lessons in racial stereotypes was watching how my parents were treated differently (hello intersectionality!).
Unfortunately, in the mid-90’s there was almost nothing to help explain what this meant. The books available were mostly “look at this odd species” type. It was kind of like reading a book about types of penguins or something. I would avoid these.
Sadly, I did not meet anyone who checked both the Asian and Caucasian boxes until college. I spent a good chunk of freshman year comparing notes;)
Things are getting better though.
Here are some suggestions (solicited and unsolicited):
1) Print out some Secret Asian Man comics.
2) Expose Ethan to multiple famous people or literary characters who share his race. Obviously, his heroes can be of any race or culture, but it’s too easy to form new stereotypes if you’re limited to Connie Chung, the yellow ranger, and your mama. See also: Jackie Chan, Jack from Will and Grace. Call it when you see it.
3) Help Ethan understand that he isn’t responsible for teaching the world about multiculturalism. If someone asks “Where are you REALLY from?”, you’re allowed to blow them off (I provide latitude and longitude).
Not every moment has to be teachable.
Have discussions, but avoid pointing out every single thing you see. Be careful that you role model a life of being, not just explaining, who you are.
Um, that was an essay. Sorry, back to engineering homework. This is why I rarely blog.
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another great book is “What Are You? Voices of Mixed-Race Young People” by Pearl Fuyo Gaskins – as with ABC, it’s aimed at older readers, but it could work well as a book to read/explore together
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here’s the main website
http://www.whatareyou.com/
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here’s the publisher’s website – no direct link unfortunately as they use clunky frames so just search for the title, it should come right up (the isbn is 0805059687)
http://www.henryholtchildrensbooks.com/search.htm
Lauren, I just put up a post that has several links on resources for Asian American students; you may want to go check that out (no, not shamelessly blogwhoring—I just posted on some of the articles in the latest copy of Rethinking Schools magazine, and fleshed out some of the stuff with links).
Lauren, consider the difficulty in finding a book on this subject a blessing. I think it reveals that there’s a vacuum in children’s literature. So write your own book! Yeah, I know I’m always pressing you to write some stuff, but I think this would be perfect. You have a degree in Elementary Education (English), don’t you? And it’s a subject that obviously interests you, right? Plus, you have one hell of a proofreader living with you. So go for it.
Writing children’s books is difficult. Some universities actually offer an MFA in this area. But I think you stumbled on a weak spot in the market–you discovered something that hasn’t been done before. Maybe if these kids at school who are messing with Ethan had books on racism earlier in their lives, Lil E wouldn’t be having so many insults thrown his way. I think it’d be a good project for the two of you.
To Kill a Mokingbird is an excellent book about racism, but it may be for the older kids.