4/4/2007
7
Common
Pitfalls in Selecting Multicultural Books for Children:
Limited
availability of criticism that addresses
accuracy,
authenticity, and related problem often
leads
to a major pitfall for teachers seeking
multicultural
books.
Teachers
are sometimes caught by the unexamined
assumption
that a book is multicultural and worthwhile
if
it has non-European American characters or themes
and
is critically acclaimed in well-known journals.
For
example, Native American scholars Reese and
Caldwell-Wood
found several problems when they
examined
popular picture books written and illustrated
by
European Americans in which Native American people
or
ideas play a central role.
