From: Peggy Rader <rader004>
Date: Thu, 12 Jul 2001 15:51:25 -0500

Amy Krahn says she would like to read a book by an African-American author who writes from a white-person perspective. May I recommend (not a children's book) "dem" by William Melvin Kelley, published currently by Coffee House Press. It is often entertaining, frequently disturbing, and always challenging, especially to white readers, I would guess. It certainly riled up my (all-white) Minneapolis book group.

This has been an extremely interesting conversation, especially since I have not yet read these books. I will say that I believe race does matter in deep, fundamental ways. Might I suggest something to authors and potential authors who believe we need more children's literature representing realities beyond the dominant Eurocentric culture? Reconsider trying to write those books and instead reach out to and mentor potential authors from non-dominant cultures. Support them in their work of telling their own stories in their own voices to all of our children.

Peggy J. Rader rader004 at umn.edu
Received on Thu 12 Jul 2001 03:51:25 PM CDT