From: Megan Schliesman <schliesman>
Date: Tue, 08 Sep 2009 12:09:39 -0500

Thanks to Greg Leitich Smith for sharing the link to the bibliography he and Cynthia Leitich Smith have compiled on Cynthia's web site.

I also like the Paper Tigers web site (http://www.papertigers.org/) for reviews and some great discussion/perspectives on literature in general.

And of course there is the Asian/Pacific American Award for Literature at

http://www.apalaweb.org/awards/awards.htm#AWARD_FOR_LITERATURE

I think the importance of reliable resources cannot be overstated. Many librarians and teachers have the knowledge and insight to evaluate a book from a literary perspective, but how do we know if it is authentic and accurate from a cultural perspective?

Are there other sties or recommended lists you woud suggest for Asian/Pacific American literature?

I also want to mention Mitali Perkins's terrific article in the April 2009 School Library Journal: "Straight Talk on Race: Challenging the Stereotypes in Kids Books." Her article begins with her discussing her experience growing up in two worlds; "the traditional Bengali heritage inside our home and the contemporary California of my suburban peers." She talks about what it was like to be a lover of books and the books that were available. Her piece is not specifically about evaluating books about Asian/Pacific experience, but challenges how we can think about all chidlren's and young adult literature. You can read it at:

http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6647713.html

Mega




Greg Leitich Smith wrote:
> Hi-
>
> Most of you know this already, but Cynthia and I have an extensive
> bibliography of Asian American children's literature at:
>
> http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/lit_resources/diversity/asian_am/asia
> n_am.html
>
>
> And a page of resources on adoption at:
>
> http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/lit_resources/diversity/adoption.html
>
>
> Also of interest to me as a hapa is that we're starting to see more
> books with mixed-race kids (although not, perhaps, many written by
> mixed-race authors themselves)
>
> http://www.cynthialeitichsmith.com/lit_resources/diversity/multiracial/m
> ulti_race_intro.html
>
>
> Greg
>
> Greg Leitich Smith
> NINJAS, PIRANHAS, AND GALILEO
> TOFU AND T.REX
> SANTA KNOWS
>
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-- 
Megan Schliesman, Librarian
Cooperative Children's Book Center
School of Education, University of Wisconsin-Madison
600 N. Park Street, Room 4290
Madison, WI  53706
608/262-9503
schliesman at education.wisc.edu
www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/

Received on Tue 08 Sep 2009 12:09:39 PM CDT