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Social Justice and Class
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From: Megan Schliesman <schliesman_at_education.wisc.edu>
Date: Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:04:39 -0500
I agree that books depicting working class and poor families are not nearly as prevalent as middle class families (or, these days, fantasy novels), and yet when I really start looking at contemporary children's literature through this lens, I'm always surprised at the great books (especially novels; less so for picture books) I can identify that may not be specifically about class and economic issues but that nonetheless provide a strong portrayal of working class and economically struggling realities.
So I don't necessarily think books that portray working class or poor families are taboo; I do think the best writers stay true to what they can write about authentically, whether they have known economic hardship firsthand or have the insight and imagination to place their characters in that reality and do the work necessary to treat it with veracity.
Here are a few of my favorites, but I could come up with quite a few others:
Fighting Ruben Wolfe by Markus Zusak When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead Sprout by Dale Peck Creature of the Night by Kate Thompson Please Ignore Vera Deitz by A.S. King Lockdown by Walter Dean Myers Lucky for Good by Susan Patron
(I'll add that Suzanne Collins's "Gregor" fantasy series offers a poignant look at the economic struggles of Gregor's family in the overland world of New York City).
I think what is far less prevalent--and perhaps somewhat taboo--are books that directly confront class conflict, or rather, conflict between characters of different classes. Books such as Jacqueline Woodson's "I Hadn't Meant To Tell You This" or her "Maizon" series and Helen Frost's "Hidden" offer rich explorations of the lives of their characters and the challenges they face: all offer a contrast between characters of different classes struggling--for reasons that include and go beyond class--to find common ground. (Just as I was sending this I saw Lyn had posted noting that she is seeing more books addressing class differences--so good to know.)
Additionally, I wish there were more books showing characters of color living middle class lives. I think too often children's and young adult literature equates being black or Latino or American Indian--among the far too few books there are--with being poor. And absolutely the economic reality of poverty among too many people of color should be visible in children's literature. But it should not be the only reality reflected. (Yes, that's a bit of hyperbole.)
Megan
-- 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 Fri 04 Nov 2011 11:04:39 AM CDT
Date: Fri, 04 Nov 2011 11:04:39 -0500
I agree that books depicting working class and poor families are not nearly as prevalent as middle class families (or, these days, fantasy novels), and yet when I really start looking at contemporary children's literature through this lens, I'm always surprised at the great books (especially novels; less so for picture books) I can identify that may not be specifically about class and economic issues but that nonetheless provide a strong portrayal of working class and economically struggling realities.
So I don't necessarily think books that portray working class or poor families are taboo; I do think the best writers stay true to what they can write about authentically, whether they have known economic hardship firsthand or have the insight and imagination to place their characters in that reality and do the work necessary to treat it with veracity.
Here are a few of my favorites, but I could come up with quite a few others:
Fighting Ruben Wolfe by Markus Zusak When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead Sprout by Dale Peck Creature of the Night by Kate Thompson Please Ignore Vera Deitz by A.S. King Lockdown by Walter Dean Myers Lucky for Good by Susan Patron
(I'll add that Suzanne Collins's "Gregor" fantasy series offers a poignant look at the economic struggles of Gregor's family in the overland world of New York City).
I think what is far less prevalent--and perhaps somewhat taboo--are books that directly confront class conflict, or rather, conflict between characters of different classes. Books such as Jacqueline Woodson's "I Hadn't Meant To Tell You This" or her "Maizon" series and Helen Frost's "Hidden" offer rich explorations of the lives of their characters and the challenges they face: all offer a contrast between characters of different classes struggling--for reasons that include and go beyond class--to find common ground. (Just as I was sending this I saw Lyn had posted noting that she is seeing more books addressing class differences--so good to know.)
Additionally, I wish there were more books showing characters of color living middle class lives. I think too often children's and young adult literature equates being black or Latino or American Indian--among the far too few books there are--with being poor. And absolutely the economic reality of poverty among too many people of color should be visible in children's literature. But it should not be the only reality reflected. (Yes, that's a bit of hyperbole.)
Megan
-- 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 Fri 04 Nov 2011 11:04:39 AM CDT
