From: Scott, John <jscott_at_friendsbalt.org>
Date: Sun, 06 Nov 2011 10:42:33 -0500

Sent from my phone, please pardon my typos! CCBC Network digest wrote: CCBC-NET Digest for Saturday, November 05, 2011.

1. Re: social justice and class 2. inequality and social justice in Children's Literature 3. Re: inequality and social justice in Children's Literature


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Subject: Re: social justice and class From: Karen MacPherson Date: Sat, 05 Nov 2011 09:01:40 -0600 X-Message-Number: 1

A favorite book of mine that highlights the class distinction issue is "Roller Skates," a Newbery Medal-winning book by Ruth Sawyer. It tells the story of a wealthy and curious girl named Lucinda who spends a life-changing year exploring a side of New York City that she wouldn't ordinarily get to see. Despite the book's old-fashioned cover (I just CAN'T get kids to see past that cover, sigh), there are some intense moments, including a death, in this book as Lucinda meets and bonds with people whose financial situations are very different from hers.

Cheers,

Karen MacPherson, children's & teen librarian, Takoma Park Maryland Library and children's book reviewer, Scripps Howard News Service


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Subject: inequality and social justice in Children's Literature From: Miriam Lang Budin Date: Sat, 05 Nov 2011 18:49:03 -0400 X-Message-Number: 2

Here are some recent titles.

I love Laura Resau's A STAR IN THE FOREST which was published in 2010 and deals with the family of an undocumented Mexican who's deported and his family which is left in the US. The protagonist (elementary school aged, if I remember correctly) had been on the periphery of the "in crowd" at school, but that all changes as her family struggles.

This year Resau published THE QUEEN OF WATER which is for older readers and was--for me--revelatory about the inequalities that persist in Ecuador for indigenes.

Ralph Fletcher's ALSO KNOWN AS ROWAN POHI (2011) is about a high school kid who, together with his buddies, invents a boy who applies to the exclusive boarding school in their town. When "Rowan" is accepted, the protagonist assumes his identity and tries to fit in.

And how about Frank Cottrell Boyce's THE UNFORGOTTEN COAT? (2011) Again, undocumented immigrants, this time they're Mongolians in Liverpool.

I have to add that issues of social justice always make me think of the fine non-fiction of Ellen Levine.

Miriam

Miriam Lang Budin Head of Children's Services Chappaqua Library, NY


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Subject: Re: inequality and social justice in Children's Literature From: Lisa Von Drasek Date: Sat, 05 Nov 2011 20:04:15 -0400 X-Message-Number: 3

The book that most often comes to mind when I am thinking of economic diversity is Amber was Brave and Essie was Smart by Vera B. Williams. This is the book that speaks to our kids. It reflects the experience of those who must care for themselves after school. To those who don't have enough to eat or are experiencing their families worries about money and jobs. Missing parents who are absent because of drug abuse, mental illness, criminal mistakes and/or divorce as well as travel for work.

Lisa Von Drasek Children's Librarian Bank Street College of Education School for Children Pre-K- 8 610 West 112th St NY NY 10025

lisav_at_bnkst.edu

212 875 4452

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Received on Sun 06 Nov 2011 10:42:33 AM CST