From: Norma Jean Sawicki <nsawicki_at_nyc.rr.com>
Date: Wed, 15 May 2013 23:00:41 -0400

This discussion is interesting but a conclusion/conclusions cannot be made without putting the data in a deeper historical context. For each group examined….

One must know how many books were published and illustrated by people of the different groups in each year, and too, were any of those books worthy of Caldecott consideration in the year they were published. Was the book that won better, or not? I have no idea how one would come by that information but without it, the data on hand is without a proper historical context. I suspect there were many years in which there were not any picture books published by African Americans, etc.

Also, how is diversity defined? After World War II, Jews from Europe came to this country and wanted to pursue their interests in book publishing but at the time, most book publishers had been founded and were owned by wasps and Jews learned the doors were closed to them. They then founded their own publishing houses which continues to this day…Simon & Schuster, Random House, Alfred A. Knopf, Crown, and others. Playing devil's advocate, why is it that Jewish illustrators are excluded from this study, and others? From the chair in which I sit, the subject/study of diversity in children's books is in the eye of the beholder…which groups are chosen? which are excluded? and why?

Lastly…books, as well as their creators, judges of awards, reviewers, etc., are a reflection of the society in which they were published and people lived. Surely, one does not expect members of the Caldecott committees in the 30s, 40s, 50s to have the sensibility of members of more recent committees who live in a different society/culture. Norma Jean
Received on Wed 15 May 2013 11:00:41 PM CDT