CCBC-Net Archives
Re: Multicultural Statistics for 2013
- Contemporary messages sorted: [ by date ] [ by subject ] [ by author ]
From: Nancy Tolson <ananse.nancy_at_gmail.com>
Date: Tue, 04 Feb 2014 09:18:11 -0600
Every birthday party that my children were ever invited to (and that was a lot) the child would receive a Black childrenšs book. Living in Iowa with a great indy bookstore, Prairie Lights, I had the opportunity to walk in and find multicultural childrenšs picture books and YA books without a struggle. My children had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful authors in that place.
Ed is right about marketing. I recall Barnes and Noble would not purchase Tony Medinašs Love to Langston at first for that exact same reason (Ed I think you were on the farm at that time with that conversation). K.T. what you stated is the true vicious cycle Barnes and Noble has a teeny collection of multicultural books. I get angry every time I go in. I have never seen more than one other person of color besides myself there (unless I brought them). I moved back to a community after 5 years away, the same Black adult books are still on the shelves that were there when my courses ran at the university some with new covers and just a few new published books. So that covers the adult section.
While the neighborhood public library has a wonderful collection of multicultural books. The pages are used, the covers are worn and I watch families in there all the time (it is beautiful). What Barnes and Noble should do is send someone over there to see the potential purchasing power and think about providing some community service.
For parents of color - Why go to a bookstore if all that is there is white childrenšs books? That is offensive. People of color donšt spend money in Barnes and Nobles because they donšt carry the books. (Not saying that multicultural books are the only books purchased . . . but). Barnes and Noble doesnšt carry the books because people of color donšt come in and buy them. (This month they pulled them out). White people donšt buy the books because they are not there . . . for anyone to buy. Vicious cycle.
Alexis DeVeaus is right. Yes purchasing a book is a political act especially when it is a multicultural one.
Nancy
Date: Tue, 04 Feb 2014 09:18:11 -0600
Every birthday party that my children were ever invited to (and that was a lot) the child would receive a Black childrenšs book. Living in Iowa with a great indy bookstore, Prairie Lights, I had the opportunity to walk in and find multicultural childrenšs picture books and YA books without a struggle. My children had the opportunity to meet so many wonderful authors in that place.
Ed is right about marketing. I recall Barnes and Noble would not purchase Tony Medinašs Love to Langston at first for that exact same reason (Ed I think you were on the farm at that time with that conversation). K.T. what you stated is the true vicious cycle Barnes and Noble has a teeny collection of multicultural books. I get angry every time I go in. I have never seen more than one other person of color besides myself there (unless I brought them). I moved back to a community after 5 years away, the same Black adult books are still on the shelves that were there when my courses ran at the university some with new covers and just a few new published books. So that covers the adult section.
While the neighborhood public library has a wonderful collection of multicultural books. The pages are used, the covers are worn and I watch families in there all the time (it is beautiful). What Barnes and Noble should do is send someone over there to see the potential purchasing power and think about providing some community service.
For parents of color - Why go to a bookstore if all that is there is white childrenšs books? That is offensive. People of color donšt spend money in Barnes and Nobles because they donšt carry the books. (Not saying that multicultural books are the only books purchased . . . but). Barnes and Noble doesnšt carry the books because people of color donšt come in and buy them. (This month they pulled them out). White people donšt buy the books because they are not there . . . for anyone to buy. Vicious cycle.
Alexis DeVeaus is right. Yes purchasing a book is a political act especially when it is a multicultural one.
Nancy
---
You are currently subscribed to ccbc-net as: ccbc-archive_at_post.education.wisc.edu.
To post to the list, send message to: ccbc-net_at_lists.wisc.edu
To receive messages in digest format, send a message to...
ccbc-net-request_at_lists.wisc.edu
...and include only this command in the body of the message:
set ccbc-net digest
CCBC-Net Archives
The CCBC-Net archives are available to all CCBC-Net listserv members. The archives are organized by month and year. A list of discussion topics (including month/year) is available at http://www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/ccbcnet/archives.asp
To access the archives, go to:
http://ccbc.education.wisc.edu/ccbc-net
and enter the following:
username: ccbc-net
password: Look4Posts
Received on Tue 04 Feb 2014 09:24:47 AM CST
