building your global library
DESCRIPTION
Resources for globalizing your children's and adolescent literature to address issues of availability, authenticity, and accessTRANSCRIPT
Build Your School’s Global Library
Kathy G. ShortUniversity of
ArizonaWorlds of Words
Why is Global Literature Significant?
Insights into how people live, feel and think around the world
Develop emotional connections and empathy as well as knowledge
Come to know own home culture and world beyond home
Recognize common values shared across cultures as well as unique differences of each culture
See how people of world view themselves, not just how we view them
Story as Meaning-Making
Story is how we make sense of our experiences
Narrative is a primary act of mind Our world view is a web of interconnected
stories Scientific theories are just bigger stories The ways in which we story are culturally-
based.
Say Something
Two people share the reading of a text One person begins reading aloud and reads
for several paragraphs until that person comes to a good stopping point.
Each person SAYS SOMETHING A connection, question, comment, or prediction.
The second person reads aloud the next section and then stops for both to say something.
What is an international book?
Originally published in another country for children of that country and later republished in the U.S.
Books set in world cultures, written and published in the U.S
Availability of Multicultural/Global Literature
2011 2010 2009 2008
Af/Af-A 123/79 156/102 157/83 172/85
Am Ind 28/12 22/9 33/12 40/9
As/Pac 91/76 64/60 80/67 98/77
Am Latino 58/52 66/55 61/60 79/48
Out of 3400-3500 books per year
Availability
Insiders to the culture who reside in that culture and write for children of
that culture Batchelder
Award/ALA
Kane/Miller
Translated Books
Insiders to the Culture Who Reside in the U.S. and Home Country
Immigrants to the U.S.
U.S. Authors who Write from Family Heritage
Authors/Illustrators who Spend Significant Time within a Culture
Authors Who Research a Culture
Authors who Collaborate with an Insider
Books written and published within a
specific culture
x Building Bridges Through Children’s and Young Adult Books x
Outstanding International Booksusbby.org
International Board of Books for Young People --- ibby.org
Notable Books for a Global Society International Reading Association
International Children’s Digital Library
Data BasesChildren’s Literature
Comprehensive Data base – requires a subscription
Titlewave – Follett – free to school librarians
Worlds of Words –wowlit.org
WOW Books – book search
Author’s Corner
My Take/Your Take
WOW Currents
Accuracy, Authenticity, and Representation
Extent to which a book reflects beliefs and values of a cultural group and depicts accurate details of everyday life and language for that group
• Diversity within any cultural group• Readers from within are able to feel affirmed that
what are reading rings true – “you know it when you see it.”
• Readers from another culture are able to identify and learn something of value about cultural similarities and differences
Accuracy Details of everyday life and language
Authenticity
Reflects the core values at the heart of the culture.
Believability – acts and thinks in a way that is viewed as possible by insiders
Representation The relationship of an individual book to
images of a specific culture within a collection of children’s books and society Having few available images overemphasizes
those that are present Over-representation of a particular theme or
image Power relationships -- who solves the problem Perspectives and audience
WOW Review
Critical book reviews that focus on cultural authenticity, accuracy, and representation
Provides background info on author and illustrator
Suggestions of related texts
Access for Students
Engaging students with global literature can be difficult because of :
Unfamiliar stylistic devices and terms Experiences and settings far removed from
children’s lives Struggle to make connections to go beyond
viewing global cultures as strange or exotic Adopting strategies that are tangential or in
opposition to global understandings
WOW Stories Publish vignettes from classroom teachers
and librarians on their use of global literature with students
Global Literacy Communities Resources
Language and Culture Book Kits Family Story Backpacks Cultural Community Back packs CREATE – www.createarizonal.edu
Paired Books
wowlit.org
WOWReviews
WOWStories
