Multicultural and Ethnic Children's Literature in the United States (review)

The title of Donna L. Gilton's book—Multicultural and Ethnic Children's Literature in the United States—might lead the unsuspecting reader to see the book as a critical text analyzing children's literature from nondominant ethnic groups. However, as Gilton states in the opening paragraph of the introduction, "the purpose of this work is to describe the many initiatives taken by people committed to multiculturalism in the field of U.S. children's literature, with emphasis on people of color" (1). She goes on to explain that she will discuss "the history of this field; general trends; multicultural initiatives and responses from the mainstream; specific initiatives from people of African descent, Latinos/as, Native Americans, Asian Americans and their supporters; and information about emerging groups, possible directions for research, and other conclusions" (1). In order to address this large topic, Gilton conducted extensive and valuable research, but the organization and presentation of her research results is sometimes repetitive and unfocused.

In her introductory chapter Gilton spends time discussing her terminology, starting with the two key terms in the title: multicultural and ethnic. Since these terms are used with a variety of definitions among critics, educators, librarians, and others, Gilton does well to explain her working definitions, although she admits that the terms are "almost—but not quiet—synonymous" (3). Gilton argues in the second half of the chapter that the passing on of culture is primarily seen through the development of educational practices. She generalizes debates about race, quoting George Yancey's four approaches to race relations, but she does not tie Yancey's work to the field of children's literature.

Gilton focuses more sharply on her topic in chapter 2, which is titled "A History of U.S. Multiculturalism." This chapter is based heavily on the work of educationalists such as Diane Ravitch, Gerald L. Gutek, and Victoria-Maria MacDonald. In the section "Looking in the Funhouse Mirror: Cultural Stereotypes," Gilton notes Shakespeare's use of stereotypes and the fact that both George Washington and Thomas Jefferson were slave owners. She continues the section by summarizing Donnarea MacCann's White Supremacy in Children's Literature: Characterizations of African Americans, 1830–1900 (1998). Gilton mentions a number of other critical texts concerning stereotypes of African Americans in literature and film, such as Rudine Sims's Shadow and Substance: Afro-American Experience in Contemporary Children's Fiction (1982). However, she does not mention recent key works in the field of children's literature criticism, such as Katharine Capshaw Smith's Children's Literature of the Harlem Renaissance (2004) and Michelle Martin's Brown Gold: Milestones of African American Children's Picture Books, 1845–2002 (2004), both of which specifically discuss African American children's literature. Gilton does at times include information about other minorities, but her focus is on the development of positive depictions of African American characters in this chapter.

In chapter 3, titled "General Trends in the Field," Gilton begins by discussing the "general criticisms" of multiculturalism, especially as multiculturalism relates to the curricula used in schools. Gilton continues her educational leanings with the next section in this chapter, "Cultural Literacy and the Core Curriculum." The chapter comes to a close with didactically toned sections titled "What All Should Do," "A Room with a View: What Should America Look Like and Be?" and "Multicultural and International Resources," which are helpful for those readers who are looking for sources.

Chapter 4, titled "Specific Ethnic Initiatives and Conclusions," is a resource chapter of names, titles of books (but not children's literature books), and Web sites to visit for further information. She argues that each major ethnic group has emphasized certain activities within the field of children's literature:

African Americans have been documenting works by African American writers in the form of bibliographies and criticism of the literature . . . People working with the Latino/a community have also documented literature. . . . [and] have especially excelled in the marketing of programming, outreach, services...