Multicultural Literature for Latino Bilingual Children: Their Words, Their Worlds

by Ellen Riojas Clark, Belinda Bustos Flores, Howard L. Smith, Daniel Alejandro González

Overview

This book presents theoretical, research based, and classroom practices that explore the use of multicultural children’s literature to support the linguistic, academic, and psychological development of Latino children in the process of becoming bilingual and acquiring English. The contributions cover a broad spectrum of issues related to the effective use of children’s literature with Bilingual Learners (BL), including identity development, critical pedagogy, biliteracy development, and holistic literacy instruction.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781475814927
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	11/25/2015
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	368
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 1.00(d)

About the Author

Ellen Riojas Clark, PhD is Professor Emerita of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies at The University of Texas at San Antonio. Her research examines self-concept, teacher identity, ethnic identity, efficacy, and Latino cultural studies. Belinda Bustos Flores, PhD is a Professor and Chair of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies at The University of Texas at San Antonio. Her research focuses on teacher development including self-concept, ethnic identity, efficacy, beliefs, teacher recruitment/retention, high stakes testing, and family cultural knowledge. Flores is founder of the Academy for Teacher Excellence. Howard L. Smith, PhD is an Associate Professor of Bicultural Bilingual Studies at the University of Texas at San Antonio. Dr. Smith conducts research and publishes in the areas of biliteracy, family literacy, and multiculturalism. Daniel Alejandro Gonzaléz, MA is a cultural researcher and ethnographic filmmaker from San Antonio, TX. His research examines identity formation in bicultural settings, inclusion and organizational structures in educational settings and communities in low-income areas. He has consulted and collaborated with organizations including public school districts, Academy for Teacher Excellence, NASA, Avance Inc., and others.

Table of Contents

Foreword: Literature in the Lives of Latino Children Alma Flora Ada Preface: Derrumbando Fronteras/Breaking Boundaries Ellen Riojas Clark and Belinda Bustos Flores Acknowledgments Part I. Framing the Discussions: Theory and Rationale Chapter 1: Multicultural Latino Children’s Literature: A Tool to Enrich the Lives and the Learning of Latino Bilingual Learners Ellen Riojas Clark and Belinda Bustos Flores Chapter 2: Exploring the Traditions of Latino Children's Literature: Beyond Tokenism to Transformation Howard L. Smith, Belinda Bustos Flores, and Daniel A. González Part II. Multicultural Children’s Literature Representing Latino’s Realities Chapter 3: Beyond Calaveras and Quinceañeras: Fostering Bilingual Latino Students’ Identity Development with Culturally Relevant Literature Jamie Campbell Naidoo and Ruth E. Quiroa Chapter 4: Cruzando Fronteras: Negotiating the Stories of Latino Immigrant and Transnational Children Patricia Sánchez and Maité Landa Chapter 5: Using Children’s Literature to Understand Values, Traditions, and Beliefs within Latino Family Systems Mari Riojas-Cortez and Raquel Cataldo Chapter 6: Culturally Relevant Literature for Latino Children in the Early Childhood Classroom Ysaaca Axelrod and Cristina Gillanders Part III. Multicultural Literature in the Content Areas: Language Arts, Social Studies, Science, and Mathematics Chapter 7: Embracing the Complexity of Language: Bringing all Forms of Knowledge into the Language Arts through Latino Children’s Literature Christina Passos DeNicolo Chapter 8: En el Aquel Entonces y Hoy en Día: Using Latino Children’s Literature to Situate Social Studies Education Mary Esther Huerta and Carmen Tafolla Chapter 9: Dichos y Adivinanzas: Literary Resources that Enhance Science Learning and Teaching in the Bilingual Classroom María Guadalupe Arreguín-Anderson and José Escalante Ruiz Chapter 10: Tiempo y Cultura: Exploring Latino Stories through Mathematics Carlos LopezLeiva and Yoo Kyung Sung Part IV: Multiple Modes of Multicultural Children’s Literature Chapter 11: Cultural Multiliteracies Integrating Technology in Latino Children’s Literature Lucila Ek, Sonia Sánchez, and Myria Jimena Guerra Chapter 12: Latino Children’s Literature in Picturebook Format Miriam Martinez, Nancy L. Roser, Angie Zapata, and Erin Greeter Chapter 13: Técnica Con Safos: Visual Iconography in Latino Picture Books As Tools for Cultural Affirmation Lettycia Terrones Chapter 14: Latino Children’s Literature and Literacy Practices as Social Imagination: Becoming a Culturally Efficacious Educator Belinda Bustos Flores, Ellen Riojas Clark, and Howard L. Smith Part V: Fuentes de Recursos Chapter 15: Realizing and Capitalizing on Our Cultural Literary Heritage: The Big Brown Elephant in the Room Oralia Garza de Cortés Postscript: Personal Foundations, Present Realities, and Future Productions Daniel Alejandro González Una Fuente de Recursos: Resources for Teachers and Children 1.List of Suggested Latino Children’s Books Latino Daniel Alejandro González and Amanda A. Hernandez 2.Recommended Books in Spanish for Children Oralia Garza de Cortés 3.PROFESSIONAL MULTICULTURAL RESOURCES Daniel Alejandro González and Amanda A. Hernandez Index About the Contributors

Editorial Reviews

A comprehensive professional development resource that centers on Latino children’s literature and its inclusion and use in school settings. . . .This work positions this literature in a sociocultural, historical, and political context that successfully brings theories to praxis and always encourages educators to keep in mind the bicultural and bilingual young readers of these books. . . .Verdict: An important volume for a variety of audiences: educators—including those teaching non-English speakers—education and library school professors and students, book reviewers, and librarians.” —School Library Journal

“Multicultural Literature for Latino Bilingual Children is a must read for anyone interested in literacy teaching and learning today. The editors and scholar-educators who contributed chapters offer vital insights, theoretical rationale and practical applications that will help teachers, librarians, parents and others to draw on the rich linguistic and cultural resources of children and their communities through focused engagement with Latino children’s literature. This sorely needed volume provides valuable resources and will stimulate further discussion to strengthen literacy education in a pluralistic society.” —Jesse Gainer, director of the Tomás Rivera Children's Book Award, Associate Professor of Literacy Education, Texas State University

“This book provides a valuable update to the field of Latino children’s literacy and literature, with particular emphasis on literature as a force for maintaining cultural and linguistic heritage. The editors go beyond discussing the literature itself, to discussing the broader sociolinguistic contexts of bilingual Latino children. Chapter Two provides a brief but lucid historical overview of Latino children’s books and the antecedents for those works. Each chapter ends with valuable resources such as checklists and discussion questions to help librarians and faculty integrate authentic Latino children’s literature into their practices.” —Denice Adkins, Associate Professor, School of Information Science & Learning Technologies, University of Missouri

“Given the growing Latino/a presence in our schools and nation, Multicultural Literature for Latino Bilingual Children could not have come at a better time. This treasure trove of insights, resources, and references fills an enormous gap in the field. Written by experts in bilingual education and children’s literature, this book provides teachers, librarians, families, and others with a valuable resource for making Latino/a children visible in our schools and society. It’s about time!” —Sonia Nieto, Professor Emerita in Language, Literacy, and Culture at the College of Education, University of Massachusetts, Amherst

“Multicultural Literature for Latino Bilingual Children is detailed and scholarly, with contributions from a wide variety of experts. This book finally meets the challenge of addressing a need that has been lingering for decades, the need for bilingual children's books. Anyone interested in education, family literacy, or children's literature will find a vast wealth of ideas all gathered together in a single volume. Highly recommended!” —Margarita Engle, Newbery Honor-Winning author of "The Surrender Tree/El Árbol de la Rendición"

From the Publisher

Multicultural Literature for Latino Bilingual Children is detailed and scholarly, with contributions from a wide variety of experts. This book finally meets the challenge of addressing a need that has been lingering for decades, the need for bilingual children's books. Anyone interested in education, family literacy, or children's literature will find a vast wealth of ideas all gathered together in a single volume. Highly recommended!

Margarita Engle

This book provides a valuable update to the field of Latino children’s literacy and literature, with particular emphasis on literature as a force for maintaining cultural and linguistic heritage. The editors go beyond discussing the literature itself, to discussing the broader sociolinguistic contexts of bilingual Latino children. Chapter Two provides a brief but lucid historical overview of Latino children’s books and the antecedents for those works. Each chapter ends with valuable resources such as checklists and discussion questions to help librarians and faculty integrate authentic Latino children’s literature into their practices.

Denice Adkins

Given the growing Latino/a presence in our schools and nation, Multicultural Literature for Latino Bilingual Children could not have come at a better time. This treasure trove of insights, resources, and references fills an enormous gap in the field. Written by experts in bilingual education and children’s literature, this book provides teachers, librarians, families, and others with a valuable resource for making Latino/a children visible in our schools and society. It’s about time!

Sonia Nieto

Multicultural Literature for Latino Bilingual Children is a must read for anyone interested in literacy teaching and learning today. The editors and scholar-educators who contributed chapters offer vital insights, theoretical rationale and practical applications that will help teachers, librarians, parents and others to draw on the rich linguistic and cultural resources of children and their communities through focused engagement with Latino children’s literature. This sorely needed volume provides valuable resources and will stimulate further discussion to strengthen literacy education in a pluralistic society.   

Jesse Gainer