Addressing Complexity

Addressing the complexity of the question of multicultural literature in the classroom, this anthology of 27 articles includes: contemplations by seven award-winning writers of young adult (YA) literature on the subject of diversity; a resource section that describes over 200 literary works and lists 50 reference tools to help teachers stay current on multicultural YA literature; and practical ideas from 16 educators who provide strategies proven to work in literature and language arts classes and across the curriculum. The articles and their authors are: "Island Blood" (Graham Salisbury); "Random Thoughts on the Passing Parade" (Janet Bode); "Multicultural Literature: A Story of Your Own" (Joyce Hansen); "Cultural Sensitivity" (Deb Vanasse); "Reflections" (Eve Bunting); "Helping to Improve Multicultural Understanding through Humor" (Joan Bauer); "Michael and Me (and Other Voices from Flint)" (Christopher Paul Curtis); "We Are All Phenomenal Women: Finding Female Role Models through Multicultural Poetry and Literature" (Deborah Forster-Sulzer); "Creating a Talisman: Reflecting a Culture" (Jean E. Brown and Elaine C. Stephens); "Painting Pictures with the World: Reading and Writing Multicultural Poetry in the Middle School" (Ellen Shull); "Who Am I? What Is My Heritage?" (Christa Goldsmith); "Seeking 'Cuentos,' Developing Narrative Voices" (Louise Garcia Harrison); "Beyond the Holocaust: Exploring Jewish Themes through Contemporary Young Adult Literature" (Jeffrey S. Kaplan); "The Web of Life" (Diane Hoffbauer); "Using Literature to Combat Stereotypes" (Denise R. Emery); "Parallel Lives: Anne Frank and Today's Immigrant Studies" (Mitzi Witkin); "Supporting Active and Reflective Response to Multicultural Literature" (Elizabeth Noll, Charlotte Valencia Lindahl, and Debra Salazar; "Considering the Power of the Past: Pairing 'Nightjohn' and 'Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass'" (Kelly Chandler); "Teaching about China, Chinese Culture, and Chinese Americans through Literature Exploration and Interdisciplinary Instruction" (Alyce Hunter); "Dramatic Encounters: Experiencing Multicultural Literature" (Jeffrey D. Wilhelm); "Science and English: Connecting with Multicultural Young Adult Literature" (Amy Hackett); "Multicultural Literature and Mathematical Connections: Bridges to Span Mathematical Understanding in a Diverse World" (David K. Pugalee); "Puzzlements from a Pooper: Or Much Confusion about 'Multicultural'" (Ted Hipple); "Weaving Many Cultures into the Curriculum" (Elizabeth A. Poe); "Moving from the Merely Mentioned to the Multicultural" (Mary R. Harmon); "Connecting with Students through Multicultural Young Adult Novels" (Diana Mitchell); and "A Source Guide for Locating Multicultural Literature for Young Adults" (Dee Storey). An extensive annotated bibliography is attached.