Professional Reading Reviews

Expanding on her groundbreaking work, Shadow and Substance: Afro-American Experience in Contemporary Children’s Literature (NCTE, 1982), Bishop traces the evolution of fiction written for black children and by black authors and illustrators within the context of African-American social and literary history. The author begins with an overview of pre-1900s writing and stories, including examples of destructive stereotypical behavior and language of black characters generally written by whites, to set the stage. Bishop explores the call by W.E.B. Du Bois for the creation of original material for the children’s periodical The Brownies’ Book, whose contributors included Langston Hughes, capturing the drive of these social activists and educators to create a body of literature that was guided by explicit values as well as an underlying ideology–“for Black children to recognize themselves as normal, to learn black history, and to recognize their own potential….” Bishop contrasts these goals with the prevailing norm in mainstream children’s books. In the concluding third of the book, she investigates modern literature by profiling contemporary writers and illustrators such as Lucille Clifton, Nikki Grimes, Rita Garcia Williams, Virginia Hamilton, Tom Feelings, Ashley Bryan, Jerry Pinkney, and Kadir Nelson. Her writing is precise and engaging, and it really comes alive when presenting primary-source material. One example is a debate in Publisher’s Weekly in 1941-1942 about the controversial use of “Negro dialect,” especially by white writers. She provides an extensive bibliography for further exploration. Librarians as well as teachers will be enriched by this work.–Lisa Von Drasek, Bank Street College Library, NY

This book presents suggestions and resources for a variety of themes, from “Animal Oddballs” to “A Woggle of Witches.” Each session includes a variety of books and activities per topic, so tellers can pick and choose based on their own styles. Most of the books have been published in the past decade, but surefire classics also appear. Several fingerplays and folk rhymes per theme come with clear instructions for accompanying motions. Stretches and other activities appear in some but not all sessions. A useful discography provides sources for musical selections. Each theme also incorporates a flannel board poem, story, or song, with simple reproducible patterns and instructions on how to present them. Crafts are appropriately basic, with some room for child creativity in the process, though more craft-challenged librarians might have benefited from illustrations of the finished product. The role of storytimes in developing early-literacy skills and the potential for sharing information with parents are not addressed here, so this volume is more useful as a collection of ideas rather than as a full exploration of trends, research, and potential content. Still, the thematic groupings and quantity of ideas should be useful to beginners and some experienced presenters looking to freshen up their programs.–Steven Engelfried, Multnomah County Library, OR

The Cubans outline the roles played by both schools and public libraries, the social and historical forces that have defined these roles, and the ways in which these forces have caused a philosophical divergence in the use of technology to support community learning. While the book’s premise is to provide ideas for partnerships to bridge this gap in delivery models, the end result is a lot of “tell” with little “show.” A scholarly study, rather than a practical guide, the book wholly ignores the vital technology leadership role played by school libraries. While this may be egotistical, it seems impossible, today, to have a discussion on technology adoption in schools while mentioning school libraries fewer than a handful of times. Old arguments are rehashed, as seen in the chapter addressing technology in schools. Pages are spent articulating the lack of evidence that technology for technology’s sake impacts student achievement, that only changed instructional practices deliver such results. This is already a central assumption of the school media profession. Meanwhile, the very tools that lend themselves to community building, 2.0 technologies such as wikis, blogs, and podcasts, are scarcely mentioned. Should schools and public libraries work together? Undoubtedly. Many already do. Should we look at new and innovative ways to foster such collaborations through technology? Again, a resounding “yes.” But media specialists need to look elsewhere for inspiration.–Jill Heritage Maza, Greenwich High School, CT

Tall tales, noodlehead stories, urban legends, riddles, and songs fill this delightful collection of humorous tales. The selections are in shortened but lively formats for easy reading or telling–perfect for time fillers between activities. Introductory notes discuss folklore and the healing power of humor. The more than 70 stories are arranged by genre and labeled with the country of origin. Old favorites such as “Stone Soup” and “Juan Bobo” are included, as well as lesser-known tales. The bibliography includes books and Internet sources as well as VHS and DVD materials. An excellent resource for teachers, librarians, and students.–Cynde Suite, Bartow County Library System, Adairsville, GA

The Little Golden Books began as a unique experiment in publishing for children, combining entertainment, commercialism, licensing, and mass marketing with entertainment and education. In this lavishly illustrated, handsomely designed volume, Marcus presents a complete history of these books, starting with the 1910 founding of Western Printing in Racine, WI, and ending with the sale of Golden Books to Random House in 2001. The author unearths some startling facts. For example, Janette Sebring Lowrey received a $75 flat fee for writing The Pokey Little Puppy (Golden Bks., 1942), a consistent best seller. Golden Legacy is informed by the author’s many past interviews with children’s literature professionals and his broad knowledge of publishing in the last half of the 20th century, particularly that segment in conflict with the library/literary establishment. Marcus’s general tone is as admiring as his subtitle, with little space or credence offered to the many contemporary detractors of Golden Books. Each chapter concludes with a celebratory personal reminiscence concerning one Golden Book title or artist. The highly readable narrative is documented with thorough and detailed footnotes. Because all bibliographic information is embedded in the footnotes, with the first citation the only complete one, readers and researchers who follow the notes from random places in the text will be frustrated by the lack of a separate bibliography. This winning combination of nostalgia and clear-eyed, meticulously researched history breaks new ground, and should have broad appeal.–Margaret A. Chang, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, North Adams