How Does Hispanic Portrayal in Children's Books Measure Up After 40 Years? The Answer Is “It Depends.”

Abstract

This research synthesis examines 21 content‐analysis studies conducted between 1966 and 2003 that focused on Hispanic portrayal in children's books. Specifically, it looks at how the literature has evolved in terms of amount of representation, characters' roles, and stereotyping. Findings vary by book type, Hispanic subgroup, and comparative reference points, but overall they suggest there are currently more books with Hispanic characters and themes. However, relative to Hispanic presence in the United States today versus 40 years ago, proportionate portrayal in children's literature has lost ground. Noted improvements include less stereotyping, particularly for Mexican American and male characters. More progress is needed in the portrayal of Hispanics with disabilities and other exceptionalities and of those at varied socioeconomic levels, in upper‐class neighborhoods, and in leadership roles in homes and professions. New instructional uses are noted for the books, which increasingly contain special features (e.g., glossaries, author notes) and additional linguistic components (e.g., interlingual text, dual‐language text). Websites and other resources are recommended for locating criteria useful in judging book quality, specific names of award‐winning book titles, and a framework for Latino literature study. The author concludes that while improvement in Hispanic portrayal is evident, more progress is needed.

A Mirror, a Window: Assisting Teachers in Selecting Appropriate Multicultural Young Adult Literature

“…I chose to focus on two key aspects related in several pieces of literature: authority and authenticity (Athanases, 2006;Bishop, 1993;Bishop, 1997;Cai, 2002;Gay, 2000;Johnson & Smith, 1993;Louie, 2006;Nilsson, 2005).…”

“…They generally select authors from the racial and cultural backgrounds and communities they depict because they feel that the stories told from an "insider's perspective" (p. 48) are able to more accurately reflect everyday life in that community. Authors coming from the perspective of whom they are writing about are able to place the reader inside the action, viewing events through the characters' eye (Nilsson, 2005).…”

“…Just like authority, it is also a controversial subject, especially when looked at in context of cultural authenticity, as most critics do. Cultural authenticity is the ability of the author to portray characters, setting, themes, and more, in an accurate light (Louie, 2006;Nilsson, 2005). Authority and authenticity are then intrinsically linked because without the ability of the author to accurately portray the story, stereotypes, distortions, and biases will appear.…”

“…The key criteria for teachers and students to have when assessing a book for cultural authenticity is information about the culture being depicted (Bishop, 1993;Louie, 2006;Nilsson, 2005;Willett, 1995). If students and teachers are able to distinguish between stereotypes and realistic portrayals of minority groups, they are already more than halfway to becoming adept critics of multicultural literature.…”

“…Another factor to consider when evaluating a book for cultural authenticity is setting (Johnson & Smith, 1993;Nilsson, 2005). The setting of a novel can be both the geographical location and the time in which the story takes place.…”