Protection for Future Generations: Reading Widely

One of my earliest posts after launching this blog was focused on my lifelong belief that the potential for a better future rests with our youngest citizens- of this country and of the world. In that post,  History Repeats, Picture Books Heal, (here), I referenced the lyrics to that SOUTH PACIFIC song, You've Got to Be Carefully Taught.

Image: We Need Diverse Books

"You've got to be taught

To hate and FEAR

You've got to be taught from year to year

It's got to be drummed in your dear little ear

You've got to be carefully taught."

Mass media/social media are frighteningly effective at teaching young people precisely this polarization, which reinforces a victim/victor mentality, helplessness, anger, zero-sum resolutions, and a "them vs us" view of life. This has been so effective, in my opinion, because it's fully immersive, surrounding small humans with vitriol. 

My hope for combating those messages lies in providing equally immersive experiences with openmindedness, generosity, selflessness, and, above all, empathy. Lending another a hand doesn't weaken us, but strengthens both, and even those who view the action. That's already happening on several fronts, including Ellen Degeneres's  long-running "BE KIND TO ONE ANOTHER" campaign, as well as the broad coverage of massive outpourings of love and support in the Women's March and protests of travel bans. 

An ideal immersion experience for young people is found in reading, in the empathetic process of losing ourselves in the lives of others. This happens in many ways, but two are worth considering more closely. We readers are strengthened by recognizing ourselves in characters and experiences that reflect our own lives. Even more powerful, though, are the opportunities to "walk in another's shoes" when those shoes, or sandals, or bare ground paths lead us far beyond our individual, limited experiences. When we make those journeys we realize that there, too, we can recognize ourselves.

The Washington Post ran an important article about proactively teaching/leading middle grade readers to a more inclusive and empowering approach based on KINDNESS. 

From www.readbrightly.com

But this is a blog about picture books. We, as in "mainstream Americans", seem very open to reading stories of European immigrants, ones that reflect our own more distant immigrant pasts and feature characters who resemble us in physical and cultural ways. Sadly, this attitude has played out in the book-producing industry in the past, resulting in fewer selections for adults to actively share or for young readers to discover on their own. 

That has begun to change in recent years. You can explore a few of those more recent releases (here). Sometimes the focus of the books is subject-specific, and in other cases the books merely portray universal stories with images and details that reflect the wide world in which we live. An ever-expanding community of authors, illustrators, agents, editors, publishers, and industry professionals are actively working to expand the quality diverse literature available through #We Need Diverse Books (#WNDB). Check it out. 

Every voice matters.

In an effort to support and expand Muslim voices, to allow young people to see themselves in the lives of ALL others, agents Cindy Uh and Clelia Gore launched a challenge to other agents for open submissions by MUSLIM authors. Read more about their campaign here, and please pass on the information to those you know who may feel their stories are unwelcome, or only suited to a narrow market.  

Every voice matters.

Every story matters.

Shape positive values and views of the world one book at a time.

History Repeats; Picture Books Heal- SMOKY NIGHT

As events unfolded in Baltimore recently, I ached at the thought of history repeating itself in an endless loop. 

No, I don't mean a loop of other urban unrest in recent months.

I mean the loop of urban uprisings (and rural hate crimes, and generational injustices) dating back to the 1990's, and before that to the 1960's and 70's. And long before that.

Sadly, I've included these lyrics (from the Rogers and Hammerstein musical, SOUTH PACIFIC, 1949) in prior posts and they remain painfully current and true:

April, 1999, Caldecott Medal

"You've got to be taught

To hate and FEAR

You've got to be taught from year to year

It's got to be drummed in your dear little ear

You've got to be carefully taught.

You've got to be taught

To be AFRAID
Of people whose eyes are oddly made

And people whose skin is a different shade

You've got to be carefully taught.

You've got to be taught

Before it's too late

Before you are 6 or 7 or 8 

To hate all the people 

your relatives hate

You've got to be carefully taught."

And yet children of any age, including those in wrinkled bodies, can learn positive lessons, as well. Picture books of the highest quality, like Caldecott Medal-winning SMOKY NIGHT, written by EVE BUNTING and illustrated by DAVID DIAZ, allow us to explore the most horrific and painful issues. 

The "one degree of separation" from an immediate experience offers an opportunity to consider every point-of-view, each terrifying detail, and several heartfelt reactions using a healthy blend of reason and emotion. 

 I urge you to take a moment, actually less than two minutes, to view this YouTube statement by the author regarding the use of this book with children. (Click Here for video)

For an extensive resource (teaching guides, audio clips, and other useful tools) check out this link to teaching books.net. 

Above all, read this amazing book, and share it with anyone, of any age, who is concerned about social upheaval, of any size.

When adults feel helpless and hopeless, what are we teaching the children? Sharing tragic truths can and should include sharing positive models for reshaping our personal spaces. And, ultimately, the world.

Please help spread the word  about this book.

For  a well-organized resource of high quality picture books that address and heal other painful situations, I recommend this  blog:

Books That Heal Kids, hosted by Roxanne. Click here.

As the Song Says...They've Got To Be Carefully Taught

I'm back this week to give a shout-out to another Nerdy Book Club post, this one by Sherry Hall on March 23. From the count of comments, Twitter, and Facebook forwards it generated, I'm not the only one who was touched by her moving story of the power of reading to and with our children.

Parents (and teachers) often question our individual decisions, but it is the message delivered by our day-to-day examples, encouragements, and even casual comments that filter into young lives and shape them, for better or for worse.

With that in mind, and in honor of March Madness, I'll illustrate my point with a picture book from the year 2000- SALT IN HIS SHOES: Michael Jordan in Pursuit of a Dream, by his mother, Deloris Jordan and sister Rosalyn M. Jordan, illustrated by the incomparable Kadir Nelson. If you don't know this title and share my automatic skepticism when it comes to the quality of "celebrity" publications, let me assure you this one is worth a closer look.

It's likely the current generation's Michael Jordan can be seen among the many amazing athletes we are witnessing on the journey from the initial 64 to the final four face-offs during March Madness. If so, he has no doubt devoted his young life to the love and practice of basketball, but also was born with physical gifts far beyond the norm.
This was true for young Michael as well. If you read the acknowledgements in this book you'll find among them his mother's appreciation for Michael's own efforts and his siblings' support, all of which contributed to his success.

This is the story of Michael's frustration at being shorter than the older kids on his brothers' team. The beauty of this episode is not in his mother's advice, but in the success generated by practice, faith, his mother's encouragement, his father's confidence, and his siblings' trust. Detailed reviews of the book can be found at Miss Ladybug's blog and Excellent Kids' Books blog.

Much like the message in Sherry Hall's post, Michael absorbed the rich benefits of his family's support not in a single episode, but over the course of his lifetime.

Since this is still Women's History month, I'll dip back into my bookshelves and take a look at WILMA UNLIMITED: How Wilma Rudolph Became the World's Fastest Woman, by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by the also incomparable David Diaz. Born the twentieth child of a poor black family in Clarksville, Tennessee, Wilma was sickly, struggling, then stricken with polio. Her innate independence was bolstered by a mother who never gave up and siblings who recognized and appreciated her strength. Once again, not a single incident but a lifetime of love supported Wilma as she learned to play basketball by watching, won a track scholarship by playing basketball, and became the first American woman to win three gold medals in a single Olympics.

Beneath the weakness of her early years Wilma, like Michael, no doubt had a genetic package that allowed her efforts to reach that high achievement. But, oh, imagine the invaluable contribution to her success that can be attributed to her family's love and values.

At the risk of becoming preachy (which none of the above references do) I'll share the lyrics of a song from South Pacific. I do so with one eye toward Sherry's reminder about reading with children, and another aimed at the current and upcoming political venom that fills the airwaves, social media, and our conversations. Let's remain aware of young listeners in our families and classes who are learning by the way we read, speak, act, and react.

You've Got To Be Carefully Taught

You've got to be taught
To hate and fear,
You've got to be taught
From year to year,
It's got to be drummed
In your dear little ear
You've got to be carefully taught.

You've got to be taught to be afraid
Of people whose eyes are oddly made,
And people whose skin is a diff'rent shade,
You've got to be carefully taught.

You've got to be taught before it's too late,
Before you are six or seven or eight,
To hate all the people your relatives hate,
You've got to be carefully taught!



Please, read to and with children every day, every age. See in them our future. And stay mindful of the seeds we plant day by day.