Perspectives, Voices, and Worldviews in Frequently Read Children's Books

Research Findings: This study content analyzed 29 frequently used children's books in pre-kindergarten through 3rd-grade classrooms. Although the books included European and African American literature, none of the 29 books addressed other ethnic groups in the United States, and only two included international perspectives. Male and middle socioeconomic status themes dominated the book collection. An inductive theme analysis was conducted to determine overt themes that may obscure or make the underlying ideologies of the books less apparent. Three common themes emerged: (a) early childhood education content and skills, (b) imagination/fantasy/humor, and (c) dispositions/morals/life lessons. Going beyond the three initial themes and examining implicit cultural affirmations provided additional insights. Books were examined to determine if they affirmed the cultural worldviews of African American children, who made up nearly 50% of the district's population. Not surprisingly, 23 of the 29 books (79%) were rated as having low representations of African American culture. Practice or Policy: We conclude that in addition to teaching children to enjoy books, educators call actively help their young charges recognize and deconstruct. prevailing inaccurate, incomplete, and negative images and information. Equally important is an examination of the unspoken subtexts and ideologies regarding the roles and importance of U.S. and world populations.