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ERIC Number: EJ684421
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2005-Mar
Pages: 15
Abstractor: ERIC
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0034-0561
EISSN: N/A
How Does Hispanic Portrayal in Children's Books Measure Up After 40 Years? The Answer is "It Depends."
Nilsson, Nina L.
Reading Teacher, v58 n6 p534-548 Mar 2005
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.
International Reading Association, Order Department, P.O. Box 6021, Newark, DE 19714-6021. Tel: 800-336-7323 (Toll Free); Tel: 302-731-1600; Fax: 302-737-0878; e-mail: customerservice@reading.org.
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - General
Education Level: Early Childhood Education; Elementary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A