A Changing Horizon: Asian American Representation in Recently Published Children's Literature

• In Event: Sheraton Roundtable Session 17
  In Roundtable Session: Literature, Bilingualism, and Children's Voices in Schools

Abstract

Asian American children’s literature has grown significantly in the last twenty years, and this qualitative content analysis examines how picture books from the last decade address the representation of Asian Americans. Using the lens of Asian Critical Race Theory (AsianCrit) to frame our examination with an emphasis on the particular racialization faced by Asian Americans, we analyzed twenty-one children’s books with Asian American main characters. Our analysis revealed an evasive approach to structural racism, the perpetuation of stereotypes, and treatment of Asian Americans as exotic, foreign Others. Implications for pre- and in-service teachers include contextualizing the historical racialization of Asian Americans and attending to portrayals that may reify stereotypes and essentialized depictions of Asian Americans as a monolith.

Authors

• Esther June Kim, The University of Texas - Austin

• Noreen Naseem Rodriguez, Iowa State University