Meta-Narratives in Children's Picture Books About Adoption

• In Event: Fairmont Roundtable Session Three
  In Roundtable Session: Analyzing Literature for Missing and Misrepresented Stories (Table 9)

Abstract

This research examines the metanarrative of "family" as it exists within children’s picturebooks about adoption published in the United States or Canada. This study is grounded culturally relevant and sustaining pedagogies (Ladson-Billings, 1995, 2014; Paris, 2012) and a critical literacy perspective (McLaughlin & Devoogd, 2004). We conducted a critical content analysis (Short et al., 2017) of 63 picturebooks. Our analysis suggests the presence of an overarching metanarrative of children/adoption making families complete, as well as over-representation of heterosexual couples portrayed as adoptive parents. It is important to understand how adoption is currently represented so that discussions around this topic can be robust, positive, and affirming, and can allow children to express both the depth and breadth of their experiences.

Authors

• Amy Burke, Texas Woman's University
  Presenting Author

• Melody Zoch, University of North Carolina - Greensboro
  Presenting Author