Open-Access Article
"African American Children's Literature That Helps Students Find Themselves: Selection Guidelines for Grades K–3" by Bena R. Hefflin and Mary Alice Barksdale-Ladd (The Reading Teacher, 2001)
Providing students with texts that reflect their own lives and cultures is an important starting place for educators seeking to teach Black and Brown youth in ways that empower them. Thus, Hefflin and Barksdale-Ladd's article from the turn of the century is still relevant to today's educators. Although the book recommendations are older, the authors provide valuable guidelines for finding and rating literature in this area. Hefflin and Barksdale-Ladd emphasize that text elements such as illustrations and language should reflect Black and Brown experiences. One of the most helpful features in the article is a rating worksheet that can assist educators in selecting books that are high quality.
—Reviewed by Alicia Kelley, Clemson University
Hefflin, B.R., & Barksdale-Ladd, M.A. (2001). African American children's literature that helps students find themselves: selection guidelines for grades k–3. The Reading Teacher, 54(8), 810–819. www.jstor.org/stable/20204996