"Multicultural Literature and Young Adolescents: A Kaleidoscope of Opportunity" by Susan M. Landt (Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 2006)
With attention being drawn to racial inequities and representation through the current Black Lives Matter movement, Landt reminds us how young adult literature (YAL) can offer students perspectives different from their own and increase diverse representation in the curriculum. She posits that reading multicultural YAL with students can reduce prejudice, expand students' worldview, and help foster a positive sense of self. Landt provides quick tips for selecting multicultural YAL, along with ways to assess a book's cultural authenticity. She highlights book awards and websites that teachers may look to for recommended titles. Teachers seeking a rationale to diversify their classroom texts and best practices for book selection will find guidance in this article.
—Reviewed by Arianna Banack, University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Landt, S.M. (2006). Multicultural literature and young adolescents: A kaleidoscope of opportunity. Journal of Adolescent & Adult Literacy, 49(8), 690–697. https://doi.org/10.1598/JAAL.49.8.5
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