Running Head: MULTICULTURAL LITERATURE IN EDUCATION

Multicultural Literature in Education

Caitlyn Sehl
University of Mary Washington

Applied Research EDCI 589

Dr. L. Abeel
Spring 2016

"I hereby declare upon my word of honor that I have neither given nor received unauthorized
help on this work." Caitlyn Sehl
Table of Contents
Introduction 3
Rationale 3

Running Head: MULTICULTURAL LITERATURE IN EDUCATION

Problem Statement . 3
Research Questions 4
Literature Review ... 4
Lack of Multicultural Literature Leads to Lack of Understanding .... 4
Misconceptions .. 4
Self-esteem . 6
Factors that Led to Curriculum Not Including Multicultural Literature 7
Classics are usually about white people . 8
Black history month ... 9
Factors that Led to Teachers Lack of Knowledge of Multicultural Literature ... 10
Demographics of teachers 10
Literature currently taught in schools vs. the past ... 11
Educating Teachers in Multicultural Literature ... 11
Read multicultural literature 12
Critical reflection/exposure .. 13
Conclusion ... 13
Introduction to Application .. 14
References .... 16
Application ... 20

Running Head: MULTICULTURAL LITERATURE IN EDUCATION

Introduction
Rationale
I grew up reading stories about people like me: white and middle class. It was not until
college that I was exposed to multicultural literature that used perspectives of many different
cultures. It never occurred to me that the literature I read before college was very limited. I think
that is an important point. Students who are like me will relate to the same stories I read, but
plenty of students who are not like me would have realized long before I did that our literature
lacked many things including multicultural elements. As a future teacher, it is important to note
that the percentage of students of color is over 50%, while the percentage of white teachers
stands at 84% (Klein, 2014). This creates a big gap between teacher and student understanding of
each other and the subjects being taught. Students fail to see themselves reflected in their
teachers and those students cannot connect with the people who are supposed to teach them. This
becomes a bigger issue when teachers do not realize that they ignore unfamiliar cultures (Aydin
& Tonbulolu, 2014; Iwai, 2013; Suh, Hinton, Marken, & Lee, 2011).
Classroom libraries give students an area to find books when needed or wanted, but it is
important for the teachers to have books that reflect their classroom. Unfortunately, most
classroom libraries reflect the situations and lives of Anglo-Americans displaying little to no
diversity (Brinson, 2012). This likely stems from the fact that most teachers are white and do not
understand that they unconsciously choose books that they relate to or understand (Aydin &
Tonbulolu, 2014; Iwai, 2013). This causes problems when students have no access to books that
mirror their lives and culture or the lives and cultures of others.
Problem statement
Using culturally diverse literature in schools broadens students understanding of
different cultures and allows for deeper thinking (Smith & Wiese, 2006). However, many

Running Head: MULTICULTURAL LITERATURE IN EDUCATION

educators exposure to multicultural literature is limited and contains gaps that cause confusion
for them and their pupils (Iwai, 2013; Suh, Hinton, Marken, & Lee, 2011). When not provided
with culturally diverse literature, students gain understanding of other cultures through media,
and other unreliable sources, propagating future misunderstandings (Portillo, 2013). By using
available multicultural literature, educators expand student knowledge beyond their personal
experience and allows them to embrace cultures that are not their own.
Research Questions
This paper will explore the details of multicultural literature and its importance within
American schools. 1. What is the impact of the lack of multicultural literature on students
understanding of other cultures? 2. What factors led to curriculum not including multicultural
literature? 3. What factors led to teachers lack of knowledge of multicultural literature? 4. How
can teachers be educated in multicultural literature?
Literature Review
Lack of Multicultural Literature Leads to Lack of Understanding
Teachers are meant to educate their students, and if teachers are not providing students
with a comprehensive multicultural education, students may conjecture with information
provided by other sources (Derman-Sparks, 1994). These sources may be reliable, but some
students may not know the difference. By allowing students to explore different cultures through
multicultural literature, it provides students a safe and dependable place to ask questions and to
receive clarification. Without this type of structure, it is possible for students to form opinions
that may evolve misconceptions and stereotypes (Derman-Sparks, 1994).
Misconceptions. Stereotypes can be the result of misconceptions due to lack of exposure
to multicultural education and literature. Dunbar (2013), a multicultural literature professor at

Running Head: MULTICULTURAL LITERATURE IN EDUCATION

Winona State University, says, while many students have at least some cultural and discursive
framework for studying African American literature, I have found that they struggle when it
comes to other multicultural literatures (p. 27). Students read many books prior to college, but
they tend to center around the same type of people: white men (Teale & Thompson, 2014). By
not allowing students to expand their reading horizons, college students are often not prepared to
read stories about different cultures, because they were given no progressive guidance to learn
anything about these cultures (Jimnez, 2014). Students have minimal preparation for reading
multicultural literature and, therefore, have almost no skills in interacting with unfamiliar
cultures. If students do not have the skills to correctly behave towards unfamiliar cultures, they
may develop issues concerning racism, sexism, classism, and other prejudicial ideals (Jimnez,
2014).
Exposing elementary age students to a variety of cultures and ethnicities can help
dissuade issues like racism, sexism, and classism. Students who are not given the opportunity to
learn about other cultures will not understand those cultures. This can also cause students to
misunderstand how their own culture relates to an academic setting (Rosado, Amaro-Jimnez, &
Kieffer, 2015). Teachers, who are frequently middle-class white women, prefer to teach with
white literature, because they do not feel confident in their ability to keep the students informed
on the racial issues presented in the book relate to the real world (Dong, 2005). This is harmful to
students who do not fit into that box of white and middle class. These students may begin to
believe that all stories, both real and fictional, are not about them (Adichie, 2009). It is not just
curriculum that needs to change to include multicultural literature; teachers need to have the
ability to understand and educate their students about the culture within the piece of literature.

Running Head: MULTICULTURAL LITERATURE IN EDUCATION

Culturally educated teachers would be better equipped to educate their culturally diverse
students, which would hopefully provide less bullying. Bullying has been an issue in schools for
a long time and closely aligns with stereotyping (Facts about bullying, 2014). Students who have
not been given the opportunity to learn about other cultures may hold stereotypes about others
due to media influence (Portillo, 2013). Current students have access to media that was not
historically available even ten years ago, and that media access is likely not restricted as there are
many ways to get around parental locks. This leads to students being able to find out anything
they want and drawing poor conclusions based upon that non-researched information (DermanSparks, 1994). If teachers are not addressing at least some of these media issues, then it is hard to
dissuade students misunderstandings or stereotypes they believe to be true because of those
media outlets. Teachers need to provide students with appropriate and meaningful archetypes for
other cultures. Hopefully, that would allow students to expand their understanding and
acceptance of other cultures.
Self-esteem. Students increased understanding and acceptance must also expand to
themselves and their own cultures. They are subjected to images, through television and other
forms of media, of people that often look very different than them. When at school, some of
these same students are not represented in their classroom through literature or any other means.
Insecurities may arise in students if they are repeatedly given the same image and told that this is
normal. The students who do not fit into that definition of normal, because of race, economic
standing, or any other cultural reason, may begin to doubt themselves (Rosado, Amaro-Jimnez,
& Kieffer, 2015). Self-confidence is usually an issue for students in school, but some of those
students have unfamiliar cultures which alienates them from their peers (Dunbar, 2013).
Children, like adults, are not always comfortable with things they do not understand, even if that

Running Head: MULTICULTURAL LITERATURE IN EDUCATION

thing they do not understand is a person. Allowing students to gain understanding, even in the
form of fictional characters of other cultures can help the school environment. No matter what
teachers do, some students will still have self-esteem/confidence issues. But if teachers provide
literature containing characters like non-traditional students, then it could help to normalize
those students.
Self-confidence and esteem issues come up again when the majority of literature
presented in the classroom has white main characters (Brinson, 2012; Teale & Thompson, 2014).
There is importance in creating an environment within the whereby students can identify with
multicultural literature and still understand that, if the culture is not their own, it is multifaceted
and should be explored further (Dunbar, 2013). Students need to realize that reading one book on
a particular culture is not going to provide them all of the answers. Teachers need to make sure
that students receive opportunities to further investigate any culture. Schools want to be able to
incorporate multicultural literature into their curriculum, but many circumstances may stop them
from feeling comfortablethese circumstances tend to stem from the fact that the school staff is
mainly white (Aydin & Tonbulolu, 2014). They do not want to be accused of being insensitive
to other ethnicities, because they are unfamiliar with other cultures (Brinson, 2012; Iwai, 2013).
Factors that Led to Curriculum Not Including Multicultural Literature
There are many factors that led to many American schools curriculums not including
multicultural literature. While America is a country made up of different cultures, languages, and
customs, the dominant white culture can sometimes suppress others (Alhumam, 2015). The
recent influx of diverse cultures into American schools has caused the country to reconsider how
the curriculums are created as those curriculums were never designed to be culturally relevant
(Gates, 2005). Although school curriculums have changed, they have not changed at the

Running Head: MULTICULTURAL LITERATURE IN EDUCATION

frequency that is needed for the diverse classrooms of today (Teale & Thompson, 2014). This
issue needs to be resolved so American classrooms can become inclusive, serving all students not
just a percentage of them.
Classics are usually about white people. In order for classrooms to be inclusive and
serve all students, teachers and school leaders must begin with the reading materials. Textbooks
and novels are a commonly used tool in classrooms, but they do not always feel inclusive to all
students (Teale & Thompson, 2014). American high school students from different parts of
America read well-established and classic such as To Kill a Mockingbird, The Crucible, and
Romeo and Juliet in their classes whereas, diverse, modern books are not taught to the same
regularity as these classics (Teale & Thompson, 2014). If the characters are of a different
culture, either the book or the teacher fails to discuss its significance (Jimnez, 2014). While
some school-taught literature may be more diverse in both cultures and genres, the focus of the
learning tends to be more on the genre than the cultures presented in the books.
Adichie (2009) discussed that when she was growing up, she assumed stories were not
written about her and people like her. She grew up in Eastern Nigeria, but read stories of British
and American children, which were more accessible than African literature. This led her to
believe that all stories must be about foreigners and unfamiliar circumstances (Adichie, 2009).
The problem with just reading British and American books, people, especially young children,
will fail to realize that not everyone is like this and not everyone does all of the same things as
these characters. If teachers choose only Anglo-American classics to use in the classroom, their
students will only know a single story (Adichie, 2009).
By including multicultural literature in the curriculum, teachers and schools can show
parents that students will not be getting just a single story. Culturally diverse parents may want

Running Head: MULTICULTURAL LITERATURE IN EDUCATION

their children to understand their culture, so by including literature that explains and embraces it,
everyone will hopefully gain knowledge (Durand & Perez, 2013). Parental involvement in
classrooms is proven to help students with learning and understanding of classroom
material (Durand & Perez, 2013), but many Mexican-American families find the classroom too
intimidating to be involved (Huerta & Riojas-Cortez, 2011).
Black history month. Parental involvement in classrooms, especially those of diverse
cultures during times when that culture is being discussed, could be helpful to students (Durand
& Perez, 2013). By allowing for more parental involvement in classrooms, lessons about cultures
could expand rather than be for an explicit month. During the school year, certain months are
dedicated to the underrepresented minorities, one of the more well known being Black History
Month in February. In this month, students learn about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Rosa
Parks, but too often no other influential black leaders (Goodwin, 2015).
A true multicultural education would include information and literature from different
cultures throughout the year, not just during designated months (Goodwin, 2015). Multiple
studies have been done with elementary age students to gauge their knowledge of African
American history (Goodwin, 2015; Stiler & Allen, 2006). These studies found that by separating
black history from white history it harms the students knowledge and understanding of both
versions of history (Goodwin, 2015; Stiler & Allen, 2006). Due to this separation of history,
many students are unaware of influential African American leaders other than Dr. King and Rosa
Parks (Goodwin, 2015). Goodwin (2015) discusses that the implementation of Black History
Month is not what Dr. Carter Woodson intended when he started Negro History Week in 1926.
Much of the misrepresentation comes from the fact that there is no formal curriculum for Black
History Month, and schools do not have to recognize it if they do not wish (Goodwin, 2015;

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Stiler & Allen, 2006). If schools were to integrate black history into world, American, European,
and any other type of history, students would be better able to grasp black history (Goodwin,
2015; Stiler & Allen, 2006).
Multiculturalism is not just a black and white issue; African-American culture is a good
place where teachers can start and then expand into Hispanic-American, Asian-American, and
any other culturally-specific literature. By introducing culturally diverse literature outside of
designated months, teachers can show students that all world cultures are important and
relevant all of the time.
Factors that Led to Teachers Lack of Knowledge of Multicultural Literature
The factors that contribute to teachers lack of knowledge of multicultural literature are
many of the same reasons students today have minimal knowledge of multicultural literature.
Todays teachers were not educated using multicultural literature (Aydin & Tonbulolu, 2014;
Williams, May, & Williams, 2012). Educators lack of knowledge also stems from the fact that
most teachers are white, so they never needed to learn about other cultures in order to relate to
literary characters unlike many people of color (Aydin & Tonbulolu, 2014; Williams, May, &
Williams, 2012).
Demographics of teachers. American teachers are not a representative population. The
majority are white and lower-middle class (Boser, 2014), which does not reflect the racial and
economic standings of many of the students in their classrooms (Aydin & Tonbulolu, 2014).
The lack of diversity amongst teachers has led to a disconnection between the school and the
community around it (Iwai, 2013).
This disconnection is partly due to states populations becoming more diverse while
teachers diversity has stayed roughly the same from 1986 to 2011 (Klein, 2014). This growing

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disparity has caused Virginia to have a diversity index of thirty-one, which means that the
teachers are 85% white and the students are only 54% white. Virginia is in the higher percentage
states as the diversity indices range from four in Vermont to forty-four in California. It is likely
that the forty point difference is because California has such a high percentage of non-white
students, unlike Vermont, because Vermonts teaching staff consists of 97% white teachers
whereas Californias consists of 88% (Boser, 2014). If students cannot be represented by their
teachers, those students deserve representation in the required literature for class.
Literature currently taught in schools vs. the past. Teachers cannot always represent
their students physically, so it is important to represent the students on the page. Literature has
changed throughout the years, but that does not mean that schools literature curriculums have
changed. While some schools have begun to add some diverse and modern literature, many have
retained the classics that have been used for decades. In 2010, a study compared the top literature
used in high schools in the 1980s/90s with what was used in 2010; the study found that all but
one of the top fifteen forms of literature were still popular and currently used across the country
(Teale & Thompson, 2014). This is not that surprising since many people across generational
gaps can discuss the same books because they were required reading in high school. Of course,
some books from the 1980s/90s are still going to be relevant and work with the curriculum, but
there are plenty of new books with the same/similar themes that include more diverse characters
(Teale & Thompson, 2014).
Educating Teachers in Multicultural Literature
One way to resolve the lack of multicultural literature in education is to stress it in higher
education. This will be critical in helping to change prospective teachers attitudes. It is
important for university instructors to not choose only literature that demonizes white people as

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12

this will not help students feel comfortable discussing multicultural literature (Jimnez, 2014).
Pre-service teachers cannot help their whiteness any more than their future students can help
their diversity. The pre-service teachers need to find a way to be engaged in learning about
diverse cultures in literature without leaping to color-blindness and other ways of ignoring the
issues that make them uncomfortable. Jimnez (2014) discusses how important it is for
instructors to create a safe environment for pre-service teachers to talk about racism, sexism, etc.,
and by showing them the importance of a secure setting for these topics, the pre-service teachers
will hopefully remember to do the same for their future ethnically diverse students.
Educating teachers in multicultural literature and education is going to be the most
important step in moving forward. The only way students across the country will gain knowledge
of multicultural literature is when their teachers are educated on the subject. By requiring
multicultural literature and education credits for pre-service teachers, America would have more
teachers who know about the cultures of the students in the classroom (Dong, 2005; Iwai, 2013).
Read multicultural literature. Another important step in expanding the use of
multicultural literature in classrooms is understanding how teachers and school leaders attitudes
about multicultural education is received by students (Jimenez, Guzmn, & Maxwell, 2014). In
order for students to understand the importance of multicultural literature, the teachers need to
have exposure to multiple examples of the literature. The best way to do that is for the teachers to
educate themselves in multicultural literature and read as much as they can (Alsubaie, 2015).
Teachers cannot be expected to know everything, but reading up on different cultures would help
their understanding (Alsubaie, 2015; Jimenez, Guzmn, & Maxwell, 2014).
In order for students to best learn multicultural literature in the classroom, the teachers
must have learned about it and be comfortable discussing different cultures in a classroom setting

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(Alsubaie, 2015; Brinson, 2012; Williams, May, & Williams, 2012). The more information and
knowledge the teachers know about different cultures, the more comfortable they will likely feel
talking about those cultures in the classroom.
Critical reflection/exposure. Another example of how future teachers can become more
comfortable using multicultural literature in the classroom is through exposure and critical
reflection. Sharma, Phillion, and Malewski (2011) discuss a program where pre-service teachers
went abroad to teach in Honduras. They had interviews with the pre-service teachers before,
during, and after the trip was over. The before interviews showed that many of the pre-service
teachers did not have an understanding of their own privileges (Sharma, Phillion, & Malewski,
2011). Many of the pre-service teachers had the take-it-for-granted mind, meaning that they
take for granted that America has free public schools and that children, for the most part, are able
to go to school rather than work. With exposure to other cultures, pre-service teachers may
realize that they need to keep their mind open and to not make assumptions about the students in
their classrooms (Sharma, Phillion, & Malewski, 2011). Assumptions about the students,
particularly those of unfamiliar cultures, lead teachers to have lower standards and expectations
(Jimenez, Guzmn, & Maxwell, 2014). This can harm the both the students and the classroom
environment.
Conclusion
Schools are full of culturally diverse students who are taught culturally irrelevant
literature that was used in the 1980s/90s (Aydin & Tonbulolu, 2014). It is not only classroom
teachers who need to make changes; it is also the people educating the future teachers (Aydin &
Tonbulolu, 2014; Brinson, 2012; Iwai, 2013; Jimnez, 2014). Pre-service teachers are not
educated in a way to provide quality education to students of color (Rosado, Amaro-Jimnez, &

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14

Kieffer, 2015). Teachers are predominantly white, which causes some to unknowingly ignore
other cultures. Hopefully, with a focus on including multicultural literature, pre-service teachers
can improve how they reach students of color (Jimnez, 2014).
The way students were taught will not work anymore, and addressing this with serving
teachers and pre-service teachers is important (Teale & Thompson, 2014). There will be some
concern about the possible drawbacks of multicultural education, but with multicultural higher
education, teachers will have the tools to show that it is unifying for students, teachers, and
society (Aydin & Tonbulolu, 2014).
The best way to change is to educate teachers in multicultural education and literature.
By using and educating teachers in multicultural literature, the pre-service teachers knowledge
of different cultures will expand and they will be better equipped to understand their future
students (Brinson, 2012; Teale & Thompson, 2014; Williams, May, & Williams, 2012). They
need to be open to learning and understanding the differences that their students will bring into
the classroom. Using multicultural education and literature in the classroom provides students
with better understanding of their peers and the global society.
Introduction to the Application
The following is a website designed to help introduce teachers to multicultural books that
could be used in the classroom in place of Anglo-American literature. While researching for this
literature review there was a common topic of teachers lack of knowledge in regards to
multicultural literature (Dunbar, 2013; Jimnez, 2014; Teale & Thompson, 2014). Teachers may
not realize that they are not being inclusive but with a website like this and others, hopefully they
will see that there are plenty of diverse books out there. These books deal with issues pertaining
to students of all colors and genders, but by using books with diverse characters, teachers can

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15

show that all cultures are relevant in the classroom (Adichie, 2009; Rosado, Amaro-Jimnez, &
Kieffer, 2015).
The purpose of this website is to be a collaboration. I want people to submit and discuss
multicultural literature in hopes that the lists grow in size and add other cultures, as well. The
website includes a comments section and a way to contact me in hopes of creating a discussion
on these novels and others.

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References
Adichie, C. N. (2009, July). The danger of a single story [Video File]. Retrieved
from:
https://www.ted.com/talks/chimamanda_adichie_the_danger_of_a_singl
e_story.
Alsubaie, M.A. (2015). Examples of current issues in the multicultural
classroom. Journal of Education and Practice, 6(10), 86-90.
Alhumam, I. (2015). Reflections on racism in American schools. Journal of
Education and Practice, 6(11), 160-162.
Aydin, H. & Tonbulolu, B. (2014). Graduate students perceptions on multicultural education: A
qualitative case study. Eurasian Journal of Educational Research, 57, 29-50,
http://dx.doi.org/10.14689/ejer.2014.57.3.
Boser, U. (2014, May 4). Teacher diversity revisited: A new state-by-state analysis. Center for
American Progress, 1-10. Retrieved from: https://cdn.americanprogress.org/wpcontent/uploads/2014/05/TeacherDiversity.pdf.
Brinson, S. A. (2012). Knowledge of multicultural literature among early childhood educators.
Multicultural Education, 19(2), 30-33.
Crouch, R. (2012). The United States of education: The changing demographics of the United
States and their schools. Center for Public Education. Retrieved from:
http://www.centerforpubliceducation.org/You-May-Also-Be-Interested-In-landing-pagelevel/Organizing-a-School-YMABI/The-United-States-of-education-The-changingdemographics-of-the-United-States-and-their-schools.html.
Derman-Sparks, L. (1994). Empowering children to create a caring culture in a world of
differences. In J. Noel (Eds.), Multicultural Education (pp.178-190). New York, NY:
McGraw-Hill.

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Dong, Y. R. (2005). Bridging the cultural gap by teaching multicultural literature. The
Educational Forum, 69, 367-382.
Dunbar, A. (2013). Between universalizing and othering: Developing an ethics of reading in the
multicultural American literature classroom. The CEA Forum, 42(1), 26-48.
Durand, T.M. & Perez, N.A. (2013). Continuity and variability in the parental involvement and
advocacy beliefs of Latino families of young children: Finding the potential for a
collective voice. School Community Journal, 23(1), 49-79.
Facts about bullying. (2014, Oct. 15). The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Retrieved from: http://www.stopbullying.gov/news/media/facts/.
Gates, B. (2005, Feb. 26). Prepared remarks by Bill Gates, co-chair. National Education Summit
on High Schools. Retrieved from: http://www.gatesfoundation.org/mediacenter/speeches/2005/02/bill-gates-2005-national-education-summit.
Goodwin, M. (2015). Black history month: an investigation of the impact of a curriculum for
increasing the knowledge of elementary students' knowledge of African-American
history. Theses and Dissertations. Paper 305. http://rdw.rowan.edu/etd/305
Iwai, Y. (2013). Multicultural childrens literature and teacher candidates awareness and
attitudes toward cultural diversity. International Electronic Journal of Elementary
Education, 5(2), 185-198.
Jimnez, L.M. (2014). So, like, what now?: Making identity visible for preservice teachers.
Journal of Language and Literacy Education, 10(2), 68-86.
Jimenez, M.R.M., Guzmn, N.A., & Maxwell, G.M. (2014). South Texas teachers and leaders
perceptions of multicultural education. Journal of Instructional Pedagogies 15, 1-9.
Retrieved from: http://www.aabri.com/manuscripts/142026.pdf
Klein, R. (2014, Sept. 3). A majority of students entering school this year are minorities, but most
teachers are still white. Huffpost Politics. Retrieved from:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/09/03/student-teacher-demographics_n_5738888.html.
Portillo, A. (2013). Indigenous-centered pedagogies: Strategies for teaching Native American
literature and culture. The CEA Forum, 42(1), 155-178.

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Rosado, L., Amaro-Jimnez, C., & Kieffer, I. (2015). Stories to our children: A program aimed at
developing authentic and culturally relevant literature for Latina/o children. School
Community Journal, 25(1), 73-94.
Sharma, S., Phillion, J., & Malewski, E. (2011). Examining the practice of critical reflection for
developing pre-service teachers multicultural competencies: Findings from a study
abroad program in Honduras. Issues in Teacher Education, 20(2), 9-22.
Smith, J. & Wiese, P. (2006). Authenticating childrens literature: Raising cultural awareness
with an inquiry-based project in a teacher education course. Teacher Education
Quarterly, 33(2), 69-87.
Stiler, G. & Allen, L. (2006). Making connections with the past: (Un)masking African American
history at a neighborhood community center. Multicultural Education, 13(4), 24-28.
Suh, Y., Hinton, K., Marken, J., & Lee, G. (2011). Are we comfortable teaching this? Using
banned books as a vehicle for teaching about World War II-era Japan & Korea.
Multicultural Education, 19(1), 24-30.
Teale, W.H. & Thompson, K. (2014). Literature and the U.S. high school: Current trends in
curriculum, materials, and instruction. Academia. Retrieved from:
https://www.academia.edu/9808983/Literature_and_the_U.S._high_school_curriculum_C
urrent_trends_in_curriculum_materials_and_instruction.
Williams, B., May, L. A., & Williams, R. F. (2012). Flowers, fruits, & fingers: Preservice
teachers write about difficult topics for a child audience. Multicultural Education, 19(3),
27-33.

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Application
The website lists a variety of books that are broken down by school levels (elementary,
middle, and high).
The visitors to the website would click the button for their desired level of books, and the link

will take them to the next page. On this page, the literature is divided into different cultural
groups (African American, Asian American, Native American, and Latino American).

19

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Each book has the author(s) and illustrator(s) listed as needed, along with the lexile level and a
short description of the book. For elementary, there is also an interest level as the ages and
maturities range in that time frame. Unfortunately, I was unable to find the lexile or reading level
for some of the books. High school books were the most difficult and that is the page where
many of the reading levels are listed as N/A.
The website also includes an area where the public can discuss books or make
suggestions.

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This is important because one person cannot research and find all of the important multicultural
books available and applicable for students. Allowing for input from others will be very
important for the future of the website.
The website link is here or http://diverselitforteachers.weebly.com/