Research has shown that infants are aware of differences in skin color, and by the age of 5 kids understand that skin color is associated with status in our country. There is research-based evidence that kids of color are negatively impacted by these stereotypes, and they aren’t good for white children either. Books can add to the harm or provide ways for children to see themselves reflected positively in the world by serving as mirrors and windows for all kids.
As part of our series on racism and diversity in children’s books, read further and reflect on your own childhood classics before deciding whether, or how, to share them with your kids.
Examples of racism in children’s books
Many of us learned to read with Dr. Seuss books. His earlier work like Green Eggs and Ham and Cat in the Hat are iconic in the children’s literary world, and have transcended even beyond kids’ bookshelves. But fans of his books learned that some of his works will no longer be published due to racist messaging.
According to Dr. Seuss Enterprises, they will not longer publish six of his books because, “These books portray people in ways that are hurtful and wrong.” In And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street, a character described as “a Chinaman” has lines for eyes, wears a pointed hat, and carries chopsticks and a bowl of rice. (Editions published in the 1970s changed the reference from “a Chinaman” to “a Chinese man.”) In If I Ran the Zoo, two characters from “the African island of Yerka” are depicted as shirtless, shoeless and resembling monkeys.
Another example is the Little House on the Prairie series. To many fans, the books based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s life on the western frontier capture the spirit of America. The stories tell a tale of adventure, resilience in the face of extremes, the excitement of the unknown, and of re-settling and making something of oneself wherever one might land. The collection of eight books, which have been read by millions and shared among generations of families around the world, contain several dehumanizing descriptions of Indigenous and Black characters. In one passage in Little House on the Prairie, Wilder wrote, “There were no people; only Indians lived there,” while in another, Pa, the father of the family, says, ”the only good Indian is a dead Indian.” In Little Town on the Prairie, Pa appears, blackface, in a minstrel show and sings a racist song – an anecdote accompanied by an illustration of the characters in blackface.
Other classics with racist content include The Secret Garden, Tintin, Curious George books, and Peter Pan. Newer books that have been called out for stereotypes and cultural insensitivity include Ook and Gluk by Dave Pilkey, Skippyjon Jones books, and even Raina Telgemeier’s Ghosts.
Learn more
Nashville Public Library has written a series of blog posts discussing racism in classic children’s literature, including Dr. Seuss books such as And to Think That I saw it on Mulberry Street, If I Ran the Zoo, Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder, The Adventures of Tintin by Herge and problems with Thanksgiving stories.
What they say in their first blog post is worth highlighting because it reflects YDL Youth Staff’s feelings. “Whether or not you choose to share classic books such as these with the children in your life, we encourage you to have open conversations with them on the topic of race. It’s important; there is a wealth of research in support of that fact. In the absence of conversations on the topic, children can come to problematic and factually inaccurate conclusions.”
Parents are the guides of their children’s education, so we encourage you to read NPL’s posts, then explore our resources linked at the bottom of this page and our diverse book lists.
Large and complex problems face us as a nation today. Changing the stories we read (or don’t read) won’t change society overnight, but it can help curb biases from perpetuating in future generations. By the time kids begin schools, they already hold the same racial attitudes as adults. Taking time to talk about race from a young age is important.
Exposing young people to books in which racism, sexism, anti-Semitism, and other forms of hate are the norm can sow seeds of bias that can grow into indifference or prejudice.
When reading to children we all want to share loving, happy, warm stories that make them feel good. Often we wish to share a little piece of our childhood with them without taking time to consider the work from a constructive standpoint. These classics that we remember fondly deserve a second look before sharing with your child.
If we’re serious about preventing children from growing into adults who indulge in exclusionary behavior or ignore supremacist institutions and traditions, we must take these small steps that are within our control, while demanding larger changes.
What can caregivers do?
Racism in classics can’t be neutralized merely by alerting young readers to its presence. Unless we have the time, energy, attention, and ability to engage in conversations where even the shyest readers feel empowered to engage if they choose, we may hurt, not help.
Sometimes adults are silent on topics of race, prejudice, and racial inequity because we ourselves are not comfortable talking about them. When adults think that very young children do not notice or cannot understand race and racism, they avoid talking about it with children in a meaningful way. This silence about race does not keep children from noticing race and developing racial biases and prejudices. It just keeps them from talking about it. We need to let go of notions that we are “putting ideas in their heads” by talking about race.
Visit the websites linked below for tips on how to start conversations about race at home.
Tips from the staff at Diverse Book Finder
It’s ok to stop reading and say, “I thought I liked this book, but the more I read, the more I realize it’s not in line with our values.”
You can even stop and say, “I don’t like this image” or “I’m uncomfortable with the language that’s being used, let’s talk about why.”
