The All White World of Children's Books and African American Children's Literature [Paperback]

Osayimwense Osa (Editor)

Editorial Reviews

Review

This collection of essays represents perhaps the first attempt on the part of scholars of African American children's literature to give scholarly status to the study, analysis, and critique of such literature.
Betty McEady-Gilead, Journal of Reading.

From the Author

I was a visiting rofessor in 1989/90 in Germany and the US during my sabbatical year,  very soon after establishing the Journal of African Children's Literature (JACL) which later became the  Journal of African Children's & Youth Literature (JACYL). I found quite interesting and fascinating,  Dianne Johnson's book, The Pedagogy and Promise of Literature for African American Youth, which  was given to me to review. And when  I decided to do a Special Issue Volume 3 on African American Children's Literature, I contacted her about potential contributors, and sent flyers to various institutions. Her response was very positive. Many wonderful essays were received and the problem of selection for the special issue had to be addressed.
Attending the African Studies Association conference in Boston, MA. in the early 90s, I met Mr. Kassahun Checole, the Mangaging Director of Africa World Press. It was this meeting that resulted in the transformation of the  Volume 3 Special Issue on African American Children's Literature of JACYL  into The All-White World of Children's Books and African American Children's Literature in 1995.
I gratefully  acknowledge the support of  Dr. Richard F. Abrahamson, Dr. Nancy J. Schmidt, Dr. Dianne Johnson, Dr. Hugh Keenan, Mrs. Kemie Nix, Dr. Mary Twining, Dr. David Dorsey, Dr. Donnarae MacCann, and all the enthusiastic  contributors to Volume 3 Special Issue on African American Children's Literature of JACYL.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 171 pages
• Publisher: Africa World Pr (May 1995)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0865434778
• ISBN-13: 978-0865434776
• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 5.4 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 9 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,503,395 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Osayimwense Osa is the author of African Children's and Youth Literature (1995) in the Twayne's World Authors Series, Foundation- Essays in Children's Literature and Youth Literature (1987), Nigerian Youth Literature (1987), and editor of The All White World of Children's Books and African American Children's Literature (1995), and Youth Literature International - A Selection of Readings (1988). He has taught in various universities on both sides of the Atlantic. He is currently a Professor of English at Virginia State University.
He was a British Council sponsored scholar for Practical Explorations in English Language Teaching Methodology at the University of Stirling in Scotland in 1986, and a Fellow at the International Youth Library in Munich, Germany, in 1989, and a Fellow at the International Institute for Children's Literature, Osaka, Japan, in 1994. In September 2004, he was a part of the US delegate to the 29th Biennial Congress of the International Board on Books for young People (IBBY) in Cape Town, South Africa.
He is the Founding Editor of Journal of African Children's & Youth Literature (JACYL),

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An excellent guide for educators,parents& librarians., July 25, 2001

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Patelli T.Paschal (Orange County,Ca USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The All White World of Children's Books and African American Children's Literature (Paperback)

Before reading this book the benign racist occlusions present in childhood favorites was just not a concern.Afterward, it was apparent that the opinions expressed in supposed innocent children's books lead towards prejudicial attitudes in the traditions these books perpetuate. ie.Babar,the elephant(colonialism; Afican elephant civilized in the custodial care of the French caregiver in the wake of the murder of his mother by the "hunter" in which he in turn civilizes his jungle kingdom and has a rival that is bestial and favors Egyptian (read;Arab,Coptic)culture. This book identifies prevaling opinions and attitudes about Afro/African Culture through the eyes of traditional opinions of non-Blacks which lead to a disrespect of contributions made by non-Whites unintentionally by well meaning people of all groups.