In the wake of last week’s intense focus on Dr. Seuss and racism, I’m gathering (a) some resources for anti-racist children’s literature, and (b) a sampling of the Seuss-and-racism media. Many people have emailed or messaged me with questions. If I neglected yours, I apologize. I hope these links will give you a place to
For this year’s Seuss birthday, an excerpt from Was the Cat in the Hat Black?: The Hidden Racism of Children’s Literature and the Need for Diverse Books (Oxford UP, 2017). The thesis: Support a US Anti-Racist Education Act because racism is a national emergency that threatens our democracy. But first, and with thanks to The
As we celebrate our one-year quaranniversaries, I invite you to sing! When I began this series last March, I titled the first post after this song… even though the song I performed was Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive.” By the third Plague Song, I began using a lyric from each song as the title. But,
Children’s Literature Pedagogies in an Age of Misinformation. Non-guaranteed session asks how stories cultivate critical thinking. 1-page abstract, 2-page CV by March 15, 2021 to Brie Owen gowen3@unl.edu, Philip Nel philnel@ksu.edu.
Surf rock in the middle of winter? And how is “Walk, Don’t Run” a plague song? Excellent questions. To answer the second one first, I might say that its title evokes the slow pace of the vaccine roll-out. I want speed, but instead must endure this andante stumble. Or I might point out that the
03 distinguished professors from four Kansas universities (K-State, KU, Wichita State, KUMC) are calling for an immediate end to the Kansas Board of Regents’ new termination policy. It threatens long-term damage to the missions of each institution. It undermines the purpose of tenure, which is to allow faculty to pursue their scholarship without fear of repercussions. Academic freedom is the foundation upon which we build discovery, robust research, scholarship and creative activities.
Tired of watching the coup attempt on TV? Well, here’s the unboxing video I planned to post today – announcing Keywords for Children’s Literature SECOND EDITION, which is now out from New York University Press. Its editors are me, Lissa Paul, and Nina Christensen. And contributors? Well, take a look! Adult by Victoria Ford Smith
This song is a personal favorite of mine, and one I’ve long considered recording for this Plague Songs series. However, in an effort to keep the mood more upbeat, I have – up until now – chosen more uptempo selections. But, as coronavirus deaths in the U.S. surpass 350,000 (and 1.85 million worldwide), it’s time for
The 2021 MLA is not in Toronto, as we thought it would be at this time last year – indeed, at this time even six months ago. The 2021 MLA is… wherever you are. Like everything else, it’s on Zoom! But it is happening! Questions about what this will look like? Check out the MLA’s Virtual
“Dynamite” is cheerful, bright, and contagious – but in a good way. That’s one reason I decided to record a version of it. We could all use a little joy, and this song is full of joy. I also like the ESL poetry of the lyrics – a series of common English-language phrases, many of them encouraging
