"A Demand for Excellence in Books for Children"

LaBonty, Jan. "A Demand for Excellence in Books for Children." Journal of American Indian Education 34.2(1995) 1-8. Web.5 May 2009.

LaBonty accurately critiques Native American children’s literature. Stating the values necessary when choosing stories for school aged children, she includes the need for children to be cognitively nurtured. With very stringent criteria for children’s literature, the criteria for multi-cultural literature is even more advanced. She observes the large number of stories in print with stereotypical representations, like “books featuring painted, whooping, befeathered Indians closing in on too many forts, maliciously attacking ‘peaceful’ settlers or simply leering menacingly from the background.” (3) LaBonty takes the typical portrayals and critically critiques The Indian in the Cupboard, noting the misrepresentations of language and culture. “Little Bear, since he was a warrior, would have worn his hair in a roach, not braids. He would not have worn a headband with feathers, although he may have worn a cap with feathers.” (3) She continues to analyze Little Bear while discussing dialect in Native American Literature. This is an area that often presents complications. It is often the case that language is created in hopes of creating something non-controversial. Authors often rely on media for accurate portrayals of language. There is a large absence of quality Native American children’s literature, which leaves parents and teachers with the job of weeding out those stories that do not serve as effective stories.