64

9 MASTER TEACHER

Creating Diverse Classroom

Literature Collections Using
Rudine Sims Bishop's Conceptual
Metaphors and Analytical
Frameworks as Guides
K A R L A J. MOLLER

Bishop's scholarship provides key

conceptual metaphors and helpful
analytical frameworks that assist in
the creation of balanced, diverse, and
engaging classroom literature collections.

FOR MY FINAL Master Teacher article, I wish to pay-
tribute to a scholar whose work in the field of children’s
literature has inspired me for years. Throughout her long
and distinguished career, Rudine Sims Bishop, profes­
sor emerita from The Ohio State University, has shared
extensive knowledge and numerous insights on issues
related to diversity and authenticity in students’ access to
literature that will continue to guide the next generation of
scholars. Her groundbreaking study of African American
literature (e.g., Sims, 1982, 1983)1led to equally influential
research on multicultural literature by and featuring other
underrepresented groups (e.g., Bishop, 1992a, 1992b; Cai &
Bishop, 1994). In this article, I provide a brief overview of
her literature research focus. Then, I discuss in more depth
N ote
1 Her early work was published under Sims, with her later work
usually referenced under Bishop. I use both names in this
article, depending on the name on the actual published text.
two key contributions that are particularly salient to the
creation of diverse and balanced classroom libraries and to
the use of this literature in classrooms today. I close with
some picturebook examples that illustrate the continued
application of Bishop’s contributions in 2016 (and beyond).
Across her career, Bishop (e.g., 1997, 2012, 2014) has argued
for a diversification of children’s books and for access that
can increase equity. For Bishop (1992b),
multicultural literature is one of the most powerful
components of a multicultural education curriculum,
the underlying purpose of which is to help make the
society a more equitable one. In light of that purpose,
the choice of books to be read and discussed in the
nation’s schools is of paramount importance, (p. 40)
She embraced the stance that “multicultural literature
should be defined in a comprehensive and inclusive manner”
that includes “books that reflect the racial, ethnic, and social

Journal o f Children's Literature, 42(2), pp. 64-74, 2016. ©Children's Literature Assembly ISSN 1521-7779
 K a rla J. M o ller C r e a t i n g D i v e r s e C l a s s r o o m L i t e r a t u r e C o l l e c t i o n s 55

diversity that is characteristic of our pluralistic society and ture has now grown.
of the world” so as not to “reinforce and maintain old social Unsurprisingly, Bishop’s
Unsurprisingly,
patterns by setting up the American white middle class as early groundbreaking Bishop's early
the norm, and all others as ‘multicultural’” (Bishop, 1997, p. findings and implica­
3). Nevertheless, she emphasized her choice tions remain applicable
groundbreaking
today and support the findings and
to focus on literature by or related to people of color. inclusion of literature for
This is because I believe that race—or color—is one children by and featuring
implications
of the most—if not the most—divisive issues in this underrepresented groups remain applicable
society, and that, until recently, the absence of such that embraces diversity
literature has constituted one of the most glaring on a global scale—litera­
today and support
omissions in the canon of children’s literature, (p. 3) ture that includes “all the inclusion
diverse experiences,
Clearly, it is not enough simply to have literature by and including (but not limited
of literature
featuring people of color available. The books must be read to) LGBTQIA, people of for children by
in a way that promotes reflection on self, society, history, color, gender diversity,
opportunity, and possibilities. These goals are clear in people with disabilities*,
and featuring
Bishop’s (1997) call for a critical questioning approach of and ethnic, cultural, and underrepresented
multicultural literature: religious minorities”2 (We
Need Diverse Books, n.d.,
groups that
The function of multicultural literature is to ensure para. 1). embraces diversity
that students have the opportunity to reflect on it in all
its rich diversity, to prompt them to ask questions about Focusing in on
on a global scale.
who we are now as a society and how we arrived at our M etaphors an d Models
present state, and to inspire them to actions that will Drawing from Bishop’s
create and maintain social justice, (p. 19) extensive record, I call specific attention to two of her
insights, touching briefly on the first (connected metaphors)
Shadow and Substance: Afro-American Experience in before spending most of this article on the second (multiple
Contemporary Childrens Fiction (Sims, 1982), her first models). Her oft-used metaphor of literature’s potential
monograph, laid the groundwork for numerous future to offer readers windows and mirrors (Bishop, 1990b) or
studies and extended literature analyses. Her follow-up mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors (Bishop, 1990a) is
empirical study of a 10-year-old Black girl’s responses to deceptively simple and deeply meaningful. As she wrote,
books featuring African American characters pushed the
field to consider such a focus “as a fertile area of study” Books are sometimes windows, offering views of worlds
(Sims, 1983, p. 27) and provided evidence supporting that may be real or imagined, familiar or strange.
her first set of analytic categories for African American These windows are also sliding glass doors, and readers
literature. Sims asked researchers to consider not only have only to walk through in imagination to become
Black children’s responses overall but also aspects such part of whatever world has been created or recreated
as diversity of response within and across racial groups, by the author. When lighting conditions are just right,
optimal ages at which or by which exposure to Black litera­ however, a window can also be a mirror. Literature
ture is essential for Black children, and whether the impact transforms human experience and reflects it back to
of exposure of Black children to Black literature over us, and in that reflection we can see our own lives and
time results in different types of responses. Her research experiences as part of the larger human experience.
was driven by an interest in knowing “to what extent are Reading, then, becomes a means of self-affirmation, and
children’s responses affected by those themes, values, and readers often seek their mirrors in books, (p. ix)
images which are unique to or especially emphasized in
Afro-American literature” (p. 27). She noted that a sufficient
N ote
body of literature was just then becoming available to begin
2 See the mission statement of We Need Diverse Books (n.d.)
researching these questions.
for detail on their broad definition of disability and their
subscription to a social model of disability (disability as created
Although still significantly underpublished (Horning,
by forms of marginalization).
Lindgren, & Schliesman, 2016), that body of litera­

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66 MASTER TEACHER
This metaphor has become so ubiquitous that its origin in
Bishop’s work is unfortunately often overlooked.
Building on the conceptual importance of this key metaphor,
the main focus of this article calls attention to Bishop’s
various analytical frameworks or models for analyzing
African American (Sims, 1982, 1983) and parallel culture
(1992a, 1992b) literature as part of the larger collection of
multicultural literature. Across four publications in particu­
lar (Bishop 1992a, 1992b; Sims, 1982, 1983), she provided
educators and scholars with multiple means by which to
consider literature featuring characters from and experi­
ences of underrepresented groups.3 Each model I highlight
here provides important guidance to teachers wanting to
ascertain the best possible books to include in classroom
libraries. The final section offers a collection blueprint.
MODEL 1: BY CONTENT, INTENDED AUDIENCE,
AND AUTHORIAL PERSPECTIVE
Sims (1982, 1983) analyzed literature featuring African
Americans according to the content, intended audience, and
N ote
3 I am not including Cai and Bishop (1994) here, although that
categorization of books into world literature, cross-cultural
literature, and parallel culture literature is a useful tool. See
Cai (2002) for more information on this analysis.
TABLE 1
Sims's (1982a, 1983b) model: By content, intended audience, and authorial perspective
Category of Books Example
Social conscience Blume, J. (1970).
N e w Y ork, N Y: D ell.
M e ltin g p o t Keats, E.J. (1962). The snowy
day. N e w Y ork, N Y: Viking.
C u ltu ra lly conscious S teptoe, J. (1969).
Y ork, NY: H a rp e r & Row.
a Sims, R. ( 19 8 2 ). Shadow a n d substance:A fro-A m erican experience in co n te m p o ra ry children's fiction. U rb a n a , IL: N a tio n a l C o u n c il o fT e a c h e rs o f E n glish.b Sims, R. ( 19 8 3 ). S tro n g black girls:
A te n ye a r o ld re sp o n d s t o fic tio n a b o u t A fro -A m e ric a n s . Journa/ o f Research an d D e velop m en t in Education, 16 (3 ), 2 1- 2 8 .
JOURNAL OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE
authorial perspective of each text selected, creating three
major categories of books: social conscience, melting pot, and
culturally conscious (see Table 1).
Whereas social conscience books are written from an
ethnocentric perspective by White authors and target
a White audience, melting pot books cater to a more
integrated audience and are only usually written by
White authors (Sims, 1983). The focus is, however,
“assimilationist and middle-class” (p. 22). Culturally
conscious books “recreate a uniquely Afro-American
experience, primarily for a Black audience” (p. 22), and
are successful when they are written from a clear and
strong base of knowledge about African American experi­
ences and culture.
Noting that “gay people and African Americans are
not equivalent groups” (Jenkins, 1998, p. 306), Jenkins
nevertheless drew on this model to analyze GLBTQ litera­
ture, extending and reformulating Sims’s (1982) model to
categorize books with GLBTQ content as offering stories
of homosexual visibility, gay assimilation, and queer
consciousness/community (Jenkins, 2003). This model
was then used by Cart and Jenkins (2006) as the basis
for an extended discussion of young adult literature with
LGBTQ content. Cart and Jenkins’s homosexual visibility
category paralleled Sims’s social conscience books: “As with
‘social conscience’ stories of racial integration, a previously
Focus
Iggie's house. D e ve lo p social conscience, awareness, and a sense o f resp o n -
sibility in W h ite children; fra m e desegregation as a s o lu tio n
to racism a fte r th e C ivil Rights m o ve m e n t; m o tiv a te W h ite
e m p a th y/sym p a th y fo r A frica n A m e rican s
P resent cu ltural h o m o g e n e ity; u nco n ce rn e d w ith racial
prejudice, d iscrim in atio n, o r co n flict; societal in te g ra tio n
assumed; recognize universality; ignore d iffe re n ce e x c e p t fo r
p h e n o ty p ic m arkers; Blackness o nly in illu stra tio n s (skin co lo r)
Stevie. N e w Recognize a n d /o r ce le bra te distinctiveness o f A frica n
A m e ric a n cu ltural e xp e rie n ce w h ile also ca p tu rin g u niversality
o f hum an e xp e rie n ce ; A frica n A m e ric a n cu ltural m arkers in
th e te x t, n o t ju s t illu stratio ns; could apply t o u nique e x p e ri­
ences o f o th e r parallel cu ltu re groups
VOL 42 NO 2 FALL 2016
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homogeneous society is interrupted by the appearance of a past and provide in their place positive images” (Sims, 1982,
character who is clearly not ‘one of us.’ The response to this p. 45), ignore difference and fail to reflect African American
interruption is the dramatic substance of the story” (Cart culture authentically. They should only be used alongside
& Jenkins, 2006, p. xx). The culturally conscious books, “literature that recognizes the
existence of Afro-American experiences, tries to reflect its
“gay assimilation” [category] assumes the existence— truths, celebrates its distinctness, and at the same time
at least in the world of the story—of a “melting pot” affirms the universality of all human experience” (p. 46).
of sexual and gender identity. These stories include
people who “just happen to be gay’...[, whereas] “queer MODEL 2: BY APPROACH AND CULTURAL SPECIFICITY
consciousness” [stories] show GLBTQ characters in Bishop (1992b) expanded her focus to multicultural literature,
the context of their communities of GLBTQ people and defined as “children’s fiction and picture books published
their families of choice (and in recent years, often their in the United States (and England) about people of color”
families of origin as well), (p. xx) (p. 44). She analyzed the approach to culture(s) and the level
of cultural specificity. This model included culturally specific,
In both models, the third category of culturally conscious generically American, culturally neutral books (see Table 2).
(Sims, 1982, 1983) and queer consciousness (Cart &
Jenkins, 2006) is the most authentic and prized type of In this model, culturally specific books offer the highest
book. There is a clear distinction, however, between the authenticity and accuracy.
two models. For Cart and Jenkins, homosexual visibility
books are valued as “stories of truth, of the positive and A culturally-specific children’s book illum inates the
negative results when GLBTQ characters (and people) are experience of growing up a member of a particular,
honest about their sexual orientation. They are important non-white cultural group...[and] often delineates
stories, but fortunately they are no longer the only ones character, setting, and theme, in p art by detailing
th at can be told” (p. 107). In contrast, the equivalent social the specifics of daily living th at will be recognizable
conscience books (Sims, 1982) “might have been a step in to members of the group...[including aspects such as]
the right direction and served some useful purpose...[but language styles and patterns, religious beliefs and
now] deserve a long and relatively undisturbed rest on practices, musical preferences, family configurations
the library shelves” (p. 31). Written from an “ethnocentric and relationships, social mores, and numerous other
‘outsider’s’ perspective,” many social conscience books “seem behaviors, attitudes and values. (Bishop, 1992b, p. 44)
to be a juvenile treatment of ‘The Black Problem’” (Sims,
1983, p. 22). Melting pot books, although not to be avoided C ulturally specific books contrast starkly with generi­
because they do “transcend the demeaning images of the cally American books th at “feature characters who

TABLE 2
Bishop's (1992a) classification system : By ap p ro ach an d cultural specificity

C a te g o ry o f B ooks E xam ple Focus

Culturally specific Dorros, A. (1991). Abuela. (E. Unique experiences o f growing up as a member o f a
Kleven, lllus.), New York, NY: non-W hite parallel culture group, including group-specific
Dutton. cultural and social details

Generically Keats, E.J. (1962). The snowy Parallel culture groups but with little, if any, specific detail;
American day. New York, NY: Viking. main distinguishable markers are skin coloring and physical
features

Culturally neutral Hale, S.J. (1990). Mary had Include people o f color but not as the focus; incidental
a little lamb. (B. McMillan, inclusion o f people from parallel culture groups
Photog.). New York, NY:
Scholastic.

1 Bishop, A S (1992). M ulticultu ral lite ra tu re f o r children: M aking in fo rm e d choices. In VJ. H a rris (Ed.), Teaching m ulticultural literature in grades K - 8 (pp. 3 7 -5 3 ). N o rw o o d , M A : C h risto p h e r-G o rd o n ,

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68 m aster teacher

are members of so-called minority groups, but they today to be a negative metaphor that ignores the richness of
contain few, if any, specific details that might serve to diversity, so would not work as a category to highlight in a
define those characters culturally” (Bishop, 1992b, p. classroom library. Similarly, with the later model (Bishop,
45). Generic books lack specific cultural details in the 1992b), although there is some benefit associated with
text, may identify characters of color solely through the each category, using terms such as culturally neutral and
illustrations, and tend to describe events as universal and generically American could lead to misunderstandings in
characters as homogeneous in their actions and culture. a classroom inclusive of a range of cultural, linguistic, and
As Bishop noted, national backgrounds. Applying the understandings from
both of these models to the framework offered by Bishop’s
Since specific cultural details are absent from the third model (discussed below) offers the best pathway to the
texts in these books, they may be judged prim ar­ creation of an authentic, inclusive collection.
ily on other criteria,
such as literacy and
visual artistry. Illustra­ A collection needs quality literature of all four types, as together
tions can be judged, for
they allow students a balanced integration of, for example,
instance, on whether
the characters resemble painful histories and current discrimination, as well as hopeful
real people and are not
images of unity across valued and recognized differences.
stereotypes. Although
many books of this type
are excellent picture
books, some have been criticized for their very lack MODEL 3: BY THEMES AND TOPICS
of cultural specificity, (p. 45) For educators seeking assistance with building a balanced
culturally diverse and authentic literature collection,
Finally, culturally neutral books include people of color Bishop’s (1992a) classification system offers a blueprint (see
but are not about them in any way. Again, these books are Table 3). In this model, multicultural literature is catego­
not inherently negative, just not culturally rich. In fact, as rized into four types based on themes and topics.
Bishop (1992b) wrote,
This model can be used to analyze and evaluate individ­
In choosing to include or feature various people of many ual books and to examine one’s classroom literature
races and cultures, the writers and illustrators of such collection with an eye toward balance across the catego­
books make a strong statement about valuing diversity. ries. A collection needs quality literature of all four types,
Like the generic books, these books, too, can be evaluated as together they allow students a balanced integration
on the basis of their accuracy, their literary and visual of, for example, painful histories and current discrimi­
artistry, and possible omissions, but cultural authenticity nation, as well as hopeful images of unity across valued
is not likely to be a major consideration, (p. 46) and recognized differences. Using this model, a teacher
can build inclusive sets of literature from many diverse
SEGUE DISCUSSION TO SET THE STAGE perspectives.
FOR THE THIRD MODEL
Bishop’s two models discussed above continue to be useful Consciously interracial books are important, as they
for scholars studying literature and its characteristics and “project a vision of a multicultural, multiracial society”
are helpful for educators seeking to raise their awareness (Bishop, 1992a, p. 23) in which people from recognized,
and analytically evaluate the literature that they choose diverse backgrounds interact. The books “are either visually
to highlight for children. In each framework, there is one integrated, simply including pictures of various and diverse
category that offers more accurate mirrors for cultural children participating in whatever activity is being depicted,
insider readers and more authentic windows into unfamil­ or they focus on people of different backgrounds interacting
iar experiences for readers who are less experienced with with each other” (p. 23). Engaging newer books that would
the culture in focus: culturally conscious and culturally fit into the consciously interracial category include Ballerina
specific. Including these books is recommended and would Dreams by Lauren Thompson (2007), The World Is Waiting
be beneficial. However, as noted above, Bishop (Sims, 1982, for You by Barbara Kerley (2013), Glorious Angels: A
1983) clearly does not advocate for use of social conscience Celebration of Children by Walter Dean Myers (1995), and
books at all. In addition, the term melting pot is understood I Am the World by Charles R. Smith, Jr. (2013).

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 Karla J. M oller C r e a t i n g D i v e r s e C l a s s r o o m L i t e r a t u r e C o l l e c t i o n s 59

TABLE 3
Bishop's (1992a) classification system: Four types of multicultural books by themes and topics

Category of Books Example Focus

C onsciously W illiam s, V.B, (1990). "M ore more V arious and diverse children in te ra c t to p ro je c t a
interracial more," said the baby. N e w York, N Y: vision o f a m u lticu ltu ra l and m ultiracial society.
G re e n w illo w .

People are p e o p le Bang. M. (1983). Ten, nine, e ig h t C h ild re n o f c o lo r are featured , b u t th e te x t does
N e w York, N Y: G re e n w illo w . n o t re fle c t a c u ltu re d is tin c t fro m th e shared
d o m in a n t one.

D is tin c tiv e H a m ilto n , V. (1974). A/I.C. Higgins, the In te gratio n is n o t th e focus; th e t e x t includes specific
e x p e rie n ce o f being great. N e w York, NY: M acm illan. va lu e s/a ttitu d e s and d istin ctive language p a tte rn s a nd /
w ith in th e p a rtic u la r o r highlights p a rtic u la r aspects o f culture,
cu ltu ra l g ro u p

C o p in g w ith racism Taylor, M .D . (1987). The friendship. H isto rica l b oo ks are th e m o s t p o w e rfu l fo rm ,
and d iscrim in a tio n (M . G insburg, lllus.). N e w Y ork, NY:
Dial,

* Bishop, R.S. ( 19 9 2 ). C h ild re n ’s b o o k s in a m u ltic u ltu ra l w o rld : A v ie w fro m th e U S A . In E. Evans (Ed.), Reading a gainst racism (pp. 19 - 3 8 ) . Buckingham , England: O p e n U n iv e rs ity Press,

The second category, people are people, describes books in The fourth theme is coping with racism and discrimination,
which “there is no attempt to reflect a culture distinct from past and/or present. A plethora of powerful books could be
the shared dominant one” (Bishop, 1992a, p. 24). Culture is used, such as Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl’s Courage
not the focus of these books, but this does not detract from Changed Music by Margarita Engle (2015), Going North
the value of books such as The New Small Person by Lauren by Janice N. Harrington (2004), A Place Where Sunflow­
Child (2014), Danitra Brown, Class Clown by Nikki Grimes ers Grow by Amy Lee-Tai (2006), Uncle Jed’s Barbershop
(2005), Lily Brown’s Paintings by Angela Johnson, (2007), by Margaree King Mitchell (1993), Crossing Bok Chitto:
and Please, Baby, Please by Spike Lee and Tonya Lewis Lee A Choctaw Tale of Friendship & Freedom by Tim Tingle
(2002). Bishop (1992a) noted, “Done well, this kind of book (2006), and The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson (2001).
has the merit of depicting its characters positively as partici­
pants in the ‘mainstream’, reflecting the experiences of Sometimes a book crosses over all categories of this model,
many so-called minority families, and aspects of the experi­ such as Christine King Farris’s (2003) humorous and
ence of others” (p. 24). moving My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers Growing
Up With the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Her biography
Bishop’s (1992a) third category encompasses books on starts out as a people are people book, noting tricks the kids
the distinctive experience of being within a particular played when they were little, and develops into a distinc­
cultural group. These experiences can be subtle (e.g., tive experience depiction of interracial childhood playmates
“incorporation of values and attitudes in an otherwise and life in Atlanta before the growing boy’s awareness
‘people are people’ story”) or more apparent (e.g., “a reflec­ shifts to coping with racism. The focus on racism becomes
tion of distinctive language patterns” or other “conscious more focused and political as Martin matures. The book
effort on the part of the authors to portray some particu­ closes with a consciously interracial close-up of two girls—
lar aspect of the specific culture”; p. 24). Wonderful books one Black, one White—running hand in hand. Similarly,
to consider include New Cat by Yangsook Choi (1999), in Whitewash by Ntozake Shange (1997), elements of
Golden Domes and Silver Lanterns: A Muslim Book of each theme are intertwined to enhance the book’s impact,
Colors by Hena Khan (2012), Monsoon Afternoon by although the story centers primarily on experiencing and
Kashmira Sheth (2008), and Jingle Dancer by Cynthia coping with racist violence, whereas Farris’s book centers on
Leitich Smith (2000). her memories of her brother and his impact.

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70 MASTER TEACHER
My Personal Jo u rn ey W ith Bishop's R esearch
The first piece I ever read by Bishop was “Strong Black Girls:
A Ten Year Old Responds to Fiction About Afro-Americans”
(Sims, 1983). At the time, as a White teacher of fourth
and fifth graders at a school in south Atlanta that served
predominantly African American students, I was profoundly
impacted by Bishop’s description of her interview informant
Osula’s reading preferences and need for mirrors. Because
of the prevalence of male characters in gendered books in
my youth, I devoured Nancy Drew books (e.g., The Hidden
Staircase by Carolyn Keene, 1959), drawn to this spunky
female with some personal agency. Not exactly a mirror,
Nancy nevertheless offered me a distorted reflection, my
ignorance and Whiteness allowing me to miss the overt
sexism, body shaming, and racism in the series at that
time. Sims offered me a window, providing insights into
and prompting reflection on the response of a student whose
experiences with literature in many ways mirrored those
of my upper elementary students. At the same time, it
asked me to take a step through the sliding glass door that
separated me from my students, creating deeper awareness
in me of the gaps in my understanding. I had been raised on
books like The Rabbits’ Wedding by Garth Williams (1958),
which I would situate within Sims’s (1982) social conscience
category because its content and imagery seem designed
to engage White readers’ consciences regarding interracial
marriage and to prompt them to reject miscegenation. I also
owned The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats (1962), a melting
pot book. I did not own the culturally conscious Stevie by
John Steptoe (1969), nor was I introduced to Roll of Thunder,
Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor (1976), although it won
the Newbery Medal (only the second winner by an African
American) while I was an adolescent.
Two years after reading Sims (1983), after I had left public
school teaching, I was introduced to the more in-depth
Sims (1982) monograph and Bishop (1992b) chapter. Here
I learned a great deal about author focus and choice in the
creation of multicultural youth literature. A couple years
later, I came across her third approach to grouping diverse
children’s literature in a chapter in a British book. Bishop
(1992a) immediately struck me as exceptionally helpful for
teachers wanting to avoid creating classroom literature
collections imbalanced in terms of the types of mirrors
offered to students from underrepresented groups and the
types of windows offered White students. In this model,
books across all four types were needed—none more or less
valuable—to create a balance of topics and approaches.
This need for balance was reinforced strongly through
an experience a short while later, although now almost 2
decades ago. While I was conducting research with fifth
JOURNAL OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE
graders, an African American female student exclaimed,
“I hate Black History Month.” When I asked why, she
responded, “I am sick of reading about poor, pitiful Black
people.” I reflected on this, looking at the literature selections
offered for her February reading choices. There were many
quality books available, but all were focused on African
Americans historically struggling (and sometimes failing to
thrive) in the face of pre-Civil Rights era racism, discrimi­
nation, and poverty. Although the truths of historical
racism and the myriad of accompanying social, economic,
educational, political, and other injustices should clearly not
be concealed or whitewashed, the literature to which the
class had access offered only a slice of history and possibili­
ties. This literature did not offer all the options that the
African American students needed if they were to develop
strong senses of self-esteem and self-efficacy in the face of
past and continuing inequities. The students needed not only
windows into the past but also mirrors of their present and
sliding glass doors that invited them into future possibilities.
Extending Bishop's Reach:
Create C lassroom C ollections
I close this ode to the value of Bishop’s work with a specific
example of how teachers can connect across her work
discussed above and use her four-category framework as a
tool for creating (or evaluating) a balanced, diverse litera­
ture collection. With the children’s and young adult litera­
ture available today, although still far too limited in terms
of publications by and featuring members of underrepre­
sented groups, it is possible to create a classroom library
that includes a preponderance of authentic, quality books—if
one is quite selective. My university students who are new to
children’s literature are always surprised when I share the
distressing statistics on publishing trends of diverse books
(e.g., Horning et al., 2016). This is because my collection, the
first that many of them experience, offers readers a more
inclusive feel because of my selectivity in accordance with
the earlier We Need Diverse Books (n.d.) definition.
My goal is for teachers and preservice teachers to learn to
implement Bishop’s (1992a) four-theme model and to build
collections offering students the authentic and respect­
ful mirrors, windows, and sliding glass doors that Bishop
promotes (1990a), with an understanding that one book can
never do it all but that a critical mass, even in the face of
insufficient overall publishing numbers, can make a positive
impact (Bishop, 2012). My students start with these three
Bishop readings. Then, I model a collection with at least 24
quality picturebooks focused on one underrepresented group
and balanced across all four of Bishop’s (1992b) themes. Next,
my students use the information and experience to practice
categorizing books by and featuring other underrepresented
VOL 42 NO 2 FALL 2016
 Karla J. M o ller C r e a t i n g D i v e r s e C l a s s r o o m L i t e r a t u r e C o l l e c t i o n s
By planning literature collections
in this way, teachers can provide young
readers with essential mirror, window,
and sliding glass door experiences
and be ensured of not falling into the
trap of either avoiding or ignoring
difference or focusing only on the
worst of society's inclinations.
groups. Finally, they work in teams to create additional
quality text sets that offer a critical mass on a different aspect
of diversity for their larger, developing collections.
To close, I offer a set of 24 good to excellent picturebooks
for the primary grades featuring families with gay and/
or lesbian parents or other adults4 (see Table 4). I have
discussed these books in more depth elsewhere (Moller, 2014)
and am reintroducing them to illustrate the value of Bishop’s
literary metaphors and analytical models. Naturally, there
are other books that could be included, but my goal here is
simply to share one example to get things started.
This set depicts gay and lesbian family members inclusively
as part of a larger social community and as people who
engage in activities and emotions that all humans do, who
have distinctive and positive family experiences, and who
deal with discrimination in empowering ways. Students
can explore and engage with different family structures
through the mix of consciously inclusive books. They
can enjoy the vicarious jealousy that Mia feels when her
“darling uncle” introduces his boyfriend (Lindenbaum,
2007), experience Donovan’s building excitement as his
Note
4 In this example, I limit the selections to literature featuring
gay and lesbian characters primarily because there remains
a dearth of quality children’s picturebooks featuring bisexual
and/or transgender characters.
VOL 42 NO 2 FALL 2016
rJ'\_
mother’s wedding nears (Newman, 2011), and appreci­
ate the subtle inclusion of two moms in Willhoite’s (1992)
wordless picturebook, in addition to being exposed to at
least three other people are people picture storybooks
with gay and/or lesbian characters. Students can connect
with various characters’ distinctive experiences. They
can, for example, join Nate on his journey of discovery of
learning that there is not one best color or one best mother
(Hoffman, 1999), experience Heather and her mommies’
family joy in Newman’s (2015) wonderfully redesigned
book, and learn about the authors’ new daughter from
Richardson and Parnell (2015). Finally, taking a critical
questioning approach, students can reflect on what Asha’s
mums might have said to her teacher to counter the
teacher’s homophobia (Elwin & Paulse, 1990), even though
that scene is not included, and on Grampy’s small but
meaningful step toward embracing his son (Vigna, 1995).
They can then extend that limited exploration through four
more recent books that take different approaches to coping
with homophobia and discrimination. Some of the books
have positive resolutions; others (unfortunately, still realis­
tically) have more melancholy or tragic outcomes.
Linking across Bishop’s (1992a, 1992b) works, students
see books with specific gay and lesbian content (distinc­
tive and coping themes), books that are generic (people are
people theme), and those that are neutral (inclusive theme)
discussed by Bishop (1992b) as well. Reading 24 books
(or even three or four in each theme), students engage in
a critical mass so no single book must carry the weight of
the whole. By planning literature collections in this way,
teachers can provide young readers with essential mirror,
window, and sliding glass door experiences and be ensured
of not falling into the trap of either avoiding or ignoring
difference or focusing only on the worst of society’s inclina­
tions. For this, we have Rudine Sims Bishop to thank! n
Karla J. M o lle r is an associate professor and the associate departm ent head
fo r graduate program s in the D e p a rtm e n t o f Curriculum and Instruction at the
University o f Illinois a t U rbana-C ham paign. H e r research and teaching focus on
the selection and use of diverse children’s litera ture and on conceptualizations
o f struggling and capability w ith regard to school-based reading events. She
conducts collaborative research w ith local teachers, m ost recently in the area o f
digital response to literature, email: kjm oller@ illinois.edu
JOURNAL OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE
72 MASTER TEACHER 72

TABLE 4
A modified Bishop (1992a) model: Four types of gay and lesbian books for the primary grades
by themes and topic

Category
Example
of Books

Consciously Kuklin, S. (2006). Families. N e w York, NY: H yperion.

inclusive
Levine, A .A . (2011). Monday is one day. (J. Hector, Ulus.). N e w York, NY: Scholastic.

Meyers, S. (2001). Everywhere babies. (M. Frazee, lllus.). San Diego, C A: H arcourt.

O kim o to , J.D., & Aoki, E.M. (2002). The White Swan Express: A story about adoption. (M. So, lllus.). N ew
York, NY: Clarion.

Parr, T. (2001). It's okay to be different. N e w York, NY: Little, Brown.

Parr, T. (2003). The family book. N e w York, NY: Little, Brown.

People are Brown, M. (2006). Buster's sugartime. N e w York, NY: Little, Brown.
people
Burks, S. (2004). While you were sleeping. (K. Bienvenu, lllus.). Victoria, BC, Canada: Burks.

Lindenbaum, P. (2007). Mini M ia and her darling uncle. (E.K. Dyssegaard, Trans.). Stockholm, Sweden: R&S.

Newm an, L. (2011). Donovan's big day. (M. D u tto n , lllus.). Berkeley, C A: Tricycle.

Veto, L.M. (2007). El amor de todos los colores/The many colored love. (J. Termenon, lllus.). Madrid, Spain: Topka.

W illh o ite , M. (1992). The entertainer. Boston, M A: Alyson.

Books Considine, K. (2003). Emma and Meesha M y Boy: A two mom story. (B. Hobbs, lllus.). Bloomington, IN: Xlibris.
on the
Hoffman, E. (1999). Best best colors/Los mejores colores (E. Vega, lllus.). (C. Henriquez, lllus.). St. Paul, M N :
distinctive
Red leaf.
experience
o f being Newm an, L. (2009). Daddy, Papa, and me. (C. Thom pson, lllus.). Berkeley, C A : Tricycle.
w ithin
Newm an, L. (2009). Mommy, Mama, and me. (C, Thom pson, lllus.). Berkeley, C A: Tricycle.
the
particular Newm an, L. (2015). Heather has two mommies. (L. Cornell, lllus.). Somerville, M A: Candlewick.
cultural
Richardson, J„ & Parnell, P. (2015). And Tango makes three (10th anniv. ed.). (H . Cole, lllus.). N e w York, NY:
group
Simon & Schuster.

Books on C row ther, K. (2000). Jack & Jim. N e w York, NY: D isney*H yperion.
coping w ith
Elwin, R., & Paulse, M. (1990). Asha’s mums. (D. Lee, lllus.). Toronto, O N , Canada: W o m e n ’s Press.
hom opho­
bia and Gonzalez, R. (2005). Antonio's card/La tarjeta de Antonio (J. Argueta, Spanish trans.). (C.C. Alvarez, lllus.). San
discrimina­ Francisco, C A: Children's Book Press.
tio n
Krakow, K. (2002). The Harvey M ilk story. (D. Gardner, lllus.). Ridley Park, PA: Tw o Lives.

Polacco, P. (2009). In our mothers' house. N e w York, NY: Philomel.

Vigna, J. (1995). M y two uncles. M o rto n Grove, IL: A lb e rt W hitm an.

* Bishop, R.S. ( 1992a). Children’s books in a multicultural world: A view from the USA. In E. Evans (Ed.), Reading against racism (pp. 19-38). Philadelphia, PA: Open University Press.

JOURNAL OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE VOL 42 NO 2 FALL 2016

 Karla J. M o ller C r e a t i n g D i v e r s e C l a s s r o o m L i t e r a t u r e C o l l e c t i o n s
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Bishop, R.S. (1992a). Children’s books in a multicultural world:
A view from the USA. In E. Evans (Ed.), Reading against
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Bishop, R.S. (1992b). Multicultural literature for children:
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MA: Christopher-Gordon.
Bishop, R.S. (1997). Selecting literature for a multicultural
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Bishop, R.S. (2012). Reflections on the development of African
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JOURNAL OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE
74 MASTER TEACHER
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Hamilton, V. (1974). M.C. Higgins, the great. New York, NY:
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JOURNAL OF CHILDREN'S LITERATURE
Newman, L. (2015). Heather has two mommies. (L. Cornell, Illus.).
Somerville, MA: Candlewick.
Okimoto, J.D., & Aoki, E.M. (2002). The White Swan Express: A
story about adoption. (M. So, Illus.). New York, NY: Clarion.
Parr, T. (2001). It’s okay to be different. New York, NY: Little,
Brown.
Parr, T. (2003). The family book. New York, NY: Little, Brown.
Polacco, P. (2009). In our mothers’ house. New York, NY:
Philomel.
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Willhoite, M. (1992). The entertainer. Boston, MA: Alyson.
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VOL 42 NO 2 FALL 2016
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