tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27760240.post6416581987937210599..comments2024-03-27T14:08:51.191-05:00Comments on American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL): Judy Dow and Robette Dias Comment on SIGN OF THE BEAVERDebbie Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972409006633565859noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27760240.post-90242701775430339042010-01-07T14:02:59.165-06:002010-01-07T14:02:59.165-06:00Thanks, Judy Dow and Robette Dias, for bringing th...Thanks, Judy Dow and Robette Dias, for bringing that information to light in this very public forum. One of the features of Debbie's blog that turns out to be most valuable for me is that Debbie and readers can revisit topics -- even from years ago -- with new information that has the potential to make our advocacy even more powerful. We can respond to (and use) what we know about. <br /><br />To me, one the most troubling things about historical fiction for children (such as SotB) is that adults tend to assume that the "historical" details are inherently accurate, enabling them to justify classroom use of such books to teach about the times in which the books are (supposedly) set. All the while, the evidence mounts that even those historical fiction writers who have somehow managed to create reputations of being careful researchers are actually doing very little research -- or doing it very carelessly. <br /><br />I'm not trying to say that historical fiction is the only problematic genre when it comes to obscuring the real history that Judy Dow and Robette Dias refer to. Writers of historical nonfiction for children also seem to avoid the "difficult look". Maybe the document Ms. Dow and Ms. Dias refer to is mentioned somewhere in children;s non-fiction, but I have not seen it (and would be glad to have someone show me that I'm wrong...)Jean Mendozanoreply@blogger.com