tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27760240.post9109222894982804232..comments2024-03-27T14:08:51.191-05:00Comments on American Indians in Children's Literature (AICL): Daniel Jose Older's SHADOWSHAPERDebbie Reesehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14972409006633565859noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27760240.post-27537372327973296832017-09-14T13:23:40.676-05:002017-09-14T13:23:40.676-05:00Debbie,
I know you are probably shaking your head...Debbie,<br /><br />I know you are probably shaking your head as you read my comment to this beautiful post on one of my favorite writer people, D. Jose Older, but you have to excuse me for the 2 year delay, for I've been trying to successfully resist the meta aggressive forces that be in my doctoral program that rain down on me like after lives breaking through portals. This morning I thought it was Friday and thank goodness it's Thursday.<br /><br />So, let me say that I always surf through your site and I am comparing your annual titles for First Nations with the titles that come up on In the Margins Awards List and will be using some of your titles as vetted ones to try and establish a list to conduct my research that involves literature for youth from underrepresented groups. When I saw "Shadowshaper" like I said, I stopped and read your review. The one thing if I may respectfully comment on that was not correct is that Sierra was not of Puerto Rican heritage, she, like Older who is from lower Washington Heights in NYC, is Dominicano. His placement of her on the cover of his book as a brown skinned person of D. R. heritage was a straighten-up-and-fly-right-or-come-see-me statement in that many in the community do not embrace the African in their history. They continue the ancient respect to the ancestors and what the rituals are but not admit to where it came from. The other statement made in the story is that Haiti, the twin country of Hispaniola, upon freeing themselves, went over the mountain and freed Dominican Republic, and has been snubbed by DR ever since due to the same thing - their connection to Africa and the ancients and the ancestors is a reminder of DR's connection(not saying Haiti's caste system is to be excused). So in the storyline Sierra, for her survival, must turn to a young Haitian male to tutor her in the procedures for protection and catch her up on what she just didn't take serious as a 21st Century teen who was busy with other interest and whose granddad kept her from knowing until his death. This book, makes peace with the old rife between the two cultures and provides the commonalities shared between them that when bonded is a strengthening force.<br /><br />So I didn't really mean to write so much, but I am impressed with your ability to embrace the root common denominator found in the Indigenous nature of spirit and so appreciate it.<br /><br />Please accept my humble apologies, if this is received in any manner but upmost love and respect for the dedication you have made to ensure authenticity of voice and representation so our youth may form healthy identity to survive in this crazy world.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27760240.post-39253652058587727572017-03-27T17:20:24.331-05:002017-03-27T17:20:24.331-05:00Wow! Great review, Debbie. One for me and my tween...Wow! Great review, Debbie. One for me and my tween to read. Thanks you.Angela Savagehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00729727026070132807noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27760240.post-91296982254692198562015-04-23T17:08:49.276-05:002015-04-23T17:08:49.276-05:00Lydia, I read it as a question about stereotypical...Lydia, I read it as a question about stereotypical imagery in general. When you get the book, I'd love for you to come back and share your thoughts. <br /><br />Debbie Reesehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14972409006633565859noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27760240.post-48261655232080025142015-04-23T16:52:58.982-05:002015-04-23T16:52:58.982-05:00Thank you Ms. Reese for this review. I will defin...Thank you Ms. Reese for this review. I will definitely pick up a copy of Shadowshaper. I have a question about the discussion about the tattoo passage. The angry African that looked as if he was about to kill someone, made me flinch a bit. I immediately thought of the descriptions of Michael Brown by the police officer that shot and killed him. Sierra questions the serious face of the Indian on the tattoo. Is it implied that she had a problem with the "angry African" as well, or does this line portray the image of the "angry blackman" in a stereotypical way? Lydia McClanahanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05753205568262862850noreply@blogger.com