Corretta Scott King Awards

Coretta Scott King Award
Purpose –The Coretta Scott King Award “promotes understanding and appreciation of the culture of all peoples and their contribution to the realization of the American dream.” This award “encourages the artistic expression of the African American experience” through the arts. This award was first designed to commemorate both the lives of and also work of both Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Mrs.

Coretta Scott King. Selection Criteria –

Must portray some aspect of the African American experience, past, present, or future.Must be written/illustrated by a African American.

Must be published in the U.S. in the year preceding presentation of the Award.

Must be original work

Must be written for a youth audience in one of the three categories:
Preschool–grade 4
Grades 5–8
Grades 9–12

Must meet established standards of quality writing for youth which include:
Clear plot
Well-drawn characters which portray growth and development during the course of the story
Writing style which is consistent with and suitable to the age intended
Accuracy

Particular attention will be paid to titles that seek to motivate readers to develop their own attitudes and behaviors as well as comprehend their personal duty and responsibility as citizens in a pluralistic society.

Illustrations should reflect established qualitative standards and“heighten and extend the reader's awareness of the world around him. They should lead him to an appreciation of beauty. The style and content of the illustrations should be ... neither coy nor condescending ... Storytelling qualities should enlarge upon the story elements that were hinted at in the text and should include details that will awaken and strengthen the imagination of the reader and permit him to interpret the works and pictures in a manner unique to him.”—Cianciolo, Illustrations in Children's Books (p. 24.25)

Sponsor –

The Coretta Scott King Award was first established in 1969 and later in 1979 expanded to not only includes African American authors but also African American illustrators. The American Library Association (ALA) recognized this award in 1982. The other sponsors of this award include the Johnson Publications in Chicago, IL, the World Book, Encyclopedia Britannica and also Book Wholesalers (BWI). Selection Committee Qualifications –Members of the ALA may become a member of EMIERT (Ethnic Multicultural Information Exchange Round Table). Members generally include librarians, library employees or library organizations, and any individuals who are interested in supporting the work of EMIERT.

Present/Past Award Winners:
2007 Winner: Copper Sun by Sharon Draper
2007 Winner for Illustration: Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom Illustrated by Kadir Nelson written by Carole Boston Weatherford
1999 Winner for Illustration: I See the Rhythm by Toyomi Igus, illustrated by Michele Wood
1998 Winner: Forged by Fire by Sharon Draper
1997 Winner: Slam! by Walter Dean Myers

Citing:http://www.ala.org/ala/emiert/corettascottkingbookaward/corettascott.htmhttp://www.acs.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/coretta.html

Confessions of a Reader

After reading "Confessions of a Closet Catholic" I must admit I enjoyed the story very much. I thought the language was rich and engaging, the subject matter interesting and characters creative. As I read the story I focused on Justine's growth and self discovery. I enjoyed getting a glimpse of this 11 year old child's views on family and faith changed throughout the story. But after some probing from a few of my peers I thought maybe this is because I am neither Jewish or Catholic, and I was able to enjoy the text as a fun and simple story of a young girl uncovering her faith and finding herself in the process. The story discussed some difficult themes regarding religion, faith instruction and some difficult family dynamics. It was easy as an outsider of both faiths to see this story as another self-discovery style text. I found her closet confessions both amusing and informative. It was fun listening in on a confession (even if it were in the closet and to a teddy bear). The story looked at a function of what many children face, questioning the purpose of their own faith and what it means to believe in one faith versus another. Although, it is important to remember (as in all literature) that the images presented are just an interpretation of different facts and beliefs by the author. And as such, should be allowed the freedom to experiment with different themes and ideas. I wouldn't say that the story was purposely offensive but I can see why some may have that impression.

Weighing in on the Insider/Outsider Debate

Multicultural literature is a frequently debated topic among literary scholars. Everything from the legitimacy of multicultural literature in general, to the validity of studying multicultural literature in school is discussed, argued and deliberated. To this I say: in today's society one cannot escape the reality of multiculturalism. We are multicultural society. From food to television to magazine ads, multicultural images saturate our society, ignoring this reality by not including multicultural studies in today's school system does a gross disservice to our students.

Determining what constitutes quality multicultural literature has caused much debate as well. Knowing the background of the author is helpful in determining the validity of the text. An insider will be able to provide an accurate depiction of their experiences, where as an outsider may not have the same connection to the community they are representing. Following suit with Rudine Sims Bishop, “[an author has] to know a culture intimately if you are going to reflect it accurately in [their] fiction.” To contribute an authentic piece of literature of benefit to the culture it is to represent, one would need to have intimate and authentic experience with that culture. The writing source is very important when considering good multicultural literature, equally as important as the quality of the writing itself.

Focusing solely on the source of the writing may discount quality pieces. I feel it would be inappropriate to exclude certain voices from the multicultural literature available to students, based only on whether or not they are considered an “insider” of the culture. The beauty of fiction writing is in its diversity, and the ability of the author to open the reader up to a new world and perspective. Many readers find reading literature to be a wonderful way to escape and get a new perspective. Literature should first be judged on the quality of writing and other aspects of the writing may follow suit.

Who am I?

The question, "Who are you?" has always been a source of reservation for me. I mean, what is one really asking? Are you asking who am I the person? Well, that's not an easy answer, I mean one could consider my family background. This certainly would have a great impact on my development as a person. One could also consider race, gender and sexual orientation to hold a great impact on one's development as well. So the question as to who I am well, frankly that is a big one for me. So let me start with this: I am a woman participating in a college class. I was asked to create a Blog, and express my feelings about multicultural literature and other aspects of our class. And this, my good people, is my good natured response.