One of the themes explored in this series alongside lessons gleaned from the stories themselves is the problematic history of Dr. Seuss and his work, especially in its derogatory depiction of other races and cultures. Please read the PDFs of the sermons and watch Hopes & Notes for references to learn more about this for yourself. Children’s books provide impressions and messages that can last a lifetime, and shape how children see and understand themselves, their homes, communities and world. Children’s literature has the power to either reduce or reinforce children’s biases during the critical window in development when these biases are flexible and still emerging.
In 2014, children of color became the majority in America’s K-12 public schools and this majority will only continue to grow. As such, we have a responsibility to supplement “classic” works with authors that reflect the true diversity in the world of our children. Here are a couple of links to excellent pages offering such alternatives and supplementary materials that will benefit all children and families of any race. More will be added as this series goes along:
https://www.epl.ca/blogs/post/37-diverse-alternatives-to-dr-seuss/
https://colorfulpages.org/2019/03/12/anti-racism-over-tradition-alternatives-to-dr-seuss-and-racism/
https://www.embracerace.org/resources/where-to-find-diverse-childrens-books
