Doris Seale

This book gave me a lot to ponder. Unfortunately, their website appears to be broken, so I can't check for more updated information. I've got to think more about how students can be taught about the cultures of the tribes can be done without being guilty of cultural appropriation. It's clear that acquainting them with modern Indians is better than a focus solely on pre-colonial material culture.
It begins with some examples descriptions by Native Americans (including some of the reviewers) of their feelings when reading some of the very negative stereotypes, or of their attempts to ask teachers not to assign the books. It includes some good stories that could be used in classroom settings instead of some of the legends "rewritten" by non-Native authors which either miss the point, include stereotypes, or are of topics which should not have been shared. Part of the book will address a common topic, e.g. dreamcatchers or coyote tales, and review a number of books on that topic with an overview of the meaning of that topic to different tribes. The bulk of the book contains reviews of a long list of authors and specific publications, some of whom are acknowledged as having changed their approach.
A 'handout' style listing of what to look for in evaluating books would have been helpful, and maybe I just missed it. There was such a handout for evaluating photoessays of Native Indian Children which can be used for any book.
I will admit that after reading much of the book it felt like a lot of the reviews were repetitive in the aspects that were seen as negative. I'm sure it felt repetitive to the reviewers also. I started to get an idea of what to look for in my reading--beyond just avoiding the use of pejorative terms. I also noticed how very few non-Native authors got a clear pass, and how most of the authors who did have a tribal affiliation were given positive reviews (caveat: I did not read beyond 'C' in the alphabetical list because I had no more renewals on the library book.)… (mais)

A valuable resource for librarians and educators full of extensive essays and reviews on youth literature that depicts Native American cultures. Readers will initially be taken aback that some of their favorite authors, illustrators and go-to titles get slammed in no uncertain terms. But they will also discover titles that are valuable and respectful. A particularly useful essay is "A Guide for Evaluating Photoessays." After perusing even a few of the writings in "Broken Flute," readers will evaluate relevant children's books with a clearer eye.… (mais)

Children's books about Native Americans exhibit a long and ignoble history of racism, historical revisionism, and cultural appropriation. Unfortunately, contemporary "multicultural" books about Indians often continue that tradition. A Broken Flute is 400+ pages of book reviews and contextual information, designed to help teachers and parents recognize the bad books and help them find the good ones.

The reviews are wonderful reading. The reviewers write in clear, uncompromising voices. They detail screwy emphases, tacit endorsements, revisionist histories, and cultural appropriation. Books that especially deserve scathing reviews (such as Brother Eagle, Sister Sky, which not only warps Sealth's speech into something feel-good and friendly, but puts a painting of Two Moons of the Cheyenne on the cover---a different man, chief of a different nation, in no way interchangeable with Sealth) are treated with the searing disdain that they deserve. If you had ever wondered what the fuss about cultural appropriation is, or why "small" offenses stop looking so small when they've repeated hundreds-fold, some time spent with A Broken Flute will make it clear.

Fortunately, it's not all reviews of absurdly, insultingly awful books. Native-authored essays and poems provide a contrast and antidote to all the crap; Native children and parents discuss their own experiences dealing with teachers, schools, and fellow students; many, many good books are reviewed. (Yay, my reading list just doubled!)

If you're raising kids or otherwise introduce children to books, A Broken Flute is an amazing resource. Also worth checking out is the publishers website, oyate.org, which offers a taste of the information in A Broken Flute.… (mais)