Controversial Books

If you would like to find your five controversial picture books for this week, you might want to check out Amazon's list (many of which are on reserve in the lab or can be found at the Iowa City Public Library. You are reading The Misfits, but Amazon also has a good list of YA controversial books.

Also, you can find a lot of articles on this topic out there. Here's one on the book Jen was showing around at the beginning of class:) I encourage you to be creative (there is no real "border" with controversial books. Please include in your post 1) your thoughts of why this picture book might be considered controversial and 2) whether you are comfortable teaching the book to children. If not, why not? Which grade levels would you recommend the book for?

Here are a few more suggestions (hat tip to Lewis).

HIROSHIMA, NO PIKA, by Toshi Maruki

WHITE WASH, by Ntozake Shange

NAPPY HAIR, by Carolivia Herron

FLY AWAY HOME, by Eve Bunting

SMOKY NIGHT, by Eve Bunting & David Diaz

FRIENDS FROM THE OTHER SIDE, by Gloria Anzaldua

ROSE BLANCHE, by Christopher Gallaz & Roberto Innocenti

FAITHFUL ELEPHANTS: A TRUE STORY OF ANIMALS, PEOPLE, AND WAR, by Yukio Tsuchiya

SAMI AND THE TIME OF TROUBLES, Judith Heide