Black Canadian children’s literature ~ the stats

5 Apr 2010 news 0 Comments 0

Math is not my favorite subject, so compiling statistics is not going to be fun…and it’s going to take a long time, I think, because right now I’m going by books that have been reviewed in Canada’s leading children’s literature journal, CM. But I know from experience that not all books GET reviewed. So that means contacting Canadian publishers directly and asking them to submit data on their books by and about black people. This morning I made a list of books (published in Canada since 2000) that were reviewed in CM. Here are the trends I’m finding so far:

There are lots of picture books about African or Caribbean folktales.
There are lots of picture books about African safari animals.
There are many more non-fiction books than fiction at the MG/YA level.

Since I’m interested in stories by and about black people, I’m not including the animal/endangered species books. Some non-fiction titles are for adults, but might still be in a high school library. At this point, I’m including white authors who write about black children—like Deborah Ellis and Allan Stratton. I’ll save my analysis of this list for another post….take a look and tell me what YOU see.

2000:

Trial of the Stone by Richardo Keens-Douglas (Annick; Grade Preschool-2, ages 4-7)

Play Mas’! A Carnival ABC by Dirk McLean. Illustrated by Ras Stone (Tundra Books; Kindergarten – grade 4 / Ages 5 – 9)

2001:

I Have Been in Danger by Cheryl Foggo (Coteau Books; MG)

If I Just Had Two Wings by Virginia Frances Schwartz (Fitzhenry & Whiteside; 9-12)

Music from the Sky by Denise Gillard (Groundwood; Pre-K)

Now I See How Great I Can Be by Linda Sky Grossman; illustrated by Petra Bockus. (Second Story Press; Kindergarten-grade 2 / Ages 5-7)

Our Canadian Girl: Rachel #1 A MIGHTY BIG IMAGINING by Lynn Kositsky (Penguin Group Canada; 8-12 years)

The Pot of Wisdom by Adwoa Badoe, illustrated by Baba Wagué Diakité (Groundwood; Ages 7 and up)

What the Animals Were Waiting For by Jonathan London. Illustrated by Paul Morin (North Winds Press; Preschool-grade 3 / Ages 4-8)

2002:

Anancy and The Haunted House by Richardo Keens-Douglas PB (Annick)

Courage to Fly. Troon Harrison. Illustrated by Zhong-Yang Huang.
(Red Deer Press; Preschool-grade 4 / Ages 4-9)

Nana’s Cold Days by A Badoe, illustrated by Bushra Junaid (Groundwood; Ages 2-5)

Our Canadian Girl: Rachel #2: The Maybe House by Lynn Kositsky (Penguin Group Canada; 8-12 years)

Rapid Ray: the Story of Ray Lewis by John Cooper (Tundra; 10 and up)

2003:

A Slave Family. (Colonial People). Bobbie Kalman & Amanda Bishop.
(Crabtree; Grades 5-8 / Ages 10-13)

The Kids Book of Black Canadian History. Rosemary Sadlier. Illustrated by Wang Qijun (Kids Can Press; Grades 4-7 / Ages 9-12)

Our Canadian Girl: Rachel #3 Certificate of Freedom by Lynn Kositsky (Penguin Group Canada; 8-12 years)

Secrets in the Fire by Henning Mankell; illustrated by Annie Connie Stuksrud (Annick; Age 11+)

2004:

Chanda’s Secrets by Allan Stratton (Annick; Grade 9+)

Cuba: The Land. (The Lands, Peoples, and Cultures Series). April Fast and Susan Hughes. Principal photography by Marc Crabtree. (Crabtree; Grades 3-7 / Ages 8-12)

Cuba: The People. (The Lands, Peoples, and Cultures Series). April Fast and Susan Hughes. Principal photography by Marc Crabtree (Crabtree; Grades 3-7 / Ages 8-12)

Cuba: The Culture. (The Lands, Peoples, and Cultures Series). April Fast and Susan Hughes. Principal photography by Marc Crabtree. (Crabtree; Grades 3-7 / Ages 8-12)

The Heaven Shop by Deborah Ellis (Fitzhenry & Whiteside; ages 12+)

I Came As a Stranger: The Underground Railroad by Bryan Prince (Tundra Books; 10+)

Jamaica: The Culture. (The Lands, Peoples, and Culture Series). Amber Wilson. (Crabtree; Grades 3-7 / Ages 8-12)

Jamaica: The Land. (The Lands, Peoples, and Culture Series). Amber Wilson. (Crabtree; Grades 3-7 / Ages 8-12)

Jamaica: The People. (The Lands, Peoples, and Culture Series). Amber Wilson.
(Crabtree; Grades 3-7 / Ages 8-12)

Oscar: The Life and Music of Oscar Peterson by Reva Marin (Groundwood Books; ages 11-14)

Our Canadian Girl: Rachel #4 An Elephant Tree Christmas by Lynn Kositsky (Penguin Group Canada; 8-12 years)

Tales From the Isle of Spice: A Collection of New Caribbean Folk Tales. Richardo Keens-Douglas. Illustrated by Sylvie Bourbonnière. (Annick Press; Grades 4-6 / Ages 9-11)

Singing Towards the Future: The Story of Portia White (Stories of Canada) by lian goodall, illustrated by Liz Milkau (Napoleon Publishing; Ages 9-12)

Always Run Up the Stairs by Sean Moore (Simple Read Books; ages 4-7)

2005:

Ingrid and the Wolf by Andre Alexis (Tundra Books; ages 8-12)

The Freedom of Jenny by Julie Burtinshaw (Raincoast Books; Grades 6-9))

Mella and the N’anga: An African Tale by Gail Nyoka (Sumach Press; Grades 3-7 / Ages 8-12)

Our Stories, Our Songs: African Children Talk About AIDS by Deborah Ellis.
(Fitzhenry & Whiteside; Grades 7 and up / Ages 12 and up)

Season of Rage: Hugh Burnett and the Struggle for Civil Rights by John Cooper (Tundra Books; 10+)

Send One Angel Down by Virginia Frances Schwartz (Fitzhenry & Whiteside)

The Underground Railroad: Next Stop, Toronto! by Afua Cooper, Adrienne Shadd and Karolyn Smardz Frost (Natural Heritage Books/Dundurn Press)

2006:

A is for Ampe: An Alphabet Book from Ghana by Kathy Knowles; Photos by Bruce Hildebrand and Kathy Knowles (Osu Children’s Library Fund; second edition; Ages 3-6)

Black Heritage (Discovering Canada) by Robert Livesey, illustrated by A.G. Smith (Fitzhenry & Whiteside; ages 8+/Grades 3 and up)

Ghana@50 by Kathy Knowles (Osu Children’s Library Fund; All ages)

Last Days in Africville by Dorothy Perkyns (Dundurn Press; MG)

Letters to My Mother by Teresa Cárdenas (Groundwood; YA)

One Little Crab: A Counting Book from Ghana by Kathy Knowles; Photos by Bruce Hildebrand and Kathy Knowles (Osu Children’s Library Fund; second edition; Ages 3-6)

Peary & Henson : the race to the North Pole by Baron Bedesky (Crabtree; Grades 4-5)

Pink Icing and Other Stories by Pamela Mordecai (Insomniac)

Running Uphill: The Fast, Short Life of Canadian Champion Harry Jerome by Fil Fraser (Dragon Hill Publishing/Lone Pine Publishing; Grades 8 and up / Ages 13 and up)

2007:

A Kwa Amani by Kathy Knowles (Osu Children’s Library Fund; Ages 3-6)

Choice of Colours: The Pioneering African-American Quarterbacks Who Changed the Face of Football. (Recordbooks) byJohn Danakas (James Lorimer; Grades 5-10 / Ages 10-15)

Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis (Scholastic Canada; Ages 9-12)*

George Washington Carver: An Innovative Life by Elizabeth MacLeod (Kids Can Press; ages 8-12)

Jakeman by Deborah Ellis (Fitzhenry and Whiteside; MG)

Old Dog/Perro Viejo by Teresa Cárdenas YA (Groundwood)

My Green Book byKathy Knowles (Osu Children’s Library Fund; Preschool / Ages 1-4)**

My Red Book byKathy Knowles (Osu Children’s Library Fund; Preschool / Ages 1-4)

My Blue Book byKathy Knowles (Osu Children’s Library Fund; Preschool / Ages 1-4)

My Yellow Book byKathy Knowles (Osu Children’s Library Fund; Preschool / Ages 1-4)

Open and Closed: A Book of Opposites from Ghana by Kathy Knowles
(Osu Children’s Library Fund; Ages 4-7)

Otu Goes to Sea by Noreen Mian; Photos by Kathy Knowles (Osu Children’s Library Fund; Ages 5-10)

Rise of the Golden Cobra by Henry T. Aubin, illustrated by Stephen M. Taylor (Annick; Age 11+)

Where is the Star: A Book of Shapes from Ghana by Kathy Knowles
(Osu Children’s Library Fund; Ages 4-7)

Abductors by Bernadette Gabay Dyer (Rain Books; Ages 10-14)

Sweet & Sour Honey by Michelle Richards (Page Three Publishing; YA)

2008:

Chanda’s Wars by Allan Stratton (HarperCollins Canada; YA)

All About Ama by Kathy Knowles (Osu Children’s Library Fund; Ages 2-5)

The Bite of the Mango by Mariatu Kamara with Susan McClelland (Annick; Age 14+)

Loving Me by Angelot Ndongmo (Chocvirgo Publishing; Ages 4-8)

Oloyou by Teresa Cardenas (Groundwood; PB)

Maria’s Wish by Kathy Knowles (Osu Children’s Library Fund; Ages 7-11)

My Friend Jamal (My Friend … series) by Anna McQuinn, illustrated by Ben Frey (Annick; Age 4 – 7, Grade Preschool – 2)

One Hen: How one small loan made a big difference by Katie Smith Milway, illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes (Kids Can Press; Ages 7 and up)

Peter’s Wish by Kathy Knowles (Osu Children’s Library Fund, Ages 7-11)

To Stand and Fight Together: Richard Pierpoint and the Coloured Corps of Upper Canada by Steve Pitt (Dundurn Press/Sandcastle; Ages 9-12)

Up Home by Shauntay Grant, Illustrated by Susan Tooke (Nimbus Publishing; PB)

2009:

A Desperate Road to Freedom: The Underground Railroad Diary of Julia May Jackson. (Dear Canada) by Karleen Bradford (Scholastic Canada; Grades 4-8 / Ages 9-13)

Blue Mountain Trouble by Martin Mordecai (Scholastic Canada; Grades 5-7 / Ages 10-12)

Born to Write: The Remarkable Lives of Six Famous Authors by Charis Cotter (Annick; Age 9-12)

Boy! I Am Loving Me (Chocvirgo Publishing; Ages 4-8)

Broken Memory: A Novel of Rwanda by Élisabeth Combres. Translated by Shelley Tanaka (Groundwood/House of Anansi; Grades 5-8 / Ages 10-13)

The Children of Africville by Christine Welldon (Nimbus Publishing; 8-12)

Crocodile Bread by Kathy Knowles (Osu Children’s Library Fund; Ages 5-10)

Dynamic Women Dancers. (The Women’s Hall of Fame Series) by Anne Dublin (Second Story Press; Grades 4-8 / Ages 9-13)

Edward and the Eureka Lucky Wish Company by Barbara Todd, illustrated by Patricia Storms (Kids Can Press; Ages 4-7)

James Douglas: Father of British Columbia by Julie H. Ferguson (Dundurn Press; ages ten and up)

Kwanzaa. (Celebrations in My World) byMolly Aloian. (Crabtree; Grades 2-4 / Ages 7-9)

Lom and the Gnatters by Kurusa. Illustrated by Isabel Ferrer. Translated by Elisa Amado (Groundwood Books/House of Anansi Press; Preschool-grade 2 / Ages 2-7)

Martin Luther King, Jr. Day. (Celebrations in My World) by Reagan Miller. (Crabtree; Grades 2-3 / Ages 7-8)

Mathieu Da Costa: First to Arrive by Itah Sadu, illustrated by Roy Condy (A Different Publisher; PB)

My Friend Mei Jing (My Friend … series) by Anna McQuinn, illustrated by Ben Frey; photographs by Irvin Cheung (Annick; Age 4-7)

My Happy Book by Kathy Knowles (Osu Children’s Library Fund; Ages 2-6)

My Name is Henry Bibb: A Story of Slavery and Freedom by Afua Cooper (Kid Can Press; Grades 5-9 / Ages 10-14)

My Name Is Phillis Wheatley: A Story of Slavery and Freedom by Afua Cooper (Kid Can Press; Grades: 5 to 9/ Ages: 10 to 14)

Pharaohs and Foot Soldiers: One Hundred Ancient Egyptian Jobs You Might Have Desired or Dreaded (Jobs in History series) by Kristin Butcher, illustrated by Martha Newbigging (Annick; Grades 4-7)

Shadow of the Leopard by Henning Mankell (Annick; Age 14+)

Working for Freedom: The Story of Josiah Henson (Stories of Canada) by Rona Arato, illustrated by Chrissie Wysotski (Napoleon Publishing; Ages 10+)

2010:

It Could Never Happen to Me by Michelle Richards (Page Three Publishing; YA)

A Gift From Childhood: Memories of an African Boyhood by Baba Wagué Diakité (Groundwood Books; Grades 3-7 / Ages 8-12)

Curtain Up!: A Book for Young Performers by Dirk McLean (Tundra Books; Age 6-8)

Between Sisters by Adwoa Badoe (Groundwood; 14 and up)

Crossing to Freedom by Virginia Frances Schwartz (Scholastic Canada; Ages 9-12)

Frederick Douglass: From Slavery to Statesman. (Voices for Freedom: Abolitionist Heroes) by Henry Elliot (Crabtree; Grades 5-8 / Ages 10-13)

Viola Desmond Won’t Be Budged by Jody Nyasha Warner (Groundwood; Age 5-9)

The City Speaks in Drums by Shauntay Grant (Nimbus Publishing; Age 4-8)

A Hare in the Elephant’s Trunk by Jan L. Coates (Red Deer Press; Age 12+)

Cry of the Giraffe by Judie Oron (Annick Press; Age 14+)

2011:

Dear Baobab by Cheryl Foggo (Second Story Press; Ages 4-8)

Chasing Freedom by Gloria Ann Wesley (Fernwood; YA)

Morning Star by Judith Plaxton (Second Story; YA)

2012:

Gift Days by Kari-Lynn Winters (Fitzhenry & Whiteside; PB)

Apples and Butterflies by Shauntay Grant (Nimbus; PB)

Basodee: an Anthology Dedicated to Black Youth edited by Fiona Raye Clarke (GSPH; YA)

When I Get Older: The Story behind “Wavin’ Flag” by K’naan (Tundra Books; PB)

Birthday Suit by Olive Senior, illustrated by Eugenie Fernandes (Annick Press; PB)

Talking About Freedom: Celebrating Emancipation Day in Canada by Natasha L. Henry (Dundurn)

2013

Marcus Teaches Us by Eleanor Wint (PB)

Lasso the Wind by George Elliott Clarke (Nimbus; PB)

_____________________________________________________

* I’m not sure whether this book was first published by Scholastic in the US or in Canada, but I’m counting it as a Canadian book

** This press produces picture books for children in Africa, but they seem to be reviewed and available in Canada

book culture, Canada, children's literature, historical fiction, middle grade novels, multicultural literature, race & politics, young adult novels

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0 Comments

Doret

6 Apr 2010 Reply

I want to read Black Ice and loving the Oscar Peterson bio. didn't know he was Canadian.

Back to the question at hand. I took a moment to click through all the titles. Two words that best describe the majority of these novels, meancholy and survival.

These stories should be available so people can enjoy and learn from them.

Though it's a disservice to all children if this is the only light Black children are seen in.

White students are reguarly given the chance to read mirror characters with unlimited possiblity. Whereas the Black characters are too tired trying to survive to dream.
elliottzetta

6 Apr 2010 Reply

I couldn't agree more, Doret. It seems Canada frequently figures as "the promised land," the glorious destination so many enslaved blacks are seeking--but that's just one side of the story. There are several novels set in Africa, dealing with AIDS, war, disaster...and nothing featuring black males, nothing featuring teens living in Canada today--born here and raised here...I wonder what teens in Canada read--do they look for street lit sold on the street, or do they find US books in their school libraries?
missinpiece

6 Apr 2010 Reply

i haven't read it, but i thought Black Ice was really an adult book. i'll go through this list again, but you know i'm not dying to read many of the books on this list. and i live to read about black people! history and slavery and picture books are important, but i also want Cdn books for my girls that are contemporary and that, as Doret says, gives them a sense of "unlimited possibility" and a chance to dream...
elliottzetta

6 Apr 2010 Reply

It is, but I included some adult titles that could still work as reference books for teens. If I were ten years old, I'd be really excited about all the slavery stories...but enough already! kids can only take so much oppression! the message seems to be, wherever you are, life in Canada's SO much better...
missinpiece

6 Apr 2010 Reply

actually i don't mean to be too critical. i definitely want to check out these books... but it would be nice to have a broader range of topics... it is great to have this list to see what is out there in one place...
Edi

8 Apr 2010 Reply

z.
This has been interesting to follow. What a paradox: while we remember Canada as being the place where enslaved Africans headed, we don't think of it as a place where people of African descent live. Why is that? I suppose now the think to do is to look at the political history, look at legislative acts that have affected people's settlement and attitudes about race.
virginia frances schwartz

15 Dec 2010 Reply

As an author of historical fiction, especially slavery, I am excited to see 2 of my YA novels posted on this list featuring literature about black Canadians, IF I JUST HAD TWO WINGS & CROSSING TO FREEDOM. My young readers influenced me to write Crossing to Freedom, released in Fall 2010.
Why? Their questions haunted me and I had no answer for them. Although I had written about slavery in the south, I did not know much about the Canadian experience. Readers asked what life was like for the newly entered runaway slaves into 1800's Canada, how were they treated, was their prejudice, who were these people, what happened to families they left behind, what was it like to begin a new life, did the ex-slaves ever "cross over" to feeling free?
My answers took me on a research trip to most of the Ontario towns, sites and depots that welcomed runaways and piece by piece, I put together their story. It is full of surprises, injustice,kindness, twists and turns, politics and a search for education.
What informed me most was my acquaintance with the descendants of these runaway slaves who still live in the rural areas around Buxton, Puce and Dresden and actively maintain the sites. Meeting them, I instantly knew what kind of person took the UGRR to freedom -- their ancestors were persistent, strong willed, able to take chances, physically strong and had vision. That is what I witnessed in 2008 as I interviewed these descendants.
Please check out this new novel about the crossing into Canada of an 11 year old boy named Solomon, what's left behind, what haunts him, and the life he discovers.
http://www.scholastic.ca/titles/crossingtofreedom/
VIRGINIA FRANCES SCHWARTZ

elliottzetta

15 Dec 2010 Reply

Hi, Virginia! Thanks so much for your comment; not too long ago an educator who was teaching Send One Angel Down asked me for activities to help her students reflect on slavery...I hadn't read the book, but she was excited about my ideas--next time I'll send her straight to you! So you were born in Canada, but you now live in the US? Am I right to put you on this list of books published in Canada? or are you published in the US and distributed in Canada? I think maybe I should have included Initiation?

virginia frances schwartz

20 Jan 2011 Reply

Hi Zetta! This is an amazing and well needed site. Thank you for presenting and maintaining it.
WINGS & CROSSING TO FREEDOM were both published in Canada and some of my books have been published and/or distributed in the US. SEND ONE ANGEL DOWN, a novel of great sorrow and redemption, was originally published in the US and then pb rights were sold to Canada.
I was born in Canada and have lived in NYC for many years.
INITIATION includes slavery too but in this novel, a young girl Noh, becomes a slave when her tribe is defeated by another tribe. This was an ancient First Nations tribe practice.
Finally, as Black History month approaches, there is the first review of CROSSING TO FREEDOM:
http://www.umanitoba.ca/outreach/cm/vol17/no18/crossingtofreedom.html

Thanks!
VIRGINIA FRANCES SCHWARTZ
Kathy Knowles

26 Jul 2011 Reply

Thank you for including so many of my titles on your list. I started writing books for African children, more specifically Ghanaian children, when I found it was difficult to purchase picture books reflecting their culture. Now, the children at our Osu Children's Library Fund-sponsored libraries in Accra, are encouraging me with more and more titles. Lucky me! www.osuchildrenslibraryfund.ca

elliottzetta

26 Jul 2011 Reply

Hi, Kathy. Thanks for stopping by. Does your press publish any titles by African authors, or do you write all the stories yourself?

Kathy Knowles

27 Jul 2011 Reply

In 2009, OCLF published Kente for a King, an original story by the late Angela Christian, a Ghanaian woman who I met in the 80s soon after I started a children's library in our garden in Accra. It was retold by me to bring more accuracy to the sequence of events (regarding the origins of the kente). Her family endorsed this and attended the book launch in November 2010. We are publishing the second by Ms. Christian - Akosua's Gift - in the fall.
Perdita

21 Jun 2012 Reply

I am a high school teacher in an inner city school, and there is a significant population of African-Canadian students in my school. They come from countries in Continental Africa as well as the Caribbean and South America. What I noticed as I browsed this list is that a lot of the books are written for children, aged 12 and under. There are some titles that are considered appropriate for the grade 9 level, but most of those are non-fiction. Like "elliattzetta" wrote: what are adolescents supposed to read? There seems to be hardly any books about African-Canadian youth living in modern Canada.

How can I teach my students to have a hopeful outlook in their own contemporary lives when all these stories take place in a world over 200 years ago? Either that, or they take place half way around the world.

Conversely, there are innumerable young adult novels about Caucasian Canadian adolescents. Topics include dealing with a parent who is living with mental illness, growing up and learning to take on personal & social responsibility, living life as pawn in a custody battle < topics that many young adults have to face on a daily basis. The frustrating part is that they all feature a caucasian protagonist. There is nothing wrong with that, per se, but some balance in representation would make my job a lot easier, and ultimately, it would allow the students in my English class to enjoy what they read a bit more.
elliottzetta

22 Jun 2012 Reply

Hi, Perdita. I wish publishers would listen to educators like you...but they don't really seem to care. When I presented at a school in Rexdale this past spring, it was clear the kids were hungry for books that could serve as mirrors. I hoped we could organize a symposium on the subject, but have hit a wall there, too. I could send you copies of my YA novels---email me your address: zettaelliott at yahoo dot com

Black Canadian children’s literature ~ the stats

0 Comments

Doret

elliottzetta

missinpiece

elliottzetta

missinpiece

Edi

virginia frances schwartz

elliottzetta

virginia frances schwartz

Kathy Knowles

elliottzetta

Kathy Knowles

Perdita

elliottzetta

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