~ Appropriate Books for the Classroom ~

An Examination of Virginia Hamilton and her Book:

The People Could Fly. American Black Folktales.

by Virginia Hamilton

Illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon

192 pages

Published: Jan. 4, 19193

Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers

Grade Level: 5-6

Reading Age: 10-11 years old

ISBN # 13-978-0679843368

# 10-978-0679843368

ASIN - 0679843361

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When selecting appropriate multicultural books for classrooms, teachers need to keep more than the books' messages in mind. They also need to investigate who the authors are. When teachers are sensitive to and aware of the author and the message they convey, they provide a fairer representation of various cultures and countries to their students. They are less likely to offend a student, a parent, or a community member. In sharing my assessment of Virginia Hamilton’s The People Could Fly.  American Black Folktales, I attempt to demonstrate why her book, and books like it, are suitable for classrooms. At the same time, I hope to present points to consider when determining whether other multicultural books are appropriate or not.

            One of the most important ways to know Hamilton’s book is appropriate and positively contributes to Black culture is that she’s an “Insider.” This means she is from the culture that she writes about. Knowing she is an “Insider” comes from reading her bibliography at the back of her book, doing a little research on the Internet, and by her providing a glossary. Other factors that make Hamilton an “Insider” are that her mother was Black, her maternal grandfather a slave, and her father a Native American.  Multiple websites feature information on Hamilton. One is from the Highlights Teacher’s Net. 

            Furthermore, Hamilton’s “Implied Author” displ) and an interest in the stories that she learned from her mother, and that she has prepared with research (by noting the extensive bibliography at the back of the book), and has taken the time to translate each folktale (by noting the glossary, each after every folktale). What is “heard” when reading Hamilton’s tales shows that her “Implied Author” carries positive messages toward Black American culture. Hamilton’s presence in the text seems matter-of-fact and seems to say, “These stories are actual.”  Cai, in his book, Multicultural Literature for Children and Young Adults, explains that “The author’s task is to truthfully reflect the reality of an ethnic culture,” and “is to grasp the perspective of that culture to provide culturally authentic literature for the reader” (41). Hamilton does this.

            Teachers should keep in mind stereotyping and its complications. Sometimes determining whether books and illustrations are demeaning to a culture or to a country is not easy. Wise teachers remember that stereotyping is more acceptable when performed by an author from that culture. They also need to remember that stereotyping is never purely a literary issue either. Cai calls it a “social-political issue.” This emphasizes the importance of an author being from the culture they write about. Hamilton is from the Black culture. If she stereotypes in her writing, the Black culture will probably excuse her. They probably would not, however, forgive a middle-class Anglo-Saxon (traditionally considered the dominant culture), stereotyping a Black American. 

            One way teachers will know Hamilton’s book is appropriate for their classroom is in her demonstrating concern over how her folktales are perceived by providing a glossary. She explains the meaning of each tale and what message readers should derive from it. For example, after her folktale, “The Riddle Tale of Freedom” on pages 156-159, she explains that “Telling riddles was one of the favorite pastimes of slaves. It became a telling of freedom. When one solved the riddle, one would be free” (159).

            Another important way of knowing Hamilton’s book is appropriate for classrooms is by the messages each tale provides. The People Could Fly. American Black Folktales is a collection of folktales told by Black Americans, many during the time when they were slaves in America. Not all of them, however. Some were brought along with Africans on slave ships. The folktales are real and from the culture. The work is easily labeled as a cultural product. In her story, The Beautiful Girl of the Moon Tower (53), for instance, the folktale comes from the Cape Verde Islands and is told by Cape Verde Island immigrants. In addition, Hamilton translated the Portuguese language. She clarifies that the stories “seem to be real or true and present to us real people” (59). From this, teachers may gather that she is culturally correct. Another tale which also illustrates this is Carrying the Running-Aways (141). Hamilton shares afterwards that this is a “true slave narrative” and that “The former slave who told the tale was an actual person” (145).

            Teachers need to keep in mind that just because some multicultural stories have negative aspects from that culture, that does not mean the story should be turned away.  “Positive effects on the reader are not the same as positive presentation in a book” (88) says Cai. “If we demanded that multicultural literature portray only positive aspects of a culture or a multicultural society, it would lead to positive essentializing of racial or ethnic groups.” In the folktale, Little Eight John (121), Hamilton shows a little Black boy who is naughty. He does not listen to his mother, and knowingly does things to cause others’ problems and pain. In the end, his actions backfire on him. “This is a moral tale told particularly to children so they will be good,” (125) explains Hamilton. This shows a negative yet teaches a positive lesson.

            Teachers have responsibility for their students. They need to be sure the books they use in their classrooms are multiculturally correct. Two big ways to be sure are to check the book’s messages and to research the author. Taking steps to ensure the work selected is fair to their students will also save the teacher from angry parents and/or community members. By discussing Hamilton and her book, teachers can get an idea of how to determine whether a book is proper or not. I also hope teachers will see Hamilton’s attempt at being socially correct and morally responsible, and in turn, will look for and include books like hers in their classrooms.

Works Cited

Cai, Mingshui. Multicultural Literature for Children and Young Adults. New York: 

Mingshui Cai, 2002.

Demann, Akosua and Ramsey, Inez. “Virginia Hamilton (1936-2002).” Highlights

            Teacher’s Net. 16 Feb. 2008.  http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/hamilton.htm

Hamilton, Virginia. The People Could Fly. American Black Folktales. New York: 1985