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Rider University Library

ENG 366: Black and Multiethnic Literature (Peters, Fall 2025)

Welcome!

Today we will discuss:

1. DISCOVERY of relevant children's literature based on subject terminology and designated themes by using

  • The library discovery catalog
  • NoveList (database for finding fiction of interest)
  • Various awards lists and Internet lists

2. ACCESS to the titles you need by using:

What to find:

In research collection and class presentation of your research findings, you will collect TWO (2) representative children's literature books (or animated films) for EACH of the following ethnic American groups:


(1) European American OR JEWISH (2 representative children's books or animated films)

(2) African American (2 representative children’s books or animated films)

(3) Asian American (2 representative children’s books or animated films)

(4) Hispanic/Latinx (2 representative children's books or animated films)

(5) Native American (2 representative children's books or animated films)

(6)  A selected Ethnic group of YOUR CHOICE that hasn't been covered in class: you select an ethnic group of choice, e.g., Arab/Muslim American, Pacific Islander American, West Indian/Caribbean American, Filipino American) 2 books

In some instances, the "official" name of a cultural or ethnic group is not the name the group refers to themselves or is not what you expect it to be.

This is because of colonialist histories and who had the power to dominate and thus name and categorize others.

There are many terms in the Library of Congress Subject Headings that have become outdated, have always been incorrect, or are otherwise offensive to that group.

One fraught term is "Indians of North America." There is currently a national group working on a more accurate and representative terminology to represent the diverse tribes of Native Americans/indigenous peoples, including naming the individual tribes themselves.

Read more about the issue below.