Two years ago NEA changed the focus of Read Across America away from Dr. Seuss and to "Celebrating a Nation of Diverse Readers" - moving away from a singular focus on, and raising up of, one white male author who has a history of racist imagery* and toward a year-long celebration of the diversity that makes our country what it is. Yet many schools still cling to the tradition without using a critical lens to consider what message the year after year celebration of just one author sends to students. Dr. Seuss can be both a beloved author AND ALSO problematic. So it's time to move away from a day and week celebrating Seuss and into a focus on inclusive choices that more kids can relate to.
Because we cannot let nostalgia guide our decisions. Because we cannot allow racist or stereotyped imagery to be part of what we promote through our read aloud choices. Because we cannot refuse to move on from the past and bypass our responsibility to represent the entirety of what America is about today.
To help in efforts to have a more diverse & inclusive focus for students,
last year I shared a list of 50 inclusive picture book read aloud alternatives.
This year, I selected 5 titles for each of the 5 regions of the United States
(Northeast, Southeast, South, West, Midwest) you could use next week to
truly represent and Read Across the Regions of America.
