Images of Native American protagonists in fictional contemporary children’s picture books 1990-2010
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Research has indicated that when children enter school they bring with them a romanticized image of Native Americans that has been assimilated through various forms of media. This romanticized image often leaves young children with the misconception that Native Americans no longer exist or that today’s Native Americans still live as they lived in the past. This study was a quantitative content analysis that examined images of Native American protagonists in realistic fiction picture books. The books had a contemporary setting and were published between 1990 and 2010. The books were ones that might be used by teachers, parents, and caregivers to counterbalance a young child’s perception of the American Indian of the past with a contemporary perception of American Indians today.
The image of the Native American protagonist was most often female, with female characters outnumbering male characters 60% to 40%. The Native American child protagonist was most likely to live in a nuclear family with a low to moderate income, and the protagonist was likely to experience a close relationship with a grandparent. The Native American child most often lived in a rural area, a small city or town, or on Native lands, such as an Indian Reservation or an arctic region Indian village. The protagonist’s tribal affiliation was known 75% of the time, and the protagonist and his/her family maintained Native American cultural values, customs, and traditions.
I recommend that authors, illustrators, and publishers consider developing images of Native Americans in future contemporary realistic picture books that include Native Americans living in urban areas, working in professional and/or entrepreneurial positions, occupying an upper socioeconomic status, and interacting with other ethnicities in everyday circumstances and situations.