Kristin J. Leonard

Northern Arizona University | NAU · Department of Educational Specialties

Given today's modern and diverse cultures and the political, economic, and social conflicts inherent in American society, a multi-cultural approach to literature in the classroom is needed now more than ever. Yet upbringing, views, and youth can all add to liminal modes of understanding—the opposite effect to which a multicultural curriculum is intended. One method of circumventing these issues is to find a common root emotion and use it to bridge gaps and understanding. One such emotion is the reaction to death. Using a brief survey of children’s literature across cultures, times, and locations, Leonard and Duda explore how death can be used to foster understanding and empathy. Five books will be examined that approach the theme of death with skillful understanding of their young readers. Two are classics: Katherine Paterson's THE BRIDGE TO TERABITHIA and Gary Paulsen’s NIGHTJOHN. Two are contemporary titles: Sherman Alexie’s THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART TIME INDIAN and Sylvia Whitman’s THE MILK OF BIRDS (often shelved as “banned"). One last title, Marita Conlon-McKenna's UNDER THE HAWTHORNE TREE, is not usually present in the American classroom; however, it is well-respected and utilized in Irish and European classrooms .