Children's Books discussion

Hi, I need examples of current children's books in print from medium to large publishers that have racist, ablest, body-shaming or other problematic content with specific examples of the language used. Moderators please let me know if this post is ok or I should put it somewhere else.

Theo wrote: "Hi, I need examples of current children's books in print from medium to large publishers that have racist, ablest, body-shaming or other problematic content with specific examples of the language u..."

It would be nice to know for what specific purposes you would want these types of controversial and problematic books. If for academic research purposes or for using them critically, I personally would consider this acceptable, but conversely not if you actually want these books to promote body shaming etc.

Oh my goodness no I do not want to promote them. My niece is taking a class on child development at a rather conservative Christian school ( not her choice really) and has found all these great anti-racist kids books as well as ones that affirming of trans and all LGBTQI kids but she needs ones that are not and that are current. Obviously there are historical ones-Suess, Narnia, Harry Potter but she needs ones from the last 5 years that have some clear examples of racism, ableism, and other problematic things.

Theo wrote: "Hi, I need examples of current children's books in print from medium to large publishers that have racist, ablest, body-shaming or other problematic content with specific examples of the language u..."

Theo, I am glad you yourself do not want to promote books with problematic and shaming content, both with regard to sexuality and ethnicity. But I do have to admit feeling a trifle uncomfortable with regard to the fact that your niece is needing these types of books for a course she is taking at a conservative Christian school, since it does kind of seem from your post that your niece will not be reading these books to be critical of and to actively discredit them, but seemingly more to use them as potentially positive role models for children. And if that is indeed the case, I do not know how personally comfortable I would be giving you controversial book titles as the few such stories I am aware of could perhaps be used to promote repression and intolerance.

"has found all these great anti-racist kids books as well as ones that affirming of trans and all LGBTQI kids "

The student is clearly looking for examples of books that she needs to point out as negative examples. I don't know if there are very many that are recent, though. The publishers are being more careful lately.

I would look at some of the 'cheap' books. The ones that are inspired by tv shows, Disney, zillion book series, ones that are shiny or sparkly or that come with toys. Anything Disney Princesses is suspect, because of course the princesses are all slender and beautiful....

wow nope that's not what I wrote at all and the opposite of what she is doing but go on. Guess you've never heard of doing activism from within. But hey let's center this around your comfort....
Theo wrote: "Theo wrote: "Hi, I need examples of current children's books in print from medium to large publishers that have racist, ablest, body-shaming or other problematic content with specific examples of t..."

Yeah we are looking at mostly re-printings like how penguin random is still publishing Kipling and the Five Chinese Brothers. I found more niche and smaller publishers that have problematic books but that seems to to be quite a conscious effort to promote an oppression POV. Also found https://booksforlittles.com/ which is more for positive anti-oppression but touches on problematic books.

Cheryl wrote: ""has found all these great anti-racist kids books as well as ones that affirming of trans and all LGBTQI kids "

The student is clearly looking for examples of books that she needs to point out as ..."

Good luck!
Sometimes 'activism from within' is the most effective, indeed.

Theo wrote: "wow nope that's not what I wrote at all and the opposite of what she is doing but go on. Guess you've never heard of doing activism from within. But hey let's center this around your comfort....
Th..."

Look, I was not sure and so I was asking (which is why I was using IF as I really was unsure of the purpose and wanted to know).

Theo wrote: "Hi, I need examples of current children's books in print from medium to large publishers that have racist, ablest, body-shaming or other problematic content with specific examples of the language u..."

I haven't read this book, but Starfish by Lisa Fipps (2021) is about an overweight girl who is bullied by her classmates and criticized by her mother.

Ugly by Robert Hoge (2016) is the memoir of a boy who was born with a huge tumor in the middle of his face; and many operations did not make his face look "normal." He was bullied by classmates.