Illustration by Marlena Myles

Join Iyekiyapiwin Darlene St. Clair (Dakota, a citizen of the Lower Sioux Indian Community), faculty member at the U of M College of Education and Human Development, and Lisa Von Drasek, U of M Children’s Literature Research Collections, for a workshop exploring how to select and evaluate children’s books for the classroom, library, and home.

Darlene St. Clair will provide a unique framework for evaluating children’s books about Indigenous Peoples. We will look at the history of cultural representation as well as contemporary publications.

Participants will have an opportunity to have a curator led tour of Journey to Joy: Rise, Relevance, Representation in Children’s Picture Books, an exhibit that includes the original work of Marlena Myles, Annette Lee, and Jonathan Thunder.

• Overview of Indiginous Representation: Develop a common understanding and foundation by examining common tropes and stereotyping in representation.
• Hands-On Experience: Dive into recent picture books with guided activity enhancing understanding of selecting and evaluating.
• A unique experience viewing rare book materials: Exploring the original manuscripts, art and papers of Native American Minnesota artists and writers.

Attendees will have hands-on experience of examining, discussing, and evaluating over 50 recent titles.

Who is this for?

The workshop is free of charge, all are welcome. CEU credit is available. This workshop is geared towards teachers, librarians, and caregivers of children and young adults.

About the presenters

Iyekiyapiwiƞ Darlene St. Clair is Indigenous Research Professor in the College of Education and Human Development at the University of Minnesota. Her work focuses on several areas: Dakota Studies; Native Nations of Minnesota; the integration of Native cultures, histories, and languages into curricula and educational institutions; the arts and cultural expressions of Native peoples; Dakota places and sacred sites; and anti-racist pedagogy. She is Mdewakaƞtuƞwaƞ Dakota and a citizen of the Lower Sioux Indian Community in Minnesota.

Lisa Von Drasek is the Miranker Family Curatorial Chair of the Kerlan Children’s Literature Research Collections at the University of Minnesota. The CLRC is an internationally recognized resource in the field of children’s literature that includes the Kerlan Collection of manuscripts, original art, and rare books.

Event details

What: Examining Children’s Books About Indigenous Peoples
When: Saturday, Nov. 23, 2024 | 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Where: Elmer L. Andersen Library | Directions and parking