Should We Burn Babar?: Essays on Children's Literature and the Power of Stories

This is a great work of literary criticism because it is actually relevant to our lives. Herbert Kohl's starting point is, what do we do about sexist, racist or undemocratic children's literature that is deeply rooted in the American cultural tradition? Should we censor these stories from our impressionable youth? Should we just ignore them? Or do we confront them and disentangle their reactionary ideologies from their beloved storylines? Kohl's critique of Babar--the classic children's book about an orphaned Elephant who becomes king--is both well thought out and thought-provoking. The story of Babar does not tell us that colonialism is good or that certain men deserve to rule over others. Yet these ideas come across subtly through the story. They influence discreetly the way in which children think (or better yet, do not think) about how the world works or should work. Although he drags on a little long to make his point, Kohl's chapter on Rosa Parks is perhaps his best, most important contribution. Here we have an example of an incredibly important event in the struggle for equality and justice in recent history terribly distorted throughout children's literature. The gross over-simplification of the Montgomery Bus Boycott ("Rosa was tired. She wouldn't move. Blacks boycotted for a year and then got equal rights.") is fairly well-known. But what is really mind-boggling are the examples of recreating the history of the Boycott, by some educators and publishers, to make it more palatable to notions of political correctness. Thus, we have the inclusion of many white Southerners in the Montgomery struggle, though in reality this was a wholly Black-initiated and -led struggle! Herbert Kohl's plea for radical children's literature has resonated deeply in my bones, even if his own awkward examples have not. (He needed a stronger editor.) Once again though, he has woven history, philosophy and personal biography into a powerful volume on education.

As an author/illustrator of children's books and an avid reader, I found this book a great source of inspiration--it will also be a wonderful guide for parents who are concerned about the rampant but often undiscussed stereotypes present in much children's literature.

Stories do affect us. We carry around memories of them for years, and their impact on our social behavior is immense. Kohl challenges us to look carefully at the books and stories we select for our children and at the messages, both overt and subtle, that they contain. Should be read by all caring parents (and teachers too!)