As a librarian, I love the Diverse BookFinder for giving me a tool to use in so many ways, but particularly when helping library patrons, teachers, and parents identify books featuring children of a particular identityβassuming these books are being written and published. I am Brazilian, and now an expectant mother, so I set out to look for picture books representing the Brazilian experience, and was more than a little dismayed at what I found in the current publishing landscape.
These are unfortunately abundant in the 17 Brazilian Ethnicity books. My child and other Brazilian children deserve to see a wider depiction of their cultural background, and I would love for everyone else to be able to learn more about the rich history and people of Brazil.
Of course, many, if not most, Brazilians love futebol. It is certainly the national sport and a pastime for many Brazilian children, so there is accuracy in its inclusion. Where are the stories of gauchos, the famous cowboys of Rio Grande do Sul? Or stories featuring some of the almost one million Brazilians who identify as indigenous? For that matter, where are the picture books showing the variety of ways in which people have melded a variety of religious traditions in order to create faiths and spiritual practices often uniquely Brazilian?
Even the stereotypes are underrepresented: I expected to see an above-average number of books depicting Carnival or the beaches of Rio de Janeiro, but was surprised to see none! In short, more can be done. All this said, some wonderful titles appear in the DBF that do make an effort to tell broader stories featuring Brazilian characters, and I look forward to reading them and sharing them with others:. Who will you meet on the river? He used to make colourful costumes for the carnival, but nowadays he only makes grey uniforms for the factory workers.
The houses are covered with dust from the factory, the river water is murky, and everything is drab. Everyone there speaks a common language, called Swing, and Zaz is inspired to take to the stage, sing from the heart, and deliver the performance of a lifetime"βP.
