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Narratives of Care: Portrayals of Care in Pura Belpré Awarded Texts for Young Readers

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Title: Narratives of Care: Portrayals of Care in Pura Belpré Awarded Texts for Young Readers
Language: English
Authors: Margaret Vaughn (ORCID 0000-0001-8832-8366), Dixie Massey, Adrienne Vitullo, Jihee Im, Emperatriz Rivas, Deleon Gause, Ignacia M. Lopez, Fatemah I. Alshubaith
Source: Early Childhood Education Journal. 2024 52(5):909-920.
Availability: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
Peer Reviewed: Y
Page Count: 12
Publication Date: 2024
Document Type: Journal Articles
Reports - Research
Education Level: Early Childhood Education
Descriptors: Beginning Reading, Childrens Literature, Caring, Early Childhood Education, Multicultural Education, Hispanic Americans, Youth
DOI: 10.1007/s10643-023-01483-x
ISSN: 1082-3301
1573-1707
Abstract: Children's literature is an important pedagogical tool in early childhood classrooms as it provides opportunities for young readers to engage with texts and to see the world from multiple perspectives. Central to cultivating equitable early childhood learning experiences is utilizing children's literature with multiple representations of historically underrepresented individuals and communities. In this article, we report on our analysis of episodes of care (Noddings, "Journal of Educational Change" 2:35-43, 2001) across select Pura Belpré awarded texts for early childhood grades. Additionally, we share findings from across our critical multicultural analysis of these select texts to highlight depictions of age, sex, race, ethnicities, socio-economic status, and geographic regions. Discussion focuses on exploring an ethic of care across the voices and representations of Latinx youth and families in these awarded texts and how such conversations are vital with young children in today's early childhood classrooms.
Abstractor: As Provided
Entry Date: 2024
Accession Number: EJ1423902
Database: ERIC
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  Value: <anid>AN0177148941;5mx01jun.24;2024May14.05:26;v2.2.500</anid> <title id="AN0177148941-1">Narratives of Care: Portrayals of Care in Pura Belpré Awarded Texts for Young Readers </title> <p>Children's literature is an important pedagogical tool in early childhood classrooms as it provides opportunities for young readers to engage with texts and to see the world from multiple perspectives. Central to cultivating equitable early childhood learning experiences is utilizing children's literature with multiple representations of historically underrepresented individuals and communities. In this article, we report on our analysis of episodes of care (Noddings, Journal of Educational Change 2:35–43, 2001) across select Pura Belpré awarded texts for early childhood grades. Additionally, we share findings from across our critical multicultural analysis of these select texts to highlight depictions of age, sex, race, ethnicities, socio-economic status, and geographic regions. Discussion focuses on exploring an ethic of care across the voices and representations of Latinx youth and families in these awarded texts and how such conversations are vital with young children in today's early childhood classrooms.</p> <p>Keywords: Agency; Ethic of care; Early childhood education; Children's literature; Critical multicultural analysis; Student agency</p> <p>Copyright comment Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.</p> <p>A vital component of early childhood classroom learning is the exploration of children's literature through a variety of opportunities including read alouds, independent reading, and shared reading (Dwyer & Neuman, [<reflink idref="bib9" id="ref1">9</reflink>]), as well as the inclusion of different platforms (e.g., digitally via ebooks and apps such as Epic and MeeGenius). Utilizing children's literature in early childhood classrooms affords young readers with multiple opportunities to engage with texts and to see what Bishop ([<reflink idref="bib3" id="ref2">3</reflink>]) terms as, windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors or where young readers can see their own lives reflected as well as imagining the lives of others.</p> <p>Despite the awareness in the field of the importance of the inclusion of multiple voices and representations across gendered, linguistic, and racial identities (McNair, [<reflink idref="bib20" id="ref3">20</reflink>]), as Enriquez ([<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref4">10</reflink>]) counsels us, there are far too often opportunities in schools that afford young children with, "close approximations...that are foggy mirrors that reflect only vague contours of the identities and lived experiences that comprise a child's reality" (p. 104). Critical scholars advocate for continued representation and discussion of the role of literature as a transformative tool to provide a means by which students and communities can advocate for themselves and others (Massey et al., [<reflink idref="bib18" id="ref5">18</reflink>]).</p> <p>Given the value of varying identity representations in children's texts, analysis of current student demographics in the US public school system is particularly helpful in exploring the need for representation in the literature used in schools. Of the current 49.5 million students enrolled in public PK-12 schools as of the Fall of 2021, 14.1 million are Hispanic (National Center for Education Statistics, NCES, [<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref6">22</reflink>]). This number has increased by 6% in the past decade. Specifically, from 2009 to 2020, the percentage of Latinx students enrolled in public schools throughout the country increased by 6% to 28% of the country's total public school students (NCES, 2022). Although the number of Latinx students in public schools has increased, curricular representation that mirror the experiences of Latinx students has not (Rodriguez & Braden, [<reflink idref="bib28" id="ref7">28</reflink>]). As the nation responds to the increased and continued racial violence and trauma on people of color in the United States, incorporating children's literature in schools where characters and events that portray the varied experiences of historically underrepresented individuals and communities is even more vital today.</p> <p>The Pura Belpré award celebrates authentic representation of Latinx' students' identities and experiences in children's literature. We want to acknowledge our use of the term Latinx to encompass the full spectrum of gendered identities, and in recognition of the vast cultural, geographic, and linguistic variability this term encompasses. Specifically, the term Latinx describes multiple individuals, communities, and cultures originating from and located throughout Cuba, Central and South America, Puerto Rico, and the Dominican Republic. Through its identification of new children's fiction that mirrors Latinx identity, the Pura Belpré award offers a unique view into emerging literature that supports curricular representation. As part of a larger research project exploring critical depictions in awarded texts (Vaughn, [<reflink idref="bib35" id="ref8">35</reflink>]a), we extend this research to examine Noddings' ethic of care (2010) to understand and contextualize the varying dimensions of Latinx identity as represented in these awarded texts. By representing the many ways characters in children's texts demonstrate care, depictions of Latinx identity becomes more nuanced and representative, providing more opportunities for students to engage and see complex identities as well as authentic representations. As such, in this article, we extend understandings of Nel Nodding's ethic of care (2001) to explore episodes of care across select Pura Belpré awarded texts for early childhood grades. Using a critical multicultural analysis (Botehlo & Rudman, [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref9">4</reflink>]) we explore how characters are positioned in these texts to examine how care is found across storylines and the relationships of these representations in terms of age, sex, race, ethnicities, socio-economic status, and geographic regions. Specifically, our research questions focus on:</p> <p></p> <ulist> <item> What are episodes of care across Pura Belpré awarded early childhood texts?</item> <p></p> <item> What are the findings of depictions of age, sex, race, ethnicities, socio-economic status, and geographic regions of these Pura Belpré awarded texts?</item> </ulist> <hd id="AN0177148941-2">An Overview of the Pura Belpré Award</hd> <p>The Pura Belpré award is a children's literature award in honor of Pura Belpré, who was the first Latina librarian of the New York Public Library. Specifically, this award is given by the American Library Association (ALA) and recognizes an outstanding children's literature book created by a Latinx individual that portrays the experiences of Latinx people; has a compelling interpretation of theme or concept; presents information with accuracy, clarity, and organization; and one that accurately and positively portrays Latinx cultures. The Pura Belpré Award Selection Committee organized by the ALA evaluates books according to the following criteria:</p> <p></p> <ulist> <item> Interpretation of theme or concept</item> <p></p> <item> Presentation of information including accuracy, clarity, and organization</item> <p></p> <item> Development of plot</item> <p></p> <item> Delineation of characters and setting</item> <p></p> <item> Appropriateness of style</item> <p></p> <item> Excellence of presentation for intended audience</item> </ulist> <p>Additionally, the committee considers the illustrations of nominated books, and evaluates them according to the following:</p> <p></p> <ulist> <item> Excellence of execution in the artistic technique employed</item> <p></p> <item> Excellence of pictorial interpretation of story, theme, or concept</item> <p></p> <item> Appropriateness of style of illustration to the story, theme, or concept</item> <p></p> <item> Delineation of plot, theme, characters, setting, mood or information through pictures</item> <p></p> <item> Positive and authentic portrayal of Latinx culture</item> <p></p> <item> Excellence of presentation for the intended audience</item> </ulist> <p>The committee analyzes the texts to ensure for cultural authenticity to ensure accurate portrayals of the individuals and contexts depicted in the awarded texts. As a result, such awarded texts may provide a lens by which to explore notions of care within the portrayals of the Latinx youth, communities, and the families depicted in the texts.</p> <hd id="AN0177148941-3">Related Literature</hd> <p>Noddings ([<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref10">25</reflink>]) states that care is one of the most basic needs and desires we have as humans. In her text, <emph>The Challenge to Care in Schools,</emph> Noddings ([<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref11">24</reflink>]) proposed organizing instructional opportunities around several different spheres: care for self; care for intimate others; care for associates and acquaintances; care for distant others; care for nonhuman animals, care for plants and the physical environment; care for the human-made world; and care for ideas. McKenzie & Blenkensop ([<reflink idref="bib19" id="ref12">19</reflink>]) exploring these dimensions examined what it means to care for someone we are not in an immediate relationship with or to care for the non-human world (labeled public) as well as care for those we are in immediate relationships with (labeled private). Understanding the role of care as instrumental to human living highlights these perspectives and emphasizes that caring is a multidimensional concept that relates to caring for and being cared about through a variety of dimensions.</p> <p>In teaching, Owens and Ennis ([<reflink idref="bib27" id="ref13">27</reflink>]) posited that an ethic of care should be "an expectation of effective teachers" (p. 392), while also acknowledging that it is often not explicitly taught in teacher preparation programs. According to Noddings ([<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref14">24</reflink>]) teachers who profess an ethic of care believe that they can empower their students and that such teachers possess a personal responsibility to care. Noddings ([<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref15">24</reflink>]) suggested that a teacher who demonstrates an ethic of care facilitates three characteristics: engrossment (e.g., teacher accepts and acknowledges students' feelings and focuses on student needs), commitment, and a motivational shift to the cared-for student. Because teachers and students think differently, and the assumptions that teachers make might not match with what students need and want, teachers must be open to listening and thinking carefully about what their students may need. Steuber ([<reflink idref="bib32" id="ref16">32</reflink>]), for example, states that teachers should try to aim for empathic accuracy by asking questions, reflecting, and then readdressing questions with careful thought and accuracy. Empathic accuracy can be gained by building relationships and strengthening trust through engaging in consistent authentic dialogue with students and underlines the ways in which teachers may demonstrate care in schools.</p> <p>In the context of early childhood classrooms, focusing classroom contexts that support an ethic of care allow for more democratic practices where both students and teachers have a voice and say in what occurs (Bath, [<reflink idref="bib1" id="ref17">1</reflink>]). Care underlines how power is shared in classrooms as Tronto ([<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref18">34</reflink>]) states, "care is always infused with power. And this makes care deeply political" (p. 9). As we think about how care can be operationalized in early childhood classrooms, viewing children with agency is vital (Langford & Richardson, [<reflink idref="bib17" id="ref19">17</reflink>]; Vaughn, [<reflink idref="bib40" id="ref20">40</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib37" id="ref21">37</reflink>]). That is, to acknowledge young children's agency views children as knowledgeable meaning-makers who possess rich ideas and thoughts (Vaughn, [<reflink idref="bib36" id="ref22">36</reflink>]). An ethic of care framework views children from this stance where all individuals in the learning space are valuable and able to be cared for and provide care to one another simultaneously.</p> <p>One practical strategy to engage early childhood educators in the practice of structuring opportunities for care is by explicitly modeling notions of care with young children. In addition to modeling dialogue and listening practices that model ways of caring (Hustedt et al., [<reflink idref="bib15" id="ref23">15</reflink>]), explicitly modeling care through the use of picture books can be an important pedagogical tool to help young children reason and enact care. Sipe and Bauer ([<reflink idref="bib31" id="ref24">31</reflink>]) shared how interactive read alouds with young kindergartners allowed for students to respond to topics dialogically and develop complex reasoning skills reflecting their lived experiences. Further, critical studies emphasize the important role of children's literature in helping young children find their voice and consider their feelings on a variety of topics (Harper &Trostle-Brand, [<reflink idref="bib12" id="ref25">12</reflink>]) ranging from understandings of death (Wiseman, [<reflink idref="bib44" id="ref26">44</reflink>]) and compassion (Harris, [<reflink idref="bib13" id="ref27">13</reflink>]) to race and religion (Husband, [<reflink idref="bib14" id="ref28">14</reflink>]; Torres, [<reflink idref="bib33" id="ref29">33</reflink>]). Repeatedly, however, research indicates that educators often feel unprepared to engage in critical conversations with young children (Crawford & Bhattacharya, [<reflink idref="bib6" id="ref30">6</reflink>]). As Sipe ([<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref31">29</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib30" id="ref32">30</reflink>]) counsels us, young children can make complex connections and understanding using words as well as the artistic representations found in the illustrations within picture books. Because the concept of care is very much connected to power and agency across individuals and communities (Tronto, [<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref33">34</reflink>]), we draw on Nodding's ethic of care (2001) to encourage engaging young readers in conversations of care, specifically looking at how care is fostered and encouraged across these awarded children's picture books. Moreover, we encourage early childhood educators to engage and model care with the use of picture books particularly with texts that represent accurate portrayals of historically underrepresented individuals (Enriquez, [<reflink idref="bib10" id="ref34">10</reflink>]).</p> <hd id="AN0177148941-4">Theoretical Framework</hd> <p>This research is grounded in a sociocultural understanding of literacy, which suggests that learning is a deeply social practice (Vygotsky, [<reflink idref="bib43" id="ref35">43</reflink>]). Sociocultural perspectives of literacy highlight the significance of students' funds of knowledge (Moll et al., [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref36">21</reflink>]) and cultural identities brought into classroom spaces (Beck & Stevensen, [<reflink idref="bib2" id="ref37">2</reflink>]). Students' funds of knowledge (Moll et al., [<reflink idref="bib21" id="ref38">21</reflink>]) outlines how students come to school with rich cultural identities, knowledge, and experiences. That is, students walk into classroom spaces not as blank slates, but as deeply enmeshed beings surrounded by cultural knowledge and frameworks. Recognizing students as knowledgeable meaning-makers helps teachers to provide equitable learning spaces through culturally responsive pedagogy (Gay, [<reflink idref="bib11" id="ref39">11</reflink>]) and supports contexts that value students' identities. In this way, students have more opportunities to see themselves in their learning spaces, which promotes their agency (Vaughn, [<reflink idref="bib38" id="ref40">38</reflink>]) and self-awareness (Ladson-Billings, [<reflink idref="bib16" id="ref41">16</reflink>]). Exploring a sociocultural approach to literacy with Noddings' ethic of care (2001) means recognizing how interactions between individuals can foster support and relationship-building or relationality. By focusing on textual representations of care, this research provides an opportunity to understand culturally specific modes of care as represented in Pura Belpré awarded texts.</p> <p>As students engage with textual moments of care, young readers can see community and individual means of engagement, relationality, and how care is represented and enacted across events. Moments such as these provide powerful opportunities for students to see various opportunities of care by interactions, events, and through the use of resources. As caring and being cared for are viewed as fundamental human needs (Noddings, [<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref42">24</reflink>]; Tronto, [<reflink idref="bib34" id="ref43">34</reflink>]), we highlight how episodes of care are enacted and developed with individuals, resources, and materials to portray complex identities in practice. Although the concept of care varies from one society to another, care is enacted and contextually dependent on the situational needs and dimensions within social communities.</p> <hd id="AN0177148941-5">Methods</hd> <p>For this research, we examined Pura Belpré awarded books appropriate for early childhood classrooms, specifically for early childhood grades pre-K to second grade or ages 4 to 8 years old beginning with the first Pura Belpré award until the present (1996 to 2022). The genesis for this research project stemmed from a recent study in which we examined Pura Belpré awarded chapter books for opportunities for agency across multiple grades (see Vaughn et al., [<reflink idref="bib42" id="ref44">42</reflink>]). For the current research project, in our reading, coding, and analyzing, we initially found only one chapter book, (i.e., <emph>Juana and Lucas</emph> (Medina, [<reflink idref="bib50" id="ref45">50</reflink>]) that met our criteria of an awarded chapter book for early childhood grades. We then expanded our search to include Pura Belpré awarded texts for illustration. Out of (<emph>n</emph> = 22<emph>)</emph> Pura Belpré awarded books (author) and illustrators awarded texts (<emph>n</emph> = 22), 20 books in total, met the grade level criteria across the narrative and illustration categories and were utilized in this analysis. We decided to focus solely on awarded texts and not honored texts for the purposes of this research project due to time constraints and resources. Moreover, we also reasoned that many early childhood classrooms may utilize awarded texts.</p> <p>We conducted a narrative analysis of episodes of caring where we coded episodes according to the following criteria based upon relevant literature and understandings of caring (Noddings, [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref46">25</reflink>], [<reflink idref="bib26" id="ref47">26</reflink>]). Specifically, these categories included: (a). when characters speak up for themselves and/or others for the betterment of their circumstances or others, (b). portray characters who help, share, engage in fair play with others, and who show respect or positive emotion (e.g., love, affection) and (c). interactions where characters show compassion (expressed in interactions and/or thoughts of how they consider others and/or take actions to support self and others). Each of these categories are linked to interactions of multiple individuals (Noddings, [<reflink idref="bib24" id="ref48">24</reflink>]) where care is expressed in relationship to self and with others.</p> <p>An example of our coding structure for episodes of care can be found in <emph>Chato and the Party Animals</emph> (Sato<emph>,</emph>[<reflink idref="bib61" id="ref49">61</reflink>]), when Chato realizing that his friend, Novio Boy was angry and upset about not having a birthday party, decided to call his friends to make a plan to organize a birthday party for his friend. He says, "Pobrecito. Everybody needs a birthday party. Chato said to himself when he got home. I'm going to give my carnal a party!" (p. 7). In this interaction, we see how Chato speaks up and takes action to support his friend by working with others to organize a party for his friend, Novio Boy. The illustration invites the reader into the page by connecting the visual image of a telephone wire to the various friends both Chato and Novio Boy know. We can see visually how this thread connects friends across the community as well as throughout the text. As in this example, we coded this as an interaction of care as Chato showed compassion and considered others like his friend Novio Boy by not dismissing his feelings and concerns but rather acknowledging and creating a path to support his friend. Throughout the text, we analyzed interactions, dialogue, and exchanges for episodes of care as in this representative example.</p> <p>Additionally, we utilized a critical multicultural qualitative content analysis (Botelho & Rudman, [<reflink idref="bib4" id="ref50">4</reflink>]), in which we analyzed texts according to: age, sex, race, ethnicities, socio-economic status, and geographic regions. Our aim in conducting this layer of analysis was to contextualize the awarded texts and provide dimension to the lived experiences of the characters portrayed within these texts. Such an analysis can serve as an important pedagogical tool when teaching with children's literature as it provides a means by which teachers may engage in critical conversations with their students about equity and representation. As schools across the nation face continued restrictions in teaching with children's literature given the increase in banning books, we want to emphasize the vital role of examining the outlined characteristics (e.g., sex, race, ethnicities) and the potential of how such an analysis can enrich discussions when using children's literature within early childhood classrooms.</p> <hd id="AN0177148941-6">Findings and Discussion</hd> <p>This study sought to answer the following questions: What are episodes of care across Pura Belpré awarded early childhood texts and what are the findings of depictions of age, sex, race, ethnicities, socio-economic status, and geographic regions of these Pura Belpré awarded texts? In the following, we outline these findings and provide a discussion based on the results.</p> <hd id="AN0177148941-7">Episodes of Care</hd> <p>To examine episodes of care in the awarded texts, we highlight overall trends of care across the categories as well as select textual examples to illustrate episodes of care found across the data in this section.</p> <p>Overall, instances of care were found consistently across the Pura Belpré awarded texts. Interestingly, the most common type of care was shown in characters and interactions that support relationships to enhance oneself and others (75%), followed closely by characters who help, share, engage in fair play with others, and show respect or positive emotion (65%). Characters showing compassion (35%) or speaking up for themselves and others (40%) were the least common instances of care. See Table 1 for a list of books analyzed and their respective coded categories of care.</p> <p>Table 1 Categories of care</p> <p> <ephtml> <table frame="hsides" rules="groups"><thead><tr><th align="left"><p>Episodes of care</p></th><th align="left"><p>Frequency</p></th><th align="left"><p>Titles</p></th><th align="left"><p>Sample code from text</p></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="left"><p>When characters speak up for themselves and/or others for the betterment of their circumstances or others</p></td><td align="left"><p>8/20</p></td><td align="left"><p><italic>Dona Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant with a Great Big Heart; Just in Case; Grandma's Gift; Diego Rivera: His World and Ours; Martin de Porres: The Rose in the Desert; Drum Dream Girl; Juana & Lucas; Dancing Hands</italic></p></td><td align="left"><p>Grandma's Gift: Early in the book, Zelmiro the Ghost reminds Skeleton to think of others: "The best present to give a friend is the thing she would love the most."</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Characters who help, share, engage in fair play with others, and who show respect or positive emotion</p></td><td align="left"><p>13/20</p></td><td align="left"><p><italic>Snapshots from the Wedding; Magic Windows; Just a Minute; Dona Flor; Book Fiesta; Grandma's Gift; Diego Rivera; Martin de Porres; Nino Wrestles the World; Viva Frida; Juana Lucas; Dancing Hands; ¡Vamos! Let's Go Eat</italic></p></td><td align="left"><p>Throughout the book, Doña Flor engages in mutliple positive actions when she makes tortillas for her neighbors to eat. They used the extra tortillas as roofs and rafts. Doña Flor also helped look for the huge gato then the neighbors were scared.</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Characters who show compassion (expressed in interactions and/or thoughts of how they consider others and/or take actions to support self and others)</p></td><td align="left"><p>7/20</p></td><td align="left"><p><italic>Chato and the Party Animals; Just a Minute; Dona Flor; Martin de Porres; Juana and Lucas; Dreamers; Dancing Hands</italic></p></td><td align="left"><p>In Chato and the Party Animals: Chato realizing that his friend, Novio Boy is angry and upset about not ever having a birthday party decides to call upon his friends and make a plan to organize a birthday party for this friend. He says, "Pobrecito. Everybody needs a birthday party. Chato said to himself when he got home. I'm going to give my carnal a party!" (p. 7)</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Characters and interactions that support relationships to enhance oneself and others</p></td><td align="left"><p>15/20</p></td><td align="left"><p><italic>Snapshots from the Wedding; Magic Windows; Chato and the Party Animals; Just a Minute; Dona Flor; Just in Case; Book Fiesta; Grandma's Gift; Diego Rivera; Martin de Porres; Viva Frida; Drum Dream Girl; Juana & Lucas; Dreamers; Dancing Hands</italic></p></td><td align="left"><p>On the island of music where everyone believed only boys should play drums, the Drum Dream Girl's father offered to find her a music teacher.</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>Does the main character overcome any barriers</p></td><td align="left"><p>10/20</p></td><td align="left"><p><italic>Chato's Kitchen; Chato and the Party Animals; Just a Minute; Dona Flor; Martin de Porres; Nina Wrestles the World; Drum Dream Girl; Juana & Lucas; Dreamers; Dancing Hands</italic></p></td><td align="left"><p>In Dreamers, Morales and her child came to the United States. The language was foreign, and they were "Unable to understand and afraid to speak" but throughout the book, they worked to overcome their language barriers: "Books became our language. Books became our home. Books became our lives. We learned to read, to speak, to write, and to make our voices heard."</p></td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <p>We want to emphasize Noddings' ([<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref51">25</reflink>]) aspect of how care supports relationaility in that, many episodes of care were centered around relationship-building and that characters rarely acted in isolation to engage in caring acts. For example, when Chato invited friends to organize a birthday party for Novio Boy, he did so with others, planning and curating ways to support his friend. Actions like this although spurred by Chato were in fact, relational and dependent on others' simultaneously enacting care and support for Novio Boy.</p> <p>In the following, we highlight specific textual examples to explore select episodes of caring across the texts.</p> <hd id="AN0177148941-8">Juana and Lucas</hd> <p>In the text, <emph>Juana and Lucas</emph> (Medina, [<reflink idref="bib50" id="ref52">50</reflink>]), the story follows a young girl and her dog as she experiences her life and examines her decision to learn English. As Juana originally does not want to learn English, she ventures out into her community and talks to different adults in her life, where each one provides her with a new idea or point of view about learning English. In this text, each of the characters interact with Juana, and speak up for themselves and others. Throughout the text, characters are portrayed who help, share, engage in fair play with others, and who show respect or positive emotion (e.g., love, affection). For example, Mami's love and affection is clearly demonstrated as she interacts with Juana who is struggling to learn English and to understand when she would ever want to know how to speak English.</p> <p>The adults in the story continue to demonstrate a sense of care for Juana through their interactions and gestures (e.g., in illustrations, you can see characters hugging Juana). At the same time, the story and the illustrations make it clear that care is clearly reciprocal. In one illustration, for example, Juana is shown hugging her Tia Cris. Captions add three reasons why Tia Cris is Juana's favorite aunt. These reasons are based not on things that Tia Cris gives to Juana but instead on Tia Cris' character: she cheers Juana up and is a potter who makes beautiful art. Specific interactions like this show how the characters demonstrate a sense of care (e.g., expressed in interactions and/or thoughts of how they consider others and/or take actions to support self and others). Her Mami tells her, "Juana, I know it's hard to believe, but learning English <emph>can</emph> (italics in original) change your life... in a good way" (p. 32). When Juana still disagrees, her Mami does not argue or criticize her, instead, she demonstrates her care and respect for Juana by suggesting that she talk to others and ask them why she should learn English. Like these textual examples suggest, care is intertwined in relationships and communities, and through the ways in which individuals listen and respond to one another's concerns.</p> <hd id="AN0177148941-9">Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln</hd> <p>In the text, <emph>Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln</emph> (Engle, [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref53">46</reflink>]), the story outlines child prodigy, Teresa Carreño, who played the piano to express her feelings after leaving Venezuela and fleeing to the United States. The illustrations connect the ways in which Teresa used music to grapple with the strife and trauma as her family fled Venezuela due to a revolution only to come to the United States where the American Civil War was underway. Throughout the text, musicians came to her home to play with her. Music was a tool for Teresa and others to show compassion and develop a sense of community together. The ways in which Teresa played the piano brought comfort to her family and to the other families. Music was a means by which her feelings of care and compassion were expressed. The words and the illustrations seem to capture how her music transcended the various layers of strife occurring and provided a way for others to experience joy and hope.</p> <p>As the text outlines, Teresa, at first struggled with playing the piano. Sometimes, "She had to struggle to make the stubborn music behave as she practiced gentle songs that sounded like colorful birds singing in the dark and light branches of a shape-dappled mango tree...and powerful songs that roared like prowling jaguars, beside towering waterfalls in a mysterious green jungle" (p. 8). This particular passage highlights how care can be found within inanimate resources (e.g., like the piano and through music) and how caring may be something beyond human and physical interactions. Throughout the text, we can see how Teresa appears to have a sense of agency as she decides to pursue her passion and piano playing to care for others through her music.</p> <hd id="AN0177148941-10">Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl's Courage Changed Music</hd> <p>Much like <emph>in Dancing hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln</emph> (Engle, [<reflink idref="bib46" id="ref54">46</reflink>]), <emph>Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl's Courage Changed Music</emph> (Engle, [<reflink idref="bib47" id="ref55">47</reflink>]), follows a young girl who uses music to transcend and provide a means by which to demonstrate care. The story, inspired by Millo Castra Zaldarriaga, who was a Chinese-African-Cuban girl, who broke Cuba's tradition of only supporting male drummers. As the Drum Dream young girl flies with her drums through her community, she transcends the barriers in her community placed on her because of her identity as a girl drummer. As Engle writes, "But everyone on the island of music in the city of drumbeats believed that only boys should play drums...and even though everyone kept reminding her that girls on the island of music never played drums...the brave drum dream girl dared to play tall conga drums" (p. 11). As in these pages, the girl uses drums to climb and reach the moon. After hearing her tapping and drumming her big sisters invite her to play in their all-girl band. The dad finds a music teacher for his daughter, the Drum Dream Girl. Her music teacher works with others in the community to find a place for her to play the conga drums. As a result, when "everyone heard her dream-bright music [they] sang, danced, and decided that girls should always be allowed to play drums and both girls and boys should feel free to dream" (p. 11).</p> <p>Across these interactions, although in different texts and contexts, both Juana, Teresa, and the Drum Dream Girl, expressed what we operationalized as episodes of care by interactions with others in their environment to show compassion (e.g., expressed in interactions and/or thoughts of how they consider others and/or take actions to support self and others) and their decisions to act in their environment. Although they often initiated such interactions, their actions of care were dependent on relationships, communities, and the resources around them. These episodes of care underline how relationality, or the ways in which relationship-building and interacting across individuals proved to support episodes of care. Care is associated with agency and power as well as the thoughtful ways characters responded and interacted with others. Across the texts, we found instances of care that depicted how characters worked to support others. The characters and storylines afforded spaces where characters engaged in meaningful relationships with those around them. Likewise, characters utilized a variety of resources from music to community members to stories and ideas to demonstrate a sense of care.</p> <hd id="AN0177148941-11">Care Findings across Texts</hd> <p>In order to help create a more equitable and just society, modeling and discussing the role of care with young children utilizing children's literature may be an important pedagogical tool in early childhood classrooms. Engaging young children in conversations with picture books and early chapter books (Sipe, [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref56">29</reflink>]), affords a space where young readers can connect with their lived experiences. "As children embrace or resist texts through language and a variety of artistic modes, they are forging links between literature and their own lives," (Sipe, [<reflink idref="bib29" id="ref57">29</reflink>], p. 127). We want to emphasize the importance of crafting classroom libraries that are multi-representational and have spaces where characters show care and compassion to themselves, others, and the world around them.</p> <p>Specifically, we want to draw attention to the Pura Belpré awarded text, <emph>Dreamers</emph>, (Morales, [<reflink idref="bib54" id="ref58">54</reflink>]) which can be used to model to students the tensions so many young children face when leaving their home country and the various ways others can instill a sense of care in their actions. Moreover, <emph>Chato and the Party Animals</emph> (Sato, [<reflink idref="bib61" id="ref59">61</reflink>]) also expresses how children can take action and show care for one another, especially for others who struggle with belonging. Much like Teresa in the <emph>Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln</emph> (Engle, [<reflink idref="bib47" id="ref60">47</reflink>]), modeling to students that their talents and gifts can provide a sense of caring to those around them are powerful messages young readers need to hear.</p> <p>We also want to acknowledge the role of agency across episodes of care in the awarded texts. Agency and care seem to be distinctly connected within the examples shared in this review. Agency provides a means by which individuals can act and model to others their interests, ideas, and passions (Vaughn, [<reflink idref="bib41" id="ref61">41</reflink>]). As in <emph>Drum Dream Girl: How One Girl's Courage Changed Music</emph> (Engle, [<reflink idref="bib47" id="ref62">47</reflink>]), the main character pursues playing the drums despite the societal barriers she experienced. She harnessed her agency as she worked toward pursuing her passion of playing the drums and as a result encouraged and empowered others. Conversations with young children about the role of their agency as it pertains to their actions is particularly vital in today's classrooms as so many young readers struggle from the effects of the recent pandemic (Vaughn, [<reflink idref="bib39" id="ref63">39</reflink>]).</p> <p>Interestingly, we found just one chapter book, <emph>Juana and Lucas</emph> (Medina, [<reflink idref="bib50" id="ref64">50</reflink>]) across the awarded texts (non-illustration awarded texts category) for early childhood grades. Although we may see that picture books lend themselves to images more readily, and perhaps that is why there are more illustrated awarded texts for this grade level, but we want to call attention to the lack of early childhood awarded texts in the non-illustration category. In the field, we see the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award (ALA) that awards, "authors and illustrators of the most distinguished book for beginning readers published in English and in the United States for the preceding year." We applaud both the Geisel and Pura Belpré awards and simply want to acknowledge the need for more representation of early childhood texts for young readers in the Pura Belpré award (non-illustration category).</p> <p>As seen across these texts, episodes of caring were an instrumental story plot (e.g., <emph>Chato and the Party Animals, Dreamers</emph>). Explicitly exploring care through early childhood picture and chapter books can support and enhance learning communities centered on caring and support.</p> <hd id="AN0177148941-12">Critical Multicultural Analysis</hd> <p>Overall, findings of our critical multicultural analysis of these select texts highlighted findings across depictions of age, sex, race, ethnicities, socio-economic status, and geographic regions. We draw attention in this section to these critical depictions and discuss implications. See Table 2 for overall findings of our critical multicultural analysis.</p> <p>Table 2 Critical multicultural analysis</p> <p> <ephtml> <table frame="hsides" rules="groups"><thead><tr><th align="left"><p>Year</p></th><th align="left"><p>Title</p></th><th align="left"><p>Author</p></th><th align="left"><p>Illustrator</p></th><th align="left"><p>Setting</p></th><th align="left"><p>Animal as focal character Y/N what animal</p></th><th align="left"><p>Sex of focal characters</p></th><th align="left"><p>Ethnicity of main character</p></th><th align="left"><p>SES of Main character</p></th><th align="left"><p>Age of character (C-child 1–12) Teenager(T 13–19) Adult (A-20 +)</p></th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td align="left"><p>1996</p></td><td align="left"><p>Chato's Kitchen</p></td><td align="left"><p>Gary Soto</p></td><td align="left"><p>Susan Guevara</p></td><td align="left"><p>Kitchen in East Los Angeles, USA</p></td><td align="left"><p>Y/cat (All of the characters are animals)</p></td><td align="left"><p>M</p></td><td align="left"><p>N/A</p></td><td align="left"><p>N/A</p></td><td align="left"><p>N/A</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>1998</p></td><td align="left"><p>Snapshots from the Wedding</p></td><td align="left"><p>Gary Soto</p></td><td align="left"><p>Stephanie Garcia</p></td><td align="left"><p>Wedding, Mexico</p></td><td align="left"><p>N</p></td><td align="left"><p>F/family wedding</p></td><td align="left"><p>Latinx/characters speak Spanish</p></td><td align="left"><p>Middle class/limousine for wedding, reception, wedding dress, and lots of food at the wedding reception</p></td><td align="left"><p>C</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>2000</p></td><td align="left"><p>Magic Windows</p></td><td align="left"><p>Carmen Lomas Garza</p></td><td align="left"><p>Carmen Lomas Garza</p></td><td align="left"><p>Important events in Aztez and Mexican history, Mexico</p></td><td align="left"><p>N</p></td><td align="left"><p>author female</p></td><td align="left"><p>Mexican</p></td><td align="left"><p>Not clear</p></td><td align="left"><p>Memories so throughout lifespan</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>2002</p></td><td align="left"><p>Chato and the Party Animals</p></td><td align="left"><p>Gary Soto</p></td><td align="left"><p>Susan Guevara</p></td><td align="left"><p>Neighborhood in Los Angeles, USA</p></td><td align="left"><p>Y/cat and animals only</p></td><td align="left"><p>M</p></td><td align="left"><p>N/A</p></td><td align="left"><p>N/A</p></td><td align="left"><p>N/A</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>2004</p></td><td align="left"><p>Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale Counting Book</p></td><td align="left"><p>Yuyi Morales</p></td><td align="left"><p>Yuyi Morales</p></td><td align="left"><p>Grandma Beetle's House</p></td><td align="left"><p>N</p></td><td align="left"><p>F</p></td><td align="left"><p>Mexican</p></td><td align="left"><p>Middle class</p></td><td align="left"><p>A-3</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>2006</p></td><td align="left"><p>Dona Flor: A Tall Tale About a Giant with a Great Big Heart</p></td><td align="left"><p>Pat Mora</p></td><td align="left"><p>Raul Colon</p></td><td align="left"><p>Village/rural setting</p></td><td align="left"><p>N</p></td><td align="left"><p>F</p></td><td align="left"><p>Latinx</p></td><td align="left"><p>not clear</p></td><td align="left"><p>A</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>2008</p></td><td align="left"><p>Los Gatos Black on Halloween</p></td><td align="left"><p>Marisa Montes</p></td><td align="left"><p>Yuyi Morales</p></td><td align="left"><p>Halloween night, graveyard</p></td><td align="left"><p>Y, cats + witches</p></td><td align="left"><p>Unstated</p></td><td align="left"><p>N/A</p></td><td align="left"><p>N/A</p></td><td align="left"><p>N/A</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>2009</p></td><td align="left"><p>Just in Case</p></td><td align="left"><p>Yuyi Morales</p></td><td align="left"><p>Yuyi Morales</p></td><td align="left"><p>Neighborhood</p></td><td align="left"><p>N</p></td><td align="left"><p>2 adult males; 1 adult female</p></td><td align="left"><p>Spanish</p></td><td align="left"><p>not clear</p></td><td align="left"><p>A</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>2010</p></td><td align="left"><p>Book Fiesta: Celebrate Children's Day</p></td><td align="left"><p>Pat Mora</p></td><td align="left"><p>Rafael Lopez</p></td><td align="left"><p>Neighborhood</p></td><td align="left"><p>N</p></td><td align="left"><p>male and female</p></td><td align="left"><p>Multi–not specified</p></td><td align="left"><p>Not clear</p></td><td align="left"><p>Multiple children (with some adults)</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>2011</p></td><td align="left"><p>Grandma's GIft</p></td><td align="left"><p>Eric Velasquez</p></td><td align="left"><p>Eric Velasquez</p></td><td align="left"><p>El Barrio—East Harlem, NY</p></td><td align="left"><p>N</p></td><td align="left"><p>Male-boy Female-grandma</p></td><td align="left"><p>Puerto Rican</p></td><td align="left"><p>Working class</p></td><td align="left"><p>C</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>2012</p></td><td align="left"><p>Diego Rivera: His World and Ours</p></td><td align="left"><p>Duncan Tonatiuh</p></td><td align="left"><p>Duncan Tonatiuh</p></td><td align="left"><p>Guanajunato—the land of frogs, Mexico</p></td><td align="left"><p>N</p></td><td align="left"><p>Male</p></td><td align="left"><p>Puerto Rican</p></td><td align="left"><p>Upper middle class-the main character went to different countries to learn more about art and painting</p></td><td align="left"><p>Lifespan</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>2013</p></td><td align="left"><p>Martin de Porres: The Rose in the Desert</p></td><td align="left"><p>Gary D. Schmidt</p></td><td align="left"><p>David Diaz</p></td><td align="left"><p>Barrio in Lima, Peru</p></td><td align="left"><p>N</p></td><td align="left"><p>Male</p></td><td align="left"><p>Enslaved African and Spanish noble father from Ecuador. Set in Peru</p></td><td align="left"><p>Poverty</p></td><td align="left"><p>Lifespan</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>2014</p></td><td align="left"><p>Niño Wrestles the World</p></td><td align="left"><p>Yuyi Morales</p></td><td align="left"><p>Yuyi Morales</p></td><td align="left"><p>Wrestling ring</p></td><td align="left"><p>N</p></td><td align="left"><p>Male</p></td><td align="left"><p>Not specifically stated, Latinx</p></td><td align="left"><p>Not clear</p></td><td align="left"><p>C</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>2015</p></td><td align="left"><p>Viva Frida</p></td><td align="left"><p>Yuyi Morales</p></td><td align="left"><p>Yuyi Morales</p></td><td align="left"><p>Outdoor with trees</p></td><td align="left"><p>N</p></td><td align="left"><p>Female</p></td><td align="left"><p>Not specifically stated, Latinx</p></td><td align="left"><p>Upper middle class</p></td><td align="left"><p>A</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>2016</p></td><td align="left"><p>Drum Dream Girl</p></td><td align="left"><p>Margarita Engle</p></td><td align="left"><p>Rafael López</p></td><td align="left"><p>Island/ community in Cuba</p></td><td align="left"><p>N</p></td><td align="left"><p>Female</p></td><td align="left"><p>Chinese, African and Cuban</p></td><td align="left"><p>Middle class</p></td><td align="left"><p>C</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>2017</p></td><td align="left"><p>Juana & Lucas</p></td><td align="left"><p>Juana Medina</p></td><td align="left"><p>Juana Medina</p></td><td align="left"><p>Neighborhood in Bogata, Columbia</p></td><td align="left"><p>N</p></td><td align="left"><p>Female</p></td><td align="left"><p>Colombian</p></td><td align="left"><p>Middle working class</p></td><td align="left"><p>C</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>2018</p></td><td align="left"><p>La Princesa and the Pea</p></td><td align="left"><p>Susan Middleton Elya</p></td><td align="left"><p>Juana Martinez-Neal</p></td><td align="left"><p>Village/ rural setting; illustrations show cultural elements inspired by Peruvian village of Huiloc and the Colca Canyon</p></td><td align="left"><p>N</p></td><td align="left"><p>Female</p></td><td align="left"><p>Spanairde</p></td><td align="left"><p>Upper class and middle working class</p></td><td align="left"><p>A-1 T-2</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>2019</p></td><td align="left"><p>Dreamers</p></td><td align="left"><p>Yuyi Morales</p></td><td align="left"><p>Yuyi Morales</p></td><td align="left"><p>Mexico to San Francisco Bay Area, US</p></td><td align="left"><p>N</p></td><td align="left"><p>Female</p></td><td align="left"><p>Mexican</p></td><td align="left"><p>Poverty with immigration</p></td><td align="left"><p>A</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>2020</p></td><td align="left"><p>Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln</p></td><td align="left"><p>Margarita Engle</p></td><td align="left"><p>Rafael López</p></td><td align="left"><p>Venezuela going to the New York City, US</p></td><td align="left"><p>N</p></td><td align="left"><p>Female</p></td><td align="left"><p>Venezuelan</p></td><td align="left"><p>Upper middle class</p></td><td align="left"><p>C</p></td></tr><tr><td align="left"><p>2021</p></td><td align="left"><p>¡Vamos! Let's Go Eat</p></td><td align="left"><p>Raúl Gonzalez</p></td><td align="left"><p>Raúl Gonzalez</p></td><td align="left"><p>Town market area, Ciudad Juarez-El Paso</p></td><td align="left"><p>Y wolf</p></td><td align="left"><p>Male</p></td><td align="left"><p>N/A</p></td><td align="left"><p>N/A</p></td><td align="left"><p>N/A</p></td></tr></tbody></table> </ephtml> </p> <hd id="AN0177148941-13">Race, Ethnicity, and Sex of Protagonist</hd> <p>Using the US Census Bureau ([<reflink idref="bib22" id="ref65">22</reflink>]) categories for race and ethnicity to code the main characters from the books, we determined that the majority of the focal subjects are portrayed as being from other parts of the world (e.g., Cuba, Mexico, Venezuela). In our analysis, we found 13/20 of the main characters were female (65%). Of the 13 female leads, 12 of them were Latina while one was of multiple ethnicities. Seven of the 20 main characters were male (35%), where five were Latino (25%) and two were of multiple ethnicities (10%).</p> <hd id="AN0177148941-14">Age, Socioeconomic Status, and Geographic Region</hd> <p>Ages of the focal character ranged from childhood to adulthood: 6 (30%) were children; two (10%) were teens; nine (45%) were adults; while three (15%) of the characters spanned two or three age groups within the text. Out of the 20 main characters, one was stated as being from the United States (i.e., Eric in <emph>Grandma's Gift,</emph> Velasquez, [<reflink idref="bib64" id="ref66">64</reflink>]). Other characters were either identified as being from various countries while many lacked a specific region. Two books described immigration as a central theme (i.e., <emph>Dreamers, Dancing Hands</emph>). Additionally, the majority of characters were of middle class socio-economic 11 (55%) with two (10%) of the characters portrayed as below middle class socio economic level given the description and visual representation (i.e., <emph>Martin de Porres: The Rose in the Desert).</emph></p> <p>The characters in these texts showed an overwhelming majority of characters who were bilingual. Additionally, the characters represented in these books showed an emphasis of female adult characters. This is particularly interesting in light of episodes of care in that the representation showed fewer instances of children and male characters displaying care as compared to female characters. Moreover, few instances of socio-economic diversity were evident, with the majority of characters being represented as middle class. We suggest that the areas of gendered episodes of care and an emphasis on middle class characters provide excellent opportunities for discussion in the classroom and encourage additional representations across socio-economic means as well.</p> <p>Four out of twenty books depict animals as the main characters (anthropomorphism). The Cooperative Children's Book Center noted, "books about white children, talking bears, trucks, monsters, potatoes, etc. represent nearly three quarters (71%) of children's and young adult books published in 2019" (CCBC, [<reflink idref="bib5" id="ref67">5</reflink>], p. 14). While anthropomorphism has a long history (e.g., Aesop's fables) and can help provide distance from sensitive topics, it should also be part of the teacher's considerations when introducing the book. As Cunningham et al. ([<reflink idref="bib8" id="ref68">8</reflink>]) observed, the use of animals can also mask or ignore diversity. Digging deeper by listening to author and illustrator discussions about the book can be helpful to learn more about why animals were used instead of humans.</p> <p>Initially, we planned to consider the settings of these books as a way to explore which books were in which regions as compared to the books that were set in other countries. However, we found that many of these books were set in a localized context—a kitchen, a family gathering, a community (40%) without a specific reference to a country. For those that were set in particular countries; 30% were set outside the US (e.g., Mexico, Cuba) while 20% were set in the United States. Two books described families moving from other countries to the US (i.e., <emph>Martin de Porres: The Rose in the Desert, Dreamers</emph>). Exploring these localized settings offers multiple opportunities for alignment with social studies standards that emphasize primary students learning about neighborhoods and communities (Crocco & Marino, [<reflink idref="bib7" id="ref69">7</reflink>]). The localized settings also provide a clear link to episodes of care—specifically that caring happens within communities where members know one another, interact with each other regularly, and build trust with one another over time. Noddings ([<reflink idref="bib23" id="ref70">23</reflink>]) echoed a similar position when explaining how teachers can implement the ethic of caring by spending "more time together so that the relations of trust may be established" (p. 215).</p> <p>Exploring the ways in which characters in these Pura Belpré awarded texts are situated and represented in relation to care offers the potential for early childhood educators to engage in critical conversations with young readers. Overall, findings of our critical multicultural analysis of these select texts highlighted various representations of age, sex, race, ethnicities, socio-economic status, and geographic regions.</p> <hd id="AN0177148941-15">Conclusion</hd> <p>Central to cultivating equitable early childhood learning experiences is utilizing children's literature where there are multiple representations of historically underrepresented individuals. In this article, we report on our analysis of episodes of care (Noddings, [<reflink idref="bib25" id="ref71">25</reflink>]) across select Pura Belpré awarded texts for early childhood grades. Findings reveal specific episodes of care that can be used to engage young readers in conversations about what care looks like, feels like, and sounds like across communities. We applaud the authors and illustrators of the Pura Belpré awarded texts as well as the Pura Belpré Selection Award Committee in selecting these texts. Moreover, we encourage the widespread use and inclusion of these texts in early childhood contexts to share how care can be enacted, displayed, and reciprocated.</p> <hd id="AN0177148941-16">Acknowledgements</hd> <p>The authors would like to thank the authors and illustrators of these awarded texts as well as the careful review of the ALA Pura Belpré Award Selection Committee.</p> <hd id="AN0177148941-17">Publisher's Note</hd> <p>Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.</p> <ref id="AN0177148941-18"> <title> References </title> <blist> <bibl id="bib1" idref="ref17" type="bt">1</bibl> <bibtext> Bath C. Conceptualizing listening to young children as an ethic of care in early childhood education and care. Children & Society. 2013; 27; 5: 361-371. 10.1111/j.1099-0860.2011.00407.x</bibtext> </blist> <blist> <bibl id="bib2" idref="ref37" type="bt">2</bibl> <bibtext> Beck S, Stevenson ASchueths A, Lawston J. 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  Data: Narratives of Care: Portrayals of Care in Pura Belpré Awarded Texts for Young Readers
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  Data: English
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Margaret+Vaughn%22">Margaret Vaughn</searchLink> (ORCID <externalLink term="http://orcid.org/0000-0001-8832-8366">0000-0001-8832-8366</externalLink>)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dixie+Massey%22">Dixie Massey</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Adrienne+Vitullo%22">Adrienne Vitullo</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Jihee+Im%22">Jihee Im</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Emperatriz+Rivas%22">Emperatriz Rivas</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Deleon+Gause%22">Deleon Gause</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Ignacia+M%2E+Lopez%22">Ignacia M. Lopez</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Fatemah+I%2E+Alshubaith%22">Fatemah I. Alshubaith</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="SO" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education+Journal%22"><i>Early Childhood Education Journal</i></searchLink>. 2024 52(5):909-920.
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  Data: Springer. Available from: Springer Nature. One New York Plaza, Suite 4600, New York, NY 10004. Tel: 800-777-4643; Tel: 212-460-1500; Fax: 212-460-1700; e-mail: customerservice@springernature.com; Web site: https://link.springer.com/
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  Data: 12
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  Data: 2024
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  Data: Journal Articles<br />Reports - Research
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="EL" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink>
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Beginning+Reading%22">Beginning Reading</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Childrens+Literature%22">Childrens Literature</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Caring%22">Caring</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Early+Childhood+Education%22">Early Childhood Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Multicultural+Education%22">Multicultural Education</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Hispanic+Americans%22">Hispanic Americans</searchLink><br /><searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22Youth%22">Youth</searchLink>
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  Data: 10.1007/s10643-023-01483-x
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  Data: 1082-3301<br />1573-1707
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  Data: Children's literature is an important pedagogical tool in early childhood classrooms as it provides opportunities for young readers to engage with texts and to see the world from multiple perspectives. Central to cultivating equitable early childhood learning experiences is utilizing children's literature with multiple representations of historically underrepresented individuals and communities. In this article, we report on our analysis of episodes of care (Noddings, "Journal of Educational Change" 2:35-43, 2001) across select Pura Belpré awarded texts for early childhood grades. Additionally, we share findings from across our critical multicultural analysis of these select texts to highlight depictions of age, sex, race, ethnicities, socio-economic status, and geographic regions. Discussion focuses on exploring an ethic of care across the voices and representations of Latinx youth and families in these awarded texts and how such conversations are vital with young children in today's early childhood classrooms.
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        StartPage: 909
    Subjects:
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