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Selecting
Children's Picture Books with Positive Chinese, Japanese, and Other
Asian Fathers and Father Figures
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ing to Minneapolis for high school. He did undergraduate work in archaeology and anthropology at the University of Minnesota, graduate work in archaeology at the University of New Mexico-Albuquerque, and received his Ph.D. in Higher Education and Women's Studies from Penn State in 1994. He became involved in women's studies because the Higher Education program at Penn State required a cognate field outside the College of Education. "I wanted to become involved with something that addressed the issues that were important to me, namely social justice," Craig says. "Women's studies was the most welcoming." Exploring the concept of gender issues in education, his dissertation was titled "Unlearning Patriarchy: Exploring Feminist Pedagogy in Introductory Women's Studies Classes." After getting his Ph.D., Craig taught women's studies classes at Penn State for two years, then moved to Kenya where he taught Anthropology of Gender at the University of Nairobi and at the United States International University. From there, he went to Lithuania where he taught Sociology of Gender at the master's level at Vytautas Magnus University. Coming back to the U.S., he taught intro. classes at Utah State University, and then moved to the University of Georgia Academic Honors Program. Craig says that there are two main reasons for men to become involved in women's studies. "One, avoiding essentialism and hypocrisy. It makes no sense to argue that you are being marginalized if you are marginalizing others," he says. "And two, role models. Part of why I'm effective as a women's studies teacher is because I can represent the patriarchy that feminism struggles against and work to subvert that patriarchy and its institutions which can be more effective than battering at them from the 'outside.'" Another article on a related topic is: Heller, Craig (1999). "Mi Papa, A Look at Latino Fathers and Father Figures in Children's Picture Books," MultiCultural Review (8)2 (June 1999), 38-53.
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Heller and his associates, Bruce Cunningham, Ginny Lee and Hannah M. Heller have put together another treasure on children's picture books. This article follows a similar one on Latino father figures and focuses on Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Vietnamese and Philippine father figures. The authors indicate that about 4 percent of the U.S. population, or ten million people, are of Asian ancestry. Because they are located in relatively few states and in certain major cities, that have an impact greater than their numbers. Compared to the comments about Latino fathers, the authors paint a more sympathetic and nurturing image of Asian fathers. They do caution us to differentiate between the ideal and the reality that exists in each country and culture. Do not create a mismatch by comparing the ideal of one country against the real of another. I would further caution readers to realize that the social and cultural values of one country are sufficiently complex that a direct comparison of different peoples is more like apples and oranges, an unfair at the outset. The authors ground us in certain Confucian values that define and prescribe familial relationships. The patriarchal leadership of the governments is similarly found in the family, generally speaking. This is epitomized in the phrase, "respect your elders." Asians also find themselves in a similar situation as do Latino families, namely, "living in the hyphen." This means they (especially new immigrants) are trying to maintain, sustain, preserve and nurture two cultures and languages simultaneously, and for some, this is beyond their abilities and resources to do. In general, fathers who come to America and bring their families are involved in tremendous change on a daily basis that can distort and confuse member roles in each person's attempt to make the daily adjustments that are required of them. The authors recommend picture books that reflect positive images in six different areas. Most of the books are Chinese oriented, but since my wife and children are of Japanese heritage, that will be my focus. 1) Nurturing and Child Rearing. All of the books in this section are Chinese or Korean oriented, but provide wonderful stories and folktales uplifting and encouraging to all who choose to read any of the books. 2) Recreational Activities. The authors suggest that traditional roles have changed dramatically, especially in China, and that both parents are more responsible and equal in their activities with their children. From my experience, this is less true of Japan than the other countries. Consequently, Japanese fathers become more like friends with their children, rather than discipliners and teachers. Again, there are no books based on Japanese experiences. 3) Discipline. 4) Discrimination. Eve Bunting's So Far from the Sea (1998; father-children), is a historical narrative about the internment of male Japanese after the December 1941 Pearl Harbor bombing, which resulted from poor political leadership, war hysteria and racial and media discrimination. At no time during the war was there a reported misdeed from the interned Japanese American citizens or immigrants. There are some very unpleasant descriptions and scenes of deportation camps. Another book is Ken Mochizuki's Heroes (1995; father-son/uncle-nephew), which focuses on the struggles of a young boy, Donnie, to be accepted and to overcome prejudice because of his looks, even though his father and uncle were heroes during the Korean war. 5) Father Figures. Takaaki Nomura's Grandpa's Town (1991; grandfather-grandson) is about a young boy who travels to Japan with his mother to visit his grandfather, who lives alone. They want the grandfather to move to America with them. The grandfather has built a wonderful life among his friends, is very proud of his grandson and delights in their visit, but chooses to remain in Japan. Allen Say's Grandfather's Journey (1993; grandfather-grandson) is the story of a young boy and his stories about his grandfather's travels in and between Japan and the United States. Even though the father initially makes a home in California, he decides to return to his life and friends in Japan, which I can truly understand. Margaret Tsubakiyama's Mei-Mei Loves the Morning (1999; grandfather-granddaughter) is similar to Say's book, but told from the eyes of a little girl and the nurturing and parental-like times they spend together. Crow Boy, by Taro Yashima (1995; father figure-son) focuses on a talented teacher in Japan and how be comes to be a father figure for a boy named Chibi, who comes from a poor family, but in the sixth grade comes to recognize his hidden talents. 6) Occupational and Economic Roles. Two books here talk about how children help their parents navigate life as immigrants when the parents do not speak the English language as well as the children do. This is an excellent annotated bibliography on depicting Asian fathers and father figures in positive and nurturing roles with their children. |
