Profiles in Resilience: Books for Children and Teens That Center the Lived Experience of Generational Poverty

“This book helps to expand the definition of diversity in children’s books by shedding light on an element of diversity that is sometimes overlooked—economic situation or income . . . Teachers and librarians will find it informative and engaging as it deepens their experience with both authors and books as well as their understanding of children who are experiencing generational poverty.”
—from the Foreword by Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop, Professor Emeritus, The Ohio State University

Drawing from her own lived experience, in this guide Dorr shines a light on some of the cultural values that exist across both rural and urban poverty, inviting teachers, librarians, and others who work with children from low-income families to see them in their cultural context and appreciate the values they bring to the classroom or library. She spotlights a range of books for children and teens that offer literary mirrors to low-income children, as well as windows to more economically privileged readers, enabling all young readers to celebrate our common humanity. And she also shares the work of ten authors and illustrators familiar with poverty, offering insights into the sources of their stories and the ways storytellers’ lived experience can influence their creative works and make their characters more authentic. You will discover

• an introduction which explores what it’s like to grow up in generational poverty, including its long-term effects on children, the roles played by intersectional and institutional racism, the power of family, and how reading can act as powerful catalyst;
• biographical sketches of Elizabeth Acevedo, Jason Reynolds, Cynthia Rylant, Kelly Yang, and other authors and illustrators;
• inspiring profiles and books spanning age ranges, genres, and formats that chronicle the lives of Ruth Bader Ginsberg, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Sonia Sotomayor, John Lewis, Wilma Mankiller, and other people who were raised in generational poverty; and
• four appendixes which spotlight even more stories of resilient individuals and fictional characters.