A literature anthology for the junior learner based on books under the theme of conflicting racial identities. The three titles in this collection are written by authors of colour and centre around themes of conflicting racial identities for the central protagonist. Each of these books, ideal for readers at the Junior Intermediate level (grades 4-6), provide representation and relevant themes for the ongoing cultural discourse prevalent in today’s media. While exploring the complicated, multi-layered issues of racism and displacement, the books presented here will hook readers through the common universal experience of lacking a feeling of belonging. Regardless of the racial identities presented by your students, representation of differentiated voices helps to develop a sensitivity and the awareness so important for navigating global communities, reaching far beyond the classroom walls. It is through stories told from the perspective of “other,” and exposure to relevant, accessible human experience, we can help to break down racial barriers and dismantle the cultural hegemony that dominates Canadian classrooms and literature.
