I am always glad when people write to me about problems they see in children's books. In recent weeks I've heard from a few people about Winnie and Waldorf. A picture book written and illustrated by Kati Hites, it was released on March 5th of this year.
School Library Journal's review says that "Families with dogs will see the humor in this mixed-media and digitally illustrated book; cat lovers will be shaking their heads in wonder."
Let's add... "People who find kids donning Indian headdresses will also be shaking their heads as they wonder when this sort of thing will end."
There's no reason for this:
Winnie wears that "formal attire" to her sister's violin concert. The feathers obscure the view, so this happens:
If that was a real headdress, nobody would do that to it. They carry a great deal of significance. They aren't playthings to handle in that way.
That headdress, as Winnie says, is her "most formal attire." In the story, she isn't playing Indian. It wouldn't make it ok if she was, I hasten to say, but there is a backstory for it, right? Hites had a backstory for having that item amongst the items Winnie uses to dress up. What is that backstory?!
Of course, Hites has an editor over at HarperCollins. I wonder who that person is? Did they talk about that headdress? I hope someone reads this post and shares it with Hites and her editor.
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