A Broken Flute: The Native Experience in Books for Children--Quick Review

Before reading anything given to me for classes, I enjoy doing a bit of background research on the article, its author, its purpose, and

reviews from other blogs and online peoples. “A Broken Flute: The Native Experience in Books for Children” is a compilation of reviews of children’s literature edited by Doris Seale and Beverly Slapin which is nothing but entertainingly brutal. Don’t get me wrong, everything they say really needs to be said. “A Broken Flute” offers essays, critical reviews and commentary on many books about American Indians for children and teenagers. But A Broken Flute also asks us to understand the pain and the anger that the appropriation and misrepresentation of Native history, culture and values by non-Native writers has caused. (Library Sparks) Like most of these types of books, it really does a great job making me feel guilty for being white.


A Broken Flute will be a valuable resource for community and educational organizations, and a key reference for public and school libraries, and Native American collections. Readers will turn to this volume repeatedly, especially because of the multiple indexes, for help with book evaluation and to broaden their understanding of the community in which they work and live. (Sir Read Alot Book Review)


In class, we are to read “Open Letter to a Non-Indian Teacher,” an opening to the reference book sadly written by An Indian Mother and only referenced by the editors as “whoever wrote it.” I would love a background for the letter while reading it. Did the teacher already make the mother upset or is she coming into this school year already assuming the teacher will be a bigot toward her child? I have taught several kids of different cultures, including native cultures, and I did not act the way in which she is describing. Instead of “rescuing” them, I admired their cultured state, mainly because I really do not have one.

I guess this letter has affected me in a way that it was not supposed to.

Yes, each kid is an individual that needs to be treated as such. Each kid has a right to learn how to read and develop intellectual skills. However, the public school system is not able to FULLY meet with all the standards this mother is laying out. If a teacher has 30+ young children in her care and one gets up to go to the bathroom by himself without telling her, it is against the rules, even if it is that way at his home.

A tiny bit about me, I was allowed to drink wine at an earlier age because of culture. However, I knew not to do it at school, or anywhere else but home. The sad truth is, these overworked teachers cannot accommodate every single individual’s lifestyle into their day. That does not mean to demean or lessen the culture of these students. But if this mother wants her kid to go to a US public school, her child will have to acclimate a bit and create his own, blended culture in the process. He can respect his old culture, speak its language, respect his values, and still ask to go to the bathroom and follow along with a set curriculum even if he does not feel like it that day (like a good amount of school children). Feel free to argue with me! I would love a hearty discussion on the subject.