Episode 173 | The Books We Love Arent Always the Books They Need w/ Laura Jiménez, PhD

What happens when a book we loved as children isn't necessarily the book our students need today?

In this episode of Our Classroom, Roberto Germán sits down with Dr. Laura Jiménez, author of Judging a Book By More Than Its Cover: A Critical Guide to Choosing Children’s Literature, for a conversation about how educators can become more critical and intentional about the books we place in front of young people.

Dr. Jiménez challenges educators to examine not only children's literature, but also ourselves—our reading histories, nostalgia, assumptions, identities, and the power we hold when deciding which stories enter our classrooms. Her book asks educators to reflect on their own experiences and assumptions while learning to recognize how power and privilege can operate through children's literature. 

In this conversation, Roberto and Laura explore:

• Why nostalgia can influence the books educators continue teaching
• Who gets to decide what counts as a “good” or “important” book
• The difference between having representation and having meaningful, authentic representation
• How educators can develop a “habit of noticing”
• What to do when a beloved book contains problematic representations
• When to teach a text critically—and when it may be time to choose something better
• How to begin critically examining your classroom library without feeling like you have to replace everything tomorrow

Laura reminds educators that the books that shaped us don't disappear simply because we choose something different for today's students. When selecting classroom literature, she argues that educators may need to move beyond nostalgia because ultimately, “this isn’t about me.”  

The question isn't simply:

Is this a good book?

Maybe we should also be asking:

Is this a good book for the children sitting in front of me?