| This study was designed to develop an accurate representation of the cultural content of international picture books published in the United States by examining the universe of subjects in single year, 1994. Altogether, 257 picture books met the criteria for inclusion in the study: (1) picture-book format, with under 64 pages and similar space devoted to text and illustrations, (2) first published outside the United States, (3) first American publication in 1994, and (4) no novelty aspects, such as flaps.;Of the 257 books, 251 were located for examination. Over 77 percent of these books came from English-speaking countries (Great Britain, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa), and the remaining 23 percent were published translation from Switzerland, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Sweden, Belgium, Venezuela, and Puerto Rico.;Of the 251 books examined, 72 percent contained no identifying features to place the geographical setting, making the setting American by implication. Of the remaining 28 percent, 32 books contained explicit references in the text or illustrations enabling readers to place the setting in a country, region, or continent outside the United States. An additional 4 books named settings within the United States or North America. Two books contained non-U.S. settings in dream sequences, framed by "real-life" settings that would be perceived as American. Four books made reference to multiple countries, although they could not be said to be set in any one country. Finally, 27 books contained enough information in the text or illustrations to prompt a discerning reader to recognize that the story did not occur in the United States, although not enough information to anchor the story in a particular place. Of the 32 books with defined settings outside the United States, only 15 were actually set in the country in which they were originated.;These findings indicate that the "typical" international picture book available to American children brings with it no identifiers to mark it as the product of another country, undercutting a primary reason for promoting international children's literature: to foster cross-cultural understanding at a young age. |
