Examining the Historical Representation of the Holocaust within Trade Books

International Assembly of the National Council for the Social Studies. 8555 16th Street Suite 500, Silver Spring, MD 20910. Tel: 765-496-3029; Fax: 765-496-2210; Web site: http://www.iajiss.org/index.php/iajiss/index

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47

European History; History Instruction; Jews; Death; Interdisciplinary Approach; Teaching Methods; English; Language Arts; Victims; Primary Sources; Content Analysis; Historiography; Literary Styles; Social Bias; Ethnic Groups; War; Ghettos; Foreign Countries; Childrens Literature; Adolescents; Adolescent Literature; Qualitative Research; Books

2327-3585

State and national education initiatives provide American students with opportunities to engage in close readings of complex texts from diverse perspectives as they actively construct complicated understandings as they explore complex texts. Opportunities for interdisciplinary units emerge as the role of non-fiction in English/language arts and informational texts in history/social studies increases dramatically. Trade books are a logical curricular link between these two curricula. The initiatives, however, do not prescribe specific curricular material so teachers rely on their own discretion when selecting available trade books. Scholarship indicates that historical misrepresentations emerge within trade books to varying degrees, yet only a few empirical studies have been conducted. We empirically evaluated trade books centered on the Holocaust, which is arguably the most consequential global event in 20th century. It is also a curricular element of U.S. history, world history, and English/language arts. We report various misrepresentations within the trade books regarding the Holocaust's origins, targeted victims, victim totals, contributors, and recognition of other genocidal acts. We provide ancillary primary sources for teachers interested in addressing or balancing the historical misrepresentations.

As Provided

68

2017

EJ1149308