content analysis of 21st century Caldecotts for portrayals of poverty

2. Abstract submitted UCF
▪ In the U.S., child poverty rates increased to include 3.7
million more children in poverty since 2021, with
children of color most impacted (CWLA, 2022). Given
the vicarious power of literature to navigate stress, this
content analysis explored the portrayal of poverty 21st
century Caldecott books. What children read influences
their view of themselves and others, comprehension,
and motivations to read. Findings revealed: 1) recent
themes of financial stressors; 2) intersections of race
and poverty across time; 3) intersections of poverty
with genocidal racism, refugees, and immigration; 4)
the status quo in most books; 5) rare models of helping
needy; 6) internal solutions for poverty; and 7)
persistent hope in all books. Future research should
analyze ways to leverage literature for children facing
seemingly impossible events, to invite empathy and
advocacy for action.

3. In the U.S., “The monthly child poverty rate increased from 12.1% in
December 2021 to 17% in January 2022…This increase in poverty represents
3.7 million more children in poverty.... Latino and Black children experienced
the largest percentage-point increases …” (CWLA, 2022). Given that children’s
literature offers a vicarious means for children to navigate the world around
them, this content analysis explored the portrayal of poverty in 21st century
Caldecott books, 2000-2022, in order to explore the unique, important insights
they offer. What children read influences how they view themselves and
others, their comprehension, and their motivations to read. Findings revealed
that 1) Recent decades clearly identify themes of financial stressors; 2) Recent
books highlight intersections of race and poverty across time; 3) Picturebooks
further showed the intersections of poverty with racism, genocidal racism,
refugees, and immigration; 4) Despite growing numbers of books in recent
decades with indicators of poverty, the status quo persists; 5) Anticipated
models of helping those in need were rare; 6) However, many texts show
protagonists finding their own solutions within themselves, often through
tenacious hard work, persistent hopefulness, and grit; and 7) Hope persists, in
all books coded for portrayals of poverty. Future research should analyze how
literature may be leveraged, as children face seemingly impossible events, to
invite empathy and advocacy for action.
▪
▪ Discussed and reconciled any coding differences with the research
team until complete agreement was reached.
▪ Identified emerging patterns and themes from 2000 to 2022, across

4. Exploring poverty and
financial status in 21st
century Caldecott
picturebooks,
2000-2022
Sherron Killingsworth Roberts, University of Central Florida
Patricia A. Crawford, University of Pittsburgh
Nancy Hughes Brasel, University of Central Florida

5. Objectives
▪ 1) Use content analysis to identify and synthesize
themes concerning poverty, noting the intersectionality
across financial situations and other identifying factors;
▪ 2) Highlight the potential of 21st century Caldecott
books featuring depictions of financial status as a
means to assist children; and
▪ 3) Consider pedagogical opportunities for linking
poverty-themed picturebooks with opportunities for
praxis to benefit others.

6. Perspectives of our research:
▪ Poverty, scarcity (Mullainathan & Shafir,
2013), and the lack of resources to meet
basic needs impact children’s academic
performance, socioemotional
development, self-regulation, and
executive function (Allee-Herndon, 2019).
▪ Financial difficulties have unique as well
as universal aspects that educators must
take into account. Prior to COVID, one
billion children experienced
multidimensional poverty, lacking basic
sanitation, water, and food; since then, an
additional 100 million children were thrust
into extreme poverty (UNICEF, 2022).

7. Rationale for our study
▪ In the U.S., “The monthly child poverty rate
increased from 12.1% in December 2021 to 17% in
January 2022…This increase in poverty represents
3.7 million more children in poverty.... Latino and
Black children experienced the largest percentage-
point increases in poverty…” (CWLA, 2022).
▪ Studying the portrayal of financial situations, from
poverty to wealth, offered unique, important
insights.

8. Perspectives for studying
picturebooks

9. Perspectives for studying
picturebooks ● What children read influences how they view themselves and others,
their comprehension, and their motivations to read. Hefflin and
Barksdale-Ladd (2001) state “one primary motivation for reading
fiction involves the pleasure that can be taken in relating to
characters, their lives, their problems, and their experiences” (p.
810).
● Literature depicts conflicts and the human condition to provide
vicarious situations and a safe springboard from which readers can
survey and gain a perspective on puzzling challenges and difficult
circumstances (Crawford, Roberts & Zygouris-Coe, 2019; Laminack &
Wadsworth, 2012; Wolk, 2013). Kidd and Castano (2013) found that
adults who read a mere 15 minutes of quality fiction, significantly
increased their levels of empathy. Quality books offer a
developmentally appropriate venue for helping children to develop
empathy and resilience (Lacina, Baumi, & Taylor, 2016) and provide
models of characters who respond to crises and cope in varied ways
(Authors, 2009; 2019; Leland, Lewison, & Harste, 2013).
● Perspectives of socioeconomic status in children’s literature are an
important, yet understudied, phenomenon (Authors 2016; Terrile,
2021; Vaughn et al., 2021). Ku, et al., (2005) noted that empathy could
be produced where there was none by reading stories about
individuals belonging to stigmatized or outgroups. Johnson (2012)
found that stories increase affective empathy, almost doubling
readers’ prosocial behavior.
● We believe that children’s books can provide collective impacts
that may be scaled for greater good.

10. Data Sources
▪ The corpus of books included high quality picturebooks
receiving the Caldecott Medal or Honor between 2000
and 2022 (publication dates from 1999-2021).
▪ Each book (n=103) was read and coded by the research
team for indicators of poverty or financial status,
gender, age, and race and sought to answer the
following questions:
▪ a) How is poverty portrayed within 21st century
Caldecott books?
▪ b) Are there patterns and/or themes surrounding who
helps those living in poverty?
▪ c) How are those portrayed who hold wealth, power,
and/or materialism?

11. Methodology
▪ Conducted content analysis to find possible
exemplars in Caldecott books (2000-2022)
for indicators of financial status.
▪ Read, reread, and coded each book for
indicators of financial status, gender, age, &
race
▪ Discussed and reconciled any coding
differences with the research team until
complete agreement was reached.
▪ Identified emerging patterns and themes
from 2000 to 2022, across books that
exemplify poverty or financial status.

12. Overview of Findings
▪ We note that picturebooks
provide windows, mirrors and
sliding glass doors (Simms
Bishop, 1990) for our youngest
readers to offer portrayals of
poverty.
▪ These portrayals offer the
opportunities that may begin
discourse, dispense knowledge,
and provide examples of
positive and hopeful responses
to financial situations affecting
children and families.

13. Themes ▪ Touchstone texts clearly
identified themes of financial
stressors, particularly in recent
decades. In Last Stop on Market
Street (de la Pena, 2015), a
grandmother and grandson take a
bus through an impoverished area
to ultimately serve others in a soup
kitchen. Enroute, grandmother
highlights beauty, leading to the
ultimate beauty of helping others.
In A Different Pond (Phi, 2017), a
quiet fishing trip brings the
characters closer and
demonstrates the need to advocate
for a refugee family with food
insecurity. In Watercress (Wang,
2021) an embarrassed daughter
learns that her parents laud the
watercress as free and fresh,
explaining how it saved her family
during a famine. The daughter eats
with new understanding.

14. Themes
▪ Many recent books highlight
intersections of race and poverty
across time. Powerful examples
include The Undefeated (Nelson,
2019) and Unspeakable
(Weatherford, 2021) which share
triumphs over injustice, poverty,
and tribulations experienced by
Black Americans. By identifying
these books, this research invites
outlets to enact empathy and
advocate for action to aid children
living in poverty.

15. Themes
Even more picturebooks showed the
intersections of racism, genocidal racism,
refugees, and immigration.

16. Themes
While we anticipated models of helping
those in need, few books exemplified
acts of helping. Only one act of charity
from society at large was noted in Last
Stop on Market Street.

17. However, we did find many touchstone texts
that showed the protagonists finding their
own solutions for poverty within
themselves, often through tenacious hard
work, persistent hopefulness, and grit.
Themes

18. Themes
▪ Despite growing numbers of books in recent decades that
had indicators of poverty, the status quo persists, which
implies this is the goal. No big splashes of poverty or
wealth, with hints of upper SES.

19. Themes ▪ Hope persists, in all books coded for
portrayals of poverty.
▪ While the nuances within these
representations of poverty and wealth require
further analysis, we believe these
picturebooks portray images that bring hope
and that nurture socio-emotional connections
and empathy, so that teachers will be better
prepared to meet the needs of children living
in poverty.

20. Educational significance
▪ In a world where all are vulnerable to the impacts of poverty, we often find
ourselves turning to children’s books as support. In this safe place between the
pages, children’s books offer opportunities to deconstruct and problem solve
issues related to poverty.
▪ Children’s books have the potential to inform, comfort, provide models of
coping strategies vicariously (Crawford & Roberts, 2009; 2016). Tough topics
may be best navigated through reader responses, authentic discussions,
graphic representations, artistic avenues, and real opportunities to contribute,
even on the smallest scale.
▪ As we continue analyzing these portrayals of victims, profiteers, and helpers,
we hold onto the hope that, even as children face seemingly impossible events,
literature has the capacity to invite empathy and advocacy for action.

21. Future Research
▪ Go deeper in understanding the intersectionality of
identifying attributes in these picturebooks.
▪ Explore reader response as a means to shift literacy
conversations with preservice teachers toward
understanding the impacts of poverty and privilege.
▪ Expand our dataset by looking at older titles,
beginning in 1922.
▪ Expand our dataset by looking at other bodies of
literature (e.g., Newbery, Coretta Scott King).

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