Should We Burn Babar?

by Herbert R. Kohl

The title essay, a consideration of Babar the elephant, raises the question of what to do with a charming and widely-loved book whose messages, nonetheless, need to be challenged. Also included in this volume is Kohl's acclaimed essay on Rosa Parks, available here for the first time in book form. In it Kohl points out the subtle, but real, racism inherent in the usual telling of the Rosa Parks story and offers another, more truthful version entitled "She Would Not Be Moved." This retelling illustrates how Mrs. Parks's actions were part of an organized struggle for freedom, not a mere personal act of frustration. . Throughout, Kohl provides new perspectives on well-known children's stories, highlighting instances of racism, sexism, and condescension that detract from the tale being told. He provides strategies for detecting bias in other works for young people and offers powerful ideas for better ways to tell children stories.