Between representation and resistance: black protagonism in contemporary children’s literature and the construction of affirmative identities

Abstract

How can children’s literature help Black children see themselves with pride, beauty, and belonging in the books they read? What reading practices and forms of literary mediation are appropriate to ensure that Black children can see themselves represented in this literature? Based on the reading and interpretation of Amoras (2018), by Emicida, and O Pequeno Príncipe Preto (2020), by Rodrigo França, this study identifies how Black protagonism has been constructed in contemporary literature for children, promoting racial literacy from early childhood. Using a qualitative and analytical-interpretive approach, the research articulates ideas from scholars such as Bell Hooks (2017), Neusa Santos Souza (2021), Nilma Lino Gomes (2011, 2012), Eliane Debus (2007, 2013), and Lia Vainer Schucman (2012), who understand identity, childhood, and education as fields of symbolic and political dispute. The analyses consider elements such as language, plot, and illustration, and propose pedagogical options for the use of these works in the classroom, in accordance with Law 10.639/03. The study concludes that plural stories featuring Black protagonists help break with the “danger of the single story”, as described by Nigerian writer Chimamanda Adichie (2019). It also fosters the construction of a more equitable imaginary, one in which all children can recognize and affirm themselves in the world with pride.