Empowering Chinese American Children as Critical Readers and Agents of Diverse Children's Literature

ABSTRACT This practitioner inquiry employs AsianCrit to inform both the design and analysis of two children's literature workshops, critically examining how Chinese American bi/multilingual children define and evaluate Chinese American picturebooks and envision more diverse representations. Drawing on classroom recordings, interviews, and rich artifacts, this study highlighted how Chinese American children can serve as co‐theorizers and critics of children's literature when given the opportunity to reflect on and discuss their racialized, linguistic, and transnational experiences. The study underscores the importance of actively incorporating children's perspectives into reimagining more diverse and authentic representations in children's literature. It also offers pedagogical implications for practitioners to engage in critical reflection on their own biases, employ intentional reading strategies and activities, and collaborate with local communities to shape students' experiences with literature.