The Notable Books for a Global Society listing was developed to help students, teachers, and families identify books that promote understanding of and appreciation for the world's full range of diverse cultures and ethnic and racial groups. Although advances in technology allow us to communicate quickly with people around the world and the growth of world trade brings us increasingly into contact with far-flung members of the "global village," today's society is rife with tension and conflict. If we hope to meet the many challenges that face us as we approach the next century, we must recognize the similarities and celebrate the differences among those of all races, cultures, religions, and sexual orientations, and appreciate that people can hold a wide range of equally legitimate values.
With these concerns in mind, the Children's Literature and Reading Special Interest Group of the International Reading Association formed the Notable Books for a Global Society Committee. Under the guidance of Yvonne Siu-Runyan, who originated and spearheaded the project, the committee undertook to identify outstanding trade books that it felt would help promote understanding across lines of culture, race, sexual orientation, values, and ethnicity.
The titles selected as Notable Books for a Global Society reflect a pluralistic view of world society. The 25 books included were written for students from kindergarten to high school levels, and represent fiction as well as nonfiction and poetry. Criteria for selection were as follows:
The selection process included a number of steps. All books submitted to the committee were first read by members and then discussed, categorized, and ranked. Comments and rankings produced by each member were compiled and distributed. These served as a guide for group decision making about the final list. During this process, committee members communicated by e-mail, conference call, and in person.
In order to ensure consistency in the early years of the project, committee members remained the same for the 1996 and 1997 listings, and the committee chair remained in place from 1996 to 1998. Committee members were as follows:
Marcia Baghban (1999)
Queens College, City University of New York, USA
Rosemary Bamford (1999)
University of Maine, Orono, USA
Diane Bushner (1999)
Salem State College, Massachusetts, USA
Manuel Darkatsh (1998)
Rowan College, Glasboro, New Jersey, USA
Mary Jo Fresch (1996-1998)
The Ohio State University at Marion, USA
Joan Glazer (1998, co-chair 1999)
Rhode Island College, Providence, USA
Barbara Lehman (1996, 1997; co-chair 1998, chair 1999)
The Ohio State University, Marion (1996, 1997) and Mansfield (1998, 1999), USA
Miriam Marecek (1996-1998)
Boston University (1996, 1997) and Harvard University (1998), Massachusetts, USA
Amy McClure (1996-1999)
Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware, Ohio, USA
Michael Opitz (1998, 1999)
The University of Southern Colorado, Pueblo, USA
John Poeton (1996, 1997)
Barre, Vermont, USA
Patricia Scharer (1996-1999)
The Ohio State University at Lima, USA
Yvonne Siu-Runyan (chair 1996-1998, ex officio 1999)
The University of Northern Colorado, Greeley, USA
Elaine Vilscek (co-chair 1996, 1997; ex officio 1998)
The Unversity of Northern Colorado, Greeley, USA
Vienna Volante (1996, 1997)
Oglethorpe University, Atlanta, Georgia, USA
Kenneth Weiss (1996, 1997)
Nazareth College, Rochester, New York, USA
Terrell Young (1999)
Washington State University, Richland, USA