Faith Ringgold’s Tar Beach, A Literary Review

by Mallory Sweeney

Many times in children's literature, the audience is targeted through a variety of simplistic yet effective methods.  Children are the main characters and they live in a world in which they exert ownership.  Any parent or teacher is familiar with the read aloud session in which his or her audience, no matter what size, comments on the story from their point of view, or discusses how they are like the characters in the book.
"She has a brother! I have a brother too!" or "If I were him, I'm not sure that I would try to trick the monster."
Children want stories they can re...