Abstract

This study analyzed readers' responses of children of families with immigration background on children's literature that describes similar life experiences with the readers, based on Brooks & Browne's Culturally Situated Reader Response Theory. Six children between 10 and 16 met the researcher three times each, and read along four different texts about multiculturalism in Korea. The texts include On the Road Together, a picture book, and three short stories in The Black Egg. Participating children showed various ethnic identities - identity as a Korean; identity as a foreigner; identity between a Korean and a foreigner; identity as a child of a multicultural (bicultural) family. The children empathized with the characters or showed their frustrations against racism portrayed in the texts. The four texts used in this study worked as a mirror that reflects each child's own self, and further allowed the children to contemplate their own identities and speak out about their deepest thoughts and feelings. The children were dissatisfied with the main characters' powerlessness and depressing endings of the stories. They wanted the characters with immigration background to be positive and bright, and expected stories about peaceful relationship between children of families with immigration background and children with non-immigration background.