Do You Have Papers?: Latinx Third Graders Analyze Immigration Policy through Critical Multicultural Literature

This article discusses the results of an empirical study that examined third grade Latinx children's discussions of literature dealing with themes of immigration. The study focused on the reading of six picture books by Mexican-origin children at a public elementary school located in the southeastern portion of the U.S. The data were collected by audio recordings, blogging transcripts, interviews, and children's artifacts. The findings suggest that discussions about immigration in elementary classrooms have the potential to help young children name, react to, and analyze issues related to immigration. This study aims to offer critical literacy approaches to elementary education, providing insights into how teachers can purposefully select and guide discussions around taboo topics such as immigration.