Beeline

February 1, 2019

Shankar (anthropology & Asian American studies, Northwestern Univ.), mother of two Gen Z children, first developed an interest in spelling bees when on an ordinary weeknight she sat folding laundry while the Scripps National Spelling Bee finals aired on ESPN. Intrigued by the intense contest and the confidence and drive of the participants, the author embarked on a research project that explored what she argues are unique aspects of childhood today, such as increased competition, differences between U.S. and non-U.S. parenting styles, and the effects of prolific social media usage. Shankar believes a key trait of Gen Z is finding reward in winning rather than effort, citing the generation as goal-oriented, productive, highly organized, and socially aware. Using interviews with bee participants, judges, and parents of competitors, Shankar ushers in a unique view of not only the tournament itself but what makes the younger set tick. VERDICT A fascinating study into today's generation through the eyes of the Bee as well as an intriguing ethnographic study of young Asian Americans who have taken the competition to new heights in recent years.

Copyright 2019 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

Starred review from March 1, 2019

Shankar (anthropology & Asian American studies, Northwestern University), mother of two Gen Z children, first developed an interest in spelling bees when on an ordinary weeknight she sat folding laundry while the Scripps National Spelling Bee finals aired on ESPN. Intrigued by the intense contest and the confidence and drive of the participants, the author embarked on a research project that explored what she argues are unique aspects of childhood today, such as increased competition, differences between U.S. and non-U.S. parenting styles, and the effects of prolific social media usage. Shankar believes a key trait of Gen Z is finding reward in winning rather than effort, citing the generation as goal-oriented, productive, highly organized, and socially aware. Using interviews with bee participants, judges, and parents of competitors, Shankar ushers in a unique view of not only the tournament itself but what makes the younger set tick. VERDICT A fascinating study into today's generation through the eyes of the Bee as well as an intriguing ethnographic study of young Asian Americans who have taken the competition to new heights in recent years.Julia M. Reffner, Richmond, VA

Copyright 2019 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

February 15, 2019
Through the lens of spelling bees, an anthropologist looks at how childhood is becoming increasingly professionalized.Shankar (Anthropology and Asian-American Studies/Northwestern Univ.;Advertising Diversity: Ad Agencies and the Creation of Asian American Advertising, 2015, etc.) draws on anthropology, education, language, and culture to explore why South Asian Americans from the post-millennial Generation Z keep winning spelling bees. Exploring the "rise of childhood competition to shifts in generational characteristics and immigration," her research is fascinating. The author attended every National Spelling Bee from 2013 to 2018, plus many regional bees, and interviewed numerous winners, semifinalists, and their parents, and she discovered that "no immigrant community has embraced spelling as completely as South Asian Americans." As one parent told her, "now if you're an Indian child, you try spelling bees. This is a common thing now." The Indian-American winning streak, writes Shankar, can be attributed to the efforts of highly skilled immigrants who came to America in the early 1990s. They valued education and prioritized "academic enrichment "over all else." It also helps that Gen Z kids have a very high digital fluency. "The shift from US-born Baby Boomer helicopter parenting to Generation X stealth-fighter parenting," writes the author, "has fostered greater self-reliance." Shankar also provides a concise history of bees, noting that by the "latter half of the eighteenth century, spelling matches were a well-established practice in American schools." The first National Spelling Bee was sponsored by the Louisville Courier-Journal and held in Washington, D.C. The author is excellent at capturing the drama of these events on both the national and local levels as well as explaining how "Spellebrities" are created. Today, the finals of the National Spelling Bee are televised on ESPN, and comedy writers provide humorous sentences for the pronouncers.Parents who hope to see their children compete in these word clashes--and those who enjoy word games--will find this a most enlightening read.

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