Compiled by Cynthia Leitich Smith

Check out this series of author videos featuring Karen Sandler, talking about Tankborn, from Lee & Low Books.

Karen talks about being a writer, where the idea for the novel came from, creating characters, which character she likes best, and writing across cultures.

Note: the official Tankborn site features reviews, the first four chapters, a chance to visit Loka, a free short story, information about the author and more. See discussion questions, Tankborn glossary, and excerpt from Lee & Low.

See also An Interview with Tu Books/Lee & Low Editor Stacy Whitman & Author Karen Sandler from Cynsations. Peek: “What I was trying to do with racial politics was to reflect the
single-minded focus we have on skin color in the U.S. I’m white, the
color that bestows the most privilege here in the U.S. Many Americans
are uncomfortable confronting that reality because we’d like to think
we’re past that. In Tankborn,
the color of privilege is a particular shade of brown. Both ends of the
spectrum away from that ideal, both lighter and darker, would be
considered of a lesser class.” Note: the editor critique opportunity has expired.