Courage, Connection & Hope: Interview with Gae Polisner from Book Club Advisor. Peek: “…a video interview on the power of literature, how The Memory of Things was created, and the impact of a national tragedy on a generation.”
Finding the Lost Voices in YA Historical Fiction by Pia Ceres from Lee & Low. Peek: “Using the framework of the past, the genre challenges consumerism, individual sovereignty, justice – salient subjects that adolescents actively question and explore.”
When It’s Okay to Listen to Your Inner Editor by Sara Letourneau from Writers Helping Writers. Peek: “…ask yourself, ‘Will this improve my WIP? Or am I beating myself up?’ You might already know the answer subconsciously.”
Ambelin Kwaymullina: Thoughts on Being an Ally of Indigenous Writers from Justine Labalestier. Peek: “I believe supporting others requires a rights-based, strength-based approach. Rights-based, in that I recognise that the denial of anyone’s rights, and the diminishment of anyone’s humanity, diminishes and denies my own.”
Author Interview: Dr. René Saldaña Jr. from Houston Public Media. Peek: “The saga of children Mickey’s age attempting to come to the United States without their parents is sad yet intriguing. Could there be a connection between the unaccompanied minor children and the mysterious Natalia?”
Your Two Plots by Dave King from Writer Unboxed. Peek: “Depending on how self-aware your characters are and how distracting your action is, you can hide how your internal story develops until the end.”
 |
| See also Islam in the Classroom |
Books in the Home: Mommy, Do I Have White Skin?: Skin Color, Family, and Picture Books by Julie Hakim Azzam from The Horn Book. Peek: “We’re surrounded by images that tell us mothers and children should look alike. Adoptive, interracial, and intercultural families do not have what Christopher Myers called in his essay ‘Young Dreamers’ an ‘image library,’ a robust visual archive that reflects and validates their existence.”
SCBWI 2016 Winter Reading List: “Authors and illustrators from close to your hometown to those around the world are featured on the List. The Lists will be published bi-annually, in the Summer and Winter.” Note: I was excited to learn about some new (to me) Texas authors from the list, and that’s saying something because one of my personal commitments is to keep up with new voices, especially in my home state.
The Slush Pile Myth by Elizabeth Bird from A Fuse #8 Production. Peek: “…there is a myth that circulates about the children’s book that is plucked from the pile and subsequently reaches hitherto untold levels of success. I know of only three instances where this happened, and I wanted to just give them a quick glance today.”
Crossing Borders by Reyna Grande from Latinxs in Kidlit. Peek: “It saddens me to see that the world—instead of tearing down border walls—is actually building more of them. There are more border barriers today than ever before. In 1989, there were only 15 border walls in the world. Today there are more than 63, and counting.”
This Week at Cynsations
- JoAnne Stewart Wetzel on Playing Juliet
- David Jacobson on Trusting the Illustrator & Publishing Process
- Kate Hannigan & Janet Fox on Facts in Historical Fiction
- In Memory: Yumi Heo
Cynsational Screening Room
More Personally
Thank you to everyone at McAllen Book Festival and McAllen (Texas) Public Library for a wonderful event. Here are a few pics from the author party last Friday night.
 |
| A.G. Howard & Beth Fehlbaum |
 |
| With Lupe Ruiz-Flores, Carolyn Dee Flores & Kelly Starling Lyons |
Thanks also to Michael Hays, Lee Francis IV, Debbie Reese, Traci Sorell, Tim Tingle, and everyone who turned out last night for the “Indigenous Voices in MG” #MGLitChat on Twitter.
I have signed on to A Declaration in Support of Children from the Brown Bookshelf. Peek: “…we, the undersigned children’s book authors and illustrators, do publicly affirm our commitment to using our talents and varied forms of artistic expression to help eliminate the fear that takes root in the human heart amid lack of familiarity and understanding of others; the type of fear that feeds stereotypes, bitterness, racism and hatred; the type of fear that so often leads to tragic violence and senseless death.” See also Hundreds of U.S. Children’s Authors Sign Petition to Tackle Racism & Xenophobia, Hundreds of Children’s Authors Pledge to Combat Bigotry and What Do We Tell the Children?
Cynsations will be on hiatus next week while those of us in the U.S. contemplate gratitude.
Personal Links
- Statement Regarding the Dakota Access Pipeline
- #KidLitSafetyPins
- Standing Up for the Vulnerable
- Book Harvest: Mirrors & Windows
- Finding Home: 5 Middle Grade Novels About Immigration
- Adoption Book List
- Publishing & Disability
- Tone Policing & Privilege
- When Publishing & Reviewing Diverse Books, Is Expertise Overrated?
- How Do I Comfort My Frightened Son After the Election? I Tell Him How Our People Have Survived. by Jacqueline Woodson
- Responding to Everyday Bigotry
- What To Do If Your Child Is Experiencing Racist Bullying At School
- Words from a First-Time Demonstrator: Speak Up With Your Kids
- Author Interview: Louise Erdrich
- Texas State Board of Education Rejects Textbook
- Twitter Rolls Out New Anti-Harassment Tools
 |
| Honored to join the SCBWI winter conference faculty! |