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The Associates of the Boston Public Library is currently accepting applications for its next Writer-in-Residence. The program was created to provide an emerging children's author with the financial support and quiet space needed to complete one literary work. Eligible projects include fiction, nonfiction, a script, or poetry intended for children or young adults. The fellowship provides a $20,000 stipend and an office space at the Boston Public Library in Copley Square from September 2016 through May 2017. Applications must be postmarked by April 19, 2016.
Download the Full Application Packet here: http://www.bpl.org/general/associates/associates-WIR-application-2016-17.pdf
To learn more about the program please see: http://www.writer-in-residence.org.
Woah. Some books are so.... out there, that I have a hard time wrapping my head around them. K. A. Holt's Red Moon Rising is one of those books. Here's the synopsis:
Space-farmer Rae Darling is kidnapped and trained to become a warrior against her own people in this adventurous middle grade space western.
Rae Darling and her family are colonists on a moon so obscure it doesn’t merit a name. Life is hard, water is scarce, and the farm work she does is grueling. But Rae and her sister Temple are faced with an added complication—being girls is a serious liability in their strict society. Even worse, the Cheese—the colonists’ name for the native people on the moon—sometimes kidnap girls from the human colony. And when Rae’s impetuous actions disrupt the fragile peace, the Cheese come for her and Temple.
Though Rae and Temple are captives in the Cheese society, they are shocked to discover a community full of kindness and acceptance. Where the human colonists subjugated women, the Cheese train the girls to become fierce warriors. Over time, Temple forgets her past and becomes one of the Cheese, but Rae continues to wonder where her loyalties truly lie. When her training is up, will she really be able to raid her former colony? Can she kidnap other girls, even if she might be recruiting them to a better life?
When a Cheese raid goes wrong and the humans retaliate, Rae’s loyalty is put to the ultimate test. Can Rae find a way to restore peace—and preserve both sides of herself?
Did you read the synopsis? Every word of it? Do you see what I mean?
The moon in this story has been colonized.
The native people who lived there are called "the Cheese."
They kidnap girls from "the human colony."
So... are the Cheese not human?
The Cheese kidnap the women to turn them into warriors who will fight against with the Cheese--against the humans.
Rae and her sister find out that the Cheese treat women better than the humans did.
IS THIS ALL SOUNDING FAMILIAR TO YOU?
I need one of those images of face palm, or head desk. Or a cool GIF. Daniel José Older always tweets some excellent ones. Where does he find those, I wonder?!
Red Moon Rising is out this year, from... Wait for it... A major publisher! It is from Margaret K. McElderry, which is an imprint of Simon and Schuster. That is one of the Big Five! Big bucks for the author, big bucks for the promo of the book.
I'm certainly being cynical in what I've said. Maybe I'll regret it. Maybe this book is gonna rock.
I'll be back.
By: Ray Rhamey,
on 2/26/2016
Blog:
Flogging the Quill
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Submissions Needed—Only One in the Queue for Next Week. If you’d like a fresh look at your opening chapter or prologue, please email your submission to me re the directions at the bottom of this post.
The Flogometer challenge: can you craft a first page that compels me to turn to the next page? Caveat: Please keep in mind that this is entirely subjective.
Note: all the Flogometer posts are here.
What's a first page in publishingland? In a properly formatted novel manuscript (double-spaced, 1-inch margins, 12-point type, etc.) there should be about 16 or 17 lines on the first page (first pages of chapters/prologues start about 1/3 of the way down the page). Directions for submissions are below—they include a request to post the rest of the chapter, but that’s optional.
A word about the line-editing in these posts: it’s “one-pass” editing, and I don’t try to address everything, which is why I appreciate the comments from the FtQ tribe. In a paid edit, I go through each manuscript three times.
Before you rip into today’s submission, consider this checklist of first-page ingredients from my book, Mastering the Craft of Compelling Storytelling. While it's not a requirement that all of these elements must be on the first page, they can be, and I think you have the best chance of hooking a reader if they are.
Download a free PDF copy here.
Were I you, I'd examine my first page in the light of this list before submitting to the Flogometer. I use it on my own work.
A First-page Checklist
- It begins engaging the reader with the character
- Something is happening. On a first page, this does NOT include a character musing about whatever.
- The character desires something.
- The character does something.
- There’s enough of a setting to orient the reader as to where things are happening.
- It happens in the NOW of the story.
- Backstory? What backstory? We’re in the NOW of the story.
- Set-up? What set-up? We’re in the NOW of the story.
- What happens raises a story question.
Caveat: a strong first-person voice with the right content can raise powerful story questions and create page turns without doing all of the above. A recent submission worked wonderfully well and didn't deal with five of the things in the checklist.
Also, if you think about it, the same checklist should apply to the page where you introduce an antagonist.
Anne sends the first chapter of Uncalculated Risks. The rest of the chapter follows the break.
FBI Special Agent TC Atkins’ head ached from the relentless rhythmic pounding of the Seventies club dance music. He stood just inside the double doors of the Roosevelt Ballroom in the Capitol Hotel in Washington, D.C. He’d waited until the function was almost over when no one paid attention to who entered the ballroom. He came tonight out of curiosity.
So this was a high society charity gala. What the wealthy did on Saturday nights. The rich invited their peers to a party where they dined, danced, and then opened their checkbooks to benefit some good cause
The gala was being held by the Declan and Elizabeth Logan Foundation. He wanted to get a look at Elizabeth Logan—size her up without her knowing—before he formally met with her on Monday. The FBI White Collar Division had opened an investigation on the Logan Foundation. It was alleged that funds were being stolen and Elizabeth Logan was the foundation administrator.
He scanned the room and saw middle-aged fashionably dressed people, old enough to have made lots of money, and still young enough to want to dance to that Seventies disco crap. He marveled at everyone’s perfect tans even though it was only the beginning of June.
The music stopped. TC heard a faint tapping noise which became more audible as the room quieted. Here come the obligatory speeches. He walked into the room and joined the one (snip)
Were you compelled to turn the page?
Clean writing here, and we’re in an immediate scene, all good. But we spend a fair amount of time with setting and not much on story. I think it needn’t take as much to set up a gala event in a ballroom. We can fill most of that in, I think. What I’d like to see is a strong story question but, for this reader, there isn’t one. This scene is used to introduce the woman and her husband, primarily.
The chapter goes on to a meeting between Elizabeth and TC after more setup. I suggest taking a look at starting the chapter much later and getting to the heart of the issue as soon as possible, preferably on the first page. Get the agent into her conference room while in her POV, get his accusation on the first page, and use internal monologue to set up the problem—she’s guilty and needs to figure a way out. That seems like where the story actually begins.
Your thoughts?
For what it’s worth.
Ray
Submitting to the Flogometer:
Email the following in an attachment (.doc, .docx, or .rtf preferred, no PDFs):
- your title
- your complete 1st chapter or prologue plus 1st chapter
- Please include in your email permission to post it on FtQ.
Note: I’m adding a copyright notice for the writer at the end of the post. I’ll use just the first name unless I’m told I can use the full name.
- Also, please tell me if it’s okay to post the rest of the chapter so people can turn the page.
- And, optionally, include your permission to use it as an example in a book on writing craft if that's okay.
- If you’re in a hurry, I’ve done “private floggings,” $50 for a first chapter.
- If you rewrite while you wait for your turn, it’s okay with me to update the submission.
Were I you, I'd examine my first page in the light of the first-page checklist before submitting to the Flogometer.
Flogging the Quill © 2016 Ray Rhamey, prologue and chapter © 2016 by 2016 by Anne
Continued:
. . . hundred guests now gathering around a staircase that led up to a balcony-level lounge. A woman dressed in a glittery blue cocktail dress stood on a step high enough to position her above the crowd. She traded her water glass and knife with the DJ for his microphone.
TC stared at Elizabeth Logan. She was stunning. Perfectly dressed—obviously—but beyond that, a personal magnetism radiated from her petite body. He was instantly drawn to her. In his head, there was no one in the room except him and Elizabeth Logan. He edged toward the stairs, captivated by her voice. It was pitched low with the hint of a southern upbringing. She drew out some words and softened her vowels. Sexy.
“Hello everyone.” The speakers screeched feedback which silenced the rest of the people. “Sorry.” She held the microphone further from her mouth and continued, “I have great news. Tonight we’ve set a new record. The Declan and Elizabeth Logan Foundation has received one point six million dollars and we haven’t yet included the funds raised from the silent auction. My husband and I can’t thank you enough for your generosity. The children’s wing at Memorial Hosp….”
TC forced himself out of his reverie as she spoke her final words.
“…So, give yourselves a great round of applause.”
Hands clapped and cheers surrounded him. He joined in. He couldn’t take his eyes away from her. He watched as she made her way down the stairs to mingle with her guests. He moved closer. Someone asked her where Declan was.
She giggled, “Oh, he’s probably at the bar talking about investments. He can go on and on you know.”
TC even liked the way she laughed. After getting a look at her, he didn’t see how she could be involved in anything illegal. Hoping that was the case, he fantasized how together they’d uncover the culprit stealing from her foundation.
He reluctantly turned away and headed for the bar. Might as well check out the husband too. He ordered a tonic and lime. Declan Logan stood a few feet away, his back to TC. It’s true, the red-headed Irishman really wears his hair in a braid. And it went halfway down his back. Gross.
He’d heard Logan interviewed a few years ago on CNBC where he said that he’d never cut his hair unless his hedge fund showed a loss. He read in a magazine that Logan’s clients loved him so much that some even copied his hairstyle. Again, gross.
Declan Logan was built like a barrel. TC guessed he was about five foot ten at the most. He had broad shoulders and no neck. His large head was covered with a slicked back mass of coarse red hair that twisted into the foot and a half long braid. The cut of his tux attempted to hide the thickness of his torso. It might be time for alterations because when Declan moved, his love handles bulged under the black cloth. TC eavesdropped on Logan’s conversation with a man sporting a Tom Selleck mustache.
“Yeah, I guess you could say I’m a bottom feeder,” Logan said. “I like my women beautiful but dumb.”
“Your first wife wasn’t as good looking as Elizabeth.”
“It wasn’t for lack of tryin’. I paid for every kind of surgical enhancement known to man.”
“And then she ran away with your business partner.”
Declan didn’t answer. He drained his glass and turned toward the bar. TC stepped out of his way.
Declan’s square face was puffy and sweat beads clung to his forehead. He dabbed his face with several bar napkins then tossed the crumpled wad behind the bar. He told the bartender, “Keep ‘em comin’, Brucie. I’m the one payin’ you.” He stumbled a bit as he swiped his fresh drink from the bar. Not a drop spilled.
He’s half in the bag. TC stood in front of Declan so he couldn’t walk away.
“Congratulations, Mr. Logan, you raised a lot of money tonight,” TC said. “Who’s going to receive the funds?”
Declan shrugged, “I dunno. The wife runs the thing. I only gave my name to her foundation so I could get potential hedge fund clients all in one room.” He waved his beefy arm in an arc, “Lookit all this—like shooting fish in a barrel, eh?” He leaned his head back and tried to lock eyes with TC. “So, what’s your name?”
“Thomas Clay.”
“Well, Thomas Clay, be my next fish. You got money to invest? I know a great place to put it.”
He ignored Declan’s feeble sales pitch. If you act like this at every fundraiser, I doubt you’ll land any new clients. “You should hire your wife,” he said. “She seems to be good at shaking money out of people’s pockets. And she’s not bad to look at either.”
Declan stepped closer and whispered loudly, “She’s just a social climber. I rescued her from a life of servitude. I met her at one of these kind of shindigs. She was passing out the champagne. I needed some arm candy at the time and she was fun in bed, so I married her.”
Declan’s boozy breath gagged TC. Time to wrap things up. He clapped Declan on the shoulder. “Hey, I think my date is back from the ladies room. Nice talking to you.” He strolled through a group of people, set his untouched drink on a nearby table and left the ballroom.
***
The Logan Foundation office was located in a renovated Washington D.C. row house. It was a two story brick with bays, the fourth house in a row of ten on the street. It was only eighteen feet wide including the narrow hallway. Three rooms opened to the left of the hall. The front room, with the bay window overlooking the street, was Elizabeth Logan’s office. Next to that was a conference room. The old kitchen at the rear was divided into the powder room, a space for the water heater, and the kitchenette with a small refrigerator, counter, and sink. A steep curved staircase off the kitchen led to the unfinished second floor.
Monday morning, Elizabeth Logan looked in the powder room mirror to check her hair and makeup. She applied more lip gloss. She could never have too much lip gloss. Her eyes looked fine. So did her hair. Four years ago, her salon colorist persuaded her to add highlights and low lights to her blonde hair. It had been a definite improvement. Declan always said he liked his women to have ‘trashy blonde’ hair. After she’d changed it, she convinced him that women in their thirties shouldn’t look like twenty-five year old sluts. Declan’s answer had been, “Then I guess it’s about time I traded you in.” Afterwards he’d laughed and hugged her and told her she looked great. She’d never felt secure after that.
It was cold in the small conference room. It made her nipples hard. She rubbed both arms to make the goosebumps go away and re-adjusted her short-sleeved mohair sweater across her chest. There was only one thermostat to regulate the building. The options were, too hot or too cold depending on what room you were in. But it was still better than radiator heat and window air conditioners.
She’d barely sat down in the conference room when the doorbell rang. She glanced at her vintage Lady Rolex. Ten o’clock precisely. She should have known. Government people, always on time, always following the rules. What would this one be like? Probably a bespectacled gray-haired worker-bee. She couldn’t imagine what insignificant bureaucratic drivel he—or she—was sent to bother her about.
She looked through the door peephole and her jaw dropped. Male. Mid-thirties, several inches over six feet tall, slim build, covered by a perfectly fitted navy blue suit. He had longish dark brown hair and a few days beard growth that was the fashion these days. She couldn’t see the color of his eyes because he was looking down as he pulled a wallet from his inside coat pocket. His eyelashes were annoyingly thick and long. Such a waste on a man. She opened the door halfway. Large soulful brown eyes gazed down at her from a serious face.
“Elizabeth Logan?”
“Government person?”
He opened his identification wallet that showed his picture and a gold badge. “FBI Special Agent Thomas Clay Atkins, White Collar Division.”
She spent another few moments verifying his credentials, hoping it would make him a little nervous. She always liked to have the upper hand in encounters with people. Not that she was a ball-buster. She just wanted to be taken seriously from the get-go. She’d spent her childhood as a non-entity who wore her siblings’ hand-me-down clothes, and played with their broken, cast-off toys. She vowed she wouldn’t go unnoticed as an adult. Finally she stepped back and opened the door all the way. “Come in, We’re meeting in the conference room.”
***
Her pale pink fluffy sweater distracted TC right away. He felt the urge to touch the fluffiness with his index finger. Elizabeth Logan’s high-heeled sandals tapped rapidly on the floor as she led him to the second doorway. Her behind looked wonderful filling tight white slacks. No panty line. Not a good way to start, he warned himself.
Elizabeth sat at the place where a yellow legal pad of paper and pen lay. TC sat adjacent. They studied each other for a long moment. He didn’t know what she was thinking during that time, but he spent it acting like a school boy. Her eyes—hazel with flecks of gold. Nose—long, thin, with a cute bump at the bridge. Lips—wetly pink from some kind of lipstick. And he detected a slight lavender scent. Probably her shampoo. His heart skipped a few beats.
Elizabeth cleared her throat with emphasis. Obviously, she was waiting for him to begin. He opened a blue file folder and removed some paperwork. He set it on top of the closed folder. “Gerald Flanagan contacted us last March regarding an inconsistency between the amount he and his wife donated last year versus the amount stated in the Logan Foundation’s annual contribution letter. He said he asked you to send him a corrected letter so he could finish his income taxes.”
Elizabeth thought a minute and nodded, “Yes, I remember talking to Mr. Flanagan and couldn’t find the amount he said he donated in our records. The amount stated in our letter was the amount found on our books. I told him I was sorry but I had to report what we received.”
“I have a copy of Mr. Flanagan’s cancelled check and a copy of the Foundation’s letter here. And I also have a question for you.”
TC handed Elizabeth the copy of the front and back of Mr. Flanagan’s check. “Do you recognize the endorsement on this check? It isn’t the Foundation’s name or bank account number.”
She looked at the paper and handed it back to him.
“If you could explain that endorsement, maybe we can clear this whole thing up today without going through an audit,” TC said.
She wrote Gerald Flanagan’s name on her pad and underlined it three times. “I told Mr. Flanagan that sometimes when we receive a lot of checks at one time, they might go through a holding company account, then be transferred to the Foundation’s bank account. That’s why the endorsement is different on his check. As for the amount discrepancy, I think I suggested there could have been a typing error on the bank’s part when deposits were made and transferred. That’s something I’m not privy to.”
She leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms. “At the time, Declan and I were getting ready to go out of town for a month. I told Mr. Flanagan I’d given him all the information I had and if he couldn’t get things resolved, I would look into it further when we got back.”
“Where did you go?” TC asked.
“We went to our house in Telluride with a group of friends. It’s an annual thing.”
“I’m jealous. I’ve never skied in Colorado. I hear it’s fantastic.” TC gushed.
Elizabeth gave him an irritated look like she had no desire to talk about her personal life. He had no idea why he’d even asked. It just popped out.
He smiled crookedly, “Sorry, not on subject. Please continue.”
“Well, I forgot about it and never heard from Flanagan again. I thought he’d resolved it on his end with his bank.”
TC shook his head, “More likely the problem is with your bank. It’s your responsibility to contact them. To give you time to clear this up, Mr. Flanagan filed for an extension on his tax return until October and then called us. If there’s anything discovered by our audit, you can also expect the IRS to audit you.”
There. He’d told Mrs. Logan everything. He leaned an elbow on the table and pressed his fist against his cheek. He gazed at her, waiting for her response. Her face was pinched with tension, or anger…or something. At this moment he hated his job that he loved so much. It felt wrong to accuse this seemingly nice lady of misappropriating funds. But he knew looks could be deceiving. Incidents like this happened all the time. It only took one person to blow the whistle. When the FBI auditors started digging, they’d probably find more inaccurate contribution letters. He studied the range of emotions that crossed her face. Okay lady, let’s see what you’ve got.
***
Elizabeth’s head was spinning. An audit? By the FBI? She hadn’t expected that. What had she gotten herself into? Although Agent Atkins was the bearer of bad news, the whole time he talked, she was strangely soothed by his voice. If he ever whispered sweet words into her ear, she could see herself falling into his arms. It appeared Agent Ring around the White Collar had it all figured out. Her method of skimming money from the donors hadn’t been clever enough.
She took a deep breath and laid one hand on top of the other on her lap, in an attempt to appear calm. She remembered her husband’s advice on running a successful business. “No matter how bad things get, you can always rearrange the facts so you look good. Never admit mistakes or reveal how you run your business. People may try to bring you down, but if you say as little as possible, the odds are in your favor they’ll never be able to prove it.” She hadn’t really understood him until now.
She felt a frown beginning so she raised her eyebrows and forced a tiny smile. She could wring Gerald Flanagan’s neck. The little twerp. Rich people didn’t prepare their own taxes. Her scheme had worked fine for four years, ever since Declan mentioned it might be time for a new wife. If they divorced, the damned pre-nuptial agreement gave her nothing but her personal possessions. So, bit by bit, she’d accumulated a nest egg, planning for the inevitable. The Foundation would never miss it and it would be her salvation.
Declan had traveled a lot during the last two years. He claimed business was tough, that he had to cast a wider net for new clients. She believed he was working on wife number three. A private detective might prove that Declan rarely went out of town. She didn’t want to waste any of her money verifying what she already knew.
Elizabeth slipped a quick look at Agent Adkins. Her fund-raising events were finished until October. Declan wouldn’t be home much. She faced a boring summer. This FBI guy might be fun to play with. Kind of like the barn rats she used to taunt before her brother came along minutes later and blew their heads off with his shotgun. She could definitely give him a run for his money.
She chewed on the inside of her lip as she considered what to say. Agent Atkins was smart. He hadn’t fallen for her ‘It must be the bank’s fault’ explanation. That line had stalled Gerald Flanagan for a while. She’d give the auditors a mountain of paperwork and confuse the heck out of them with complex explanations of accounting procedures. When they found nothing, she’d play the good guy and offer to resolve the misunderstanding with Mr. Flanagan by returning the difference. It was only fifteen thousand dollars. The foundation could well afford it.
TC broke into Elizabeth’s thoughts, “Look, I’m not trying to destroy your Foundation. You should be proud of your philanthropy. I researched your organization. You’ve come a long way in less than ten years. And all that during the recession as well.”
Elizabeth face brightened. “Yes, we’ve done a lot of good work and don’t plan to stop. I can’t imagine what might have happened with Mr. Flanagan, however I assure you I will get to the bottom of this.”
TC grabbed his pen, “Great. What’s your business manager’s name? I’d like to nail down the audit schedule.”
Elizabeth drew in a deep breath, flicked her hair behind one shoulder, and stuck out her chest hoping that her nipples still showed. Game on. May the best man win. She peeked up at him coquettishly. “Well, I guess that would be me.”
TC looked confused. “No business manager? But this is such a large organization…”
“I believe in keeping administration costs low. It’s not rocket science to deposit checks. If I get a lot in at one time, my accounting firm, who prepares our statements and taxes, takes care of them.”
“Is that where the holding company, LF Heritage, comes in?” TC asked.
Elizabeth pretended to appear bewildered. “You would have to ask my accountant. I’m not sure what all they do.” She clicked open her pen and held it over her blank pad of paper. “You just tell me what you need, and when, and I’ll arrange to provide it.”
***
TC was glad when the meeting was over. Mrs. Logan had taken lots of notes and they agreed upon a schedule and the records needed. Two auditors would work in the Foundation office conference room beginning next Monday at one o’clock. He told her the entire process should take about two weeks, if there were no problems.
He laid his business card on top of her pad. “My stomach is rolling. How about I take you to lunch?” As soon as he said it, he wished he hadn’t. The invitation came out so naturally. He never asked anyone he investigated to a meal. Not even to go have a drink. It wasn’t an agency rule—or maybe it was—he couldn’t think straight right now. He thought it was his own rule because he never wanted anything to influence his investigations. Not that he’d ever worked with such an attractive Person of Interest before. He had no idea why he wanted to get to know Elizabeth Logan better. On top of that, she was married and he wasn’t on the market either.
“Lunch?” Elizabeth looked at her watch. “Oh, I didn’t realize it was so late. Sorry, I don’t eat lunch, only a good breakfast and dinner.” She ran her tongue slowly back and forth on the inside of her upper lip, still considering his request. “Anyway, it probably wouldn’t be a good idea. It might jeopardize your audit and besides, my husband might object to me being seen out with such an attractive man.”
***
Elizabeth slid TC’s business card under the top page of her pad. A little flirting couldn’t hurt. She’d get farther along being sweet and it looked like Secret Agent Man might be open to it. Maybe she could trade a forty-nine year old cheater for a thirty-something hunk. She wouldn’t let anything happen, of course. Just have a bit of fun. This could be an interesting summer. It might help her forget that her marriage was on the skids and her security fund was about to go up in smoke. God forbid there be any talk about going to jail.
She extended her hand to shake TC’s and seal the deal. “Let the games begin,” she challenged with a smile. His hand engulfed hers. It was warm and firm. Her whole body shivered at his touch. Yes, if she played her cards right, this could definitely be an interesting summer.
By: Samantha McGinnis,
on 2/26/2016
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First Book
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Today’s guest blogger is Roxana Barillas, Director of Hispanic Engagement at First Book.
When I came to the U.S. from El Salvador at age 12, I had no knowledge of English and jumped right into a new school. My mom worked multiple jobs to support my four siblings and me, and while she firmly believed education was the best inheritance she could pass on to us, I do not recall her attending a single open house, back-to-school night, PTA meeting or parent conference.
But when my brother and I were bullied in school, she sought help from a local priest, Father Somoza, who joined us for a meeting with the school principal. She also decided to move, even though she would triple the time of her commute to work by bus. Her commitment to us was unwavering, but it probably wasn’t always visible to my teachers.
As a young college student, I taught adult English learners who aspired to go to college. Even though they were well-educated, I can recall the rich conversations about the challenges of navigating a totally different culture and educational system. As a result, I learned the challenges that educators face in helping ELLs succeed in their adopted country as both an English learner and subsequently as a teacher.
It was not surprising for me to learn that when First Book asked our network of educators and program leaders what keeps them up at night, “engaging the families of my students in their learning journey” was at the top of the list.
You see, for parents with limited incomes, limited English competency, and perhaps limited education or literacy levels in their own language, family engagement is a tall order. Add a job at night and transportation challenges to those limitations, and you can see why a parent might not be involved in his or her child’s education in the traditional sense.
One important way to build bridges with families is to read books that help us connect with one another, because for many immigrant families, the experience of reading children’s books, much less owning them, has not been part of their experience growing up. Yet, we know that reading at grade level (by third grade) is a key predictor of high school graduation and career success.
At First Book, we have amazing resources to support family engagement. One of my favorite initiatives is Build Strong Families with Stories, a work of love with our partner organization, Search Institute.
Take a look at Build Strong Families with Stories and keep an eye out for cross-cultural nuances from your students as you read the books. You may wish to invite families to a “family reading night” (or “noche de cuentos en familia”) that you plan with your parents’ schedules in mind. Even with parents working multiple jobs, and with little family quality time, these opportunities can provide special moments of connection and growth that can help your students and their families learn to navigate different cultures while growing stronger as a family. Rest assured that the bridges of trust you build with the children and families you serve are a labor of love you will celebrate throughout the school year!
The post Ways Educators Can Connect With ELL Families appeared first on First Book Blog.
By: Samantha McGinnis,
on 2/26/2016
Blog:
First Book
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Today’s guest blogger is Roxana Barillas, Director of Hispanic Engagement at First Book.
When I came to the U.S. from El Salvador at age 12, I had no knowledge of English and jumped right into a new school. My mom worked multiple jobs to support my four siblings and me, and while she firmly believed education was the best inheritance she could pass on to us, I do not recall her attending a single open house, back-to-school night, PTA meeting or parent conference.
But when my brother and I were bullied in school, she sought help from a local priest, Father Somoza, who joined us for a meeting with the school principal. She also decided to move, even though she would triple the time of her commute to work by bus.  Her commitment to us was unwavering, but it probably wasn’t always visible to my teachers.
As a young college student, I taught adult English learners who aspired to go to college. Even though they were well-educated, I can recall the rich conversations about the challenges of navigating a totally different culture and educational system. As a result, I learned the challenges that educators face in helping ELLs succeed in their adopted country as both an English learner and subsequently as a teacher.
It was not surprising for me to learn that when First Book asked our network of educators and program leaders what keeps them up at night, “engaging the families of my students in their learning journey†was at the top of the list.
You see, for parents with limited incomes, limited English competency, and perhaps limited education or literacy levels in their own language, family engagement is a tall order. Add a job at night and transportation challenges to those limitations, and you can see why a parent might not be involved in his or her child’s education in the traditional sense.
One important way to build bridges with families is to read books that help us connect with one another, because for many immigrant families, the experience of reading children’s books, much less owning them, has not been part of their experience growing up. Yet, we know that reading at grade level (by third grade) is a key predictor of high school graduation and career success.
At First Book, we have amazing resources to support family engagement. One of my favorite initiatives is Build Strong Families with Stories, a work of love with our partner organization, Search Institute.
Take a look at Build Strong Families with Stories and keep an eye out for cross-cultural nuances from your students as you read the books. You may wish to invite families to a “family reading night” (or “noche de cuentos en familia”) that you plan with your parents’ schedules in mind. Even with parents working multiple jobs, and with little family quality time, these opportunities can provide special moments of connection and growth that can help your students and their families learn to navigate different cultures while growing stronger as a family. Rest assured that the bridges of trust you build with the children and families you serve are a labor of love you will celebrate throughout the school year!
The post Ways Educators Can Connect With ELL Families appeared first on First Book Blog.
Happy Illustration Friday!
Please enjoy the wonderful drawing above by Anthemsweet, a mother and daughter blog team “inspired by lovely art and craft blogs”. We’ve chosen their endearing illustration as our Pick of the Week for last week’s topic of SHELTER. Thanks to everyone who participated with drawings, paintings, sculptures, and more. We love seeing it all!
You can see a gallery of ALL the entries here.
And of course, you can now participate in this week’s topic:
VILLAGE
Here’s how:
Step 1: Illustrate your interpretation of the current week’s topic (always viewable on the homepage).
Step 2: Post your image onto your blog / flickr / facebook, etc.
Step 3: Come back to Illustration Friday and submit your illustration (see big “Submit your illustration” button on the homepage).
Step 4: Your illustration will then be added to the public Gallery where it will be viewable along with everyone else’s from the IF community!
Also be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter and subscribe to our weekly email newsletter to keep up with our exciting community updates!
HAPPY ILLUSTRATING!
By: Jessica Lanan,
on 2/26/2016
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I’m finally sifting through all my notes and experiences from my trip to New York. It was a cold weekend to be in the big apple, with temperatures outside hovering in the single digits. Despite the frigid weather we were warm and safe inside the hotel, surrounded by a star-studded faculty of kidlit experts. Here are just a few of the highlights:
From the sketchbook
Two-time Newberry Honor winner Gary Schmidt made everyone cry about five different times during his moving keynote about the importance of writing for kids. He emphasized that writing should be an expression of empathy and compassion: we must “show up” instead of leaving the reader behind. I can’t do Mr. Schmidt justice, so I’ll just encourage you to read all of his heartrending books and leave you with a quote:
“Writing should be an act of empathy in a broken world. What ails you? That is the question we ask.” – Gary Schmidt, author
If you’ve ever submitted a manuscript exactly one time and, upon receiving a rejection letter, decided to give up: William Joyce, Oscar winner and acclaimed writer and illustrator of dozens of books, received over 250 rejection letters at the beginning of his career. So maybe it wouldn’t hurt to keep revising and try again. He also offered this advice to illustrators on finding your voice:
“Find the artists you love, find out what you love about them, and then… steal.” -William Joyce, author/illustrator and filmmaker
William Joyce speaking at SCBWI NY 2016
Newberry Honor and Coretta Scott King award-winner Rita Williams-Garcia made everyone laugh during her keynote about the “Dos and Don’ts” of writing. Her witty anecdotes shed light on the hard-earned successes and naive missteps along the road to publication.
“Do live with gratitude. Do live in the plan. Do what you’re doing.” – Rita Williams-Garcia
The delightful Sophie Blackall inspired everyone with the story of how her personal project to illustrate the Missed Connections column on Craigslist helped to jump-started her career. She also shared stories and photos from her travels working with Save the Children and other humanitarian organizations, and gave us a fascinating behind-the-scenes look at all the research and love that went into this year’s Caldecott winner, Finding Winnie. She signed my copy of book and even drew a little sketch in it!
“Do that thing that’s just for yourself, because it’s almost always your best work.” -Sophie Blackall, author and illustrator
Getting my book signed.
The conference also featured several panels representing editors, art directors, publishers and agents who offered a broad perspective on the state of the industry. There was a lot of encouraging news about the health of children’s literature and plenty of sage advice for aspiring authors and illustrators. Here are a few quotes that stood out:
“You’re only as good as the people you work with.” – David Saylor, Creative Director at Scholastic
“Don’t take shortcuts. If you put everything you have in [your work], you can’t fail.” – Holly McGhee, Agent at Pippin Properties
“You have something that no one else has, and your job is to figure out what that is.” -Cecilia Yung, VP and Art Director at Penguin Random House
“Know your competition. […] Your competition is everything kids are doing other than reading books.” – Andrea Pappenheimer, Director of Sales at HarperCollins
By: Koosje Koene,
on 2/26/2016
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Last Sunday I went to the Tropenmuseum, which is an ethnographic museum with lots of interesting photographs, paintings and objects – and these objects are so great to draw.
I hung around for two drawings in the Papua department, and then I found my fellow sketchers – a bunch of fantastic Sketchbook Skolars! I made a video during the meet-up. Take a look at what Sketchbook Skool can do to you. The new term starts today, so be quick to sign up! click here to join a Sketchbook Skool Kourse
The post A visit to the museum appeared first on Make Awesome Art.
By:
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on 2/26/2016
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Ruby Lee & Me. Shannon Hitchcock. 2016. Scholastic. 224 pages. [Source: Review copy]
I loved, loved, loved Shannon Hitchock's Ruby Lee and Me. This middle grade historical novel is set in the 1969, I believe. It will be a year of BIG change for the heroine, Sarah Beth Willis. School integration is probably one of the least of her worries. First, her sister, Robin, is run over by a car. Sarah worries a lot. Will her sister die? will she wake up from the coma? Will she walk and run and play again? Will her sister blame her for the accident? Will her parents blame her for the accident? Can she ever forgive herself for reading a library book instead of keeping both eyes on her sister every single moment of the afternoon? Second, because of finances, her family will be moving in with her grandparents. Now Sarah loves, loves, loves to visit the family farm and to spend time with each of her grandparents. But to move away from her house, her room, her school, her neighborhood, her friends and to have to start all over again in a new place?! It's scary. The one person she does know--and is quite good friends with--is the one person the adults in her life tell her she CAN'T spend time with in town, at school: Ruby Lee.
Ruby Lee's grandma and Sarah's grandma grew up as friends, and, are still quite close--in their own way, in their own private, behind-the-scenes way. But whites and blacks can't be friends publicly and openly, can they?! School integration is happening in the fall. Ruby Lee and Sarah Beth will be in the same class. Sarah really wants to be at-school friends too. Ruby Lee is hesitant. Does Sarah know what she's getting herself into? Is it something she's comfortable with too? Tension is only getting worse between races: for the school will be getting African American teachers as well as students. And Sarah and Ruby Lee will be taught by an African American. A lot of parents are, at the very, very least concerned, and, at worst, ANGRY and upset by this. Sarah's family is fine with this, by the way.
Ruby Lee and Me is about race and school integration. But it isn't only about that. It is about friendship and family. How do you make a friend? How do you keep a friend? How do friends help one another? When is a friendship worth fighting for or standing up for? How do friends resolve disagreements and fights? I liked the focus on Ruby Lee and Sarah Beth. But I also appreciated the family focus. I loved getting to know Sarah, Robin, the grandparents, and parents. I also appreciated the community librarian! Readers do get a first impression of the teacher as well. Part of me wishes the book followed the girls past meet the teacher night and well into their school year.
Another aspect of the novel was faith--faith in GOD. I loved that aspect of it. Not enough books today are written with a good, strong, solid Christian faith tradition. The family's faith is presented realistically and naturally.
Anyone looking for a historical coming-of-age novel with strong characterization should read Ruby Lee and Me.
© 2016 Becky Laney of
Becky's Book Reviews
After completing My Life on the Road, the first book in her feminist bookclub “Our Shared Shelf,” Emma Watson met with author Gloria Steinem in London on Wednesday, to discuss her role as Hermione, her choice to take a break from acting to focus on activism, and more broad ideas on Feminism.
Huffington Post published details of the event:
“I feel as though I spent a long time trying to pretend I was not like Hermione. And, of course, I was rather like Hermione,” Watson said, speaking about her struggle to separate herself from the character she played in the Harry Potter movies.
“I used to hate that I had strong eyebrows. As a nine-year-old I desperately wanted to pluck them and make them two thin lines,” she said to Steinem.
“I was disturbed by how long a conversation I could have with any woman about what she didn’t like about herself,” she said. Steinem agreed.
“Our bodies are instruments not ornaments,” said Steinem. “We should celebrate our different shapes and sizes, our caesarean scars and all the other beautiful imperfections that make us who we are. I hope every woman in this room goes home tonight, looks in the mirror and says, “Yes, this is fan-f******-tastic!'”
The two women also discussed the differences between pornography and erotica, the global political impact of violence against women, and, naturally, Donald Trump.
“People think that because he has a lot of money, he’s smart,” Steinem said. “Donald Trump is not a successful businessman, he’s a successful conman.”
Emma first announced her choice to help promote gender equality when she was appointed United Nations Goodwill Ambassador in 2014.
However, the Telegraph reported that media was mainly reporting on Emma’s new hairstyle (which looks great, obviously), her fashion sense, and her critique of her eyebrows:
The only thing Watson said that seems to have been most reported is that she used to hate her “strong eyebrows” aged nine.
This throwaway comment, about how she wanted to “pluck them and make them two thin lines” before she learnt to embrace herself, appears to be the only thing people have taken away from the event.
Telegraph published a great list of tweets, which reflect more important topics of discussion from the evening, which you can see here!
Hi, YABCers!
Today we're super excited to celebrate the cover reveal for KINGDOM OF ASH AND BRIARS by Hannah West, releasing September 15, 2016 from Holiday House. Before we get to the cover, here's a note from Hannah:
Hey YABC! Thanks for joining me for the cover reveal of Kingdom of Ash...
Opting Out: Losing the Potential of America's Young Black Elite by Maya Beasley 2011
U Chicago Press
IQ "Further, because racism is endemic and built into the structure and institutions of American life, attacking inequalities in a minimal number of areas via a small number of channels is limiting. [...] Radicalized occupations are neither ineffectual nor obsolete, but they are no longer sufficient to create the wide-ranging, long-term changes that are needed by the African American communities these students wish to serve. It is therefore imperative that black college students become better informed about the full spectrum of career opportunities that are compatible with their community service goals" (143).
One sentence review: A thought provoking read that greatly contrasted with my own personal experiences which was somewhat confusing but the author makes some extremely vital points in concise language that deserves to receive more attention.
I have no problem with the premise of this book as outlined in the quote, we need more people of color in STEM, business, films and law. I personally can attest to this "The emergent trend is that black students with segregated social networks are selecting occupations that directly target the black community and ones in which they will not feel isolated. In contrast, those with integrated networks are choosing a more varied set of careers which are generally higher-paying and higher status with less of a direct emphasis on African Americans" (73). HOWEVER to me there is a disconnect between that quote and Beasley's findings on stereotype threat. Her findings (after interviewing Black and white Stanford and Berkley students) found that stereotype threat affected Black students' career decisions. I do not completely buy this. I do not understand how she does not explore the possibility of a correlation between class, diverse social networks and stereotype threat. Granted I'm not sure the university I went to is considered "elite" but when I look at the Black people I know who had diverse friend groups and went to all white schools and participated in mostly white activities, they are entering field where Black people are not dominant. Myself included. It just does not make sense to me that someone who grew up in an environment like the one I just outlined would then resist entering predominantly white fields. Beasley notes that they are often discouraged by their parents who are in similar fields, my parents have never told me not to enter a career simply because of white people. Sure they prepared me as best as they could for the little comments that might come my way but they never took a warning or discouraging tone. I'm willing to chalk this up to generational differences. The book is published in 2011 but cites a lot of studies from the 90s/early 2000s so maybe things really have changed in the last few years. But I read this book and had no idea who she was talking about when discussing the patterns of upper middle class Blacks.
Now with that being said, her research backed up some of my personal experiences as well, such as the alienation some Black students feel when they chose not to fully immerse themselves in the on campus Black community. But I wish she had further explored why Black students from working class or lower middle class families are more active than those who come from a wealthier background (and yes I have a few thoughts on the matter but I won't get into it). The importance of connections and how that leaves marginalized groups behind is also well addressed. I do not want to give this book a bad review because it conflicts with my worldview; I thought it was an extremely interesting read that presented intriguing findings and analysis. However I think this would have been more effective if she surveyed a greater variety of students maybe waited a few years or talked to students at an Ivy League or liberal arts college in the East. I hope she does a follow up. I would love to hear other people's thoughts in the comments.
I wasn’t kidding about drop-clothing the bed so I can use real paint. #lisafirke #paintinginbed #brokenleg
This column is part of a series of recommended board book roundups, formerly published twice a year, now published every season. You can find the previous installments here. Don’t miss Viki Ash’s primer “What Makes a Good Board Book?” from the March/April 2010 Horn Book Magazine.
If You’re a Robot and You Know It
by David A. Carter
Scholastic 14 pp.
9/15 978-0-545-81980-0 $16.99
Carter brings a futuristic twist to the familiar song. The text is entertaining enough (“If you’re a robot and you know it, / shoot laser beams out of your eyes”), but it’s the paper engineering that really sings. Pull the tabs to make the smiley, goofy-looking robots (one has a teakettle for a head) clap their hands, stomp their feet, etc., in such surprising, inventive ways that kids will definitely be happy — and they’ll know it.
Spring: A Pop-Up Book
by David A. Carter
Abrams Appleseed 12 pp.
2/16 978-1-4197-1912-7 $14.95
Winter: A Pop-Up Book
by David A. Carter
Abrams Appleseed 12 pp.
10/15 978-1-4197-1823-6 $14.95
Prolific pop-up book creator Carter turns his attention to the seasons. Brief, sometimes lyrical texts (“Snowflakes fall from the sky, covering the sleepy earth in white”; “Who flits and flutters from flower to flower?”) are accompanied by fairly spare background illustrations that let the impressive central pop-ups shine. Captions help identify key flora and fauna.
Dinoblock
by Christopher Franceschelli; illus. by Peskimo
Abrams Appleseed 96 pp.
6/15 978-1-4197-1674-4 $16.95
Franceschelli follows Alphablock and Countablock with this dinosaur-themed entry. Chunky die-cut pages (which are cut to follow the outlines of the creatures) play a sort of guessing game with viewers: “I have a neck like a goose…” (page turn) “I am a coelophysis.” Useful pronunciation (“SEE-low-FYE-sis”) and clear illustrations of smiling dinos, along with two child guides, enhance the already great kid appeal.
My First Comics series
I’m Grumpy
by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm
Random 20 pp.
1/16 978-0-553-53344-6 $7.99
I’m Sunny!
by Jennifer L. Holm and Matthew Holm
Random 20 pp.
1/16 978-0-553-53346-0 $7.99
“Panels!” “Word Balloons!” “Sound Effects!” “Reading pictures is the first step toward reading words!” is this series’ motto. The Holm siblings (creators of the Babymouse series and others) introduce young children to comics in these books about a happy sun (Sunny!) and a grouchy cloud (Grumpy). The stories are very simple, entertaining, and easy to follow, with clear emotions nicely reinforced by the cartoony illustrations.
Hello, World! Series
Solar System
by Jill McDonald
Doubleday 24 pp.
3/16 978-0-553-52103-0 $7.99
Weather
by Jill McDonald
Doubleday 24 pp.
3/16 978-0-553-52101-6 $7.99
These early science volumes give very brief but engaging overviews of their topics. Solar System starts with the moon and sun, then talks about each planet (plus dwarf planet Pluto), with one main fact per planet and another detail in smaller font. Weather asks a simple leading question to help identify each season (“Is snow falling?”), then presents clothing and activities for each one. In both books, eye-pleasing collages in bright colors with simple shapes illustrate the concepts.
Hamsters on the Go!
by Kass Reich
Orca 24 pp.
3/16 978-1-4598-1016-7 $9.95
Up Hamster Down Hamster
by Kass Reich
Orca 24 pp.
9/15 978-1-4598-1013-6 $9.95
Up Hamster takes a group of energetic hamsters through a day of opposites-learning in rhyme (“Fast hamster / Slow hamster / Yes hamster / No hamster”). On the Go finds the crew testing various modes of transportation (“Hamsters in a car / Hamsters on a boat / Hamsters on a Moon rover / Hamsters on a float”). The rectangular little critters are so funny and expressive, with just their dot-eyes and straight-lined or oblong mouths, it may make listeners start clambering for a cute-rodent pet.
The post Board Book Roundup: Winter 2016 Edition appeared first on The Horn Book.
With the prospect of spring right around the corner, the staff here at YABC wanted to share a list of our favorite winter reads. Whether deep in fantasy, history, or even cotemporary stories, we loved all of these books, and we hope you will, too! To learn more about these book...
I have been busy with various projects lately, so I'm late in posting these photos. But spring in Sacramento is always a beautiful symphony of blossoms, starting with the flowering plum trees around town -- especially at McKinley Park. The sprays of pink along graceful boughs that reach up and out always give my heart such a lift.
Every fall, the burst or reds and golds makes me say fall is my favorite season. And then spring comes and blows me away.
McKinley Park is part part of my husband's regular walking routine. Lately I've gotten back to walking (a mile and a half most days), but usually my walk takes me in the opposite direction to Time Tested Books, my favorite used book store. Last week, though, I revisited McKinley Park after his glowing report of trees in bloom, and I was not sorry. Have a look:
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There is a pond on the western side of the park, on the south side of the library building. and a small island in the center where ducks and geese hang out. The path above circles around it. Here is a larger perspective of this beautiful section:
But farther up the south side of the park is the beautiful rose garden. The roses aren't in bloom yet, but the Japanese magnolias have opened their petals and shed some of them, littering the ground with a dazzle of pale lavender
And now, as I make my rounds of the neighborhoods on my daily walk, I'm starting to see the daffodils and tulips. I keep forgetting to take my camera. For now, you'll have to imagine the yellow ruffles of daffodils, the glossy reds and purples of the tulips.
Have a great week-end.
How about you? Which is your favorite season of the year? What trees to you like the best for their colors?
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By: Terry Hooper-Scharf,
on 2/26/2016
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The reason why I posted Howlermouses video on his comic book haul is simple. It shows what I am hearing almost daily. Huge numbers of new comics and comics from the past few years being literally thrown at comic fans and for prices so ridiculous it's unbelievable.
Another video shows TWO comic long boxes crammed full that the guy involved bought for $20 from a comic shop. No quibbling the owner said "take two boxes -$25!" Blogger turned and said "$25??" and the store owner "Okay! Okay I can't get rid of the damn things -$20!" Perhaps he should have said "$20??"!
All 2000-2016 comics (2016!!).
Another blogger took "About $35 dollars worth of comics" to another dealer who said "Yeah. Sure" But pointed out he wasn't paying cash and offered up "A big grocery store box crammed with boarded and bagged comics in exchange" Total value of the box (based on price tags) -$185.
People: comics industry is collapsing.
Unwrapping...
Authored by Lisa G. Shore
Unwrapping the backstory...
" One rainy night many years ago, Lisa Shore was tucking her daughters in while preparing to tell a bedtime story. The wind thrashed outside the window and the rain pitter-pattered on the roof over their heads. She then began to tell a story about magical fairies who only came out when it rained and danced on the roofs of the humans who lived at the edge of the forest. Their names were Pitter and Patter and they granted wishes if a human saw them.
After her daughters fell asleep that night, Shore wrote down the idea and ultimately turned it into her new book, "Gifts of the Crysnix."
'My book is about making the right choices and wishes in order for you to live your best life.' Shore said. 'It's about believing in yourself, finding strength in humility, the importance of gratitude and the power of forgiveness.'
The book can appeal to anyone, but Shore believes her primary target market is girls at the brink of becoming women. After losing both parents at a young age and raising three children as a single parent, she wanted to show - through the telling of a fairytale - that we can all make the most out of whatever situation we are in.
'If I can help readers believe they have tremendous power over their lives by trusting their gut instincts and going for the best life they can live, then I believe the universe will deliver it to them.' Shore said. 'The ideas of positive intention crosses all barriers of religion, race and age groups.'
More about the book...
In her debut book Shore has created an enchanting tale of beautiful fairy creatures that live high in the treetops in the forest. Their world is perfect, their community loving and giving. They possess the power to bend time and grant wishes of the humans around them who are at a tipping point in their life. She touches on the power of forgiveness, the beauty of grace and and turning fear into strong determination and empowerment.
It is a story that offers transformation and hope. It is a story that is emotionally charged and offers heroes that will inspire you. It is a wonderful book of positive life-lessons that will help you greatly on life's journey.
Studies in advertising art at Red River College led Lisa into the fields of television and design. The creative challenges of copywriting took a personal turn when she began to write for her young children. Inspired by the forest around her family island home, nature set the scene for the magic that came to life on the page. Lisa publishes her books to share with kids of all sizes who have big imaginations.
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I put hours of work finding the best kid's books to review for you each day. If you enjoy visiting Storywraps and would like to donate something for my time and effort I would greatly appreciate it.
Go to the top of my blog on the right hand corner (above my photo) and please donate what you feel lead to give. The amount you donate and the frequency you donate is totally up to you. I thank you in advance for your support. I love what I do and appreciate any amount that you may give so I can make our community even better. Thanks a million!
By:
Patrick Girouard,
on 2/26/2016
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The outside world doesn’t always get kidlit and YA lit. Children’s books are cute and easy and anyone with a vague sense that children are charming can write them, right? And anyone can write silly fluff for young adults. Especially anyone with a famous name.
That’s a common attitude, anyway. But there are celebrities who don’t think that way. Like Stephen Colbert.
Back in 2012, Colbert interviewed the late, great Maurice Sendak on his old show Comedy Central show, The Colbert Report. Going in, I figured that interview would be amusing, but I also figured some of the amusement would stem from a celeb’s typical ignorance of everything that goes into creating a children’s book. Boy, was I wrong. The whole point of the two-part “Grim Colberty Tales” segment was to parody the very attitude I’d expected to see. It’s also a great interview, and it resulted in Colbert’s spoofy picture book, I Am a Pole (And So Can You!) (Grand Central Publishing, May 2012), which was coincidentally released with Sendak’s blurb (“The sad thing is, I like it!”) the same day that Sendak passed away. Highly recommended if you need a good laugh. Warning: Colbert Report-style silliness; Sendak-style crotchetiness; NSFW.
“Grim Colberty Tales” made another appearance or two with other authors before Colbert left the Report for CBS’s Late Show with Stephen Colbert. But the change in venue doesn’t mean Colbert’s become too cool for books for young people (or books in general, for that matter). On the contrary, his new show has a recurring segment firmly rooted in YA: the Hungry for Power Games. As candidates have dropped out of the presidential election, Colbert has bid each “tribute” farewell with his best Caesar Flickerman impression. (Warning: contains politics.)
And of course, the man is a certified Tolkien nerd. This, right here, is what it looks like when someone cares about a story. Not a bad thing to show on TV.
I still think Ellen would be a perfect interviewer for the Newbery and Caldecott winners. But if Stephen beats her to it (ALAYMA 2017, anyone?), that’d be pretty cool, too.
The post Stephen Colbert: kidlit after dark appeared first on The Horn Book.
The outside world doesn’t always get kidlit and YA lit. Children’s books are cute and easy and anyone with a vague sense that children are charming can write them, right? And anyone can write silly fluff for young adults. Especially anyone with a famous name.
That’s a common attitude, anyway. But there are celebrities who don’t think that way. Like Stephen Colbert.
Back in 2012, Colbert interviewed the late, great Maurice Sendak on his old show Comedy Central show, The Colbert Report. Going in, I figured that interview would be amusing, but I also figured some of the amusement would stem from a celeb’s typical ignorance of everything that goes into creating a children’s book. Boy, was I wrong. The whole point of the two-part “Grim Colberty Tales” segment was to parody the very attitude I’d expected to see. It’s also a great interview, and it resulted in Colbert’s spoofy picture book, I Am a Pole (And So Can You!) (Grand Central Publishing, May 2012), which was coincidentally released with Sendak’s blurb (“The sad thing is, I like it!”) the same day that Sendak passed away. Highly recommended if you need a good laugh. Warning: Colbert Report-style silliness; Sendak-style crotchetiness; NSFW.
“Grim Colberty Tales” made another appearance or two with other authors before Colbert left the Report for CBS’s Late Show with Stephen Colbert. But the change in venue doesn’t mean Colbert’s become too cool for books for young people (or books in general, for that matter). On the contrary, his new show has a recurring segment firmly rooted in YA: the Hungry for Power Games. As candidates have dropped out of the presidential election, Colbert has bid each “tribute” farewell with his best Caesar Flickerman impression. (Warning: contains politics.)
And of course, the man is a certified Tolkien nerd. This, right here, is what it looks like when someone cares about a story. Not a bad thing to show on TV.
I still think Ellen would be a perfect interviewer for the Newbery and Caldecott winners. But if Stephen beats her to it (ALAYMA 2017, anyone?), that’d be pretty cool, too.
The post Stephen Colbert: kidlit after dark appeared first on The Horn Book.
Jessica, a reader of AICL, wrote to ask me about Dan Gemeinhart's Some Kind of Courage. Out in 2016 from Scholastic, here's the synopsis:
Joseph Johnson has lost just about everyone he's ever loved. He lost his pa in an accident. He lost his ma and his little sister to sickness. And now, he's lost his pony-fast, fierce, beautiful Sarah, taken away by a man who had no right to take her.
Joseph can sure enough get her back, though. The odds are stacked against him, but he isn't about to give up. He will face down deadly animals, dangerous men, and the fury of nature itself on his quest to be reunited with the only family he has left.
Because Joseph Johnson may have lost just about everything. But he hasn't lost hope. And he hasn't lost the fire in his belly that says he's getting his Sarah back-no matter what.
The critically acclaimed author of The Honest Truth returns with a poignant, hopeful, and action-packed story about hearts that won't be tamed... and spirits that refuse to be broken.
It is a middle grade Western, set in 1890. A couple of things I see via Google Books give me pause:
"She's half Indian pony, so she's got some spirit, but she ain't nothing but perfect with me."
"It was Indians. [...] The boy's eyes narrowed. He bared his teeth like a wolf and snarled a word low and mean in his native tongue."
I will try to get a copy to read/review. If I do, I'll be back!
By
Cynthia Leitich Smithfor
CynsationsWriting While Black/Writing While Indigenous: Two Voices Speak on Literature, Representation & Justice from Zetta Elliott. Peek: "I am an Aboriginal woman who comes from the Palyku people of the Pilbara region of Western Australia. I write YA novels and picture books, and I teach law at a university. I’m often told that being a writer and a law academic is a strange combination, but there is a powerful connection between law and storytelling."
#OwnVoices: Why We Need Diverse Authors in Children's Literature by
Kayla Whaley from Brightly. Peek: "I have a lifetime of experiences — positive, negative, neutral, and complicated mixtures of all of the above — to draw from when I write a fuller, more authentic wheelchair-using character." See also
CBC Multicultural Statistics for 2015 from the Cooperative Center of Children's Books AKA CCBlogC.
Plotting 101: How Decoding Rejection Letters Can Help You Identify Problems with Your Writing Method by Martina Boone from Adventures in YA Publishing. Peek: "...find a character you know and love, a story that inspires you deeply, and a problem that is universal enough to interest a lot of different people..." See also
Getting the Pacing Right by
Becca Puglisi from Writers Helping Writers.
Writing India/India Ex-Pat Community: Did I Get It Right? from Uma Krishnaswami. Peek: "...here are some questions I’ve found helpful when reading what I will call an outsider manuscript...."
Simon & Schuster Creates Imprint for Muslim-Themed Children's Books by Alexandra Alter from The New York Times. Peek: "The books won’t emphasize theology or Islamic doctrine, Mr. Chanda said, but will highlight the experience of being Muslim through their characters and plots."
Common Writerly Beginner Tics by
Kimberley Griffiths Little from
Natalie Aguirre at Literary Rambles. Peek: "It’s very easy to write one or more chapters about what happened to your character before diving into the actual story that the novel is about. Readers want to see your MC in an immediate scene or problem, even if it’s a small problem."
Put Interested Agents on Hold While Seeking An Agent? by
Deborah Halverson from DearEditor.com. Peek: "Should one of the editors offer a contract before you sign with an agent, update the agents. They’ll likely review your submission quickly."
Cynsational AwardsThis Week at CynsationsCynsational GiveawaysMore Personally |
Grab the Feb. issue of O! |
I've spent the past work joyously reading and offering feedback to my
Vermont College of Fine Arts MFA advisees for winter 2016.
It's not until just now, once that first round is finished, that I feel like I can settle into the semester.
Today, I'll be busy catching up on daily correspondence and responsibilities that were set aside during grading (in potential news, this includes finishing up submissions for a couple of anthologies). I'll keep you updated.
Link of the Week:
28 Days Later: A Black History Month Celebration of Children's Literature from The Brown Bookshelf.
Personal Links
Peek at the Poster for Children's Book Week (May 2 to May 8)Butterbeer and More: What to Eat at New Harry Potter Theme ParkSeven Fascinating Films About Writers#StepUpScholastic What It's Really Like to Work in Hollywood (If You're Not a Straight, White Male)
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