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Today’s blog post is part of our Stories For All Project series, focused on sharing the latest announcements and impact stories about our effort to put diverse, inclusive books into the hands of kids.

Last week, we announced our latest action in the Stories for All Project – we selected six outstanding titles that showcase characters and storylines often underrepresented in  children’s literature and are making 10,000 copies of each title available in affordable trade paperback format for the first time ever.

The first three titles are available now on the First Book Marketplace and in Target stores nationwide.

“Niño Wrestles the World”

Written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales, celebrates play and the power of the imagination through the unforgettable, underpants-wearing Niño. Pulling from Mexican folklore, Morales pits a series of silly, slightly spooky opponents against Niño. But no foe can stand up to the cunning competitor. He takes down his challengers with a Slish! Boop! Crunch! – playfully defeating each one. Winner of the Pura Belpre Illustrator Award for affirming Latino culture and experience, and the SCBWI Golden Kite Picture Book Illustration Honor.

“And Tango Makes Three”

Written by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell and illustrated by Henry Cole, follows two male penguins in the Central Park Zoo through their fruitless efforts to hatch a rock. One day a zookeeper gives the dedicated fathers-to-be an extra egg that needs to be cared for. From this egg comes Tango, the very first penguin in the zoo to have two daddies. Based on a true story, winner of the ASPCA Henry Bergh Award.

“Tiger in My Soup“

Written by Kashmira Sheth and illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler, features a young Indian-American boy determined to make his older sister read aloud his favorite story about a ferocious tiger. When she repeatedly puts him off, his imagination takes over and the tiger springs from his alphabet soup. An epic battle between boy and tiger commences, all behind the back of the distracted sister. While the hero eventually gets both his story and his reheated soup, he keeps a wary eye out for the tiger’s return.

“Boats for Papa”

Written and illustrated by new author/illustrator Jessixa Bagley, explores the healing love between a child and parent. Buckley the beaver loves to carve toy boats out of driftwood from the beach nearby. With Mama’s permission, he sends a boat out to sea for his father, whom he misses very much. Buckley believes that if the boat does not come back, it must have reached his Papa. He sends boat after boat to Papa, each one more beautiful that the last. Then one day

Buckley finds all of his boats carefully collected and kept by his Mama. Buckley sends one last boat – this time with a new message.

“Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah”

Written by first-time picture book author Laurie Ann Thompson and illustrated by Sean Qualls, is an inspiring true story about triumph over adversity. Born in Ghana with one disabled leg, Emmanuel was dismissed by most people, but taught by his mother to reach for his dreams. He hopped to school more than two miles each way, learned to play soccer, left home at age 13 to provide for his family, and eventually became a cyclist. In 2011, he rode an astonishing four hundred miles across Ghana spreading his powerful message: disability is not inability.

“Knock Knock: My Dad’s Dream for Me”

Written by Daniel Beaty and illustrated by Bryan Collier, is a heartbreaking and hopeful story about love and loss. Every morning, a boy and his father play a game. While the boy pretends to sleep, his father knocks on the door and approaches the bed to say, “I love you.” One day, there is no knock. This powerful and inspiring book shows the love that an absent parent can leave behind and the strength that children find in themselves as they grow up and follow their dreams. Winner of the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award.

The post Six Diverse Stories: Our 2015 Stories for All Project Selections appeared first on First Book Blog.

When children see their lives reflected in the books they read they become more enthusiastic readers. Their educational outcomes improve. They succeed in school and in life.

But few books actually reflect the cultures and circumstances of the kids First Book serves, all of whom live in low-income households and many of whom are of minority backgrounds. In fact, a mere 11 percent of 3,500 children’s books reviewed by Cooperative Children’s Book Center this year are about people of color.

This is the reason we created the Stories for All Project^TM – the only market-driven solution to increase diverse voices and promote inclusivity in children’s literature.

Today, we’re proud to share our latest news with you: With support from Target, KPMG and Jet Blue Airways, First Book is making 60,000 copies of outstanding children’s titles featuring diverse characters and storylines available for the first time ever in affordable trade paperback format, to fuel learning and educational equity.

We chose these titles from hundreds submitted by publishers with input from the 175,000 educators and program leaders we serve. By aggregating the demand and purchasing power of this educator community, we have become the first organization to create a viable and vibrant market for books that reflect race, ability, sexual orientation and family structure in our ever-diversifying world.

Each of our selections contributes unique perspectives underrepresented in children’s literature while remaining relatable to all readers. As part of this current effort, First Book is thrilled to make available two titles by new picture book authors:

• “Niño Wrestles the World” written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales
• “And Tango Makes Three” written by Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell and illustrated by Henry Cole
• “Tiger in My Soup” written by Kashmira Sheth and illustrated by Jeffrey Ebbeler
• “Boats for Papa” written and illustrated by new author/illustrator Jessixa Bagley
• “Emmanuel’s Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah,” written by first-time children’s author Laurie Ann Thompson and illustrated by Sean Qualls,
• “Knock Knock: My Dad’s Dream for Me,” written by Daniel Beaty and illustrated by Bryan Collier

Copies of all six titles will be available through the First Book Marketplace.  The first three titles are also available for the first time in paperback format on Target.com and at Target stores nationwide.

Every day, in communities around the country and around the world, we see the critical need to further our human understanding and embrace the gifts and experience each of us brings. The Stories for All Project and promotes understanding, empathy and inclusivity with stories that can help all children see and celebrate their differences and similarities.

The post The Stories for All Project: 60,000 New Books to Increase Diversity, Promote Inclusivity appeared first on First Book Blog.

It is June, which means it’s Gay Pride Month, The French Open at Roland Garros and the beginning of my annual summer blog hiatus (to write a novel, just in case ya think it’s all about pina coladas, beaches and … Continue reading →

Once again, it’s time for the American Library Association’s Banned Books Week. Yes, it’s sad that we even have to have a week like this each year; but at least, enough people are outraged by banning books that we have a week to recognize them. Pictured here, And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson, is one of the top ten most challenged books in 2009. Why? Well, let’s see. . .it focuses on two male penguins who are given a baby penguin to raise at New York’s Central Park Zoo. And it is based on a true story. And those crazy advocates of book banning think it is promoting homosexual behavior, same-sex marriages/adoption, and get this. . .homosexuality in ANIMALS. How many of us are really sitting at home worrying about whether or not male dogs or female gorillas are bonding in the wild? I guess there are some people who do this–obviously.

And this is why I love Banned Books Week because it shows us, the normal readers, how people can take a simple and beautiful TRUE story, like And Tango Makes Three, and turn it into something controversial and challenged. It’s crazy. The craziest thing–when are these book banners going to realize that by banning these books, they actually become MORE POPULAR? How many of you had heard of And Tango Makes Three before I talked about it today? How many of you now want to read it? (I am waving my hand in the air.)

Other top ten challenged books in 2009 are: ttly (the whole series), To Kill a Mockingbird, Twilight (series), The Chocolate War, and more. To check out everything about Banned Books Week, go to the ALA website here.

My cyber author friend, Ellen Hopkins (author of The Crank series shown above), has to face book banning all the time. Parents are constantly challenging her books, and schools are constantly taking the books off the shelves. It is even happening where she lives. Lately, she’s been talking a lot about it on Twitter and Facebook. One of the comments someone left on her Facebook page was that she is a huge fan of Hopkins’s books, but that she agreed they weren’t appropriate for middle schoolers. I left a comment after that one, stating nicely that middle schoolers know A LOT about sex and drugs NOW, and that books like Ellen’s can only help them. Hopkins is not saying–let’s all go out and get addicted to crystal meth. In her Crank series, she realistically shows how a “good girl” can get hooked, and how it can ruin her life. We need to face facts–some kids are taking drugs in middle school. If reading Crank can stop even one middle school kid from taking drugs, then it needs to be ON THE SHELF! Someone else left the comment that as a parent, she wanted the choice of whether or not her child read the book–she wanted them available to all kids, and then parents can be the ones to decide for their own children. AMEN!

What’s your stand on banned books? If you are a teacher, do you talk about these books/teach any of these books in your classroom? If you are an author, have your books ever been challenged?

BTW, there’s still time to enter the Mockingjay book giveaway today (September 27) until 8:00 p.m. CST tonight! Go here: Mockingjay Book Giveaway.

The American Library Association (ALA) has issued their annual list of the 10 most frequently challenged books from US libraries.  There's a number of the usual suspects on the list, and while I'm still flabbergasted that there are people out there who are so concerned about the content in these books that they are requesting that they be removed from libraries (To Kill a Mockingbird? Really?) I do take some comfort in the fact that these books are still readily available for those who want them.

What I do want to know is how you can cite nudity as a reason for banning a book?  Unless these books have lift up flaps, and I am fairly certain they don't, an anatomy description shouldn't be grounds for a banning; especially when "offensive language" gets its own category.

To me the most offensive book in this list still got the top spot, just not for the reason I would have slotted it in.  Lauren Myracle's TTYL series is written entirely text message shorthand (Pls no, I h8 it), and for that alone I think it should be banned.

1. The TTYL series by Lauren Myracle for Nudity, sexually explicit, drugs, offensive language,and being unsuited to the age group.
2. And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson for homosexuality.
3. The Perks of Being A Wallflower by Stephen Chbosky for homosexuality, sexually explicit content, anti-family, offensive language, religious viewpoints, being unsuited to age group, drugs, suicide.
4. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee for racism, offensive language, and being unsuited to age group.
5. Twilight (series) by Stephenie Meyer for sexually explicit scenes, religious viewpoints, and being unsuited to age group.
6. The Catcher in the Rye by JD Salinger for sexually explicit scenes, offensive language, and being unsuited to age group
7. My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult for sexism, homosexuality, being sexually explicit, having offensive language, religious viewpoints, drugs, suicide, violence, and being unsuited to age group.
8. The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big, Round Things by Carolyn Mackler for being Sexually explicit, having offensive language,and being unsuited to age group.
9. The Color Purple by Alice Walker for being Sexually explicit, having offensive language,and being unsuited to age group.
10. The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier for nudity, being Sexually explicit, having offensive language,and being unsuited to age group.

Some of my favorite authors have written banned or challenged books. J.D. Salinger, Mark Twain, Maya Angelou, Kurt Vonnegut, Justin Richardson, Peter Parnell. What’s that? You don’t recognize those last two names? That’s interesting, because they are the co-authors of the most challenged book of 2006, 2007 and 2008 and the most banned book of 2009. What kind of subject matter could possibly garner that kind of censure, you ask? Murder? Blasphemy? Corruption? War? Pornography? Racism? Impropriety of the biblical “knowing” kind? Nope, none of those. The book that parents, politicians and religious groups have most wanted off the shelves and out of the classrooms for nearly half a decade is about…drum roll, please…penguins. Yep, you read that right. The flightless, tuxedo-wearing birds. Not all of them, of course. Just three very specific ones in the Central Park Zoo who had the chutzpah to mess with some people’s view of the world, even though they were just being them. Justin Richardson and Peter Parnell’s And Tango Makes Three is the true story of two chinstrap penguins at the famous New York City landmark who spent six years together playing, loving and raising a daughter born from an adopted egg. And now you’re wondering why such a sweet (and did I mention true?) story would cause such a fuss. I’ll tell you, but you might not believe it. The problem is that both Roy and Silo were boy chinstrap penguins. That’s the truth. And some people just can’t handle the truth.

http://www.amazon.com/Tango-Makes-Three-Peter-Parnell/dp/0689878451

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peter_Parnell

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Justin_Richardson

And Tango Makes Three will be hitting the shelves this year in the U.K. Richard Lea has written a balanced article about the controversial title for the Guardian. Lea talks to the authors about the genesis of the book and discusses the reactions to it in the U.S. Lea also notes,

"Educationalists and librarians are expecting a much more muted reaction when the book is published in the UK later this year. 'I often think there will be some sort of a reaction,' says the chair of the UK's Youth Libraries Group, Ian Dodds, 'but it doesn't come.'"

Well, that's a big surprise.
=========================
U.K. residents: Is "educationalist" a word? What happened to educator?

In this episode, we play two Listener Submitted Reviews:

• Amigo reviewed by Bayla (5)
• And Tango Makes Three reviewed by writer and homeschooling parent Sage Tyrtle of the Quirky Nomads podcast

Many thanks to Sage and Bayla for participating in JOMB, to Karen and Gwen for leaving us audio comments and to those of you who have sent us feedback via email and have spread the JOMB word in your own circles. We really appreciate your support.

Listeners who submit reviews before May 30, 2007 will be entered in a draw to win an autographed copy of The Call to Shakabaz.

If you would like to share your thoughts on a favourite children’s book, please send your review as an MP3 file in email to [email protected], phone it in to our listener feedback line (206-350-6487), leave a two-minute MyChingo, or send your text review in email.

When my son was in pre-K, he had a friend (I will call her Sally) who had two daddies. Dad and Poppy were among the most loving parents a kid could dream of. They doted on Sally, made sure everything was provided for her, and were both at every school event possible.

At first, my son was perplexed by the fact that someone could have two daddies, but after the initial confusion he began requesting an additional daddy for our household. Believe it or not, it was more difficult to explain to him why we couldn't have a second daddy in our family than it was to explain how Sally had two daddies and no mommies.

So what is the ridiculous controversy? It's all about penguins.

And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell (illus. Justin Richardson) is a true story picture book about two male penguins in a zoo who pair up. They build a nest from stones and attempt to care for and hatch an egg-shaped stone. When the zookeeper gives the couple a real penguin egg, the duo successfully hatches it and cares for the chick. This is a book about love, partnership, and the nurturing instinct.

Then along comes Stephanie Bramasco who ruins it all by demanding the Lodi Public Library either remove it from the shelves or label the children's picture book as containing "mature content."

Here's an article.
Here's another.

According to FOX News, Ms. Bramasco had this to say: "You don't start teaching them at three years old about two men together and adopting a baby. And just because you sugar-coat it with penguins on the cover, doesn't make it an appropriate subject matter."

I say why not? What's wrong with showing a young child a story about a penguin who is so very fortunate to be raised by two loving parents?

According to Recordnet.com, Ms. Bramasco goes on to show her true colors by saying, "I don't have a problem with the book being at the library, but it is not appropriate material for children in that (1- to 3-year-old) age group. I'd feel the same way if the penguins were murderers or rapists. Don't sugarcoat that type of material by making it pertain to cute penguins, or dogs or kittens or whatever. It's not appropriate material for a 3-year-old to see and hear."

I'm sure Ms. Bramasco would feel I am taking her quotes out of context (which is why I did not crop anything) but it sounds to me as thoguh she is equating her feelings regarding a book on the children's shelves about the true story of a baby penguin being raised by two loving male penguins in the Central Park Zoo to finding books on the children's shelves about penguins who are murderers and rapists.

I hope you are as appalled as I am that there are people in this day and age who are this ignorant. And Tango Makes Three is not just pertinent to children of same-sex couples. And Tango Makes Three is not just pertinent to children who interact with kids of same-sex couples. And Tango Makes Three is a book that is pertinent to anyone who wants to learn something about love.

And I hope that includes all of us.

Note to Self: Retract the picture book submission from your agent. The world might not be ready for Tippy the Penguin and his Murderous Rampage.

Thank you to the great blog, Bookshelves of Doom, for the heads up about this issue!

Doggone Kids Lit. Why does it have to be so consistently informative? Doesn't Tasha Saecker know that she keeps raising the bar for the rest of us? Some of us would like to slack off and be lazy here, Ms. Saecker, but that's mighty difficult to do when you keep bombarding us with great news items. *sigh*

Anywho, the newest tidbit ripped untimely from Kids Lit's womb (I declare today Shakespeare Thursday) is the list of Top Ten Banned Books of 2006. My husband's professor at Columbia, one Mr. Peter Parnell (eternally cursed to be confused with that other children's author, Peter Parnall) and his lovely little Tango are numero uno on the list. The Alice series is slipping (used to be there was a time you could count on it to be number one every year). And look! Scary Stories is on the list again! Aw, that takes me back. I find it funny that it's never banned because of the pictures. Honestly, guys, when you compare the urban legends inside to those freaky-ass Stephan Gammell illustrations, there's little doubt left in your mind as to why the books are as popular as they are. Whoever let Gammell do picture books as well was a brave brave soul.

And just for the record, there is a rather nice interview with the authors of And Tango Makes Three at the SLJ blog these days. It's short but it does mention where they got the idea, the reactions they've received, and how they feel about its consequent banning or removal from picture book shelves. Go go.