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Leigh Turina is Lead Librarian for the IBBY Collection for Young People with Disabilities, which is held at Toronto Public Library in … Continue reading ... →

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Allison Branscombe, author of All About China: Stories, Songs, Crafts and More for Kids, selected these five family favorites.

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For some time now, I've been waiting for Dreaming in Indian: Contemporary Native American Voices. Edited by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Leatherdale, it was getting buzz in Native networks on social media.

Given my commitment to bringing the work of Native writers to the fore--especially those set in the present day--the title alone caught my interest. Seeing names of writers who would have work in Dreaming in Indian intrigued me, too.

I've read it, now, and highly recommend it.

Though its filled with art, it isn't meant for young children. The publisher, Annick Press, tags it as being for young adults. Dreaming in Indian has a vibrancy I've not seen in anything else. A vibrancy that, perhaps, is characteristic of a generation at ease with technology and its tools... Native writers, that is at ease with technology and its use. Here's a set of pages from inside (image from publisher website):


I want to pore over the art, studying it, thinking about it, marveling at it. Isn't it stunning? I can imagine a lot of people dismissing this work because it doesn't conform to their stereotypical ideas of dead or stoic Indians. But I can also imagine a lot of others holding it dear because it reflects who we are...

The Foreword is by Lee Maracle (Salish and Cree Sto:lo Nation). She writes:

All the works in the following pages are part of that amazing struggle to go forward, into modernity, onto the global stage, without leaving our ancient selves behind.

And:

They sing out loud in verses, plain and compelling. They cry freedom in words commanding and unapologetic. They do with with tender insistence, bravery, and beauty.

Within Native literatures, Maracle's name is up there with our most acclaimed writers. As such, her words mean a lot. One of her most compelling books is I Am Woman: A Native Perspective on Sociology and Feminism. 

The first items in Dreaming in Indian are by a younger, equally compelling writer: Nicola Campbell (Interior Salish of Nik7kepmx [Thompson], Nxilx [Okanagan], Metis). I've written about her children's books several times. She has two poems in this book: "I Remember Lullabies" and "I Remember Fried Bologna and Rice." From the red and white checked tablecloth to the smoked hide Auntie works on, Campbell's poems reflect what Maracle noted: modernity and ancient selves that are part of our lives as we go forward.

Campbell's poems are in Part 1: Roots. The theme for Part 2 is Battles; for Part 3 it is Medicine, and Part 4 is titled Dreamcatchers. In each one, you'll find poetry, prose, and all manner of art. For most, you'll also have a solid introduction to the artists and writers, their lives, what drives them... Gritty and real, their live stories are inspiring.

Annick categorizes Dreaming In Indian as nonfiction, but I honestly don't know what to call it. The mix of media, writing, topics... It makes me think of Eliza Dresang and her writing about radical change. There's a lot to ponder in Dreaming In Indian. It'll challenge readers, in good ways, and that is a good thing. Check it out.

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50 Book Pledge | Book #16: The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

I’m thrilled to be hosting Ursula Poznanski on The Pen Stroke today for a stop on her whirlwind Erebos Blog Tour. 

Welcome Ursula!

What inspired the world of Erebos?

On the one hand, I had watched some YouTube videos of current games and I had played myself (Diablo, for example). I wanted the “look” of the game to be recognizable and attractive to gamers. On the other hand, I had something very real to inspire me, something very crucial to the plot. This element needed to be hidden inside the game, so in a certain way it formed the world of Erebos, too.

How important was it that your characters be able to practice free will?

I wanted to give them the possibility to stop playing whenever they wished to—not without obeying the rules that are connected with backing out, of course. The game needs enthusiastic players, not forced ones.

How difficult was it for you to tow the line between the virtual world of Erebos and the real world of London?

That was pure fun, no difficulty at all. I loved switching between the worlds, accompanying Nick and Sarius by turns. I really loved to write everything that took place in London—I had a city map on my desk and Google Maps opened in my browser, so it almost felt like being there myself.

Why did you choose Greek mythology for the foundation of Erebos and its founding characters?

I was looking for a dark deity with an impressive name, so I came across Erebos. It would have been a terrible waste not to use all the cross connections that offered themselves, once I had found the “name of the game” and so I happily integrated them into the plot.

Were you ever hesitant to employ such incredibly dark imagery in Erebos?

No. I really felt that the game had to be dark. It had to have a threatening look and to be appealing and mysterious at the same time. Erebos doesn’t pretend to be an innocent amusement—it shows its spirit from the very beginning, but of course the players do not take that seriously.

A special thanks to Ursula for dropping by The Pen Stroke!

Erebos Blog Tour Schedule:

March 25: YA Bookshelf, www.yabookshelf.com

March 26: Bookosaur, www.thebookosaur.com

March 27: GreenBeanTeenQueen, www.gree

0 Comments on Blog Tour: Erebos by Ursula Poznanski as of 1/1/1900

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50 Book Pledge | Book #14: Warriors and Wailers by Sarah Tsiang

Is there anything more irritating then being interrupted while lost in the pages of a book? If you added to my chorus of no, then this is for you. Thanks to the brilliant minds of Erin Bowman, Sarah Enni and Traci Neithercott those days are finally over. The trio have created dust jackets that send a clear message to onlookers: Go away. I’m reading.

Here are the three sets you can download free of charge:

1. Go away. I’m reading.

2. Snarky Beauties

3. Masterpieces

Enjoy!

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50 Book Pledge | Book #12: Erebos by Ursula Poznanski

 

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Author Ting-Xing Ye’s mother used to say, “It’s typical! Three Monks, no water!”  whenever she or her brothers and sisters tried to get out of doing something.  Three Monks, No Water (Annick Press, 1997)is the story behind that enigmatic expression – and since reading it, I can see it becoming a useful phrase in our home!

A young Buddhist monk lived alone at the top of a mountain.  Every day he had to fetch water from the foot of the mountain, using a yoke and two buckets.  That provided him with enough water for his personal needs and to water his small vegetable garden.  One day, he was joined by an older monk.  Their attempts to bring water up the mountain together, stringing a single bucket on a pole carried between them, were not very successful; and each felt it was the other’s task to fetch more water, so neither went.  The vegetables in the garden began to die.  Then a third monk arrived, and the situation worsened.  As each monk refused to give way, or compromise his stance in any way, the outlook became bleaker, and certainly none of them was composed enough to meditate or pray.  Then one day, disaster struck… Would they be able to let go of their antagonism and work together to put things right?

Three Monks, No Water is just the kind of fable that will appeal to young children with a strong sense of right and wrong.  The narrative certainly makes no excuses for the monks’ unreasonable behaviour, but leaves plenty of scope for young listeners to react.  Illustrator Harvey Chan’s background of acrylic on gessoed board gives the illustrations an interesting texture for the colored pencil drawings in soft, muted colors; and I love the monks’ facial expressions.  And on every page, like a heavy watermark, a line of calligraphy conveys the expression of the title.  Plus there’s a specially designed seal inside the front and back cover, with a short explanatory note, and together these add a nice extra touch.

This is a great story for conveying the importance of dialogue and reciprocity, giving as well as expecting and taking – and it can be applied to a directly parallel scenario of three individuals, or on a global level, or anywhere in between…

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Benny and Penny in Just Pretend by Geoffrey Hayes Otto's Orange Day written by Jay Lynch illustrated by Frank Cammuso Toon Books/RAW Junior 2007 In a word: Disappointing. The first releases in a new imprint from he editorial team of Francoise Mouly and Art Spiegelman are probably best described as comic books packaged as graphic novels for the younger set. If they didn't have such a high

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