In this free-to-all panel from SCBWI, sparked from an idea from renowned illustrator, author, and teacher Pat Cummings, ten also renowned children's book creators share their experience with racism and how they've aimed to transform those experiences into art.
In the opening minutes, Lin Oliver also introduces SCBWI's brand new Chief Equity and Inclusion Office, April Powers.
Lin Oliver (top left) introduces April Powers (center), SCBWI's Chief Equity and Inclusion Officer, while sign language interpreter
In her introduction, Pam Cummings said,
“Talking about the problem is one thing, but how do you use it? How do we get constructive with this? How does this turn up in our work?”
Answers and stories and so much more are shared by Crystal Allen, Floyd Cooper, Lamar Giles, Rafael Lopez, Meg Medina, Linda Sue Park, Christian Robinson, Shadra Strickland, and Lisa Yee.
So the Dr. Seuss museum had a mural painted on a main museum wall, illustrations from Dr. Seuss' first book, "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street.." (Mulberry street is only blocks from the museum's Springfield, Massachusetts location.) These illustrations included what today is understood to be a racist stereotype of a Chinese man.
Three children's book creators, Lisa Yee, Mike Curato, and Mo Willems were invited to a festival at the museum. They pulled out to protest the museum's lack of context for the mural, protesting the idea that the image would be seen by children and not interpreted in the scope of Dr. Seuss' evolution as an artist and a human being.
The festival was cancelled and the mural will be "replaced."
It's interesting to consider both our power as children's book creators and how people (and even institutions) can evolve over time and go from buying into racial stereotypes to promoting tolerance, acceptance, and even celebrating differences. Illustrate and Write On,
Lee
Ahh, summer... Flip flops. Popsicles. Lounging poolside. And of course the SCBWI Annual Summer Conference--which is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year! I've taken a
Jennifer Holm
break from said lounging (there's a heat emergency here in the Nati--lounging is required) to clue you in on some terrific interviews with Summer Conference faculty brought to you by the also terrific SCBWI TEAM BLOG.
First, TEAM BLOGger Martha Brockenbrough talked with award-winning author Jennifer L. Holm, who will attend the summer conference to collect the Golden Kite Award for fiction as well as offer a session called It Takes a Family: Writing Historical Fiction Using Family History. Here's a snippet from Jenni's interview. To read the entire interview, click here.
If you think of excitement as a candy store (which it is), then you can understand instantly the many flavors of excitement. They're not all created equal. Lemon, for example. It's better than nothing. But still.
When I found out I got to do the pre-SCBWI LA conference with Jenni Holm, I was the very best flavor of excited (salted caramel). (Wait, what? You haven't registered? Do it here! August 5-8. Time of your life. Promise.)
Not only am I in awe of her professionally--three Newbery Honors! Bestselling series! Beautiful, hilarious stories--I have been envious of her personally all year.
Lisa Yee
And today, Martha posted an interview with the always delightful Lisa Yee, who, in addition to being a popular author, witty blogger and friend of Peepy, serves on SCBWI's board of advisors. Lisa is presenting a Monday workshop on Creating Compelling Bad Guys and Bullies. Click here for more info. Below is a bit from Lisa's interview. To read the full interview, click here.
Being in a room during a Lisa Yee presentation is a bit like going to a lighting warehouse. The brightness! The heat! It's a thing to behold. But truly. I've attended a number of breakout sessions with her at L.A. conferences, and I always come away feeling inspired, informed, and newly recharged.
I also adore her books: The Millicent Min universe (with inspired companion titles featuring Emily Ebers, Stanford Wong, most recently Marley Sandesky, about a boy running away from bullies); the pitch-perfect Bobby books, which are illustrated by the unstoppable Dan Santat; and Absolutely Maybe, her first foray into YA. Lisa even has a couple of American Girl titles.
Lisa is seriously funny, but her stories have heart and depth. It's no wonder she was the second recipient of the Sid Fleischman Award (the dearly departed Sid won the inaugural award, which is given to acknowledge the often-overlooked funny books).
SCBWI TEAM BLOG will be offering as-it-happens coverage of the Summer Conference and we'll continue to bring you pre-conference interviews with the awesome faculty.
In the meantime, don't forget to register. Just click here. There's still room in some of the fantastic intensives, too!
The boy started afternoon Kindergarten this year and since I didn't have full-time job when school began, I volunteered for everything I could that had anything to do with books or words. I have 18 plus years working in publishing under my belt. I figured the elementary school could use a mother like me. I signed up to help in the writing lab, to type and proofread stories, and to work in the library.
When the school year began, I got a thanks-anyway-but-we've-got-too-many-volunteers email. "What?" thought I. "Don't they know who I AM?" Apparently I'm not very famous in elementary school circles.
A table of reference books. Yay nonfiction!
The one thing they did need help with was manning the Scholastic Book Fair, which took place last week. Lucky for them, I was free. I got a two-hour shift during which I was to greet and assist customers. (But not touch the cash register. Which, really, was for the best.)
Business was slow when the fair first opened so I worked hard to memorize our stock. And when customers did arrive I was on them like paste on construction paper. We combed the shelves searching for book on kids' and teachers' wish lists. I made suggestions for similar titles. And mostly I pointed across the room to the latest DIARY OF A WIMPY KID book because that's what most of them wanted.
When it was slow, I regaled uninterested fellow volunteers (mommies, math teachers) with my knowledge of children's books and their creators:
Me: "Mo Willems? I interviewed him. So funny." Me: "Marla Frazee? We go waaaay back." Me: "Laura Numeroff? We were totally at a party together once." Me: "Tomie dePaola? Richard Peck? I've ridden elevators with both of them." Me: "Lisa Yee? Why I've been photographed with Peepy."
Them: "Um. Neat."
I also managed to get in a little book shopping for the boy and myself. It had been way too long since I'd added new picture books to my/our collection. If I can't transition from book fair volunteer to a career bookseller, I've always got shopping to fall back on. Here's what I came home with:
ALL THE WORLD by Liz Garton Scanlon, illustrated by Marla Frazee (Because, you know, we go way back. And it's beautiful.)
TURKEY TROUBLE by Wendi Silvano, illustrated by Lee Harper (So seasonal!)
I NEED MY MONSTER by Amanda Knoll, illustrated by Howard McWilliam (The librarian says it's favorite with boys.)
BONES by Steve Jenkins (So cool--it features a four-page-long gate-folded snake skeleton!)
I love the fact that these authors are encouraging teachers to engage students in writing, giving a group of students the chance to engage with an author, and, in turn helping the authors build their audience among teachers, librarians and students. Win, win, and win. (If you know teachers or librarians who would be interested, be sure to send them to the blog.)
I also dig the idea of the virtual school visit via Skype. This is nothing new idea, of course--there are authors who've been doing it successfully for some time now. (TeachingAuthors offer a couple of cool links in their contest post--one with tips on conducting virtual visits, and another that links to a Skype Author Network.) But I still think it's pretty cool that authors can visit any classroom that's techy enough to host them, anywhere, at any time. It's less travel for authors, less expense for schools, and more opportunities for students and authors to connect. Again win, win, and win. (And something to explore for you authors and illustrator who haven't done so. Check out the Skype site for more info. You may already have all the equipment you need.)
I also like what Angela Fox is doing on her blog The Amused Critic. She's got a series of Skype interview with authors and editors (including Elizabeth Law, Lisa Yee, Paula Yoo, and Adam Rex. Angela seems to have a bias toward interview subjects who also have 3-letter last names. Hmmm.) Here's an interview with E-Law swiped from The Amused Critic. Check out the blog for more and enjoy the wonders of Skype.
