feel the love

17 Feb 2017 news 0 Comments

IMG_0634I didn’t stay home yesterday in observance of the immigrant strike; I had a half-day school visit in Bushwick and started my book talk for second graders with my usual pronouncement: “I’m an immigrant!” One little Black girl recoiled in horror and then I realized the kids didn’t know what an immigrant was. She relaxed once I explained that I’ve lived in the US for over 20 years but used to live somewhere else. Confusion and concern in a seven-year-old I understand, but the panic among adults is just irrational and the recent deportations are appalling. I’ve mostly stayed safe inside my “Brooklyn bubble” since the election, but last week I was in DC and this week I spent a couple of days in Baltimore. Both trips were fantastic and I came home feeling energized and very grateful for the good people in my life and their willingness to share their platform with me. Deb Taylor at the Enoch Pratt Free Library designed the perfect author visit—I had time to write in the hotel, we had a sumptuous dinner (and Deb let me eat most of the blueberry cobbler we shared for dessert), and then the next day I visited two high schools including Deb’s alma mater Western HS. The young women there had great questions and told me about their own novels-in-progress, and the students at Mervo HS later that day were just as engaged. Before leaving Baltimore I had time to meet with a writer friend and her family—they made me this lovely card and I left the city with a full heart.

Screen Shot 2017-02-17 at 12.02.05 PMColleen Mondor reviewed The Door at the Crossroads for Locus Magazine last year, and this month she wrote up a summary of her favorite 2016 YA reads. She concluded with Crossroads and I was both touched and honored by her words. Immigrant authors have a unique vision to share with their readers, and I’m grateful to allies like Colleen who are working to tear down the walls put up by gatekeepers in the publishing industry. Unfortunately, so far, Colleen’s advice to the “book gods” has largely gone unheeded. The CCBC has released their stats for 2016—no real progress for Black authors and illustrators:

Of the approximately 3,400 books we received at the CCBC in 2016, most from U.S. publishers, here’s the breakdown*:

  • 278 books had significant African or African American content
    • 71 of these were by Black authors and/or illustrators
  • 92 books were by Black authors and/or illustrators
    • 21 of these had no visible African/African American cultural content)
  • 237 books had significant Asian/Pacific or Asian/Pacific American content
    • 75 of these were by authors and/or illustrators of Asian/Pacific heritage
  • 212 books were by authors and/or illustrators of Asian/Pacific heritage
    • 137 of these had no visible Asian/Pacific cultural content
  • 55 books had significant First/Native Nations content
    • 21 of these were by First/Native Nations authors and/or illustrators
  •  22 books were by First/Native Nations authors and/or illustrators
    • 1 of these had no visible First/Native Nations content
    • 166 books had significant Latino content
      • 58 of these were by Latino authors and/or illustrators
      • 101 books were by Latino authors and/or illustrators
        • 43 of these had no visible cultural content

16641074_1246374078803935_7981457976347973028_nTiffany Rachann, founder of Imagiread, has awarded Milo’s Museum the Imagiread seal of approval! Tiffany also developed a free supplement with discussion questions and activity ideas; you can even watch a video and hear Tiffany read the opening pages of the book! I’ve been wanting to make a video for Milo and this is just the inspiration I needed…

Teaching for Change has posted an important list of Afro-Latino titles for kids and teens; Max Loves Muñecas is included along with some other great titles–check them out. School Library Journal also published a list compiled by the Bank Street College of Education: “From Refugees to Voting Rights, Books to Inspire a Just, Inclusive Society.” A Wish After Midnight is in the section on Racism in Fiction.

Finally I signed, sealed, and delivered my contract with Random House today! To my surprise, beneath my signature I was asked to write my citizenship; I’m sure that’s for accounting purposes, but in today’s climate it gave me pause. I’m proud to be Canadian and I’m proud to be American. This immigrant author has a lot more stories to tell…