Year: 2015
-
Filming Underway on “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them”
Burbank, CA — Principal photography has begun on Warner Bros. Pictures’ highly anticipated feature “Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” The all new adventure is set in the wizarding world created …
-
Author Mark Haddon Responds to Book Challenge
While school officials have made assurances that the book is not being banned from the shelves, the incident raises a red flag for many. The assumption is that I should …
-
Penguin Young Readers and The Crayon Collection Have Established a Partnership
L.A.-based Crayon Collection helps schools, restaurants, and other places set up collection points for gently used crayons, to then share them with Title I schools and Head Start preschools that …
-
Amulet Books Acquires Two New Novels by Bestselling 'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl' Author/Screenwriter Jesse Andrews
NEW YORK, NY – Amulet Books, an imprint of ABRAMS, is proud to announce the acquisition of two young adult novels written by Jesse Andrews, author of the New York Times …
-
Flooded with Understanding
Contributed to CBC Diversity by Tamara Ellis Smith
Early in the fall of 2011, Tropical Storm Irene swept through my home state of Vermont, my town, my street and my home—and all of a sudden I was inside Another Kind of Hurricane, my debut middle-grade novel (Schwartz & Wade, 2015) about Hurricane Katrina, in a way I had never imagined.
I began to write Another Kind of Hurricane in September 2005. The story was born out my then four-year-old son Luc’s question, “Who is going to get my blue jeans?” as we dropped off a bag of food and clothing for the Hurricane Katrina Relief Drive at the Vermont State Police Barracks. I didn’t know how to answer his question. I didn’t know who would get his blue jeans. But he stayed with me, this mystery person. And so I began to imagine: What if a Caucasian boy in Vermont named Henry donated his blue jeans to the relief effort in New Orleans? And what if an African-American boy named Zavion got them? What if Henry put his lucky marble into a pocket of those jeans? And what if Zavion found the marble and wondered who had given him this magical gift?
Because I was writing outside of my experience, I did my homework for this story. I read articles and blogs and books—first-hand accounts of what it was like to be in New Orleans during and after Katrina. I interviewed people. I watched documentaries. I felt as though I knew—as best I could—what it had been like during those harrowing days of the hurricane. I felt emotionally connected to the incredible people who had survived such a tragic disaster. It was from this place that I wrote my novel.
Then Tropical Storm Irene hit and Another Kind of Hurricane became exceedingly more personal.
In an odd, reverse sort of process, life imitated art.
I wrote about this in Hunger Mountain. The visceral and emotional experience of living through Irene (and the subsequent recovery from that flood) gave me personal experience to draw on as I revised my novel. But does that mean I was no longer writing outside my experience?
Yes and no.
Am I more suited to tell a story about flood victims because I have experienced a flood? Yes.
Am I still someone, let’s say, who could borrow money from my family when I lost so much in that flood? Yes. (And, by the way, I needed to and I did.)
Did many of the flood victims in New Orleans not have that privilege? Yes.
This is a small example of a shared experience branching off like the arms of a river – in this case, the arms center around class. (I wrote more about this privilege at Emu’s Debuts.) Mitali Perkins articulates this best in her CBC Diversity blog post Is the Race Card Old School? In the end, she says: “Our job in storytelling is to deploy our adult faculties of experience, research, imagination, and empathy, and do our best to follow.”
What I have come to realize is similar: Striving for knowledge and empathy is critical—when researching a novel—but accepting that I might not be able to ever totally get it is equally critical. Maybe another way to put it is that weaving a good dose of humbleness into my quest for knowledge and empathy is vital when I write about anything outside of my direct experience.
There’s one more thing I have discovered: There is always a space left empty.
The more I think about it, the more I believe that this space is an incredibly vital part of the process of writing outside of one’s experience. Our tendency is to want to fill space. Within the realm of writing outside of one’s experience, I think we sometimes fill space with too much knowledge. I know that sounds strange, or impossible, or wrong even. Didn’t I just say that striving for knowledge and empathy means everything? How could it ever not be a good thing to fill ourselves with solid research?
Of course we need to do research. There is no substitution for that. Nor is there any justification for not doing that. But I think we have to leave space too—for that humbleness, for improvement, and even for a little bit of unease (or even fear) about the fact that we might not get everything right.
But we especially need to leave space for our readers to insert themselves—to make our stories their stories.
Louise Rosenblatt’s Reader Response Theory suggests that it is only when the reader enters the scene and makes meaning from the words running across the page that the book is fully realized. In essence, a book is not a finished piece of literature until it is read. I love this. And I believe it.
Rosenblatt suggests that the text and the reader engage in a sort of circling spiral dance, as opposed to the notion that the text contains all of the meaning within it and the reader’s job is to extract that meaning. So this means that the readers reads a section, gleans some meaning, applies that meaning to the next section, gleans more meaning, feels something new, re-applies meaning to the previous section, applies this new meaning to the next section…and on and on like that.
We talk about offering kids mirrors and windows so that they can see themselves and others in our books. The idea of the book not being fully finished until the reader engages with it creates the opportunity for kids to experience themselves and others. It is a breathtaking and immediate unfolding of feeling and thought and discovery, much like the unfolding of wings.
Leaving space not only honors the important truth that we can never completely know someone else’s experience but also nurtures the capacity for kids to fly.
Tamara Ellis Smith earned her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from the Vermont College of Fine Arts. She lives in Richmond, Vermont, with her family. Another Kind of Hurricane (Schwartz & Wade/Random House, 2015) is her first novel and a portion of the profits from the sale go directly to lowernine.org, an organization dedicated to the long-term recovery of the Lower Ninth Ward. Visit her on the Web at her website, on Twitter, and Facebook.
-
5 Reasons to Visit Your Local Library This Summer
Find books of every genre Join summer reading programs Enjoy an environment that promotes literacy Gain access to free Internet and technology Join story circles The library is a marvelous …
-
Remembering the Audience for Children's Lit
While Buemle is not advocating for age-banding or humorless stories, she would like to see less “snark” and more “earnestness” in kid lit. Above all, she urges authors and publishers …
-
Family Engagement Expert Dr. Karen Mapp And Scholastic Expand Collaboration With Launch of Workshop Series
NEW YORK, NY — Dr. Karen Mapp, Senior Lecturer at Harvard Graduate School of Education and renowned expert in family and community engagement, continues to collaborate with Scholastic Education to increase …
-
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Acquires eBook and Technology Assets from MeeGenius, Strengthens At-Home Digital Content Offering for Early Learners
BOSTON, MA — Global learning company Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) has acquired select eBook and technology assets of MeeGenius — an eBook subscription service for children aged up to eight years old. …
-
Booki Vivat: How I Got into Publishing
Associate Publicist at HarperCollins Children’s Books
Let’s get this out of the way first.
Yes, I work in publishing.
Yes, my name really IS Booki.Sometimes I joke that I got hired because of my name. Who knows, that might be kind of true.
To be honest, I didn’t plan on working in publishing. Actually, I didn’t plan on studying writing or literature, or anything book-related at all. At one point, I was heading towards biochemistry and pharmacy school. To be fair, at another time, I was thinking pretty seriously about becoming an elephant trainer.
Things change.
One constant, though, is that I have always been a book person. When I was forced, (as we all eventually are) to really consider the future, I thought about what I liked and what I wanted to spend my time doing. It always came back to books.
I had no idea how to turn that into a legitimate career, so I combed my college database for even a whiff of the word “book.” For a while, I worked at an aquarium gift shop and bookstore which, despite the cute sea animal plushies and fantastic ocean view, was not exactly what I had in mind.
Eventually, my search led me to a literary agency in San Diego. I interviewed with the agent there and convinced him to let me hang around that summer as his intern. The office was like a gold mine of children’s literature—shelves filled with my favorite authors/illustrators, picture book artwork lining the walls, that sort of thing.
I had somehow stumbled into this world where I finally felt I belonged, and by the end of the summer, I was SOLD.
When I graduated, I contacted him again with an eager, but admittedly clueless email that went something like this: “Remember me? Your old intern? I still like books! I still want to work in publishing! What should I do?”
Okay, a little more professional and a few less exclamation points, but that was the gist of it. He gave me some encouraging advice and made a future in publishing seem like a real possibility—not an impossible pipe dream, but something I could actually do (and do well).The fact is, though, I was in California and most of publishing was not. Moving to the other side of the country sounded hard, especially with student loans and no savings or job prospects. Plus, ever since I said I wanted to work in New York, it seemed like everyone felt obligated to warn me about how ruthless the city was and how difficult it was to get a job, let alone one in publishing.
So I moved to a different country. No, really, I did.
I taught English at a public middle school in South Korea partly as a post-grad quest for life experience and partly to save up money. Turns out, it also expanded my appreciation for children’s books and their ability to reach readers on such a profoundly massive scale in such a deeply personal way. My students and I bonded over stories that transcended our language barrier, age gap, and cultural divide. I never expected my extensive knowledge of the Wizarding World to earn me any sort of street cred, but hey, life is weird.
After two years, I moved to New York. I worked at a bookstore in the city and reached out to the agent once again: “Remember me? Your old, old intern? I still like books! I still want to work in publishing! I’m in New York—now what?”
Even though it had been years, my short summer internship helped connect me to former interns who made the same move and were now working in the industry. They then recommended me to an internship program at a prestigious literary agency in the city. There, I met even more amazing book people who helped me channel my love of reading into a more informed enthusiasm for the publishing world.
There is a lot to be said about cultivating relationships with people who recognize your potential and want to see you do well. These people are the best. They are the whole reason I’m even working in publishing now.
When a position at HarperCollins Children’s Books opened up, I applied despite knowing very little about book publicity. Somehow I got the job, and I’m sure it had a lot to do with the people who had been rooting for me the whole time.
My name might have helped too, so thanks Mom.
I realize my short “how I got into publishing” post has morphed into a rambling, nostalgic diary entry about how much I love publishing and the people in it, but maybe that’s okay.
After all, the one unanimous thing people told me when I said I wanted to work in publishing was, “You have to love it”.
And I guess I really really do.
Booki Vivat is currently an Associate Publicist at HarperCollins Children’s Books. She grew up in California and graduated from University of California, San Diego with a double major in Literature/Writing and Communications. She now lives in Brooklyn and is now steadily amassing her own personal library on the east coast. She doodles a lot.
-
Mary Pope Osborne on the Essential Power of Books
In a recent interview, Osborne gives a look into her writing process and close interaction with fans. An advocate of the Soar with Reading program, Osborne hopes to make books …
-
Quarterly Kid Lit Magazine to Launch in 2016
The magazine’s first issue will include a feature on Tara Books, the India-based children’s publisher; a survey of nonsense literature for kids; a profile of Portuguese illustrator Catarina Sobral; and …
-
2015 Partner for Pride Reading List
For each title posted, 3M donated five dollars to ALA’s Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, and Transgender Round Table. The resulting 2015 Partner for Pride Reading List is now available. (Library Journal …
-
Remembering Author Ann McGovern
McGovern was born on May 25, 1930 in New York City. Her passion for reading and storytelling offered comfort throughout a difficult childhood. McGovern went on to hold several positions …
-
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and WGBH Boston Sign Co-production Agreement for Gossie & Friends Television Series
BOSTON, MA — Houghton Mifflin Harcourt (HMH) (NASDAQ: HMHC) and national public media producer WGBH today announced a co-production agreement for the creation of a television and cross-platform series based …
-
Author Matt de la Peña's "Silent Revolution"
What unifies de la Peña’s writing across genres and styles, is his commitment to portraying diverse characters and the challenges they face. He strives to give a voice to disadvantaged …
-
How Audiobooks Can Improve Reading Skills
According to Learning Ally, the national non-profit committed to helping visually impaired and dyslexic students find academic success, listening to audiobooks can actually raise a student’s reading level. Listening to …
-
The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art Announces 2015 Carle Honors Honorees
Amherst, MA — The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is pleased to announce the 2015 Carle Honors honorees to be celebrated at Guastavino’s in New York City on …
-
The Importance of Giving a Voice to the Voiceless (Human and Animal Alike)
Confession: it takes a lot to make me cry.
It’s not that I’m not an emotional person, or that if I’m having a drink with you and your heartbreaking story doesn’t bring an immediate tear to my eye that I’m not moved. I just don’t do the whole crying thing (complete with pretty tears) very often. I have consistently tested as a “Thinker” (as opposed to “Feeler”) on the Myers Briggs’ personality test, so I tend to digest and process most life experiences and the sad things I see in the world logically. While I do get upset from time to time, I muddle through life for the most part with dry eyes.
That said, when it happens, it’s never pretty.
When the world of social media blew up last week with the details following the death of poor Cecil the lion, I was amazed at how much of a strong, visceral reaction I had to the entire situation almost immediately. I’m talking ugly crying - angry tears. It…wasn’t attractive.
Here was an animal I didn’t know (my only encounters with lions being at the zoo behind glass walls), and yet the reaction I felt was almost as if this animal was a close, personal friend. The logical part of my brain reasons it quite simply. Here was a beautiful, majestic fellow creature in the world, one who inspired and delighted generations, served as an invaluable research subject for the University of Oxford, and brought in needed wealth and support for Zimbabwe, all sacrificed for the benefit of one man’s ego. Cecil’s life ended horribly, and there was no one there to protect him, to speak up for him, or to save him in the end. And that made me very upset.
Why am I talking about this on a diversity blog? Because in the midst of this horribly sad story, there emerged a small silver lining that I think pertains to the diversity conversation. Following Cecil’s death, there was an incredible, powerful, and immediate wave of support for the poor creature that emerged from humans worldwide. From financial donations (almost $500,000 raised within 48 hours after the story broke), to social media outrage, to petitions and movements demanding both justice for Cecil and protection for his pride, it was incredible to see just how quickly humankind jumped in line to offer a voice for a fellow creature who suffered in silence.
As human beings, we often take for granted just how powerful our voices can be when used effectively. For Cecil, the way supporters’ voices compounded offered just a little bit of positivity amongst what was otherwise a completely horrifying situation.
Within our industry alone, there are many voices that need this sort of positive, unwavering, and inspiring support on a regular basis. Think of the teen who is coming to terms with his sexuality for the first time in a high school where those who don’t fit the status quo are ostracized and targeted by bullies. Or the little girl who is attending her first day of school where she doesn’t quite look like everyone else and doesn’t know how comfortable she feels speaking up in class. As publishers, authors, booksellers, librarians, and book lovers alike, it is vital to celebrate, promote, and fight for a world that offers a voice to those who feel voiceless, and support for those who need it most.
How can we do this? By publishing books that cover the entire spectrum of the human experience and more accurately reflect the multicultural world we live in –making diverse authors, characters, and stories a constant priority at every house. By providing authors of diverse backgrounds with the necessary forums to reach those kids who need to know they’re not alone in the world on a regular basis. By partnering with local LGBTQ groups, at-risk youth programs, and other organizations to reach those kids most in need of a voice beyond their local bookstore.
Cecil’s story became a phenomenon in part due to the support and voice humankind offered a creature who couldn’t speak for himself. Can’t we do at least that much for our own kind?
-
Dr. Seuss's 'What Pet Should I Get?' is the Fastest-Selling Picture Book in Random House Children's Books History
New York, NY — In its first week on sale, which began on July 28, WHAT PET SHOULD I GET? sold 200,000 copies, making it the fastest-selling picture book in Random …
