Blog
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Supporting Young Readers with Mental Health Issues
YA services coordinator and founder of the Teen Librarian Toolbox blog Karen Jensen shares suggestions for creating a safe and supportive atmosphere in which teens can find support — both in person …
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Hunger Games Fans Appalled by Theme Park, Partner with Activist Organizations to Take Back the Narrative
Mockingjay, Part 2, the final installment of the Hunger Games series, hits theaters worldwide this week, but fan reactions have not been all positive. A storm of outrage brewed online …
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Humanity and Harmony at YALLFEST 2015
By Daniel Ehrenhaft, Editorial Director at Soho Teen/Soho Press
A brief note of thanks
I’ve had the privilege to serve on the CBC Diversity Committee for three years, and this blog post marks the end of my tenure. I want to express my gratitude to all members past and present for the opportunity to work with you, particularly the staff at the CBC. Owing in large part to your tireless efforts (and gigantic brains), the industry has made tremendous strides in publishing children’s books that reflect points of view, identities, backgrounds, and cultures in ways that would have been unthinkable even ten years ago. But our work as publishing professionals is just getting started. Your ongoing commitment reminds us all how far we have to go.
I originally intended to write something different, so I offer my apologies.
As a lucky attendee of YALLFEST 2015 I had a vague notion to write about the state of diversity among the authors, the panel topics, and the featured books at the festival. This is best left to its organizers, friends to whom I owe a debt of gratitude for being invited to participate. Upon arrival in Charleston, I learned about the horror and tragedy in Paris. It reinforced a collective obligation we had at YALLFEST this year: to honor Cynthia Hurd, a friend of the festival and a victim of the massacre at the local Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church.
Charleston is a gorgeous city. It is also remarkable for its public commemoration of slave owners, for whom monuments were built, streets named, and respected civic organizations formed.
On Saturday my friend and fellow author, Andisheh Nouraee, picnicked in Marion Park with his family. We marveled at the statute of John C. Calhoun. No doubt Calhoun had good qualities. He was also arguably the most effective advocate for slavery in early 19th-century America. In Charleston, by design, he has been immortalized as a symbolic hero; I stayed at the Calhoun Street Marriott. Soon we were wondering: What would it be like for either of us to stay, say, at the Goering Street Marriott, across the street from a statue of Hermann Goering? “But he had good qualities; he won the Blue Max.” Would it be all that different from the environment in which Cynthia Hurd, a black librarian, lived and worked and served her community? She, too, had an irreverent sense of humor—funnier and more appropriate than ours, from what I’ve learned—in spite of a life spent among monuments to human beings who denied her essential humanity.
But complaints about Charleston’s history dishonor Cynthia Hurd. Without exception the locals I met treated one another with a unique ease and grace—with a kind of distinctive, collective goodwill that to an outsider like me feels specifically theirs. Nowhere was this better represented than in the members of the West Ashleigh High School Choir. Here were 40 teens of different backgrounds and ethnicities, united by their talent and love of music, harmonizing together in memory of Cynthia Hurd.
This is the soul of Charleston, not its statues or street names. These are the voices and faces of diversity. Remember them during your next acquisitions meeting, marketing campaign, or publicity program. We owe it to them to follow their example and to provide them with the literature they deserve.
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Penguin Random House Relaunches #GiveaBook Campaign
Now through December 24, Penguin Random House will donate one book to the literacy nonprofit First Book (up to 35,000 times) for each use of the #GiveaBook hashtag. Last year …
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Penguin Young Readers to Publish Parody of ‘The Rabbit Who Wants to Fall Asleep’
New York, NY — Penguin Young Readers, a division of Penguin Random House, announced today that they will publish The Rabbit Who Wants to Go to Harvard by Diana Holquist and …
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The NSTA and CBC Reveal the 2016 Outstanding Science Trade Books
Since 1973, NSTA and CBC have collaborated on the list to provide educators with access to quality science books. The Outstanding Science list will be featured on both organizations’ websites and …
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Nominations Open for 28 Days Later: A Black History Month Showcase
The deadline for nominations is December 1, 2015. Click here for more details and to view previous honorees. Our mission is to raise awareness of the many African Americans creating books for …
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World Famous Feline Grumpy Cat Joins Iconic Little Golden Books Line in 2016
New York, NY — The iconic Little Golden Book format will extend its collection of beloved characters this July to include Grumpy Cat, the world’s most famous cat, as announced today …
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Kidsreads.com Announces a Major Update to Its Series Books Feature
Kidsreads.com has updated its Series feature, which now boasts close to 200 picture, elementary and middle grade series, both modern and classic. Readers can learn about each series and author …
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#DrawingDiversity: ‘Maria Had a Little Llama / María Tenía Una Llamita’ by Angela Dominguez
Maria Had a Little Llama / María Tenía Una Llamita. By Angela Dominguez (Henry Holt/@macmillankids, August 2013). All rights reserved.
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Edward Tulane’s Classroom Journey
Kate DiCamillo’s doll recently paid a visit to 5th grade students at the Thomas Jefferson School in Morristown, New Jersey. After reading all about his miraculous adventures, students had the chance to meet Edward …
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New Book From Top Parenting Bloggers Will Get Kids Reading Like “Rock Stars”
NEW YORK, NY – Popular parenting bloggers Amy Mascott (Teach Mama) and Allison McDonald (No Time for Flash Cards) debut their first-ever parenting book, Raising a Rock-Star Reader, to help …
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Amazon Editors Choose the Best Books of 2015
Best Books of 2015 Baby-Age 2 Ages 3-5 Ages 6-8 Ages 9-12 Top 20 Children’s Books of 2015 Best Young Adult Books of 2015 Best Books of 2015
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NYC Reads 365 Promotes Daily Reading
As part of the initiative, all pre-K-12 schools in the city will receive materials to encourage reading in the classroom and beyond. Resources include age-appropriate book lists, posters, bookmarks, and training …
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Aladdin to Publish New Illustrated Children’s Book by Beth Stern
New York, NY – Aladdin Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, will publish YODA GETS A BUDDY, an illustrated children’s book by television personality, animal activist, and …
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Writing About Autism
By Karole Cozzo, Author
Writing has always been both a passion and hobby of mine, and I penned my debut novel, How to Say I Love You Out Loud in the wee hours of the morning, in ten-minute unexpected snippets of free time, and in part when I was on maternity leave with my son. But my day job, my work as a school psychologist, is another passion of mine, one that has inspired and influenced my writing. About 70% of the population at my school has a diagnosis on the autism spectrum, many with co-morbid conditions. As more research is being done in the area of autism and more information is shared in the media, the general public is becoming more aware and understanding of what it means to live with autism.
However, in speaking with those who don’t work with children or in education, I often find there is still a great deal of misinformation circulating or false assumptions made. This is in part due to the fact that typically, people affected by autism don’t “look” disabled – often times children with autism are perceived as difficult or naughty, and adults living with autism are woefully misunderstood. A recent news article from the San Jose area documents one neighborhood’s attempt to proceed with a lawsuit following claims that an autistic child living within it was a public nuisance. While I firmly believe there are two sides to every story, this represents a dangerous precedent and a step backward in understanding and tolerance at a time when we’d like to believe we’re moving forward in these areas.
It’s my belief that inclusive stories are a phenomenal way to provide a snapshot of what life for families living with disabilities is actually like. My passions merging, I was inspired to write How to Say I Love You Out Loud to recognize, honor, and share with the world, not only the individuals who face challenges every day, but their support systems as well: the parents, grandparents, aunts and uncles, siblings, neighbors, and friends —the many unsung heroes who pull together to meet the multiple needs of a child with a disability. And as an author, I felt a huge responsibility to create an authentic representation of the experience of living with autism. In doing so, I faced several challenges in creating Phillip’s character in particular.
First, I was faced with the realization that we have limited opportunities to hear firsthand what living with autism is like. The communication and social deficits associated with the disorder make it extremely difficult for those living with autism to relay their personal experiences to others. I believe this is one reason why Temple Grandin, author, autism advocate, and speaker, is guaranteed to draw a crowd. She is one of very few examples of individuals with autism who are capable of and willing to try to capture their experience in words and share it with others. Otherwise, we are left to speculate, make conjectures, and try to relate a pattern of often inexplicable behavior to possible emotions, anxieties, fears, and frustrations. We put the puzzle pieces together the best we can, but it is hard to be certain we have obtained a clear understanding of the other person’s experience at that moment.
Second, the “spectrum” aspect of autism spectrum disorder posed another challenge in bringing a fictional character with autism to life. While all people with autism share the same “types” of difficulties (namely in the areas of language, social interactions, and social imagination), the condition affects individuals in different ways. Some may present with low intelligence levels, while some may be capable of performing within the significantly-advanced range. Some may be incredibly sensitive to sound, while others may be bothered by tactile sensations or have extreme food aversions or preferences. Some may develop average-range language skills, while others may rely on assistive technology to communicate their wants and needs. In writing one character with autism, it was difficult to acknowledge that I could in no way adequately capture the experience. The character of Phillip is the embodiment of autism as it affects one person, and the reality is that Phillip may look very different from a person with autism a reader knows in the real world.
Lastly, I was faced with the challenge, when writing about life with a disability, any disability, of trying to find a balance between my portrayal of his challenges and successes. It was important to me not to misrepresent how extremely difficult and taxing it can be to live with a disability that may never be “cured.” In some cases, every single day is difficult, and I wanted to capture that nature of the disorder – that there is never a break, never a day off, never a reprieve from its challenges. However, it was also incredibly important to me that I did not dehumanize Phillip or reduce him to his condition. Individuals with autism are capable of great successes, and many demonstrate one or more splinter skills (a particular skill above his or her overall performance level). Individuals with autism do exhibit breakthrough moments, however rare, however impacted by communication challenges, in which they show a desire and joy in connecting with family members or friends. There are good days and bad days, close days and far away days. There are tears…and there is joy and laughter. It is my sincere hope that my story captures all of these.
Karole Cozzo is a school psychologist by day, a wife and mother of two by night, and a writer of YA romance in the wee hours of the morning. She loves camping out at Starbucks, breakfast cereal at all hours, and watching every movie made from her favorite YA books. How to Say I Love You Out Loud is her debut novel. Her next book, How to Keep Rolling After a Fall, will be available in August 2016.
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Kate DiCamillo on Writing for and Connecting with Young Readers
Looking back on her two-year ambassadorship, DiCamillo shared some of her personal highlights and connections with young readers. I’ve been all over the country visiting schools, libraries and community centers. And …
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Discover the Best Kid Lit Gifts!
Established in 1919, Children’s Book Week is the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country. From May 2-8, 2016, the Children’s Book Council and Every Child a Reader will host …
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Breaking Free from the Gendered Book List
The following suggestions are designed to get gatekeepers — parents, teachers, and librarians — to expand their thinking about the books they introduce to kids: Ask questions about dialogue and action, rather than the …
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Scholastic Extends and Expands Publishing Agreement with Lego® Through 2019
New York, NY — Scholastic (NASDAQ: SCHL), the global children’s publishing, education and media company, has extended and expanded its publishing relationship with LEGO through 2019, which will now include World …
