Hot Women of Children’s Literature?
A Letter From the Management:
I think the Fall brings out the feistiness in folks. It’s the time of year when people are dead set on giving out their opinions to any and all and the cool autumnal weather gives them the gumption to do so.
As I may have mentioned earlier in the week, Roger Sutton had a downright stirring debate on his blog about the representative presence of female illustrators (or lack thereof) in the world of children’s literature. Then fairrosa, bless her heart, dragged my Hot Men of Children’s Literature postings into the mix. Several people mentioned that the posts make them uncomfortable. That it is unprofessional, inappropriate, and silly. That swooning over menfolk may, in fact, gives them an advantage over respective womenfolk and y’know . . . it’s hard to argue with that last point there. Silliness is not a problem, but why should I just look at the mensies?
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When I first started making HMOCL postings, it was for fun. I just liked the idea. No one else was doing it (though, I will note, I was not the first to think of it) and it got my blog some attention in the early days. I’ve kept doing it now for almost 2 years and it has had a fine and fancy run. At this point, it’s sort of become a weird marketing tool too. Now I sense a change in the air. A shift in the wind. Only a woman could ever do a Hot WOMEN of Children’s Literature posting, due to the twisty turny nature of gender and sexism in this country. If someone is going to be sexist, they’d better be a gal. And a gal I be.
So here’s the deal. 2008, I claim thee for women. Hot Men of Children’s Literature, you’ve had a good run but it’s time to put this baby to bed. And since I am a lady of unerring good taste, the phrase "hot" shall hereby mean: awesome.
I may work in a man or two to end 2007, but from here on in I wash my hands of them. If we’re going to be shallow, we’re going to be equal opportunity shallow. So speaketh I.
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About Betsy Bird
Betsy Bird is currently the Collection Development Manager of the Evanston Public Library system and a former Materials Specialist for New York Public Library. She has served on Newbery, written for Horn Book, and has done other lovely little things that she'd love to tell you about but that she's sure you'd find more interesting to hear of in person. Her opinions are her own and do not reflect those of EPL, SLJ, or any of the other acronyms you might be able to name. Follow her on Twitter: @fuseeight.
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When do you start taking nominations? And is it OK if they only write YA, or is this mainly childrens authors?
Putting on my thinking cap.
Well, let’s limit it to children’s. I’ve tried to avoid HMOCLs that were YA (hence the obvious disinclusion of people like Markus Zusak) so I’ll hold the women to the same standards. And yes! Nominate frequently. Lord knows how often I’ll post them and I need all the help I can get.
I nominate Kirsten Miller (if you can’t find a pic, just email me). And all the readergirlz divas. And Sarah Miller. And Lesley M. M. Blume.
Awww, and I was just going to nominate Gene Barretta to the Hot Men list! As a new blogger, I found the list fun and was never considered it offensive. The phenomenon has been happening for years at my library, especially over Peter Catalanatto! It’s too bad that the big bad marketing monster had to intervene!
Can’t wait to see the ladies!
Shawn
I don’t know if it’s so much the big bad marketing monster as it is my own sense of fair play at work here. I mean, if I wanted to do a Hot Men of Children’s Literature post every single day, couldn’t nuthin’ nor no one stop me. I just figured I’d give the ladies a chance as well. Now to go inspect that Gene Barretta and Peter Catalanatto of which you speak . . . .
Can I nominate Emily Gravett and Lauren Child please?
But if you’re going to be shallow, then hot has to mean hot, now awesome, which means awesome. Therein lies the whole cheap and lightly transgressive thrill of the thing!
Hmmm. Good point. Let’s look up the term “Hot” in the dictionary then. *ahem* Hot: It can mean “attractive” (slang) or “popular and commercially successful; in demand; marketable: ex: The Beatles were a hot group in the 1960s.” So really, the term itself lends itself to a wide interpretation. JK Rowling is the hot fantasy author right now. Could we not extend that particular view to others working in the field. Don’t worry, though. I’m pretty shallow anyway.
I’m voting for Mitali Perkins and Lisa Yee. They are way, way hot, as any fule no.