Fusenews: Properly vicious
There comes a time when I have so much news for a Fusenews that it paralyzes me and rather than write one up I just let my files accrue more and more schtoof until the vicious circle ends with a massive deletion. Today some of this stuff will strike you as a bit out of date, but the bulk is pretty darn fun.
- Anytime I write a post that involves race in some way I gird my loins and prepare for the worst. The worst did not occur yesterday, however, when I wrote about moments of surprising racism in classic children’s books. Perhaps everyone was distracted by Jonathan Hunt’s post on The Present Tense. Now THAT is a hot and heavy discussion!
- Writing a children’s novel in the present tense is one thing. Including cursive in picture books? That’s another.
- Oh, Cotsen Children’s Library. Is there anything you can’t do? Because, to be perfectly frank, I think even the prospect of interviewing Philip Pullman would render me effectively mute. And then there was that AMAZING piece on the woman who makes Harry Potter miniatures. Seriously, this is your required reading of the day.
- Oh fine. It’s not really the required reading. I mean, it’s cool and all but if we compare it to the René Saldaña, Jr. piece Forgive Me My Bluntness: I’m a Writer of Color and I’m Right Here In Front of You: I’m the One Sitting Alone at the Table then there’s no question what post you absolutely must read today.
- Because I love Kalamazoo in all its myriad forms, this caught my eye. For you Michiganders out there:
In February 2014, 95 youth librarians, youth library workers, and students gathered at Clinton-Macomb Public Library for a truly excellent day of professional development, idea-sharing, networking, and learning, unconference style. In 2015, we’ll gather April 24th at Kalamazoo Public Library. Hosted by Lisa Mulvenna (Clinton-Macomb PL), Anne Clark (Alice and Jack Wirt PL, Bay City), and Andrea Vernola (Kalamazoo PL), the MI KidLib Unconference will feature relevant and engaging sessions decided on by participants at the conference. And as is typical of an Unconference, it’s FREE to attend. Registration begins in January 2015.
Here are the session notes from last year in case you want to see what we learned together. We hope you’ll join us and spread the word to anyone who’s interested in youth services in libraries!
- If you had told me even two years ago that I would be the de facto mathematics librarian, ideal for moderating events like the Science & Mathematics Panel of Jordan Ellenberg, “Science Bob” Pflugfelder, and Benedict Carey at the Penguin Random House Author Event for NYC Educators, I would have been utterly baffled. And yet here we are. Know any teachers in the NYC area? Because the whole kerschmozzle appears to be free.
- Things That I Didn’t Know Existed Until Recently: Apparently the Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center created a site called BookDragon that seeks to create a site for multicultural children’s literature. And not just of the Asian Pacific nature either. It’s a true multicultural site and a fun one to scroll through. Check it!
- This came out a while ago so I’m sure you already saw it, but just in case you didn’t, the Marc Tyler Nobleman Kidlit Mashups are nothing short of inspired.
Oh man. Iron Man as a goodnight picture book done in a homemade cut paper style. Not a real book. Should be though. Thanks to Marjorie Ingall for the link.
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One of my favorite illustrators, Aaron Zenz, wrote me the following message you would be very wise to read it, oh those amongst ye with an artistic bent. This art gives light and life and meaning to my day:
We play this game on our second blog every three years or so, and I believe you’ve made note of it in the past. So I thought I’d let you know this time around also that we’re letting professional illustrators and artists dip into the 8 year archive at Chicken Nugget Lemon Tooty to reimagine Z-Kid art once again:http://www.isaacgracelily.
blogspot.com/2014/08/ 8yearcelebration.html There have been some great kid lit contributors in the past like Nathan Hale, Charise Harper, Jarrett Krosoczka, Renata Liwska, Adam Rex… And even though the call just went out for this new round, kid lit folks Julie Phillipps and Doug Jones have already hopped on board (both of them have also played all three times!)
Go! Play!
- My sister wrote me the other day to ask for a recommendation of a great children’s book about a jellyfish. I complied then found out why she wanted to know. I love it when she succeeds in her crazy plans on her blog but truth be told she’s awfully hilarious when she fails. It’s a Jellyfish in a bottle [FAIL].
- Daily Image:
It’s nice to have friends who know boats. Particularly when they start critiquing classic works of children’s literature. My friend Stefan Driesbach-Williams recently posted this familiar illustration:
Then he wrote, “I’m seeing a cutter with a loose-footed staysail and a boomkin.”
But it was the response from his nautical friends that made my day. One Levi Austin White responded with the following:
“Aye! Captain Max has only got his smallest storm stays’l aloft like a prudent mariner, although his main looks really drafty and dangerously powered up.
He seems to have his main trimmed in all the way, but headed dead downwind. That seems like a disastrous combination considering his mains’l tuning. I don’t see any reef points on his main though, so perhaps he’s outta luck.
Any news on his journey? Did he survive the storm? The way the seafoam is scudding across the wave tops, I’d say that he’s on the lee shore of a low lying island, with 50-70 kts windspeed. Looks properly vicious.
Best of luck, Captain Max. May the seas be forever in your favor.”
Filed under: Fusenews
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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Re: the post from René Saldaña, Jr. – Guess who has The Story of Colors on the shelf of her school library in little Asheboro, NC? Yes! This story is important. I hope many librarians read and take note. It also ties back to the discussion of Amazon vs. Publishers and the push to save brick and mortar bookstores. If we only shop online, how will authors like René be have the chance to have their books published by small presses specializing in books by authors/illustrators of color?
There has been much discussion here and elsewhere on the lack of diversity in children’s lit as well as in the editorial ranks generally. Whenever I hear people sending out the call for characters of color, and kids who represent all the other demographics (LGBTQ characters, etc) I think about the unwritten bias that exists regarding the ethnicity of the writer. I know many authors, myself included, who are white Europeans who have written stories with main characters who were black boys, or native american girls and who have been told sorry, we can’t publish this because you cannot tell this story. It’s odd and sad, given that we need the stories out there and all authors feel the pull to tell certain stories for many, many reasons, only one of which is the color of someone’s skin. We don’t say a woman can’t write a book with a main character who is a boy, or vice versa but we are entrenched in old rules that keep us running in place.