{it all comes down to this}

LEE AND LOW who, for years, have been publishing multicultural children’s books, even before it because a “thing” in the late nineties and the early-oughts, recently brought a simple – but complex – question into the blogosphere. WHAT is UP with the lack of diversity in children’s books? Way back in the Clinton era, First […]

{“the next big thing!” – a meme for authors}

I don’t “do” memes usually, but this, I feel, is a great exercise in both talking up my own work, and clarifying what, of the umpteenmillion projects in my files, I want to start on next. It’s also an excuse for fangirling wildly at authors personally known and unknown, and their gigantic, mastadon-sized talent and […]

{my posse don’t do history: the case for historical fiction}

Cross-posted at Finding Wonderland Imagine two best friends, united against a common enemy. It is the pitch of midnight, and they are making a desperate flight across country, to deliver a package necessary to the scrappy resistance fighters desperately battling a corrupt government for their freedom. There’s been a car accident, so they’re the emergency […]

{the historical – and highly awesome – take back halloween.org}

Y’know, I’m not always a big fan of Halloween… we didn’t participate when I was growing up, and even as a big kid now I don’t usually. One reason is it’s a night to be someone else, but fairly often, that someone else seems to be on five-inch heels, wearing ripped fishnets, tarantula-leg mascara, and […]

Fish of All Shades

In August, my friend Laura is going to present her paper to the International Research Society for Children’s Literature at the University of Goethe in Frankfurt, Germany. I’m really proud of her, and hope that I can find a reasonably priced flight to get over and hear her in person. Laura previously worked for Lee […]

Yours In Exasperation…

Mini-rant: Do you know how HARD it is to find multicultural middle grade mystery novels? Somehow, most novels that feature multicultural characters stop at the third grade reading level, and let’s not talk about mysteries — Apparently life is entirely straightforward for characters outside of the dominant culture. No mystery at all. SIGH. I KNOW […]