Teen Freedom-to-Read Advocates Talk with Lesléa Newman, Ellen Hopkins, and Mike Curato: "Are You Free to Read What You Want?"

Watch this 90 minute discussion, hosted by both SCBWI's Impact and Legacy Fund and the National Coalition Against Censorship.

Clockwise from top left: Lesléa Newman, Ellen Hopkins, Mike Curato, and Lin Oliver

Here's the official synopsis of the discussion:

Books play an essential role in how young people develop their identities and core values. Yet tensions around book-banning and censorship in public schools and libraries have limited their right to read what they want and need, without having to face down school boards, aggressive lobbying groups, and adults who want to control their right to information. Recorded on Wednesday November 30th the SCBWI Impact and Legacy Fund partnered with the National Coalition Against Censorship to host a critical and timely discussion: Are You Free to Read What You Want?

 Hear directly from the people most affected by attacks on intellectual freedom—high school student advocates for free speech and banned authors—as they discuss the impact of book banning on education and freedom of speech. Our renowned author panelists include Lesléa Newman, Mike Curato, and Ellen Hopkins, in conversation with high school student leaders representing the youth movement.

 It’s a frank and essential conversation. Tune in to hear the personal stories of three prominent banned authors and to participate in their interaction with outstanding student leaders.

Publishers Weekly covered the panel here, and you can watch the full recording here.

Illustrate, Translate, and Write On,
Lee

From the SCBWI Video Vault - Mike Curato "Beats the Second Book Blues"

Have you checked out the wisdom and inspiration at the SCBWI youtube channel?

In this four minute video recorded in 2017, Mike Curato shares so much insight and heart...

"Make things that make you smile... or cry, because you know it's true."

and

"Making a book is about discovering who we are... and in each one I find a new truth."

and

"What if everyone told their story?"

What if you told your story? We hope you do.

Thanks, Mike!

And for everyone else reading this, Illustrate, Translate, and Write On,
Lee

Mike Curato shares the story behind the story of his new picture book (and why Bina Bear is Purple)

Over at his blog, Mike Curato shares the story behind the story of Where is Bina Bear?

From the doodles/sketches that started it all, 

some of those sketches that inspired Mike's Bina Bear character

to the book dummy, to the illustration style and the meaning behind this story, it's a fascinating window into Mike's process. 

One highlight:

On the surface, Where Is Bina Bear? is a cute hide and seek book. One could read this book and quickly chalk it up to a funny story about a bear with social anxiety. But for me it’s even more about two people trying to be good friends as best they can with what they have to work with. Tiny sees past Bina’s anxiety with compassion and playfulness, and we come to learn that Bina only came to this party because of her love and loyalty to Tiny. In the end, the most important thing is being together, and the two find a creative way to do just that.

It's well worth checking out, and maybe inspiration for the rest of us to share the story behind the story of our books as well!

Illustrate, Translate, and Write On,
Lee

"Celebrating Queer Voices" Highlights from SCBWI Celebrates #OwnVoices January 2021 Workshop

SCBWI's "Celebrating Queer Voices" Workshop on January 14, 2021 was the first in a new, free series of #OwnVoices discussions that will be happening quarterly!

The Queer Voices Panelists with their books!

Pictured: 

top row: Sign language interpreter Jennye Kamin; moderator Phil Bildner with a copy of Phil's middle grade novel A High Five For Glenn Burke; Mike Curato with a copy of Mike's YA graphic novel, Flamer.

middle row: Alex Gino with a copy of Alex's George and Rick; Abdi Nazemian with a copy of Abdi's Like a Love Story.

lower row: J Yang with a copy of J's Spirit Day; and Kaylynn Bayron with a copy of Kaylynn's Cinderella is Dead.

Some highlights:

Kaylynn speaking of her Cinderella is Dead: "Black girls team up to overthrow the patriarchy." And on unlearning while centering Queer black girls in her writing.

J speaking of the impact of the secondary Trans character in Tamora Pierce's Bloodhound, and how "every single person I draw is Queer."

Bill on the four different decisions he played out (of his two main characters who meet at the top of The Bridge intending to jump to their deaths) and how he ultimately wants readers to know that "they are not alone." And wanting to see "more LGBTQ joy."

Abdi saying "Let's study history to repeat the best of it, not just avoid the worst of it." And how "even in the darkest moment, there is light." Also Abdi's describing reaching out to his Iranian community as an out Gay man to change hearts and minds.

Alex on the impact of Kate Bornstein's Gender Outlaw where they learned the term Gender Queer and how powerful that "access to language" was. And how there is no age too young to learn to be kind, compassionate, know yourself and others.

Mike on how the mouse in the Little Elliot books is nonbinary, how Mike's hope is for readers to know "there is light in you even if you can't see it yourself," and how having a Queer imprint at a major publisher would be a game-changer.

...and Phil speaking of how essential a thread of hope is in books for young people, and on the motivation for A High Five for Glenn Burke – to get the message out that "Queer kids play sports, too."

The whole panel was recorded and you can watch the video here at the SCBWI website.

The next SCBWI Celebrates #OwnVoices workshop will be "Celebrating Asian Voices" and will take place in Spring 2021. Following that will be "Celebrating Voices of Disabled Book Creators" in Summer 2021 and then "Celebrating Voices of Faith" in December 2021. You can learn more about the SCBWI Celebrates #OwnVoices Workshops here.

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

SCBWI Celebrates Queer Voices - Thursday January 14, 1pm Pacific (with a 2:30pm Pacific social) on Zoom

SCBWI is launching a new series of FREE digital workshops, "SCBWI Celebrates #OwnVoices," and the first one will be this Thursday January 14, from 1pm-2:30pm Pacific, on Celebrating Queer Voices.

With authors Kalynn Bayron, Mike Curato, Alex Gino, Bill Konigsberg, Abdi Nazemian, and J Yang, and moderated by Phil Bildner, the discussion will cover:

"the joys and challenges of bringing queer representation into their work and the importance of telling the stories they wish they had as a kid."

The session will be held live on Zoom, and will be followed with a safe space social (hosted by me, Lee Wind) for those who identify as part of the Queer community. (That link will be provided during the live workshop.) If you're not able to attend live, the workshop will be recorded and made available by 1pm Friday January 15, 2021.

Here's more on the workshop faculty:

Phil Bildner (moderator) is the award-winning author of numerous books for kids including the 2021 Charlotte Huck Award Honor-winning, A High Five for Glenn Burke and the Margaret Wise Brown Prize-winning picture book, Marvelous Cornelius. He is also the author of the highly acclaimed Rip & Red middle grade series. Phil taught middle school in the New York City Public School system for eleven years and is the founder of The Author Village, an author booking business.

Kalynn Bayron is the bestselling author of the award-winning YA fantasy Cinderella is Dead. She is a classically trained vocalist and when she’s not writing you can find her listening to Ella Fitzgerald on loop, attending the theater, watching scary movies, and spending time with her kids.

Mike Curato is the author and illustrator of everyone’s favorite polka-dotted elephant, Little Elliot. His debut title, Little Elliot, Big City, released in 2014 to critical acclaim, has won several awards, and has been translated into over ten languages. There are now five books in the Little Elliot series, including Little Elliot, Big Family; Little Elliot, Big Fun; Little Elliot, Fall Friends; and Merry Christmas, Little Elliot. Mike had the pleasure of illustrating What If… by Samantha Berger, All the Way to Havana by Margarita Engle, Worm Loves Worm by J.J. Austrian, and contributed to What’s Your Favorite Color? by Eric Carle and Friends and Sunny Day: A Celebration of the Sesame Street Theme Song. His latest books, released in 2020, are The Power of One written by Trudy Ludwig, and his first YA graphic novel, Flamer! Publishers Weekly named Mike a “Fall 2014 Flying Start.” In the same year he won the Society of Illustrators Original Art Show Founder’s Award.

Alex Gino is the author of the middle grade novels Rick, You Don’t Know Everything, Jilly P! and the Stonewall Award-winning George. They love glitter, ice cream, gardening, awe-ful puns, and stories that reflect the diversity and complexity of being alive. For more information, visit alexgino.com.

Bill Konigsberg is the award-winning author of six young adult novels, including Openly Straight and The Music of What Happens. His latest novel, The Bridge, is in development as a limited series at Amazon. In 2018, The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE)’s Assembly on Literature for Adolescents (ALAN) established the Bill Konigsberg Award for Acts and Activism for Equity and Inclusion through Young Adult Literature. Prior to turning his attention to writing books for teens, Bill was a sportswriter and editor for The Associated Press and ESPN.com.

Abdi Nazemian is the author of three novels. His first, The Walk-In Closet, won the Lambda Literary Award for LGBT Debut Fiction. His most recent, Like a Love Story, an Indie Next Pick, Walden Award finalist and Junior Library Guild Selection, was awarded a Stonewall Honor, and was chosen as one of the best books of the year by Entertainment Weekly, Audible, Buzzfeed, the New York Public Library, and more. His screenwriting credits include the films The Artist’s Wife, The Quiet, and Menendez: Blood Brothers, and the television series The Village and Almost Family. He has been an executive producer and associate producer on numerous films, including Call Me By Your Name, Little Woods, and Scotty and the Secret History of Hollywood. He lives in Los Angeles with his husband and two children.

J Yang is a New York-based illustrator who happens to be a Chinese-American trans man. During quarantine, he has acquired a cherry shrimp hobby, learned a couple of new recipes, and has become a square-shaped grandma in a D&D campaign. You can find his work in Portrait of a Tyrant, Our Rainbow, Spirit Day, and upcoming The Good Hair Day and If You’re A Kid Like Gavin. J is currently at large.

Hope to see you there! (No registration required - just click here for the zoom link.)

Illustrate and Write On,

Lee

Listen to SCBWI's Newest Podcast, a Conversation with Mike Curato

Mike Curato is the award-winning author-illustrator of the Little Elliot series of picture books. There are now four books in the series, with the first, Little Elliot, Big City winning several awards and being translated into over ten languages. Mike has also illustrated picture books by other authors, including Worm Loves Worm by J.J. Austrian, All the Way to Havana by Margarita Engle, and most recently, What If... by Samantha Berger.

In this two-part conversation with Theo Baker, Mike speaks about his inspirations, his career journey, and the SCBWI breakthrough that changed everything. He also discusses the role of research, the evolution of his own style, and more!

Listen to the episode trailer here.

Current SCBWI members can listen to the full podcast here (log in first!)

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Sneak Peak of Faculty at #LA18SCBWI

More information will be announced soon at the SCBWI Website, and registration opens on April 17, 2018...

For now, here are some of the amazing luminaries in our world of children's literature who will be featured at The SCBWI 2018 Summer Conference in Los Angeles, August 3-6, 2018:

Lois Lowry, Author and two-time winner of the Newbery Award

Lois Lowry, photo creative commons

Libba Bray, New York Times Bestselling Author and winner of The Michael L. Printz Award.

Libba Bray, photo by David Shankbone, creative commons

Marc Brown, Author/Illustrator of the 65 million book-selling Arthur series.

Self-Portrait from Marc's Twitter profile

Ekua Holmes, Caldecott Honor, Robert F. Sibert Honor, and John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award Winner.

Ekua Holmes with some of her art behind her as on Facebook.

Mike Curato, Author/Illustrator and winner of The Society of Illustrators Original Art Show Founder's Award.

Mike Curato, from his website

Brian Pinkney & Andrea Davis Pinkney: Brian is an Author/Illustrator who has won two Caldecott Honors, four Coretta Scott King Honors and a Coretta Scott King Award, and the Boston Globe/Horn Book Award, and Andrea is a children's book editor and author of numerous books illustrated by Brian, with multiple Coretta Scott King Book Awards, Jane Addams Children’s Literature Honor citations, four NAACP Image Award nominations, and the Boston Globe/Horn Book Honor medal to her credit.

screen shot of Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney from the African American Literature Book Club

Daniel José Older, New York Times bestselling author and winner of the International Latino Book Award.

Daniel José Older, from his website here.

Eliza Wheeler, New York Times bestselling author/illustrator and past winner of the SCBWI portfolio showcase grand prize award.

Eliza Wheeler's profile pic from Twitter

Lynda Mullaly Hunt, New York Times bestselling author and winner of the ALA's Schneider Family Book Award.

Lynda Mullaly Hunt, signing, in a photo from Facebook

Plus acquiring agents and editors actively seeking new work from writers and illustrators!


Registration for the Summer Conference opens online on April 17.

Racism, Growth of an Author/Illustrator, and Context: A Museum and Children's Book Creators Grapple with the "right" thing to do

So the Dr. Seuss museum had a mural painted on a main museum wall, illustrations from Dr. Seuss' first book, "And to Think That I Saw It on Mulberry Street.." (Mulberry street is only blocks from the museum's Springfield, Massachusetts location.) These illustrations included what today is understood to be a racist stereotype of a Chinese man.

Three children's book creators, Lisa Yee, Mike Curato, and Mo Willems were invited to a festival at the museum. They pulled out to protest the museum's lack of context for the mural, protesting the idea that the image would be seen by children and not interpreted in the scope of Dr. Seuss' evolution as an artist and a human being.

The festival was cancelled and the mural will be "replaced."

It's been reported in multiple sources, but I'd suggest you read the very well-considered post about this at Grace Lin's blog here.

It's interesting to consider both our power as children's book creators and how people (and even institutions) can evolve over time and go from buying into racial stereotypes to promoting tolerance, acceptance, and even celebrating differences.

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee