My Portfolio Planning: How I Get Inspired, Organized and READY TO GO!

Hey hey! Back again for Week Two of guest blogging and so excited to share more of my journey! 

For those who are new, I’m Justin Campbell, a pre-published author/illustrator with the dream of publishing children’s books as well as becoming a real-life merman...a boy can dream. 

I began my journey into children’s publishing four years ago when the pandemic hit and I desperately needed an outlet. Being a voracious reader, I lost myself in almost 300 books and decided to rekindle my love for bookmaking and art-making. During that time, I discovered I wasn't just an artist or dancer or singer. I identified as a storyteller—a griot if you will. 

Griot (noun): any of a class of musician-entertainers of western Africa whose performances include tribal histories and genealogies (Merriam-Webster)

Quick anecdote! The closest person to a griot in my family was my late, great-uncle, Augustine Jurry, who performed cultural shows at the Queens Botanical Gardens. When I saw him perform as a kid, I'd be whisked away to another time and place, into stories steeped in my family's history, and culture from Liberia. He is one of my biggest inspirations and was a guiding force in my pursuit of telling stories. Check out this video of him!

Today, I am a professional dancer by trade with the hopes of melding my two passions into one. I definitely have my Uncle Jurry to thank and I wish to bring arts and culture to our community as he did.

If you want to check out my sweet moves, you can browse my performance website at www.justincampbellnyc.com 

So today's blog topic is:

Portfolio Planning

In this blog, I want to share what I've learned about portfolios; what should be in one, how to germinate ideas, and how to plan personal projects to help build your portfolio.

Once I decided to pursue a career in children’s literature, a literary mentor of mine suggested I look into SCBWI, and attending my conference was a game-changer! As a new illustrator, I wanted to put myself out there, be brave, and get feedback! 

But first things first, I had to do my research on what actually goes into a portfolio. My portfolio was/is still evolving but after reading, watching, and asking around, I realized I first had to ask myself:

What is your target audience, Justin?

What type of art do you want to make, broski?

What inspires you, man?

Is there a particular genre you are passionate about, ie: picture books, book covers, chapter books, etc—uh—dude?

Once I asked these questions, I started to generate an action plan. Remember my last blog post? I'm Type A, so being drawn to charts, tabs, and PowerPoints, my plan of action consisted of a PDF called—

"My Portfolio Plan"

First, I started by answering some of those questions. 

If I had the choice, I'd love to draw picture books, book covers, and early readers. 

I want to draw art with movement and energy, incorporating my dance background and the brilliant vibrancy of Black and Brown cultures. 

Then I compiled a list of "What/Who INSPIRES me?" 

I set a timer and wrote as many as possible. My list started with general ideas like "African Folklore" and "Mermaid" but soon, specific names like "Aaliyah" and "Prince" or TV/films such as "Steven Universe" and "Encanto" came forth. This list has since grown and it was a great foundation for me to see the connective tissue between them. 

The sooner I understood the heart of my inspirations, the sooner I figured out what makes me tick, artistically.

Next, I gathered my countless INSPIRATIONS and put them all into PDF form! 

Ugh, what a beautiful acronym...PDF.

Um— I digress.

I update this PDF periodically, adding new artists, inspirations, and ideas.

Next, I created a long list of numerous illustrators I love and admire, new and old. I collected illustrations by those artists and compiled them into slides. Some of those artists included Brett Helquiest, Glen Keane, and Sha'an D'anthes, which I've linked on each slide. Remember, always cite your work! ;)

During this process, I tried to find works that spoke specifically to me, my taste, and my sensibility, in attempts to hone into what styles, compositions, and colors I was attracted to. 

I made over 50+ slides with the artist's website or socials linked, so I could keep track of where I found their work and to keep up with their portfolio updates.

From there, I wrote notes. Right on the PDF. And I took very details ones at that.

This helped me discover what I truly liked about each artist's art, and style. 

This was a great exercise, because though there were many artists I admired, once I began to break down what I LIKED about their work, I was able to see specifically what I wanted to achieve, emulate, and adopt into my art stylings, and illustrative work. 

It was like journaling and brought amazing perspective. Sometimes it was the movement, sometimes it was only the color palette. The more specific, the better.  

Next, with all this new info, I broke down what I wanted my portfolio to look like. I brainstormed some ideas, thinking of the subjects I loved seeing from other artists but also, things I have yet to see.

This is what I did to create my first portfolio for my first in-person conference, which I submitted to the SCBWI Portfolio Showcase. Sure, I was terrified, but I learned so much and received great feedback.

Another tool that I use to generate ideas is the "100 Things" exercise. 

The exercise is from Drawing is Magic by John Hendrix and it has been a wonderful addition to my process and has helped me organize my artistic process even more.

It was introduced to me at that winter conference by Owner/Agent, Christy Ewers, from The CAT Agency. 

At first, it was difficult to list 100 things but soon, I found myself well over 100 prompts. 

Below is my personal list!

100 THINGS JUSTIN LOVES TO DRAW

I go back to this list often when I feel lost or need inspiration. Combine some of the prompts and make an illustration. Pick one prompt and draw multiple versions of the subject. Make it an art challenge. This will keep you observant and doubles as a great daily practice. 

With "My Portfolio Plan" and my "100 Things" list, I felt equipped to find my unique voice and continue to make my portfolio amplify that voice.

I felt empowered to tackle the behemoth that is THE PORTFOLIO!

Disclaimer: This is an ongoing process for all illustrators, and I am currently in the throes of revamping and updating it. But be process-oriented, not result-oriented, and give yourself grace as you build your portfolio. 

Below is a compiled list of some of the advice I've received from several resources: from conferences, YouTube, seminars, webinars, friends, and colleagues and I'd like to share what I've learned with you! 

PORTFOLIO TIPS

DOs

• Different Age Groups 

For children’s literature, you want to have a range of ages from children to adults. Demonstrate that you can make the distinction between all of them.

• Diversity of People

Let your art reflect the world around you. Draw people of different ethnic backgrounds, and cultures (with proper research), differently abled, neurodiversity, body shapes, features, and genders—the world is a big, beautiful, UNIQUE tapestry of humans. and you want your work to reflect that.

• Animals

This is an opportunity to draw TONS of animals. You can even make it a challenge. Draw a spread of animals from different terrains. Include your favorites in your portfolio. Show the potential client what you can do. 

• Different Environments 

Showcase all environments from cityscapes and nature. Make them as real or as fantastical as you want, but show that you can set your story in different places and spaces.

• Interiors & Exteriors 

Perhaps a library, a classroom, or a dungeon with a dragon peacefully sleeping—Take advantage of setting your illustrations in rich, inside and out, environments. This is an opportunity to add details to the story you are conveying. Your environment tells its own story.

• Times of Day

In daylights, in sunsets, in midnights, in cups of coffee...uh, yeah, you get the picture. Draw different times of day. This is a great opportunity to work with some amazing color palettes and subject matters. 

• Character-driven/ Story-Centered (pieces over Design)

Let the characters tell the story they need to tell. Be emotive and active with the players you choose to draw. I am learning to be more active in my art. Instead of just a subject standing in a pose, I like to write a sentence or two about what is happening to them. Try to tell that story with no words.

• Personal Projects 

This is a great way to showcase your skills in making picture books. I like to re-imagine fairytales/folklore with my own style and sensibilities. This is an easy way to create some microscopic projects where you can practice spreads and spot illustrations. Retell those stories we know so well! It is a great foundation to get started.

Maybe reimagine a book cover of your favorite book. 

Some illustrators don't want to write but there is a lot of free domain work that can be the catalyst for your creative work i.e: The Little Mermaid, Snow White, Sherlock Holmes, Pinocchio. 

Use these ideas and pretend that it is work for a client. It is good practice to conceptualize and execute a story, even if the client is YOURSELF!

DONTs

• Do not include things you DON'T like to draw in your portfolio 

I don’t like drawing cars. And so if I’m hired to illustrate a car picture book off of that ONE car illustration I did three years ago, I would want to jump in MY car and speed away. I don’t actually own a vehicle, MTA being my special form of torture, but only put work in your portfolio that you want a potential client to hire you for.

*cough* Mermaids *cough*

• Too much Fan Art 

I am guilty of this, but try to limit this type of work. Create your OWN original characters and create scenarios for them. One or two pieces of fan art might be okay, but maybe you could reimagine those characters or use them as a foundation/jumping-off point for something else.

• Unrelated Artwork 

If you are trying to be hired for children's books, book covers, etc., include work that reflects that. Make sure your work is thematically appropriate. 

Perhaps you like to draw scary/darker-themed art like horror or grotesque monsters. Including that in your portfolio for children may not be the best move.

BUT most importantly:

Draw THINGS YOU LOVE TO DRAW and HAVE FUN!

Those who view your work will see that love in it. 

And though this isn't a blog on how to build your portfolio website, here are some free/affordable options I've used to help you get started: 

 

So, explore what makes you tick as an artist. Find your inspirations! List your favorite things! This is your personal showcase and a reflection of who you are. Let your point of view of the world shine through! Be patient and don't give up! Keep working at it! We need your stories and we need your art!

That's it! 

Thanks again for reading! Stay tuned for next week's blog!

If you'd like to check out my work, you can visit my portfolio HERE!

Brooke Warner on the Emotional "Hangover" of Being Published

Over on Substack, publisher and author Brooke Warner shares her thoughts on the emotional aftermath of finally getting published in The Anticlimax of Becoming an Author.

A few standout moments from her essay that are still resonating with me:

When my high expectations met reality, I experienced the disappointment—of not getting the level of media and reviews and accolades I’d hoped for. The imagined compliments I had for my own achievement could have filled their own book. I also never would have said any of this out loud at the time. I just put my head down and dealt with the fact that I was receiving less of everything (media, attention, reviews, sales, compliments) than I would have liked.

This “less than I would have liked” is the rub because short of becoming a best-selling author, getting published is a letdown. It takes perspective and time to digest the wonder of it all. It wasn’t until after my publicity campaign was over that I could really take in the kind words people did have for my book. Write On, Sisters! resonated with readers, just not droves of readers. It was well reviewed and sold decently well, but it wasn’t a bestseller.

...There are many reasons beyond fame and accolades, sales and money, that writers publish their work, of course, but hope and desire and ambition are in the mix. Also, these feelings should be present. They’re part of the fuel that get us to the finish line.

And . . . the hangover is real.

Then Brooke offers three pieces of advice, gleaned from both her own experience and what she's witnessed with the authors she's published. My favorite is get going on your next creative project!

I encourage you to check it out, plug into your creative community to talk it out with friends who have been there or who are going through similar emotions, and maybe most of all be kind to yourself about how your book is doing.

Getting published is an amazing feat, and your book out in the world can have a huge impact on a single reader... think about how YOU have been impacted by a single book. And that's worth celebrating and savoring for the long run.

What other ways have you found to get over the emotional hangover of being published?

Illustrate, Translate, and Write On,
Lee

"The Art of Discipline”: On Generating Skills, Routine and Motivation

Hello there! 

My name is Justin and I am a pre-published author/illustrator based in NYC, with an enthusiasm for mermaids and all things folklore/whimsy. I've had the wonderful opportunity to join Team Blog for some of the recent SCBWI conferences, and so honored to be a guest blogger on the Official SCBWI Blog!

Here is a little bit about myself:

Born and raised in Staten Island and South Jersey, I grew up as a first-generation Liberian American, surrounded by culture, music, and GOOD FOOD! I've always had a creative spirit and loved reading, dancing, singing, and acting out plays with my cousins.

I LOVED Disney movies as a kid and I dreamed of creating the next Disney princess. So, with the original destiny of being an animator/illustrator, I went to school for Design until life took a major turn, and I found my escape through dance. 

Today, I am a professional dancer of almost 12 years, having traveled worldwide. It still blows my mind that this little boy from the projects of Staten Island has danced at the Kennedy Center and even traveled all the way to Beijing for dance!

Performance has been a wonderful outlet for my creativity and I've loved teaching, performing, and even, choreographing.

For more information about my performance background, you can visit www.justincampbellnyc.com.

BUT! With the pandemic and dance coming to an abrupt halt, my first love of visual arts began to whisper to me, and with a desire to be creative, I picked up the pencil once more. 

But Justin—how did you get back into drawing after all that time? Weren’t you scared you’d be too rusty? That you'd have to stop dancing? That things would be different?
The answer is—YES! 

I was definitely a little lost, with a smidgen of fear, and an inkling of insecurity mixed in there, but once I decided that I wanted to make children’s books, my brain switched gears and the first thing I thought was, let’s dive into what it takes.

So, I am a very organized, “Type A” kind of person, and I love a task, goal, or mission. You would think I liked homework a bit more as a kid but no...I didn’t—

BUT I digress! I was more of a Spy University kid, on a top-secret mission to CRACK THE CODE! What the code was back then? I dunno but today, it's—

AUTHOR ILLUSTRATING!

Recently, I took a personality quiz online (as all children of the iNtErNEt do) and...

 

I'm the "Architect," who are "imaginative and strategic thinkers, with a plan for everything," which was affirming because as creative, and playful as I can get, structure, planning, and strategy help me get to that childlike state of mind. 

#KnowThySelf. 

With that in mind, I began to shape my personal process to build SKILLS, ROUTINE, and MOTIVATION!.

In 2019, Lady Gaga won Best Original Song (“Shallow”) for “A Star Is Born,” and in her acceptance speech, she said, "There's a discipline for passion.” This phrase has stuck with me and since then, has reshaped and evolved into a deeper relationship with the word "discipline," and how it shows up.

In dance, discipline is just as important as technique, skills, and performance. We can all have passion but to me, discipline is an art in itself and all artists must have a relationship with it. It is a muscle you exercise. So as I transitioned into visual art, it was easier to shift and drove me to take a leap of faith to pivot.

Now I am actively pursuing my art, freelancing as an illustrator with the hopes of writing and illustrating my own children’s books while still dancing! BOOYAH!

Thankfully as I began my Pivot Journey (step aside Joseph Campbell, there's a new soup in town), I had a close friend and mentor steer me in the right direction. This friend kindly lent me Writing and Illustrating Children's Books For Publication: Two Perspectives by Berthe Amoss and Eric Suben which gave me absolutely amazing insight!

What I loved about this book was after every chapter, there were exercises given so the reader could apply what they’ve read. 

Being a student at heart, I decided to read a chapter and work on the tasks every day at 5:30 am (morning person here) before my day started. I considered it a Children’s Book Boot Camp. I made my coffee, sat at my art table, and took notes. 

This opened up ideas and pathways in my brain that helped funnel my creativity in a new way. I loved the routine of waking up and investing in my art which helped develop a strong relationship with my writing/artmaking.

Till this day, I go back to that particular notebook for reference whenever I feel stuck or need inspiration.

Now, I was on a roll and I borrowed another book, which I HIGHLY recommend to any artist who wants to understand composition in an easy and approachable way. 

Picture This: How Pictures Work by Molly Bang

This book allowed me to understand how shapes, colors, and placement, no matter how simple, can invoke emotion and mood.

Using basic construction paper cutouts, Bang illustrates how simple composition can be. I KNOW! That's a wild statement to say out loud but the way she walks you through the decision-making reveals how accessible and approachable it is. Through this book, I learned, that simplicity is better.

Added THAT to my Handy Dandy Notebook!

With all of this DELICIOUS, NEW information, the pathways in my brain began to rebuild and brush off the dust of the many years of being away from art.

Soon, I found myself down the YouTube Wormhole, observing the process of other artists to see what worked for them as they continued their study, work, and creation. 

That is where I discovered an artist duo, Kenzo and his mother, Mayko, who draw together and teach others along the way. 

www.lovelifedrawing.com

I joined their art community and there I’ve found some amazing resources, one being my favorite, and you've guessed it...

A CHART

A "Drawing Practice PLANNER"—Type A remember? 

...no worries if you didn't ;)

The chart is a simple calendar to track habits but the layout spoke to me, and I’ve added it to my art tools. Focusing on each topic allowed me to hone my skills in a structured and methodical way. I've been using it for a few years and below is an example of the habit tracker. I highly recommend joining the LoveLifeDrawing community! There are so many resources for artists of all levels!

At this point, as the algorithm does, the more art I sought, the more I was suggested and I stumbled across: 

www.domestika.org

And no, I'm not sponsored but a merman can dream!

Domestika is an online course platform that teaches different skills, not unlike Skillshare, which is another great tool. I love this platform and have been using it for the past four years to study all kinds of subjects!

The first course I purchased, for a very affordable price I might add (you can do subscriptions OR buy just the course), was Illustration Techniques to Unlock your Creativity taught by Adolfo Serra, a Painter and Illustrator from Madrid, Spain.

This class walked me through the process of getting into the creative habit and discovering process and personal style. It allowed me to experiment with the plethora of art supplies I bought and was too scared to use (I know we all do this!) as well as build a library of the subjects/ideas around me. This gave insight into how JUSTIN draws (fill in the blank) which was SUPER useful, and fun!

 It gave me a clearer understanding of what was at my disposal, and how I could use it to break out and create freely. We used different techniques and explored concepts through various exercises. I still go back and doodle in this sketchbook, with the ambition to fill it cover to cover.

(Prompt: Ghosts/Spirits)

(Prompt: Plants/Flowers)

So this is how I began my journey to become an author/illustrator. It gave me more confidence within the world of children’s books, and that notebook of inspiration, and process has since expanded. Since then, I've been introduced to SCBWI where I’ve attended several conferences since 2020, building community and increasing that knowledge. And I haven't looked back!

So DIVE IN, as we Merfolx say, and discover what discipline looks like for you! Explore techniques, research different approaches, and discover ways to PLAY, PLAN, and GENERATE your own ideas, style, and sensibility to grow your voice, and your process. 

Build YOUR foundation and let that be the ship that guides you through the wild waters of creativity, creation, and bookmaking. Remember, it never hurts to have a versatile tool belt at your disposal. 

Thanks for reading! I hope you found some nuggets of information in this blog, but more importantly, the inspiration to GO FOR IT! Special thanks to Lee Wind for having me guest blog! Soups grateful! Can't wait to share more next week!

For more about me, check out my illustrations HERE and follow me on Instagram @themermancam and on Bluesky!

Ciao!

BookBub Shares Ideas On How To Get More Book Reviews From Readers

Having more consumer reviews for your book helps you sell more of that book.

This is true on the surface, but also in ways that can be surprising: I recently learned that if you don't have at least 20 consumer reviews of your book on Amazon, you won't be considered for a BookBub deal. (Even though BookBub is not owned by Amazon.) Suffice to say, the social vetting of consumer book reviews is really important.

So how do you get more book reviews from readers who liked your book in the first place?

A Guide To Getting More Book Reviews From Readers by AJ Yee presents seven tactical approaches, with examples:

1) Ask your mailing list to review books they’ve read
2) Ask readers for a review in a book’s back matter
3) Ask your fans on social media
4) Run a free deal or make a first-in-series book permafree (the idea is that more readers will lead to more reviews)
5) Thank your fans for reviews (love the example of featuring a different 5-star review and thanking that reviewer every newsletter!)
6) Post a call for reviews from your street team
7) Find new readers and pro reviewers through a paid review service
Bonus) Keep up-to-date with retailer sites’ rules for reviews

How many of these are you doing? Any them spark ideas for new ways to encourage reviews for your book(s)?

Illustrate, Translate, and Write On,
Lee

Open Call for a Paid Writing Opportunity: Apply to be a Guest Blogger for SCBWI: The Blog in 2025

Hi Community!

In 2025 we're going to continue with a guest blogger every month! For all of us who create work for children and teens (authors, illustrators, translators), it's a great way to share what YOU want to share with our community.

As a reminder, posts can be about craft, business, inspiration, helpful tips, advice, interviews... and you can use video, audio, text, images... the sky's the limit, and generally posts should take about five minutes or less to consume.

This is a paid blogging opportunity - you'll receive $50 a post, so $200 for the four posts.

Here's how you apply:

If you'd like to be considered for a guest blogging spot (4 posts in one month), you're welcome to email me at leewind (at) roadrunner (dot) com these three things:

1) a few sentence bio of your involvement with kid lit and scbwi

2) one blog post example

3) a few additional topics you would want to address 

Our goal is to schedule the entire 2025 year by December 2024 - so I encourage you to apply now!

Thanks!

Illustrate, Translate, and Write On,
Lee

Anti-Censorship PSAs with Student Advocates for Speech

Paying attention to and fighting book banning isn't just something to do during Banned Books Week -- this is an ongoing effort for young readers to have access to books that can be life-saving and life-changing.

Watch the video where teens tell us in their own words how important some of these challenged books have been for them

From the press release:

In the face of escalating challenges to our freedom to read, student voices are both crucial and often unheard. That’s why the SCBWI Impact and Legacy Fund (SCBWI ILF) and the National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) have joined forces to create this powerful new resource in our shared fight against book banning.

Facing this challenge to our intellectual freedom has never been more important. So we couldn’t be more excited to present this 11-minute PSA featuring thoughtful, well-informed testimonials from high school students across the country. These students share how banned books like The Color Purple, Maus, This Book is Gay, All Boys Aren’t Blue, and Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret have impacted their lives—and inspired them to use their voices to fight for the freedom to read. Their stories underscore why the right to read diverse literature is vital for a thriving democratic society.

This video is more than just a collection of testimonials—it's a tool for you to use in conversations, promotions, and educational settings to highlight the profound impact of banned books. SCBWI hopes you use it to champion the intellectual rights of young readers in your own communities.

Illustrate, Translate, and Write On,
Lee

Reading the World through Books for Young People: Asia and Oceania

By Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp

Hi, I'm Ruth, a literary translator and SCBWI member, and  I'm honored to be blogging with Lee Wind this month. Every September is World Kid Lit Month: an annual celebration of international literature for young people. So far this month, we’ve been on a whistle-stop tour of the Americas, Africa and Europe, with book tips from SCBWI members from eight regional chapters. Thank you everyone for getting involved and sharing your favorite international reads!

Today I’m going to attempt the impossible, and whisk you off on a tour of the rest of the world, starting in Oceania and sweeping up into Asia. Yes, it appears I’ve saved the most populous regions of the world until last. 

Our book recommendations from SCBWI members today come from Japan (the biggest hitter in terms of translation when you consider the vast publishing market for manga), but before that let’s explore a few other countries on the way…

Anne Coppell, children’s librarian in Aotearoa/New Zealand, has long been a supporter of World Kid Lit Month, and this year she’s even started a new blog sharing her favorite children's books from around the world but with a strong focus on Aotearoa and Pacific Islands. An absolute gem for anyone wanting to diversify their book collection for any of the many topics she’s explored this month: from Celebrations to Colonisation & history, from Dance, and Grandparents, to LGBTQIA+ and Self Esteem. Amazing. And if you haven’t come across his books before, do look up Gavin Bishop whose books are available in Māori/English bilingual editions from Gecko Press, among other publishers. As Anne says, “Bishop has been at the height of his powers for years, which means he is stratospherically / astronomically brilliant.”

Heading north to Papua New Guinea, Zillah Bethel, known for her generously spirited middle grade novel The Shark Caller, made a comeback last year with The Song Walker, taking us on a brief detour back south to the Australian Outback. But sorry Australia, we’ll have to come back another time, because Indonesia is calling, and two unmissable authors both published by The Emma Press, UK: When It Rains is a celebratory picture book from Rassi Narika, translated from Indonesian by Ikhda Ayuning Maharsi Degoul and Emma Dai’an Wright, and both volumes of the tales of Na Willa - Reda Gaudiamo's charming (fictionalised) memoir about a little girl growing up in Surabaya, Indonesia, translated by Kate Wakeling and Ikhda Ayuning Maharsi Degoul - are a sheer delight, as are the illustrations by Cecillia Hidayat.

From Vietnam, everyone must read and linger over the incredible tropical flora and fauna depicted in Jeet Zdung and Trang Nguyen’s Saving Sorya: Chang and the Sun Bear - one of two translations into English that won the historic 2023 Yoto Carnegie awards (for some reason, most likely to do with metadata and poor #namethetranslator action on the part of the publisher, Saving Sorya wasn’t recognized as a translation while The Blue Book of Nebo was. Anyway, both are incredible books and deserving winners!)

I can’t do justice in this short space to the many fabulous books being translated from China, Taiwan, Japan and Korean - the big hitters in terms of translations from Asia - other than to direct you to some great resources: the incredible Taiwanese Kid Lit series over at Global Literature in Libraries Initiative (they also ran an #IndiaKidLit series for World Kid Lit Month last year); the blog Chinese Books for Young Readers; recent reviews in Words Without Borders; and Ihatov - the blog of SCBWI Japan chapter. 

Much as I long to get sidetracked by my favorite translations from Kazakhstan (Batu and the Search for the Golden Cup, translated by Shelley Fairweather-Vega), Iran (everything from Tiny Owl Books, but especially the bursting-with-compassion There’s Room for Everyone and also the new Mama Shamsi at the Bazaar by Mojdeh Hassani, Samira Iravani and illustrated by Lebanese supestar Maya Fidawi), Israel (Bear and Fred by Iris Argaman and Avi Ofer, translated by Annette Appel), Jordan (everything by Taghreed Najjar), and Palestine (Sonia Nimr - take a weekend off and devour the Thunderbird trilogy, translated from Arabic by Marcia Lynx Qualey. You won’t regret it), I shall stop here, and hand you over to our fellow SCBWI members, Suzanne and Eori for their recommendations from Japan…

Japan

Temple Alley Summer by Sachiko Kashiwaba, translated from Japanese by Avery Udagawa

Restless Books, 2021

Recommended by Suzanne Kamata, SCBWI Japan

Suzanne says …

"There is much to delight fans of Ghibli films in this book, as well as those who have never encountered Japanese children's stories. I imagine it might be like experiencing C. S. Lewis for the first time. I love that it starts with a boy peeing out the window because he is afraid of ghosts, and then evolves into a story of friendship between a human and a supernatural being. There are many glimpses into everyday life in Japan, such as the inevitable summer school projects, but the book avoids pop culture references that might date the story.  It's an intriguing blend of mystery, ghost story, fairy tale, and fantasy, with quirky characters. It's at times sad, scary, funny, and sweet. I think it could become an international classic."

The Bear and the Wildcat by Kazumi Yumoto, translated from Japanese by Cathy Hirano

Gecko Press, 2011

Recommended by Eori Tokunaga, SCBWI Los Angeles, CA 

Eori says …

"The Bear and the Wildcat is a story about a bear who grieves the loss of his best friend and a friendly Wildcat who helps the bear process his feelings of moving on. I came across this book while working at the library and was immediately attracted to the illustrations. As someone who lives with depression, I genuinely appreciate how gently the author weaves empathy and compassion into the story. I would highly recommend this book alongside other socioemotional stories such as The Memory Box: A Book About Grief and A Last Goodbye."

***

You'll find the previous articles in this World Kid Lit Month series here:

• Reading the World through Books for Young People: the Americas

• Reading the World through Books for Young People: Europe

• Reading the World through Books for Young People: Africa

And for more recommendations of children’s and YA books from around the world, see the following websites:

• World Kid Lit

• Kids Read the World

• Outside In World

• Global Youth Lit

• Global Literature in Libraries Initiative (#WorldKidLit Wednesday book reviews)

***

Suzanne Kamata is an American permanent resident of Japan, and the author of the young adult novel Indigo Girl (GemmaMedia, 2019) and the middle grade novel Pop Flies, Robo-pets and Other Stories (One Elm Books, 2020), both set in Japan.

Eori Tokunaga is an author, illustrator, librarian, and zinester based in Los Angeles. Currently, she is working as an Assistant Editor for the SCBWI-Los Angeles Kite Tales blog and is putting together manuscripts/picture book dummies for submission. 

Ruth Ahmedzai Kemp is an Arabic teacher and a literary translator working from Arabic, Russian and German into English. She gives workshops in schools about reading the world and creative translation, and is managing director of World Kid Lit, the hosts of World Kid Lit Month.