Queer Representation in Picture Books - An Online Exhibition from the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

Have you seen this wonderful online exhibition? ALL: A Look into LGBTQ+ Representation in Picture Books was curated by Chandra Boudreau, the museum’s former Trinkett Clark Intern and a current librarian, and it's a celebration and exploration!

Chandra's opening statement:

Western society has long judged the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer/Questioning (LGBTQ+) community for the way they live and whom they love. While people who identify as LGBTQ+ have always existed throughout the world, their visibility has been intentionally hidden by those who see them as “different.” Historic events—from the Stonewall riots of 1969 to the landmark U.S. Supreme Court ruling on marriage equality in 2015—have advanced social understanding, paving the way for the publication of LGBTQ+ picture books.

This exhibition explores representations beyond the seminal books Heather Has Two Mommies (1989) by Lesléa Newman and Daddy’s Roommate (1991) by Michael Willhoite. The publishing field has widened in the last 20 years to include more diverse identities and stories. The books in this exhibition support

LGBTQ+ readers, validating their experiences while allowing others to read, learn and build empathy. Above all, the books confirm there is no one right way to live or to love.

Organized into the sections "All Loving," "All People," "All Overcoming," "All Valid," "All Families," and "All Together" the exhibit showcases more than two dozen amazing illustrations from picture books that show LGBTQ+ lives and loves.

It's well-worth checking out!

Illustrate, Translate, and Write On,
Lee 

Wonderland Article Gives Us a Glimpse Into the Maira Kalman Exhibition at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art

So maybe you can't get to Amherst, Massachusetts before April 5, 2020. Or maybe, this will convince you to!

 The Pursuit of Everything: Maira Kalman’s Books for Children

The Wonderland article has lots of great photos and quotes from Maira's talk at the exhibit's opening, including these gems:

“The most wonderful projects come from wandering and finding your way and one thing leads to another.”

About writing about Thomas Jefferson, slavery and his sexual relationship with the woman he enslaved, Sally Hemings, in her 2014 book “Thomas Jefferson, Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Everything”: “You can’t tell that story and have that thing be left out of it. … But you can talk to kids about that very plainly. … We said the monumental man had monumental flaws.”

“The way I deal with people is not from a cynical or sarcastic point of view,” Kalman says. “What I really want to say is we’re all in this together and I find you fantastically beautiful and interesting.”

and

“If you don’t digress and go off the point, I think you miss the point.”

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

SCBWI's Lin Oliver & Stephen Mooser Receive Mentor Award from The Eric Carle Museum

Last week SCBWI Executive Director Lin Oliver and SCBWI President Stephen Mooser received the Mentor award at The Carle Honors ceremony held in New York City. The awards, given by the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art, celebrate "the creative vision and long-term dedication of key individuals and organizations to the art of the picture book and its vital role in supporting art appreciation, early literacy and critical thinking." Other recipients included David Macaulay (Artist), Kendra and Allan Daniel (Angel), and Nancy Schön (Bridge).

"It was a beautiful evening, in a fabulous and elegant space under the 59th Street Bridge," Lin told the SCBWI Board of Advisors. "Pat Cummings introduced us, and described the work of the SCBWI. Steve and I said a few words about SCBWI’s humble beginnings, and how it has grown into the powerful and proud organization it is today. I hope we gave proper credit to all the central figures who forged our mission and our group... Sue Alexander, Jane Yolen, Sid Fleischman, Don Freeman, Tomie dePaola... those who were there from the first day and put us on the map."

Considering the number of awards and grants SCBWI offers, Lin and Steve are more often on the giving end of such honors. "We are always more comfortable giving out awards than receiving them, especially for work that has been done by so many dedicated people throughout the years," Lin says. "Next summer in LA will be our 40th conference. That is awesome, humbling and terrifying all at once. Standing in front of that group Thursday night, though, we really felt the impact of those 40 years, and it was one of those moments when you just stand back and say, 'Yes, this is good.'"

 Steve Mooser, Eric Carle, and Lin Oliver