Margarita Engle tells us about her Golden Kite Award-Winning "Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings"

Margarita Engel's memoir won the 2016 Golden Kite Award for Nonfiction.

Blog reader jpetroroy's question for the author:

Did you find yourself self-censoring while writing this memoir to protect others' feelings?

Margarita writes in response,

"Yes, I did censor myself while writing Enchanted Air, Two Cultures, Two Wings. I made the decision to omit anything that would embarrass or endanger a family member. I did not include certain anecdotes about my sister that I regard as her stories to tell, not mine. I did not include any stories about relatives who are still in Cuba if I felt that their activities or attitudes a long time ago might still cause problems for them.

At the time when I wrote Enchanted Air, I worried about how it might be received by Miami relatives, but I did not censor my plea for peace and reconciliation. The time felt right for publicly admitting that I am against travel restrictions and the trade embargo."

Thanks, Margarita, and congratulations again on your award!

And cheers as well to jpetroroy for the the great question, and for winning a copy of "Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings!"

"ENCHANTED AIR: TWO CULTURES, TWO WINGS" Golden Kite Award-Winner Giveaway and Conference Countdown

Only three more days until #LA16SCBWI!

To celebrate, we'll be giving away a copy of the Golden Kite Nonfiction winner, Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings: A Memoir by Margarita Engle (Atheneum)

In this poetic memoir, acclaimed author Margarita Engle tells the story of growing up as a Cuban-American child, balancing two different cultures during the Cold War.

To enter, just leave your best question for Margarita about the memoir in comments below, and I'll choose one winning question to ask Margarita at the conference. The author of that winning question will also win a copy of "Enchanted Air: Two Cultures, Two Wings."

Ready to play?

Okay, Go!

OUTLAWED: The Naked Truth About Censored Literature For Young People

Friends of the SCBWI, The Arne Nixon Center for the Study of Children's Literature in Fresno, California, are putting on a conference of tremendous interest to our community.

Jennifer Crow, Curator at the center, based at the Henry Madden Library on the campus of California State University, Fresno, wrote to share that from April 10-12, 2015, their conference will include...

Sherman Alexie will kick off the conference with a free presentation the previous evening, April 9th at 7:30 in the Fresno State Satellite Student Union. www.shermanalexiefresnostate.com

Jacqueline Woodson, National Book Award and Newbery Honor winner, talks about the many challenges her books have received.

Lesléa Newman’s Heather Has Two Mommies set off a national firestorm of controversy in the 1990s.

Matt de la Peña’s book Mexican White Boy was banned in Tucson, Arizona, when the Mexican American Studies programs were suddenly terminated in 2012.

Margarita Engle will discuss her experiences with censorship as a Cuban-American author.

Michael Cart, a young adult author and a reviewer for Booklist speaks about the suppression of LGBTQ literature.

Leonard Marcus, a children’s literature historian, writer, and exhibition curator, will portray a larger perspective to the issue of censorship in children’s literature.

Joan Bertin, is the Executive Director of the National Coalition against Censorship, an organization that legally and financially supports intellectual freedom.

Plus 35 panel presenters from across the United States and abroad who will examine censorship in children's literature from numerous angles.

There will be an exclusive performance by the Fresno State Theatre Dept. of And Then Came Tango, based on the often banned and challenged picture book, And Tango Makes Three. 

You can find out more details at the conference website.

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee