Diversity: Writing What We Know – II

October 17, 2014 / still a dreamer / 13 Comments

One of the big topics in children’s books today is diversity, and although there are far more accomplished people addressing this subject than I, children’s publishing is where my energy is focused. For me, it also ties in to writing what we know. (See my first post on this topic.) So while there are many ways of supporting diversity in children’s books, from book purchasing to publishers themselves, I am just looking at writing.

What does diversity in this context mean? As I understand it, it’s a need for the stories we write and publish to include or be from the perspective of people of diverse races, cultures and backgrounds. When I was growing up, the subjects of all the children’s books I read were white, (unless we went into fairytales where Aladdin was darker skinned and exotic, but that was different.) The kids who were the main characters — think Dick and Jane — were only white. Those few stories where black people were featured were of a derogatory nature and a sad comment of the times. Hispanic or Asian individuals were non-existent. Indians were part of Thanksgiving stories, but otherwise, also absent.

How much has changed in the world of children’s books? Again, I am hardly an expert, but our books have not changed nearly as much as the changes in population of the people around us. What is true is that we as authors do need to be aware that the world is way bigger than the little enclaves where we live or where we grew up.

In my humble experience, I have found that Americans, on the whole, tend to be a rather insular people,with a focus that is primarily on our own culture. While exceptions are found in sports and music and a few select other fields, a lot of people don’t seem in touch with the breadth and diversity of the world beyond their own boundaries. A broader experience of the world would bring a lot more to a writer’s plate than what we see just at home. Representation of other races and cultures in children’s books is dragging way behind the actual reality of diversity in everyday life.

How does this affect how we personally write? And how do we write what we know in this context? There’s a lot of opinion on that. Needless to say, I can most comfortably write about my own experience in the world, and this comes from a Western European background of diverse nationalities. If I write what I know, it will be primarily from this perspective, but it doesn’t mean that I can’t include, in both my writing and illustrating, characters of the many races and cultures I have come to know along the way in my life and/or others that exist. But does that also mean that I can’t write from the perspective of a race or culture for whom I feel a deep kinship? That I don’t, or can’t, know enough?

I was fortunate to have been raised in an area with easy access to New York City so that many of our family outings were in the city where we were surrounded by diversity. When I went to college in NYC, my exposure was expanded as my school was known for drawing talent from all over the world. For this amazing experience I am very grateful. I know that I can bring this, my ongoing living and working experiences, as well as my travels to my writing, but when it comes down to writing what I know? I will still always know my own culture the best. My question continues to be, where is the line drawn? Could I pull off, for example, the true voice of a black girl? Raised in the South? For that matter, as another example, could I even pull off the voice of a rich or entitled girl regardless of race? I don’t believe those are my stories to write, but to the degree that such individuals may be in my stories, in our stories, it becomes our challenge to do research — among our fellow humans as well as in books – to make sure we are authentic in creating our characters.

Ultimately, I think we, whoever we are and whatever background we come from, do need to include characters of diverse backgrounds in our work when we have the opportunity for this very important reason. Children, from their earliest reading, need to see that the books they read aren’t simply their own reflection. Children of color, different cultural backgrounds, different socio-economic backgrounds, sexual orientation, etc. need to see themselves on the page as well, to have their existence validated and honored. We all may be called on to stretch a bit beyond writing what we know, but what loss could there possibly be?

We have the opportunity of expanding writing what we know to become richer as artists and human beings and to raise the consciousness and world view of eager young readers, and … to share a little reality.

Pictured on this page are a few MG and YA books I have read in the recent past which are either written by someone of a different culture/race or are inclusive of characters of diverse backgrounds/orientations. Finding picture books of the same is, unfortunately, a much greater challenge.

Here are a few interesting articles on this subject:

Lynn Joseph on Diversity in Writing
the Children’s Book Council on Diversity
Diversity in Children’s Books – Huffington Post
Where are the People of Color in Children’s Books? NY Times
Diversity Book Lists by GoodReads.
Diversity in Canadian Children’s Book Publishing -Publishers Weekly

Banned Books Week: September 21 – 27

September 23, 2014 / still a dreamer / 7 Comments

This Sunday, September 21, marked the beginning of Banned Books Week which celebrates the freedom to read. An annual event organized by the American Library Association, (the same people that award the Caldecott and Newbery Medals) , Banned Books Week is sponsored by a number of organizations who are against censorship. The website presents a wealth of information on books that are and have been banned, by whom and why, plus activities for teachers to discuss the important issues of censorship, banned books and the books themselves with their students. Additional information on Banned Books Week can be found on the ALA’s own site. On this site you can also find the 10 most frequently challenged books by year. In 2001, the most frequently challenged book was Harry Potter with John Steinbeck’s Of Mice and Men right behind.

The most common reasons for censorship are drugs, nudity, violence, offensive language, sexually explicit, anti-family, homosexuality, racism, religious viewpoint, suicide and unsuited to age group but there are a few others.

A fascinating article on BuzzFeed is about fifteen children’s classics that have been banned, where and why. This includes James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl, Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White, Winnie the Pooh by A.A. Milne and Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak. Granted some of these were banned quite some time ago, and some by local municipalities, but some were banned as recently as 2010.

I don’t know about you, but I find this all fascinating. Censorship is no small issue, and the facts about who censors which books and why is an insight into the fabric of this country – what we, as a people, are afraid of, offended by and threatened by to such a degree that we can’t allow our children to read about it. As best I can tell, it’s usually the truth.

The Books that Saved A Life

August 6, 2014 / still a dreamer / 12 Comments

A fellow writer and book-loving friend of mine just sent me this link, and as I have a moment, I want to share it that more people will get to see it. Please share.

We have all read books that were in some way life-changing. In this YouTube video series named “Call Me Ishmael,” a fellow, (named Ishmael), transcribes and shares a voicemail of one person each day telling about a book they love. In this day’s video you will hear the call made by a young man named Ethan whose mother was a crack addict and the books that quite literally saved his life. Not to be missed.

Writing What We Know

July 15, 2014 / still a dreamer / 17 Comments

This started out to be about three aspects of writing what we know, but I see that it would be a ridiculously long post. So I’ll divvy it up and start with a fairly recent example. I received a lovely personal response from an editor at one of the publishing houses represented at an NJ SCBWI event. I am very appreciative to receive such a thoughtful and detailed reply, although, of course, I wish it were better news. She complimented me on tackling a difficult subject, but found it a bit melancholy and added that quiet stories were not selling much in the picture book market these days. Happily, she was also very encouraging about my writing and my pursuing it.

This is where writing what we know comes in. What I know – one of the things, anyway – is about animals and their ability to affect us profoundly, both personally and through literature and imagery. This particular picture book story has a wonderful magical element to it and healing on several levels. While I don’t see it as melancholy, it still behooves me to pay attention to the perception and opinion of one who lives and breathes children’s books. But what stops me is the “quiet story” part.

I like quiet stories. I like funny stories, too, but I also like something that touches the heart and soul in some way, something that’s real, that’s a reflection of what children go through in their young lives. I get that kids like funny and action-filled, but what about the other aspects of a child? Are we no longer looking to feed that as well? Are our increasingly fast-paced and digital lives crushing the inner lives of picture-book age kids? (OK, maybe that’s extreme, but then again …)

As writers, we certainly need to be aware of the trends in the industry and what the market is looking for, otherwise we can be twirling about in our own stew of ideas that will never get published. At the same time, we need to consider what “writing what we know,” (the advice we are always given by editors and agents), actually means and where it fits in what’s being published. It’s a challenge to all of us. So I look at the body of work I have to date. Maybe it’s time to let some of my stories go; maybe I haven’t sent them out often enough and/or to the right publisher/agent who will appreciate a particular “quiet story.”

So where does the rubber hit the road? Where do writing what we know and what’s being published intersect?

Finding Strength, Holding on to Hope

June 28, 2014June 29, 2014 / still a dreamer / 2 Comments

We can easily be unaware or forget how strong kids have to be sometimes, or to remember how strong even we needed to be at certain points growing up. I don’t know anyone who had a totally blissful childhood, and even those who claim to have had one? It becomes apparent in further conversations or getting to know someone better that that’s the way they prefer to see it or maybe need to see it. We all have had our share of problems and pain growing up – some more, some less.

But if we were lucky, we had something or someone to hold onto – a best friend, a pet, a trusted teacher or adult, or a passion that saved us. And that was the saving grace of Sugar Mae Cole.

Reading Almost Home by Joan Bauer, reminded me of how some kids need to be the strong ones, maybe even the parents, when really all they want and need is their parents to take care of them. In this middle grade novel, Sugar and her mother Reba found themselves evicted and homeless. Sugar’s father, who she refers to as Mr. Leeland, failed repeatedly to be responsible to his family, gambling all their money away instead. Sugar, 12 years old, got it. Her mother, in her delusion, still believed he was their knight in shining armor who was always going to come through, but never did.

The story at first reminded me of Jeannette Wall’s The Glass Castle, her autobiography, in which her mother always believed that everything was going to turn out just fine. She chose to see and never failed to point out the bright side in everything to her children even though they were suffering horribly. In either case, being the adult is a lot to ask of a kid when one or both parents aren’t grounded in reality.

Almost Home was a great story that drew me in the more I read. Sugar accepted a puppy name Shush from another little girl who foisted him upon her because her father was abusing him. Shush became an important constant in Sugar’s life, as pets often do for a child. The unconditional love offered by an animal is a phenomenally powerful form of healing. Sugar had something else – she wrote. She wrote poetry about what was happening in her life, and she wrote thank you letters to people frequently. She believed in the sweetness in life, though she found herself often struggling to find it during this time. She also had a teacher who believed in her and kept in touch even though Sugar and Reba had moved away.

What made this story such a winner is that I could easily relate to Sugar. I’m sure her reading audience does as well. One doesn’t have to be homeless to understand conflict and loss. Holding on to your dreams and hope in the midst of it all is the challenge, and getting to know this young heroine who wasn’t about to give up is what made this read so worthwhile.