U.K. Board of Education Cuts American Literature

The British GCSE exam board has dropped U.S. literary classics such as John Steinbeck and Harper Lee from its English Literature syllabus in a move to push for a more British-centric curriculum.

According to the new document issued by the exam board, “students should study a range of high quality, intellectually challenging, and substantial whole texts in detail. These must include:

At least one play by Shakespeare

At least one 19th century novel 2

A selection of poetry since 1789, including representative Romantic poetry, fiction or drama from the British Isles from 1914 onwards.

John Steinbeck

The change has prompted criticism from writers and readers online, leading many people to believe that the books were banned. British education secretary Michael Gove has defended the move, claiming that the books are not banned.

 “Teachers are as free to introduce children to the brilliant writing of Lee, Steinbeck and Miller today as they were yesterday and nothing this government is doing will change that in the future,” he told The Guardian.

Although the U.S. owes much to the United Kingdom in terms of literature, past and present, I believe removing timeless books such as these from their curriculum will diminish the overall effectiveness of fine literature for this generation of British students.

Happy World Turtle Day!

The purpose of World Turtle Day, May 23, sponsored yearly since 2000 by American Tortoise Rescue, is to bring attention to, and increase knowledge of and respect for, turtles and tortoises, and encourage human action to help them survive and thrive.


Turtle Day is celebrated worldwide in a variety of ways, from dressing up as turtles or wearing green summer dresses, to saving turtles caught on highways, to research activities. Turtle Day lesson plans and craft projects encourage teaching about turtles in classrooms.

World Turtle Day was started to increase respect and knowledge for the world’s oldest creatures. Turtles and Tortoises are some of the most amazing and endangered animals on the planet. Armed with knowledge and passion for these gentle animals, we can come together to preserve Turtle and Tortoise species throughout the world.

Adults and children can do a few small things that can help to save turtles and tortoises for the next generation:

• If you are looking for a pet, purchase a captive bred animal from a reputable store or breeder. Do not take home a wild turtle as a pet.
• Never release a pet turtle into the wild. Turtles kept in captivity may not have the important nutrients they need to survive through the cold winter. In addition, pet turtles may not be native to your area and should not interbreed with wild turtle.  Join a local Turtle and Tortoise club to learn more.

• Never remove turtles or tortoises from the wild unless they are sick or injured.
• If a tortoise is crossing a busy street, pick it up and take it in the same direction it was going – if you try to make it go back, it will turn right around again.
• Help keep beaches and other natural habitats clean. Never leave trash and pick up garbage left by others.
• Write letters to legislators asking them to keep sensitive habitat preserved or closed to off road vehicles, and to prevent off shore drilling that can lead to more endangered sea turtle deaths.

Let's all do our part to keep these dignified and ancient animals safe!

New Initiative Could Help Bring More Diversity to Children's Books

You have read this author's thoughts on more diversity needed in children's books. There has been a groundswell on Twitter and Tumblr, leading to a new We Need Diverse Books Campaign. 

Everyone agrees: all kids need to be able to see themselves reflected in the books they read. Here is an organization that's putting its money where its mouth is as the old saying goes.

Now, a kids' literacy group thinks it's found a way to help that happen: First Book is a non-profit organization that gets books to kids in need. "There's been a growing recognition that there's a disconnect between children's books that are available and the diversity of the market," First Book CEO Kyle Zimmer tells NPR's Lynn Neary. And, she says, the statistics don't look good. "It's worse than you would guess."

After all these decades you would hope that we might have made more progress than we've made. So if you look at it, the number of — and these are statistics from a study out of the University of Wisconsin — the number of books by and about African American kids is about 1.3%. Books by and about Latino is about 3.3%. So the disconnect is profound.

The data from First Book, overwhelmingly report that in excess of 90% report that when kids see themselves in books, they are far more likely to become enthusiastic readers. But we also know that this isn't just about kids seeing themselves in books, this is also about kids seeing other kids in books, and other cultures in books

Publishers will be stronger in their response, they will produce more books with diverse content if they're sure that the market is there. So First Book stepped out with a campaign called Stories for All, where they have guaranteed to buy 10,000 copies of the titles selected that show a great commitment to diversity. And what that means for publishers is that there's a market there.

U.S. Children are Reading Less Books for Pleasure

Fewer American children are reading for pleasure than they have in the past, according to a new report from Common Sense Media.

The research revealed that the number of nine-year-old kids that read for pleasure once or more per week went from 81 percent in 1984 to 76 percent in 2013. The numbers are worse for older kids. Only about a third of 13-year-old children reported reading for pleasure less than twice a year.

Children who do read for pleasure tended to be those kids whose parents read to them and whose parents read themselves. Those kids who are read to by an adult spend about 30-60 minutes a day reading. 

So what's the future for our children's reading for fun?  My prediction is rather bleak unless more adults begin to exercise best practices in reading on a regular basis to their children.  Teachers can only do so much; adult caregivers must complete the picture.

Many young children love being read to by their special adult/s.  Buying your favorite child a book, keeping books they love close at hand, and having a regular daily or nightly reading time are but a few ways we can ratchet up an interest in books and stories.  Who knows?  You might love the time spent as much as your young one/s!

Plagiarism in Non-Fiction

As a university professor, plagiarism was never far away from my sights.  I talked about it, warned about it and, alas, had to take action because of it.

What I did find to be the case many times, though, was plagiarism was a sin of omission.  What do I mean by this?  Simply stated, some students didn’t know enough about plagiarism not to do it.

To that end, I’m sharing what I hope will be of value to those of you in the blogosphere who enjoy writing non-fiction but want to be accurate while doing so.  In the interest of non-plagiarism, the illustrations I’ve written below are taken from the University of Indiana’s Writing Center, Bloomington.  This is one of the best examples I’ve seen for modeling how not to plagiarize. 

Here’s the ORIGINAL text, from page 1 of Lizzie Borden: A Case Book of Family and Crime in the 1890s by Joyce Williams et al.:

The rise of industry, the growth of cities, and the expansion of the population were the three great developments of late nineteenth century American history. As new, larger, steam-powered factories became a feature of the American landscape in the East, they transformed farm hands into industrial laborers, and provided jobs for a rising tide of immigrants. With industry came urbanization the growth of large cities (like Fall River, Massachusetts, where the Bordens lived) which became the centers of production as well as of commerce and trade.

Here’s an UNACCEPTABLE paraphrase that is plagiarism:

The increase of industry, the growth of cities, and the explosion of the population were three large factors of nineteenth century America. As steam-driven companies became more visible in the eastern part of the country, they changed farm hands into factory workers and provided jobs for the large wave of immigrants. With industry came the growth of large cities like Fall River where the Bordens lived which turned into centers of commerce and trade as well as production.

Why is the paraphrase above unacceptable?  The writer has only changed around a few words and phrases, or changed the order of the original’s sentences.  The writer has failed to cite a source for any of the ideas or facts.

Below is an unacceptable paraphrase:

Fall River, where the Borden family lived, was typical of northeastern industrial cities of the nineteenth century. Steam-powered production had shifted labor from agriculture to manufacturing, and as immigrants arrived in the US, they found work in these new factories. As a result, populations grew, and large urban areas arose. Fall River was one of these manufacturing and commercial centers (Williams 1).

Why is the paraphrase above acceptable?

1. The writer accurately relays the information in the original
   uses her own words.
2. The writer lets his/her reader know the source of her information.

I hope this post helps with the thorny dilemma of plagiarism.  Remember, when writing non-fiction, research is paramount.  But when gaining information from that research, be sure to do your due diligence around plagiarism, too.  It will keep you legally safe and allow you to write your wonderful non-fiction book without worry!

Print or ebooks--or Both?

For those of us in this writing racket, the discourse on print vs eBooks will not subside.  Enthusiasts on both sides of the issue are always willing to defend their positions without wavering.  The majority of authors that I have talked to feel there is a place for both delivery systems.

In fact, within the past week, Harper Lee, author of the evergreen children's novels, To Kill a Mockingbird has given permission for the book to be released in eBook form.

Below are some interesting statistics concerning the rise of eBooks.  Have a look.

According to the Association of American Publishers (AAP) StatShot report for the first month of 2014, publishers saw total trade eBook sales increase 12.8 percent compared to the prior year.

The report looked at net revenues for 1218 publishers in January 2014. The AAP also revealed that the Children’s and Young Adult category grew by 65.1 percent in eBooks and 53.7 percent in hardcovers during the month. Check it out, “The entire C/YA category, all formats, grew by +43.7% vs the previous year.”

The AAP chart embedded below shows total net revenue for January 2014 versus January 2013 broken out by category.

Narcissism? Let Me Count My Stats

I have been thinking lots about narcissism and blogging and attention to one’s web site. Is that the very definition of narcissism?  Maybe.

Children’s books are a passion of mine, and I have been writing them for seven years. My first one in a series of four, OnePelican at a Time, was published by Guardian Angel Publishing as were the rest of the series. All of my books took much time, thought, critiquing from my writer’s group and self-doubt right up to the end. 

Never, though, during that process, did I run to the computer after having been away for an hour to look for comments or pour over stats. This realization may say something to, or perhaps, about me. Oops. There goes that narcissism word again…

The shift from creative writing to blogging/web site production may carry with it the need to be more personal, more introspective, more in tune with one’s own psyche to convey who we are to our readers and, perhaps, to define our own worthiness to ourselves. And with that may come some narcissism by task default. I certainly hope that’s what it is.

In the meantime, I’ll continue writing books for young people, consult with my publisher, meet with my writing group, revise, edit, use my Thesaurus endlessly, and only occasionally be deeply introspective. That is, until it’s time to write another entry for my blog. Oh, yes.

And even when it’s posted, I’ll pour over it from every angle, perhaps move a photo a centimeter or two, recheck links to be sure they’re working, read my witty words for the zillionth time and be, well, narcissistic.

Please excuse me now. I have to check my stats.

Are Kids' Books Reflecting Apartheid or a General Lack of Color?

Below is an interesting and thoughtful piece on children's books in general and books with people of color in particular.  Have a look.

A survey of children's literature by the Cooperative Children’s Book Center has found that of 3,200 books surveyed (out of an estimated 5,000 books published) in 2013, only 93 were about African-Americans.African-American children’s book authors Walter Dean Myers and his son Christopher Myers are both concerned about the lack of diversity in children’s literature. (Malin Fezehal)

That dismal statistic prompted African-American children’s book author Walter Dean Myers and his son Christopher Myers to write side-by-side op-ed pieces for The New York Times.

Dean and Christopher Myers

Walter Dean Myers’s piece asked “Where Are the People of Color in Children’s Books?” while Christopher Myers characterized the situation as an “The Apartheid of Children’s Literature.”

I am determined to use my life as a template for these kids. If I can do this, so can they. ---Walter Dean Myers
                                   
As Christopher Myers tells Here & Now’s Robin Young, the issue is not only that children of color need to see people who look like themselves in these books, but also that “these books are used as fantasy, these books are used as ways that kids can make road maps for their own lives, and if we don’t give them proper road maps, where are they going to end up?”

New Picture Book: ‘Grandfather Gandhi’ by Arun Gandhi and Bethany Hegedus

In a gorgeous new picture book by Arun Gandhi, fifth grandson of Mahatma Gandhi, collaborates with children's book author, Bethany Hegedus to tell a personal story about his grandfather.  The glorious illustrations are by Evan Turk.  The book was published by Atheneum Press, 2013.

When he was twelve years old, Arun went on a journey with his parents and his sister to his grandfather's village of Sevegram, India.  He wanted so badly to make his grandfather proud, but had a hard time doing so.

But Arun worried that his tutor thought he was stupid because he had so much trouble with Gujarati, the language spoken in Sevegram.

All during the summer, Arun’s frustration grew and grew, until one afternoon, during a soccer game, another boy accidentally knocked him down and Arun’s anger flared. Ashamed of himself, he ran to his grandfather who, to Arun’s surprise, assured him that everyone experiences anger. It’s how you use the anger, Gandhi told his grandson, that makes the difference.He also told his grandson:

Anger can strike, like lightning, and split a living tree in two. Or it can be channeled, transformed. A switch can be flipped, and it can shed light like a lamp. ... Then anger can illuminate. It can turn the darkness into light. 

An educational guide can be found online at www.grandfathergandhi.com for teachers and others who would like to use it for kids. 

New Passover Book for Kids by Author of Cam Jansen Series, David A. Adler

David A. Adler, author of the hugely popular early reader "Cam Jansen" series, offers "The Story of Passover."  (Holiday House Publisher)  Adler is highly acclaimed for his straightforward narrative style in non-fiction books, including dozens on Jewish holidays, reports Penny Schwartz.

He says he likes to appeal to readers of any Jewish background, whether from traditional, observant Jewish families or those who are interested in learning about Passover.

I like my books to be open and acceptable to all.

Passover, which this year begins on the evening of April 14, provides an endless source of inspiration for writers of children's books. Among the dozens that line library shelves, some recount the Biblical Exodus, others retell Jewish folktales or tales of Elijah the Prophet, who figures so prominently in the seder.

The story that is retold at the Passover seder begins 3,000 years ago in the biblical days of Jacob as he settles in Egypt. Readers learn how the Israelites become slaves and follow Moses as he is raised by Pharaoh's daughter in the palace and later as he leads the Israelites out of Egypt.

Jill Weber's detailed illustrations evoke the color palette and landscape of ancient Egypt . She gently conveys the suffering of the Egyptians through the plagues and the triumph of the Israelites in a fantasy-like drawing as they cross the Red Sea into freedom.

Paddington Bear is Back!

Michael Bond, author of Paddington Bear, is bringing back the children’s book character Paddington Bear in a new collection of letters written from the bear to his Aunt Lucy.Love from Paddington will be published by by HarperCollins in November.

 In the book, the Peruvian bear will recount his world travels and tell how he arrived at Paddington Station in London. In the book, he will also reveal how he met the Brown family and came to live with them.

Paddington books have been translated into 30 languages across 70 titles and sold more than 30 million copies worldwide. He first appeared on October 13, 1958 and was subsequently featured in more than twenty books written by Michael Bond and first illustrated by Peggy Fortnum.

He is always polite—addressing people as "Mr", "Mrs", and "Miss" and very rarely by first names—and well-meaning, though he inflicts hard stares on those who incur his disapproval. He has an endless capacity for getting into trouble, but he is known to "try so hard to get things right". 

The new book comes as a film adaptation of the book is also in the works. The film, directed by Paul King and starring Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth, is slated for release in December.

Watch It, Read It,Tweet It!

I am writing a different kind of post today, different in that I am sharing with my readers something that is so very timely and interesting but not necessarily only about the world of children's literature.  Please have a look at the infographic below, as it is a wealth of information dealing with our age of instant communication. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

InkHouse and GMI, a Lightspeed Research company, have created an infographic called:  Watch It, Read It or Tweet It: How Americans View and Share News, which explores how readers consume news.

The graphic features new research that delves into American news consumption. According to the survey, 60 percent of Americans read or watch 3 to 10 news stories a day. The research also revealed that 56 percent of those surveyed still pay for a print news subscription and 68 percent of those people subscribe to a local newspaper.

So where will all of this technology lead us? And what real meaning does it have for kids and their books? Quite a lot, with more to come. I'd love to hear from you.  After all, you've many ways to communicate...