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...