Guardian Angel Publishing Lauds Kids' Books With People of Color Protagonists

My post of August 18, titled Why Do Kids' Books Stay Perennially White? caused such a positive stir, I decided to look closer to home--my publishing house, Guardian Angel Publishing.

Margot Finke, Artist and Author

Happily, this house makes a point of showcasing protagonists of color. This post then will feature books and authors who have and continue to do just that.  It is my hope you'll take a look at them, see the real value, and obtain some for the youngsters in your life.

In the words of Guardian Angel publisher, Lynda S. Burch:

 Guardian Angel is proud to offer a mixed variety of children's books for all ethnicities and also multiple language platforms.  We have been aware of the needs for a broader base of stories for kids from around the globe and in our own backyards and have extended our efforts to produce quality children's books that kids can identify with-no matter their skin color or ethnicity.  Many of our books include multicultural characters that gently teach acceptance for all children of the world.  We believe in cultural diversity is a literary portal from which we can embrace our global community with our books.

The books are in the authors' alphabetical order.  The links for each book will lead you to its page at Guardian Angel Publishing where all information about it can be found.

Bear Cahill

We're Brothers & Sisters: The Booples

Even if your friends have different mothers and fathers, as children of God, we're all brothers and sisters. As we learn from the Bible, God adopted us all as His children and to find our brothers and sisters, we just need to look around! 

Penelope Cole
Magical Mea

Matthew’s little sister Mea is a trickster. Mea got her magic when Matthew lost his. Matt tries to guide Mea to use her magic for good. But the more Matt tries to mentor Mea, the more she wants to "do it her way.” Matt worries Mea might get into trouble.

Kevin Coller

Dreamchaser

We’ve sewn a flowing flag of glory, and created a dialogue of resilience: one where seeds of hope are planted, and the fruit is harvested and shared by all.  Believing one person can make a difference to the many is the direction of this story...the direction to a better world. 


 Donna McDine
The Golden Pathway
http://www.guardianangelpublishing.com/pathway.htm

Raised in a hostile environment where abuse occurs daily, David attempts to break the mold and befriends the slave, Jenkins, owned by his Pa. Fighting against extraordinary times and beliefs, David leads Jenkins to freedom with no regard for his own safety and possible consequences dealt out by his Pa

Margot Finke
Takoni and Claude

Taconi, a young aboriginal boy living on Coorparoo Cattle Station, in outback Australia, fears the unknown. His upcoming Man Ceremony, Dreamtime Spirits, and his Dad's change of job are just three of the unknowns he must tackle. Claude, his chatty cockatoo, offers wise one-liners. Yet Taconi must discover courage and insight for himself. 


 

Nicole Weaver
My Sister is My Best Friend  

 Sisters are very special: Meet two sisters that do everything together. This delightful story transcends all cultural barriers. It will warm the heart of little girls from all over the world.

Las hermanas son muy especiales: Conozca a dos hermanas que hacen todo juntas. Esta bella historia trasciende todas las barreras culturales. Tocará el corazón de todas las niñas del mundo.

Les sœurs sont très spéciales : Rencontrez deux sœurs qui font tout ensemble. Cette jolie histoire transcende toutes les barrières culturelles. L’histoire va réchauffer le cœur des petites filles dans le monde entier.


Vishpriya
Tales from India:  Character Counts! RESPECT

Throughout my growing years, character formation made a distinct mark. Through numerous stories and daily experience, my parents, uncles, aunts, grandparents continuously re-iterated the importance of good character and how it helps form the person you are in future. In this tale Viswas Ram learns about respect.

Kristen Zajac
Chasing the Spirit of Service

Emma comes from three generations of Air Force pilots and misses her father when he travels. Her best friend Adam tries to cheer her up. Emma’s great grandfather, one of the first African American pilots during World War II, shares his life story with Emma and Adam and helps them appreciate the spirit of service.

 

Nancy Stewart
Sea Turtle Summer

Bella and Britt think living by the beach is the coolest thing ever.  When they discover an unprotected sea turtle's nest, they go into action!   Will their bravery and quick thinking save the baby turtles?  How can they do it, and what lessons will they learn about themselves?  The book also contains kid appealing sea turtle facts.

Interview with Nicole Weaver-Award Winning Children's Author

It is my great pleasure to welcome my friend and colleague to the blog today.  Nicole Weaver is a teacher of languages and is a children's author who writes her books in those same three languages as well.  Hello, Nicole!

NS  My Sister is My Best Friend is your third children’s book to date.  Please tell the readers how this book came about and what your vision is for it.

NW  I got inspired to write My Sister is My Best Friend after I met my half sister for the first time in 2008.  We immediately became best friends.  My imagination took off.  I began thinking about what it would have been like if I had grown up with her.  I came up with a very positive story that portrays twin sisters who get along and enjoy each other's company instead of being yet another typical story about sibling rivalry.  

 My vision is my book can be one that inspires sisters from all over the world.  I want people to realize it is far more important to concentrate on positives.  I am by nature an optimist.   I love what you wrote when you reviewed my book.  Your words portrayed quite well my vision:

“The three languages, English, Spanish, and French add to the globalness, and the girls become "every girl." Similarities are so much more important than differences in today's tiny world, and Nicole's books prove this to be true.”

NS  Give us a bit of insight on your other two books and how they came to be.

NW  My first book titled, Marie and Her Friend the Sea Turtle is based on true events of my childhood days in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.  I lived with my father near the beach.    Sea turtles came to shore to lay their eggs within walking distance from my home.  I loved watching the mother turtles lay their eggs and later return to the sea.  One unlucky turtle was stuck on the beach and much to my dismay; my father and uncles had plans for the poor turtle.  In short, Marie and Her Friend the Sea Turtle is about what happened at the beach so many years ago.    

My third book is very similar to My Sister is My Best Friend.  My Brother is My Best Friend is currently under contract with Guardian Angel Publishing.  It is a story about two twin brothers.  A blogger left a message on my blog asking me to write a book about twin brothers, and that is how I came up with the idea to write the manuscript.  Much to my delight, My Brother is My Best Friend came to be.

NS   I know you teach languages and incorporate them into your books as well.  Please tell us how you feel about the importance of doing this within your work.

NW  I write all of my children’s picture books in English, French, and Spanish because foreign language studies help students increase their vocabulary and thus make it easier to become better readers. Excellent reading skill is essential when taking tests. French and Spanish share many cognates with English. The study of either language will help a student with his or her other classes. Many studies show language-learning correlates with higher academic achievement in standardized tests. Armstrong, P. W., & Rogers, J. D. did a study with a group of third graders in 1997. The students were taught entirely in Spanish for thirty minutes a day three times a week. At the conclusion of the study students in the Spanish classes scored significantly higher than the group that did not receive Spanish instruction in math and language on the Metropolitan Achievement Test (MAT)

Many schools are now making major efforts to offer world languages because such study will help students in other academic disciplines. 

As a foreign language teacher, this is why I take great pride in writing all of my children picture books as trilingual books.

I believe that all children should have the opportunity to become multilingual world citizens. I am convinced a solid foundation in world languages is an essential component to maximize students’ success in the global community and workplace.

NW   My readers always want to know how an author balances his or her day, particularly with a full-time job.  Can you tell us a bit about how you work this magic?

My full-time job as a French and Spanish high school teacher is so fulfilling it does not feel like a job.  I so enjoy teaching that I recently started teaching a class one night a week at my local community college.    

My love for other cultures and languages makes it effortless for me to write children’s picture books that I know will make a difference in our ever-growing global world.  I used to spend a lot of time watching television.  Now instead I spend my time writing. 

NS  What is next for you, and how far along is the idea or manuscript?

I am working on a manuscript, which is currently being critiqued.  I think the manuscript should be ready for submission soon.  I wrote a story about fraternal twins.  I thought it would be great to complete the series.  My first book is about two twin sisters, second book about twin boys and now the third about a boy/girl twin.

 NS   Your fans can find you at:

http://nicole-weaver.com
http://mysisterismybestfriend.blogspot.com
http://marieandherfriendtheseaturtle.blogspot.com

Children's Book Week: Celebrate with Guardian Angel Publishing Authors (May 7 - 13)

Established in 1919, Children's Book Week is the longest-running literacy initiative in the country. Each year, books for young people and the joy of reading are feted for a full week with author and illustrator appearances, storytelling, parties, and other book-related events at schools, libraries, bookstores, museums, and homes from coast to coast! 

Visit Guardian Angel Publishing authors via their blogs as they celebrate Children's Book Week. Each stop includes special topics of discussion: teaching writing and grammar using children’s books, road to publication, professional critiques, educator guides, Skype and in-person author visits, what’s selling in children’s non-fiction, writing narrative non-fiction, interviews, book reviews, individual book information, and so much more.

Enter at a chance to win two prizes:

·         One FREE Picture Book Manuscript Critique by Margot Finke

·         One FREE tote bag of children's books from the participating authors

Visit May 7-13, 2012 and automatically enter at a chance to win by commenting, GFC Follower, and/or become a Facebook Fan or Friend at each of the author blogs.

Guardian Angel Publishing Author Blogs:

Mayra Calvani - www.mayrassecretbookcase.blogspot.com

Margo Dill - www.margodill.com/blog

Margot Finke – www.hookkidsonreading.blogspot.com

Donna McDine - www.donna-mcdine.blogspot.com

Nancy Stewart - www.nancystewartbooks.blogspot.com

Kai Strand - www.kaistrand.blogspot.com

Nicole Weaver - www.mysisterismybestfriend.blogspot.com

About the authors:

Mayra Calvani writes fiction and nonfiction for children and adults. Her children’s picture books include Crash, The Magic Violin, Humberto, the Bookworm Hamster, Frederico, the Mouse Violinist, The Doll Violinist, The Water Cycle: Water Play Series Book I and the upcoming The Fox in the Night. She’s had over 300 reviews, articles, stories and interviews published online and in print. She’s represented by Mansion Street Literary Management.

Margo L. Dill is a freelance writer, editor, and teacher, living in St. Louis, Missouri. Her work has appeared in publications such as Grit, Pockets, Missouri Life, ByLine Magazine, The Chicago Tribune, True Love, On the Line, Fun for Kidz, and The News-Gazette. She is a columnist, instructor, and contributing editor for WOW! Women On Writing. She writes weekly book reviews for The News-Gazette (Champaign, IL). Her first book, Finding My Place, a middle-grade historical novel, will be published by White Mane Kids in 2012. She also has a picture book accepted by Guardian Angel Publishing and another by High Hill Press.

Margot Finke is an Aussie transplant who writes midgrade adventure fiction and rhyming picture books. For many years she has lived in Oregon with her husband and family. She has 11 books published so far. Gardening, travel, and reading fill in the cracks between writing. Her husband is very supportive, though not interested in children's books . Their three children are now grown and doing very well. Margot didn't begin serious writing until the day their youngest left for college. This late start drives her writing, and pushes her to work at it every day. Margot said, "I really envy those who began young, and managed to slip into writing mode between kid fights, diaper changes, household disasters, and outside jobs. You are my heroes! "

Donna McDine is an award-winning children's author, The Golden Pathway, an historical fiction story book about the Underground Railroad. Her stories, articles, and book reviews have been published in over 100 print and online publications. Donna has three more books under contract with Guardian Angel Publishing, Hockey Agony, Powder Monkey, and A Sandy Grave. She writes, moms and is the Editor-in-Chief for Guardian Angel Kids, Publicist for the Working Writer’s Club, and owner of Author PR Services.

Nancy Stewart is the bestselling and award winning author of the four Bella and Britt Series books for children. Her newest book, Katrina and Winter: Partners in Courage, is the biography of Katrina Simpkins with Winter, the dolphin. All are published by Guardian Angel Publishing. She is a frequent speaker and presenter at writing conferences throughout the United States. A blogger with a worldwide audience, she writes of all things pertaining to writing for children.

Kai Strand writes fiction for children and young adults. Her debut title, The Weaver, was a finalist in the EPIC eBook Awards. Her upcoming titles, Save The Lemmings! and The Wishing Well, Another Weaver Tale, will be released in 2012. Links to current and upcoming short stories can be found on her website. You can find book related downloads and more information about Kai and her writing at www.kaistrand.com.

Nicole Weaver was born in Port-au-Prince Haiti. She came to the United States when she was ten years old. She is fluent in Creole, French, Spanish, and English. She is a veteran teacher of French and Spanish. Her second children’s trilingual book, My Sister is My Best Friend was published by Guardian Angel Publishing, November 2011. She is also the author of a children’s trilingual picture book, Marie and Her Friend the Sea Turtle. The story is about a Haitian girl who resides by the beach in Haiti.

We look forward to your visit. Thank you and good luck!

The Marvelous Melange of Cultures Blog Today!

I am interviewed today at the magnificent Melange of Cultures Blog!  The blog belongs to Nicole Weaver, who was born in Haiti and now lives in the US. 

Nicole Weaver

Nicole writes children's books in three languages, English, Spanish and French.  Each language is represented in every book she writes.  

What questions does Nicole have in store today for Bella, Britt, Pelican and me?  Only one way to find out.  Join us!