Building Diverse Libraries for Children

I originally wrote this blog post to share at my workplace for an internal initiative. But the content is relevant to all of us, so I’m sharing it here too. Children’s literature - meaning board books up to young adult books - is very close to my heart. Whether they’re your own children, nieces or nephews, grandchildren or your friends’ children, reading is one of the biggest gifts you can give a child. Reading daily to children allows them to understand the meaning of language and build key language, literacy and social skills.

However, one of the biggest challenges - and ways we can all strive for a more inclusive future - is in making sure that children have a diverse library of books featuring protagonists and experiences of underrepresented ethnicities, disabilities, cultural or religious backgrounds, gender nonconformity and LGBTQIA+ orientations. 

Diversity is sorely lacking in children’s literature. In fact, a 2015 study on diversity found that the main characters in children’s books published that year were: 73.3% white main characters, 12.5% non-human characters (trucks, animals, etc.), 7.6% Black main characters, 3.3% Asian Pacific main characters, 2.4% Latinx main characters and .9% American Indian main characters. 

Despite these disappointing stats, there are so many great, diverse children’s books available. I’ve shared some resources below to help you build diverse libraries for the children in your lives. If you’d like specific recommendations, I’d be happy to help! While you’re at it, I challenge you to examine your own libraries and see where you can diversify.

Also, please consider shopping at your local independent and/or minority-owned bookstores. They need our support now more than ever.

• The Danger of a Single Story - A truly eye-opening TEDTalk from author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie on how a single story can impact our perception.

• We Need Diverse Books -  A non-profit organization that advocates for diversity in children’s books.

• LGBTQ Reads - A site dedicated to promoting curated LGBTQIAP+ literature for all ages.

• Brown Book Box - A subscription service that makes sure kids have access to books with characters that look like them.

• Bookmarks: Celebrating Black Voices - A new Netflix initiative featuring prominent Black voices reading children's books from Black authors highlighting the Black experience.

• IndieBound - A great way to locate your nearest independent bookstore.

How to Take a Break

If you’re like me, you have this internal drive that tells you to do, do, do at all times. Do you have spare time (ha!)? You should be cleaning the kitchen or reading something educational or working on your next writing project or checking your email or… This internal monologue is exhausting, and even more-so in the midst of COVID-19, when my brain is mush and some days I can barely construct a complete sentence.

I read somewhere on Twitter that the current global pandemic has created an ongoing stress response in all of our brains. It’s hard to function when your brain is focused on surviving, not thriving. But after months (and months) of sheltering in place while worrying about family, friends and the state of the world, my brain had to adjust. And also, stuff had to get done.

I let myself grieve, I let myself hope (and despair and hope and despair). And here we are. It’s August, we’re still at home. The state of Texas is not doing great in terms of fighting COVID-19, and we are choosing to be very cautious. I have finally accepted the current normal (I refuse to believe this is the new normal), as has my brain. So I spent the last month editing my manuscript, which had been resting in Ulysses since Dec. 31, 2019 when I typed “The End.”

Despite the first half of 2020 being a wash (besides giving birth, which is a lot of work), I’m finally making progress with my manuscript. So why did I decide to take a break from my manuscript just when I’m getting my momentum back? I’m considering it the ultimate act of self care. I’m not doing nothing. I don’t think I’m capable of that. But what I am doing is cutting myself some slack. Not forcing myself to create every night. Instead, I’m soaking in baby snuggles, watching the TV shows I missed during my non-existent maternity leave and checking some writing-adjacent tasks off my list. I’m updating my website, working on my query letter, writing my synopsis, honing my agent list and dusting off the old blog.

Being able to tackle these smaller tasks, while taking a break from the one giant task of perfecting my manuscript, feels like a huge accomplishment in itself. My hope is that by the time I’m ready to return to my manuscript, I’ll have a solid foundation built from all of these other tasks. And I’ll be better off overall. At the very least, I’ll feel a little more relaxed. I’ll have laughed a little more. I’ll have enjoyed this new phase of being stuck together at all times, yet feeling more isolated than ever.

I know this is a season, even if a very long one. And I know one day it will end. I’ll go back to the office, my girls will go to school. Travel will pick up again. The world will keep turning. And although I’d love to go wander the aisles of Target or write in a coffee shop or drink margaritas on a patio, for now this is enough.

Novel Links

It's Friday! And just in time, because I fell flat on my face in the office about an hour ago. Is anyone else ready for the weekend? I thought so. Today I'm rounding up some links on writing and reading, as my mind is on tomorrow's SCBWI Austin 2018 Writers & Illustrators Working Conference taking place this weekend. I'm excited to attend, as I haven't been able to in several years. I'm ready to absorb some great insights on writing and publishing, and I even got some new business cards for the occasion. 

Check out this crazy story from #DVPit earlier this week. Clearly there aren't nearly 10,000 literary agents on Twitter, but this pitch has taken on a life of its own. Such an incredible thing to see, and I can't wait to read about this deal when it gets signed.

Along those lines, why is it that agents request partials instead of fulls? Nathan Bransford shares some insight.

If you avoid these common query pitfalls, you're already ahead of the game.

Comps are a challenge for many aspiring authors, and this blog post does a great job of explaining how important they really are. (DUMPLIN’ meets JURASSIC PARK? Sign me up!)

Forgive the shameless plug, but here's a guide to writing conferences for introverts by yours truly that you might find helpful. I'll practicing some of these tips tomorrow.

And finally, why every writer should read poetry.

Another Austin Summer

It's June, which marks my third summer back in Austin, and also the start of 90+ degree days and slightly cooler nights. I'm not complaining (yet). The heat reminds me of that great moment in Atonement (movie, not book, in this case) where Leon says, "What do you say, Cee? Does the hot weather make you behave badly?"

The heat does bring a little bit of mischief, even if it's just staying out a bit later due to those extra daylight hours, sneaking out for gelato once or twice... a week and slightly smaller clothing to combat the increasing temperatures. In a few weeks I'm sure I'll be hiding indoors, thanking my lucky stars for air conditioning. But for now, I'm going to picnic like my life depends on it. And eat more gelato.

Birthday Cake Macaron and Topo Chico from Walton's Fancy and Staple.

New Year, New Resolutions

Another year, another busy holiday season. This was a lovely year with the addition of my sweet niece Reagan, but it was not without its trials (i.e. My husband moving to Russia for SIX MONTHS). Things are finally starting to settle down, and I'm looking forward to a long weekend of sleeping, puppy snuggles and reflection. I'm still not sure how I feel about the whole resolution thing, but it is nice to check in every once in a while, so here goes...

1. Dedicate time to writing at least five days a week, whether it's a blog post or a writing project. (This certainly didn't happen this year, but I'm going to give it the old college try again.)

2. Record all of the books I read throughout the year. This was a fun one for me last year, so I'll be doing it again. You can follow my progress under "What I've Read." (I've done some thinking, and I'm not sure this is the best tool. Instead, I've created a recommendations page, where I'll curate a list of my all-time favorite reads, new and old.)

3. Continue renovations on the condo. Things are moving right along, and I have even more big plans for this year. (Oh dear, the condo. We are slowly but surely making progress. But condo renovations are expensive, so I'm going to say that slow and steady wins the race in future years.)

4. Cook more often, and try new recipes. This remains on the list. I tired a few new things last year, but it's time to test out all of that fancy kitchen equipment from the registry. (Out of necessity (and lack of husband to cook for me), I did a lot more cooking this year. I didn't make anything too fancy, but I did cook a Thanksgiving meal for the first time. I'm calling that progress.)

5. Be open to new friendships. This is always a goal for me, but I want to be more intentional about the people I spend time with, especially since I'm so protective of my time. (I'm going to mark this one down as a success too. Look at me go! I put myself out there this year. I strengthened some old friendships and I can see a few new ones taking shape. This will always be an important resolution for an introvert like me.)

6. Make healthier choices. I'm never going to be a health nut. I have too many guilty pleasures for that sort of lifestyle. But I do want to make healthier choices, even if it's just drinking more water and getting on a regular schedule with barre classes. (Fail, and fail. But I've signed up for a Barre3 Challenge to kick 2015 off right. And I've already started drinking more water.)

7. Achieve balance. Overall, this is what I'm going for. More play, less work. More quality time with the people I love. More calm, less stress. (Important, and not easy. This stays on the list for the rest of my life, I think.)

And now, for a new resolution.

8. Learn more about the world of wine. For years I've been captivated by the rich history and complexity of the world of wine, which has only increased as I work with our clients to open new restaurants across the country. I've decided to take my interest in wine to the next level. I'm looking into different options for expanding my wine knowledge, and I'll be taking a trip to California to learn even more in the hub of American winemaking. I'm not sure what shape this resolution will take, but I know wine will be a part of 2015.

So there we have it. Resolutions, old and new. And I'm hoping to keep track of them in my new Passion Planner. If you're in the market for a planner, check this one out! It strikes a good balance between work and play. Also, you can download pages to try it out for free! What a great company and philosophy, right?

Cheers to 2015!

Banned Books Week

Once again, it's Banned Books Week! This issue is super important to me, as evidenced by my post last year. Lest you think this is a silly topic that has no relevance in today's world, check out this completely tone-deaf (and poorly timed) move from Highland Park, just down the road from my hometown. Yes people, we are still banning books in 2014.

So, in honor of Banned Books Week, check out the list of frequently challenged books (Harry Potter! Captain Underpants! The Catcher in the Rye! Of Mice and Men! You're killing me, people!), and GO READ ONE!

Hooray for books! Hooray for freedom! And hooray for Banned Books Week, which has been fighting censorship since 1982.

Literary Pennants From Out of Print

Just when I think I can't love them more, Out of Print goes and creates these adorable literary pennants. I'm already looking for a place in my office to hang the Pemberley version, though Pencey Prep is also calling my name. Out of Print is my online retailer patronus.

Which one is your favorite?

Novel Goes to Spain

As I briefly mentioned before, I had the wonderful opportunity to meet Jonathan in Spain for a once-in-a-lifetime vacation. I'm still getting over the jet lag (ugh), but I'm so excited to share some of my bookish and not-so-bookish travel essentials. First, let me say that Spain is amazing. I would endure any amount of jet lag to go back, even tomorrow. It was that great. We did a whirlwind trip with stops in Madrid, Seville, Málaga, Granada and Barcelona. Each city had its own merits, but I was captivated by Seville most of all, and the Gaudí sights in Barcelona.

Because this was my first European vacation (hopefully of many!), I did a lot of research about not only our travel destinations, but also on how to survive international flights. I'd love to share some of my travel learnings with you.

• If you can afford it, spring for business class tickets. For someone like me who has trouble sleeping on planes, having a fully reclining seat made all of the difference in me not only getting sleep, but starting my vacation off on the right foot.
• Even if business class isn't in your budget, small things like a sleep mask, ear plugs and compression socks will make your life much easier. Also, even if you don't like to wear pajamas or workout clothes in public like me, I highly recommend changing into something more comfortable on the plane before going to sleep.
• Don't skip your other nighttime rituals on an overnight flight. Taking the time to remove makeup, take out contacts and brush my teeth before settling down made me feel ready for sleep and also more refreshed upon waking.
• Bring snacks. While airlines will provide snacks, they're not always healthy or appetizing. Packing a few key snacks like trail mix, peanut butter, crackers and granola bars will keep you full and happy on a long flight, and they're also great to have on hand between meals on the entire trip.
• Charge your Kindle or bring a book. (You knew there had to be a bookish twist.) My international flights did not have wifi, so I made sure to download several books before leaving. Check with your local library to see if they have ebook lending. It's been a huge bonus for me to be able to "check out" free Kindle books. I'm a big fan of paper books too, but as a quick reader, the number of paper books needed to sustain a ten day vacation would have taken up all of the space in my bag.
• Find a travel guide you like, and bring it along. My phone didn't have service in Spain, so we relied heavily on our travel guide and the included maps. I looked at a lot of different books before going to Spain, but the one I brought with me was from PBS legend Rick Steves. His books rank sights in order of priority, provide sample itineraries, and give practical advice about crowd-beating and cultural norms. While there were one or two misses (no one's perfect), overall we found this book to be a lifesaver. When we go back to Europe, we'll be bringing Rick with us again.
• If you're not a native speaker of the destination's language, make an effort and look into language apps. We found everyone to be very gracious and helpful, especially when we made an effort to communicate in the native language. I also downloaded SpanishDict before our trip. Their in-app dictionary doesn't require wifi, so it was great for looking up random words in the moment.
• Just go with it! We were lucky to have minimal travel delays, but as with any vacation, there are always surprises or things that don't exactly go your way, especially if there's a language barrier. Having a positive attitude and not sweating the small stuff allowed us to make the most of this incredible vacation.

What are your international travel tips? I feel like we learned so much on this vacation, and I can't wait to do it again!

What I Read 2013

I'm finally updating what I've read for 2014, so I decided to move 2013 over to a post instead. I'm sure I'm missing a few, but this will at least give me a good idea of my literary journey for the last year. Any standouts? I have to say, for sheer joy of reading it, I loved The Night Circus. Other favorites include The Name of the Star and the Ruby Red trilogy. Any recommendations for this year?

Fiction:

• Ham on Rye by Charles Bukowski

• Mao II by Don DeLillo

• The Night Circus by Erin Morgenstern

• The Magicians by Lev Grossman

• The Magician King by Lev Grossman

• The Bone Season by Samantha Shannon

Young Adult:

• Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins

• Cinder by Marissa Meyer

• Scarlet by Marissa Meyer

• The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

• The Madness Underneath by Maureen Johnson

• 13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson

• The Last Little Blue Envelope by Maureen Johnson

• The Clockwork Princess by Cassandra Clare

• Fallen by Lauren Kate

• Torment by Lauren Kate

• Passion by Lauren Kate

• The Luxe by Anna Godbersen

• The Elite by Kiera Cass

•  The Madman's Daughter by Megan Shepherd

•  The Fault in Our Stars by John Green

• Defiance by C.J. Redwine

• Deception by C.J. Redwine

• The Spectacular Now by Tim Tharp

• Born of Illusion by Teri Brown

• The Dream Thieves by Maggie Stiefvater

• Belle Epoque by Elizabeth Ross

• The Crown of Embers by Rae Carson

• The Bitter Kingdom by Rae Carson

• Ruby Red by Kerstin Geir

• Sapphire Blue by Kerstin Geir

• Emerald Green by Kerstin Geir

Memoirs:

• MWF Seeking BFF: My Yearlong Search for a New Best Friend by Rachel Bertsche

An Announcement and Gifts for Tiny Readers

Things have been quiet on the blog front lately, and for very good reason. My brother and his dear wife welcomed a sweet baby girl to the world. Her name is Reagan, and she has stolen our hearts.  

As the only aunt to this precious pumpkin, it's my job to turn her into a little reader. I already told her I'd buy her all of the books she could ever want, but I rounded up a few more things I'd love to give to any future tiny reader.

A onesie with a simple message, Read To Me.

As I've mentioned before, I love these board books of classic literature for baby.

Another favorite brand, Out of Print, also makes adorable book cover onesies. Is it weird to have matching clothes with a baby?

Ian Falconer's classic Olivia in board book form.

And her very own Very Hungry Caterpillar.

Novel Links

Another round of weekly links for you. This one's a good one, if I do say so myself.  

I have to start with this. So many things to love in this interview with Mindy Kaling and Billy Crystal. Great talk about love, writing and When Harry Met Sally. Just wonderful.

And along the lines of truly good love stories, I finally got around to watching About Time, and I highly recommend it. It squeezes your heart a little, just like a real-life love story.

I'll take Hemingway's bedroom. Please and thank you.

I'm a firm believer in taking a break from work to indulge in yourself, and science agrees. A new study says that the more you engage in creative activities outside of work, the better your performance at work will be. So keep knitting.

I love this funny trick of rewriting headlines without sexism. Woman has legs!

We're hearing a lot from John Green lately, and I like what he has to say about young adult fiction.

And finally, look at these angry baby lions learning to swim. They're so vocal!

Enjoy the downhill portion of the week!

Novel Links

Novel Links are a little late this week due to some crazy life happenings, but we're back on schedule and missing our world traveler husband/dog dad very much. Here you are:  

Oh, if only I were in New York today for the Random House open house. Swoon.

Barnes & Noble's book nerd problems are great. I was going to call out my favorites, but there are just too many.

As my friend Katie said, "Somebody give this girl a scholarship!"

I'm Dumbledore, and I'm totally good with that.

Let's go to all of the coolest bookstores in the U.S.

Are you a fan of the shelfie?

On a final, more serious note, these familiar men are taking a stand against sexual assault. Bravo.

That's all, friends. Also, we're on official baby Reagan count down! Squeeee!

Bookish Finds

Here in Austin we've bypassed spring and forged full speed ahead into "Holy hell, it's hot outside" weather. The current temperature is 85 degrees, with the threat of 97 degrees on Sunday. Is it too soon to cry mercy? Because I'd love to have those two days of spring back from last week. I'd like to say this weekend will be spent in air conditioner, or by the pool, but alas I have crawfish, country music plans. I'm also hoping to catch up on all of Jonathan's Russian adventures, take Lola for a long (hot) walk and get some laundry done. I know, exciting stuff.

This shirt, one of my most recent bookish finds, will likely make an appearance. I love the heck out of this shirt, and also love people's reactions to it. Some people just. don't. get. it. Which makes me smile. I'm kind of wishing I had it in tank top form, based on the current weather forecast.

What are you wearing lately? Anything bookish? Happy Friday!

Novel Links

It's time for another weekly dose of Novel Links. In case you've missed the last few, you can find more Novel Links here.  

I love James Patterson's perspective on storytelling, but even more, I love that he knows there are so many different, wonderful ways to write a story.

And if you need a little tough love, here are 21 Harsh But Eye-Opening Writing Tips form Great Authors.

I just finished reading Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo, and I drove to a different library across town just to get my hands on Siege and Storm.

I'm considering starting a book club at work, but book clubs are such a gamble. My friend Paula has a theory about how easily book clubs get ruined, so I'll have to give it some thought.

This recipe for Spicy Sausage & Mixed Vegetable Skillet Pasta is already an instant classic in my house. I'm a sucker for andouille sausage.

The new lineup for ACL Music Festival is out. It's not for me, but people seem to be jazzed about it.

A little girl power from Emma Stone. What a classy lady.

And that's a wrap. The week's more than half over, people. Cheers to that!

To Read, Or Not To Read

At the recent APLFF New Fiction Confab (more on that later), an interesting question came up, one that I think most of us readers have considered. If you start a book, and you just don't like it, do you soldier on or do you cut your losses and walk away? I used to be the former reader, trudging through all number of terrible books, and there were many. In the last few years, I decided that my time was worth more than that, and I've started putting books down.

So what kinds of books do I put down? Two notable ones come to mind, only because they've received lots of love from friends, family, bloggers, etc. The first, The Glass Castle: A Memoir by Jeannette Walls, I just couldn't finish. I saw Jeanette speak at a charity event, and she was utterly charming. But for some reason, the book was just too much for me to stomach, and I had to walk away.

Another book I put down earlier this week was the second book in Laini Taylor's Daughter of Smoke & Bone saga, Days of Blood & Starlight. I don't know if it's too much fantasy for me, or if it was the transition from Prague to some other world, but this book just did not keep my interest. And when I start skimming, I know it's time to reevaluate my choice.

What about you? Do you ever walk away from a book? I must admit, I find it a little liberating.

Novel Links

Another round of weekly links! On the bookish side this time.  

I could go on and on about my love for Out of Print Clothing, but I'll save that for another post. And their newest library collection? Swoon.

TIME Magazine's list of the 21 female authors you should be reading.

All book lovers need good totes, and HuffPo has a nice roundup of totes for book lovers.

Gotta love a good infographic, like this one showing the most read books in the world.

All of my dreams are coming true!

The trailer is out for the movie adaptation of Gayle Forman's If I Stay. I didn't love the book the way others did, but the movie looks interesting.

And a little BuzzFeed quiz fun. How much of a book addict are you?

We're halfway through the week. Cheers!

A Long Day

Sometimes real life can be just like the movies in the worst possible way. So on days like today, when everything just seems so unreal, I go home and snuggle with Lola. Or take a hot shower. Or drink champagne. Or get lost in a good book.  

It also helps to think about this quote:

"Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Here's hoping that tomorrow is a better day than today. Cheers.

Novel Links

Here's another round of novel links that have entertained me this week:  

Books and cooking! Here's a post about being inspired to cook by a great novel.

An interesting post about being an inaccessible author from Shannon Hale. They're not super heroes, people. They still have to do laundry and stuff.

Genius book marketing for John Green's The Fault in Our Stars. Thank goodness the preparedness kit includes tissues.

These introvert stories get me every time. It's like they can see inside my brain!

I recently saw the trailer for Le Week-End, and it looks like it has the potential to make me both laugh out loud and become a bit weepy. Definitely on my list to see.

I'm all about these simple wine tasting projects from The Kitchn.

And just because, baby elephants.

That's all, folks.

Writer Gear

As one of those kids who got disproportionately excited about buying new school supplies, I'm always interested in new gear to help with my writing. Now really, you don't need any of the gear, but it's fun. And at least for me, I like to have quality tools so I can focus on the writing without needing to find another pen or having a notebook that keeps flipping closed. Here are a few of my favorite writery things:

1. Macbook Air - I know this is a rather expensive tool, but it's worth way more than its weight in gold (Get it? Because it barely weighs anything... Never mind.). If you're a Mac and a writer, I can't recommend this computer enough. The battery lasts forever, meaning you spend less time being that annoying girl in the coffee shop who is awkwardly looking for a spare outlet. You can also get a really rad case that gives you some major bookish cred.

2. Scrivener - I've posted about it before, and I won't bore you again, but this software blows Microsoft Word out of the water.

3. Moleskine Large Ruled Notebook - What's good enough for Papa Hemingway is good enough for me. I go for the basic lined journal. It opens flat and stays that way. The paper is nice, it has a handy bookmark and elastic closure, and best of all, it doesn't have an on/off switch, so you never have to put it away on an airplane. I keep mine with me at all times, just in case inspiration strikes.

4. Fisher Bullet Space Pen - I know what you're thinking. Is that really necessary? And maybe it's not, but it certainly is cool. The nice thing about the bullet is that it's compact, but when the cap is placed on the end, it becomes a standard pen length. The ink cartridge is sealed and pressurized, so it writes upside down or sideways, and it has an estimated shelf life of 100 years, so chances are you'll never have to buy a pen again. Just don't lose it.

5.  Snap Backpack from Everlane - Now that I have all of this writer gear, I need a place to put it. I'm a big fan of Everlane. They make quality products at reasonable prices, and their Weekender is the perfect travel bag. I recently purchased the snap backpack in green, and I can't wait to start carrying it around town instead of my college Jansport. It's a little more mature, even if it is still a backpack. Hopefully people will stop confusing me for a student.

So there you have it. My writing necessities. What's on your list?

Bookish Finds

As a reader and a writer, I like to infuse a little bit of the bookish into my everyday life. I even had a book-themed wedding! For the new Bookish Finds series on Novel, I'll highlight items I find that are perfect for bibliophiles. First up, something bookish for the wee babes. I'm thrilled to pieces to be welcoming a niece in May, and I'm attending a baby shower this weekend in celebration. I've already purchased a precious onesie from the Paddington Bear line for Gap Baby, but my gift for the shower is my favorite bookish baby gift yet! (Briann, if you're reading this, now is the time to go to a different page.)

I can't wait for baby Reagan to get her hands on these adorable, beautifully illustrated board books from BabyLit by Gibbs Smith.

BabyLit bills itself as "a fashionable way to introduce your toddler to the world of classic literature." And if I'm being completely honest, I've even eyed some of these prints for myself. What are your favorite bookish gifts for baby?