While at a children’s book conference, I fell in love with many books. I brought these two home because they teach about tolerance and racism.
The Other Side
Written by Jacqueline Woodson
Illustrated by E. B. Lewis
A writer told me to read this book because it’s about racism, but there’s no mention of the word in the manuscript. A friendship develops across a racial divide. Clover, a black girl, lives beside a fence that segregates her town. Her mother tells her never to climb over to the other side because it isn’t safe.
On the other side, is a little white girl, Annie. Her mother also has told her not to climb over the fence.
The two girls see each other and introduce themselves one day. They don’t climb over the fence; they sit on it instead.
The last words leave hope that someone is going to tear down the fence one day. The illustrations in this book are absolutely gorgeous. I saw a presentation by E. B. Lewis, and he pointed out that the girls appear on separate pages at first and are separated by the seams. After they introduce themselves, they are always on the same page. Beautiful.
So Many Houses
Written by Hester Thompson Bass
Illustrated by Alik Arzoumanian
This is an easy-to-read book, meaning it’s for children who are just learning to read. So Many Houses is a book of few words and packs a big message. Each of us lives in a different home. We’re all different, and that’s okay.
I’m pretty sure my husband could have written this essay about what happens when mothers leave their children in the care of their fathers. Thankfully, mothers don’t stay gone for long. There’s no telling what foolishness would transpire after a week home with dad.
They are truly, truly in love.
Simone, explaining the romantic status of two of her classmates.
Ken and I tied the knot 10 years ago today.
Of course, our marriage has been an adventure. Paris. Deaths. Two moves. Two homes. Two children. London. Three dogs. The Great Recession. Illness. The blog.
I don’t think either of us could easily get into our wedding attire. We both weigh more. I have gained at least 15 pounds. Thanks, Simone and Nadia! No official number was released for Ken, but I’d say about 10 pounds. I have more hair; he has less. I walked down the aisle with a TWA, or Teeny Weeny Afro, and I have been growing my hair ever since. And he has been, well, …
We are the same. He is still a pop culture geek and an Alabama football fan. I am still a folk art collector.
We are different. We don’t know what we used to do with all the free time we had on our hands before dogs and kids. Well, we did eat out more. Our days, though, were quiet. We’re a loud family now. We work like a team on most days, punting tasks to each other whenever needed.
Our love is stronger. I love him more today than I did the day we were married. Here’s to 10 more years and beyond. Clink.
*Loving in the blog post title refers to Loving v. Virginia, the U.S. Supreme Court case that struck down anti-miscegenation laws.
I had the pleasure of attending my first Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators conference. It was so helpful. I learned a lot, and I left felling enthusiastic about the business and my work.
15 Things I learned as SCBWI. (I may expand the list in the coming days.)
1. Write about race without using the word.
2. Write about identity without using the word.
3. Write about tolerance without using the word.
4. Use a refrain. See above.
5. Get to the point — fast.
6. Writers write.
7. Illustrators illustrate.
8. Great things happen when writers and illustrators work separately.
9. Let other people read your work aloud.
10. Be quiet during a critique.
11. Respond to critiques at the end.
12. Critique groups are your friend.
13. Revise your best work before submitting.
14. No agent is needed to sell a children’s book.
15. But the writer with an agent gets a better deal.
That’s what I’m talking about.
Nadia, vowing she will turn a better cartwheel than her sister when she is 6.
