One of the many missions of MCBD is to always be shining the spotlight on authors of diverse kidlit. Thanks to the talents of MCBD Team Member and long-time CoHost, Leanna Guillen-Mora, we are excited to announce the addition of a reoccurring Instagram Live feature! Every Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. ET., followers can tune in...
One of the many missions of MCBD is to always be shining the spotlight on authors of diverse kidlit. Thanks to the talents of MCBD Team Member and long-time CoHost, Leanna Guillen-Mora, we are excited to announce the addition of a reoccurring Instagram Live feature! Every Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. ET., followers can tune in and learn more about these amazing authors and their books.
Here’s a look at who Leanna interviewed this week!
Over the last 9+ years as Project Manager for MCBD, I’ve had the honor of working with a wide range of amazing authors who are all striving to create beautiful books that fill a gap and a need.
One thing I know for sure is that, when I ask them why they write diverse books for kids or teens, they never say, “I write books because I want to make a million bucks.”
NEVER.
{Guest post from Debbie Dadey}
When I was a librarian, I was determined to find the perfect book for even the most reluctant reader who stepped into my library. I believe J.K. Rowling was right when she said, “If you don’t like to read, you haven’t found the right book.” So that was my mission, but for some kids, I found the books weren’t there.
One young black girl wanted a picture book that had a black kid on the cover. A new one every week. That was easy . . . for a few weeks. There was a need for more. In fact, in 2012 only 7% of books published were about people of color.
{Guest post by Lisa Rose}
In 1997, after years of education and training, I finally had my own classroom. On the first day of school, I looked out at my students. I really couldn’t tell one bald-headed black boy from the next. I had a horrifying thought: I am ignorant! How could I, a grandchild of a family who was slaughtered in the Holocaust, lack understanding of a minority? The answer is exposure.
This experience happened over 20 years ago, and since that time, I have taught in many schools where most of my students are African American. As a result, I have been immersed in both African American and Jewish communities and observe not only our differences but our similarities. Because of this immersion in both communities, I became intrigued by stories of Black and Jewish friendships. So, when I discovered the story about how -, I was not only interested—but excited.