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 Gullien-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 the authors that Leanna has already interviewed and the ones yet to come. [Read more…]
{Guest Post by Jodi Murphy, Geek Club Books}
Rebecca (Bex) Burgess, an illustrator and comic artist from the UK, went viral when the autistic community and educators discovered their graphic illustration, “Understanding the Spectrum.” The comic was the first of its kind to explain autism from a neurodiverse perspective AND created by an autistic artist. It’s been viewed and downloaded millions of times.
Bex has played an important role in the education and advocacy work we do at Geek Club Books too. They illustrated our Hear Our Voices, End Autism Awareness, and Actually Autistic Adults in the Real World comics, all being used by parents and educators to help others understand the autism experience. These comics are being used in training programs, presentations, and in classrooms.
All of Bex’s hard work has led to their talent finally being recognized in the book publishing world. Bex has been working on, not one, not two, but three upcoming books for publishers, one that I’ll be reviewing on Multicultural Children’s Book Day 2021.
Wiggles, Stomps and Squeezes Calm My Jitters Down is a picture book about sensory differences. Created by an autistic artist, this new book explains autism from a neurodiverse perspective.
It will also be released in Spanish: Meneos, Pistones, Y Apretones Para Calmar Mi Cosquelleo. I caught up with the author, Lindsey Rowe Parker, and Rebecca Burgess to talk about Bex’s journey as an illustrator and why Lindsey chose them to illustrate her book.
Bex, what has been your journey to becoming an illustrator?
Although I studied illustration in Uni, I don’t think this actually contributed very much to the steps towards doing this as a job, although it was very fun at the time. Most steps I have taken are from different areas which have all accumulated together over the years.
What was most useful was taking part in the small press comic scene from age 13 onwards. I learned how to make and self-publish comics alongside other artists at conventions, and selling self-published comics is still a source of money now. All the artists on the small press scene talked on forums/groups, and we all became friends over many years. These friends, who were older and further along in their careers, were the people who sent me my first big jobs that paid enough for me to go full time, where I helped out as a colourist for their work.
It took a long time to improve my art and get decent work like this, so this took many years even after Uni. I drew my ‘Understanding the Spectrum’ comic in 2016 just for fun, and although the comic itself is purposely free, it has gotten me several job opportunities after going viral and getting noticed by people wanting artwork for various projects. Last year I took part in a ‘twitter pitch’ where you pitch a book via twitter to agents/editors. This has led to me getting an agent, which has helped me open up further avenues of places to get work in the book industry.
Lindsey, how did you discover Bex and decide they were right for your book?
I knew that I wanted to partner with an illustrator that understood these experiences, and I found Rebecca Burgess on Twitter. The kidlit community on Twitter is a great place to find talent, and Rebecca is a gem. From their first concept sketches, I knew they were absolutely the perfect person to bring this story to life. Their approach to the characters and their relationship was humbling to me, you can feel the support and love in their illustrations.
Bex, what has the experience been like working with Lindsey on a children’s book about sensory differences?
It was really nice to work on a text that perfectly describes how I often feel! It was very validating and made me think about how I wish I could have had words to describe certain feelings that made me really stressed when I was a kid, especially the ‘jitters’. This made the book really fun to draw as well, it’s always the nicest when you can draw something you have an emotional connection to.
Lindsey, how has it been working with Bex on your book?
Bex has an incredible way of breathing life and joy and feeling into their illustrations. I could feel that looking at their previous work on Twitter. As I dug around a little more, I also realized how much they love and support the neurodivergent and autistic communities. The compassion and understanding they have of the nuances of these lived experiences bring such warmth to the illustrations, it is such a gift for me that they were open to working on this project. I jumped for joy, seriously out of my chair when they said yes! We live an ocean away from each other, yet our working relationship is professional, easy, and so rewarding.
Lindsey, what were your first impressions when you saw Bex’s illustrations bring your story to life?
I cried happy tears. I ran through the house dancing. I showed my friends and family. I believe when you work with someone with immense talent, you get out of their way and let them do what they do best. And so it was with this process. I, of course, had ideas of what the story looked like in my head, but this is not just for me. So, I gave Bex carte blanche on character development and how they wanted to bring the story and sensations to life. They exceeded my wildest expectations. We are very lucky that our publisher also saw the vision, and trusted us to move forward with minimal changes. It has been a unique and wonderful experience to have this amount of control and creative collaboration through this process.
Bex, will this be your first published book, and are you hoping to illustrate more children’s books?
Nope! My first published book is being released in October 2020- How to be Ace, published by Jessica Kingsley Publishers and another in the future I can’t talk about right now.
And, yes, I have lots of ideas for picture books myself, and I love doing this style of artwork so it would be great if I can be the artist for other picture books!
Thank you both for talking about your upcoming book! I look forward to reviewing it for #ReadYourWorld on January 29, 2021.
Read about A Day in the Life of Rebecca Burgess
Rebecca Burgess on Instagram – @theorahart
Author Lindsey Rowe Parker on Instagram – @wigglesstompsandsqueezes
Preorder Wiggles, Stomps and Squeezes Calm My Jitters Down on Amazon
Jodi Murphy is the founder of Geek Club Books, an autism nonprofit committed to creating a world where autistic individuals are fully accepted, valued and have a voice. She is the producer of the Dorktales Storytime Podcast, a family-fun series of geeky retellings of classic fairy tales and true stories about hidden heroes of history. Previously, Jodi was a freelance marketing specialist working for clients in a variety of industries, a journalist in the luxury lifestyle industry, and co-founder of Nesting Newbies, one of the first independent lifestyle digital magazines.
Friends, we still have so much work to do!
Here’s some information from the CCBC about diversity in kidlit. In their analysis of picture books published in 2017:
* A character in a picture book was 4 times more likely to be a dinosaur than an American Indian child.
* A character in a picture book was 2 times more likely to be a rabbit than an Asian/Pacific or Asian/Pacific American child.
* A female character in a picture book was highly likely to be wearing pink and/or a bow, even if she is a hippopotamus, an ostrich, or a dinosaur.
* A child with a disability appeared in only 21 picture books, and only 2 of those were main characters. Most others appeared in background illustrations.
That’s less than one-third of one percent of picture books published in 2017 and received by the CCBC that had the main character with a disability. No wonder I have trouble finding books I want to review!
KitLit411 has an excellent list of resources and publishers that focus on diverse books for kids.
View out MCBD 2018 Author Sponsors and Medallion Level Sponsors to discover even more titles and diverse book publishers.
Thanks for being part of this movement to change these statistics.
ONE MORE THING
Get the scoop on a unique way to market your book or author HERE.
(Guest post by Becky Flansburg; Project Manager for MCBD)
Not long ago, I had the absolute pleasure of interviewing publisher, Philip Lee. As one of the former founders of Lee & Low Books, Philip left the company in 2004 to create his own publishing house, Readers to Eaters, in 2009. It was Philip that clued me in on a big milestone for Lee & Low Books that I felt really needed to be shouted from the rooftops. Lee & Low Books has always had a passion and commitment to diversity in children’s literature and publishing exec, Jason Low, spent some time with us to share his thoughts on diversity and a very exciting milestone for one particular Lee & Low book.
Lee & Low Book’s connection to Multicultural Children’s Book Day began way back when MCBD first began. Our non-profit has always been in awe of this diverse children’s book publisher’s passion and commitment to children’s literature.
Lee & Low Books is the largest multicultural children’s book publisher in the country, and one of the few minority-owned publishing companies in the United States. They offer books for all young readers, from leveled books for beginning readers through middle grade and young adult novels. They also publish several bilingual books, as well as books in other languages. Their books reflect the diversity and richness of the United States. LEE & LOW BOOKS is more than just a publisher: it is a leader in the movement for more diversity in literature.
The “milestone” that I discovered was impending was the 25th anniversary of Lee & Low’s very first published book, Baseball Saved Us.
The 25th anniversary of anything is a big deal, but it’s even bigger when it’s a company connected to a shared mission and vision. Thrilled and excited, I reached out to my connection at Lee & Low who in turn put me in touch with exec, Jason Low. Jason generously agreed to share his thoughts on the 25th Anniversary of Baseball Saved Us, some points of pride with his company and also his thoughts on the advancement of diversity in children’s literature. Enjoy!
Becky: Walk me briefly through Lee & Low’s timeline and what year you came on board.
JL: I joined the company in 1997. I was employee #6. By then, Lee & Low Books had established itself as a promising small publisher of quality multicultural books. At the time, one of Lee & Low’s biggest challenges was finding diverse authors and illustrators and developing stories. Many of the limitations we faced back then mainly had to do with size, or lack thereof. Everyone wore many hats. As a result, we struggled to cover the basics like keeping publication dates and sending out review copies on time. The early years were an exciting time too! The lack of resources forced us to prioritize and innovate. Working with a modest budget required us to come up with creative solutions and guerrilla marketing techniques. There is no better way to learn how to run a business than to work for a startup.
Becky: This month is the 25th anniversary of Lee & Low’s release of their very first book, Baseball Saved Us. What does this milestone mean to you personally? To the company?
JL: Baseball Saved Us will always symbolize for us how it all began. The book broke new ground by making the incarceration of Japanese Americans during World War II personnel. It is an underdog story set in an era of overt racism, seen through the clear-eyed innocence of a child, with America’s favorite pastime acting as a backdrop. Baseball Saved Us set the bar for us editorially, and as the years advanced, our instincts developed further, telling us what other stories still needed to be told. Our focus on ethnicity eventually widened to include other marginalized groups like LGBT and people with disabilities. “About everyone ~ For everyone” became our motto. As the business matures, we remember everything, from the highs to the lean years we had to endure. These memories give us an appreciation for where we are today. The early years taught us how to get by with less, but now that we have the means to do more for our books, it is an exciting time.
Becky: Was there any specific reason this book was chosen to be Lee & Low’s first offering?
JL: New publishers are typically focused on finding great manuscripts and publishing them as soon as possible. The chicken-and-egg model would apply here—no books = no sales. This hand-to-mouth kind of publishing persisted for a number of years. In the beginning, there was no master plan. Baseball Saved Us was one of three books ready for release in our debut year.
Becky: Do you have something special in mind to celebrate/recognize this milestone?
JL: We are working on a 25th Anniversary edition of Baseball Saved Us to commemorate this milestone. It will be released in Fall 2018.
Becky: Lee & Low has such an amazing reputation for producing impactful and quality books for readers. This is a tall order, but can you pinpoint 3-5 books that Lee & Low has published that you feel really made an impact on readers?
JL: Aside from Baseball Saved Us? I’d go with:
Yummy: The Last Days of a Southside Shorty
By G. Neri
Illustrated by Randy DuBurke
https://www.leeandlow.com/books/yummy
Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match
By Monica Brown
Illustrated by Sara Palacios
https://www.leeandlow.com/books/marisol-mcdonald-doesn-t-match-marisol-mcdonald-no-combina
Seeds of Change: Planting a Path to Peace
By Jen Johnson
Illustrated by Sonia Sadler
https://www.leeandlow.com/books/seeds-of-change
By Guadalupe Garcia McCall
https://www.leeandlow.com/books/summer-of-the-mariposas
By Tony Medina
Illustrated by Stacey Robinson, John Jennings
https://www.leeandlow.com/books/i-am-alfonso-jones
*Note: I Am Alfonso Jones is a new graphic novel, so it remains to be seen what long-term impact this book will have on readers. However, the book has already been included on lists like the New York Public Library’s Best Books for Teens and the Top Ten Great Graphic Novels for Teens from the American Library Association (ALA), so we believe it is destined to go far.
Becky: Back in 2015, Lee & Low did a study on the Diversity Gap that showed that, despite census data that shows 37% of the US population consists of people of color, only 10% of children’s books published have diversity content. Do you feel these stats have shifted over the last 3 years?
JL: Yes and no. See our reactions and thoughts here: http://blog.leeandlow.com/2017/03/30/the-diversity-gap-in-childrens-book-publishing-2017/
Becky: If you could let readers know ONE THING about Lee & Low, what would that one thing be?
JL: If you are searching for authentic, quality, diverse books with plenty of heart, Lee & Low Books is the publisher for you. Pass it on.
Jason Low is the publisher and a co-owner of LEE & LOW BOOKS, the largest multicultural children’s book publisher in the United States. Jason has spoken at national conferences like American Library Association and Texas Library Association. He has presented at universities such as Princeton, Pratt, and NYU about the importance of inclusion in children’s books. In addition to publishing award-winning books, the company initiated a series of Diversity Gap Studies, which revealed a lack of representation across industries like film, television, and theater. Lee & Low also spearheaded the first Diversity Baseline Survey to measure diversity in publishing staff, the results of which have become an often referred to benchmark by academics and major media alike. In 2016, the Eric Carle Museum selected Lee & Low as the recipient of its Angel Award for the company’s dedication to artists and authors who offer children both mirrors and windows to the world.
“Daddy, daddy, look- I finally found one!” My daughter Savannah yelled to me in the middle of the Barnes and Noble bookstore. You see, a few months earlier my lovely wife and I decided that we were going to infuse Kwanzaa into our family holiday celebrations. The only problem was that we both grew up in homes where Kwanzaa was not celebrated, so we took it upon ourselves to research and discover all the elements of celebrating the historic holiday.
During our time studying common Kwanzaa customs and rituals, we discovered that unwrapped “zawadi” (which is Swahili for gifts) should be given to our children. The gifts must also be beneficial to improving children’s cultural development and growth. My idea for providing zawadi to our children was to buy them books with African-American characters. Which brings us back to my daughter yelling at the top of her lungs in Barnes and Noble. She was screaming out of excitement and pure joy because we had been searching for multicultural children’s books for the past two hours at a various book stores in our community. Unfortunately, the book we found was the only one that had a character of color in the entire store. The joyful expression my daughter had on her face when she discovered that book transformed into pure frustration for me.
I unknowingly assumed that buying multicultural children’s books at a mainstream bookstore would be an easy process. I was wrong. Not only did we have to search harder for multicultural children’s books at every store we visited, we also had to check with store associates for independently published books which, in most cases, were not available. I drove home with my family in utter disbelief. Instead of giving up altogether, I switched gears to my last resort of purchasing multicultural children’s books on the internet.
A couple weeks after Kwanzaa, I spoke to my wife about my frustrations of not being able to find more books with characters our children could identify with at our local bookstores. My wife listened to me, shrugged then gave me the best advice I ever received. She said “Why don’t you just write a book for the kids?” She spoke those words with such nonchalance but she was 100% correct!
I had never wrote a children’s book in my life so I had no idea where to start. One thing I did have was over 12 years of experience writing rhymes and poetry but that decreased drastically after our children were born. I did additional research on how to write a book and get published, and after two years, I was finally able to publish my first children’s book (Which is ironically available at Barnes & Noble)
So my suggestion to you if you can’t find multicultural children’s books at your local book store would be to do the following things:
Following these tips should help you out if you are experiencing challenges finding multicultural books for your kids or students at local book stores. If that doesn’t work, you may want to do what I did and write a book for your kids. Good luck conquistadors!
Ruben is an educator by day and an author by night. His love for writing was sparked by his passion for reading. As a young child, Ruben was captivated by the knowledge and adventures he experienced every time that he opened a book. Ruben possesses a Master’s Degree in K-12 Education Administration and his motto that he shares with young children is “Readers are Leaders”.You can connect with Ruben on Facebook & Twitter at:
