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Kids on the March – Cover Reveal

By Heather Murphy Capps on October 24, 2020 / Articles, New Releases

It’s Cover Reveal Saturday … and today we’re getting a sneak peek at the cover for Kids on the March (Algonquin), by Michael G. Long.

Seriously, I’m such a fan of this subject, I can’t even with the suspense. I’m going to reveal this cover right now…

…

Wait, what?

Just kidding. The real reveal is coming shortly, I promise. But I couldn’t resist having a little fun with the fabulous app Mindy Alyse Weiss showed me, the Blur Photo app. Good, right?

But before we see the real thing, we’ve got some goodies. An excerpt from Kids on the March, followed by a quick interview with author Michael G. Long.

Kids on the March Excerpt:

“Today, we march, we fight, we roar!”

Delaney Tarr, a student at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, spoke those powerful words at the student-led March for Our Lives in Washington, DC, on March 24, 2018.

“We know what we want, we know how to get it, and we are not waiting any longer!” she declared. The crowd thundered its support.

Many of the marchers on that chilly spring day were elementary, middle, and high school students from across the country. Called together by the Parkland students, they had gathered at the nation’s capital to protest for gun control legislation.

As Tarr continued her speech, countless kids raised their protest signs high: what do you like more, guns or kids?; protest guns, not kids; and #enough is enough!

A short while later, Yolanda Renee King, the nine-year-old granddaughter of Martin Luther King Jr. and Coretta Scott King, also spoke. She said, “I have a dream that enough is enough and that this world should be a gun-free world, period!”

Marchers who had studied her grandfather in history class probably recognized that her words echoed Dr. King’s most famous speech, “I Have a Dream,” which he gave to 250,000 protestors at the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963.

When we think of protests in US history, we often call to mind Dr. King and his adult colleagues. But do you know that many participants in the 1963 March on Washington were kids? Do you know, too, that several months before the March on Washington, thousands of young Black people marched against racial segregation in Birmingham, Alabama? Do you know that this was not the first time in US history that kids marched for justice?

Sixty years earlier, in 1903, child laborers marched from Philadelphia to New York to protest the dangerous working conditions in textile mills.

Even this early march was not the first of its kind.

Young people have led or participated in numerous marches throughout the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Whether they led or followed, the kids in these historic marches were tough, bold, and brave. Some of these marches occurred in the face of violence, and others in relative safety, but all of them required courage.

The marches in which kids have participated are all deeply connected. They have sought to establish peace, justice, and freedom for all. Each has attempted to fulfill the civil rights identified in the US Constitution. Each has tried to hold the nation accountable to the beliefs and principles set forth in the Declaration of Independence.

As leaders and participants, kids have fought on the front lines of virtually every important march for first-class citizenship throughout US history. When democracy was threatened, kids were there. When people on the margins needed a voice of protest, kids were there. In some cases, kids were there, marching and chanting, long before adults even thought about protesting.

You, too, can march. If you don’t like a law that causes suffering, or if you would like a new policy that could help create a better world, you, like the kids in this book, can stand up. You can straighten your shoulders. You can throw back your chin. And you can shout what young people have been shouting for decades: “Let’s march!”

Interview with Kids on the March Author Michael G. Long

MUF: What’s your favorite element of the cover design?

Take a close look at the faces of the young activists, and you’ll see my favorite part of the cover: that beautiful display of pure passion in their fight for peace with justice. The image comes from a photograph taken at the historic March for Our Lives, a nonviolent protest against gun violence in our schools. Although I still get sad, and angry, about the event that fueled this protest—a horrific school shooting in Parkland, Florida—I also get chills when I look at the faces of the young people who stood up when adults failed them and organized their very own international protest for safe schools. What passion and power! It’s so inspiring for me to see kids standing up, speaking out, and protesting for other kids. I love that.

MUF: Did you do any political organizing as a child?

As a kid, I was not a political organizer. But when I was about ten years old, I sat at my family’s dining room table and wrote the Pennsylvania governor a letter expressing my opposition to the death penalty. That was probably the first time I protested for an issue I cared about so deeply. There wasn’t anything dramatic about it; it was just a simple act of using a pencil, lined white paper, and a stamped envelope. But that small act was a way for me to share my voice, and it set the stage for my later participation in numerous sit-ins, marches, and rallies for social justice. By the way, the governor sent me a reply, and I recall how thrilled I was that he’d heard my youthful voice and respected it enough to correspond with a kid who couldn’t vote at the time. I’ll never forget that.

MUF: Any personal reflections on youth activism?

Writing Kids on the March is my way of protesting the unfortunate exclusion of youth activism from our books and classes on US history. As a young student, I read history books that were organized by wars and presidents. Where were all the kids? Well, I later discovered that all the kids missing from my history books were helping to lead, organize, and support virtually every social movement that has secured and advanced the basic human rights we now enjoy. Kids have been at the vanguard of almost every social justice movement in US history. Today, my personal heroes aren’t US presidents or military generals; they’re the kids in this book, young people who care so deeply that they feel compelled to stand up, speak out, and protest for the rights to life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. They’re leading us through the chaos of this new century, and I’m delighted to play a supporting role by sharing their voices.

((Like reading about socially conscious kids and political activism? See our booklist here.))

The Real Reveal

Okay … now I know your appetite is whetted, and you’re ready for the real reveal … drum roll, please!

Ta-da!

Kids on the March will be available in spring of 2021.

About Michael G. Long

Michael G. Long is the author and editor of many books on civil rights, peaceful protest, and politics. Kids on the March is his first book for younger readers.

Interview with Hena Khan, Author of More to the Story!

By JROSEN on October 21, 2020 / Articles

Hello Mixed-Up Filers!

We are in for a treat today! Today we have Hena Khan, author of More to the Story, which came out in paperback on September 8^th, from Salaam Reads/ Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers.

JR: Hi Hena, thanks for joining us today.

HK: Thank YOU! It’s my pleasure!

JR: First off, for those who don’t know, what can you tell us about the book and where the idea for the story came from?

HK: The book is about Jameela, a girl with a big heart and a quick temper who is determined to be an award-winning journalist but is thrown off course by a mysterious and charming new friend, Ali. The idea came from my deep obsession with Little Women when I was growing up and wanting to write a similar type of book featuring a large, loving Pakistani American family that tackles some big life challenges. I wanted to draw readers into my work the same way I was captivated and wanted to live in that story, with that family, forever.

JR: This book is an interpretation of Little Women. What is it about that book that fascinated you to want to do an updated version?

HK: There’s so much to love about it, but I think I was most attracted to the well-developed characters, the focus on friendship and sisterly dynamics, and the very subtle romance. As a child of immigrants trying to find my way growing up, I connected strongly with Jo, who was fighting to be more than society allowed her to be. My goal was to write a story that was inspired by the one I loved, but to also change the parts of the book that didn’t go the way I would have wanted!

JR: Side question. Which movie version of Little Women was your favorite?

HK: The newest one! Before the Greta Gerwig film, I honestly never loved any of the movie adaptations and considered them all a betrayal of the book for one reason or another. Even after seeing the trailers for the newest version, I went in with low expectations. But then I was blown away and adored it! I think my reaction to the movies over the years is actually what prevented me from retelling the book or sticking closely to the narrative myself in More to the Story. Instead, I picked out some of my favorite themes and moments and wove them into an entirely new and fresh story. That way, I hoped loyalists to Little Women would see it the way I do, as a love letter or tribute more than an imitation.

JR: Your book deals with a lot of different emotions and difficult subjects, but still has a lot of humorous parts. How difficult was it for you to try and find the right balance in writing that?

HK: I’m so glad you said that, because I tried really hard to find that balance, to make the book fun to read, and to give readers some emotional relief when writing about tough moments. In real life, we find comfort and see beauty and receive support in different and sometimes unexpected ways, and I like to focus on the small ways we lift each other up when things are difficult. One of my favorite parts of the book is when Ali teases and makes her sister Bisma laugh, and how Jameela realizes how valuable that is.

JR: I read that you grew up in Maryland. What from the local customs/flavor, have you been able to incorporate, or has helped to influence your books?

HK: So much of what I write is based on my experiences growing up in a suburb of Maryland, outside of Washington DC. I draw on the diversity of the area, the strong Pakistani American community, and things like the tastes and scents of my favorite restaurants or the local Islamic Center, even if I set my stories in other places. More to the Story takes place in Atlanta suburbs because my sister lives there with her family, and I loved the idea of setting my book in the South and incorporating local flavors of another place I’ve come to appreciate over the years. I was also surprised to learn that there’s a very large Pakistani American community there, and even a Pakistani radio station!

JR: I also read how you felt that your children feel more comfortable in maintaining a balance between your Pakistani heritage/Muslim faith and living in Maryland, than you did at their same age. How did those feelings help contribute to your writing?

HK: These are such great questions! I’m so glad that my kids feel more comfortable in their skins than I was at their age. I make it a point to write characters who, like my own children, don’t struggle with their ethnicity or religion, and whose identities do not form the basis of their challenges. I think that they, both in their actual lives and in story, deserve to see themselves and be seen as they are, unapologetic and proud Pakistani American Muslims.

JR: I know every author puts something of themselves into their books, so what from you has been included into More to the Story, and which character are you most like and why?

HK: I sneak a lot about myself into my books, and most of my characters resemble someone from my life, and many of the details and small moments come from my own life or are stolen from the lives of people around me. A lot of Jameela’s personality and experiences are derived from my own. Like Jameela, I’m the second eldest child, I loved writing as a kid and wrote a family newspaper, I was an editor for my school newspaper, and I felt a lot of responsibility for my younger siblings. I also struggle with a quick temper, which is my default emotion when I’m stressed out or scared. So having her grapple with that was cathartic for me.

JR: More to the Story centers around four sisters. Did you come from a large family?

HK: Yes! There are four of us siblings in my family too, although we are two sisters and two brothers and much further apart in age. Probably because I come from a large family, it was fun to write the scenes of sibling banter and friendly competition, and I loved giving each of the girls a distinct personality. My siblings and I are all very different from each other but are still close.

JR: Okay, serious question. I read your bio on your site, https://www.henakhan.com/, and I would be remiss to not ask, just how great of a flamenco dancer are you?

HK: Haha, not great at all! I took lessons for several years, many years ago, and it is such a difficult form of dance to master. I don’t think I ever graduated past beginner to be honest. But I think it’s so beautiful and would love to take it up again one day. The good thing is that many of the best flamenco dancers in the world are older women, which is super cool, and still gives me time to go back and give it another try!

JR: You’ll have to give us an update if you do! You’ve traveled a lot. I read that you’ve been to over thirty-five countries. Wow! How has that helped your writing?

HK: In college, I studied international affairs and I’ve wanted to live in another country my entire life. But other than a semester studying abroad in Spain, I’ve lived in the same five mile area my entire life! I’m really grateful to have been able to travel as much as I have, to connect with different cultures and experience the joys of new foods, sights, and customs on different continents. And over the last few years, I’ve been able to visit a bunch of new states and parts of the US that I’ve never been to before, which was so much fun. I think travel overall has influenced my writing by reinforcing my belief that at our core we all share the same values, and I try to speak to the universal human experience through my specific background.

JR: Can you discuss with us your path to publication?

HK: Sure! I got my start in publishing as a writer-for-hire for several Scholastic book clubs, like Spy University, Space University and others. They served as a crash course for me to learn how to write for kids, since at the time I was a technical writer and editor focused on international health issues. I realized I loved writing for kids, and since I was a young mother reading to my toddler, also started to think about the books I didn’t have a kid, that I wanted my children to have. I started to write picture books that included characters who were like them, and my first was published in 2008. For a few years I continued to write picture books, and other writer-for-hire projects, while working in international health. I completed my first novel, Amina’s Voice, in 2013; it took me about six months to find an agent in 2014, and the book didn’t sell until early 2015. It’s been a long road, and I’m grateful for all the support I received over the years, especially in the beginning of my career when there wasn’t as much of a focus on representation and inclusion as today.

JR: What is your writing process like?

HK: I usually chew on an idea for a bit, and once I commit to it as a book, write a synopsis and then a pretty detailed chapter outline. While I write, I edit myself continually and agonize over my first drafts. In the beginning, I suffer though a lot of self-doubt and have to force myself to push through. I think I’m much more of a natural editor than writer, or at least it’s the part that I enjoy more! I write in fits and spurts, at different times of day, in different locations. And I write a lot in my head, while on walks, in the shower, even while trying to nap! But somehow, slowly, it gets done, and I love the process of going back and putting the shine on a story and cleaning up language.

JR: When I try to nap is always the time ideas start coming in for me! What’s the best piece of writing advice that you’ve ever received?

HK: Someone told me once that a full day’s work for a creative writer is three hours. And that makes me feel a lot better about my level of productivity! But seriously, I think the best advice I’ve gotten, which is very hard to do, is to not compare yourself to others. Your creative journey is unique, and there is no one path to what you consider a satisfying writing career. It’s a tricky industry to navigate for most people. And it takes both a tremendous amount of persistence and a commitment to continually grow and learn to do it better.

JR: And what advice can you give to writers looking to break through?

HK: I highly recommend joining or forming a writing group with people who read children’s books, and whose opinion you value. I can’t tell you what a difference having the support and feedback of other writers has made for me, and I still depend on it. If you don’t have a group, a single critique partner is great too. But it helps to be accountable, to get advice on how to strengthen your work, and to get used to the editorial process.

JR: What was your favorite childhood book?

HK: Apart from Little Women, I adored the Ramona Quimby series. She was my fictional hero, and Beverley Cleary is my real one.

JR: Favorite childhood movie?

HK: The Princess Bride! I loved the silliness, cast, the quotable lines, and everything about it. And it was even better that my sister had shared the book with me first.

JR: Your book gets made into a movie, who plays the lead?

HK: That is a hard one! I don’t know of too many young Pakistani American actors, and I would prefer for them to be if possible. I imagined Ali to look and sound like a young Zayn Malik when I was writing his character, so someone who looks like him!

JR: Something people would be surprised to learn about you?

HK: People who don’t know me are often surprised by my age (I’m not telling!) and that I struggle with a quick temper. People who do know me witness the way I walk super slowly and always carry around a back pillow, and they know to steer clear of me when I’m angry!

JR: Duly noted. How can people follow you on social media?

HK: You can find me on Instagram and Twitter @henakhanbooks. And I’m on Facebook too although I don’t check it as often. I recently took a bit of a social media break, but I’m back!

JR: What are you working on next?

HK: I’m working on the first book in a companion series to Zayd Saleem Chasing the Dream, that features his sister Zara. It’s been a blast to go back to the family I adore and write about them again! And I hope you’ll check out the sequel to Amina’s Voice, called Amina’s Song, which is coming out in March!

JR: Hena, I’d like to again thank you for joining us today!

HK: Thank you so much for having me!

Everyone, please make sure to go out and get a copy of, More to the Story!

Until next time Mixed-Up FIlers . . .

Jonathan

We Need Diverse Middle Grade: What it Means to Write Diverse Books

By Heather Murphy Capps on October 21, 2020 / Articles, WNDMG

Artwork by Aixa Perez-Prado

I’ve been looking forward to this day with great excitement: today marks the debut post for our new series, We Need Diverse Middle Grade.

Our mission: We celebrate and promote diversity in middle-grade books, and we examine the issues preventing better equity and inclusion on the middle-grade bookshelf. We intend to amplify and honor all diverse voices.

We Need Diverse Middle Grade will post once a month, drawing on work from our own team of contributors as well as from guest authors, editors, agents, teachers, librarians, and booksellers. You can count on our presence here on Mixed-Up Files to shine a light on the stories, work, and truth of all those who are still underrepresented in this field. You’ll be able to recognize our monthly posts by seeing our WNDMG logo: the diverse world we envision. Our artwork is by contributor Aixa Perez-Prado.

Guest Posts for We Need Diverse Middle Grade

If you’re interested in being considered for a guest post slot on WNDMG, please feel free to email: mufcommunications@gmail.com. Please Note: We do not pay for guest blog posts.

And without further ado, I want to introduce our first WNDMG author, the talented Saadia Faruqi. Saadia is a former MUF contributor, and she is also the author of the YASMIN series, A PLACE AT THE TABLE (with author Laura Shovan) and A THOUSAND QUESTIONS.

WHAT IT MEANS TO WRITE DIVERSE BOOKS

By Saadia Faruqi

Every time I write a post on Instagram, I chose from a number of hashtags. One of these is #DiverseAuthors and I always chose it with an internal cringe. Why do I need to be called a diverse author? What’s so diverse about me?

I’m just a person writing books about my and my children’s experiences, and for all that to have a label – no matter how well meaning – is often a source of discomfort for me. At the same time, I realize that the work I do is important, and needed. My life experiences as an immigrant, as a mom of first-generation brown kids, inform everything I do, and every single word I write. I share our family’s journey in so many different ways. So many diverse ways.

A Series of Diverse Firsts

The good news is that books about marginalized communities and identities – diverse books – are becoming more popular. When I wrote the Yasmin series, it was the first traditionally published early reader series written by a Muslim American author. It was also the first series with a Muslim girl on the cover, wearing her traditional Pakistani dress and using Islamic words like “salaam”. Nobody knew what the reception of such a unicorn among books would be.

But the success of Yasmin and so many other “diverse” books has shown that there is definitely a huge market for them. “Diverse kids” are hungry for books that center them and their experiences. “Diverse parents” are eager to buy books like mine for their children. Teachers and librarians, even if they aren’t “diverse” themselves, are realizing the value of introducing a different culture and identity in their spaces.

Branching Out

Over the years, I’ve grown more daring. From Yasmin I progressed to writing middle-grade novels. With co-author Laura Shovan, I wrote A Place at the Table, a multi-diverse book about not one but several marginalized identities. Muslim. Jewish. Pakistani. British. Immigrant. Mentally ill. The response has been heartwarming. We’ve spoken with teachers and parents and students themselves. Everyone loves this story, because they can all see something of themselves in this book.

((Read our interview with Saadia and Laura about A PLACE AT THE TABLE here.))

Universal Diversity

Does that mean we are all “diverse”? This is an interesting question. If “diverse” means different from the norm, then most of us are diverse in some way or the other. If diverse means unique, we are definitely all so.

My most recent book A Thousand Questions is perhaps the most unlike my other work, because it’s set in another country. This is the story of Mimi, a Pakistani American girl who spends her summer vacation in Pakistan with her grandparents. It is also the story of Sakina, the Pakistani servant girl who works at Mimi’s grandparents’ home. Both are foreign to the other. Both look at the other and see DIVERSE.

I choose to set A Thousand Questions in Pakistan because I wanted to explore how we are all different, yet the same. How we tend to look for differences in others and forget the similarities. I wanted my readers to see how one can travel half-way across the world and still find people who are exactly like us in terms of their feelings and their dreams and their fears.

Diverse Books are Just Good Books

Although A Thousand Questions is a perfect example of a diverse book, it actually is the opposite in terms of what it hopes to achieve. It shows how we are similar, alike, comparable. It shows that maybe what we think of as “diverse books” are actually just good books. Amazing stories about amazingly diverse experiences that we can all learn from, whether we are adult or kid readers.

My stories are “diverse” only because they’re outwardly different. They may be set in a different country, or the characters may speak a different language, or eat foods you’ve never heard of. But under the skin, these stories are universal in nature. Similarly, I may have brown skin or wear a hijab or speak Urdu, but underneath all that I’m a human being just like you. I’m a writer just like any other.

I hope that my books – all diverse books – bring home this essential message to readers.

Saadia Faruqi is an interfaith activist and author. Visit her website at www.saadiafaruqi.com.

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