Articles

Indie Spotlight: Ashay ByThe Bay, Black Children’s Bookstore Vallejo CA

Given the challenges of the pandemic, many independent bookstores have turned  increasingly to online sales to survive. Deborah Day, founder and CEO of  “The #1 Black Children’s Bookstore,” Ashay By The Bay, Vallejo, California, made hers an online shop from the beginning in 2000. It survived the recession of 2008 and is still going strong. Fittingly, Ashay is a powerful Yoruba word that means “it shall be so.” It is also Deborah Day’s given name.

So! Day has developed an engaging and user-friendly website (www.ashaybythebay.com) with over 800 titles, from  baby books to picture books to fiction and nonfiction for middle grade and young adult readers. Most have black American and African subjects, themes, and characters.  But since there is a large Latin American community nearby she also has school collections of Spanish and bilingual books for them. More about her school collections in a moment.

It’s exciting to see so many books for kids about black culture, people, and history gathered onto one curated site. I have now added several titles to my staggering must read pile. For instance, though I’m not a fantasy or science fiction fan at all, I can’t wait to read Tomi Adeywmi’s West-African inspired fantasy, Children of Blood and Bone.  Before the week is out I will probably also dip into Nnedi Okarafor’s imaginative and highly praised tale of magic and adventure in Nigeria, Akata Witch. As Day understands, good books for kids are good for everybody!

Before COVID, Day advertised grew her business by going to events, holding book fairs, and helping groups to conduct book fairs. She loved making in-person contacts that way. Now that those events are no longer possible she is relying more on social media ads, and she is hearing from people across the country.

The Pandemic also poses a challenge to her goal of getting children’s books about black subjects and black experience into the schools where they can have more impact on students’ understanding. Few schools are buying books right now and many students are doing distance learning. What an important time to build a home library, Day says. Of course there are many digital book available online, but the students are already screen-weary from school work. Day loves books and believes and holding a book to read is a more satisfying experience.

During shutdown, people can consult the Ashay website for the lists of the book collections, organized by age/grade e level, that Day offers to schools, and find ideas for books to order. These collections include many core curriculum books, but also give a chance for some independent publishers to become better known. Here are just a few of the many titles on her lists for middle graders:

Biographies: The Truths We Hold: An American Journey (Young Readers’ Edition) by Kamala Harris ; Portraits of African- American Heroes, by Tonya Bolden , including figures from dance, law athletics, science, and more. Who Was Jesse Owens? By James Buckley and Gregory Copeland; Brave. Black. First, 50+ African American Women Who Changed the World, by Cheryl Hudson; Hidden Figures, Young Reader’s Edition, byMargot Lee Shetterly; Black Women in Science: A Black History Book for Kids by Kimberly Brown Pellum;

Award-winning Fiction:

P.S. Be Eleven, Rita Williams-Garcia; The Season of Styx Malone, by Kekla Magoon; Harbor Me by Jaqueline Woodson; Ghost and Look Both Ways, by Jayson Reynolds; A Sky Full of Stars by Linda Williams Jackson;Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes; The Red Pencil by Andrea Davis Pinkney.

Nonfiction:

The Boy Who Harnessed the Wind by William Kamkwamba;28 Days: Moments in Black History That Changed the World by Charles R. Smith; The Talk: Conversations about Race, Love, and Truth, edited by Wade and Cheryl Hudson; Hand in Hand: Ten Black Men who Changed America, by Andrea Davis Pinkney.

The Arts:

Radiant Child: The story of Young Artist Jean Michel Basquiat by Javaka Steptoe; Who is Stevie Wonder? By Jim Gigliotti; The Legends of Hip Hop by Justin Bua; The Rose That Grew from Concrete,by Nikki Giovanni and Tupak Shakur; Poetry for Young People: African American Poetry, edited by Arnold Rampersad and Marcellus Blount; Who is Stevie Wonder? By Jim Gigliotti and Who HQ’; Misty Copeland: Life in Motion.

December 2020:  an ideal time to get to know more about black culture from the excellent books being published for children.   It’s also an ideal time to give beautiful, real books to children who’ve been doing schoolwork online all day. And let’s please bypass the chains when we buy these books (Amazon will survive the economic crisis) and support independent booksellers like Ashay instead. A triple win!

 

 

Sibert Showdown, Middle Grade STEM-Style

 

Hello There! Let me first say, yes it IS Thursday. (with this year you never know, right?)

The STEM Tuesday Team has staged a Thursday takeover of the Mixed Up Files blog so that we can add one more day to the week to celebrate STEM/STEAM books!!

Today we are offering a  FUN activity with STEM/STEAM books to do in your classroom:

 

 

 

 

SIBERT SHOWDOWN, Middle Grade STEM-Style 

Every year the American Library Association honors the best informational books of the year at their annual conference at the end of January.  The award for that is the Robert F. Sibert Award. Typically, one book receives that award and several honor books are chosen as well.

What is the Robert F. Sibert Award?   “The Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Medal is awarded annually to the author(s) and illustrator(s) of the most distinguished informational book published in the United States in English during the preceding year. The award is named in honor of Robert F. Sibert, the long-time President of Bound to Stay Bound Books, Inc. of Jacksonville, Illinois. ALSC administers the award.”– quoted directly from the ALSC (Association for Library Service to Children) website

What is an informational book?  “Information books are defined as those written and illustrated to present, organize, and interpret documentable, factual material for children. There are no limitations as to the character of the book, although traditional literature (e.g., folktales) is not eligible. Poetry is not eligible except as a format or vehicle to convey information.”  – quoted directly from the ALSC website

 

THE ACTIVITY

Get your class to decide! Which book do they think should win the Sibert Award? Which one(s) should be awarded a Sibert Honor?

Award-winning author Melissa Stewart started her Sibert Smackdown four years ago. What a BRILLIANT idea! Many teachers and librarians have been using it every year since. Here is a post about  Melissa’s  Sibert Smackdown

With a very enthusiastic nod to Melissa, we here at STEM Tuesday invite you to put a slightly different slant on her version. We encourage you to use middle grade STEM/STEAM books in your Sibert Showdown. This would be great to do for older classes, perhaps 4th graders and up. We realize that reading an entire middle grade book might seem daunting but don’t worry, we offer a few suggestions.

 

HOW TO DO IT: 

  Pick a book (see the book list below) 

  Decide how your class will read the books. Here are a few ideas: 

  1. Book Talk in Teams –Divide them up into teams of 2-3 students. Have each student read the introduction, table of contents and one to two chapters. They can present the book to the rest of the class in a 5-10 minute Book Talk.
  2. Book Tasting– Every student reads just the first chapter of the book and then you discuss in class.
  3. Individual Book Talk– each student picks a different book and skims it, reading the first chapter, a middle one, and maybe the last one.
  4. Book Talk by Class– Split your class up into different groups. Each group reads the back cover blurb and one chapter. (don’t forget the back matter). Then have a discussion and compare.
  5. Read the whole book Book Talk– Of course, this is the best, let students pick from the list below which book they’d like to read. Have them read it all the way through (most of them aren’t too long). Then they give a presentation about why it should be chosen (or not chosen) for the award.
  6. Persuasive Writing Paragraph– Do any of the above, but instead of a presentation, have the students write a persuasive paragraph explaining why this book should or shouldn’t be included in consideration for the Sibert Award.

 

GUIDELINES FOR THE ACTIVITY:

So that they are all working from the same guidelines, have the students ask themselves these questions as they go through the book:

  • Is the book interesting or FUN to read?
  • Does this book have a lot of information in it– enough to give a reader a very good idea of the topic?
  • Is the book easy to understand? (does the author do a good job of explaining things?)
  • Is the information presented in an organized way? (does it make sense as you are reading it?)
  • Is there a glossary or index in the book to help you understand the terms and find the topics?
  • Is there an author’s note or a way to learn more about the topic?

Their presentations, discussions, or writing should include their answers to these questions.

Sound fun? It IS!

***  And just a note, you could do this activity ANY time of the year, not just during the Sibert Award consideration time. There is always a time to have fun with STEM/STEAM Books!  😊***

 

BOOK LIST TO GET YOU STARTED

Our STEM Tuesday Team came up with a list of some 2020 STEM/STEAM books we think are awesome and will get you started. But feel free to add to our list! Post your favorites in the comments below  OR you can always invite your students to come up with their own classroom list.

 

 

Condor Comeback (Scientists in the Field Series) by Sy Montgomery (Author), Tianne Strombeck (Photographer),   HMH Kids

 

 

 

 

All Thirteen: The Incredible Cave Rescue of the Thai Boys Soccer Team by Christina Soontornvat, Candlewick Press

 

 

 

 

 

Changing the Equation: 50+ US Black Women in STEM by Tonya Bolden, Abrams BFYR

 

 

 

 

 

Earth Day and the Environmental Movement: Standing Up for Earth by Christy Peterson, 21st Century Books

 

 

 

Beastly Bionics: Rad Robots, Brilliant Biomimicry, and Incredible Inventions Inspired by Nature by Jennifer Swanson, National Geographic Kids

 

 

 

 

Astronauts: Women on the Final Frontier by Jim Ottaviani illustrated  by Maris Wicks, First Second Books

 

 

 

 

 

Tracking Pythons: The Quest to Catch an Invasive Predator and Save an Ecosystem by Kate Messner, Millbrook Press

 

 

Who Gives a Poop?: Surprising Science from One End to the Other by Heather Montgomery, Bloomsbury Kids

 

 

 

 

Big Ideas That Changed The World: Machines That Think by Don Brown, Amulet Books

 

 

 

 

Machines in Motion: The Amazing History of Transportation by Tom Jackson, Bloomsbury Children’s Books

 

 

 

Where Have All The Bees Gone? Pollinators in Crisis By Rebecca Hirsch, 21-First Century Books

 

 

 

 

This is our list. What is YOURS? Add to this list below. And if you use this activity in your classroom, we’d love to hear about it. Thanks for celebrating STEM/STEAM books with us!

Happy Holidays from the entire STEM Tuesday TEAM!

WNDMG Wednesday – Celebrating Heartdrum Launch: Cynthia Leitich Smith

We Need Diverse MG
We Need Diverse MG

Artwork by Aixa Perez-Prado

Heartdrum Imprint Launch

We Need Diverse Middle Grade celebrates the new Heartdrum imprint launch this week, in anticipation of its January 2021 launch. With Heartdrum (HarperCollins) in the picture, the future is bright for Native creators in the publishing industry.  What’s more, we’re going to have even more opportunities to fill middle-grade bookshelves with a rich tapestry of diverse stories and characters.

The Native-focused initiative launch list includes: Ancestor Approved, an anthology of stories that take place at an intertribal powwow, edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith, and The Sea in Winter by Christine Day (Upper Skagit). Heartdrum logo

 

Leading the imprint are award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Cynthia Leitich Smith (Muscogee Creek), and Rosemary Brosnan, Vice President, Editorial Director, HarperCollins Children’s Books.

Cynthia Leitich Smith

Cynthia Leitich Smith, NYT Bestselling Author, Heartdrum Author-Curator

We Need Diverse Middle Grade was delighted to have a chance to chat with Cynthia Leitich Smith recently, about collaboration and all things Heartdrum.

Heartdrum Origin Story

MUF: First of all, congratulations on launching the Heartdrum imprint. We at MUF are very excited for you and for the potential of your titles to really open some doors and windows for middle-grade readers. Can you tell us a little bit about how you got attached to this imprint and what your role will be?

CLS: Thank you for your enthusiasm and support! I’m honored.

Here’s the scoop: Brilliant author, WNDB leader, and Champion for A Better World Ellen Oh first conceived of the idea of a Native children’s-YA book imprint and pitched it to me over a bountiful, laughter-filled hotel breakfast at a librarian conference. I grinned and shook my head, flattered. We were talking about an ambitious project. Was I the right person? Was I famous or fancy enough? I thought it over for several months.

A Game-Changing Moment

Of course, the fact that only 1% of children’s books published are Native titles means there is an overwhelming need for Native and First Nations voices. But equally importantly, the Indigenous literary creative community is experiencing a boom in growth, in new and rising talent and enthusiasm.

As a writing teacher and mentor, I knew our radiant intertribal community was made up of Native authors and illustrators who could absolutely deliver excellent, innovative, authentic, and engaging books to the most important audience—young readers. Beyond that, I love teaching writing and mentoring writers, especially new voices.

What’s more, I knew the perfect editor to partner with for the mission! Rosemary Brosnan at HarperChildren’s was my original children’s editor, and she has been a steadfast industry advocate for equitable and inclusive literature for decades. Rosemary is an incredibly skilled, wise, and generous industry professional who commits deeply to her authors and genuinely prioritizes young readers. I trusted her to make the dream a reality. And she did. So, Heartdrum at HarperChildren’s is now a Native-focused imprint in partnership with We Need Diverse Books.

Rosemary Brosnan

Rosemary Brosnan: VP, Editorial Director, HarperCollins Childrens Photo Credit: Kate Morgan Jackson

Wow, it’s been quite the journey already! We’ve been blessed with so many incredible submissions and, consequently, have signed up three times more projects this year than originally expected. This is a game-changing moment in Native kidlit! I can hardly wait to share the final books with kids.

Ancestor Approved

MUF: Among the first titles Heartdrum releases will be your anthology ANCESTOR APPROVED – can you tell us a little bit about the collaborative process for this book?

CLS: ANCESTOR APPROVED: INTERTRIBAL STORIES FOR KIDS is a middle grade anthology featuring sixteen writers and illustrator Nicole Niedhardt. The book is centered on its setting—a two-day intertribal powwow in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

All of the stories and poems spring from that event, and the cover art reflects Kim Rogers’s protagonist. We’re talking about a collection wherein the hero of one story might appear as a secondary character in another one. Each can stand alone, but in reading them all, kids will glean added layers of resonance. The contributors include well-established Native and First Nations authors like Joseph Bruchac and David A. Robertson, rising stars like Christine Day, Eric Gansworth, and Traci Sorell as well as new voices like Andrea L. Rogers and Brian Young.

Ancestor Approved Heartdrum

Collaborating Ancestor

Together, they collaborated on the worldbuilding, which took place via an online message board, emails, text messages, phone calls and in-person meetings. Traci Sorell graciously offered to take point on putting together an initial guide to the setting, and I began charting the existing links and opportunities for more. Questions flew! “What’s the weather like?” “Do we have video?” “Does the vendor hotel serve breakfast?” [Yes, I literally called a Holiday Inn to research their early-morning menu!] Everyone was good-humored about smoothing out any inconsistencies from story to story and even embraced revising major plot points when needed. They were all extremely patient with editorial follow-up questions, expansion and revision requests.

I’m so pleased with how the anthology turned out. Teachers, librarians, and tribal language advocates will be thrilled with the back matter. We have a Native-authored educator guide in the works. With any collection, the first and last contributions are especially high impact. Kim Rogers’s and Carole Lindstorm’s lovely, evocative poems brilliantly bookend the short stories, and their deeply felt writing really elevates the entire book.

MUF: Will you carry this approach forward as you publish other Heartdrum titles?

CLS: We wholeheartedly embrace a community and collaborative approach. That said, I don’t expect that we’ll publish several books with quite so many voices and visions.

Meanwhile, we’re really listening and respecting everyone involved in each title. As a personal example, when I saw Muscogee Creek Floyd Cooper’s magical cover art for my own upcoming middle-grade novel, SISTERS OF THE NEVERSEA, I immediately made tweaks in my text to accommodate his vision. We deeply value our Indigenous illustrators’ efforts—whether their focus is a picture book, cover art or interior black-and-whites.

Need for Native-Focused Imprint

MUF: Stealing this question from your terrific interview with Roger Sutton of the Horn Book—Why, in 2020, do you think we need an imprint devoted to Native American books?

CLS: First, it should be noted that small Native-owned and tribal presses have been publishing high-quality, authentic Native and First Nations books for a long time. We must continue to prioritize and support them.

With mainstream trade publishing, it’s been more of a struggle. Misconceptions and biases in the overarching society seeped into the industry. For Native representation on the page, that has meant not only erasure but also effectively promoting the myth of extinction, the lie of Manifest Destiny, and the perpetuation of harmful Hollywood stereotypes.

Of late, because of early and ever-more-numerous activists, the WNDB movement, heightening inclusion of Indigenous voices, and a rising generation of publishing pros determined to do better, we’re experiencing a meaningful, positive change. As an industry, we all still have a lot of work to do, and I’m pleased that Heartdrum is a part of that effort.

Sending a Message

CLS: Our very existence as an imprint sends a message to our creative and professional colleagues that here will be fewer default barriers to Native narratives, that there is a substantial big-five-publisher commitment, that there is a widespread children’s-literature community commitment. Opportunities and ripple effects are following suit. More literary agents are signing Native writers. Other publishers are hitting PAUSE to consider the Indigenous representation (or lack thereof) on their own lists. Booksellers, teachers, and librarians are seeking out related resources and advocating for their peers to join them in raising up authentic, respectful Native narratives that are also outstanding, page-turning reads.

Everyone living within what’s currently called “the North American market” is on Native land. We have a past, present, and future that is fascinating, reflecting a full range of humanity. Our kids deserve to cheer for heroes who share their tribal identity/ies, and when it comes to books with Native-content, kids in general deserve better than most of what’s been published before, the overwhelming majority of it by non-Indian creators.

It’s past time to move the conversation forward–to focus on books that reflect Native sensibilities and humor, that reflect our own visual and literary styles and innovations.

The existence of a Native imprint is a statement. It says we belong in the world of books.

((Want to read more about Cynthia Leitich Smith? Read MUF contributor Mike Hayes’s interview here.)

#Ownvoices

MUF: Will the authors and stories be all #ownvoices Native Americans?

CLS: The authors, illustrators, audio-book voice actors, and the educators writing our teacher guides…! I’m not saying “never” to non-Native collaborators. My newly repackaged book JINGLE DANCER features non-Native illustrators, who are POC. (Cornelius Van Wright is Black, and Ying-Hwa Hu is Taiwanese American). At twenty years old, the book is considered a “modern classic.” Neil and Ying-Hwa’s loving visual depiction of Jenna Wolfe reflects who she is to Native kids. But that book is an exception, not an expectation for books on our list.

Addressing Troublesome Classics

MUF: What’s your feeling about the “troublesome classics” like Little House on the Prairie – what do we do with them in the 21st century?

CLS: It’s timely that you ask that. I mentioned SISTERS OF THE NEVERSEA, which is an Indigenous retelling of J.M. Barrie’s PETER PAN, centered on the girls in the story.

The premise is that Wendy Darling (who’s white and British) and Lily Roberts (who’s Muscogee Creek) are stepsisters living in suburban Tulsa. As the story begins, they’re navigating a time of uncertainty and transition in their family. One night, Peter and a fairy named Belle appear at the girls’ little brother Michael’s window. Hijinks and adventure follow suit.

Certainly, there are profoundly problematic aspects of the original PETER PAN. Especially with regard to the so-called Indian characters—or rather, caricatures—in the story, though the gender representation and disability representation are disturbing, too.

sisters of the neversea

That’s where the conversation of books can come in. Reinvention that talks back. Reinvention that makes us think. Still, SISTERS OF THE NEVERSEA is by no means a treatise debating with Barrie’s classic. The heart of my story is about the love between the girls, about the bonds of blended families. It’s filled with humorous moments as well as high-stakes action and wonder.

All of which is to say, I think we authors of today can address many of those “troublesome classics,” as you put it. We can actively engage. And if the classic’s “troublesome” aspects are harmful to child readers, we update our choices and collections accordingly.

What Does and Doesn’t Need Updating

MUF: Following up on that question, how do new editions of your own work reflect changes in how Native kidlit is written and framed?

CLS: For context, my first three books—JINGLE DANCER, INDIAN SHOES and RAIN IS NOT MY INDIAN NAME have been updated and are being published in paperback editions. Due to teacher demand, the updated version INDIAN SHOES is already available as an ebook.

As for how Native kidlit is written and framed…. First, it’s important not to overgeneralize. “Native” is an umbrella word referring to more than 500 tribal nations within U.S. borders alone—all with their own languages, histories, cultures, and literary traditions. In writing, a lot of us take a hybrid approach—combining our literary traditions with mainstream influences. Intersections abound. Individual artistic discretion and innovation are welcome. [The best way to familiarize yourself is to read extensively.] So, while we’re not without discernable patterns and commonalities, I’m speaking for myself.

Here are a few of my own considerations and how I addressed them:

With JINGLE DANCER, the primary update is the author’s note. I tweaked the language used to reference Jenna’s heritage in keeping with evolving tribal preferences. I made the text a bit more timeless. I also included a more comprehensive description of various regalia choices, among other tweaks, as the jingle dance has grown in intertribal popularity over time.

What I didn’t do is probably more significant. There has always been this pressure to provide an overly heavy social studies overlay or punctuation mark on Native fiction. It’s due to what sometimes is called “the white gaze”—which includes the expectation that fiction about us is not also for us and, rather, its only role is to educate non-Natives.

Instead, in my author’s note, I offered an appropriate, illuminating amount of information to supplement a fictional story and provided teachers with sufficient springboards for discussion without crossing that line.

The text of INDIAN SHOES stayed mostly the same, though—as in all of my books—I specifically made it clear in the author’s note that my readers included both Native and non-Native kids and spoke more directly to them than in the past.

Indian Shoes 2020

Urban Cover Art

The most significant change was in the cover art by Cherokee Sharon Irla and interior illustrations by Cherokee MaryBeth Timothy. The cover is more unabashedly urban, which is important in one of the very few books reflecting the reality that most Native people live in cities. The interior illustrations are also more inclusive of Native girls and women, who’re especially historically underrepresented in children’s literature. Although I’m Muscogee Creek by tribal affiliation, I do have Cherokee ancestors and very close family members who’re citizens of the Cherokee Nation (Oklahoma). Ray and Grampa Halfmoon are Cherokee-Seminoles and that choice was in a way a love note to those close relations. Given that, having Cherokee artists join the creative team made perfect sense.

The update of RAIN IS NOT MY INDIAN NAME was the most extensive. It features a lovely new cover by illustrator Natasha Donovan, whose artistic sensitively conveys the emotional nuances of the protagonist’s healing journey and new beginnings.

Beyond that, the text shows a shift among younger tribal members to “Native,” though many still say “Indian” and certainly most of their elders do. I also took a more direct approach to communicating a few cross-cultural interactions, including those around a Black Seminole character and Ojibwe characters. While these elements were already present in the original text, I added brushstrokes to further contextualize racial and socio-economic diversity within Indian Country. We are by no means a monolith, and that goes beyond tribal affiliation to include a myriad of additional identity elements.

Contemporary Fiction

MUF: Will you be publishing books across all genres: contemporary, fantasy, sci-fi, etc.? And will you also publish nonfiction? Or are you looking for a more specific niche?

CLS: At Heartdrum, our focus is on realistic and speculative contemporary fiction centered on young Native heroes. We’re also publishing a limited amount of recent (20th century) historicals and nonfiction.

My feeling is that all age market, genre, and format categories of quality Native and First Nations books for kids are desperately needed. I’m busy supporting manuscript development in other categories as a mentor and writing teacher. I’m actively promoting them on my platform.

Meanwhile, for me, nurturing heartfelt kid-to-kid connections on the page and beyond is a heightened priority. No matter how compelling a, say, nonfiction narrative about a landmark historical event may be, the book about it will struggle to connect with Native young readers if they don’t believe that people like them belong in the world of children’s literature. What’s more, it will struggle to connect with non-Native young readers, if they don’t recognize, respect and relate to our humanity.

Writing in a Pandemic

MUF: If you’re comfortable answering this, and I understand if it feels it’s too raw or personal, please feel free to disregard this question. How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your creative life?

CLS: I’m blessed to be able to do my work from home. The main logistical challenges have been space and time. I normally travel a lot, meet friends in town for breakfast tacos, and run to the grocery store two or three times a week. Not right now. I live in a small condo, and my bookshelf has been largely converted to a stocked-up pantry. Review copies that I might otherwise be donating to, say, the neighborhood high school or public library books ale, are really piling up. They’re stacked on chairs and hiding out under the beds.

Meanwhile, my schedule is cheerfully bursting with online events and meetings in preparation for them. I’m also now sharing my office space with someone doing much of the same, which means a lot of more migrating between upstairs and down. But I dearly love and believe in what I do, and so far, all the bowling balls I’m juggling have stayed mostly airborne.

I miss spending time with everyone in person, but one blessing is spending quality time in Austin when the weather is at its most pleasant. For decades, my biggest author travel months (not counting VCFA) have been March to May and mid-September through November. That’s also when the air cools, the flowers bloom, and golden leaves spin through the air.

My long-haired Chihuahua Gnocchi, who is always living her best life, is reveling in long walks and day-to-day cuddles.

The main creative challenge is new writing scenes. I can revise anything anywhere anytime. But fresh scenes require uninterrupted focus and clarity that is oh-so rare and precious right now. I currently have two novels under contract, a YA companion to HEARTS UNBROKEN for Candlewick and an ambitious middle grade for Heartdrum that is requiring a lot of reflection in terms of its worldbuilding and, more personally, in gathering courage.

The one exception to that creative struggle is in the graphic-format books I’m writing with Kekla Magoon—THE BLUE STARS series, being illustrated by Molly Murakami for Candlewick. No doubt due to the utter magical brilliance of Kekla and our upbeat and playful collaborative approach, writing those scripts feels like it comes easier. And I know “easier” is the wrong word, but with the two of us writing, we’re somehow able to transfer energy back and forth and build on it together. Joining forces amps up our literary superpowers.

All that said, working on Heartdrum has been like a beacon of hope and joy. For me, and I’m hearing the same from our imprint authors and illustrators, from our Native kidlit family members more broadly, and from our many dear friends and committed supporters in the conversation of children’s books.

Indeed, Heartdrum is a source of hope and a reason to celebrate. It’s a healing influence in the industry, a tribute to Indigenous Nations and peoples, a signal of long overdue respect to Native literary and visual artists, and a transformative gift to children. And we’ve only just begun!

MUF: Thanks again so much – and we look forward to hearing more from Heartdrum!

 

About Cynthia Leitich Smith 

Cynthia Leitich Smith is the 2021 NSK Neustadt Laureate and a New York Times bestselling author of books for young readers, including HEARTS UNBROKEN, which won the American Indian Library Association’s Youth Literature Award. She is also the author-curator of Heartdrum, a Native-focused imprint at HarperCollins Children’s Books, and serves as the Katherine Paterson Inaugural Endowed Chair on the faculty of the MFA program in Writing for Children and Young Adults at Vermont College of Fine Arts. Cynthia is a citizen of the Muscogee (Creek) Nation and lives in Austin, Texas.

Twitter: @CynLeitichSmith

Instagram: @cynthialeitichsmith

You Tube: Cynthia Leitich Smith