Posts Tagged #weneediversebooks

WNDMG Wednesday: Author Interview with Aida Salazar

Ultraviolet cover with a young Latina boy in technicolor

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WNDMG Wednesday: Author Interview with Aida Salazar

Welcome to WNDGM Wednesday. I’m so excited to be able to introduce you and interview accomplished award-winning author Aida Salazar today. Aida’s newest book is Ultraviolet (Scholastic) and it launches on April 2, 2024.

I absolutely love anything Aida writes. I am specifically a huge fan of her verse novels- A SEED IN THE SUN and LAND OF THE CRANES made me feel so much emotion while reading, and I hung onto every word of gorgeous poetry.

I cannot wait to dive into this new book!

I encourage everyone to buy a copy for themselves and their classrooms and libraries.

ultraviolet cover with a young Latina boy

About ULTRAVIOLET

Description taken from online:

Sometimes life explodes in technicolor.

In the spirit of Judy Blume, award-winning author Aida Salazar tells it like it is about puberty, hormones, and first love in this hilarious, heartwarming, and highly relatable coming-of-age story. Perfect for fans of Jason Reynolds, Kwame Alexander, and Adib Khorram.

* “Stunning…A story that sings to the soul.” ―Kirkus Reviews, starred review

* “A compassionate verse novel about first love, heartbreak, and vulnerability. ” ―Publishers Weekly, starred review

“This important and intensely relatable tale perfectly captures the angst of growing up. A true gift to maturing tweens everywhere.” ―Ernesto Cisneros, Pura Belpré award-winning author of Efrén Divided

For Elio Solis, eighth grade fizzes with change―His body teeming with hormones. His feelings that flow like lava. His relationship with Pops, who’s always telling him to man up, the Solis way. And especially Camelia, his first girlfriend.

But then, betrayal and heartbreak send Elio spiraling toward revenge, a fight to prove his manhood, and defend Camelia’s honor. He doesn’t anticipate the dire consequences―or that Camelia’s not looking for a savior.

Hilarious, heartwarming, and highly relatable, Ultraviolet digs deep into themes of consent, puberty, masculinity, and the emotional lives of boys, as it challenges stereotypes and offers another way to be in the world.

Interview with Aida:

I loved getting to talk to Aida about her new book and I think you will enjoy meeting her and Elio as well.

SSS: What a heartfelt description! I was intrigued right away- and I cannot wait to see how Elio’s story unfolds.

 What is the inspiration behind ULTRAVIOLET?

 

AS: The initial idea for the book came from my son, João, and his friend, Mario, who after I’d written about a Latina girl’s coming of age in The Moon Within, insisted that I write one from a boy’s perspective. Mario said, “Ms. Aida, you have to write The Sun Within.” “Yeah, mom, when are you going to write a book for me?” my son added. They wanted to see a book that showed their inner lives and brought up conversations about puberty, first crushes, gender, and rites of passages—conversations that echoed who they were as cis Latino boys.

SSS: As a mom of an almost-teenage boy, I am so protective over him. He is such a sweet emotional boy, and I love that the description honors the emotions of young boys. What emotions do you think young men feel as they grow into maturity?

AS: Our patriarchal societies have made boys victims as much as girls and women and gender expansive people. We don’t allow boys space to explore the tender parts of themselves – love, anger, rejection, grief, and hormonal confusion. They are raised to bury feelings—to be “macho” and “man up.” We rarely provide safe spaces and ways for them to move through tough feelings or offer guidance on how to rise above them. It is a huge tragedy, really. When boys deny this very human part of themselves, it deeply impacts their relationships as they grow into men. And in that loss, in that wound, they sometimes treat others with the same hurt they feel or worse. Girls and women often bear the brunt of that wound, as we have seen by the violence and wars in our society today. Through Ultraviolet, I want to offer boys examples of undoing toxic masculinity and how they can find strength through nurturing their sensitivity and vulnerability.

 

SSS: I love your answer! As a mom of a young tween who is Syrian American, I worry about how the world will view my little boy, especially with stereotypes about Muslims and Arabs. As a Latine author, does your role as a mother play a part in the stories you write? How does Elio’s book play out differently than it would for someone who was not Latine?

AS: Absolutely. I have a teen son and daughter and their lives as bi-cultural, multi-racial youth inspire me. What they have to deal with as young people is unprecedented in the history of humanity because of technology and as our racism and intolerance grows. Brown and Black children and other kids of color in particular are ever more vulnerable. But I do believe in the power of education, collective organizing, and efforts to make the world a better place. Young people have a strong moral compass and I only hope that is going to be the guide that will help them not only navigate but rise above and help solve some of the most troubling issues in the world. And some things, like love, heartbreak, and puberty are evergreen. I am hopeful that the universal experiences like those found in Ultraviolet will help boys (no matter the background) understand their hearts and where they might contribute to their own and others healing through justice.

SSS: The subject of puberty is such an important topic! I am excited to see more books centering these important coming of age stories for our young ones who may feel confused as their body’s changes.

AS: Indeed! There are only a handful of books like Ultraviolet. I had a conversation with Varian Johnson and John Schu at a conference about the need for a book like this. There was so much to explore in middle grade fiction and so much of it was hilarious! I challenged them to write one because I felt like it needed to come from a boy/man’s perspective. I think John might have a memoir coming which sounds beautiful. But when my son and his friend specifically asked me for it, I knew I couldn’t say no. This one, is my interpretation of a boy’s life as a mother and feminist.

 

SSS: Will there be more Elio (or other middle grade verse novels) in the future?

AS: Yes! I have a secret project that might involve Elio and might involve another character from another of my books. Writing these characters are pure joy. I know them so well and can’t wait to write them a new narrative with new adventures in growing up. Of course, in verse!

 

SSS: Ahhh! Amazing- I cannot wait!!

 

Link to preorder here.

Writing Process

 

SSS: When did you start writing Ultraviolet and was the process a long one?

AS: Ultraviolet was actually a graphic novel before it was a verse novel. I made the move on the suggestion of my editor at Scholastic, Tracy Mack. I struggled to transition from one to the other but then I gave it a shot. Once I wrote the opening poem, I was hooked on Elio’s voice and couldn’t stop. I wrote the first draft in about three months but the editing process took another six months. We worked hard to get the story as clear, as fun, as poetic as can be.

 

SSS: Wow so interesting!

As a fellow middle grade verse novelist, I LOVE reading verse. How do you write your verse books- do they start out as verse in your mind while you write, or do they end up that way along the revision process (as happened with me!)

AS: Yes, the characters come in verse and stay that way. I am a student of Linda Sue Park’s philosophy of writing voice in fiction. She says that “voice is word choice, rhythm, and punctuation.” I explore this wisdom from a poet’s perspective. Writing poetry gives us all the tools we need to articulate these elements of voice with an extra layer of artfulness and intention. For instance, rhythm or the song or musicality of a line is crucial to poetry. Many fiction writers don’t think about this as deeply as poets. Also, poetry needs for us to use precise and economic language. To make a line artful. How you do that is what will set the voice apart. I try to make it so that each character can be their own person, with their own artful word choice, with their own song, certainly not mine or an adult’s, so they emerge as their own poet.

SSS: One hundred percent- poetry is so special and the voice in your books always stands out beautifully!

Any advice for fellow middle-grade authors? For Debuts?

 

AS: Lean on community, be tenacious, be okay to fail or be rejected, and give yourself grace. These things have made me continue in this business when times have been tough. Onward!

For more verse novels- check out this previous Mixed-Up-Files Post!

Bonus!

SSS: Bonus question! Is there anything I haven’t asked that you’d like to share with us?

AS: Ultraviolet though it might seem a light-hearted and somewhat superficial experience, really is about undoing so many hurtful practices. It takes a look at the reasons why we hurt others. There is a line in the book by Fernando, one of the leaders of the sons and fathers’ group that urges Elio to reflect when he wants to lash out against his ex-girlfriend, “Just because someone hurts you doesn’t mean you have to hurt them back.” I think about the relevance of this line and the current genocide of Palestinian people by Zionists. It is my hope that young people will understand that our wounds, as deep as they are, will never be resolved with violence. My intention was to write a feminist book for boys, to dismantle and free ourselves from these oppressive patriarchal ideas.

Thank you so much Aida for answering my questions and with such thoughtfulness and honesty! I hope everyone picks up a copy of your beautiful book.

picture of author Aida Salazar

About Aida Salazar:

Aida Salazar is an award-winning author and arts activist whose writings for adults and children explore issues of identity and social justice. She is the author of the middle-grade verse novels The Moon Within (International Latino Book Award Winner), Land of the Cranes (Américas Award Winner), A Seed in the Sun (Tomás Rivera Book Award), the picture book anthology, In the Spirit of a Dream, and the picture book biography Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter (Caldecott Honor). She lives with her family of artists in Oakland, California.

Website: www.AidaSalazar.com    

Twitter: @aida_writes

Instagram: @aida_writes

TikTok: @aida_writes

 

American Library Association 2024 Youth Media Awards

On January 22, the American Library Association (ALA) announced the top books, digital media, video and audio books for children and young adults at its LibLearnX: The Library Learning Experience conference in Baltimore. Among these awards are the Newbery, Caldecott, and Coretta Scott King awards. Congratulations to the following winners and honorees! 

Newbery Medal

gold medal - newbery

Each year, the John Newbery Medal is given to a book selected as the most outstanding contribution to children’s literature. The 2024 medal went to Dave Eggers for The Eyes and the Impossible, the story of a free and fast dog named Johannes who runs daily and reports his observations to three ancient Bison known as the Keepers of the Equilibrium. Published simultaneously by Alfred A. Knopf and McSweeney’s, this book includes illustrations by Shawn Harris.

The Eyes and the Impossible book cover

Newbery Honors

Five Newbery Honor Books were also named: 

  • Eagle Drums, written and illustrated by Nasuġraq Rainey Hopson and published by Roaring Book Press. 
  • Elf Dog and Owl Head, written by M.T. Anderson, illustrated by Junyi Wu and published by Candlewick Press 
  • Mexikid: A Graphic Memoir, written and illustrated by Pedro Martín and published by Dial Books for Young Readers“
  • Simon Sort of Says, written by Erin Bow and published by Disney-Hyperion, an imprint of Buena Vista Books, Inc.
  • The Many Assassinations of Samir, the Seller of Dreams, written by Daniel Nayeri, illustrated by Daniel Miyares and published by Arthur A. Levine

Caldecott Medal

Caldecott Medal - gold

The Randolph Caldecott Medal is given annually to the most distinguished American picture book for children. The 2024 Caldecott Medal went to Big, illustrated and written by Vashti Harrison. Published by Little, Brown and Co., this book traces a child’s journey to self-love and shows the power of words to both hurt and heal.

Big book cover

Caldecott Honors

Four Caldecott Honor Books also were named: 

  • In Every Life, illustrated and written by Marla Frazee and published by Beach Lane Books
  • Jovita Wore Pants: The Story of a Mexican Freedom Fighter, illustrated by Molly Mendoza, written by Aida Salazar and published by Scholastic Press 
  • There Was a Party for Langston, illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarrett Pumphrey, written by Jason Reynolds and published by Caitlyn Dlouhy Books/Atheneum Books for Young Readers 
  • The Truth About Dragons, illustrated by Hanna Cha, written by Julie Leung and published by Henry Holt and Co.

 

Coretta Scott King Awards

Coretta Scott King award

 

Coretta Scott King Book Award for Authors

The Coretta Scott King Book Award for Authors recognizes an African American author whose books for children and young adults “demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values.” This year, the award went to Nigeria Jones, written by Ibi Zoboi about a girl who must look beyond the expectations of her revolutionary father to find how to make her own way in the world.. The book is published by Balzer + Bray.

Nigeria Jones cover

Coretta Scott King Honor Books (Authors)

Three Coretta Scott King Author Honor Books were selected: 

  • Big, written and illustrated by Vashti Harrison and published by Little, Brown and Co.
  • How Do You Spell Unfair?: MacNolia Cox and the National Spelling Bee, written by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Frank Morrison and published by Candlewick Press 
  • Kin: Rooted in Hope, written by Carole Boston Weatherford, illustrated by Jeffery Boston Weatherford and published by Atheneum Books for Young Readers

Coretta Scott King Book Award for Illustrators

The Coretta Scott King Book Award for Illustrators recognizes an African American illustrator whose books for children and young adults “demonstrate an appreciation of African American culture and universal human values.” This year, the award went to “An American Story,” illustrated by Dare Coulter. The book is written by Kwame Alexander and published by Little, Brown and Co., a division of Hachette Book, Inc.

An American Story cover

Coretta Scott King Honor Books (Illustrators)

Three Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Books were selected: 

  • Big, illustrated and written by Vashti Harrison and published by: Little, Brown and Co., a division of Hachette Book Group, Inc.; 
  • Holding Her Own: The Exceptional Life of Jackie Ormes, illustrated by Shannon Wright, written by Traci N. Todd and published by Orchard Books  
  • There Was a Party for Langston, illustrated by Jerome Pumphrey and Jarret Pumphrey, written by Jason Reynolds and published by Caitlyn Dlouhy Books/Atheneum Books for Young Readers

 

Other Coretta Scott King Awards

The Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Author Award was given to There Goes the Neighborhood, written by Jade Adia and published by Hyperion.

The Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Illustrator Award went to We Could Fly, illustrated by Briana Mukodiri Uchendu, written by Rhiannon Giddens and published by Candlewick Press.

The Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement  pays tribute to the quality and magnitude of beloved children’s author Virginia Hamilton. This year, the award went to Christopher Paul Curtis, a historical fiction novelist who writes in accessible ways for emerging readers to understand the world around them. His novels have received numerous starred reviews and awards throughout his career.

Congratulations to all winners and honorees of the 2024 American Library Association Awards!

Author Interview with Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow

image of the author Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
From the Mixed Up Files

Debut Author Interview with Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow on her Middle Grade novel GROUNDED

I’m so excited to be able to interview the talented author Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow on her book GROUNDED, co-authored by S.K. Ali, Aisha Saeed, and Huda Al-Marashi, and published by Abrams on May 9th of 2023.

Jamilah’s picture books are absolutely breathtaking, and I am delighted to say that so is her Middle Grade writing! I loved every bit of this spectacular Muslim book!

I encourage every teacher and librarian to stock this wonderful book on their shelves, and I am sure every reader will love reading this book about four Muslim kids stranded at the airport (and their adventures within).

a picture of book cover of Grounded, showing four muslim kids in an airport running after a cat

About GROUNDED:

Description taken from the publisher:

Four kids meet at an airport for one unforgettable night in this middle-grade novel by four bestselling and award-winning authors—Aisha Saeed, Huda Al-Marashi, Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, and S. K. Ali.

When a thunderstorm grounds all flights following a huge Muslim convention, four unlikely kids are thrown together. Feek is stuck babysitting his younger sister, but he’d rather be writing a poem that’s good enough for his dad, a famous poet and rapper. Hanna is intent on finding a lost cat in the airport—and also on avoiding a conversation with her dad about him possibly remarrying. Sami is struggling with his anxiety and worried that he’ll miss the karate tournament that he’s trained so hard for. And Nora has to deal with the pressure of being the daughter of a prominent congresswoman, when all she really wants to do is make fun NokNok videos. These kids don’t seem to have much in common—yet.

Told in alternating points of view, Grounded tells the story of one unexpected night that will change these kids forever.

Interview with Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow:

I loved getting to talk to Jamilah about her book and I think you will enjoy meeting her and her character Feek as well!

SSS: What is the inspiration behind Grounded? And how did you and the other lovely authors decide to co-author this book?

JTB: The inspiration initially came from Aisha Saeed. While waiting in an airport, she imagined four unlikely kids meeting and bonding there. She liked the idea of having different Muslim voices in the narrative and invited me, Huda, and S.K. Ali to join on the project. We had all worked together previously on Once Upon an Eid. From there, our ideas for the book came from fun, collaborative conversations. Aisha came up with some broad strokes suggestions about who the characters might be and we each took a character and developed those ideas more fully and added in our own specifics.

SSS: So many important and wonderful themes in your book- and I have heard mention by the other authors on the importance of the inclusion of Muslim joy in particular – could you elaborate on which themes resonate the most for YOU, and what you hope will be the most impactful for young readers.

JTB: One theme that resonated most was the self-acceptance piece. A few of the Grounded characters are struggling with accepting who they are and have to work through that. That theme comes up a lot in many of my other books because I think it’s such a huge thing for young people and even for older people as we make it through life. Another was about the difficulty of voicing our emotional needs. Kids need to learn how to advocate for themselves and I love how we built in moments where that is explicitly talked about amongst the characters.

SSS: The character of Feek is so adorable and I wanted to reach through the pages and hug him! How did you develop his characters?

JTB: Awww, thank you! Feek is a combination of a lot of preteen and teen boys I’ve seen who are trying to put on a tough and cool exterior when really they are softies inside. I’ve worked with a lot of Black boys in my career in that age group (not to mention having two sons), and it’s always struck me how fragile, sensitive, and multifaceted they can be in spite of the ways the world perceives them. I’m also interested in the challenges of performing masculinity as a young boy. I wanted to explore those things with Feek’s character. Additionally, I thought about the spoken word component of many Muslim conferences and was inspired to somehow add that into the book. As I was writing Feek’s character, he often spoke to me in rhyme and made it clear to me he was a lyricist dying to get out.

SSS: Diverse books are so important (and a passion of mine!). How does being both Black and Muslim affect your writing? (BTW we need MORE!)

JTB: I definitely agree we need more. I write my experience. Period. That can be hard when the expectation seems to be to erase either my Muslimness or Blackness in books. But I stick to writing my experience as unapologetically as I can.

SSS: Will there be more Middle Grade books from you in the future? (Please say YES!)

JTB: Yes! Although nothing is ready to be announced.

SSS: ****Excited Squeal***

Link to preorder Grounded here.

Writing Process

SSS: How long did it take to write Grounded? Do you find it a more difficult process to write Picture Books or Middle Grade books?

JTB: It was definitely over a year of time. Maybe closer to two years. Because it was a group effort, we had to meet to discuss each of our chapters and ensure the book seamlessly connected.

I feel like Middle Grade is challenging in different ways. I need to pull in so many elements to make a book feel complete. With Picture Books, I’m cutting out elements to make a book feel whole. A book feels complete when it’s concise and focused. A Middle Grade is the same in needing to be focused but there are so many elements in terms of the character arcs and plot to bring into that focus. It’s expansive and narrow, which makes it hard.

SSS: How was it to co-write a book where three other authors have distinct voices for their own three characters as well?

JTB: Co-writing was challenging but also a lot of fun. It requires a lot of communication. It helped that we had previously established friendships with each other and got along. The fun is in seeing what the other authors are doing with their characters and falling in love with these other voices. I also loved working out conflicts and creating bonds between these characters and Feek.

Bonus!

SSS: Bonus FUN question! Taking care of animals and finding a lost cat is a huge unifying factor in the book for the characters- Are you an animal lover in real life?

JTB: I do love animals! Especially cats. I don’t currently have any pets due to life circumstances but I watch cute animal videos for fun and am a member of too many Facebook cat groups.

If you liked this interview, check out this link to an article honoring Arab-American books!

Thank you so much Jamilah for answering my questions! I hope everyone picks up a copy of all your beautiful books!!

About Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow

image of Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow

Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow is a Philadelphia-based bestselling children’s book author. Her books, which center around Black and Muslim kids, have been recognized by many, including TIME and NPR, and she is an Irma Black Award silver medalist. A former teacher and forever an educator-at-heart, she is probably most proud that her picture book Your Name Is a Song was named the December 2021 NEA Read Across America book and that it is included in the curriculums of major school districts throughout the United States.

You can find Jamilah on Social Media!

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Instagram

Website