ACHUKAblog
A really excellent BBC News (online) piece by Rebecca Thomas, giving excellent coverage to the new independent publisher Knights Of and their latest title High Rise Mystery by Sharna Jackson. The piece also covers the recent research by both Booktrust and CLPE.
A highly recommended read…
Finding books that truly reflect the diversity of families in the UK is challenging. Research carried out by BookTrust has revealed that over the past 11 years, fewer than 2% of all authors and/or illustrators of children’s books published in the UK were British people of colour. This is why they have launched a project called BookTrustRepresents.
The project will:
The key findings of the research are represented in this graphic:
The statement in the red column doesn’t immediately strike me with concern. It seems more or less in keeping with overall UK demographic distribution. [But until I delve deeper into the research I can’t see how the statement tallies with figures in the rest of the graphic, which suggest, at best, a 1 in 10 ratio.]
The stark difference is between the teal and the purple columns, illustrating that it is British ‘creators of colour’ who are the under-represented group.
I worry that heightened attention on ‘representation’ will skew decisions made by publishers and editors in favour of material that they might otherwise not consider purely on its merits.
Discussion of the matter is good, however. On which note, I presume there has already been a good deal of debate about the phrase “of colour”, which, whilst politically correct, is still widely resented by black people… EXAMPLE https://www.independent.co.uk/voices/black-women-people-of-colour-racism-beyonce-coachella-black-lives-matter-a8316561.html
Keep trying to find a safe way of putting into words what I found troubling about the match between caption and image in this tweet
We wanted to work in a publisher that reflected the world we knew.
It didn’t exist. So, we made one: pic.twitter.com/LJUxZkrPq1
— Knights Of (@_KnightsOf) April 10, 2019
Seasonal children’s book roundup in the Metro by the ubiquitous Imogen Russell Williams…
https://www.metro.news/book-reviews-best-holiday-titles-for-kids/1519476/amp/
Dress to impress on Elmer Day! These colourful dresses are part of the new range from TU at Sainsbury’s.
We’ve got 5 dresses to give away. To enter just reply telling us the size you would like to win (0-3m, 3-6m, 6-9m, 9-12m, 12-18m). UK only, ends 5pm 16th April. pic.twitter.com/jlFGhqEiOo
— Andersen Press (@AndersenPress) April 15, 2019
Applications are open for Puffin World of Stories 2019.
Puffin launched World of Stories last year, in partnership with the National Literacy Trust and 50 primary schools. Each of the 50 participating schools received boxes of brand new books to reinvigorate their reading corner or library, and teachers and librarians attended specialist training, filled with ideas to make reading for pleasure part of their school culture and bring stories to life.
Now the scheme is open to 80 new schools in Essex, South London, Middlesbrough or Tyne and Wear.
It’s completely free to take part and participating schools will receive:
To apply you need to meet the following criteria:
Penguin Random House Children’s has created a new role of Brand Director and appointed Alex Moyet, whose background is in videogame branding.
The Bookseller reports, “In the newly created role Moyet will lead the children’s consumer and digital marketing and publicity teams, and focus on the development of the Ladybird and Puffin brands.”
Moyet herself says, “There are so many parallels with the video games industry, particularly around franchise building and the battle for mindshare. PRH has some of the best children’s brands and a hugely talented publicity and marketing team so I’m really excited about the opportunity to work with them to find new and dynamic ways to reach and engage young readers.”
STORYMIX is a children’s fiction development company, founded by Jasmine Richards (formerly of OUP), with a focus on inclusive representation
The company will primarily work with emerging and established writers and illustrators from BAME backgrounds.
Anne Sarrag, who launched the Summer Reading Challenge in 1999 to encourage children to read and use their local libraries over the summer holidays, has announced that she will leave her post in September to pursue a freelance career.
The aim of the challenge is to encourage children aged 4 to 11 to borrow and read six library books during the long school holidays when children’s reading skill and confidence can dip. There is a different theme each year and children can read whatever they like. They receive incentives for each library book they finish, and those who read at least six get a certificate or medal.
This week has seen the launch – with a bus tour – of Versify, Kwame Alexander’s new imprint with Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in the US.
“I get asked what will make Versify different from other imprints,” says Kwame Alexander. “The truth is we are not reinventing publishing. It’s the same ingredients in our kitchen as everyone else’s: we want to publish books for children that are smart and fun, that inform and inspire, that help children imagine a better world. My goal is just to make sure there are more chefs in the kitchen, more voices in the room, that create unique and intelligent entertainment that electrifies and edifies young people. So yes, I too am looking for the next Mo Willems and Jacqueline Woodson. It’s just that I plan to look far and wide in places unseen to most. As Langston Hughes said, ‘Life is a big sea full of many fish. I let down my nets and pull.'”
The inaugural list [shown above] includes This Undefeated, a picture book that pays tribute to the sacrifices and triumphs of African-Americans, written by Kwame Alexander and illustrated by acclaimed artist Kadir Nelson; The Last Last-Day-of-Summer, a middle-grade modern day Phantom Tollbooth, written by founding member of We Need Diverse Books, Lamar Giles; ¡Vamos! /Let’s Go! the first in a new bilingual picture book series by Pura Belpre award-winning illustrator Raúl the Third; and White Rose, a young adult novel in verse that tells the true story of Nazi resistance leader Sophie Scholl, by YARN Poetry Editor Kip Wilson.
