Category Archives: Interviews with Authors and Illustrators

Educator Resources, Interviews with Authors and Illustrators

Teaching Social Justice in Schools: Facing Institutional Opposition

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What We Believe: A Black Lives Matter Activity Book is a collaboration between Laleña Garcia and Caryn Davidson, both professional educators and activists with the Black Lives Matter at Schools NYC organizing group. Learn the story behind What We Believe here and how the author and illustrator define activism and allyship in the first two installments.

Today, in the third installment of our conversation, Laleña and Caryn share tips and suggestions for educators who face institutional opposition when bringing learning about BLM, social justice, and activism into their classrooms: Continue reading →

Educator Resources, Interviews with Authors and Illustrators

Defining Activism and Allyship: An Interview with Laleña Garcia and Caryn Davidson

What We Believe: A Black Lives Matter Activity Book is a collaboration between Laleña Garcia, who identifies as Black, and Caryn Davidson, who identifies as white. After learning author Laleña Garcia’s story behind What We Believe, we asked the author and illustrator to share a bit about their partnership, and how they define the role of activist and ally.

What We BelieveHow do you define activism?

Laleña Garcia: In my school, we talk about activists as people who work together with other people to make the world a better place. We emphasize the importance of collective action and solidarity, and that, even though we sometimes learn about one or two people — like Martin Luther King, Jr. or Rosa Parks — they had to work together with lots of other people to make change.

There’s a part of me that thinks that individual actions — like turning off the lights, recycling, or choosing to buy from BIPOC-owned businesses — is part of being a good, decent, human, but is maybe a little bit different from being an activist, but it’s not something I’m willing to have a fight about. If you’re organizing other people to do those things, or writing letters to people in power to get them to make changes, then I think it’s more like activism, because of the collective nature.

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Book Lists by Topic, Diversity, Race, and Representation, Educator Resources, Interviews with Authors and Illustrators

Watch the Webinar: Black Lives Matter in the Classroom

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We had the largest virtual turnout ever for last week’s webinar, “Black Lives Matter in the Classroom: A Conversation with Experts” with Laleña Garcia and Caryn Davidson, author and illustrator of What We Believe: A Black Lives Matter Principles Activity Book, and Jesse Hagopian and Denisha Jones, co-authors of Black Lives Matter at School. And as promised, the recording is finally here! If you missed it live (or just want to watch again), you can access the webinar below, or here on YouTube. Keep reading for links to resources and booklists shared during the webinar.

View the slideshow here. Continue reading →

Educator Resources, Guest Blogger Post, Interviews with Authors and Illustrators

The Story Behind What We Believe: A Black Lives Matter Principles Activity Book

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Laleña Garcia has taught in New York City early childhood education programs for more than twenty years. What We Believe: A Black Lives Matter Principles Activity Book grew out of her work with Black Lives Matter in Schools, a teachers’ organization striving for racial equity in education. In this post, she shares more about how and why she developed this special project.

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Activities and Events, Educator Resources, Interviews with Authors and Illustrators

Free Upcoming Webinar: Black Lives Matter in the Classroom

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Learn about how to bring the Black Lives Matter movement into your school, classroom, library or home in this powerful discussion on Wednesday, January 20th at 4:00 PM ET.

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Book News, Educator Resources, Interviews with Authors and Illustrators, New Releases

“We are one human family”: An interview with author Jan Reynolds

JAN REYNOLDS is an award-winning author and photographer Jan Reynoldswhose work has appeared in numerous publications, including National Geographic, The New York Times, and Outside magazine. Her nonfiction books for young readers include Celebrate! Connections Among Cultures; Cycle of Rice, Cycle of Life; and Only the Mountains Do Not Move.  She also holds the world record for women’s high altitude skiing, was part of the first expedition to circumnavigate Mount Everest, and performed a solo crossing of the Himalayas.

Jan’s newest picture book, The Lion Queens of India, follows a group of female park rangers in Gir, India who are tasked with protecting the endangered Asiatic lion. In this interview, we talk with Jan about writing the book and her life traveling the globe in search of stories and connections. Continue reading →

Book Lists by Topic, Educator Resources, Interviews with Authors and Illustrators

Watch the Webinar: A Discussion of Contemporary Native Children’s Literature

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We had a great virtual turnout for last week’s webinar, “A Discussion of Contemporary Native Children’s Literature” with authors Traci Sorell (Indian No More) and Carla Messinger (When the Shadbush Blooms). If you missed it live (or just want to watch again), you can access the webinar below, or here on YouTube. Keep reading for links to resources and booklists shared during the webinar.

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Interviews with Authors and Illustrators, New Releases

Illustrator Archana Sreenivasan Takes Us Behind the Art of Seven Golden Rings

Released last month, Seven Golden Rings: A Tale of Music and Math by Rajani LaRocca and illustrated by Archana Sreenivasan tells the story of an Indian boy who untangles a mathematical conundrum to win a place at the Rajah’s court. In this blog post, illustrator Archana Sreeenivasan takes us behind the scenes of her creative process. 

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Educator Resources, Interviews with Authors and Illustrators

Free Upcoming Webinar: A Discussion of Contemporary Native Children’s Literature

For many years, Native people have been silenced, their stories set aside, hidden, or drowned out. That’s why it’s especially critical to read stories about Native characters, told in Native voices. What’s equally important is to showcase contemporary Native texts centering Native people in the here and now.

Join us for a webinar on Thursday, November 12 at 4:00 PM ET as we discuss high-quality, contemporary Native literature, classroom applications, and ways to make sure that you are teaching about modern Native history authentically and accurately in your relevant setting.

Authors Traci Sorell (Indian No More), and Carla Messinger (When the Shadbush Blooms), will share their insights, experiences and knowledge about their writing processes, tips and strategies for selecting quality Native literature, and applicable classroom activities.

Whether you are an educator, librarian, or parent, this webinar will provide you with tangible steps for analyzing and selecting contemporary Native children’s literature for your relevant setting.

Date: Thursday, November 12, 2020
Time: 4:00 PM ET
Duration: 1 hour
How to Join: Register here.

Registration is free, but space is limited so register today! If you can’t join live, you can still register to receive a link to the recording after the webinar takes place.

Hope to see you there!

Interviews with Authors and Illustrators

An Interview with Julieta from Julieta and the Diamond Enigma (plus…recipes for blueberry pancakes and elotes!)

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In this interview with the sweet and spunky Julieta from Julieta and the Diamond Enigma by Luisana Duarte Armendáriz, the nine-year-old titular character talks about her love of elotes and blueberry pancakes (with recipes to share!), her favorite art piece in the Louvre, and her excitement for the reopening of the Boston Museum of Fine Arts.

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