In this guest post, author Alessandra Narváez Varela talks about her journey growing into her bilingualism and how that grew into her latest novel, Thirty Talks Weird Love.
Honoring Indigenous Stories on Veterans Day
In honor of Veterans Day, editor Elise McMullen-Ciotti writes about military service within Indigenous communities.
Did you know that American Indians and Alaska Natives serve in the military at five times the national average and have the highest per capita involvement than any other US population? (NICOA, USO). As a book editor, when I have the privilege of receiving a new manuscript that features modern Indigenous characters, I can usually find at least one character in the book who has served or is serving in the military. This is not surprising! Military service within our communities is par for the course — a big part of our living culture. When those in the service return home, they are not just returning home to the US but also to our own sovereign Native Nations. Military service is a big deal.
Celebrating the 10th Anniversary of Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match/Marisol McDonald no combina by Monica Brown
We’re so excited to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of Marisol McDonald Doesn’t Match/Marisol McDonald no combina by Monica Brown and illustrated by Sara Palacios. Over the years, the iconic, titular character, Marisol, has touched the hearts of young readers everywhere through play, imagination, and just being her amazing self!
Renowned author Monica Brown wrote this title as well as others in this lively series—Marisol McDonald and the Clash Bash/Marisol McDonald y la fiesta sin igual and Marisol McDonald and the Monster/Marisol McDonald y el monstruo—to bring her own experience of being multiracial to life. Fans of the award-winning Marisol McDonald series will be encouraged to embrace their own uniqueness like Marisol who takes pride in her individuality.
New Releases: Black Was the Ink and Thirty Talks Weird Love
Today we are celebrating the release of two heart-stopping young adult titles—Black Was the Ink written by Michelle Coles with illustrations by Justin Johnson and Thirty Talks Weird Love by Alessandra Narváez Varela!
Watch the Webinar: Children’s Books About Joy
Thank you to all who joined us for our most recent webinar, “Children’s Books About Joy,” with authors Kelly J. Baptist (The Electric Slide and Kai), Samara Cole Doyon (Magic Like That), and David Anthony Durham (The Shadow Prince). If you missed it live (or just want to watch again), you can watch the webinar below, or here on YouTube. Keep reading for links to resources and booklists shared during the webinar.
New Release: Miosotis Flores Never Forgets
Happy release day to Miosotis Flores Never Forgets by Hilda Eunice Burgos! From the author of Ana Maria Reyes Does Not Live in a Castle, Hilda Eunice Burgos tackles tough topics in an approachable way, while also giving middle grade readers everyday experiences to relate to in her latest novel.
Diversifying Classic Literature in the Classroom: A Student’s Perspective
In this blog post by Kiana Low, our Lee & Low summer intern, she shares the need for educators to create space for more diverse, contemporary books and voices to balance the “classics.”
The classics. If you attended high school in the United States, your mind may immediately go to Shakespeare, Jane Eyre, or maybe even Nathaniel Hawthorne, whose The Scarlet Letter has been a Puritan warning against female sexuality for nearly two centuries. These are the old guard of high school English classics—literature included in reading lists for generations. There are also “modern classics”—you may think of J.D. Salinger, Harper Lee, and John Steinbeck.
New Releases: The Shadow Prince and The Witch Owl Parliament (Clockwork Curandera Vol. I)
It’s a double release day at Lee & Low Books! Today we are celebrating the release of The Shadow Prince by David Anthony Durham, as well as the English and Spanish versions of The Witch Owl Parliament (Clockwork Curandera #1) created by David Bowles and Raúl the Third, with coloring by Stacey Robinson and lettering by Damian Duffy.
New Release: Nibi’s Water Song
Today is the release day of Nibi’s Water Song written by Sunshine Tenasco and illustrated by Chief Lady Bird. A perfect read-aloud that addresses the important topic of clean water with lively illustrations, Nibi’s Water Song is a great start for those wishing to start a conversation about activism with young readers.
Teaching about United States Reconstruction with Black Was the Ink
Next month is the release of Black Was the Ink by New Visions Award winner Michelle Coles and illustrated by Justin Johnson. Motivated by Coles’ frustration with the pace of racial progress in America, she wrote this book for readers to discover the critical work of Black congressmen during Reconstruction, an often overlooked time period, and make critical connections to present day.
Black Was the Ink, an extraordinary work fueled by rigorous research and impactful history, is a critical text for high school students and educators looking for authentic, honest history about the United States.