Category Archives: Guest Blogger Post

Authors, illustrators, educators, and other industry professionals visit the blog to share their expertise.

Multilingual Educator: Teaching the Power of Community and Student Activism through Art and Children’s Literature

This essay by author Christy Hale originally appeared in the CABE 2023 Edition of Multilingual Educator. Christy is the author of Todos Iguales: Un corrido de Lemon Grove/All Equal: A Ballad of Lemon Grove. Her latest book, Copycat: Nature-Inspired Design Around the World, is available now!

Photo credit: Jenna Cole.

Christy Hale has illustrated numerous award-winning books for children, including Dreaming Up: A Celebration of Building and several other titles for Lee & Low Books. As an educator, Hale currently teaches picture book writing at the Academy of Art University in San Francisco. She has also taught art and graphic design to high school students, and first learned about the Lemon Grove case at an in-service teacher workshop. Hale and her husband live in Palo Alto, California. You can visit her online at christyhale.com.

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Teaching Native American Heritage Month: In Conversation with Editor Elise McMullen-Ciotti (Cherokee Nation)

Throughout American history, Native people have been intentionally silenced; their stories set aside, hidden, or drowned out. That’s why it’s critical to read stories about Indigenous characters, told by Indigenous voices. Teaching Indigenous history is essential all year-round.

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Mexican X Part X: What the Hex a ‘Latinx’? A Guest Post By David Bowles

This guest post by David Bowles dives into the origin and usage of the terms Hispanic, Latinx, Latine, and others. It was originally posted to Medium in December 2018. David is the author of numerous books for young readers, including The Witch Owl Parliament (Clockwork Curandera #1).

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The Joy of Inclusion – An Intern’s Perspective

For generations children’s literature has captured the hearts of generations of readers, but what sets it apart? Imagination? Charm? Humor? Heart? These are strong contenders, but it goes without saying that the genre’s continual effort to lend a voice to the voiceless and make room for those who usually feel unseen attract readers of all ages. My love for kidlit has not only fueled my passion for reading, but it lead me to LEE & LOW BOOKS where my passion for this amazing genre only blossomed.

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Multilingual Educator: The Journey Toward Literacy Begins at Birth: A Personal Narrative

DAD IS READING TO INFANT, Photo by infant’s mother Eva Lin Fahey (author’s daughter) and with permission of father, Nick Floyd 2/22

This essay by author Jean Ciborowski Fahey, Ph. D. originally appeared in the CABE 2023 Edition of Multilingual Educator. Jean’s picture book I’ll Build You a Bookcase has been translated into Arabic, Mandarin, Spanish, and Vietnamese.

Jean Ciborowski Fahey author photo: A white woman with short white hair wearing a blue scarf

Jean Ciborowski Fahey is an author, parent educator, and speaker dedicated to promoting an early love of reading in children. She also consults for a variety of literacy initiatives and organizations and creates home literacy curriculum for parent-home visitors and early intervention specialists. She lives in Yarmouth Port, Massachusetts with her husband, Tom, and dog, Indigo. Visit her online at readingfarm.net.

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Maya Gonzalez on Nonbinary Representation, the Language of the Nonverbal & Power of Pronouns

Award-winning kidlit creator Maya Gonzalez (illustrator of I Can Be . . . Me!) wrote a series of essays to celebrate Pride month. The excerpt below originally appeared on The Official SCBWI Blog, and Maya’s guest posts included:

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Multilingual Educator Q&A with Guadalupe García McCall: Author, Professor, and Educator

This Q&A with author and former teacher Guadalupe García McCall and Lee & Low Literacy Specialist Michelle Fuentes originally appeared in the CABE 2023 Edition of Multilingual Educator. Guadalupe’s latest novel, Echoes of Grace, is available wherever books are sold!

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Black Was the Ink Connects Past and Present

This post by Michelle Coles originally appeared on We Need Diverse Books in November 2021. Black Was the Ink is available wherever books are sold!

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The Reality of Rural Blackness: A Guest Post by Nisi Shawl

In this guest post, author Nisi Shawl invites readers to experience rural Black life in their middle-grade debut novel. Speculation is available wherever books are sold!

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Banned: Why We Need Young Adult Fiction: A Guest Post by Stephane Dunn

This post by Stephane Dunn originally appeared on SLJ Teen Librarian Toolbox. Snitchers is available now wherever books are sold!

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