“Almost without exception, at one point that morning, each [person] was crying,” recalled the New York Times–bestselling novelist. “They would not have cried for the loss of CD-ROMs, but they cried for books … they cried for their community center.” But Lincoln’s is not just a story of loss, Bohjalian explained in a lunchtime session … Continue reading The Center of the Community
Telgemeier has also written two fictional graphic novels (Drama and Ghosts), four illustrated adaptions of The Baby-Sitters Club series, and the new interactive journal Share Your Smile. American Libraries spoke with Telgemeier about her creative process, how graphic novelists became champions for unrepresented voices in publishing, and her advice for aspiring artists. You wrote two … Continue reading Newsmaker: Raina Telgemeier
First, American Libraries Senior Editor George Eberhart speaks with Nigerian-American science-fiction writer Nnedi Okorafor (Who Fears Death and The Book of Phoenix) about how her heritage influences her work. Then, Dewey Decibel host and American Libraries Senior Editor Phil Morehart speaks with Jonathon Hodge, digital literacy service lead at Toronto Public Library, and Mark Williams, chief librarian … Continue reading Dewey Decibel Podcast: Beyond Our Borders
What’s changed in the 50 years since librarians Glyndon Flynt and Mabel McKissick first thought of the CSK Book Awards at the 1969 ALA Annual Conference? How have the awards impacted children’s publishing in the years since? Jacqueline Woodson: One thing, just now walking through the convention center, we saw all of these books written … Continue reading A Conversation about the Coretta Scott King Book Awards
Holmes recently spoke with American Libraries about her fiction favorites, the breadth of the romance genre, and why librarians are the original influencers. Tell me about your relationship with books and reading. Where does fiction fit in your personal pop-culture landscape? When I was a teenager I read a ton of big, heavy commercial fiction, … Continue reading Newsmaker: Linda Holmes
Episode 40 revisits that panel, joining American Libraries Senior Editor and Dewey Decibel host Phil Morehart as he talks with authors Jacqueline Woodson (Brown Girl Dreaming), Jason Reynolds (As Brave As You), and Angie Thomas (The Hate U Give); author and illustrator Christopher Myers (Firebird); and illustrator Ekua Holmes (The Stuff of Stars) about the history … Continue reading Dewey Decibel Podcast: 50 Years of the CSK Book Awards
Why did you choose to tell your story as a graphic novel? It’s been my mission in life to tell the story of my childhood imprisonment and to raise awareness of that chapter of American history. There’s a new generation of young people, and we want to target them in the best way. I thought … Continue reading Newsmaker: George Takei
Atencio’s memoir, Perfectly You, traces her journey from coastal Venezuela—where she devoured the work of authors like Isabel Allende and Gabriel García Márquez—to her graduate work at the Columbia University School of Journalism in New York City; from Univision to the English-language market; from shy new arrival to prominent cultural ambassador. Her 2017 TEDx talk, “What makes you … Continue reading Perfectly Mariana Atencio
Which is why it’s no surprise that the CBS Sunday Morning correspondent’s forthcoming book, Mobituaries: Great Lives Worth Reliving (November, Simon & Schuster), and podcast of the same name, commemorates people and things—from the station wagon to Neanderthals to Thomas Paine’s legacy—where the common thread is that they’re overlooked and no longer with us. Oh, and there’s another overlap: … Continue reading The Onus of Obituary
Adeyemi’s novel, Children of Blood and Bone (CBB), is situated in a fantasy world that incorporates themes of racism, oppression, and the abuse of power. CBB was inspired by Adeyemi’s adoration of Avatar: The Last Airbender, as well as a visit to a gift shop in Brazil. It was while she was in that gift shop that the young author encountered … Continue reading The Importance of Representation
The program, titled “Tough topics in YA: How the 2019 debuts are tackling the dark—but real—issues teens care about,” featured authors Erin Stewart, Deborah Maroulis, Nikki Barthelmess, Sarah J. Carlson, C. H. Armstrong, James Brandon, Alexandra Villasante, and Laura Sibson. Each author brought a different slant to the notion of what is considered a tough topic … Continue reading Tough Topics In YA
“I feel like I’m at a Star Trek convention,” he said in his trademark baritone, before laughing heartily. Takei’s tone changed, however, as he began to describe a childhood spent in internment camps for Japanese Americans during World War II—an experience that he details in his new YA graphic novel, They Called Us Enemy. With a … Continue reading History Repeats Itself
