By Aram Kim When I was a little kid growing up in South Korea, I thought I would be an artist who writes stories and draws pictures. The very first book I made was in my first-grade notebook. I titled it A Mischievous Adventurer, wrote a story, and drew pictures. In a self-portrait I made as a … [Read more...] about When a Wish Becomes a Story
Personal Essay
A Suitcase Full Of Stories: How Stories Shape Elizabeth Agyemang’s Sense Of Place and Belonging
By Elizabeth Agyemang The first time I ever read about a Black character in literature was when I was introduced to Jim from Huckleberry Finn. Likewise, it was only when my English class was assigned to read Heart of Darkness that I experienced a story set in Africa. As a young reader, I quickly … [Read more...] about A Suitcase Full Of Stories: How Stories Shape Elizabeth Agyemang’s Sense Of Place and Belonging
NoNieqa Ramos on Latine/x Heritage and the Power of Us
By NoNieqa Ramos As we finish celebrating Latinx Heritage month, I want to reflect on who we are. I know there are not enough trees on the planet to print the paper required to preface this reflection, not enough iCloud storage space on earth or in the Milky Way to broach a definition. But a few … [Read more...] about NoNieqa Ramos on Latine/x Heritage and the Power of Us
My River, My Syria: The Lost Children of Syria
As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is Zoulfa Katouh's debut novel, available now wherever books are sold. A love letter to Syria and its people, As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow is a speculative novel set amid the Syrian Revolution, burning with the fires of hope, love, and possibility. By … [Read more...] about My River, My Syria: The Lost Children of Syria
A Black Girl. A Black Book. An Accidental Book Shunning.
By Lakita Wilson “Next week, when you go to the library, I want you to come home with at least one Black book in your stack,” my mother told me one random Thursday in the 90s. My dad and I had this ritual. Every Thursday, while my mom cooked dinner, he’d drive me to Fairmount Heights Library … [Read more...] about A Black Girl. A Black Book. An Accidental Book Shunning.
Balancing Authentic and Accessible: A. J. Sass on Autistic Representation in Ellen Outside the Lines
We previously interviewed A. J. about Ellen Outside the Lines here. By A. J. Sass When my proposal for my sophomore novel, Ellen Outside the Lines, sold, I cycled through a mix of emotions. I was thrilled to get to write another book, of course, but I was also nervous. Although I am autistic … [Read more...] about Balancing Authentic and Accessible: A. J. Sass on Autistic Representation in Ellen Outside the Lines
Digging in the Past for Our Futures
A Million Quiet Revolutions by Robin Gow comes out on March 22, 2022. For as long as they can remember, Aaron and Oliver have only ever had each other. In a small town with few queer teenagers, let alone young trans men, they’ve shared milestones like coming out as trans, buying the right … [Read more...] about Digging in the Past for Our Futures
On Nancy Drew, and How Anyone With a Book Can Have an Adventure
By Katryn Bury I was home sick when my mother first handed me a Nancy Drew book. It wasn’t the first time I was missing school, and it wouldn’t be the last. In fact, I’d been stretching my allotted absences to the limit that particular year in fourth grade. I wasn’t sick every time I gave my … [Read more...] about On Nancy Drew, and How Anyone With a Book Can Have an Adventure
Lessons From a Teen Book Club and a Girl Named Angie
Fat Angie: Homecoming is out now. By e.E. Charlton-Trujillo About a year after publishing Fat Angie—the first book in my ALA-winning series—I visited an Illinois high school book club. I hadn’t spent a lot of time with book clubs. Most of the students I met in traditional and alternative … [Read more...] about Lessons From a Teen Book Club and a Girl Named Angie
