November 2009 Archives

This week, please welcome special guest Stacy Whitman, founder and editorial director a new publishing project called Tu Publishing. I'll let her tell you about it.




You heard right: Tu Publishing is looking to the public to raise money for its launch. If it doesn't raise $10,000 in pledges by December 14, it sadly won't get started. So together, we can make it happen!

Visit Tu Publishing for more information on the goals and vision for the company, and lots of insightful commentary by multicultural authors. For example, Cynthia Leitich Smith has an essay about living in a multicultural world, and Cindy Pon talks about her book Silver Pheonix.

From there, you can reach the donation site, or jump directly to the Kickstarter site, where you can safely pledge any amount to the cause. Money only exchanges hands if the $10,000 goal is met, so there is no risk. And with your donation, you could secure yourself some nifty gifts.

Here is a complete list of links you'll want to check out:
Tu Publishing
Kickstarter Donation Site
Tu Publishing on Facebook
Tu Publishing on Twitter
Stacy Whitman

Why are immigration stories so important?



Books featured in this episode:
The Arrival by Shaun Tan

For me, the best part of traveling is getting to try different kinds of food. I have always considered multiculturalism and food going hand in hand. What better way to learn about a country's culture and traditions than to experience its food? And if you can't be there yourself, travel there in a book.



Books mentioned in this video:
Bee-bim Bop by Linda Sue Park and Ho Baek Lee
Bread Bread Bread by Ann Morris and Ken Heyman
Cora Cooks Pancit by Dorina Lazo Gilmore and Kristi Valiant
Dim Sum for Everyone by Grace Lin
Dumpling Soup by Jama Kim Rattigan
Everybody Bakes Bread by Norah Dooley and Peter J. Thornton
Everybody Brings Noodles by Norah Dooley and Peter J. Thornton
Everybody Cooks Rice by Norah Dooley and Peter J. Thornton
Everybody Serves Soup by Norah Dooley and Peter J. Thornton
Hiromi's Hands by Lynne Barasch
Let's Eat! What Children Eat Around the World by Beatrice Hollyer
Squeamish About Sushi by Betty Reynolds
The Tortilla Factory by Gary Paulsen and Ruth Paulsen
The Ugly Vegetables by Grace Lin
The Wakame Gatherers by Holly Thompson and Kazumi Wilds
Yoko by Rosemary Wells

Cora Cooks Pancit (by Dorina Lazo Gilmore and illustrated by Kristi Valiant) is reviewed in the November, 2009 issue of School Library Journal!

LAZO GILMORE, Dorina K. Cora Cooks Pancit. illus. by Kristi Valiant. unpaged. glossary. CIP. Shen's. 2009. Tr $17.95. ISBN 978-1-885008-35-0. LC 2008045836.

PreS-Gr 3--When Cora's Filipino family cooks together, she's always stuck doing the "kid jobs." Then one day when her older siblings are out and about, Cora gets her chance to bond with Mama in the kitchen. She even gets to choose her favorite dish, so the two of them make a large bowl of noodles, chicken, and vegetables called pancit. Clear expository prose explains how to perform kitchen tasks. For example, Mama tells Cora, "Open the package of rice noodles and put them in this bowl of water." Then she engages her daughter by asking her, "Do you know why we soak them?" These scenes effectively model how adults can introduce children to cooking. The simple, direct style also makes the book equally well suited as a read-aloud and for newly independent readers. The artwork nicely complements the text, as Valiant's warm hues of gold, red, and orange highlight the family's loving relationship. They also capture Cora's feelings through facial expressions. Wide eyes and smiles show the child's joy at cooking with her mother, while a downcast mouth and arched eyebrows illustrate her anxiety that her family won't like her pancit. Although this dish is unique to Cora's culture, children of all backgrounds will share her feelings at being allowed to help cook a meal for the first time. A solid choice for schools and public libraries, especially where family-based programming is popular.--Mary Landrum, Lexington Public Library, KY

California Librarians: mark your calendars! Shen's Books will be at the annual California School Library Association conference again this year. The conference will be held November 19-21 at the Ontario Convention Center. We'll have copies of all our books for sale, at special conference prices. See you then!

Shen's Books at CSLA Conference
November 19-21, 2009
Ontario Convention Center
Ontario, CA