By Renee Ting on February 11, 2010 2:10 PM
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This week's special guest is author Beverly Patt. She has book coming out in April called Best Friends Forever: A World War II Scrapbook. I ask her how she handled being an "outsider" and writing about the Japanese experience.
For more information about Beverly Patt, visit her website.
By Renee Ting on February 4, 2010 11:26 AM
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Last weekend, I attended the Kindling Words conference, which was an amazing weekend spent with distinguished children's book authors, illustrators, and editors. Not only did I learn a lot about the publishing trade, but I got to meet a whole slew of great people, and I got to talk to a bunch of them about multicultural books. Even better, the issue of multiculturalism in children's literature came up on the last day, and we had an insightful and productive discussion about how we can make the future of children's books more multicultural. This discussion was led by author Christine Taylor-Butler, who I caught afterward to ask the question: What is your one wish for the future of multicultural children's books?
By Renee Ting on January 20, 2010 1:35 PM
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Debbi Michiko Florence talks about what she loved most writing her two non-fiction titles, China and Japan.
More about Debbi Michiko Florence's books:
China Children can dig in with hands, feet and mind to 4,000 years of this country's history, traditions and culture. Through photos, illustrations, diagrams, interviews and activities children will gain a deeper understanding of China and its people.
Japan A hands-on, interactive guide to the culture, history, people, and traditions of Japan. Children will:
learn how to write and speak some Japanese words
explore fascinating places like Mount Fuji and Tokyo
learn how to fold origami and how to use chopsticks
discover what schools in Japan are like
More than 40 activities, modern photographs, diagrams, and humorous art bring this fascinating country to life.
And for those wondering which bubble tea shop I like best: Fantasia Tea Cafe.
By Renee Ting on January 7, 2010 12:14 PM
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Happy New Year! Yes, I took two weeks off from making videos at the end of the year, but now I'm excited about the new year and ready to talk about multicultural books!
This week's video features a book called Minutka: The Bilingual Dog by Anna Mycek-Wodecki. It sparked my imagination about bilingual pets and bilingual texts. Take a look.
By Renee Ting on December 17, 2009 3:56 PM
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Christmas means different things to everyone, and the spirit of the holiday can take on special meaning when you're far away from home. In this episode, I talk about four Christmas stories about families from four different cultures.
By Renee Ting on December 3, 2009 2:26 PM
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The most exciting thing about the California School Library Conference a few weeks ago (other than the library cart drill team competition) was that I finally got to meet Mitali Perkins, author of many multicultural books for young readers and tireless supporter of the genre. Here she is, answering the big question: why?
By Renee Ting on November 18, 2009 3:18 PM
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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.
By Renee Ting on November 5, 2009 2:15 PM
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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.
By Renee Ting on October 22, 2009 4:04 PM
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I just returned from Europe on Tuesday! My college roommate and I went to the Frankfurt Book Fair, and then turned it into a bit of a vacation. After Frankfurt, we traveled on to Bruge and Amsterdam, and had a whirlwind of a great time.
I was planning to post this video last week while I was there, really I was. But I was thwarted by my technology and couldn't edit it until today. So pretend that it's actually live and coming to you directly from Frankfurt.
The exhibit on the history of printing was part of China's country exhibit at the book fair "forum." The room was set up as a little museum, showroom, and press conference stage, all with the aim of showcasing Chinese publishing.
By Renee Ting on October 7, 2009 12:26 PM
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In Multicultrual Minute #4 a few weeks ago, I promised to do an episode on books for older readers featuring characters who were biracial. I am nothing if not true to my word, so here it is:
Books mentioned in this episode:
Black Mirror by Nancy Werlin Middle grade thriller/mystery featuring a half-Japanese, half-Jewish girl.
Bobby Versus Girls (Accidentally) by Lisa Yee Middle grade humor featuring a half-Chinese, half-white boy. (Race not a foreground theme.)
Half and Half by Lensey Namioka Middle grade fiction about a girl's difficulties with choosing between her Chinese heritage and her Scottish heritage.
The House You Pass on the Way by Jacqueline Woodson YA coming of age story exploring a half-black and half-white girl's experience with racism, homosexuality, and family.
Mexican White Boy by Matt de la Pena YA novel featuring a half-Mexican, half-white boy who deals with many issues, including racial discrimination.
Monsoon Summer by Mitali Perkins YA novel about a half-Indian, half-white girl who travels to India with her mother and discovers a lot about herself and racial perceptions.
Nothing But the Truth (and a Few White Lies) by Justina Chen Headley YA novel about a half-Taiwanese, half-white girl who learns to celebrate her "hapa" status when she spends a summer at camp.
Outside Beauty by Cynthia Kadohata Middle grade novel about a single-parent family where all the sisters share their Japanese mother but each have a different father. While race is not the central issue, their truly multicultural family plays a large role in shaping their characters.
The True Meaning of Smekday by Adam Rex Middle grade humor/science fiction in which the main character is half-black and half-white. Race is not a central issue, though discrimination by an alien race is.
By Renee Ting on October 1, 2009 2:59 PM
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We have another special guest this week: Elizabeth O. Dulemba, author and illustrator extraordinaire. Her second bilingual book was just published this week, and well, I'll let her tell you about it. And about her experience with learning a new language for her books.
By Renee Ting on September 17, 2009 2:33 PM
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Thanks so much to Grace Lin, who busted out her own video camera to answer the all-important question to us here at Shen's Books: Why do you write about your own heritage?
By Renee Ting on September 11, 2009 11:42 AM
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These are the picture books mentioned in the video. Don't worry, we'll have a later episode for older readers. Do have any favorite picture books with biracial characters? Add them in the comments!
Black is Brown is Tan by Arnold Adoff and Emily Arnold Mccully Poem depicting a family with an African American mother and a Caucasian father.
The Hello Goodbye Window by Norton Juster and Chris Raschka A girl visits her grandparents, one of whom is black and the other white.
How My Parents Learned to Eat by Ina R. Friedman and Allen Say A girl with a Japanese mother and American father explains how her parents met why they sometimes eat with chopsticks and sometimes with a fork.
I Love Saturdays y Domingos by Alma Flor Ada and Elivia Savadier A girl visits her Caucasian grandparents on Saturdays and her Mexican-American grandparents on Sundays.
Jalapeno Bagels by Natasha Wing and Robert Casilla A boy who with both Mexican and Jewish backgrounds has to figure out what to bring to his school's International Day.
My Two Grannies by Floella Benjamin and Margaret Chamberlain A girl has one grandmother from Trinidad and another from Yorkshire. When her parents go on a trip, both grannies come to take care of her.
Romina's Rangoli by Malathi Michelle Iyengar and Jennifer Wanardi A girl who is half Mexican and half Indian has to figure out an art project for school that represents both her cultures.
Two Mrs. Gibsons by Toyomi Igus and Daryl Wells The story of a girl and the two Mrs. Gibsons in her life: Her mother, who is Japanese, and her grandmother, who is African American.
The Wakame Gatherers by Holly Thompson and Kazumi Wilds Taking place in Japan, a girl with a Japanese grandmother and a Caucasian grandmother visiting from Maine spend the day at the seashore.
You Be Me and I'll Be Youby Pili Mandelbaum A girl and her light-skinned father "trade" skin colors, but her African-American mother is not pleased.
Emily Jiang is a writer of children's and YA literature. She also blogs at TLeaf Readings.
Shen’s Books is a publisher of multicultural children’s literature that
emphasizes cultural diversity and tolerance, with a focus on
introducing children to the cultures of Asia.
Through books, we can share a world a stories, building greater
understanding and tolerance within our increasingly diverse communities
as well as throughout our continuously shrinking globe.
feed me
