Selvakumar Knew Bettertag:www.shens.com,2008-06-09:/selvakumar_knew_better/202009-02-13T00:55:23ZMovable Type Pro 4.2-enSelvakumar in Paperback!tag:www.shens.com,2009:/selvakumar_knew_better//20.3312009-02-13T00:45:16Z2009-02-13T00:55:23ZHeads up: Selvakumar Knew Better is now available in paperback at $8.95. Yay!!Selvakumar Knew BetterBy Virginia KrollIllustrated by Xiaojun LiNew paperback edition $8.95ISBN: 9781885008367Buy it now...Renee TingSelvakumar Knew Better is now available in paperback at $8.95. Yay!!
Selvakumar Knew Better By Virginia Kroll Illustrated by Xiaojun Li New paperback edition $8.95 ISBN: 9781885008367 Buy it now ]]>
Bearemy's Book Club Pick!tag:shenscom.nexcess.net,2008:/selvakumar_knew_better//20.822008-04-17T21:26:15Z2008-08-05T01:27:34Z Build-a-Bear Workshop has a website that includes all sorts of fun things for kids, and every month "Bearemy" the bear picks books on a theme for his book club. April features dogs and ecology, so Selvakumar Knew Better by...Renee TingBuild-a-Bear Workshop has a website that includes all sorts of fun things for kids, and every month "Bearemy" the bear picks books on a theme for his book club. April features dogs and ecology, so Selvakumar Knew Better by Virginia Kroll and Xiaojun Li fit right in. You can see it and the book club here.]]>
Virginia Kroll Visitstag:shenscom.nexcess.net,2008:/selvakumar_knew_better//20.1352008-01-22T06:01:14Z2008-08-06T05:02:58Z That's me and Virginia Kroll outside the San Jose airport. I had just given her a copy of The Wakame Gatherers, so that explains why Virginia Kroll would be illogically holding someone else's book. Of course, I wasn't thinking...Renee TingThat's me and Virginia Kroll outside the San Jose airport. I had just given her a copy of The Wakame Gatherers, so that explains why Virginia Kroll would be illogically holding someone else's book. Of course, I wasn't thinking clearly enough to take a picture of us somewhere more beautiful, either, like the Asilomar Conference Grounds. No, we posed at the curb of the departures doors at Terminal A. Brilliant, Renee.
I think Virginia had a great (short) weekend in California. I enjoyed meeting her very much, and because we had a long drive from San Jose to Monterey and back, we were able to talk and talk about whatever-- books, family, weather, animals. She is a wonderful and fascinating lady, but what else would you expect from a woman who has published 67 picture books in the last fifteen years?
At the conference, I spent most of the big day in the exhibitor's hall at our table, but after we packed up, I hurried over to the main hall to see Virginia speak. I was able to catch the last twenty minutes or so of her keynote speech.
You know what she was talking about when I walked in? Nothing less than being a writer who writes outside of her ethnicity. I guess I am just incredibly idealistic at my core, because I was surprised when she recounted stories of how publishers and other authors treated her when they found out that she was a white woman. One publisher who was interested in a manuscript of hers, did in fact ask if she was black. "Does it matter?" was her only reply. And before she knew it, the publisher had mailed back four of her manuscripts with no letter of explanation or even rejection.
Another of her anecdotes that shocked me, frankly, was of her meeting with an African-American author that she admired very much (she did not name names). When Virginia enthusiastically exclaimed how honored she was to meet this author, the author's only reply was, "Who do you think you are, trying to make money off of my people?"
Now, this was perhaps about ten years ago. Virginia says that the racial-political climate is much changed these days. She never gets asked anymore what her ethnicity is, and most publishers were always very open about it to begin with. But she said that though the rebuffs hurt at the time, she is in retrospect glad that she experienced racial prejudice firsthand.
Prejudice is certainly far from gone in this country, but for some reason, I am always, always surprised when I see it. I just can't imagine why the color of one's skin should change anything, but then it does, and I am caught afresh with confusion.
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An Exciting Weekend Ahead- SCCRC Asilomar Reading Conferencetag:shenscom.nexcess.net,2008:/selvakumar_knew_better//20.2482008-01-17T22:01:41Z2008-08-19T01:22:51Z I can't believe I didn't think to post this earlier! I'm very excited about this upcoming weekend because Virginia Kroll, the author of Selvakumar Knew Better and many, many other titles, is coming out to California to be a...Renee TingSelvakumar Knew Better and many, many other titles, is coming out to California to be a keynote speaker at the Santa Clara County Reading Council's annual Reading Conference at Asilomar. I'm picking her up at the airport tomorrow, and we are going to the Monterey area for the weekend.
We'll have a table there selling our books on Saturday, so if you're going, stop by and say hello.
SCCRC Asilomar Reading Conference 2008 January 18, 19, 20
Asilomar Conference Center Pacific Grove, CA]]>
2007 Notable Book for a Global Societytag:shenscom.nexcess.net,2008:/selvakumar_knew_better//20.2202008-01-13T06:05:49Z2008-08-13T05:31:21ZSelvakumar Knew Better has been chosen as a 2007 Notable Book for a Global Society by the International Reading Association. What a great honor, considering it is among such notable choices as The Book Thief, Freedom Walkers, and Moses.Here's the...Renee TingSelvakumar Knew Better has been chosen as a 2007 Notable Book for a Global Society by the International Reading Association. What a great honor, considering it is among such notable choices as The Book Thief, Freedom Walkers, and Moses.
Here's the complete list of winners: Historical Fiction
Boyne, J. (2006). The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. New York: David Fickling.
Draper, S. (2006). Copper Sun. New York: Atheneum
Holm, J. L. (2006). Penny From Heaven. New York: Random House.
Lee-Tai, A. (2006). A Place where Sunflowers Grow. Illustrated by Felicia Hoshino. San Francisco, CA: Children's Book Press. (pb)
McCutcheon, J. (2006). Christmas in the Trenches. Illustrated by Henri Sorensen. Atlanta, GA: Peachtree. (pb)
Raven, M. T. (2006). Night Boat to Freedom. Illustrated by E. B. Lewis. New York: Melanie Kroupa. (pb)
Tingle, T. (2006). Crossing Bok Chitto: A Choctaw Tale of Friendship and Freedom. Illustrated by Jeanne Rorex Bridges. El Paso, TX: Cinco Puntos Press. (pb)
Winthrop, E. (2006). Counting on Grace. New York: Wendy Lamb.
Weatherford, C. (2006). Dear Mr. Rosenwald. Illustrated by Gregory R. Christie. New York: Scholastic. (pb)
Weatherford, C. B. (2006). Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom. Illustrated by Kadir Nelson. New York: Jump at the Sun. (pb)
Zusak, M. (2006). The Book Thief. New York: Alfred A. Knopf.
Nonfiction
Freedman, R. (2006). Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott. New York: Holiday House.
Goldman, S. R. with Ela Weissberger. (2006). Cat with the Yellow Star: Coming of Age in Terezin. New York: Holiday House.
Hopkinson, D. (2006). Up Before Daybreak: Cotton and People in America. New York: Scholastic.
Shoveller, H. (2006). Ryan and Jimmy and the Well in Africa That Brought Them Together. Tonawanda, NY: Kids Can Press. (pb)
Zalben, J. B. (2006). Paths to Peace. New York: Dutton. (pb)
Poetry
Greenfield, E. (2006). When the Horses Ride By. Illustrated by Jan Spivey Gilchrist. New York: Lee & Low (pb)
Myers, W. D. (2006). Jazz. Illustrated by Christopher Myers. New York: Holiday House. (pb)
Realistic Fiction
Diakite, P. (2006). I Lost My Tooth in Africa. Illustrated by Bab Wague Diakite. New York: Scholastic.(pb)
Hobb, W. (2006). Crossing the Wire. New York: HarperCollins.
Kessler, C. (2006). Best Beekeeper of Lalibela: A Tale from Africa. Illustrated by Leonard Jenkins. New York: Holiday House. (pb)
Kroll, V. (2006). Selvakumar Knew Better. Illustrated by Xiaojun. Fremont, CA: Shen's. (pb)
McCormick, P. (2006). Sold. New York: Hyperion.
Traditional Literature
Campoy, F. I., & Ada, A. F. (2006). Tales Our Abuelitas Told: A Hispanic Folktale Collection. Illustrated by Felipe Davalos, Viva Escriva, Susan Guevara, Leyla Torres. New York: Atheneum.
McKissack, P. (2006). Porch Lies: Tales of Slicksters, Tricksters, and Other Wily Characters. Illustrated by Andre Carrilho. New York: Schwartz & Wade. ]]>
Booklinkstag:shenscom.nexcess.net,2008:/selvakumar_knew_better//20.2182008-01-13T05:58:39Z2008-08-13T05:05:23ZSelvakumar Knew Better, by Virginia Kroll and illustrated by Xiaojun Li has been reviewed by Booklinks:"The realistic pictures, decorated with an abundance of fine pen-and-ink details, set close-ups of the boy and his pet against the "enormous wall of water"...Renee Ting
"The realistic pictures, decorated with an abundance of fine pen-and-ink
details, set close-ups of the boy and his pet against the "enormous
wall of water" that chases them... The story is neither sentimental nor
sensational; it depicts the escape and the family's sobbing reunion
without denying the horror of what is lost." ]]>
Bank Street Best Children's Bookstag:shenscom.nexcess.net,2007:/selvakumar_knew_better//20.2172007-12-13T05:50:54Z2008-08-13T04:57:42ZWowee! Selvakumar Knew Better by Virginia Kroll and illustrated by Xiaojun Li has been chosen as a Best Children's Book of the Year by the Children's Book Committee of the Bank Street College of Education. Every year, they select a...Renee Ting
Wowee! Selvakumar Knew Better by Virginia Kroll and illustrated by Xiaojun Li has been chosen as a Best Children's Book of the Year by the Children's Book Committee of the Bank Street College of Education. Every year, they select a list of the best books and print a wonderful little booklet that is organized by age group and subject, indexed and cross-referenced. A wonderful resource, and a wonderful honor for Selvakumar.]]>
Books That Givetag:shenscom.nexcess.net,2007:/selvakumar_knew_better//20.1372007-11-21T06:06:36Z2008-08-06T05:07:43Z I'm on a little pre-Thanksgiving vacation in Las Vegas at the moment, but I wanted to share a link to this nice essay at Paper Tigers that reminds us to be thankful and highlights books that keep on giving--...Renee TingI'm on a little pre-Thanksgiving vacation in Las Vegas at the moment, but I wanted to share a link to this nice essay at Paper Tigers that reminds us to be thankful and highlights books that keep on giving-- where the publisher donates some or all of the profits to a worthy cause. It's a great little list to keep in mind as Thanksgiving comes and goes, and holiday gifts need to be bought.
Best of all? Our very own Selvakumar Knew Better, by Virginia Kroll and illustrated by Xiaojun Li, is one of the featured books. A percentage of proceeds from this book goes to Give2Asia's Tsunami Recovery Fund.]]>
At the Edge of the Forest Chooses Selvakumar Knew Better as a "Stand Out"tag:shenscom.nexcess.net,2006:/selvakumar_knew_better//20.1412006-09-26T05:18:43Z2008-08-06T05:20:16Z The September issue of the online children's literature monthly At the Edge of the Forest is up! And I am pleased as punch and pie that editor Kelly Herold has chosen the Shen's Books publication, Selvakumar Knew Better (by...Renee TingThe September issue of the online children's literature monthly At the Edge of the Forest is up! And I am pleased as punch and pie that editor Kelly Herold has chosen the Shen's Books publication, Selvakumar Knew Better (by Virginia Kroll and illustrated by Xiaojun Li) as one of its non-fiction stand outs for the month.
I particularly enjoy this line of Herold's: " Virginia Kroll conspires to break my heart with the last page of this eloquent, touching picture book."
And oh, oh, I also like this part: " Xiojun Li's illustrations are soft, lush, and vibrant at the same time. He focuses on the eyes of Selvakumar and Dinakaran throughout showing the characters knowledge of and sadness at the events of the day."
Build-a-Bear Workshop has a website that includes all sorts of fun things for kids, and every month "Bearemy" the bear picks books on a theme for his book club. April features dogs and ecology, so Selvakumar Knew Better by Virginia Kroll and Xiaojun Li fit right in. You can see it and the book club here.]]>
That's me and Virginia Kroll outside the San Jose airport. I had just given her a copy of The Wakame Gatherers, so that explains why Virginia Kroll would be illogically holding someone else's book. Of course, I wasn't thinking clearly enough to take a picture of us somewhere more beautiful, either, like the Asilomar Conference Grounds. No, we posed at the curb of the departures doors at Terminal A. Brilliant, Renee.
I'm on a little pre-Thanksgiving vacation in Las Vegas at the moment, but I wanted to share a link to this nice essay at Paper Tigers that reminds us to be thankful and highlights books that keep on giving-- where the publisher donates some or all of the profits to a worthy cause. It's a great little list to keep in mind as Thanksgiving comes and goes, and holiday gifts need to be bought.
Best of all? Our very own Selvakumar Knew Better, by Virginia Kroll and illustrated by Xiaojun Li, is one of the featured books. A percentage of proceeds from this book goes to Give2Asia's Tsunami Recovery Fund.]]>
The September issue of the online children's literature monthly At the Edge of the Forest is up! And I am pleased as punch and pie that editor Kelly Herold has chosen the Shen's Books publication, Selvakumar Knew Better (by Virginia Kroll and illustrated by Xiaojun Li) as one of its non-fiction stand outs for the month.