Four Short Story Collections About Strong Women and Girls Around the World

My apologies for the long silence! This is a list of recommendations I wanted to post during Women's History Month, but couldn't get a hold of all the titles in time. That's okay though since we celebrate women and girls all the time on Ink & Pen! So, here are four collections of short stories about strong women and girls who think--and do--for themselves. Many of these tales have been buried or ignored, but we're glad to have them available to us now. Enjoy!

Not One Damsel in Distress: World Folktales for Strong Girls
collected and told by Jane Yolen, illustrated by Susan Guevara

This collection of thirteen tales from Greece, Niger, Germany, Argentina, China, the White River Sioux, the Ozark Mountains, Scotland, Romania, Poland, Japan, France, and England, was by far my favorite. Yolen is a gifted storyteller and chose an array of engrossing tales that left me wishing there were a second collection!

The Serpent Slayer: and Other Stories of Strong Women
written by Katrin Tchana, illustrated by Trina Schart Hyman

This collection includes 18 stories of strong girls and women from Asia, the Americas, India, the Jewish tradition, Africa, the Middle East, and Europe. The tales in this collection are fascinating and the girls in them are all strong in unique ways. The illustrations for this treasury are remarkable and the stories fascinating.

Five Diverse Picture Books for Father's Day

This upcoming Sunday is Father's Day in the U.S. and for once I am happy to present a list of book recommendations prior to the actual day of celebration! So, here are five diverse books that celebrate fathers and explore fatherhood. All summaries in quotes from IndieBound.

When Dads Don't Grow Up
written by Marjorie Blain Parker, illustrated by R.W. Alley

"[T]his playful book follows four father-child pairs as they spend happy, silly times together, popping bubble wrap and watching cartoons and taking part in shoppingcart races. These are dads who aren't worried about looking goofy or getting their hair wet - dads who still remember what it's like to be little. Don't be fooled. They may look like grown-ups on the outside, But underneath they're just like you . . . Kids!"

A Father Like That
written by Charlotte Zolotow, illustrated by LeUyen Pham

A great choice for children who don't have their father in their lives--or expanding the horizons of children who do--this book shows all the things the little boy protagonist knows about fathers without having his own present. Though it is clear the little boy feels a void is left by his father's absence, he has a loving, supportive mother and enjoys imagining an ideal father for himself.

Five More Diverse Board Books

First of all, my apologies for the lack of posts lately. All of us writers have been particularly busy lately with moves, school, and work. We have some exciting upcoming plans for summer though--specifically with folk and fairy tales--so stay tuned for that! In the meantime, I realized we haven't had a post about board books since April, so here are five more diverse board books (in no particular order). Again, I won't include synopses since they are relatively straight-forward, but if you have any questions about a a specific title, feel free to leave it in the comments. Enjoy!

1. A You're Adorable
by Martha Alexander


2. Ten Little Babies
 by Gyo Fujikawa

Five More Picture Books That Celebrate Creativity in Girls

Our previous post about books that celebrate creative girls has been so popular that we wanted to offer you more five more titles in the same vein:

Marisol McDonald Doesn't Match/Marisol McDonald No Combina
written by Monica Brown, illustrated by Sara Palacios

From her brown skin and red hair, to her penchant for wearing polka dots with stripes, people tell Marisol McDonald that she doesn't match. Marisol doesn't mind though: she likes herself the way she is, but when a friend tells her she couldn't match if she tried, Marisol decides to take up the challenge. But matching is no fun for Marisol who learns that her uniqueness is something to celebrate. Palacios's illustrations are vibrant, colorful, and fun. Includes a note on why the author created a multiracial protagonist, as well as a note on the translation. Bilingual: English/Spanish

Jingle Dancer
written by Cynthia Leitich Smith, illustrated by Cornelius Van Wright & Ying Hwa-Hu

Jenna wants to dance at the upcoming powwow, but there isn't enough time to order the tins to make her dress jingle. Undeterred, Jenna visits family members and friends considerately asking each for only enough jingles to make a row, ensuring no one dress will be silent. Each person who lends Jenna jingles can't attend the powwow and asks her to dance for them. When the day of the powwow arrives, Jenna dances beautifully to the brum, brum, brum, brum beat of the drum, for herself and for everyone that helped her, jingling all the while. Beautifully illustrated by Van Wright and Hu who showcase the diversity of skin tones found among Native American people. Includes an author's note and glossary.

Five Picture Books That Celebrate Jazz

April was an exciting month being National Poetry Month, Autism Awareness Month, Asperger's Awareness Month, and including Earth Day and Arbor Day. Additionally, April was also Jazz Appreciation Month. I had some difficulty acquiring the books I wanted to feature--hence this post being late--but better late than never!

Bebop Express
written by H.L. Panahi, illustrations by Steven Johnson and Lou Fancher

Fancher and Johnson's collage art portrays a racially diverse array of jazz musicians and appreciators aboard the fictional Bebop Express which travels from city to city in search of jazz. Every city has its own unique style which is expressed in words and rhythmic sounds which should make for a fun read-aloud. 

Five Langston Hughes Picture Books

from "April Rain Song" by Langston Hughes

Our celebration of poetry continues! Here are five picture books that feature poems by Langston Hughes, one of America's great poets. Four of the books are created from a single Hughes poem, while the final book is a collection. All are beautifully illustrated and worth checking out. Enjoy!


The Negro Speaks of Rivers
poem by Langston Hughes, illustrated E.B. Lewis

*The thought of reading this book to children might make some uncomfortable given that the word "negro" is no longer socially acceptable outside of a historical context. I would encourage you to read the book anyway and to discuss the word with the children you're reading with. Sharing with children that at the time Hughes wrote this poem "negro" was an acceptable word, that has now been replaced with "Black" and "African American," will teach them not to shy away from uncomfortable words in the future, but rather to learn from them. In this way, we can all still appreciate the beauty of Hughes' poem and Lewis' art without being intimidated by a word that, in this context, is used to celebrate the beauty of the Black experience.

Five Diverse Middle Grade Novels in Verse

Continuing our celebration of National Poetry Month in the U.S., here are five middle grade novels in verse. Enjoy and Happy Poetry Month!

Planet Middle School
written by Nikki Grimes

You can read a great review of Planet Middle School at Coastline Books.

Inside Out & Back Again
written by Thanhha Lai

This book was showered with praise when it was published, winning the National Book Award, as well a Newbery Honor, and garnering multiple starred reviews. All the praise was well-earned. This semi-autobiographical story follows ten-year old Hà and her family from war-ravaged Saigon to the United States. Though times were hard in Vietnam, Hà was happy with her family, growing her papaya tree, and excelling in her studies. Hà struggles with the harsh realities of life aboard the rescue boat that eventually takes her family to a refugee camp, and with adjusting to her new home in Alabama. Life in the United States is very different than Saigon, and Hà is ostracized, cruelly mocked, and teased in her new school. She struggles to understand not only a new language, but a new culture, foods, and landscapes. The sense of place that Lai evokes in this book is exquisite, making her readers feel they are with Hà on every step of her journey. The poetic form helps readers grasp at least a fraction of the depth and intensity of Hà's emotions as she makes her way through the incredibly tumultuous year chronicled in this book. You can read more about Inside Out & Back Again at Goodreads. 

2013 Coretta Scott King, Pura Belpre, Schneider Family, and Stonewall Book Award Winners

Since we began this blog in February, and the ALA awards are announced in January, we decided not to post about the winners. However, there has been a lot of interest in the posts cataloging the Asian/Pacific Heritage Awards and The Rainbow List, so we thought we'd better go ahead and post the Coretta Scott King, Pura Belpre, Schneider Family, and Stonewall Book award winners here, even though we're a few months late!

2013 Coretta Scott King Book Awards

Illustrator

Winner:

Going to a Baby Shower? Seven Diverse Board Books for Babies and Toddlers

When I was a bookseller, I'd get a lot of customers who came in looking for books as gifts for baby showers, newborns, and baby/toddler birthdays. Board books are great for babies and toddlers as they are fairly indestructible and easier to carry in diaper bags, strollers, the car, etc. The books below are all excellently written and illustrated and are also racially and culturally diverse. I won't recap them since they're all pretty short and self-explanatory, but if you're wondering about a particular one, feel free to leave questions in the comments!

1. Girl of Mine
written by Jabari Asim, illustrated by LeUyen Pham



2. Boy of Mine
written by Jabari Asim, illustrated LeUyen Pham

Book Recommendations: Happy Easter!

Hello everyone and Happy Easter! Here are two book recommendations for today's holiday:

Chicken Sunday

written and illustrated by Patricia Polacco

Five True Stories About Daring Girls and Women

Amelia and Eleanor Go for a Ride 

written by Pam Muñoz Ryan
illustrated by Brian Selznick

Here is the true story of the night Amelia Earhart and First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt went for an unsanctioned nighttime plane ride--and all while still attired in their evening wear. Having similar courageous hearts, Roosevelt and Earhart were friends before the flight chronicled in this book. When Roosevelt heard Earhart would be in Washington D.C. to make a speech, she invited Earhart and her husband to The White House for dinner. When the dinner conversation turned to the joy of flying at night (at the time, only a few pilots--including Earhart--had attempted night flight), the two friends make a spontaneous decision to skip out on dessert in favor of a quick trip to Baltimore and back.

Ryan and Selznick celebrate the independent spirit of two of the most famous and inspiring women of their time. Selznick's illustrations are as superb as ever and capture the magic of their night flight. An author's note sifts fact from fiction.

Five Picture Books About Brave and Clever Girls

Beautiful Warrior: The Legend of the Nun's King Fu
written and illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully

During the reign of the last Ming Emperor, a girl was born who was named Jingyong, meaning "Quiet Courage." Scorning a future for his daughter as a lady-in-waiting, her father raised her as a son, having her tutored in the five pillars of learning, including martial arts. Jingyong excelled at Kung Fu and when her city was overtaken by enemies, she journeyed to study with the monks of the Shaolin Monastery. Seeing her incredible skill at Kung Fu, they renamed her Wu Mei, which means "Beautiful Warrior." When a local girl is bullied into accepting a marriage proposal from a thug and comes to her for help, Wu Mei teaches the girl Kung Fu so she can solve her own problems. This is an excellent retelling of the legend of Wu Mei and does a superb job of helping readers understand the principles behind Kung Fu. An Author's Note further expands readers understanding of the art, explaining that there is much more to Kung Fu than what we see in Western movies.

Book Review at Coastline Books: Planet Middle School

If you're looking for a realistic middle grade book, take a gander over to Coastline Books where Sara has posted a lovely review of Planet Middle School by Nikki Grimes.



Sara says: "Written in free verse, Joylin’s flowing narrative voice is pitch perfect. She navigates the highs and lows of early adolescence with her two best friends KeeLee and Jake and when she questions “Where is a parallel universe // when you need one?”, I had to smile. Ah, middle school. How many times did I have that thought, although never quite so poetic!"

To read the review in its entirety, click here.

Illustrator/Author Profile: Kadir Nelson

In honor of Black History Month, we'd like the highlight a few black illustrators and authors in hopes of introducing new readers to their work. Today we're highlighting the work of Kadir Nelson.

Primarily an illustrator, but now also an author, Neson's art is bold and larger-than-life, lending his work a feeling of strength and often making his subjects appear mythic in proportion. Nelson's work stretches across multiple genres, but here are a few of our favorite historical works by Nelson:

Ellington Was Not a Street

written by Ntozake Shange and illustrated by Kadir Nelson

Written in verse, Ellington Was Not a Street, is a great introduction to key players in the Harlem Renaissance. Nelson's oil paintings are visually stunning and do a wonder job of portraying the diverse array of skin tones found in black community with beauty and realism. One of my favorite elements of Nelson's work is his ability to portray emotion which he does particularly well in the spread showcasing the love between Shange, her brother, and their father. This book includes back matter on the Harlem Renaissance artists featured in the story.

Storycorp Interview with Walter Dean Myers/Book Review: Darius & Twig

There are a few things we'd like to do here on the blog in honor of Black History Month. One is to feature interviews or profiles of Black writers and illustrators. We're a bit late getting started, but here is our first offering: an interview from StoryCorps with National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, Walter Dean Myers, talking to his son, author and illustrator Christopher Myers, about his relationship with his own father (specifically pertaining to his father's feeling about Myers being a writer).

(l to r:Christopher Myers, Walter Dean Myers)

Book Recommendation: Happy Birthday, Rosa Parks!

Today would have been Rosa Parks' 100th birthday (she lived to be 92-years old). If you're interested in a beautifully illustrated picture book about her part in the Civil Rights Movement, Rosa, illustrated by Bryan Collier and written by Nikki Giovanni is a good choice.