Zetta Elliott's Blog, page 97

Is science fiction a luxury?

That was the last question asked at today's panel—which I almost missed because The Graduate Center has moved since I was there last and so I went to the wrong address.  Which means I missed my former prof's paper on African Canadian autobiography, though she was kind enough to give me a copy.  Luckily, Leslie was on the same panel as Marleen S. Barr, and as promised, I'm going to share my notes from her paper, "The Laugh of Anansi: Why Science Fiction Is Pertinent to Black Children's Literature Pedagogy."

Barr began by sharing her amazement at a Kindle commercial that featured a black boy telling his grandmother how anxious he was to read about zombies and wizards; the child wasn't yearning to be a civil rights activist, and slavery in no way figured in his fantasy life.  So why are black children being offered so many civil rights and slavery narratives?  Barr broke her discussion into three parts: Realism, Sci-Fi: Powerfully Black, and Laugh of Anansi (a summary of the NYU A Is for Anansi conference, cut short due to lack of time).  Barr read a passage from Walter Mosley's 1999 essay, "Black to the Future" (you can read an excerpt here), and argued that the "elitist walls" separating sci-fi from the classroom be torn down.

Realism has become, in some ways, a trap for black children—and it is black women writers who have, according to Barr, found a way out.  Citing Toni Morrison, Alice Walker, and Octavia Butler as early speculative fiction writers, Barr named Nnedi Okorafor and Alaya Dawn Johnson as leaders of the next generation.  Barr noted that as a young woman, she was drawn to speculative fiction because powerful women characters in and writers of realistic fiction often wound up dead (Sylvia Plath, Virginia Woolf); the same is likely true for young black readers, Barr concluded—Malcolm X was assassinated, and kids raised in the era of Obama are "not native" to the world of Richard Wright.

Science fiction offers black children an alternative way of dealing with "legacy, tradition, and memory."  Barr cited Virginia Hamilton as an important and acclaimed black speculative fiction writer who nonetheless continues to be overlooked by scholars in the field.

Barr concluded by discussing the A Is for Anansi conference, noting how she found the theme of speculative fiction recurring across the various panels.  She shared the responses given by three boys on the children's panel, all of whom crave fantastic tales and are tired of reading books about "problems."

At some point Barr also mentioned a 1914 book by Elizabeth Gordon, Watermelon Pete (cringe, right?).  Her main critique of the story was that "Blacky," the fairy-like creature, was depicted as more of an insect or vermin—nothing like the dainty Tinkerbell image created by Disney.  No mention was made of racial stereotypes, which I found odd (ETA: Barr contacted me to clarify that she *did* twice refer to the book as "terrible" and didn't elaborate on the racial stereotype due to lack of time).  There was also a reference to Princess Tiana, but I missed that…sorry!

The best part of the day came when Leslie, a professor at York University in Toronto, assured me she was committed to working on a multicultural children's literature conference that will take place in 2012—hurray!  I was just counting my pennies, seeing if I could afford to pull it off myself, but I'm relieved to know that others are willing to help make it happen.  And now, back to my novel…

big fish, small pond

When I think about the Canadian publishing industry, that's generally the phrase that comes to mind: a few black writers take up a whole lot of space, and are fed (with opportunities, award, grants, etc.) until they choke the pond and make it impossible difficult for new writers to emerge.  Now, the question is: whose fault is that?  The handful of successful black writers?  Or a system that prefers to create an exclusive club by rewarding only a few talented people?  According to the ALA site, it was never the stated intent of the Coretta Scott King Award to increase the number of black authors and illustrators working in the field of children's literature:

Given to African American authors and illustrator for outstanding inspirational and educational contributions, the Coretta Scott King Book Award titles promote understanding and appreciation of the culture of all peoples and their contribution to the realization of the American dream of a pluralistic society.

The award is designed to commemorate the life and works of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and to honor Mrs. Coretta Scott King for her courage and determination to continue the work for peace and world brotherhood.

But shouldn't widening the field be one of their primary goals?  Does it make sense to promote the same authors and illustrators over and over again?  Ari is asking these and other provocative questions over at Reading in Color; check it out and contribute to this conversation…

In other news, One Crazy Summer won the Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction—congratulations, Rita Williams-Garcia!!!

cooking the books

Many thanks to Jenn Brissett for posting this on the CBS list: "Science fiction scholar Marleen S. Barr will present the paper "Why Science Fiction is Pertinent to Black Children's Literature Pedagogy" at the "State of African American and African Diaspora Studies Conference" held in New York on January 8. Barr is scheduled to present at 10:15 AM in room C-205 at the CUNY Graduate Center."  I live in NYC; I teach Black Studies—I should be going to this.  But until I saw Jenn's post, I had no idea this conference was even taking place!  Maybe I've spent too much time reading and writing lately, though mega-conferences don't generally appeal to me.  Still, it is my field…a former prof of mine from Toronto is on the same panel, so I'll definitely be there on Saturday.

I'm not that creative in the kitchen but I do love designing a new course!  Lately I've been gathering ingredients resources for the course on neo-slave narratives that I'll be teaching this spring.  I *think* I've narrowed down the reading list, though I'm still adding supplementary articles:

Prince, Mary.  The History of Mary Prince (1831).

Douglass, Frederick.  Narrative (1845).

Jacobs, Harriet.  Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl (1861).

Butler, Octavia.  Kindred (1979).

Morrison, Toni.  Beloved (1987).

Gerima, Haile.  Sankofa (1993).

Spielberg, Steven.  Amistad (1997).

Jones, Edward P.  The Known World (2003).

Mosely, Walter.  47 (2005).

Christiansë, Yvette.  Unconfessed (2006)

James, Marlon.  The Book of Night Women (2009).

Perkins-Valdez, Dolen.  Wench (2010).

Dungy, Camille.  Suck on the Marrow (2010).

I might add Equiano to the mix, but then you have to talk about the controversy around his birthplace…and I don't have a play, which isn't good—every course needs a little drama.  Friends urged me to teach Wish, but I don't think it's fair for the prof to ask her students to critique her own book—not when their grade depends on it!  Anyway, I'm going to postpone my administrative duties and try to write today…nearing 12K words.

brand spankin' new!

The new year's off to a good start—below is a list of all the black US-based authors who have a book coming out in January, February, and March.  Why not add some to your TBR list, request them at your library, and ask your favorite bloggers to post reviews?  We've got to show support for these books or the number of published black authors will never rise…as always, thanks to Ari, Doret, and Edi for doing the hard work of putting the new releases list together.

Camo Girl by Kekla Magoon (January 4/MG): A poignant novel about a biracial girl living in the suburbs of Vegas and the friendships that grow out of, and despite, her race.

***

Joseph's Grace by Sheila Moses (Janurary 4/YA) : Joseph's sophomore year is about to begin, but his new start is a false one. At his father's request Joseph moved in with Aunt Shirley, Uncle Todd and cousin Jasmine over the summer, to distance himself from his mother's drug problems and the dangerous characters she interacts with. But efforts to keep Joseph safe have had tragic results for Jasmine: Momma's boyfriend Bow, on one of his regular rounds lurking around the neighborhood, shoots through a wall and kills Jasmine on the spot. As Joseph contends with his own grief, his mother's persistent pleas for money, and the distance between himself and his father in Iraq—not to mention schoolwork, making the tennis team, and a new relationship—he's learning what's most important to him, and what sacrifices he'll have to make to become the person he needs to be.

***

Eliza's Freedom Road by Jerdine Nolen (January 4/MG): It is 1852 in Alexandria, Virginia. Eliza's mother has been sent away and it is Abbey, the cook, who looks after Eliza, when Eliza isn't taking care of the Mistress. Eliza has the quilt her mother left her and the memory of the stories she told to keep her close. When her Mistress's health begins to fail and Eliza overhears the Master talk of Eliza being traded, Eliza takes to the night. She follows the path and the words of the farmhand Old Joe, " … travel the night … sleep the day. Go East. Your back to the set of the sun until you come to the safe house where the candlelight lights the window." All the while, Eliza recites the stories her mother taught her along her Freedom Road from Maryland to St. Catherine's, Canada.

***

Slice of Cherry by Dia Reeves (January 4/YA): Kit and Fancy Cordelle are sisters of the best kind: best friends, best confidantes, and best accomplices. The daughters of the infamous Bonesaw Killer, Kit and Fancy are used to feeling like outsiders, and that's just the way they like it. But in Portero, where the weird and wild run rampant, the Cordelle sisters are hardly the oddest or most dangerous creatures around. It's no surprise when Kit and Fancy start to give in to their deepest desire—the desire to kill. What starts as a fascination with slicing open and stitching up quickly spirals into a gratifying murder spree. Of course, the sisters aren't killing just anyone, only the people who truly deserve it. But the girls have learned from the mistakes of their father, and know that a shred of evidence could get them caught. So when Fancy stumbles upon a mysterious and invisible doorway to another world, she opens a door to endless possibilities….

***

Drama High: The Meltdown by L. Divine (January 25/YA): Jayd Jackson hopes her magical Mama has a spell to chase all her cares away…Jayd needs time to recoup from her dramatic school year, but time is the one thing she doesn't have. She's said yes to becoming a debutante, and now she has to deal with her girl Mickey's jealousy–on top of babysitting, hair braiding, cheer camp, and a summer writing class. With the stress of Jayd's hectic schedule, strange visions, and insomnia, luckily Mama returns from her vacation in time to help Jayd and her crew avert real drama. Mama's convinced something sinister is at play, and they both need a plan to get Jayd her swagger back before it's too late…

***

Fabulous by Simone Bryant (February 1/YA): The students at the exclusive private school, Pace Academy in Saddle River, NJ, have everything any teen could ever want or desire at their fingertips–designer clothes, high tech gadgets, chauffeur driven luxury cars, their parent's platinum credit cards, wealth, and fame. Forget silver, the spoons in their mouths are platinum and encrusted with diamonds. Even with the best things in life money can buy, there's still drama to be faced by all teens–be they rich or be they poor: rival cliques, gossip & rumors, jealousy, first loves, and first heartbreaks.

***

Mystify (Mystyx #2) by Artist Arthur (February 1/YA): Sasha Carrington has grown up feeling like an outsider, and her parents are too concerned with scaling the Lincoln, Connecticut, social ladder to even notice her. They'd be really horrified to know about the supernatural abilities Sasha and her friends Krystal and Jake possess. But as part of the Mystyx, Sasha has found her place. Now her parents have suddenly taken an interest in everything she does, and their timing couldn't be worse. Sasha's father wants her to become BFFs with snooty Alyssa Turner, who hates Krystal for stealing her boyfriend. Then there's Antoine Watson, the boy Sasha has liked forever, the boy her parents would never approve of. But with the dark side getting more dangerous by the day, and the Mystyx's own powers growing in unexpected ways, Sasha is facing choices that could affect her friends, her love life—and even her destiny….

***

Kick by Walter Dean Myers & Ross Workman (February 1/MG): Kevin Johnson is thirteen years old. And heading for juvie. He's a good kid, a great friend, and a star striker for his Highland, New Jersey, soccer team. His team is competing for the State Cup, and he wants to prove he has more than just star-player potential. Kevin's never been in any serious trouble . . . until the night he ends up in jail. Enter Sergeant Brown, a cop assigned to be Kevin's mentor. If Kevin and Brown can learn to trust each other, they might be able to turn things around before it's too late.

***

How Lamar's Bad Prank Won a Bubba-Sized Trophy by Crystal Allen (February 22/MG): Thirteen-year-old Lamar Washington is the maddest, baddest, most spectacular bowler at Striker's Bowling Paradise. But while Lamar's a whiz at rolling strikes, he always strikes out with girls. And his brother, Xavier the Basketball Savior, is no help. Xavier earns trophy after trophy on the basketball court and soaks up Dad's attention, leaving no room for Lamar's problems. Until bad boy Billy Jenks convinces Lamar that hustling at the alley will help him win his dream girl, plus earn him enough money to buy an expensive pro ball and impress celebrity bowler Bubba Sanders. But when Billy's scheme goes awry, Lamar ends up ruining his brother's shot at college and every relationship in his life. Can Lamar figure out how to mend his broken ties, no matter what the cost?

***

Act of Grace by Karen Simpson (February/YA): When Grace Johnson, a bright, perceptive African American high school senior, saves the life of a Klansman named Jonathan Gilmore, everyone in her hometown of Vigilant, Michigan wants to know why. Few people, black or white, understand her act of sacrifice especially since rumor holds that years ago a member of the Gilmore family murdered several African-Americans, including Grace's father. Grace wants to remain silent on the matter; however, she discovers the decision to speak is not hers to make. Ancestral guides emerge in visions and insist she bear witness to her town's violent racial history so that all involved might transcend it.

***

Upgrade U by Ni-Ni Simone (March 1/YA): Life is poppin' and seventeen-year-old Seven McKnight is rockin' Stiles University's hottest baller, Josiah Whitaker, on her arm when it all falls apart. With groupies threatening her basketball wife status and Josiah's dreams of the NBA blowing up his ego, Seven finds herself in a tailspin…should she stay or leave?

ending the denial

[image error]

Doesn't this sound like an amazing film?  It's definitely a story that needs to be told, and yet this filmmaker has been denied support from the major cultural institutions in Canada.  If you've got a few bucks to spare, please consider donating to this film project—they're hoping the "crowdfunding" method will work, and you can contribute any amount here.  Learn more about the filmmaker and his project here.

L is for Library

It's time to start taking down the Xmas decorations, I guess.  I've been putting it off because once I take down all the cards displayed on my bookshelf, I'll have to do some *serious* dusting…never mind all the pine needles embedded in my rug!  But this card came at the very end of the year and it will be moving to the photo collage on my fridge—I just wrote a scene that starts at the Brooklyn Public Library; had to find a way to work in that golden phoenix that's on the central branch's facade.  This beautiful artwork is by Selina Alko who has a forthcoming Brooklyn alphabet book…

And speaking of libraries…*after* you make a generous donation to your local library system, why not print out Ari's list of 2011 new releases and make sure that books by writers of color are added to your library's collection?  It's important to get the word out about these books, especially since many won't be widely reviewed.  Stay tuned over the next few weeks because I'll be posting about African American MG/YA releases along with a few author interviews.  I'm anxiously awaiting Arnold Adoff's latest book of poetry since I got to see Greg Christie's illustrations a year ago and they were just stunning…

in good company

I've spent the holidays alone but when I'm writing, it feels like my characters are with me all the time.  Last night, just before 2011 began, I passed the 11,000-word mark on Ship of Souls.  I'd like to reach 15K by the end of the weekend, but find I'm focusing on continuity today instead of pushing forward.  I want the story to unfold within 4 or 5 days, and that means something major happens every single day.  And because one of my characters is Muslim, I have to make sure I've got my facts straight—what would a Muslim student do if he was unable to pray while at school?  You probably follow Amy Bodden Bowllan's SLJ blog; yesterday she honored me by putting my name alongside the legendary Virginia Hamilton and the soon-to-be-legendary teen blogger Ari.  Like so many others, we use our words to create change within the field of children's literature.  I recently learned that my paper was accepted for the Diversity Panel at the ChLA conference this summer; organized by Thomas Crisp and Sarah Park, the panel will feature papers by Uma Krishnaswami, June Cummins, and Abbie Ventura.  Our topic is "resisting Americanization," and my paper will also address the pressure to gather all blacks in the US under an umbrella of "generic blackness" that's really dominated and defined by African Americans.  What happens if you're from the Caribbean, Africa, or somewhere else in the world?  Are you "still black" or must you first strip away or suppress the specific ethnic differences that mark you as a member of the diaspora?  I really admire Virginia Hamilton's mission to widen the range of African Americans represented in children's literature; her characters are urban and rural, from the northeast, the midwest, and the South, and their genealogies are complex.  She had an extraordinary imagination, and I often worry that space no longer exists in the publishing industry for black characters who don't "fit the mold."  My characters are citizens and immigrants to the US; they have a range of religious beliefs, different sexual orientations, and competing visions of the future.  D is a smart kid who's been told he's not black enough; when his mother dies, he's taken in by a white foster mother and wonders if he really is losing his racial identity.  You already know about Nyla; here's a glimpse of Hakeem who's being tutored by D.

"I guess it's good to have a back-up plan in case you get injured or something."

Keem nods, then surprises me by saying, "People think basketball's my world, but…I got other skills."

"Yeah?  Like what?"

Keem fidgets a bit and looks around before answering.  "I cook."

"Food?" I ask like a moron.

"What else?" Keem replies.  "My dad—he's from Senegal.  But my mom—she's Syrian.  So in our house there's lots of different spices and different ways of preparing food."

"Fusion."

"What?"  Keem glares at me like I've just said "fooey."

"Fusion," I explain.   "That's what they call food that blends different traditions."  Mom used to take me to this Ethiopian-Cuban place in the city.  That was the best food I ever had!  But I don't want to think about Mom right now.  I don't need to start blubbering in front of this jock.

"Oh, I get it."  Keem relaxes and starts doodling on a blank page in his notebook.  "Well, I figure if ballin' doesn't work out, I could always open my own restaurant and serve all different kinds of food—maybe soul food but with a twist."

"You're making me hungry," I say with a grin.  Keem almost laughs and we turn our attention back to his test.

To my surprise, it isn't as bad as I thought it would be.  "Half of these answers are almost right, you know."

Keem frowns.  "You don't get points for being 'almost' right."

"I know.  But see this problem?  You got 90% of it right.  It's just the last step you messed up.  I can teach you that in, like, five minutes.  If you'd solved these four problems, your grade would have been a B instead of a D."

Keem stares at the red X marks on his test.  "For real?"

This is my moment to shine.  "For real.  Here—let me show you a little trick I learned in Math Club."

When our hour is up, Keem shoves his books into his bag and slaps a ten-dollar bill on the table.  "Thanks," he says before getting up and heaving the bag onto his back.  "See you on Thursday."

"Sure," I say.  Keem nods, tucks his basketball under his arm, and walks out of the library without saying another word.  I pick up the money and stare at it for a moment.  Mom would want me to put it in the bank, but right now I'm thinking about getting a couple slices and a can of soda.  Without Mom around, there's not much chance of me going to college, anyway.

I leave the library and head straight for the pizza joint.  In my head I'm doing the math: twenty bucks a week times however long it takes to get Keem's grades up.  Three weeks?  Ten?  Maybe the rest of the school year?

By the time my slices come out of the oven, I've already figured out how to spend the money I'll make as a tutor.  I'm so into my dreams and schemes that I don't see this jerk Selwyn standing outside.  Selwyn's in the sixth grade, too, but he isn't supposed to be.  Mom always told me to watch out for kids who got left back.  Most of them are alright she said, but sometimes they turn into crabs in a barrel, willing to drag down anyone who's on his way up.  Selwyn's that kind of kid.

"Hey, look who it is—the brainiac.  You smart enough to get the special?"

"Yeah," I say warily.

"Good—that's one slice for me and one for my boy."  Selwyn grabs the paper bag holding my food.  I don't let go at first, but I've got five dollars left in my pocket and don't plan to fight two kids over some pizza.  Selwyn tugs the bag a bit harder and I let go.  "Thanks, geek," he says with an ugly sneer.

"Hey."  All of us turn and see Keem coming out of a nearby bodega with a brown-bagged drink.  He casually twists the cap off the bottle and tosses it into a wire trash bin on the corner.  "Where you going with my food?  D—didn't I tell you to get me two slices?"

It takes me a couple of seconds to understand what Keem's doing.  But as soon as I figure it out, I slip into my assigned role.  "Uh—yeah, Keem.  And I did, but…these guys said they're hungry, too."  I look at Selwyn and force my lips not to curl up into a smug smile.

"He's with you?" Selwyn asks, amazed.

"Yeah," Keem replies, standing real close so his height is more intimidating.  "He's with me."

Selwyn waits for the punch line but then realizes Keem's for real.  And with those three words (he's with me), I go from being prey to being protected property.  I'm untouchable now!

I can't help but smirk a little as Selwyn hands me back my food and shuffles off, leaving me alone with Keem.

"You alright?"  Keem asks in his usual flat tone.

I just nod since I'm not quite able to look Keem in the eye.  "Thanks," I mumble and extend the bag holding my pizza.  "Want a slice?"

"Nah."  Keem takes a swig from his bottle of Gatorade and looks over my head to the opposite side of the street.

I turn to go and let my eyes roam along the block.  On the other side of the street I see Nyla with some skater kid.  She's watching us.

"There's your girl," I tell Keem, but then I look at his face and realize he already knows she's there.  That's why he helped me—to impress a girl.  Keem's trying to act cool, but I can tell he's feeling hectic inside.  He doesn't know whether he should keep up the tough-guy routine, or try being nice to me.  Keem opts for the second option and puts his arm around my shoulder.

"Come on.  I'll walk you home."  Keem shepherds me down the block like I'm his little brother or something.  I glance across the street and see Nyla smiling at me.  For some reason I feel bold enough to wave and smile back.  For just an instant, Nyla flicks her eyes at Keem.  Then she turns and walks off in the opposite direction.  Keem waits until we reach the end of the block and turn the corner, then he takes his arm off my shoulders.  He exhales loudly like he'd been holding his breath the whole time.   I think he's going to say something about Nyla but instead his voice turns gruff and Keem says, "You got to learn to stand up for yourself, D."

The anger in my voice surprises me more than Keem. "That's easy for you to say—you look like a model, you're built like a giant, and kids at school worship the ground you walk on!"

"Yeah—when they're not calling me a terrorist behind my back.  Think I don't know what they say about me as soon as I step off the court?  Or what it means when they sit up in the stands and tell me to 'blow up' the competition?  We all got our battles, D.  We all got to fight for respect."

Before I can think of anything to say, Keem mutters "later" and heads down the block.  I sink onto the stoop and eat my cold pizza alone.

a note for the new year

May you have

a resilient spirit,

and a compassionate heart,

the desire to heal,

and the will to forgive.

May you never exhaust

your capacity for kindness.

May you always find peace

in your home and in your mind.

May your eyes be awake

to the beauty all around you.

May your ears be tuned

to the hush of falling snow.

May your arms always be ready

to embrace those needing comfort,

and may even the simplest blessings

fill your heart with gratitude.

I wish you joy, health, and prosperity—

for this season, and for the new year.

~ ZE

under the weather

Sometimes there's beauty buried beneath disaster.  NYC has been digging out from a difficult blizzard; people lost their lives, thousands were inconvenienced, and now there are allegations that the sanitation workers deliberately "slowed" their removal of the snow just to send a message to the mayor.  I pray that's not true…but until the investigation is completed, I'm going to focus on the positive—the spirit of the city can't be crushed by a bit of snow!  I walked to the post office today and it was packed, yet everyone was in a good mood.  On the way over, folks would step aside and wait for others to pass since the sidewalks aren't much clearer than the roads.  Inside, a man with a booming voice hollered, "I ain't had no mail for four day–FOUR DAYS!  Where you suckers been?"  And I thought, oh Lord—he's going postal.  But then he burst out laughing and wished everyone a happy new year!  And at least half the people in line turned and wished him a happy new year, too.  The postal clerks were in a good mood despite the long line, and were joking with one another about how they managed to get to work that morning.  I headed over to the garden afterward and tried taking some photos with my phone; wasn't able to zoom, but can you see the heron perched on the left tip of the Torii?  Lovely…the snow wasn't fresh; kids had made snowmen here and there…but it was still beautiful and those of us walking the cleared paths smiled as we passed one another.  I had just congratulated myself on not getting a single cold this season, and now I'm coming down with one—of course.  So I stopped at my favorite soup spot (El Gran Castillo) and got a big container of their delicious chicken noodle soup (noodles AND potatoes AND cassava, plus giant carrots); decided to take the train home but had no money left on my metrocard and so just missed a train.  Added money, noted the fare hike, but went down to the platform and within ONE minute another train arrived.  We were stalled for a minute, but the city is up and running again…

Came home and was thrilled to learn that Wish was named favorite historical fiction novel over at Starmetal Oak Book Blog.  Thanks!

I also got an email from the AmazonEncore team letting me know that if you have a Kindle edition of Wish, you can now SHARE IT with your fellow book lovers:

Some of you have undoubtedly heard the rumors that the kindle will soon allow book purchasers to lend their content out to their friends and family.  Today is that day…

Kindle books can be lent to anyone with a kindle or a free kindle app, this includes IPad, PC, Mac, BlackBerry and more.  You can tell a book is lendable by looking at the "Product Details" section half way down the Amazon Product Details page…

All of us know the joy and excitement of reading a good book and passing it on to someone else, now this can be experienced with the kindle as well.

If you have more questions about this program please check out our help pages section for lending.

Looking Back at 2010

It's that time of year again…I don't have photos from all my school visits, so I apologize to anyone who was left out! Thanks to my friends, family, and fellow book lovers for making 2010 such a success!

Create your own digital slideshow