Cynthia Leitich Smith's Blog, page 86
February 1, 2017
Author Interview: Zetta Elliott on Ghosts, Magic & Imperialism
By Gayleen Rabakukkfor Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations
Zetta Elliott's last Cynsations interview was in 2009. Since then she's published more than two dozenbooks and nearly twice as many essays, like Decolonizing the Imagination for The Horn Book (March 2010).
I've been thinking a lot about the lasting effects of Imperialism and how it influences both society and literature. When I learned Zetta's latest MG novel explores those themes - and includes castles and ghosts - I had to kn...
Zetta Elliott's last Cynsations interview was in 2009. Since then she's published more than two dozenbooks and nearly twice as many essays, like Decolonizing the Imagination for The Horn Book (March 2010).I've been thinking a lot about the lasting effects of Imperialism and how it influences both society and literature. When I learned Zetta's latest MG novel explores those themes - and includes castles and ghosts - I had to kn...
January 31, 2017
2017 Sydney Taylor Book Award Winners
Compiled by Gayleen Rabakukkfor Cynthia Leitich Smith's CynsationsWinners of the annual Sydney Taylor Book Award were recently announced by the Association of Jewish Libraries. Named in memory of Sydney Taylor, author of the classic All-of-a-Kind Family series, the award recognizes books for children and teens that exemplify high literary standards while authentically portraying the Jewish experience.
I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsburg Makes Her Mark by Debbie Levy, illustrated...
January 30, 2017
In Memory: Paul Goble
Compiled by Gayleen Rabakukkfor Cynthia Leitich Smith's CynsationsAward-winning Author Paul Goble, Dead at 83 (Rapid City Journal, Jan. 5, 2017).
Paul Goble’s work – writing, illustrating, or both – were included in more than 40 books.
In 1979, he won the Caldecott Medal for The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses (Simon & Schuster, 1978).
Peek: “'The world of children’s literature is poorer for his loss, and the world in general, because he was such a kind person who dedica...
December 17, 2016
Happy Holidays & Winter Hiatus
By Cynthia Leitich Smithfor Cynsations
Happy Holidays!
That's my R2D2 Christmas tree.
I love R2. I love Christmas trees.
Together, they equal out-of-this-world holiday awesomeness!
I'm off on winter hiatus, and when Cynsations returns in early 2017, intern Gayleen Rabakukk will be taking the helm for a while. Exciting, yes?
Many blessings to you and yours!
December 16, 2016
Cynsational News
By Cynthia Leitich Smithfor Cynsations
I Wasn't Dreaming of a White Christmas: Representation in YA Holiday Books by Tirzah Price. Peek: "...this year I noticed something that does bother me: The authors of my favorites are predominantly white. In fact, the authors of most of the available YA holiday reads are white."
Rushing Through Revision by Mary Kole from Kidlit.com. Peek: "I’ve been discussing submission strategies with several clients and I’m recommending that they fire work off to agent...
December 15, 2016
Guest Post: Brian Anderson Collaborating with His Daughter Amy on Space Dictionary for Kids
By Brian Anderson for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations
Have you ever wondered why the spacecraft that carried the first U.S. astronaut into space in 1961 was named the Freedom 7? Was George Lucas already planning six prequels, or what?
When my daughter Amy turned 21 years old in July 2014, she was doing summer research in astrophysics at Baylor University. Her birthday coincided with a stargazing party at Meyer Observatory, so I offered to make a piñata and have the star party double as a bi...
December 14, 2016
Guest Post: Cyndy Etler on Joining the Sorority
By Cyndy Etlerfor Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations
I’m not a fangirl. I don’t know celebrity names. I don’t ask the hairdresser to make me look Kardashian. Also I don’t diet, buy $30 lip gloss, or wear Lululemon to the organic grocery store.
I read; I write. That’s what I do; that’s what I think about. Reading and writing.
In today’s YouTube-tutorial, boutique-fitness-studio, must-have eyebrow-mascara culture, being a reader/writer can make a girl feel almost…like she’s not that much of a...
December 13, 2016
New Voice: David A. Robertson on When We Were Alone
By Cynthia Leitich Smithfor Cynsations
David A. Robertson is the first-time children's author of When We Were Alone, illustrated by Julie Flett (Portage & Main Press, Jan. 6, 2017)(available for pre-order). From the promotional copy:
When a young girl helps tend to her grandmother’s garden, she begins to notice things about her grandmother that make her curious. Why does her grandmother have long braided hair and wear beautifully coloured clothing? Why does she speak another language and sp...
December 12, 2016
Guest Post: Carolyn Dee Flores on Achieving Deeper Color in Illustration Using Oil on Cardboard
By Carolyn Dee Flores
for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations
Illustrators bear witness.
Nothing could be more important.
One hundred years from now, when someone wants to know what it was like to be a seven-year-old girl in New York City on her birthday – or what it was like to be a Mexican-American child growing up in Texas – they won’t go to a reference book and look it up. They will look at a picture.
Illustrators, we must:
for Cynthia Leitich Smith's Cynsations
Illustrators bear witness.
Nothing could be more important.
One hundred years from now, when someone wants to know what it was like to be a seven-year-old girl in New York City on her birthday – or what it was like to be a Mexican-American child growing up in Texas – they won’t go to a reference book and look it up. They will look at a picture.
Illustrators, we must:
See with our fingers.
See with our hands.
See with our pencils.
So mu...
December 9, 2016
Cynsational News
By Cynthia Leitich Smithfor Cynsations
Where Do We Go From Here? from The Brown Bookshelf. Peek: "We may sign on to petitions and open declarations, forward emails, RT, and 'like', and these can all be good and powerful things. But we believe that it’s important to reflect on how we will hold ourselves accountable, how we will act, and reflect...."
18 Middle Grade Authors on Writing Girl Characters After the Election by Karina Glaser from BookRiot. Peek: "For many of us, the hardest part of the...
