Mitali Perkins's Blog, page 20

Farewell, New England. Hello, San Francisco Bay Area.

Maybe you've noticed that I haven't been as active on the Fire Escape or on social media lately. Here's why: after 12+ years in beautiful Boston, my husband was offered a new job and we're moving back to the San Francisco Bay Area this summer. We'll be living in the East Bay, close to my parents and sister and near Saint Mary's College of California , where our sons attend and where I've taught a course on children's books for the past two January terms.



It's been a sweet season: we raised our sons here from second grade until the college launch. Our church is my home away from home. As for my writing vocation, the children's literature community here in Boston is nonpareil. I will miss the schools, colleges, and libraries I visit every year. Charlesbridge and Candlewick , two of my publishers, are here. My work has been enriched by New England organizations like the New England Booksellers Association , the  Foundation of Children's Books , Primary Source , the New England Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators , Grub Street , MSLA , MLA , Boston Author's Club,  Associates of the Boston Public Library , and others. My books have launched at excellent independent bookstores like Newtonville Books , Porter Square Books , and Wellesley Bookstore , and supported by stellar libraries, including my very own Newton Free Library . Last but not least, my writing buddies have made this vocation ten times as fun and significantly less lonely. Thank you, thank you, thank you. I am sad to lose you all.



For those in the Boston area, my friend Karen Day is hosting a farewell party for me in Newton on May 11 from 3-5. If you're interested in stopping by, drop me an email RSVP and we'll send you the address: mitaliperk-at-yahoo-dot-com . Peace be with you, New England. San Francisco Bay Area, here I come.

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Homecoming: A Visit To The Land of My Birth

I'm still marveling over our 11 days in India—my first visit in 18 years. Some things had changed: mobile phones are ubiquitous and signs of economic growth everywhere, but the heart and hospitality of the place is the same.



My trip included an International Women's Day writing workshop with students in Kolkata at the U.S. Consulate's American Center Library , reunions with a myriad of extended family members and friends, a trip to the Sunderbans, site of my novel TIGER BOY (Charlesbridge 2014), and visits to two homes where young girls rescued from trafficking are given hope for a renewed future. For children's book aficionados, it also featured an unexpected encounter with Almanzo Wilder's uncle. If I had to sum it up, I'd say that two themes of the trip were conversations with girls and research for my novel.



Conversations with Girls



A favorite pasttime was strolling and chatting through several villages.



"Who was that strange auntie?"




I offered a writing workshop at the U.S. Consulate's American
Center Library in Kolkata. Each student author was appropriately
applauded.




Also in
Kolkata, I talked with girls rescued from trafficking. Their stories are
beyond heartbreaking. Mahima Care Home provides hope and
restoration -- you can help or find out more .



It was a joy to connect with the kids of my cousins. Those in classes 6, 8, 10, and 12 were in the throes of intensely competitive exams, but still took time to meet and honor their faraway relatives.





TIGER BOY Research





The U.S. Consulate allowed me to join the Consul General on a wonderful boat trip into the Sunderbans, an archipelago in a muddy, salty delta. This is the setting for TIGER BOY, a novel coming from Charlesbridge in 2014. The book is written, but I needed to verify details and add the grace notes for a sense of place. The Consulate's trip provided access to an array of experts, like the director and rangers who work for the Sunderbans Tiger Reserve , a visit to a small village hit hard by the cyclone, and a Q and A session with environmentalists from N.E.W.S. , who are striving to replant and protect the mangrove forests. I was so grateful for these opportunities!





Dozens of different kinds of boats traverse the waterways. As it was before the rains, the hues were green, brown, and grey.





We discovered true beauty and resiliency in a Sunderbans village.



Women shared about replanting the mangrove forests to protect
their villages, and remembered the effects of Cyclone Alia, which
devastated the Sunderbans in 2009.









Hospitality abounded, even in homes hastily constructed after the cyclone.



Next, we headed to the Tiger Reserve, which is made up of over 40 small islands. The Sunderbans are home to the only man-eating tigers in the world, and they can swim.



The only tiger we saw was a malnourished, injured creature caught by the rangers for treatment. The biggest danger faced by this beautiful creature is not the poacher, but the loss of the mangrove forest .



We did see fresh pug marks on the creek banks.




Mangrove roots seeking oxygen poke up through the mud, providing a vivid metaphor of how important our roots are to survival.





View from the tiger watchtower in the Reserve.



Jayant Basu, head ranger, was so helpful in discussing the details of my book. By the end of our time, he was proposing intricate plot twists.



Serving as a ranger is a prestigious, dangerous position.




An Unexpected Encounter with Laura Ingalls Wilder





We visited a church in Maharashtra, and to my amazement, it was founded by Royal Wilder, uncle of Almanzo Wilder.



They proudly took us to visit the graves of Eliza Wilder, Royal Wilder's wife, and Grace Wilder, their daughter.




An amazing journey indeed. And what a difference to know the language! Mostly due to my parents, I was able to speak in Bangla during many of the conversations and understand more of the nuances and non-verbals than I had anticipated. Thanks to one and all who made this homecoming such a wondrous memory.

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Teaching Saint Mary's Students About The Power of Children's Books

I've just finished a month of teaching "Race, Culture, and Power in Children's and YA Books" during Jan Term at Saint Mary's College of California . As the college-wide theme this year was Inspired (see above), I asked students to create picture books by fulfilling two requirements: (1) they were required to write fiction featuring a "hero's journey," and (2) they needed to explore an aspect of race, culture, or power.



I was delighted by their books, as well as their ability to debate issues around authenticity, banning, bowdlerization, ethnic awards, and multicultural representation on book covers. We also enjoyed eye-opening skype visits from Yolanda Leroy Scott of Charlesbridge , Renee Ting of Shen's Books , Debbie Reese of American Indians in Children's Literature , and Stacy L. Whitman of Tu Books . Thanks to all of these experts for their time and thoughtful input.



When asked about their takeaways from the class, here are a few student responses:

"I've developed a keen eye for exclusion."

"Never thought about white default before."

"Children's stories are powerful."

"Kids notice race at an early age."

"Stories featuring multicultural kids doing 'regular stuff' are empowering."

"There's power in being bicultural."

"It's hard to write a children’s story!"

Amen, right? Enjoy these photos of my beautiful students showing off their picture books:

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Children's/YA Book Awards: A Demographic Survey

Most of you know I'm teaching a Jan Term course called "Race, Culture, and Power in Children's/YA Stories" at Saint Mary's College in California. In class today students researched and compiled statistics about 12 children's/YA book awards (13 books) NOT restricted by the race of the author or illustrator. We included the National Book Award, Newbery, Caldecott, Printz, and other major awards.



GENDER: In 2012, 10 protagonists were male, while 4 were female (one book had two main characters). Meanwhile, 6 authors/illustrators were women (about half). So, to generalize, last year's award-winning books were mostly about boys, but created almost equally by men and women.

RACE: In 2012, 9 protagonists were white, while 4 protagonists were not (2 African American, 1 Middle Eastern, 1 Japanese). Meanwhile 10 authors/illustrators were white, while 3 were not (2 African American, 1 Middle Eastern). So, to generalize, last year's award-winning books were mostly about white people and created by white people.

Still, remember that according to the 2010 census, 63% of the US population is non-Hispanic white, 16% Latino/Hispanic, 12% Black, 6% Asian, and 3% more than one race.

Once again , we find a dearth of Latino/Hispanic main characters. Other thoughts?

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Race, Culture, and Power in Kid/YA Books

I'm heading west to teach a Jan Term course at Saint Mary's College of California called "Race, Culture, and Power in Children's and Young Adult Books." Here's the first part of my syllabus:



Why are children’s stories so powerful? Who has the right to tell stories about marginalized communities? This course will explore the question of authenticity in storytelling and unmask explicit and implicit messages about race, power, and culture communicated through books for young readers. A secondary course goal is to help students improve their analytical writing.


Part One: The Subversive Power of Children’s Stories
Part Two: Race in Children’s Stories
Part Three: Culture in Children’s Stories
Part Four: Power in Children’s Books

Alison Lurie, author of Don’t Tell The Grown-ups: The Subversive Power of Children’s Literature makes this argument about how children’s books can affect the common good:

The great subversive works of children's literature suggest that there are other views of human life besides those of the shopping mall and the corporation. They mock current assumptions and express the imaginative, unconventional, noncommercial view of the world in its simplest and purest form. They appeal to the imaginative, questioning, rebellious child within all of us, renew our instinctive energy, and act as a force for change. This is why such literature is worthy of our attention and will endure long after more conventional tales have been forgotten. 

On the flip side, children’s literature has also been a key part of state propaganda used by totalitarian and oppressive governments to impose certain social and moral codes on child readers. As Bruno Bettelheim argued in The Uses of Enchantment, stories told to children powerfully shape their moral world. Children with a well-developed sense of justice and compassionate hearts widened by stories can significantly serve the common good. Storytelling is a powerful act, especially when it involves young hearts and minds. From Uncle Tom's Cabin to Harry Potter, books can either repudiate or encourage stereotypes and injustice.



Students will explore and debate five questions:



(1) BOOK COVERS: Should young adult and middle grade novels depict faces on covers?



(2) BOOK AWARDS: Should ethnic book awards be based on the race/ethnicity of the author/illustrator?



(3) BANNING: Should certain children’s books be banned in homes and classrooms because of racism or cultural stereotyping?



(4) BOWDLERIZATION: Should we “bowdlerize” children’s classics that—seen with today’s eyes—are racist, or let them stand and be read as is?



(5) AUTHENTICITY: Should a story be told only by a cultural “insider” to guarantee authenticity?



This year I'm privileged to introduce my 26 students to Debbie Reese, who blogs at American Indians in Children's Literature , and Yolanda Leroy, editorial director of Charlesbridge , via Skype.  Renee Ting, publisher of Shen's Books , will visit us in person. Since the theme of Jan Term 2013 is "inspiration," students will also be writing and creating picture books that explore a theme related to race, culture, or power.

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FIRST COMING by Madeleine L'Engle

My husband read this poem in church this morning, and it gave me great comfort in light of the recent events in Connecticut. I share it so that perhaps it may offer you, too, a ray of hope in the midst of this tragedy.





First Coming



By Madeleine L’Engle



He did not wait till the world was ready,

till men and nations were at peace

He came when the Heavens were unsteady

and prisoners cried out for release.



He did not wait for the perfect time.

He came when the need was deep and great.

He died with sinners in all their grime,

turned water into wine. He did not wait



till hearts were pure. In joy he came

to a tarnished world of sin and doubt.

To a world like ours, of anguished shame

He came, and his Light would not go out.



He came to a world which did not mesh,

to heal its tangles, shield its scorn.

In the mystery of the Word made Flesh

the Maker of the stars was born.



We cannot wait till the world is sane

to raise our songs with joyful voice,

for to share our grief, to touch our pain,

He came with Love: Rejoice! Rejoice!



From The Ordering of Love: The New and Collected Poems of Madeleine L'Engle

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I'm Finally A Girl Scout! (sort of)

One of the consequences of being an immigrant kid is missing out on some staples of an American childhood. My classmates would head off to something called "Girl Scouts," for example, and I had no clue what they were experiencing—until I read about the organization in a library book, of course. In fact, I acquired most of my cultural knowledge and fluency in Americana via my library card, but even books couldn't completely erase that left-out feeling. Maybe that's why I'm so thrilled to be featured as a Storyteller this month over at their Studio (in excellent company, by the way—browse the list of other authors). Thanks, Girl Scouts of the USA !

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An Interview With Carol Antoinette Peacock, Author of RED THREAD SISTERS

Today I'm delighted to host Carol Antoinette Peacock , author of a new middle grade novel, Red Thread Sisters (Viking / Penguin). A well-paced, satisfying hero's journey, this moving book tells the story of Wen, an eleven-year-old girl who leaves an orphanage in China for a new home in Boston. Tween readers will root for the protagonist in her quest to find a home in America for Shu Ling, her best friend in China.



Red Thread Sisters doesn't gloss over the grief of adoption. Even as Wen fiercely advocates for Shu Ling, she battles for herself as well, grieving for what she left behind in China and taking stock of what she might gain—and lose—as she accepts her new family and home. A new friend Hannah, proficient with American culture and popular at school, is also processing a familial loss, evening out the power between the two girls and making their friendship credible.



The author skillfully switches from the narrator's fluent and honest internal voice, which we assume is in Chinese, to displaying Wen's emerging proficiency in English through dialog. This simile worked perfectly, for example, using a memory from the orphanage to describe the irritating struggle of language acquisition: "Wen strained hard to pick up any English she knew. The words seemed to buzz, like flies swarming over the babies' heads on the hottest days."





By the end of the story, this novel accomplishes the purposes of good "between cultures" stories: it widens hearts and builds bridges. I read it in one sitting and got choked up at two scenes (read the book to guess which ones). I hope you enjoy this chat with Carol as much as I did.





Could you sum up for us the dream response of a reader who knows little or nothing about international adoption?


For a reader unfamiliar with international adoption, I hope Red Thread Sisters will enlighten that reader about the challenges, but most important, the happiness of building a family through international adoption.



Although international adoption is far more common than years ago, some people still sense that these families are beset by racial prejudice and cultural differences. And of course, families created through international adoption do encounter these issues.



But what I wanted to convey to all readers was the joy of international adoption. Unexpectedly adopted, Wen must leave her best friend, Shu Ling, as close as sisters, behind. Wen promises she’ll find Shu Ling a family of her own, once she’s in America. But can Wen keep her promise? As the reader follows Wen’s valiant efforts to find Shu Ling a family, the power of Wen joining her own adoptive family emerges, too.



Later in the book, Shu Ling, begins to fear belonging to a family in America. Wen tells her, “Being with a family is better because if you get lost, they drive around in your car until they find you. If you feel sad, they try to cheer you up, even if they don’t really know what’s wrong. If you get sick, they sit by your bed and take care of you. And if things get hard, like maybe there’s less money, they still love you, no matter what, because they’re your family. That’s what’s better.”



I should add that I’m an adoptive mother of two Chinese daughters, so I have lived the joys and challenges of international adoption. As I wrote Red Thread Sisters, I realized I was actually writing about the power of connection, through families and through friendship.




Now let's move to the journey of getting the novel published. What was a high point? A low point?


Oh, what a good question! The high point of getting published was the day Leila Sales at Viking/Penguin, my editor, got the go-ahead to buy my novel. I’d done seven years of research and revising Red Thread Sisters. And now my book was going to be published! When I got that email from my agent, I screamed, I was so happy.



A low point? I wrote Red Thread Sisters, based on my own experience working with older children at my own daughters’ orphanage. I got input from so many helpful adoptive parents. And when the book kept getting rejected, I felt very discouraged. I wrote Red Thread Sisters from an inner passion. Each rejection felt like such a stab in the heart.




I'm glad you survived them. What was the biggest change you made in response to an editorial suggestion?


I gave the novel depth. My wonderful editor at Viking suggested I add more of Wen’s struggles to adjust to American culture. This was a very important change and improved my story enormously. Now I was writing not just a book about international adoption but a more nuanced novel, about cultural themes and a host of subplots. The scenes of American life broadened the book’s appeal and gave the book a much larger audience. Thank you, Leila!




Nothing like a good editor. Could you describe a fear you have about this novel that can or did keep you up at night?


I worried that no one will read my novel. I’m not kidding, even though Red Thread Sisters is getting good reviews, I still sometimes worry it won’t sell. I brood that I won’t be able to share my message and tell my story. Anytime readers tell me they loved my book, I feel so relieved and deeply gratified.




Please add me to the growing list of people who loved the book. What's next for Carol Peacock in the realm of children's books?


Another good question. I’m a practicing psychologist and have used my dog to help emotionally disturbed kids for years. I am thinking of writing about this experience, maybe including the perspective of the dog. I need to go walk the beach with my black Lab, Pepper, and immerse myself in my next book.



We'll have to walk our dogs together! I have a black Lab named Zipper! Thanks for joining me on the Fire Escape, Carol. I'm looking forward to your next book and will become your Facebook fan HERE (hint to my Fire Escape visitors).




Trailer:










Reviews: 


 “…provides a moving and engaging experience for readers. A fine addition to both the coming-of-age genre and books sensitively dealing with cross-cultural adoption.” — Kirkus Reviews 



“….perfectly paced…heartwarming and joyous.” — School Library Journal 



 “This…intimate novel focuses on Wen’s difficult emotional journey…Wen’s selflessness and determination are poignant but not overly sentimental and the story’s truths about children in need are sensitively expressed…..” — Publishers Weekly

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More Encouragement from the Associates of the Boston Public Library

If you're the third person on the planet (the first two are my parents) to keep track of Mitali's Events , you'll remember the recent Literary Lights tea at the Boston Public Library with 400 or so Boston students, courtesy of the Associates of the Boston Public Library . Well, the encouragement from the Associates keeps coming. First, there was a beautiful engraved glass bowl.







Talk about an unforgettable reminder of my vocational call.



Next came a package and a letter from Vivian Spiro, the Chairman of the Board of the Directors. Here's an excerpt of the letter, a keepsake in itself, which illuminates why this was such a special memory for me:

Your description of what it was like to grow up in a multicultural household; to have spent your childhood living in many different countries, never being able to put down roots; to have felt you had little in common with your classmates in school; to have felt alienated, even after realizing that you were smart ... All of what you said clearly resonated with those members of our audience who grapple daily with the felling that they are outsiders, that the hopes and ambitions of others are beyond their grasp, that regardless of their gifts, their striving will come to naught.

The package contained a gorgeous book, obviously chosen for me by someone who took the time to learn what I value.





John Singer Sargent's Triumph of Religion at the

Boston Public Library: Creation and Restoration,

edited by Narayan Khandekar, Gianfranco Pocobene, and Kate Smith.




Thank you so much, Associates, for the outpouring of encouragement.

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Today I'm Grateful For Old-Fashioned Editors

In this fast-changing world of publishing, we hear about a future where writers will directly post content for digital downloading—no costly binding, no "middle-men," no meager 10-15% cut of a sale, no lengthy turnaround time until our next book is consumable.



Sounds great, right?



Not to me. Take TIGER BOY, for instance, coming in 2014 from Charlesbridge.



A year ago, I was in the doldrums of a newly-empty nest, wondering what to do now that I'd been fired as a Mommy. A mother-writer hyphenated vocation had been a good gig for years; how was I going to weather this transition? I had no creative sizzle, and when students asked the inevitable question during author visits—"Where do you get your ideas?"—my honest answer should have been: "No clue. Got nothing here."



That's when the phone rang. Yes, I got an old-school call. Not a text, not an e-mail, but an actual call on our landline.



I picked it up and grunted into the receiver, expecting a marketing robo-voice. Who else called that number these days?



"Mitali? This is Yo. How are you?" It was Yolanda LeRoy Scott, my Harvard-educated, drop-dead gorgeous editor at Charlesbridge . "I want to take you to lunch and talk about your next book."



"Okay, Yo, I'd like that." How am I going to tell her about my creative constipation? Get ready for the shortest working lunch ever, Mrs. Scott.



We met at Not Your Average Joe's in Watertown, right near Charlesbridge's offices, a mile or so from my house in the Boston area. "I'm stuck, Yo. I got nothing," I said, soaking up parmesan cheese and olive oil with freshly baked bread.



"Just throw out some topics for me. Is there anything you've always wanted to write about? Or a new genre you want to try?"



Yolanda passed me the bread bowl, and I helped myself to another chunk of carb comfort. "Well, there is something. I've always wanted to write a picture book, and I've been thinking about Bengal tigers—how beautiful they are." I didn't add that one of our sons' walls was covered with posters of the creatures, because that would imply I was mooning around his  room.



Her face lit up. "That sounds lovely. I'll write up a contract and send it to your agent."



"Really? Sight unseen?"



"I know you can do this, Mitali. This is your story to tell. Now let's talk babies. Mine isn't sleeping all that well. Got any tips?"



I slipped easily into my role of seasoned veteran as we chatted about mothering for the rest of lunch.



The contract came. I signed it. Somehow I eked out a picture book manuscript and sent it off. Yo's editorial letter came quickly: "I love it, but as usual you've got the start of a short novel with great potential here, Mitali. It could be the perfect companion to RICKSHAW GIRL." The letter continued with a list of brilliant questions and suggestions.



I felt a sudden spark in my latent imagination. A character leaped to mind—a skinny brown boy, like hundreds I had seen in the villages of West Bengal. Years ago, my own father had been one of them. Immediately, I named him: Neil. He loved tigers.



Yesterday I sent Yolanda a second revision of TIGER BOY, the novel. Thanks to her insights, it's become a real story now, with plot, characters, theme, place. It's going to take another round or two of changes and honing before I like it, but my imagination needs the breathing room of our back-and-forth collaboration.



Here's my question: will the future be a world without small publishers like Charlesbridge who champion stories across borders, without editors like Yo who encourage and nurture broken-down mid-career writers, without the time a story needs between revisions to improve?



If so, I'm never going to make it.



Can we be proactive and keep the best from the old publishing model as we explore new ways to deliver content to consumers? One non-negotiable is the input of an excellent editor who doesn't work for me, but with me.



Thanks, Yo.  And thanks, Charlesbridge. Now on to the next story.

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