Mitali Perkins's Blog, page 35
January 25, 2011
Thank you, Primary Source!
Primary Source
, an organization dedicated to "educating for global understanding, hosted a global read of
Bamboo People
last week. Here's the update about that event from their site:
Bamboo People Global Read Event a Huge Success
On Wednesday, January 12th, Primary Source launched an innovative, all-online Global Read book discussion. Over 120 people from across the country registered for the chance to join Mitali Perkins in a discussion of her young adult novel, Bamboo People.
As part of the web-based discussion forum, one teacher wrote, "Thank you, Primary Source, for this opportunity for an online book discussion, and, thank you, Mitali, for writing a book that makes our students ponder uncomfortable realities like repressive governments, third world people, and war and human conflict."
Then, educators, parents, and students joined Mitali on January 19th for a one-hour live online chat. This was a truly unique opportunity and an engaging discussion! Couldn't make it to the live chat on January 19th? View a full recording online.Come visit me on the Fire Escape!
Also, be sure to check out the special companion resource guide created by the Primary Source Library. It includes recommended books, films, and websites related to Bamboo People.
January 19, 2011
Weigh In: African American Read In and I Am This Land
In honor of the NCTE's
African American Read-In
, the book blogging community has decided to pick and discuss a book during February.
Doret
,
Edi
and
Ari
(bookseller, librarian, avid young adult reader—great combination) narrowed it down for us to 6 YA titles by African American authors about African American teens. Vote
here
for the book you want us to read and discuss.
You may also vote on (and submit) videos about diversity in America created by young people at " I Am This Land ," like this one about a young Muslim girl who has to stand up for herself both inside and outside her home. Which confrontation took more courage?
Come visit me on the Fire Escape!
You may also vote on (and submit) videos about diversity in America created by young people at " I Am This Land ," like this one about a young Muslim girl who has to stand up for herself both inside and outside her home. Which confrontation took more courage?
Come visit me on the Fire Escape!
January 17, 2011
What Teachers See In My Novel
Primary Source is hosting a
global read
of
Bamboo People
this week involving 90+ educators and students. I'm tuning in every now and then before my official live appearance on Wednesday from 3-4 p.m. EST (register
here
if you're interested in joining us). I've been absolutely fascinated by the deep insights and responses to my novel. Here's an example of one of the questions posed in the forum followed by answers from six different educators.
Question
What significance did Chiko's glasses play throughout the book?
Answers
Throughout the book, Chiko's glasses represented his tenuous grip on his own destiny. They set him apart from the other Burmese characters in the book, most of whom were illiterate. They were the key to his reading, which in turn was the key to his survival when he was at the Burmese army camp. Several times in the novel, he lost his glasses, and he had to rely on others to return them to him. This demonstrates how he often felt like he had no control over his future, and that one person's strength is not enough to get him or her through a difficult time. The fact that the glasses were damaged, but still useful to Chiko reflects his own condition ...
Perhaps losing his eyeglasses also indicates that Chiko must learn to "see" people and the world in a new way. Before the events of the book, he had lived a sheltered, protected life and seen the world through the lenses or eyes given to him by his parents. In the story, he experienced the reality of life for himself, both good and bad, to become his own person. He would always rely on the view of the world first instilled in him by his family, but he had to discover that one sees and learns about living through more than just the eyes.
Chiko was lucky enough to have been taught to read, unlike most people in his country. The glasses are a symbol of his ablility to read, to be open and learn, to be worldly, and survive in the rebel army. They allowed him to stay alive. He was useful to those "above him" and was protected, even from the abusive captain, by his ability to read. To some extent, his reading also helped his young friend in the army as well. I also believe that the glasses helped Chiko and Tu Reh to have a new lens into each others' cultures. Chiko was always more open and giving, but Tu Reh was filled with rage and hositility towards the enemy, and Chiko at first, was the enemy. Tu Reh's rage abated somewhat when he continued to see a wounded Chiko reach for his pocket for his lost glasses. The lost glasses made Chiko vulnerable to the enemy and made the anger of Tu Reh vulnerable as well.
One lens was cracked, the other, still intact as I recall. Could a cracked lens mean the loss of a sheltered homelife, the loss of the innocence of Chiko and the demands of the cruel world he was being exposed to? Is the intact lens the hope and love that Chiko carries in his heart throughout the story from a home filled with love and education, even when death had threatened him by a bullet and by the "enemies" in the camp who had Chiko's life in their hands?
The comments above have given me more to think about in regard to the glasses—how Chiko sees the world, the broken lens like his broken body. I was thinking of the glasses as a symbol of intelligence and common sense—qualities possessed by civilized human beings. When the glasses were knocked off Chiko's face it was through brutal, uncivilized behavior. The glasses seemed to rest on the balance between the two worlds. Just as they kept slipping down Chico's nose and getting lost, so was his world. The world of books and knowledge as he knew it was sliding away and the world of chaos was closing in. The fact that only one lens was broken and that they were returned each time they were lost provided a sense of hope. As the glasses would never be the same, so his life would not. But there was always hope.
Chiko was the only individual ever described as needing glasses throughout his time at the training camp and later at the refugee camp. This distinction is important because it highlights that he is the only individual, in either camp, that has the benefit of an education that allows him to view this conflict in its entirety, taking into account what his father has taught him about his Karenni friend and about the world in general. Because his education is so comprehensive and modern in the sense that he is encouraged to have a very open view of the world, Chiko has a different outlook, represented by his unique set of glasses. However, Chiko's glasses do not remain perfect and, as a result, his outlook changes. It is at the training camp that one of his lenses becomes cracked. This represents that the army has influenced his outlook of his recent life absorbed in his books. Despite this minor setback, Chiko remains resilient, never abandoning his academic roots.
It's humbling--and a bit eerie--to realize that much of the symbolism seen in my novel by these observant teachers was not consciously intentional on my part. More evidence that stories are penned by heart as well as mind, and then enriched and illuminated by the reader's eyes.Come visit me on the Fire Escape!
Question
What significance did Chiko's glasses play throughout the book?
Answers
Throughout the book, Chiko's glasses represented his tenuous grip on his own destiny. They set him apart from the other Burmese characters in the book, most of whom were illiterate. They were the key to his reading, which in turn was the key to his survival when he was at the Burmese army camp. Several times in the novel, he lost his glasses, and he had to rely on others to return them to him. This demonstrates how he often felt like he had no control over his future, and that one person's strength is not enough to get him or her through a difficult time. The fact that the glasses were damaged, but still useful to Chiko reflects his own condition ...
Perhaps losing his eyeglasses also indicates that Chiko must learn to "see" people and the world in a new way. Before the events of the book, he had lived a sheltered, protected life and seen the world through the lenses or eyes given to him by his parents. In the story, he experienced the reality of life for himself, both good and bad, to become his own person. He would always rely on the view of the world first instilled in him by his family, but he had to discover that one sees and learns about living through more than just the eyes.
Chiko was lucky enough to have been taught to read, unlike most people in his country. The glasses are a symbol of his ablility to read, to be open and learn, to be worldly, and survive in the rebel army. They allowed him to stay alive. He was useful to those "above him" and was protected, even from the abusive captain, by his ability to read. To some extent, his reading also helped his young friend in the army as well. I also believe that the glasses helped Chiko and Tu Reh to have a new lens into each others' cultures. Chiko was always more open and giving, but Tu Reh was filled with rage and hositility towards the enemy, and Chiko at first, was the enemy. Tu Reh's rage abated somewhat when he continued to see a wounded Chiko reach for his pocket for his lost glasses. The lost glasses made Chiko vulnerable to the enemy and made the anger of Tu Reh vulnerable as well.
One lens was cracked, the other, still intact as I recall. Could a cracked lens mean the loss of a sheltered homelife, the loss of the innocence of Chiko and the demands of the cruel world he was being exposed to? Is the intact lens the hope and love that Chiko carries in his heart throughout the story from a home filled with love and education, even when death had threatened him by a bullet and by the "enemies" in the camp who had Chiko's life in their hands?
The comments above have given me more to think about in regard to the glasses—how Chiko sees the world, the broken lens like his broken body. I was thinking of the glasses as a symbol of intelligence and common sense—qualities possessed by civilized human beings. When the glasses were knocked off Chiko's face it was through brutal, uncivilized behavior. The glasses seemed to rest on the balance between the two worlds. Just as they kept slipping down Chico's nose and getting lost, so was his world. The world of books and knowledge as he knew it was sliding away and the world of chaos was closing in. The fact that only one lens was broken and that they were returned each time they were lost provided a sense of hope. As the glasses would never be the same, so his life would not. But there was always hope.
Chiko was the only individual ever described as needing glasses throughout his time at the training camp and later at the refugee camp. This distinction is important because it highlights that he is the only individual, in either camp, that has the benefit of an education that allows him to view this conflict in its entirety, taking into account what his father has taught him about his Karenni friend and about the world in general. Because his education is so comprehensive and modern in the sense that he is encouraged to have a very open view of the world, Chiko has a different outlook, represented by his unique set of glasses. However, Chiko's glasses do not remain perfect and, as a result, his outlook changes. It is at the training camp that one of his lenses becomes cracked. This represents that the army has influenced his outlook of his recent life absorbed in his books. Despite this minor setback, Chiko remains resilient, never abandoning his academic roots.
It's humbling--and a bit eerie--to realize that much of the symbolism seen in my novel by these observant teachers was not consciously intentional on my part. More evidence that stories are penned by heart as well as mind, and then enriched and illuminated by the reader's eyes.Come visit me on the Fire Escape!
January 14, 2011
Boston-Area Kid Lit Gatherings Winter 2011
If you're getting New England cabin fever and are longing to see actual people in real life instead of profile pictures who tweet, we have two possibilities for you this winter.
First, if you're anywhere close to Boston, you're invited to a forthcoming informal schmooze/tweetup/Boston Kid Lit get-together on Monday, January 31st from 6-8 pm.
We're meeting at Andala Cafe in Central Square, in their big space downstairs. Andala is near the Central Square T stop on the red line, 286 Franklin St, Central Square, Cambridge, MA 02139. If you're driving, look for metered lots on Bishop Allen Dr. (parallel to Mass Ave) as well as the Green Street parking garage at the corner of Green and Pearl. The garage costs $1.50 per hour.
View Larger Map
No need to register--just show up. Bring a friend or two. We'll provide nametags, you provide the schmoozing. Hope to see you there.
Second, if you're anywhere near the western suburbs or central Massachusetts and don't want to come all the way into the city, author Kristine Assselin has just the thing for you. On Tuesday, 2/15, 7 p.m., you're invited to gather with other Kid/YA lit aficionados at the Westford Grille , 142 Littleton Road, in Westford, MA. RSVP via Twitter to @KristineAsselin .
View Larger MapCome visit me on the Fire Escape!
First, if you're anywhere close to Boston, you're invited to a forthcoming informal schmooze/tweetup/Boston Kid Lit get-together on Monday, January 31st from 6-8 pm.
We're meeting at Andala Cafe in Central Square, in their big space downstairs. Andala is near the Central Square T stop on the red line, 286 Franklin St, Central Square, Cambridge, MA 02139. If you're driving, look for metered lots on Bishop Allen Dr. (parallel to Mass Ave) as well as the Green Street parking garage at the corner of Green and Pearl. The garage costs $1.50 per hour.
View Larger Map
No need to register--just show up. Bring a friend or two. We'll provide nametags, you provide the schmoozing. Hope to see you there.
Second, if you're anywhere near the western suburbs or central Massachusetts and don't want to come all the way into the city, author Kristine Assselin has just the thing for you. On Tuesday, 2/15, 7 p.m., you're invited to gather with other Kid/YA lit aficionados at the Westford Grille , 142 Littleton Road, in Westford, MA. RSVP via Twitter to @KristineAsselin .
View Larger MapCome visit me on the Fire Escape!
January 13, 2011
Applying the Women-in-Movies Test to Race-in-Stories
The Bechdel Test asks us to ask three simple questions about films:
Are there two or more women with names?
Do they talk to each other?
Do they talk to each other about something other than a man?
So many of my favorite films failed the test:
I wonder if we could apply a similar set of race-related questions to stories in diverse settings, whether they come to us via books, television, or movies. Let's call it the "Friends" test, based on that outstandingly non-diverse television show set in New York City, and ask these questions:
Are there two or more people of color with names?
Do they have a significant conversation with each other?
Do they talk about something other than race?
Come visit me on the Fire Escape!
Are there two or more women with names?
Do they talk to each other?
Do they talk to each other about something other than a man?
So many of my favorite films failed the test:
I wonder if we could apply a similar set of race-related questions to stories in diverse settings, whether they come to us via books, television, or movies. Let's call it the "Friends" test, based on that outstandingly non-diverse television show set in New York City, and ask these questions:
Are there two or more people of color with names?
Do they have a significant conversation with each other?
Do they talk about something other than race?
Come visit me on the Fire Escape!
January 12, 2011
2011 Top Ten Best Fiction for Young Adults
I'm flying high today after hearing the news that
Bamboo People
is a top ten book on the Best Fiction for Young Adults 2011 list from the American Library Association. Here are the top ten titles with annotations courtesy of YALSA librarians:
Bacigalupi, Paolo. Ship Breaker. Little, Brown, and Co. Nailer is a light crew scavenger tearing up old hulks of ships, living day to day, until a rich girl and her gleaming ship run ashore in a storm on the beach and his life gets more dangerous.
Donnelley, Jennifer. Revolution . Random House Children's Books/Delacorte. Haunted by the death of her brother, Andi is taken to Paris by her estranged father where an encounter with a mysterious diary may bring her back from the edge.
Marchetta, Melina. Finnikin of the Rock . Candlewick. Finnikin and his fellow exiles from Lumatere wish to return to their cursed homeland. Finnikin must go on an epic journey with a mute novice named Evanjalin to return home.
Matson, Morgan. Amy and Roger's Epic Detour . Simon & Schuster. Amy and Roger must both learn to deal with loss while on a road trip across the country which doesn't go as expected.
McBride, Lish. Hold Me Closer, Necromancer . Macmillan Children's Book Group/Henry Holt. When Sam discovers he is a necromancer he must learn to control his power in order to defeat a powerful and corrupt rival and save his friends.
Mulligan, Andy. Trash . David Fickling Books. Three garbage-picker boys find an item of great value to a corrupt politician on their rounds, setting off a tense hunt to see who will triumph.
Perkins, Mitali. Bamboo People . Chiko, a Burmese soldier and Tu Reh, a Kerenni refugee meet on opposite sides of war and each must learn what it means to be a man of his people.
Reinhardt, Dana. The Things a Brother Knows. Random House Children's Books/Wendy Lamb. Boaz is back and hailed as the hometown hero, but he is not at all the same. Can his younger brother Levi help him truly make his way home?
Saenz, Benjamin. Last Night I Sang to the Monster. Cinco Puntos Press, 2009. Weeks in therapy go by and 18-year-old Zach is still unable to remember the monstrous events that left him alone and haunted by nightmares.
Sedgwick, Marcus. Revolver . Roaring Brook Press. Sig is alone with his father's body when the lawless man his father had managed to escape appears out of the icy wilderness.
Come visit me on the Fire Escape!
Bacigalupi, Paolo. Ship Breaker. Little, Brown, and Co. Nailer is a light crew scavenger tearing up old hulks of ships, living day to day, until a rich girl and her gleaming ship run ashore in a storm on the beach and his life gets more dangerous.
Donnelley, Jennifer. Revolution . Random House Children's Books/Delacorte. Haunted by the death of her brother, Andi is taken to Paris by her estranged father where an encounter with a mysterious diary may bring her back from the edge.
Marchetta, Melina. Finnikin of the Rock . Candlewick. Finnikin and his fellow exiles from Lumatere wish to return to their cursed homeland. Finnikin must go on an epic journey with a mute novice named Evanjalin to return home.
Matson, Morgan. Amy and Roger's Epic Detour . Simon & Schuster. Amy and Roger must both learn to deal with loss while on a road trip across the country which doesn't go as expected.
McBride, Lish. Hold Me Closer, Necromancer . Macmillan Children's Book Group/Henry Holt. When Sam discovers he is a necromancer he must learn to control his power in order to defeat a powerful and corrupt rival and save his friends.
Mulligan, Andy. Trash . David Fickling Books. Three garbage-picker boys find an item of great value to a corrupt politician on their rounds, setting off a tense hunt to see who will triumph.
Perkins, Mitali. Bamboo People . Chiko, a Burmese soldier and Tu Reh, a Kerenni refugee meet on opposite sides of war and each must learn what it means to be a man of his people.
Reinhardt, Dana. The Things a Brother Knows. Random House Children's Books/Wendy Lamb. Boaz is back and hailed as the hometown hero, but he is not at all the same. Can his younger brother Levi help him truly make his way home?
Saenz, Benjamin. Last Night I Sang to the Monster. Cinco Puntos Press, 2009. Weeks in therapy go by and 18-year-old Zach is still unable to remember the monstrous events that left him alone and haunted by nightmares.
Sedgwick, Marcus. Revolver . Roaring Brook Press. Sig is alone with his father's body when the lawless man his father had managed to escape appears out of the icy wilderness.
Come visit me on the Fire Escape!
January 11, 2011
You're Invited: A Global Read of BAMBOO PEOPLE
Next week,
Primary Source
(Educating for Global Understanding) is hosting a discussion forum for a global read of
Bamboo People
. 90+ educators and students have already signed up, but there's room for more. Here's the official announcement:
Global Read of Bamboo People by Mitali Perkins
Online discussion forum: January 12-19, 2011
Live chat session with the author: Wednesday, January 19, 3-4 p.m. EST
Primary Source is proud to announce a unique global reading opportunity. Responding to requests from educators, Primary Source will facilitate a FREE worldwide book discussion, or "Global Read," featuring an online discussion forum followed by a "live" web-based session.
You are invited to join us for a discussion of the young adult novel, Bamboo People, by Mitali Perkins — a compelling coming-of-age story about child soldiers in modern Burma. The online discussion forum will begin on Wednesday, January 12th. Then join the author for a live chat on January 19th.
Register early to guarantee your spot! Registration is free but participants are responsible for obtaining their own copy of the book.As if that weren't enough, the librarian at Primary Source, Jennifer Hanson, has created a wonderful curriculum guide to use in coordination with the book.Come visit me on the Fire Escape!
January 10, 2011
ALA Midwinter in San Diego: Sunshine and Signings
Spent the morning by the fire in Boston watching the ALA Youth Media Awards announcements (Newbery, etc), but still relishing the sunny respite in San Diego, courtesy of Charlesbridge, who published Bamboo People. I took two long walks along the water:
It was 18 degrees in Boston when I took this in San Diego.
They were enjoying the sunset as much as I was.
San Diego's marina in the evening ...
... and in the morning.
So Cal Caloric Splurge: Swordfish Taco and Waffle Fries
... Presented a speech during USBBY's annual meeting, after the Outstanding International Books of 2011 were announced:
The 2011 list is revealed ...
Photo courtesy of Cindy Pon (SILVER PHOENIX).
... And signed copies of Bamboo People as well as the foreword to Harper Perennial's re-issue of Emily of Deep Valley , along with Melissa Wiley, who was equally flabbergasted to be signing the foreword to Carney's House Party / Winona's Pony Cart.
Ed and Eve Bunting stopped by the Charlesbridge booth. They've been married for 60 years and he still carries her books.
Librarian Beth Friese and I shared a fangirl moment after the Buntings departed. For goodness' sake — I had to personalize a copy of Bamboo People to EVE BUNTING!
Photo courtesy of Sarah Stevenson, who was there signing copies of her excellent debut YA novel, The Latte Rebellion (Flux).
The triumvirate--Tib (Melissa Wiley), Betsy (HarperPerennial editor Jennifer Hart), and Tacy (me)--after our signing.
Come visit me on the Fire Escape!
It was 18 degrees in Boston when I took this in San Diego.
They were enjoying the sunset as much as I was.
San Diego's marina in the evening ...
... and in the morning.
So Cal Caloric Splurge: Swordfish Taco and Waffle Fries
... Presented a speech during USBBY's annual meeting, after the Outstanding International Books of 2011 were announced:
The 2011 list is revealed ...
Photo courtesy of Cindy Pon (SILVER PHOENIX).
... And signed copies of Bamboo People as well as the foreword to Harper Perennial's re-issue of Emily of Deep Valley , along with Melissa Wiley, who was equally flabbergasted to be signing the foreword to Carney's House Party / Winona's Pony Cart.
Ed and Eve Bunting stopped by the Charlesbridge booth. They've been married for 60 years and he still carries her books.
Librarian Beth Friese and I shared a fangirl moment after the Buntings departed. For goodness' sake — I had to personalize a copy of Bamboo People to EVE BUNTING!
Photo courtesy of Sarah Stevenson, who was there signing copies of her excellent debut YA novel, The Latte Rebellion (Flux).
The triumvirate--Tib (Melissa Wiley), Betsy (HarperPerennial editor Jennifer Hart), and Tacy (me)--after our signing.
Come visit me on the Fire Escape!
January 6, 2011
ALA Midwinter in San Diego
"San Diego." "Midwinter." Don't you love the juxtaposition? This weekend, I'm fortunate to be attending the American Library Association's Annual Midwinter Conference in San Diego, California.
I'm speaking at USBBY's Membership Meeting during the ALA Library Conference on Friday, 1/7, 8-10 p.m. at the Hilton in Indigo 202A/B. The Outstanding International Children's Books Committee will present their 2011 selections, followed by my talk. Anyone with an interest in children's and/or young adult literature is welcome to attend.
On Saturday, I'll be in Charlesbridge's booth from 10-11 (#1808) signing BAMBOO PEOPLE. Then I head over to Harper Collins' booth (#2016) from 11:30-12:30, reverentially signing Maud Hart Lovelace reissues with author and fellow foreword writer Melissa Wiley -- I'll be signing EMILY OF DEEP VALLEY while she personalizes CARNEY'S HOUSE PARTY.
Last but not least, I'm excited that Bamboo People is nominated as an ALA Notable Children's Book and is a candidate for YALSA's Best Fiction for Young Adults. We shall see if it makes the final lists, but it's an honor to be considered.
Will I see you in San Diego? I hope so.Come visit me on the Fire Escape!
I'm speaking at USBBY's Membership Meeting during the ALA Library Conference on Friday, 1/7, 8-10 p.m. at the Hilton in Indigo 202A/B. The Outstanding International Children's Books Committee will present their 2011 selections, followed by my talk. Anyone with an interest in children's and/or young adult literature is welcome to attend.
On Saturday, I'll be in Charlesbridge's booth from 10-11 (#1808) signing BAMBOO PEOPLE. Then I head over to Harper Collins' booth (#2016) from 11:30-12:30, reverentially signing Maud Hart Lovelace reissues with author and fellow foreword writer Melissa Wiley -- I'll be signing EMILY OF DEEP VALLEY while she personalizes CARNEY'S HOUSE PARTY.
Last but not least, I'm excited that Bamboo People is nominated as an ALA Notable Children's Book and is a candidate for YALSA's Best Fiction for Young Adults. We shall see if it makes the final lists, but it's an honor to be considered.
Will I see you in San Diego? I hope so.Come visit me on the Fire Escape!
November 15, 2010
Winter Leads Me To A Virtual Stillness
Brrr ... it's getting chilly out here on the Fire Escape. I'm going in where it's warm. Starting my annual winter hiatus to write, reflect, dream, and pray. Might pop back if something grabs me, and will be somewhat accessible through social media. Stay warm, friends!Come visit me on the Fire Escape!
