Mitali Perkins's Blog, page 51

Paula Chase Hyman: Extroverted, Earnest, and Earthy

Today I'm honored to host Paula Chase Hyman, author of the Del Rio Bay series of books and co-founder of The Brown Bookshelf, a site "designed to push awareness of the myriad of African American voices writing for young readers."

With humor and a clear eye, Maryland author Paula Chase sees straight to the heart of today's teen culture. —Washington Parent

Briefly describe Paula Chase Hyman at age fourteen.

It's probably going to come as no surprise that I had a similar life to my character, Mina....

Managing Your Online Presence SALON

Managing Your Online Presence:
Websites, Blogs, Twitter, Facebook, and More
Speakers: Mitali Perkins and Deborah Sloan

NESCBWI Salon
A program for published authors and illustrators of books for children and teenagers.

Saturday, November 14, 2009, 10:00 - 2:30
Hartman Hall, Acton Congregational Church
12 Concord Rd., Acton, MA
Cost: $35.00 for SCBWI members, $45.00 for non-SCBWI members
Lunch included, limited to 50 participants

Worried your publisher can't do enough to get your work noticed? Feel cons...

Poetry Friday: Coconut Cowgirl

Enjoy the poem that tied for third prize this year in my annual poetry contest for teens between cultures. Read it aloud for the rocking Fijian rhythm.

Coconut Cowgirl
by Hosanna, Fiji/USA, Age 16



Island princess, barefoot and brown
Classroom's a forest, birds all around
Happy go lucky, no need for worry
Me go slow when me go, no reason to hurry.

But soldiers they come, and rebels they fight
Running to safety, run through the night
Get on an airplane, fly up so high
Over the dateline, me stubborn to ...

Magic Carpet: Books, Identity, and Assimilation

We've been talking about books as windows and mirrors this week on the Fire Escape. First off, I'm convinced that "mainstream" North American kids and teens can and will enjoy books as windows into other worlds. We should expect them to as much as we do adult readers.

But I also believe that younger teens and tweens especially need to see themselves in stories. Here's an essay I wrote several years ago about about how such books might have helped during the stage when I was rejecting my cultur...

Teens, Tweens, and Secret Reading

After our discussion about books as mirrors or windows at different stages of life, I'm setting up a tentative hypothesis. Ready? Here it is:

Elementary-aged kids and upper high-schoolers are more open to fiction with protagonists who are markedly different than they are when it comes to race, class, or nationality.

During the early adolescence, fifth through ninth grade, most young readers buzz about and share books featuring protagonists they hope to resemble. Also, if everybody's reading...

Five Good Twitter Gifts

I'll admit it. I'm a bit of a social media maniac. Why, Mitali, why? you might be asking. Let me share five sweet outcomes of my involvement with Twitter, moving from the sublime to the practical:
Getting to know a slew of fabulous New England independent booksellers as well as local authors and illustrators via Kids Heart Authors Day, not to mention making a good buddy and colleague in Deborah Sloan, marketing maven. (Now Publisher's Weekly is hosting a National Bookstore Day, and I'm not...

Are Books Windows or Mirrors?

Think of a novel you enjoyed recently. How did the protagonist remind you of yourself? On the other hand, what did you glean about living a different kind of life?

My guess is that you can answer both questions fairly well, because the best novels serve as windows and mirrors. Jhumpa Lahiri's books, for example, may be more of a mirror to me than you, but chances are you enjoy them as much as I do.

The publishing industry doesn't seem to expect adults to appreciate only those books that are mos...

9/11 Gift: 14 COWS FOR AMERICA

The phone was ringing when I returned from a walk on that sunny day. It was my Dad, weeping as he told me about the first tower falling.

We didn't have a television so I ran to my neighbor's and watched in horror as the second tower fell. Later that day, like so many of us, I sought solace during a prayer vigil at church.

As we remember how we longed for comfort and community eight years ago, I'd like to offer my Fire Escape visitors the gift of 14 COWS FOR AMERICA, a new picture book by Carme...

AMREEKA: Flicks Between Cultures

My favorite part of the preview for Amreeka is when the daughter says, "Here's a shocker, Mom, we live in America! We're Americans!" The mother answers with a phrase most teens between cultures hear, with the last word changing according to the culture of origin: "As long as you live in THIS house, you live in Palestine!"



It's coming to Boston 9/25. Looking forward to seeing this one (thanks, Tricia, for the tip).

Come visit me on the Fire Escape!

Pair a Book with a Fair Trade Toy

Looking for a gift for that kid who seems to have everything? Make a book come to life by pairing it with a fair trade toy or other goodie. Here are three suggestions, followed by a list of places to find toys that battle poverty:

Beaded Necklace / KENYA

14 Cows for America by Carmen A. Deedy and Wilson Kimeli Naiyomah


An American diplomat is surrounded by hundreds of Maasai people. A gift is about to be bestowed on the American men, women, and children, and he is there to accept it. A mere nin...