Tag Archives: Diversity

Cover Reveal: PERFECT MATCH

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Hurray for new books in the pipeline!!! And what a joy to be able to give a cover reveal shout-out to a book written by a long-time kid-lit friend, Lori Dubbin. Lori and I met at a conference back in 2015 – and I couldn’t be happier that I get a chance to help her celebrate.

Now, here’s a cover that’s filled with action – illustrator Amanda Quartey did such an amazing job that I’m ducking my head in case the ball comes my way! And her color palette is so vibrant…I love it!

Here’s a little bit about the book from the Amazon sales page:
When Althea Gibson first dreamed of joining the big American tennis leagues, she was denied because she was Black. Angela Buxton dreamed of joining the best tennis clubs in Britain, but she was rejected because she was Jewish. When Angela heard that Althea was coming to Britain to compete, she skipped school to see the match. If Althea didn’t let hatred stop her from playing the game she loved, Angela wouldn’t either. At the French Championships in 1956, Angela told Althea about her dream of winning Wimbledon with a doubles partner. To win as a team, they would have to stick to their strengths together. And they did.

We are fortunate that Lori stopped by to chat – I asked her how the story came to be:

LORI: Writing a picture book may appear to take only 500-900-ish words, but it takes thousands of words of revision along with patience, sweat, and tears to get a picture book to publication. I started writing Perfect Match in 2015 (it had a different title then) after I opened an old nonfiction book, Great Jews in Sports by Robert Slater, which had been a Bar Mitzvah gift to my oldest son. I landed on a page about a British tennis player, Angela Buxton. There was a picture of Angela in her tennis outfit and the text mentioned her doubles partner had been Althea Gibson. Right away, I wanted to know more about this duo. Sadly, I learned Althea and Angela were treated as outsiders by the elite tennis world of the 1950s because of their race and religion.
But these two women just wanted to play the game they loved. They became close friends and doubles partners, and together they defied the prejudices of the time with dedication, teamwork, and perseverance.

I so admired their perseverance and hard work, and learned – on a much different level – how I needed to persevere in communicating their story. The process of writing this manuscript took sixty-something revisions, five title changes, and eight more years to get to publication.

We all know the path is hard. There are rewarding days and days when that positive energy turns in the opposite direction. Staying connected to other writers and illustrators through 12×12 webinars, writers’ blogs, and my critique group helped me keep moving forward. I realize now I was improving as a writer and learning my craft, which allowed me not to worry about how many years were whooshing by me. Keep learning and keep at it – one day an agent or an editor will love the manuscript that is such a part of your heart.

I love the way the illustrator, Amanda Quartey, captured Althea and Angela’s highs and lows, their action on the tennis court, and their friendship on the page.

Althea and Angela’s story is relevant to what’s happening in the world today, and it feels like the right time for it to enter the world.

WOW! Thank you so much, Lori! Those are important insights…thank you so much for sharing them.

And dear readers, I’m going to share how we can help upcoming books like PERFECT MATCH become a perfect success:
We can buy it
We can review it
We can put it on our Goodreads WANT TO READ shelf
We can tell friends about it (share on social media, please)
We can ask our local library to purchase copies for their collection

I’ve already put it on my Goodreads Want To Read Shelf…and I’m sharing this post on my social media and will request my local library buy it.
How can you help?

I hope you all have a fabulous week! This past weekend was my birthday (77) and I’m so excited that the my Facebook Birthday Fundraiser for the Stuart Kirkfield Scholarship at Highlights is 79% funded! Woo-hoo! If you’d like to join in, please check it out – there are 3 more days and any amount of support is appreciated: https://www.facebook.com/donate/1108264050308830/1113485846453317

Cover Reveal: LUPITA’S BROWN BALLET SLIPPERS

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When I was a little girl, most of the characters in children’s books looked enough like me so that I felt seen even though nobody wore glasses or was as height-challenged as I was…but they were white…and so was I. These days we know now how critical it is for young kids to see themselves…not only as the child characters in stories, but also as adults in positive leadership roles. And that’s why I’m so excited to share the COVER of a new picture book, written by Steena Hernandez and illustrated by Melissa Castillo that launches October 15th from Beaming Books.

Huge props to Melissa Castillo for this GORGEOUS cover!!!! And don’t you love how the little girl’s pose is directing us to open the book?

Here’s a little bitt about the book from the Amazon sales page:
Everyone deserves to shine.

Lupita’s big ballet recital is approaching. The music is perfect. Her ballet moves are strong. But her peachy pink ballet slippers don’t match her skin tone. Lupita searches for the right pair only to discover it will take hard work–and messy measures–in order for her shoes to dance with her.

Inspired by the author’s own experiences as a Latina dancer, Lupita’s Brown Ballet Slippers is a charming story filled with determination. The final few spreads teach readers about the history of ballet slippers as well as the crucial changes the industry has seen for dancers of all races and ethnicities.

This is definitely a book that needs to be in classroom and public libraries, as well as home bookshelves. And guess what? We can help!!!
Please share the post widely on your social media.
You can put it on your Goodreads WANT TO READ shelf.
You can review it.
You can ask your local library to order copies for their collection.
And of course, you can pre-order a copy.

Here’s a bit about author Steena:
Steena Hernandez holds a BFA in theatre, music, and dance from Texas Tech University, and has performed with the Rent Broadway tour, the Trans-Siberian Orchestra as a vocalist, and the United Service Organization (USO) tour, and more. She now resides in San Antonio, Texas, with her family. She’s a storyteller at heart, and when she’s not writing or cooking, you can find her curled up in a cozy spot reading with her two children.

And here’s a little about illustrator Melissa:
Melissa Castillo’s work is heavily inspired by her Peruvian culture and heritage. With the lack of diverse representation of Latinx culture in illustration, she hopes to properly represent people of color and create relatable art for all cultures

We love these beautiful new picture books that are popping up in the pipeline. And we are grateful to the writers, artists, and publishers who are creating them!



Happy Book Birthday: DESERT QUEEN Plus Zoom Chat Giveaway

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It’s time to sing Happy Book Birthday to a beautiful new nonfiction picture book biography!!!!

Oh my goodness! What a glorious cover! Illustrator Svabhu Kohli is a genius! And what a wonderful story by Jyoti Rajan Gopal.

Here’s a little bit about DESERT QUEEN from the Amazon sales page:
This picture book biography in verse follows the life of beloved Rajasthani drag performer Queen Harish, known as the Whirling Desert Queen of Rajasthan. Lit by an inner fire and propelled by a family tragedy, Harish defied the gender conventions of middle class Indian life, battled discrimination and intimidation, and eventually grew up to dance with Bollywood movie stars and on stages across the world.

Jyoti Gopal’s rhythmic phrases evoke the particular sounds and beats of the music Harish danced to, and capture the passions and conflicts of his life. The poignant and inspiring tale is interpreted by internationally acclaimed Rajasthani artist Svabhu Kohli in kohl-black lines and shapes and brilliant jewel-like colors.

And here’s a little bit about the inspiration for the book from author Jyoti Gopal:

JYOTI: When we visited Rajasthan, India in Dec 2018 and sat down for the Queen Harish show, little did I know that for the next two hours, I was going to be beguiled and captivated by a master performer. As a child, Harish Kumar loved watching the folk artist troupes in his town of Jaisalmer perform. He was especially fascinated by the female dancers with their bright swirling skirts and their sparkly, jangly jewelry. But he never dared to dream that one day, he would be one of those performers, dancing to cheering, clapping crowds. His path to the stage was not an easy one as he bucked the traditional conventions of his community. But through the ups and downs, he kept his smile, his grace and his humor, and became a fierce advocate for Rajasthani folk music, dance, and gender fluidity. I am honored to have been able to bring Queen Harish’s story to life.

And here’s a little bit about the author:
Growing up, Jyoti lived in Thailand, Indonesia, Myanmar, China and India. She finally settled in New York where she raised two daughters with her husband (who also grew up all over the world). As a child, she adored and devoured books but did not enjoy writing. At all.  

As a grown up, she is a forever kindergarten teacher and mom. She still adores and devours books. But now, she likes to write!    

Her two picture books AMERICAN DESI illus. by Supriya Kelkar (Little Brown) and MY PAATI’S SARIS(Kokila), illus. by art twink, were released in 2022, and this year a picture book biography DESERT QUEEN illus. by Svabhu Kohli (Levine Querido) releases on Oct 24. She has three more releasing in 2024: ONE SWEET SONG illus. by Sonia Sánchez (Jan.16, Candlewick), SISTER DAY illus. by Fanny Liem (July, FSG) and LOVE IS HERE WITH YOU: A LULLABY OF BLESSINGS illus. by Nabi Ali (Fall, Candlewick).
My Link Tree
For a SIGNED COPY: Order DESERT QUEEN at Books of Wonder for a signed copy

Kirkus review of DESERT QUEEN

To connect with Jyoti and find out more about her books:
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram        

Please be sure to leave a comment and share this post on your social media for a chance to win a wonderful 30-minute Ask-Me-Anything Zoom chat with Jyoti. And please do at least one more thing as we all need to help books become successful…otherwise, publishers will stop making them.
Buy the book…links are in the post
Review the book (Amazon reviews are especially important)
Place the book on your Goodreads WANT TO READ shelf
Ask your local library to purchase copies for their collection

Thank you for spending your precious moments with us. I hope you all have a wonderful week!