#i love they used the present tense for her. she IS a novelist and poet and educator and will be as long as her memory endures | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

limejuicer1862 · 5 years

Text

Wombwell Rainbow Interviews

I am honoured and privileged that the following writers local, national and international have agreed to be interviewed by me. I gave the writers two options: an emailed list of questions or a more fluid interview via messenger.

The usual ground is covered about motivation, daily routines and work ethic, but some surprises too. Some of these poets you may know, others may be new to you. I hope you enjoy the experience as much as I do.

Tricia Marcella Cimera

is a Midwestern poet with a worldview. Look for her work in these diverse places: Anti-Heroin Chic, Buddhist Poetry Review, The Ekphrastic Review, Foliate Oak, Failed Haiku, I Am Not A Silent Poet, Mad Swirl, Silver Birch Press, Wild Plum and elsewhere. She has two micro collections, THE SEA AND A RIVER and BOXBOROUGH POEMS, on the Origami Poems Project website. Tricia believes there’s no place like her own backyard and has traveled the world. She lives with her husband and family of animals in Illinois, in a town called St. Charles, near a river named Fox, with a Poetry Box is in her front yard.

Link to THE FOX POETRY BOX, my public art installation:

https://www.facebook.com/FoxPoetryBox

The Interview

1. When and why did you start writing poetry?

Before writing, there was reading. When I learned how to read (my mother told me that I was convinced it would be too hard to learn; I was a tiny defeatist), another life began for me. A life of imagination. I fell madly in love with reading. And through reading I found poetry. It entered into the portal of my child mind in various forms such as the great Dr. Seuss. When I was nine I wrote my first poem that came whooshing out spontaneously after a dinner with my parents and some business associates of my father. One of the wives told us about her grown daughter being killed in a car accident. This hit me so hard; after dinner, I sat down and wrote this little poem about grief. Everyone seemed kind of astounded; the woman who had lost her daughter just wept. My mother kept that poem for years but it was lost somewhere in time as we moved around. Poetry then lay dormant in me for a while but returned when I was in high school where I wrote and submitted things to the school literary journal. It went away yet again but returned full force when I was in my 30s and discovered a local writer’s class at the college. Along with the class came a professor who encouraged me in a way that every poet should be in their life. And that meant all the world to me – and my poems.

2. How aware are and were you of the dominating presence of older poets traditional and contemporary?

Aware and intimidated at first. But with poetry, there are many masters and many forms. I try and learn from older poets but it’s imperative I listen to my own voice.

2.1. Who were you intimidated by?

I would say that initially every great poet intimidated me. People like Ezra Pound, for example. What did it all mean? Poets like Emily Dickinson, Jane Kenyon, Leonard Cohen showed me that simple language coupled with deep ideas was something to strive for. That was poetry too! Again, there are many forms to choose from – that was freeing to me. MY voice is a form in and of itself.

3. What is your daily writing routine?

I have no daily routine of actual writing. Poems are always showing up and percolating throughout the day in my head, I let them gain form, which can take days. Once I begin putting a poem to paper (computer screen), it generally goes quickly. I’m a fast reviser. I’m a big proponent of revising; I think it’s necessary to advocate for the poem, not the ego. I know there’s a school of thought when it comes to organic outpouring of words to create a poem. I think a poem deserves to be worked on and lived with. It makes it no less gritty or tough if that’s what you’re going for.

4. What motivates you to write?

My imagination, my specific experiences, the world, every art form there is, history, living and dead human beings and animals, the act of remembering – all of it motivates my writing. Anything and everything can be a poem. Once I understood this, a door opened. You really can’t close that particular door once it flies open.

5. What is your work ethic?

I don’t make a living through my writing so my ‘work ethic’ is fluid and not terribly militant. Once a poem is begun, however, I feel committed to it and will revise/polish/finish quickly or revisit it as much as necessary until it feels right. There are those poems, however, that just don’t work. I don’t entirely abandon them but they are left to. . .sit there, waiting for a line to be used, an idea to be shaped . Getting back to revision, I suppose that speaks to a work ethic. As mentioned before, the poem should be served, not the initial delight in creating it.

6. How do the writers you read when you were young influence you today?

Great question! The books and stories of my childhood are forever of my beating heart. I still have one of the first books I received for my 6th birthday – “Hamish Meets Bumpy Mackenzie” by Frances Bowen. The Narnia Chronicles by C.S. Lewis truly saved my life when my mother was hospitalized for depression (when I was ten). I return to my childhood books again and again. “Half Magic” by Edward Eager still entrances me and makes me laugh. I can’t imagine abandoning any of these fantastic books and their writers. They are written so well and never talk down to anyone, except maybe those without an imagination. I believe in magic and hope and weirdness and underdogs because of the books of my youth. Of all the books I’ve read in my life, they mean the most to me.

7. Whom of today’s writers do you admire the most and why?

I have many favorite writers but I always cite Joyce Carol Oates and Larry McMurtry as two of my most favorite novelists because they both have such amazing bodies of work. Everyone calls JCO prolific – because she IS! She can do it all (gothic, current social mores, retellings of Marilyn Monroe or JonBenet Ramsey, young adult, short stories, etc.) and with such intelligence and depth. She has revisited certain themes in her work for years; dark and psycho-sexual are her trademarks. As for Larry McMurtry, no one can write a woman like he can. He has created the most marvelous woman characters. McMurtry is known for his westerns (Lonesome Dove), yet I haven’t read them! Because I love his other books so much; I’ve got time. He makes you fall in love with his people and suddenly, shockingly, someone will die. I’ve literally let out screams and then cried. Oh, McMurtry, how could you. I have to mention Donna Tartt as well – The Secret History is the most amazing book. I just reread it for the billionth time. It reminds me so much of Brideshead Revisited; the college students dreamily and beautifully moving through life in a particular time. Now I realize I haven’t even mentioned poets! So many – Mark Doty, Sharon Olds, Raymond Carver. . .and always, always, always Leonard Cohen. Poetry is alive and well. The social justice poetry in America right now is just sizzling. The times are right for it. It’s exciting to read poetry and to write poetry these days.

7.1. Why Leonard Cohen?

Leonard Cohen is the finest. His poems are so relatable and understandable, yet they are not simple in the least bit. He references a LOT. He tells us that we as humans encompass everything. And he says that with sadness and with hilarity. I know I’m speaking of Mr. Cohen in the present tense but he lives on, he’s the Master. I’ve written three poems that he appears in and two of them are especially dear to me; I’m grateful that he shows up. Anyone reading this – go read Leonard Cohen! And listen to him as well. The songs, the voice. . .

8. Why do you write, as opposed to doing anything else?

Writing is the thing I do best, creative-wise. I wish I could paint or play an instrument or sing (I sing with gusto but not well). So I write.

9. What would you say to someone who asked you “How do you become a writer?”

I would advise to Read, Write and Revise. How can you write if you don’t have a love of reading? And when you write, revise! Just a little revision goes a long way.

10. Tell me about the writing projects you have on at the moment.

Poems are always percolating in my mind but the writing projects I have in my life right now are really about other poets. I maintain and curate a poetry box in my front yard where I display the work of living guest poets, dead poets, as well as songs, art, etc. My poetry box is called The Fox Poetry Box. Passer-bys happen upon it during walks; it’s a concrete and organic small literary billboard. And it has an electronic life as well – the box has its own Facebook page. In conjunction with The Fox Poetry Box, I created The Tom Park Poetry Prize which was just announced. It’s named for a most marvelous cat that my husband and I had the privilege of knowing for a year and a half before he recently passed on. Tom Park was, as I wrote in the prize announcement, a profile in Courage, Character and Compassion. Entries are open until April 15th. Long live Tom Park! And poetry!

Wombwell Rainbow Interviews: Tricia Marcella Cimera Wombwell Rainbow Interviews I am honoured and privileged that the following writers local, national and international have agreed to be interviewed by me. 1,650 more words

0 notes

mrsteveecook · 5 years

Text

8 Writing Tips for Beginners

Welcome to the wonderful world of writing!

However young or old you are, writing can be so rewarding. For some writers, it’s a fun hobby and a creative outlet; for others, it’s a dream career. When you’re just getting started, you might feel excited but also a little daunted – where should you begin? What do you need to know and learn?

The great thing about writing is that whatever stage you’re at, you can keep growing your skills and honing your craft. This applies whether you’re a total beginner or a best-selling author: there’s always something new to learn or try.

In your early months (or even years) as a writer, these eight tips should help you on your way

Tip #1: Try Lots of Different Types of Writing

When you’re just starting out, you might not know what you want to write – you just want to write! Or, you might have a firm idea of the type of writing you’d like to do (maybe you want to be a novelist or a poet, for instance).

As a beginner, you’re in a great position to try out lots of different types of writing, without needing to commit to one in particular: no-one’s (yet!) demanding your next book. So have a go at a wide range of genres and styles – you might surprise yourself with what you enjoy. I never set out to be a freelancer (my writing dreams were all about being a novelist) … but ten years into freelancing, I still love it, and I’ve written and published three novels too.

Tip #2: Read Some Good Writing Blogs or Books … But Not Too Many

There are some brilliant books and blogs out there that’ll teach you the basics of writing (and much more): Daily Writing Tips is a great place to begin, of course! For fiction-writers, I always recommend K.M. Weiland’s blog Helping Writers Become Authors, and Nigel Watts’ book Get Started in … Writing a Novel; for non-fiction writers, the Copyblogger blog is a great read, as is Joanna Penn’s book How to Write Non-Fiction.

One trap that beginner writers sometimes fall into, though, is that they read and read, trying to learn everything there is to know about writing – but they don’t actually write! So don’t get too caught up in reading: make sure you’re also setting aside time to try out writing exercises, or to develop your own ideas.

Tip #3: Start With Small Projects, Not Book-Length Works

If you’ve never written much before, launching straight into a novel probably won’t work: either you’ll run out of steam within a few chapters, or you’ll keep writing but you’ll end up with a story that needs an awful lot of work to make it publishable.

It’s better to hone your skills on smaller projects first: think short stories if you’re a fiction-writer, or short articles or blog posts if you’re a non-fiction writer. These can be a great way to explore potential ideas and topics without committing to a book-length work straight away.

Tip #4: Write Regularly So You Don’t Lose Momentum

Some writers think you should write every day: personally, I don’t think that’s very good advice. Maybe your weekdays are very busy, because you work long hours, but your weekends are clear. Or perhaps it’s the other way round: you have some time during the week while your kids are at school, but your weekends are packed with activities.

It’s fine to set a writing schedule that suits you and your life … but do make sure you’re allowing yourself time to write on a regular basis. If weeks go by without you writing anything, you’ll inevitably lose momentum. Writing at least once a week works for most people. For those who need extra help fighting procrastination, this post has many tips to beat writer’s block.

Tip #5: Use Clear, Straightforward Words

While I’m a huge fan of words, and love the sound of some more unusual ones (eclectic is one of my favourites!) … I think that as a writer, it’s normally best to keep things simple. Even if, in school, you got extra marks for showing off your impressive vocabulary, readers frankly don’t care!

You should, of course, use the word that best fits what you mean: sometimes a precise, technical word is the best choice, even if it isn’t the simplest. But in general, keep George Orwell’s advice in mind: “Never use a long word where a short one will do,” and “Never use a foreign phrase, a scientific word, or a jargon word if you can think of an everyday English equivalent.”

Needless to say that you should use clear, correct English as well. Using a spellchecker is not enough. Proofreading and editing is essential to produce quality prose.

Tip #6: (Fiction Writers) Don’t Mix Past and Present Tense

This can sometimes be tricky to get to grips with when you’re new to writing: but if you’re writing piece of fiction, you need to choose between past and present tense.

You can tell the story as though it’s already happened:

John hurried down the street. Sue ran after him, furious. “John!” she shouted. “Come back here!”

Alternatively, you can tell the story as if it’s currently happening:

John hurries down the street. Sue runs after him, furious. “John!” she shouts. “Come back here!”

What you can’t do is mix past and present:

John hurried down the street. Sue runs after him, furious…

Sometimes, there’s a place for switching from past to present tense or vice versa – but be careful that you don’t switch accidentally.

Tip #7: (Fiction Writers) Don’t Use the Same Word Too Often

If you use the same word repeatedly within a short space of time, it can start to stand out for the reader and become a distraction from your writing. This is particularly true of unusual words (I read a novel recently by an author with a particular liking for the word “stolid”).

Here’s an example:

John locked the door before opening the letter. He could hear Sue moving around in the kitchen, just outside the door. As he drew the letter from the envelope, there was a knock on the door. “John? What are you doing in there? Open the door!”

The word “door” appears four times in that paragraph, and there’s a danger of it having a slightly comic effect.

Some words are fine to repeat as often as you like, however: little ones like “a”, “the”, “and”, “he”, “she and so on. With character names, too, it’s best to just pick something to call them and stick with it. So don’t try to remove all repeated words – but do keep an eye out for words or phrases that you tend to over-use.

Tip #8: (Fiction Writers) Stick to One Character’s Perspective at a Time

Even if you’re writing in the third-person rather than the first-person, it’s a good idea to stick to just one character’s perspective in any given scene or passage – this is called “third-person limited” or sometimes “deep POV” and contrasts with the “third-person omniscient” viewpoint that’s typical of classic 19th century literature.

Readers expect this close third-person perspective, and it allows you to give the thoughts and viewpoint of one character at a time – helping the reader to identify with that person and to really understand them.

—

Beyond all these tips, though, there’s one thing I want to leave you with: the fact that no-one is born able to write. You may not yet have the skills you want as a writer … but you can develop those skills.

A year or so ago, my five-year-old daughter could only write a few words (and often got her letters backwards); now, it’s fascinating to watch her fledgling attempts at writing stories, messages, and even puzzles. Just like her, you could look back a year from now and be surprised at how far you’ve come.

Wherever you are right now with your writing, keep on working at it, keep enjoying it, and keep finding new things to learn as you go along. Good luck!

Our Cyber Monday offer is live! Get our premium subscription for $29 per year, equivalent to just $2.40 per month! Click here to try it free for 15 days.

Publish your book with our partner InstantPublisher.com! Professionally printed in as few as 7 days.

Original post: 8 Writing Tips for Beginners from Daily Writing Tips https://ift.tt/2PZUD6Z

0 notes

bern33chaser · 5 years

Text

8 Writing Tips for Beginners

Welcome to the wonderful world of writing!

In your early months (or even years) as a writer, these eight tips should help you on your way

Tip #1: Try Lots of Different Types of Writing

Tip #2: Read Some Good Writing Blogs or Books … But Not Too Many

Tip #3: Start With Small Projects, Not Book-Length Works

Tip #4: Write Regularly So You Don’t Lose Momentum

Tip #5: Use Clear, Straightforward Words

Needless to say that you should use clear, correct English as well. Using a spellchecker is not enough. Proofreading and editing is essential to produce quality prose.

Tip #6: (Fiction Writers) Don’t Mix Past and Present Tense

This can sometimes be tricky to get to grips with when you’re new to writing: but if you’re writing piece of fiction, you need to choose between past and present tense.

You can tell the story as though it’s already happened:

John hurried down the street. Sue ran after him, furious. “John!” she shouted. “Come back here!”

Alternatively, you can tell the story as if it’s currently happening:

John hurries down the street. Sue runs after him, furious. “John!” she shouts. “Come back here!”

What you can’t do is mix past and present:

John hurried down the street. Sue runs after him, furious…

Sometimes, there’s a place for switching from past to present tense or vice versa – but be careful that you don’t switch accidentally.

Tip #7: (Fiction Writers) Don’t Use the Same Word Too Often

Here’s an example:

The word “door” appears four times in that paragraph, and there’s a danger of it having a slightly comic effect.

Tip #8: (Fiction Writers) Stick to One Character’s Perspective at a Time

—

Wherever you are right now with your writing, keep on working at it, keep enjoying it, and keep finding new things to learn as you go along. Good luck!

Our Cyber Monday offer is live! Get our premium subscription for $29 per year, equivalent to just $2.40 per month! Click here to try it free for 15 days.

Publish your book with our partner InstantPublisher.com! Professionally printed in as few as 7 days.

Original post: 8 Writing Tips for Beginners from Daily Writing Tips https://www.dailywritingtips.com/writing-tips-beginners/

0 notes

janeaddamspeace · 6 years

Text

In Washington DC: disrupting the notion of what public education and what black boys can do and be #JACBA Newsletter 2Feb2018

These kids started a book club for minority boys. It's the most popular club in school.

The club dates back to December, when a fifth-grader complained one morning that his lackluster results on a citywide English exam didn't reflect his true reading abilities.

The principal, Mary Ann Stinson, placed a book she had lying around - "Bad Boy: A Memoir," by Walter Dean Myers - in his hands and told him to start reading.

The boys quickly became engrossed in the 2001 book about Myers's childhood in New York's Harlem.

The club's sponsor and the boys meet once or twice a week at 8:15 a.m. - a half-hour before the first bell rings - and use the book to launch into conversations about their own experiences with race, identity and adolescence.

"It's a blessing to be in this predicament, to have kids who are becoming ravenous readers," Redmond said. "We're disrupting the notion of what public education can be and what little black boys can do and be."

Now Is Your Time! The African-American Struggle for Freedom by Walter Dean Myers 1992 Awardee

Patrol: An American Soldier in Vietnam by Walter Dean Myers 2003 Awardee

'Monster' Review: Powerful Crime Drama Finds the Intersection of Race, Justice, and Storytelling [Sundance]

Ever since its publication in 1999, author Walter Dean Myers' award-winning novel Monster has be a favorite among young adults, providing them a glimpse into the world of Steve Harmon, a black teenager whose life is thrown into chaos when he is arrested and put on trial for taking part in a robbery gone wrong, resulting in the death of a Harlem bodega owner. The film adaptation from music video veteran and first-time filmmaker Anthony Madler is an ambitious, complex, and layered look at how the court system in America is virtually designed to keep defendants like Steve from every getting a chance at actual justice.

'Monster' Director Seeks To Explore The Larger Question Of How One Moment Can Define Your Life - Sundance Studio

"To crystalize the lens and look at mass incarceration and criminal justice and the ways our laws were written, as well as this incredible journey of a young artist," said Mandler on his decision to take on the project. "Watching this kid from a great family goes to a great school seek out his take on the world and how that curiosity leads him to a place where he now has to defend his life against what happened, I was attracted to it on all those different levels."

New Kids' and YA Books: Week of January 29, 2018

The Journey of Little Charlie by Christopher Paul Curtis. Scholastic Press, $16.99; ISBN 978-0-545-15666-0. Echoing themes found in Curtis's Newbery Honor-winning Elijah of Buxton, this tense novel set in 1858 provides a very different perspective on the business of catching runaway slaves. The book earned a starred review from PW.

No Truth Without Ruth: The Life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg by Kathleen Krull, illus. by Nancy Zhang. Harper, $17.99; ISBN 978-0-06-256011-7. In this addition to the growing body of Ruth Bader Ginsburg literature for children, Krull offers a detailed account of the Supreme Court justice's intellectual and professional development.

Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis 2008 Awardee

The Watsons Go to Birmingham - 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis 1996 Awardee

Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez, written by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Yuyi Morales 2004 Awardee

Wilma Unlimited, written by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by David Diaz 1997 Awardee

Native American storytellers to perform at Morris

Morris Central School will present a "family-friendly" presentation by Native American author, musician, and storyteller Joseph Bruchac and his son, Jesse Bruchac, at 7 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 15 in the school auditorium.

The Heart of a Chief by Joseph Bruchac 1999 Awardee

Bonnier Publishing USA's Five Pillars of Positive Children's Books

Bonnier Publishing USA has developed five pillars to guide its children's imprints in publishing books that have a positive impact on kids and teens

During an all-hands planning meeting this past fall, the children's team at Bonnier Publishing USA realized they'd hit a critical point. Their titles were coalescing around five themes, which they dubbed their "five pillars": acceptance, anti-bullying, awareness, diversity, and empowerment. According to Sonali Fry, publisher of the children's book group, "while we had already been publishing books connected to some of these themes," such as Freedom in Congo Square by Carole Boston Weatherford and R. Gregory Christie, which received a 2017 Caldecott Medal and a Coretta Scott King Honor, "we wanted to refocus our lists so that we hit every one of them."

"We feel that now, more than ever, it's important to give kids stories that reflect the world they live in and encourage them to imagine how they could make it better," says Fry. While, she says, the kids' team doesn't limit its acquisitions to books focused on one of the pillars, "there's often a natural connection to at least one. These themes unite the types of books we're passionate about, which helps shape our lists and, in turn, define who we are as a publisher," she says.

The Book Itch: Freedom, Truth & Harlem's Greatest Bookstore by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson, illustrated by R. Gregory Christie 2016 Awardee

Birmingham, 1963 by Carole Boston Weatherford 2008 Awardee

Greenwich Academy quilts its commitment to MLK's message

The colorful quilt squares are inked with words like unity, resilience, trust, hope and harmony. Crafted by the Greenwich Academy student body and staff, they are a patchwork representation of Martin Luther King Jr.'s message of equality and inclusion.

"In order to memorialize the 50th anniversary of Martin Luther King's assassination, each advisory was asked to create a square for the quilt," said senior Elisha Osemobor. "This quilt represents our dedication as a school to follow the principles and behaviors of the beloved community in our everyday lives."

Greenwich Academy's quilt was inspired by the work of African-American artist Faith Ringgold who combined images and text in "story quilts," among other projects. An outspoken civil rights supporter, she demonstrated against the exclusion of black and female artists by New York's Whitney Museum of American Art and the Museum of Modern Art from 1968 to 1970. Her work was later shown at the Whitney, the Museum of Modern Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York.

Aunt Harriet's Underground Railroad in the Sky by Faith Ringgold 1993 Awardee

Children, Culture, Community: Muskegon Museum of Art celebrates diversity with a variety of events this winter

This year, the museum's annual children's book illustrator exhibition highlights a Hispanic artist and Native American author. Thunder Boy, Jr.: Illustrations by Yuyi Morales runs through May 20 and includes illustrations and sketches by Yuyi Morales for Sherman Alexie's children's book.

Morales herself has an inspiring story. Although she loved drawing as a child, she wasn't a trained artist and studied physical education in Mexico, later working as a swim coach. She moved to America in 1994 with her husband and young son and felt isolated and alone without a job or friend, barely knowing English.

That all changed when she discovered children's picture books in a San Francisco area public library, learning English by also reading the books to her son. Inspired by the vivid colors and visual stories, Morales took up painting and enrolled in a class on writing for children.

Morales since has written several original stories, including Viva Frida, which received the 2015 Pura Belpre Medal for illustration, as well as the 2015 Caldecott Award Honor.

Harvesting Hope: The Story of Cesar Chavez, written by Kathleen Krull, illustrated by Yuyi Morales 2004 Awardee

This Is Just To Say: Naomi Shibab Nye

In this edition of This Is Just To Say, poet and novelist Carrie Fountain talks with Palestinian-American poet Naomi Shihab Nye.

Nye reads her poem "Burning the Old Year," and they continue to explore the idea of what we take with us and what we leave behind as we enter 2018 through W.S. Merwin's To the Mistakes.

Habibi by Naomi Shihab Nye 1998 Awardee

Sitti's Secrets by Naomi Shihab Nye, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter 1995 Awardee

Governor's reply to student's letter is lost opportunity

Hope Osgood, a 16-year-old High School student, wrote to Maine Gov. Paul LePage to express her concern about the negative impact the pending repeal of internet "net neutrality" rules could have on her schoolwork. His response: "Hope. Pick up a book and read!"

The episode calls to mind a famous letter exchange between the Soviet leader Yuri Andropov and a Maine school child, Samantha Smith. Andropov, who became General Secretary of the Communist Party (in effect, leader of the Soviet Union) on Nov. 10, 1982, was hardly a gentle or sentimental man.

In November 1982, Samantha, then a 10-year-old elementary school student living in Manchester, Maine, wrote a famous letter to Andropov in which she expressed, with child-like sincerity and naiveté, her concern about the risk of nuclear war between the U.S. and U.S.S.R. during the Reagan era.

Samantha's visit inspired other exchanges of child goodwill ambassadors and may even have signaled the start of a thaw in U.S.-Soviet relations.

It is ironic that the remarkable achievements of Samantha's short life were inspired by the words of a political leader who had neither experience in nor sympathy for democracy. If Andropov could react appropriately to Samantha Smith, why couldn't a democratically elected governor do at least as well with Hope Osgood?

Journey to the Soviet Union by Samantha Smith 1986 Awardee

Pam Muñoz Ryan To Receive The 2018 Anne V. Zarrow Award For Young Readers' Literature

New York Times best-selling author Pam Muñoz Ryan is the winner of the Tulsa Library Trust's 2018 Anne V. Zarrow Award for Young Readers' Literature.

Ryan is being recognized for writing more than 40 books to inspire imaginations, dreams and pride in all ages. From picture books, early readers and young adult novels, her writing encourages cultural awareness and the importance of believing in yourself.

Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan 2001 Awardee

Orion Children's to publish Ghost Boys

American author Jewell Parker Rhodes has signed her first UK publishing deal with Orion Children's Books, part of the Hachette Children's Group (HCG).

Ghost Boys is about a black boy who is killed by a white police officer. After his death, Jerome comes back to his neighbourhood as a ghost, where he starts to notice all the other ghost boys.

Sugar by Jewell Parker Rhodes 2014 Awardee

The Ninth Ward by Jewell Parker Rhodes 2011 Awardee

Metro Theater Company And Jazz St. Louis present BUD NOT BUDDY

Based on the Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award winning book by Christopher Paul Curtis

Written by award-winning playwright Kirsten Greenidge and based on the Newbery Medal and Coretta Scott King Award winning book by Christopher Paul Curtis, with a exhilarating score by five-time Grammy-winning jazz legend Terence Blanchard, "Bud, Not Buddy" follows 10-year-old Bud as he sets off on a journey to find his father who he believes is leading a traveling jazz band.

More Than Movies: Blues and books featured at the Dietrich Theater

This year we are thrilled that acclaimed children's author Susan Campbell Bartoletti, who wrote "The Boy Who Dared," made time in her busy schedule to speak to students at our middle school in two assemblies. She also met with a group of interested student writers for two writing workshops. Any adult would have benefited from her two-hour workshops, which she made so engaging for students that the time sped by.

How fortunate we are that Susan Campbell, publisher of 20 books for children, Newbery Honor Book author, shared her stories and writing secrets with 300 Tunkhannock middle school students. Thank you Rotary Club of Tunkhannock, Walmart, and Claverack for making this extraordinary experience possible.

Writer inspires students in craft

Susan Campbell Bartoletti offers one important piece of advice to those interested in writing.

Read.

"Only a reader can become a writer," Bartoletti explained to 30 sixth and eighth grade students at Tunkhannock Area Middle School on Thursday.

Bartoletti is the featured writer this year at the 'Reader Meets Writer' program, a joint effort between the school district and the Dietrich Theater.

Kids on Strike! by Susan Campbell Bartoletti 2000 Awardee

Growing Up In Coal County by Susan Campbell Bartoletti 1997 Awardee

Film based on Simcoe author's book gets Oscar nod

The Breadwinner, an animated movie based on the book by Simcoe author Deborah Ellis, has been nominated for an Academy Award.

Nominations for the 90th annual Oscars were announced Tuesday morning, with The Breadwinner getting the nod in the animated feature category.

"You always hope for the good things and today it happened," Ellis said in a phone interview.

Ellis, who was appointed to the Order of Canada in 2016, won't travel to Los Angeles for the March 4 event. In February of last year, Ellis announced publicly she would not travel south of the 49th after the U.S. government attempted to implement sanctions to restrict immigrants from predominantly Muslim nations.

Oscar-nominated film 'The Breadwinner' depicts daily danger in Afghanistan

It's a delicate balancing act, bringing something like Canadian author Deborah Ellis's novel - published in 2000 - to the big screen.

While aimed at children, the story directly confronts the misogyny and chauvinism of contemporary Afghanistan.

It may sound a little much for a children's story but then perhaps that's underestimating the book's youthful audience. Saara Chaudry, the 13 year-old Canadian actress who voices Parvana, says it was "shocking" when she first read Ellis's book and its two follow-ups. "I was ignorant," she says. "Living in a First World country, I didn't know. Having read the books and seen these different stories, it opened my eyes to a whole new world that I never really knew."

Impressively, the team behind the film produced an online study guide, at www.thebreadwinner.com to complement the film. "If young people watch a film like The Breadwinner, they can start to explore answers," says Twomey. "For me, the whole thing is about education. It's not about easy answers ... anything we can do to have young adults ask questions and understand the complexity of places like Afghanistan [is a good thing]."

Oscars 2018: Nearly every animated feature nominee spotlights women. Finally.

IN THE entire first decade of the Oscars' animated feature category, which launched in 2001, only one woman - "Persepolis" creator Marjane Satrapi - received a nomination.

It's a measure of just how much has changed that on Tuesday, women received nods for four of the five animated feature nominees.

"We're delighted that Nora is in the limelight this year, of course," "Breadwinner" producer Tomm Moore, a two-time Oscars nominee, tells The Washington Post's Comic Riffs on Tuesday morning, "as well as her talented screenwriter Anita Doron and indeed, the book's author, Deborah Ellis, and our executive producer Angelina Jolie.

The Heaven Shop by Deborah Ellis 2005 Awardee

The Breadwinner Trilogy, three books by Deborah Ellis 2004 Awardee

Parvana's Journey by Deborah Ellis 2003 Awardee

LitWorld And Scholastic Announce World Read Aloud Day 2018 And A Special Collaboration With Harry Potter Book Night

On February 1, children, families, and educators around the globe will celebrate World Read Aloud Day with classroom and community events, an author video series, a U.S. educator sweepstakes, and a Facebook Live

In an ongoing effort to encourage reading aloud to kids of all ages, the global literacy non-profit LitWorld and title sponsor Scholastic, the global children's publishing, education, and media company, today announced February 1, 2018 as this year's World Read Aloud Day, an advocacy day that calls attention to the importance of reading aloud and sharing stories.

Scholastic has created a video series harnessing LitWorld's 7 Strengths, as featured in Pam Allyn and Ernest Morrell's professional book Every Child a Super Reader. Each week leading up to World Read Aloud Day, we will share one video featuring a Scholastic author and/or literacy expert who will share their favorite read aloud book that highlights one of the 7 Strengths-Belonging, Kindness, Curiosity, Friendship, Confidence, Courage, and Hope.

Authors and literacy experts include: Andrea Davis Pinkney (author and Coretta Scott King Award-winner), Pam Muñoz Ryan (author and Newbery Honor-winner), and more!

Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down by Andrea Davis Pinkney, illustrated by Brian Pinkney 2011 Awardee

Sojourner Truth's Step-Stomp Stride, by Andrea Davis Pinkney & Brian Pinkney 2010 Awardee

---

The Jane Addams Children's Book Award annually recognizes children's books of literary and aesthetic excellence that effectively engage children in thinking about peace, social justice, global community, and equity for all people.