Akemi Dawn Bowman’s first two books dealt with abuse and grief, so for her third book (HARLEY IN THE SKY), she wanted to write about something lighter—a teenage aerial performer joining the circus. Read Karis Rogerson’s full profile of Bowman’s latest for the WNDB blog!
(Source: diversebooks.org)
"THE ORACLE CODE is an unapologetically disabled story… The vast majority of the cast of characters is disabled. It’s a story that doesn’t just explore disability but celebrates it too."-
Marieke Nijkamp on their graphic novel THE ORACLE CODE. Read our Q&A with them on our blog!
(Source: diversebooks.org)
Attention teachers, librarians and literacy advocates! From March 9-20, 2020, WNDB will be accepting applications to award ten mini-grants of $250 each for schools, libraries and other educational institutions within the United States to celebrate Children’s Day, Book Day.
(Source: docs.google.com)
The San Diego Union Tribune interviewed WNDB executive director Nicole Johnson on the diversity gap in publishing & the importance of representation. “Inclusive reading allows readers of all ages to share the emotions & aspirations of cultural groups other than their own.”
(Source: sandiegouniontribune.com)
Congratulations to the 2020 We Need Diverse Books Mentees! This year’s winners include Cynthia Harmony (PB), Valerie Bolling (PB), Eloise Greenfield (PB), Kesha Grant (MG), Lily Quan (MG), Nadine Pinede (YA), Sara Loch (YA), Mary Stewart Lyda (YA), Donald Sutton (@donskreation, Illustration), and Thuỳ cốm (Illustration).
(Source: diversebooks.org)
Ready for cooler weather and more diverse books? We’re excited to announce that brand new WNDB & Scholastic Book Club flyers are now available, just in time for back-to-school shopping!
(Source: ow.ly)
Our Summer Fundraiser has officially started! Donors will get WNDB swag featuring our special 5th Anniversary design.
Writers: We’re also auctioning off critiques/consultations with agents and editors! New items every week.
Proceeds go directly to programs like our Internship Grants and Mentorship program, which work to increase diversity in both the publishing industry and children’s/YA books.
LAST DAY of our Week 2 Auction! individual links below. You have until 9 pm EST to bid:
Item #1 - Agent Lindsay Auld, Writers House - Partial Critique + Phone Consultation for a MG or YA novel » CURRENT HIGHEST BID: $90
Item #2 - Agent Danielle Chiotti, Upstart Crow Literary - Partial Critique + Phone Consultation for a MG or YA novel » CURRENT HIGHEST BID: $75
Item #3 - Agent Sarah Davies, Greenhouse Literary - Query Critique & Phone Consultation » CURRENT HIGHEST BID: $60
Item #4 - Agent Tina Dubois, ICM Partners - First 10 Pages Critique (Open to all categories & genres! » CURRENT HIGHEST BID: $225
Item #5 - Writers’ Clearinghouse - YA or MG Manuscript Evaluation (Fiction only) » CURRENT HIGHEST BID: $55
Item #6 - Agent Susan Hawk, Upstart Crow Literary - Query Critique (Open to all categories & genres!) » CURRENT HIGHEST BID: $75
Item #7 - Agent Jennifer Laughran, Andrea Brown Literary Agency - Query + PB Manuscript Critique OR Query + First 5 Pages Critique of your MG or YA Novel » CURRENT HIGHEST BID: $225
Item #8 - Agent Monica Odom, Odom Media Management - Phone Consultation to answer your questions about publishing and your project » CURRENT HIGHEST BID: $75
Item #9 - Agent Alexandra Penfold, Upstart Crow Literary - Phone Consultation where you can ask anything about publishing » CURRENT HIGHEST BID: $50
Item #10 - Agent Marietta Zacker, Gallt & Zacker Literary - Portfolio Review for an Illustrator » CURRENT HIGHEST BID: $60
(Source: diversebooks.org)
Our Summer Fundraiser has officially started! Donors will get WNDB swag featuring our special 5th Anniversary design.
Writers: We’re also auctioning off critiques/consultations with agents and editors! New items every week.
Proceeds go directly to programs like our Internship Grants and Mentorship program, which work to increase diversity in both the publishing industry and children’s/YA books.
LAST DAY to bid on the auction items below! You have until 9 pm EST.
(Source: diversebooks.org)
Our Summer Fundraiser has officially started! Donors will get WNDB swag featuring our special 5th Anniversary design.
Writers: We’re also auctioning off critiques/consultations with agents and editors! New items every week.
Proceeds go directly to programs like our Internship Grants and Mentorship program, which work to increase diversity in both the publishing industry and children’s/YA books.
Did you know:
- From 2014 to 2018, books featuring Native characters and characters of color increased to 31% of all children’s/YA books published, a historic high!
BUT:
- only 7% of all books were #OwnVoices Black, Latinx, and Native stories
- statistics on LGBT+ and disabled stories are just beginning to be gathered
We’ve come far, but we still have a ways to go. To that end, our programs are working to increase diversity not only among published authors, but in the industry and in classrooms.
If you can, please consider donating or bidding in our Summer Fundraiser Auction, which will directly fund these programs!
(Statistics courtesy of the CCBC and Lee & Low Books)
(Source: diversebooks.org)
Our Summer Fundraiser has officially started! Donors will get WNDB swag featuring our special 5th Anniversary design.
Writers: We’re also auctioning off critiques/consultations with agents and editors! New items every week.
Proceeds go directly to programs like our Internship Grants and Mentorship program, which work to increase diversity in both the publishing industry and children’s/YA books.
Writers: Have you taken a look at our Summer Fundraiser Auction yet? We’ve got amazing critiques and consults from editors and agents up for bid this week!
Item #1 - The Agents at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency - YA or MG Critique Package (http://ow.ly/Viu450va8Wn)
Item #2 - Agent Lauren Abramo, DGLM - 30-minute Phone Call to ask anything about publishing (http://ow.ly/EPIz50va8Wl)
Item #3 - Writers’ Clearinghouse - YA or MG Manuscript Evaluation (Fiction only) (http://ow.ly/lifJ50va8Qt)
Item #4 - Agent Thao Le, Sandra Dijkstra Literary Agency - Query Critique of a MG manuscript (http://ow.ly/njzU50va8RH)
Item #5 - Agent Steven Malk, Writers House - Full Manuscript Critique of a YA or MG novel (http://ow.ly/C92B50va8Wi)
Item #6 - Editor Melissa Manlove, Chronicle Books - A Picture Book or Chapter Book Critique + a Free Pass to Chronicle’s Editorial Meeting (http://ow.ly/IOCs50va8Wm)
Item #7 - Agent Jennifer Mattson, Andrea Brown Literary Agency - A Picture Book Manuscript Critique (http://ow.ly/HQIM50va8TS)
Item #8 - Kathleen Ortiz, New Leaf Literary & Media - Query Critique for a YA or MG novel + 20-minute follow-up call via Skype to answer any questions you have on publishing (http://ow.ly/rplS50va8Wj)
Item #9 - Agent Ammi-Joan Paquette, Erin Murphy Literary Agency - 1 Query Pass for a YA or MG novel (the agency is otherwise closed to unsolicited submissions) (http://ow.ly/oU8x50va8Wk)
Item #10 - Agent Suzie Townsend, New Leaf Literary & Media - A Query + First 25-Pages Critique of a YA or MG novel (http://ow.ly/DFY550va8Wp)
(Source: diversebooks.org)
Our Summer Fundraiser has officially started! Donors will get WNDB swag featuring our special 5th Anniversary design.
Writers: We’re also auctioning off critiques/consultations with agents and editors! New items every week.
Proceeds go directly to programs like our Internship Grants and Mentorship program, which work to increase diversity in both the publishing industry and children’s/YA books.
(Source: diversebooks.org)
The wait is over! @penguinrandomhouse and @weneeddiversebooks are happy to announce the 2019 Creative Writing Awards winners. Five high school seniors will receive $10,000 each in scholarship funds and a trip to NYC! Congratulations to all the students who shared their voices.
(Source: diversebooks.org)
ANNOUNCEMENT - We are pleased to announce the 2019 WNDB Internship Grant
recipients! Each winner will receive a 2-month travel stipend in
addition to a $2500 grant. Congratulations!!
(Source: ow.ly)
Via Publishers Weekly: “We are all human, but the way we experience the world is not universal.”
What are the goals and challenges specific to publishing imprints that focus on diversity? Nic Stone asked an all-star panel these questions and more at BookCon
(Source: ow.ly)