#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Born a Girl: It Takes Courage

Posted on by Nanette McGuinness
a cluster of five girls of different ethnicities against a reddish-orange backgraound with green, purple, and orange leaves around them and white lettering for the title and subtitle in the upper left corner

Equal parts Our Bodies, Ourselves, Margaret Mead, and biology/history explainer, Born a Girl: It Takes Courage is an approachable feminist manifesto for today's teens that embraces difficult topics. Organized around the fictionalized stories of five teenage girls---one each from Nepal, France, Afghanistan, Kenya, and Mexico---this nonfiction YA illustrated book lays out a frank, sympathetic description … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Born a Girl: It Takes Courage

#INTYALITMONTH: Brazilian YA: An Exploration of a Postcolonial Literary Tradition by and for the Diaspora

Posted on by katieday

By Allan Pinto & Kim Tyo-Dickerson Introduction to a Queer, Black Brazilian Reading Life by Allan Pinto During my time in middle and high school, I can barely remember Black authors being mentioned in the annual book lists given out by the school. Many Black and queer authors used to be called “autores malditos” or … Continue reading #INTYALITMONTH: Brazilian YA: An Exploration of a Postcolonial Literary Tradition by and for the Diaspora

#INTYALITMONTH: Wangarĩ Maathai

Posted on by katieday

Written by Habel Amolo Green Environment Through Reading Advocacy I am excited to share with you today the story of Professor Wangarĩ Maathai, a Kenyan Nobel Laureate who was passionate about preserving our environment, leading to her starting an environmental movement called the "Greenbelt Movement”. Wangarĩ authored several important books which showcase her big WHY … Continue reading #INTYALITMONTH: Wangarĩ Maathai

#INTYALITMONTH: West African YA – Two Coming-of-Age Stories

Posted on by katieday

Written by Annie Harris I’ve spent most of my career exploring children’s literature and finding ways to connect my students to stories.  However, over the last ten years, I’ve had a shift in my overall understanding of how and why students connect.  Growing as both an educator and a person, I’ve realized the importance of … Continue reading #INTYALITMONTH: West African YA – Two Coming-of-Age Stories

#INTYALITMONTH: Black Vampires Meet Dark Academia in Tigest Girma’s “Immortal Dark”

Posted on by katieday

Written by Kim Tyo-Dickerson In a world where East African vampires are bound by human bloodlines and ancient legacies, one Ethiopian young woman dares to challenge the deepening darkness surrounding her to find her missing sister. Nineteen-year-old Kidan Adane and her twin sister June were never supposed to return to the arcane world of their … Continue reading #INTYALITMONTH: Black Vampires Meet Dark Academia in Tigest Girma’s “Immortal Dark”

#WorldKidLit Wednesday: Mayowa and the Masquerades

Posted on by Planet Picture Book

Mayowa wants to stay in the city and play computer games rather than visit his grandmother in another town. But he doesn’t stay in a bad mood for long! Especially when his new friend Denuyi takes him on a tour of the neighborhood. In Mayowa and the Masquerades, the two boys share in simple wonders: … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Mayowa and the Masquerades

#EndangeredAlphabets: Succeed at Your Peril

Posted on by endangeredalphabets

Topographic map in the Bamum script from early 20th-century Cameroon. Image courtesy of the Incunabula Library. Creating a new script for an indigenous people during a colonial era is a two-edged sword. The desire to claim and assert one’s cultural identity may provide the driving force that sustains an author through the long, hard work … Continue reading #EndangeredAlphabets: Succeed at Your Peril

#EndangeredAlphabets: Trotting Out Camels

Posted on by endangeredalphabets

“Save our language” in the Zaghawa language and the Beria script, in which each letter resembles a camel branding symbol. Carved by the author. Right, let’s get this month going. Let’s head out into the fascinating world of Indigenous and minority scripts. And let’s start by talking about camels. I’m trotting out camels, so to … Continue reading #EndangeredAlphabets: Trotting Out Camels

A Summary of Titles to Inspire Your #Veganuary

Posted on by fulanivegan

It may be the end of Veganuary but that doesn't mean your vegan journey needs to end here! I hope everyone that has followed along has enjoyed the posts and perhaps found some time to start reading some of these recommendations. Veganism is a social justice movement focused on achieving total liberation for non-human animals … Continue reading A Summary of Titles to Inspire Your #Veganuary

#Veganuary: Fevered Planet

Posted on by fulanivegan

How Diseases Emerge When We Harm Nature by John Vidal Once you have read In The Company of Men by Véronique Tadjo, a great way to continue is by reading Fevered Planet, an in-depth look at what happens to human health when we destroy nature. Long considered separate issues, human health, wildlife health and the … Continue reading #Veganuary: Fevered Planet