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Omar Castaneda
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From: Ginny Kruse <gmkruse>
Date: Sat, 18 Jan 1997 11:58:00 -600
Although CCBC-NET does not have a goal of reporting every sad or tragic event affecting the children's and young adult literature community, sometimes we feel we must share news of this nature.
Last week we learned that author Omar Castaneda died as the result of an accident. Mr. Castaneda's published books for young adults to date are Among the Volcanoes (Lodestar/Dutton, 1991) and Imagining Isabel (Lodestar/Dutton, 1994). His published picture book text Abuela's Weave (Lee & Low, 1993) is also available in Spanish: El Tapiz de Abuela (Lee & Low, 1993). His literary works for adults are highly regarded, and he was widely published as a free lance writer. Mr. Castaneda's death is a great loss to his family and personal friends and to his academic and professional colleagues, as well. His books for young readers are admired for many reasons. Mr. Castaneda was able to share some of his insights into the complex cultural conflicts in today's Guatemala in ways young people can understand. Although Abuela's Weave is incorrectly listed as Esperanza's Weave in the reference book Something about the Author: Vol. 71 (Gale, 1993), I am confident that Mr. Castaneda was not misquoted in this statement excerpted from SATA 71, pp.43-4:
"If there is anything overridingly important to my writing it is
my bicultural background. My most important themes include the
clash of cultures, how people create their identity out of the
turmoil when traditions and new worldviews collide. I think of
myself as active in bringing to light the struggles of ethnic
and minority issues within American and global society. I count
myself a feminist, an activist for those who are struggling to
break the sometimes oppressive weight of history and find just a
little space for themselves where they might have dignity and
voice. I am mostly an adult fiction writer, but I see
children's literature as vitally important...I like to think
that children are sometimes the most open and flexible readers.
I can see young people able to entertain ideas and a newness
that too often frightens adults because it might threaten their
vision of normalcy...my theme of creating identity is
particularly relevant to children and young adults. It is the
essence of their lives: trying to judge what of their
'traditions' are worth keeping and yet trying to formulate for
themselves something quite new..." Last April Kathleen Horning and I had opportunities to be with Omar Castaneda informally as well as to hear him speak at a Milwaukee conference organized by Julie Kline & her colleagues. All there were just beginning to know Omar; he was friendly, witty, compassionate, political and intellectual offstage as well as in public. As long as young people are encouraged to discover Omar Castaneda's books, his works can make a substantial difference within a world in great need of hearing his stories about the Guatemalan people for whom he can such great empathy and concern. Perhaps you have experience or information to share with the CCBC-NET community about young readers and one or more of Mr. Castaneda's books. Please do...
Some of you are thinking about the previously announced United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) program meeting (ALA, Washington, D.C., 2/14, Grand Hyatt-Constitution A, 8:00pm) at which Omar Castaneda was to be a speaker. Although we await a formal announcement from Program Chair Caroline Ward who could not be reached during her vacation last week, I can assure you that substantial plans are in progress to provide an outstanding event. Save the date and time for that program meeting still scheduled with author/photographer Susan Kuklin, and more.
Comments are welcome about books by Omar Castaneda, books by Lois Lowry and about the outcomes of your regional awards discussions. Sincerely, Ginny
**************************************************** Ginny Moore Kruse (gmkruse at ccbc.soemadison.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) A Library of the School of Education 4290 Helen C. White Hall, 600 N. Park St. University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WI 53706 USA
Received on Sat 18 Jan 1997 11:58:00 AM CST
Date: Sat, 18 Jan 1997 11:58:00 -600
Although CCBC-NET does not have a goal of reporting every sad or tragic event affecting the children's and young adult literature community, sometimes we feel we must share news of this nature.
Last week we learned that author Omar Castaneda died as the result of an accident. Mr. Castaneda's published books for young adults to date are Among the Volcanoes (Lodestar/Dutton, 1991) and Imagining Isabel (Lodestar/Dutton, 1994). His published picture book text Abuela's Weave (Lee & Low, 1993) is also available in Spanish: El Tapiz de Abuela (Lee & Low, 1993). His literary works for adults are highly regarded, and he was widely published as a free lance writer. Mr. Castaneda's death is a great loss to his family and personal friends and to his academic and professional colleagues, as well. His books for young readers are admired for many reasons. Mr. Castaneda was able to share some of his insights into the complex cultural conflicts in today's Guatemala in ways young people can understand. Although Abuela's Weave is incorrectly listed as Esperanza's Weave in the reference book Something about the Author: Vol. 71 (Gale, 1993), I am confident that Mr. Castaneda was not misquoted in this statement excerpted from SATA 71, pp.43-4:
"If there is anything overridingly important to my writing it is
my bicultural background. My most important themes include the
clash of cultures, how people create their identity out of the
turmoil when traditions and new worldviews collide. I think of
myself as active in bringing to light the struggles of ethnic
and minority issues within American and global society. I count
myself a feminist, an activist for those who are struggling to
break the sometimes oppressive weight of history and find just a
little space for themselves where they might have dignity and
voice. I am mostly an adult fiction writer, but I see
children's literature as vitally important...I like to think
that children are sometimes the most open and flexible readers.
I can see young people able to entertain ideas and a newness
that too often frightens adults because it might threaten their
vision of normalcy...my theme of creating identity is
particularly relevant to children and young adults. It is the
essence of their lives: trying to judge what of their
'traditions' are worth keeping and yet trying to formulate for
themselves something quite new..." Last April Kathleen Horning and I had opportunities to be with Omar Castaneda informally as well as to hear him speak at a Milwaukee conference organized by Julie Kline & her colleagues. All there were just beginning to know Omar; he was friendly, witty, compassionate, political and intellectual offstage as well as in public. As long as young people are encouraged to discover Omar Castaneda's books, his works can make a substantial difference within a world in great need of hearing his stories about the Guatemalan people for whom he can such great empathy and concern. Perhaps you have experience or information to share with the CCBC-NET community about young readers and one or more of Mr. Castaneda's books. Please do...
Some of you are thinking about the previously announced United States Board on Books for Young People (USBBY) program meeting (ALA, Washington, D.C., 2/14, Grand Hyatt-Constitution A, 8:00pm) at which Omar Castaneda was to be a speaker. Although we await a formal announcement from Program Chair Caroline Ward who could not be reached during her vacation last week, I can assure you that substantial plans are in progress to provide an outstanding event. Save the date and time for that program meeting still scheduled with author/photographer Susan Kuklin, and more.
Comments are welcome about books by Omar Castaneda, books by Lois Lowry and about the outcomes of your regional awards discussions. Sincerely, Ginny
**************************************************** Ginny Moore Kruse (gmkruse at ccbc.soemadison.wisc.edu) Cooperative Children's Book Center (CCBC) A Library of the School of Education 4290 Helen C. White Hall, 600 N. Park St. University of Wisconsin - Madison Madison, WI 53706 USA
Received on Sat 18 Jan 1997 11:58:00 AM CST
