CCBC-Net Archives
dilution?
- Contemporary messages sorted: [ by date ] [ by subject ] [ by author ]
From: Betty Tisel <tiselfar>
Date: Sun, 31 Oct 1999 15:52:09 -0600
Uma wrote:
Betty writes:
I thought the sense of the discussion was more that a forced increase of titles in any topic area doesn't necessarily increase the number of great books on that particular topic. And that sometimes when a topic becomes popular as a book subject, for either fiction or nonfiction, that there tends to be a rash of books that are rushed into print regardless of quality.
I hope that publishers will be proactive about increasing the diversity of their titles, authors, and topics. Part of inclusiveness means staying open to authors and topics that one might have in the past overlooked. In the past few years, as I peruse books and articles and come across some that I think don't interest me, I intentionally read some of them in order to learn and widen my perspective. I want manuscript-readers to do the same; stay open!
I am a lesbian mom and I want my kids to have more books that show families like ours. It is very frustrating. There have been some books published in the past few years, but lots have that didacticism that turns me off (and my kids too). I am waiting for the revolution: for more great picture books and novels that contain families with lesbian or gay parents, but that aren't focused on the parents' identities. I have watched the evolution of inclusion of people of color in children's books, and it's been slow, and there's a long row to hoe. (This could be a discussion topic in itself: books that have characters of color that are active, fully-dimensional players, vs. books that have a few tinted faces thrown in to provide some kind of "balance".) So I know I need to be patient and I'm thinking I need to write some letters to publishers too.
I have a couple of specific questions about this and am trying to wait till Nov. 1 to ask them since they're off-topic.
thanks for all the food for thought this month.
_at_@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Betty Tisel newsletter producer, board member, email administrator for Rainbow Families
Rainbow Families 310 E. 38th Street Minneapolis, MN 55409
61270f51
rainbows at visi.com
_at_@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Received on Sun 31 Oct 1999 03:52:09 PM CST
Date: Sun, 31 Oct 1999 15:52:09 -0600
Uma wrote:
Betty writes:
I thought the sense of the discussion was more that a forced increase of titles in any topic area doesn't necessarily increase the number of great books on that particular topic. And that sometimes when a topic becomes popular as a book subject, for either fiction or nonfiction, that there tends to be a rash of books that are rushed into print regardless of quality.
I hope that publishers will be proactive about increasing the diversity of their titles, authors, and topics. Part of inclusiveness means staying open to authors and topics that one might have in the past overlooked. In the past few years, as I peruse books and articles and come across some that I think don't interest me, I intentionally read some of them in order to learn and widen my perspective. I want manuscript-readers to do the same; stay open!
I am a lesbian mom and I want my kids to have more books that show families like ours. It is very frustrating. There have been some books published in the past few years, but lots have that didacticism that turns me off (and my kids too). I am waiting for the revolution: for more great picture books and novels that contain families with lesbian or gay parents, but that aren't focused on the parents' identities. I have watched the evolution of inclusion of people of color in children's books, and it's been slow, and there's a long row to hoe. (This could be a discussion topic in itself: books that have characters of color that are active, fully-dimensional players, vs. books that have a few tinted faces thrown in to provide some kind of "balance".) So I know I need to be patient and I'm thinking I need to write some letters to publishers too.
I have a couple of specific questions about this and am trying to wait till Nov. 1 to ask them since they're off-topic.
thanks for all the food for thought this month.
_at_@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Betty Tisel newsletter producer, board member, email administrator for Rainbow Families
Rainbow Families 310 E. 38th Street Minneapolis, MN 55409
61270f51
rainbows at visi.com
_at_@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
Received on Sun 31 Oct 1999 03:52:09 PM CST
