From: Maia Cheli-Colando <maia>
Date: Mon, 21 Jan 2008 13:40:22 -0800

Betty,

On the one hand, I agree that the list is overwhelming. I can't keep up, and I feel guilty for missing so many of the titles!

On the other hand, it would delight me if the entirety of the lists were on auto-buy for libraries.

There are certainly lists that instruct me more heavily than others. The Pura Belpre, the American Indian YLA, Printz and Sibert, CSK. I imagine, if you can find enough books to start an LGBT award, I will read all of those. :) And of course, I am always curious to see the Arbuthot lecturer (and think of the time when my children are older and I might go!)... and the Alex Awards, too, are interesting.

Thus, do the awards preach to the choir? Do those of us concerned with the tribes read one set, those of us who work with immigrants from Mexico another? Are awards from the choir to the choir, Newbery and Caldecott included? White folks stuff nearly always get more attention in white folks media, thus the pep about the N & C. (The Printz, I think, is too difficult -- teen years are so politicized -- to get the same nice, safe attention.)

And, does is matter if they do preach to the choir, as long as the choir is buying them for their readers? It would be lovely if the average American were to take an invested interest in children's literature, but I am not holding my breath for that. In the meantime, just getting the diversity of those books into kids' space is a huge advancement.

Cheers, Maia
Received on Mon 21 Jan 2008 03:40:22 PM CST