Crazy week of flurries…
So, ever since the Nextbook story posted, I’ve been involved in some truly remarkable conversations about childrens’ books for Jews. I’ve had journalists calling, and emails from Jewish organizations. It’s been AWESOME!
Funny– I asumed people would get mad at me for taking this position. Instead, it seems everyone agrees with me!
Omnivoracious (Amazon’s blog), and Fuse #8 (over at School Library Journal), and A Chair, A Fireplace & a Tea Cozy, and Kaleidoglide, and Librarian Approved, and Killing the Buddha, and Desert Dispatches, and Sunshine State Safranim are all interested.
And that’s enough for me.
So I am officially declaring, on this tiny soapbox, my intention to do something about the problem. Alongside a wonderful partner in crime, as yet to be announced.
What that will be– on how large a scale and through what kind of publisher– will depend on a lot of variables. But we are getting busy! And we appear to have a cohort! So watch out!
February 24th, 2009 at 8:21 am
Hi, Laurel. Posted something on Twitter for you yesterday but don’t know if you got it. I don’t have a book… but a short story that’s appropriate for Jewish kids. It’s an Amazon Short called “Josef’s Angel.” SHould it be of any interest, let me know.
February 24th, 2009 at 11:12 am
I think you should recast the Golem in modern times. Or the future. And he’s a robot and can fly and shoot lasers and can also transform into a plane. And he has a pet dinosaur. Who can also transform into a robot.
February 24th, 2009 at 11:14 am
Laurel, the more I think about it, especially for picture books, is the need for awareness of illustrators. A child who is Christian reading a book where there is no cross in a house is not going to think, “this book is not about my family.” So, honestly, it is easier for that child to say, “this book is about me” even if there is no text to say what, if any, religion is practiced by the people in the book.
But a child who is Jewish who notices no mezuzah, even if there is no reference to church/cross/Jesus in the text, is going to know, “this book is not about my familly.” Or, something may be included that shows the family is not Jewish, no matter what the text says (your example of Santa, but also, depending on the family, it could be a meal that is clearly milk and meat, Halloween decorations, etc.)
February 28th, 2009 at 7:43 am
This has been a wonderful – and enlightening for this Gentile – discussion. I am now adding a new dimension to the way I see books. Can’t wait to see how the new project unfolds. Congratulations, Laurel!
March 4th, 2009 at 5:48 pm
I think you should hire hds to write a book.