Summer Madness Winners!

Community,
Please join me in congratulating our Summer Madness winners! We had a great turnout. Thank you all for expressing an interest in reading and supporting these writers. They are amazing. And our winners are:

A Wish After Midnight- Vasilly
Shine Coconut Moon- Robin
Apple- Jason
Children of the Waters- Melissa
White Bread Competiton- Diana
Throwaway Piece- Amanda
First Daughter- Jenny
The Rock and The River- Andromeda
Down To The Bone- Oyceter
Kinky Gazpacho- Gaby

Winners, please send me your snail address to cora_litgroup@yahoo.com.

To those of you who didn't win, please don't be too bummed. I love giving books away. Check out our weekly quizzes and our Color Me Brown Challenge. 3 winners will be drawn at the end of August for the challenge and quiz winners are chosen monthly.

Poetry Friday: Reflecting on Kendra

Oh we were on fire, but like accidental burnings
we were everywhere, raging out of control
hormones consuming flesh but
we overlooked each other.







Last night I finished Kendra by Coe Booth. Stellar writing. Brutal. Kendra is fourteen, sexually active and unable to reconcile her how body responds to her desire and what she emotionally wants. With the read fresh in my mind, this draft came to mind. It was a response to writing prompt earlier this year.


Poetry Friday is hosted this week by Slyvia at Poetry for Children.

Everyday People

I make it a point to visit my ancestral home once a year, it’s a big expense and it takes me the entire year to save for it. I’m lucky that I can stay with family when I visit. Half the time I don’t take the family with me; airfare to Japan is robbery and that’s when you get a good deal. While I miss them terribly, one of the best things about going home is losing myself in a crowd. Floating on a sea of faces that look like mine is beyond ebullient, I feel slightly warm. That feeling continues when I turn on the TV and see a version of myself. I go to the movies and see another version of myself. I read the newspaper and magazines, gee they look just like me.

After a few days I don’t notice it anymore and the slightly warm feeling forms a group consciousness/identity with my countrymen. Now when I’m out and about I don’t I notice Asians, just every white, black or brown face in the crowd and I don’t think anything of it, I just notice that they are different. The familiar is important on a conscious and subconscious level. When we leave our collective, we notice that we are being noticed, this can be a little chilling, not in a racist or demeaning way just in a way. The separation we feel is normal and instinctual in my opinion and cannot be evolved away with modern sensibilities.

In America, my collective is different because I am in a multicultural family. Back home, I never feel truly accepted in my Japanese community. There has never been an incident but you can just feel when you are being noticed. The exception is my immediate family although this was not always the case. It’s funny how grandchildren can make tolerance turn into acceptance and acceptance into love. (I mean parents for my husband). When I first got married my mother threatened to harm herself. Oh why couldn’t I be like my sisters who married good Japanese men. She threatened to drug me, pack me in a crate and return me to Nippon. After I popped out two beautiful grandchildren and my siblings did not deliver the goods she now tells them its not too late to find “good Negro man as they are more potent!” My mother's misconceptions aside, she now shows off my husband to her friends at every opportunity. At family dinners my husband sits between my mother and father (this is the most honored seat at the table in my family). I sit next to my father, the children sit beside my mother, and my siblings find a seat where they can.

I’m always beyond anxious to get home from a trip and revel in the faces of my family, to joyfully toil in my garden and walk to the ice cream shop after dinner. The first few days back as we walk down the street people notice us. I know that most of them are like me when I am in Japan and not thinking about anything at all just noticing that we are different still you feel that chill. I nudge my cheek into my husband and on cue he puts his arms around me. I look into his brown face as we tow our tan children by their hands. They squirm a bit but eventually relent and I feel very warm.



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Camile Ryerson is our new contributing writer. Her weekly column appears on Wednesday. Find her views on politics, world affairs, pop culture and of course, what she's reading. Her favorite genre is sci-fi.

Color Online Quiz: Literature & Women Studies

Quiz #58
Answer the quiz and your name will be entered in a monthly drawing. Post your reply to the comment box. Post or send us your email addy to be eligible to win. Cool prizes, check out our Prize Bucket.

I wasn't really totally American and I wasn't totally Japanese. I was mixture of the two, and I could never be anything else. ~Yoshiko Uchida

November 24, 1921- June 21, 1992
Asian American writer

Native Californian. Mother was a poet and her father was a businessman. Her first book was published in 1949 while she was teaching at Frankford Friends School. Who is she?

Thanks Jama! Visit Jama at Alphabet Soup

Wordless Wednesday

Penguin Books

COLA: Womanist Musings

COLA: Color Online Love Alert



Blog name: Womanist Musings

Blogger: Renee Martin

Blog Origination date: April 2008

Focus: Pop culture, politics, parenting, current events from a anti- racist womanist perspective.

Regular features: Saturday Drop it like its hot (link fest and open post) Sunday Shame (admitting the silly things we do everyday)

Pub schedule: 4-5 times a day Mon-Fri 2 times Sat-Sun

How frequently do you update your blog? Every day

Post of note: Can I Touch Your Hair

50 words or less how would you describe your blog:
Womanist Musings is about speaking truth to power. The majority of the topics deal with people that are marginalized that society has a tendency to ignore. There is no subject to controversial because we can create change unless we are willing to look at the truth directly.

What do you hope readers will gain, find or enjoy because they’ve visited your blog?
I hope that readers will see themselves reflected and know that all people matter- that is essentially the main theme of this blog. We may not always agree on the solutions but
we sure have fun arguing and working for change. When the fluff posts go up on the weekend we laugh at ourselves and the little things that just bring a smile to your lips. Even in tough times I believe that the weekends are meant for recuperation and joy.

Played: Real and Familiar Teen Life

Played
Dana Davidson
Jump at the Sun
2005

When one of Ian's boys dares him to get plain-faced Kylie Winship to sleep with him in just three weeks, he thinks it'll be a breeze. Tall and fine, with honey-colored skin and eyes, Ian is used to getting what he wants from girls. And if he succeeds in playing Kylie, he'll be down with most popular crew in his high school. But this girl who everyone considers a nobody is turning out to be more surprising than he ever could have imagined.

When I think about the book Played, all I can think of is, real. This story feels like something that could have actually happened to me, or my friend, or a girl from my school. The basic synopsis doesn't feel new, but that isn't because I've read something like it. It's because this is a story we've heard a million times in everyday life. Seeing it from the inside, and placing yourself inside the characters' shoes is almost surreal. This was a quick read, with some depth. It was a realatable story and a warning.

Kylie Winship is definitely a likeable character. Unlike the Gossip Girls or Bella Swans of the world, you don't find yourself thinking, "This is completely illogical." I could see myself in Kylie's situation. I could see myself having the same thoughts. Her mind is wrapped up in something that all girls have experienced, infatuation. Sometimes she makes stupid mistakes, but they are stupid mistakes that I think most girls could find themselves making. They say wise people learn from the mistakes of others. Reading this novel, you can see Kylie's mistakes, and avoid them. I think this is what the author intended.

Ian Striver is the type of boy your parents are always warning you about. He's gorgeous, persuasive, and smooth. Too smooth. In a novel like Played, it's easy to hate a guy like Ian. He's trying to use a girl for his own personal gain. He doesn't care if he hurts her. All he cares about is what his friends think. But Ian is deeper than that. Reading the novel from his point of view, we see that he has an extreme need to be accepted, which I feel is related to his absentee-father issues. However, I feel that this relationship was not explored enough in the novel to make me excuse his actions.

Tracy and Dez, Kylie's best friends, are loyal and honest. They warn her about Ian's bad reputation and wily ways. Both of them, Dez especially, try to keep Kylie's head out of the clouds and remind her that she's only known Ian a short while. They are excellent friends to her throughout the novel, and their relationships are real and adorable to read about.

I have seriously found a new fictional crush in Terrance. We don't get enough face time with him in the novel, but when we do, we find that he is caring, compassionate, attentive, and sweet. He's totally prepared to be the kind of guy Ian isn't willing to be. I rooted for him the entire novel. Does Kylie end up with Terrance? With Ian? Someone else entirely? Alone? You'll have to read it for yourself.

The FBI, your standard popular male click, and the popular girls, were one-dimensional and annoying, just like they were meant to be. At one point we see a hint of something deeper: compassion from Tricia, a need to be accepted from Michael, but other than that they're your average jerks.

I found the relationships between parent and child in the novel especially fantastic. The relationships between Kylie and her mom and Ian and his mom were adorable, real, and even heart-warming, and the absentee fathers added some depth to the characters. I also found Kim, Ian's sister, down-to-earth, sensible, and very likeable.

Overall, this was a very good novel. It was easy to place myself in Kylie's shoes. More than once, I flung this novel down in anger at Ian. (Dramatic irony can be very frustrating.) It was a very good read.

Plot: 7/10 It's probably a story you've heard before in real life.
Readability: 8.5/10
Character Development: 9/10
Ending: 7/10
Writing: 9/10 It felt very real.
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Tashiana's the name, but you can call me Tashi. I've been a proud book addict since age four. When I'm not reading, you'll probably find me writing, hanging out with friends, obsessing over musicals, and enjoying the stressful wonderment that is my senior year of high school. You can find me at Taste Life Twice. Our CORA girl is amazing. Visit her often.

Diversity Roll Call Roundup: POC in Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Sci-fi and fantasy was a hit! If you didn’t know where to find POC characters and writers before, here’s a good place to start. A few highlights:

Claudia at the Bottom of Heaven writes about classic science fiction, "From King Arthur’s Court to Delany’s Nevèrÿon." This article is for all you literary geeks.

Stacy Whitman offers an introspective article and impressive list of MG and YA options.

Mitali Perkins from Mitali's Fire Escape writes on "Race, Class and Caste in Hunger Games." This article prompted my choice for the meme.

Ana at things matters a lot writes a thoughtful piece on the issue of race in sci/fi and fantasy.
Find all links with Mr. Linky. The following lists were culled from the posts and comments. I highly recommend you take your time checking out the individual posts over a course of multiple visits.

Authors
L. A. Banks - VHL series
Nisi Shawl - whose book recently won an award
Samuel Delany
Nalo Hopkinson
Tananarive Due
Jewell Parker Rhoades
Steven Barnes
David Anthony Durham
Octavia Butler (AF Am fantasy/sci fi)
Derrick Bell (afrocentric sci fi)
Nalo Hopkins (afro-futurism/ black woman centered sci fi)
Kalpa Imperial (fantasy/sci-fi - translated from Spanish available)
Gerald Vizenor's Bearheart
Lee Perry (afro-futurism)
Samuel Delany
Terry Bison Nova Africa (alternative future)
Vandana Singh
Kazui Ishiguro (distopic futurism)
Daniel Heath Justice (Native American alternative future

Anthologies
Dark Matter - edited by Sheree Thomas
Mojo - Conjure Stories edited by Nalo Hopkinson
So Long Been Dreaming edited by Nalo Hopkinson

Titles/Authors
Return to Nevèrÿon by Samuel Delany
The Shadow Speaker Nnedi Okorafor
Wizard of Earthsea by Ursula Le Guin's
Patricia McKillip
The Moon and the Face
The Cygnet
The Sorceress
The Invention of Morel by Afolfo Casares
Travels to Fahdamin-Ra by Chaz Young
Troy Cle
Marvelous World
Allende's City of Beast
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin. (YA)
The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm by Nancy Farmer
Magic or Madness by Justine Larbalestier (YA)
A Wish After Midnight by Zetta Elliott
Cynthia Leitich Smith
Eternal (YA)
Tantalize (YA)
Across the Nightingale Floor: Tales of the Otori, Book One by Lian Hearn
The Hundred Thousand Kingdoms by N.K. Jemisin

Ari, Guest Blogger at Justine Larbalestier

Way to go, girl! Ari from Reading In Color is guest blogging at Justine Larbalestier's.

This CORA girl not only expressed her outrage during the Liar controversy but she followed up with action. She's taking away excuses: want to know what brown books to check out, read Ari's suggested reading list at Justine's. Add Reading In Color to your blog list. Ari is a girl to watch. Stay tuned for part 2 at Justine.

New Crayons: What's New On Our Shelves

Remember when you were a kid and getting new crayons was a big deal? Getting new books holds the same kind of magic for some of us big kids. Every week on Sunday, I post what's new in our box. I think crayons is a pretty cool metaphor for multicultural lit. Don't you? Slow week and do I dare say I appreciate that? Honestly, I have piles of books everywhere. Brought one home from the library. Hopefully, I'll actually read it this time and two in the mail; one all the way from Belgium! Thanks, Mayra.

In the mail:
The Magic Violin by Mayra Calvani
Publisher's Comments
Eight-year old Melina wants to become a good violinist. When she loses confidence, her Rumanian teacher Andrea decides it's time for a magic dose of self esteem. A mysterious old woman in rags gives Melina some curious advice; a violinist Russian hamster, who happens to live under the old woman's hat, offers her a virtuoso performance; a shooting star fills her with hope on Christmas Eve. Is Melina actually playing better, or has her violin become magic? Who is the old woman in the town square, and why does she wear the same emerald ring as her teacher Andrea?

Fortune Cookie Chronicles: Adventures in the World of Chinese Food by Jennifer Lee
Publisher Comments
The Fortune Cookie Chronicles is for anyone who has ever wondered who General Tso was and why his chicken is so famous; why all Chinese restaurants use the same trapezoidal delivery cartons; and who invented the fortune cookie. Jennifer 8 Lee narrates her search for the world's best Chinese restaurant with a mix of in-depth research and entertaining personal anecdotes.

From the library:
Shanghi Messenger by Andrea Cheng and illustrated by Ed Young
Review
...Cheng's Marika vivid writing and Young's Beyond the Great Mountainreviewed above) resonant illustrations mesh perfectly in this story about the close bonds of family. Xiao Mei, an 11-year-old Chinese-American girl, travels from Ohio to Shanghai to visit her Chinese relatives. The novel unspools in humorous, often poignant free-verse poems. The one called 'Shanghai Messenger' describes the lone traveler's anxiety on the plane, until she discovers a note in her pocket, written by Nai Nai, her grandmother: 'You are my messenger./ Look everything./ Remember...'

What did you picked up from the library, bookstore or in the mail? Drop us a link with Mr. Linky. Happy reading.

August: Color Me Brown Book Challenge

CONGRATULATIONS, WINNERS: Rhapsody at Rhapsodyinbooks, Allison at Read Into This!, Erika at Made by Momma , Doret at Happy Nappy Bookseller and Liz at A Chair, Fireplace & ATea Cozy.

Originally, I said we'd have 3 winners but with 121 links, I increased it to 5. Thank you all for incredible participation. As I promised, there is more. Every Monday, begining September 7th, I will feature 5 links to CMB reviews I find across the blogosphere. Once a month, I'll select reviewer among these links to receive a free book from our Prize Bucket. You won't have to link back to us. You don't have to do anything except what you already are: reading and reviewing books that reflect the diversity of our world. To spread the loot, a reviewer can only win once a year for CMB. Of course, there are so many other ways to win free books here.

Thanks again to all of you for making this challenge a huge success.



Read and review POC books through the month of August. We'll have a random drawing for 3 reviewers at the end of the challenge. Drop us a link to your review to be eligible. +3 entries for any sidebar link/tweet or blog post about this challenge. Contest limited to US residents.

If you want books, here are some options:

1) Request your library buy it. Many will when a patron asks. I have a wonderful library system and every request has been purchased.

2) Look for dated POC on trade sites like Paperbackswap.com I understand folks can't buy every book they want to read. I know I can't.

3) Contact the author directly. Many will send you a copy. They don't have endless stashes but believe me they love being asked for books for review.

4) Send me a review of book by POC writer. Every month I do a drawing for a free book for reviews we publish.

5) Color Online runs trivia quizzes. Same deal. Enter the drawing win a book. And winners pick their prizes from our Prize Bucket.

6) Book Loan Program at Color Online. For all active members at Color Online, I will loan you a book. Just pay for return shipping. I run a library with more than 3000 books. Our collection is 90% women 80% POC. You can see a partial list of our collection here. Let me confess, cataloguing online has not been my priority. If you don't see a title, ask. I'll be happy to see if we own it. *You must be an active member. If you need clarification, write me.

I want books in readers' hands. If you commit to read and review, I'll send you the book.I think I have effectively addressed the access issue.

Read brown, people.

Please post book titles in your links.

What Do I Read Next: The Other Side of Paradise

The Other Side of Paradise
Staceyann Chin
Scribner Books
2009

Publisher's Comments
No one knew Staceyann's mother was pregnant until a dangerously small baby was born on the floor of her grandmother's house in Lottery, Jamaica, on Christmas Day. Staceyann's mother did not want her, and her father was not present. No one, except her grandmother, thought Staceyann would survive.


Sewing Circle-Leave a comment or send us a review. If we publish your review, your name will be entered in a monthly drawing to win a book from our Prize Bucket.

If you want us to feature a book, send us your recommendation. Send recommendations, reviews and questions to cora_litgroup@yahoo.com

Color Online Quiz: Literature & Women Studies

Quiz #58
Answer the quiz and your name will be entered in a monthly drawing. Post your reply to the comment box. Post or send us your email addy to be eligible to win. Cool prizes, check out our Prize Bucket.

Read. Read. Read. Everything and everyone. Read the so-called greats. Read the relevant contemporary. If you wish to write about a thing, research it. You need more than your feelings to make a good poem.~ Staceyann Chin

"A completely absorbing account of how a girl born into denial and contempt can grow up resilient, sane, and full of purpose,” said out author and activist Dorothy Allison, “She also shows me a culture I knew far too little about — the everyday life of young people in Jamaica and the threat of violence looming over anyone who might be too independent or queer or outrageous. How wonderful that this outrageous, talented, determined woman has given us her story."

Who is this poet, author, activist? What is the title of her memoir? Provide a link.

Thanks, Rhapsody. Support artists. Purchase The Other Side of Paradise.

Interview at Feministing
Staceyann Chin

Speaking Truth To Power: The Liar Controversy

It's taken a marathon or reading and commenting for me to put together what I hope is a coherent and intelligent response to this blowup about Liar.

There is a saying,"When you're white you don't think about it; when you're black, you never forget it."

It is important to acknowledge the very different realities we live. Often we will accuse one another of being overly sensitive or being wrong when the truth is each reality is real.

When most white readers get their fill of righteous outrage, I will still be black. I will still have to hunt for books that promote I really am here and I will likely still be a minority voice in the blogosphere actively promoting books with POC characters by POC writers.

Very few have responded to my comment about the absence of color among book bloggers. Those marketing folks didn't come to that conclusion without some basis in what they see. Something shaped their perception.

Why isn't my brown face regularly featured on book blogs?

And has no one thought about the silence among teen bloggers? The only teen bloggers who have commented are Tashi at Taste Life Twice and Ari at young, black reader, both, teens of color who are active members of Color Online.

And I will not accept that the silence reflects that white teens don't normally comment about industry issues. They comment on YA sites run by adults and those adults haven't spoken up either. Those same adults had plenty to say during the BEA controversy and the riff about professional and hobbyist bloggers.

It is discouraging that we still cannot engage the majority in a substantive discussion about race.

I don't want to blame or guilt-whip white folks. I want acknowledgment and real discourse. I want change. Not tongue wagging.

Ain't That A Shame: Author Speaks Out

"Ain't That A Shame" by Justine Larbalestier
From her blog: In the last few weeks as people have started reading the US ARC of Liar they have also started asking why there is such a mismatch between how Micah describes herself and the cover image. Micah is black with nappy hair which she wears natural and short. As you can see that description does not match the US cover.

Many people have been asking me how I feel about the US cover, why I allowed such a cover to appear on a book of mine, and why I haven’t been speaking out about it.

Here's the publisher's response:
Clearly, our striving for ambiguity with this cover, and for it to be interpreted as a ‘lie’ itself didn’t work for everyone. But again, if this jacket proves a catalyst for a bigger discussion about how the industry is dealing with its books on race, that’s a very large good to come of this current whirlwind.

What ambiguity? Is she serious? The biggest liar here is the publisher. They chose the cover to ensure white readers would pick it up and of course black readers already know not to expect black covers except on black urban or historical lit. I am appalled and insulted by Ceceka, the PR for Bloomsbury.

I didn't know the full story behind the cover till now. I'm glad the author has blogged about the issue. I have learned enough about her to know I need to now read her work. I hope you read and speak up, too.

Color Online Quiz: Literature & Women Studies

Quiz #57
Answer the quiz and your name will be entered in a monthly drawing. Post your reply to the comment box. Post or send us your email addy to be eligible to win. Cool prizes, check out our Prize Bucket.

Thanks Niranjana. Visit Vandana Singh's site

Visit Niranjana at Brown Paper.

One reviewer wrote, "her fiction is not so much about India as it is about estrangement."This prolific speculative and science fiction writer has multiple short fiction, children's lit and poetry to her credit. Currently she resides in Massachusetts. Who is she? Please provide a link if you can.

Wordless Wednesday: Regina Agu

days ago by Regina Agu






Regina Agu was born in Houston, TX and was raised traveling overseas throughout Africa and Europe, as her father undertook work with the United Nations, World Health Organization. Her family has roots in both Nigeria and Louisiana, and her artwork reflects her own rich cultural heritage, as well as the cultures and locations that she encountered during her upbringing. Look for supernova_star on Twitter.

What A Girl Wants Part #4

Check out the latest installment of What A Girl Wants #4 at Chasing Ray. Colleen encourages readers to check out Miss Attitude, Color Online's own CORA girl at young, black, reader. See what Miss A has to say about the lack of diversity in bookstores.

Zetta is a member of the panel in this discussion. Here's an excerpt of what she has to say:
The more YA lit I read, the more I’m struck by the split: novels that are about teens versus novels that are marketed to teens. The latter are often marked by “lite” writing and silly gimmicks that aim to make the novel seem experimental or innovative in terms of form. But real daring resides in the writing itself, and I think teens deserve novels on every topic, told from as many different points of view as possible.

I Should Call My Grandmother: A Review of Mare's War

Mare's War
Tanita Davis
2009

"Meet Mare, a grandmother with flair and a fascinating past." Octavia and Tali are dreading the road trip their parents are forcing them to take with their grandmother over the summer. After all, Mare isn't your typical grandmother. She drives a red sports car, wears stiletto shoes, flippy wigs, and push-up bras, and insists that she's too young to be called Grandma. But somewhere on the road, Octavia and Tali discover there's more to Mare than what you see. She was once a willful teenager who escaped her less-than-perfect life in the deep South and lied about her age to join the African American battalion of the Women's Army Corps during World War II. Told in alternating chapters, half of which follow Mare through her experiences as a WAC member and half of which follow Mare and her granddaughters on the road in the present day. Borders

Rating:4/5

I really enjoyed this book! The characters were totally relatable and Mare is the coolest grandmother ever (don't call her that though!) Reading this book made me think of my grandmother and how I haven't talked to her in forever. So I'm going to call her today! The title of this post is a reminder that grandparents need love so call 'em up or hang out with them! They may actually have some cool/funny/interesting stories to share. That's one thing I learned from this book. You presume your grandparents haven't really lived life, they're just old. But they have stories, too, and while they may not be as interesting as Mare's (or may be even more interesting!), you never know unless you ask. So call/hang and ask away!

First, Mare. I wish my grandmother was like her. It would be so cool to have a grandmother who wears stilletos, drives fast, has an interesting past, is sassy and stubborn. She sounds like quite a character and a lot of fun to be around. She's very laid-back, go with the flow which I think is nice. Although I wouldn't be thrilled if my grandmothers wore push-up bras and smoked. She was my favorite character in the whole book (although I wished she would have danced and hung out with more guys!). She was so brave and hardworking! Which leads me to the next thing...
The historical aspect of the book was really enlightening. Before reading this book, I knew absolutely nothing about the role of African American men and women in WWII (except from what I'd seen in "Miracle of St. Anna" which was more fiction than fact). The information was really interesting and I admired the black men and women who fought for the U.S. even though, the U.S. wasn't very appreciative. It would have been really hard for me to go to Paris, help fight to protect the U.S., see how kind and non-discriminatory the French people were and then go home. I probably would have stayed in Paris. The work of the WAC (Women's Army Corps) is something I intend on reading more about. Also, I'm going to find some WWII movies about black soldiers (I think Denzel was in one :D).

I also liked both sisters, Tali and Octavia. They were both a little annoying sometimes. Octavia because she was so timid, Tali because she was so rude and whiny. But I sympathized with Octavia's struggle with driving (I'm learning to drive too. And it's scary fun!). And I would be mad like Tali if I couldn't listen to my music. I also like how Tali was stubborn and didn't take no mess from anybody, like Mare.

The book was well written and held your attention. I couldn't put it down. I especially like how it alternated from WWII to the present day. Although sometimes I was so absorbed in the WWII stories, that I wanted to just skip the now chapters (but don't cuz those are good chapters too!)

If you like historical or realistic fiction, this is a must read! Actually I think everyone should read this because we African American teens need to know all aspects of our history. I would say high schoolers and middle schoolers could and should read this book.
________________________________________________________________________
Miss Attitude says she's sarcastic, caring, slightly crazy teenager. She loves to read, listen to music, dance and have fun. She's been reading seriously since second grade. Proud to be black. Miss A is one of Color Online's CORA girls. They rock. You'll hear more about them. Stay tuned. In the meantime, check out Miss A's blog, young, black, a reader.

COLA: Lee & Low Books, Multicultural Publisher

An independent children's book publisher focusing on diversity. It is the company's mission to meet the need for stories that all children can identify with and enjoy.


Website name: Lee & Low Books
Web manager: Jason Low
Site Origination date: January 2009

Focus: Originally, our monthly E-News was focused on new additions to our Web site. This changed in January 2009 when our E-News conveyed thoughts about the publishing industry and how the economic downturn impacted us. In March our thoughts expanded to issues of race. Talking about race was a natural step for us since our books lend themselves easily to race and diversity since this has been our focus since the company began publishing in 1993.

Regular features: Race and other social issues will be a constant subject. Our books are topical and often deal with contemporary issues facing young people today. We will also offer our opinions on how different issues influence our publishing decisions and the many obstacles our books face in a competitive marketplace.

Pub schedule:How frequently do you update your site? Usually at the beginning of each month. When we switch over to a more traditional blogging software this is likely to increase.

Post of note:Check out the March issue. This was the first one where we veered into voicing our opinions about issues of race. Check out our newsletter.


50 words or less how would you describe your site: The blog is part of the larger site. Although leeandlow.com is a publisher site, we provide strong content to support the authors and illustrators we have published. A commitment between a author, illustrator, and publisher is long term and we take our responsibility to our books very seriously.

What do you hope readers will gain, find or enjoy because they’ve visited your website? We hope to get people thinking about what race means and to consider the big picture that we are one big human family. It may take awhile for people to realize that we are all connected but we are patient people and willing to invest the time and energy toward promoting a healthy dialogue toward the subject.

*COLA- Color Online Love Alert. Celebrating writers, bloggers, organizations and publishers who promote and support women and people of color.

Nominate Color Online: Book Blogger Appreciation

From the homepage: Last year over 400 blogs came together to celebrate the art of book blogging during the first ever Book Blogger Appreciation Week! I am so pleased to announce that the second annual Book Blogger Appreciation Week will be taking place September 14-18.

Please nominate Color Online. I think our best chance is Best Cultural Review category. We'd like your nomination.

Being involved with this event means greater exposure. And any opportunity to increase our readership, which means increasing our opportunity to promote and support writers of color, is something I want to be part of. Help us connect with more readers.

And you know I will be nominating several blogs. I'll update this post periodically to share who I nominated so you can add your nomination in order to increase their chances to make the short list. Beyond nominating, you might find a new blog you'd enjoy.

Let's support one another. Nominate, people. Thanks in advance for your support.

Color Online nominated the following blogs:

Paper Tigers
Best Design
Best Kidlet

Feminist Review
Most Altruistic
Best Specialized

Bookslut
Best Literary
Best Publishing/Industry

The Happy Nappy Bookseller
Best Name
Best YA Review

Lotus Reads
Best Literary
Best Design

Chasing Ray
Best Industry
Best Series

Steph Su
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Nalo Hopkinson: Diversity Roll Call Explores Sci-Fi & Fantasy

Your assignment: spotlight science fiction and fantasy titles where people of color are the leads, works by people of color in these genres or discuss your thoughts about race in these genres. Do you notice the absence of color? In what ways is race portrayed in fantasy and science fiction beyond using traditional racial terms like black and white? If the book covers prominently features people of color, does it affect your perception? Are we more comfortable with imaginary characters versus different race in these works?

As many of you know, I blog hop incessantly. One of the regular online challenges I discovered and love is Writers of Color 50 Book Challenge and this is where I read a review of Nalo Hopkinson's, Brown Girl In The Ring. I immediately went to Paperback Swap and requested it. Loved it! Guest reviewer, Bonnie Norman's review is here.

In this apocolytic Toronto, Ti-Jeanne discovers that she is third generation seer woman. She's none to thrilled with her powers, but a succession of events forces her to hone her skills and to embrace the gift she's been given. My first introduction to magical realism was Gloria Naylor's, Mama Day. The world of vodun and mysticism and ancestral ties in this genre were all new to me, and I was completely enthralled. Like Ms. Naylor, who spent years researching before writing her novel, Ms. Hopkinson clearly did her homework. This work has legs. The details and the complexity of the writing speaks to the power of language and imagination.

What was first a stumbling block for me- the dialect in The Brown Girl In The Ring turned out to be an integral element to the work. Later, I read an interview with Ms. Hopkinson and she confirmed my observation. See the quote below.

Nalo Hopkinson
Decemeber 6, 1960
Kingston, Jamaica
And whenever I worry that some readers may find the language to be too much work, I remember A Clockwork Orange and Riddley Walker, two classics in the genre that were both written in invented dialects.

Zetta discusses New Moon's Arms at Fledgling. I picked up a copy from the library this weekend. To top everything off, we got a copy of Skin Folk from a donor this weekend.

Read a great article on Ms. Hopkinson at Geoffrey Philip's and check out Ms. Hopkinson feature in our Color Online Quiz .

Read more CORA Diversity Roll Call: Sci-fi & Fantasy entries here.

New Crayons: What's New On Our Shelves

Remember when you were a kid and getting new crayons was a big deal? Getting new books holds the same kind of magic for some of us big kids. Every week on Sunday, I post what's new in our box. Hope you'll share what you picked up from the library, bookstore or in the mail, too.

We are very fortunate to have so many generous donors. They are a modest lot, too; most of our donations are made anonymously. We received more donations this week. Below are titles we received in the mail and titles I brought home to add to my ever growing tbr (remember me lamenting about the lack of reviews earlier this week?).

In the mail:
Children in The Waters by Carleen Brice
Review
...the literature of Denver is oddly scant, and it’s refreshing to see the city portrayed this way, populated by characters who feel like genuine Denver folks. In Children of the Waters, Denver is a city that’s multi-cultural yet stuck in the middle of the somewhat monochromatic West, mountain-oriented yet urban, with the problems of poverty and drugs that go along with that, as well as the culture and privilege to be found in any city of its size: the Cousins family has Club Level Rockies season tickets, and Billie enjoys dining at WaterCourse Foods, a Capitol Hill vegetarian restaurant. See review at New West Book Review. Looking forward to reading this. You can win a copy in our Summer Madness Giveaway.

Skin Folk by Nalo Hopkinson
...is an excellent collection of stories by a talented writer. Some of the stories here are science fiction, some resemble fables, and there's even a sprinkling of horror, but what unites all of them is Hopkinson's deftness, insight, and vivid prose. Not every writer merits their own collection of short pieces, and this honour comes relatively early in Hopkinson's career: she has written two novels and edited an anthology. Skin Folk is a welcome addition to her oeuvre. See full review at Challenging Destiny. I've read Brown Girl In The Ring and currently working on my CORA Diversity Roll Call so this couldn't have come at a more opportune time.

Fledgling by Octavia E. Butler
Review
...In the feisty Shori, Butler has created a new vampire paradigm — one that's more prone to sci-fi social commentary than gothic romance — and given a tired genre a much-needed shot in the arm. See full review here. This was my introduction to Butler's work. The opening scene is so graphic and chilling, I immediately impressed with her writing.

A Stone In My Hand by Cathryn Clinton
Publisher's comments
In Gaza City, 1988, a sensitive, observant girl finds her voice - and the strength to move beyond the violence that surrounds her. It has been a month since eleven-year-old Malaak's beloved father left Gaza City to look for work in Israel, only to disappear. Every day she climbs up to the roof and waits for him, imagining that she can fly to the prison cell where she is sure he waits. She speaks little to anyone, referring to commune with the loyal little bird she has tamed. Malaak's brother, Hamid, has his own way of coping. The volatile twelve-year-old feels only anger, stoked by militant extremists who preach violence as the only way to change their fate. There was some debate about this title. The issue was if it was biased. I don't think so. I think it reflects how a child processes conflict. The fact that the writer is outside of the culture yet renders a voice I'm convinced is authentic also impressed me.

From our library:
A New Moon's Arms by Nalo Hopkinson
Review
The New Moon’s Arms is about mermaids–sea people, to be precise, and that drew me in right away. The main character, Calamity Lambkin, is mourning the death of her father and struggling through “the change of life”; she has a strained relationship with her daughter, Ifeoma, and her raging hormones seem to turn every eligible bachelor into a tasty treat. Eventually, Calamity discovers that menopause has restored a “gift” she had as a child: she was once a finder, with an uncanny ability to locate things that had been lost. See review at Fledgling. Thanks, Zetta for a great review.

When The Black Girl Sings by Bill Wright
Publisher's Comments
Lahni Schuler is the only black student at her private prep school. She's also the adopted child of two loving, but white, parents who are on the road to divorce. Struggling to comfort her mother and angry with her dad, Lahni feels more and more alone. But when Lahni and her mother attend a local church one Sunday, Lahni hears the amazing gospel choir, and her life takes an unexpected turn. This was on our wish list. Miss Attitude highly recommends it. Looking forward to this.

What did you get this week? Drop us a link with Mr. Linky.

The Sunday Salon

This week I read B as in Beauty by Alberto Ferreras. Earlier this week I said I was going to try to lighten up. I saw this book reviewed a few places, and I loved the cover so I was happy to give this chick lit a go. Read it in one sitting. Okay, it's chick lit, a genre I don't normally read but I said I was going to lighten up, right? Okay.

This light read is funny and the strongest element of the book are the dates Beauty goes on with the exception of her serial date which turns romance. Pretty formulaic there even with the quirks. I really appreciate that Beauty comes to appreciate her body and stiffens her spine at work. And I'm all for greater diversity in all genres so a Latina mama lighting up the escort business was a nice change.

What I didn't like: Wasn't crazy about the profanity. It isn't gratuitous but it doesn't add anything either. Before reading this, I thought it was YA appropriate but the fetishes in the book puts this in the adult arena for me. There are no explicit sexual descriptions but the fetishes are clearly adult material. The racial stereotypes made me wince a little mostly because I felt they were pat and unnecessary. I didn't mind that they were politically incorrect (I'll take honesty over false courtesy) but I didn't find them funny, and I think they were suppose to be. Really bored with the whole conflict between Beauty and her boss. I've had my share of office politics and frustrations of not being valued for what I bring to the table, but the author fails to add anything fresh to this dilemma.

Still, overall, I'm glad I read it. I met a goal by finishing it and writing about it. It did have its moments and Beauty does learn to love herself. Major plus. She finds love being her big beautiful self. And for that alone, I'd recommend it.

So what happened here during the week?

• Check out the posts for Diversity Roll Call
• New Crayons: What's new on our shelves
• Can I Get A Review?: Color Me Brown
  
• Susan's Unofficial List of Great YA Lit by and About Women of Color (great discussion ensued and the list is popping up on blogs. Who woulda thought?)
• Don't forget to enter our Summer Madness Giveaway
• Camile is working it out with The Golden Goddess
• First Daughter, a review by Tarie
  
• Got Poetry? Do read Tara Betts

Happy reading.

Tara Betts: Poetry Friday

A Little Salt
(a Bop Poem)
Tara Betts

My grandmother snuck it into every bite
It simmered down under cabbage and likker
Soakin my tongue, puckerin my cheeks
Even after the gout came knockin like a
Neighbor askin for a cup of...

A little salt won't hurt nobody

Grandma piled extra butter, pinch a salt,
Some more sugar whenever she could
Sour cream joined the pineapples
Teasin mandarin oranges with heart stopping taste
She made salads for church, for my brothers, me
Greens with fatback simmered onion skin thin

I heard people say it's food for the soul.
My hesitance stares into the bowl
wonderin if food makes you whole

A little salt won't hurt nobody

Grandma, maybe you were wrong
About food and other things
You always hushed the howlin stomach
My trips to the full freezer safe
Until the stroke, a little bit a salt was sweet

A little salt seeps into the tongue
Salt dissolves, yet it lingers
A little salt won't hurt nobody


from Family Colors: Book of Voices. 1999. Tara is a phenomenal poet, activist, friend. She has a new collection coming out this fall. Stay tuned for interviews, book giveaway and all manner of promotion. :-)

Poetry Friday is hosted this week by Becky at Becky's Book Reviews.