TIME’s Not So YA List But Very White List
A lot of criticisms from the young adult world when TIME revealed its 100 Best Young Adult Books of All Time list. It featured books that weren’t young adult like Charlotte’s Web or Harry Potter. Bustle has done a great write up on it but they mostly focus on the other issue with this list which is the overwhelming lack of books written by people of color (9 out of the 100. Ouch). Bustle even goes on to point out that the list doesn’t “do much to avoid books that promote stereotypes or harmful portrayals”.
Come on, TIME. Get it together.
Study Says Parents Who Read To Their Kids Create Life Long Readers
The publisher, Scholastic, has been commissioning the Kids and Family Reading Report since 2006 which “looked at predictors that children of different ages would be frequent readers, defined as children who read books for fun five or more days a week”.
But reading aloud through elementary school seemed to be connected to a love of reading generally. According to the report, 41 percent of frequent readers ages 6 to 10 were read aloud to at home, while only 13 percent of infrequent readers were being read to.
I recommend checking out the report and the write up by the New York Times as well. Some good stuff.
One Month Left In “The Friends of The Merrill Short Story Contest”
Enter. Enter. Enter.
Oxford University Press Bans All Things Pork In Kids Book To Avoid Offending Muslim/Jewish Readers
I completely agree with the Muslim Labour MP, Khalid Mahmood, in calling this ban ridiculous. How about having more difference images of people or examples in textbooks than deciding to eliminate all traces of a food source? Muslims and Jews don’t eat pork but they don’t care if you do or if it’s in a book. This makes it appear as though these two groups are unreasonable. How about not writing/drawing racist, xenophobic and etc cartoons and articles? That’s a far more reasonable and important issue.
Get it together, people.
David Mitchell is Writing A Short Novel Inspired By Twitter
David Mitchell is writing a short novel called Slade House that is inspired by the short story he wrote, The Right Sort, on Twitter. Just like his short story, the short novel will be set in the same world as his latest novel: The Bone Clocks.
eBooks Are The Ones Dying Now…I Guess
The eBook versus print book debate is as boring now as the young adult versus adult debate. Apparently, eBook sales are down in the UK compared to their print counterpart. Bustle has a great write up on the topic that looks at the Kindle being bough online vs in-store, that most people who wanted an eReader may have one already and how much eBooks make up the book purchases since it made its debut. Definitely check them out.
“This Song Will Save Your Life” Optioned For Stage and Film
The young adult book by Leila Sales was optioned by Kevin McCollum and Michael Novick (former Glee producer) for the stage and on the big screen.
The 2013 novel follows a bullied girl who finds a family and a home among the denizens of the underground music scene, rising to become a buzzy DJ along the way.
I haven’t read the books but I expect a lot of music (maybe even musical?). I just want good music featured. That’s all.
