Kirkus Review for A Pandemic Is Worldwide
Kirkus Reviews has given A Pandemic Is Worldwide a thumbs up! I like the last line best: “A gently worded explainer for young readers looking for answers.”
Young readers gain insight into what pandemic means….Previous generations of youngsters may not have been familiar with the word pandemic, but today’s youngsters surely are….Opening with a digestible lesson on how pandemics develop and a brief historical overview of medical plagues of the past, the text then turns a microscope on the Covid-19 virus—its physical symptoms, social effects, and what people can do to curb its spread. The role of vaccine development and scientific advances in the field of immunology is highlighted throughout the book. The illustrations of earnest doctors administering vaccines to willing children will rub anti-vaxxers the wrong way, but the wholesome overarching message of “we’re all in this together” will play well to the intended audience….A gently worded explainer for young readers looking for answers.
Can’t say I particularly care about rubbing anti-vaxxers the wrong way, so this review makes me happy all through.
Read MoreLet Readers Judge
Two YA books have been cancelled recently because of an online storm that accused them and their authors of bias. Amelie Wen Zhao’s Blood Heir was pulled from shelves because some readers of the pre-release materials felt she depicted slavery insensitively–and because she is an Asian American immigrant writing about slavery. Kosoko Jackson asked that his novel, A Place for Wolves, be pulled from publication after some online accusations of insensitivity to Muslims–and because he is a gay American black man writing a novel set during the Kosovan civil war.
I know of at least one other book which was cancelled before publication because the race of the writer did not coincide with the race of the main character. There are probably others.
I have not read any of these books. I cannot say with conviction whether the writers are guilty of bias, insensitivity, or just plain bad writing.
Here’s the thing–most of the people attacking these writers online have not read the books either. Because they have not been released. And now they never will be.
Not every book that makes it past an editorial acquisition committee and reviewers’ eagle eyes is a good book. Some are poorly written, some traffic in stereotypes, some reveal biased judgment or a lack of empathy. You know what should happen to those book? They should fail.
They should go unsold and go out of print because they have not connected with readers. But they should not be yanked off the shelves because a pre-publication online mob has judged them impure or has decided that X writer cannot write about Y characters or Z setting.
Books are not finished until they connect with their readers. A reader takes in a book, characters and plot and setting and tone and vision and emotional impact. The book as a whole collides with and absorbs the reader’s mindset and feelings and memories and preferences and then, only once that has happened, do you have a book. A complete book. A book that can actually be judged as good, bad, interesting but flawed, or a waste of paper or pixels.
Pulling books off the shelves before they get released short-circuits this process. It means books will forever be judged on an anonymous tweet or a scrap of quotation. It means books are being condemned while they are still half finished.
This is not the way to go about publishing, reviewing, or writing books. We can’t publish by tweet. (We can’t govern that way either.)
Read MoreSunshine State Young Readers List
The Eureka Key
Whoo-hoo! The Eureka Key is on Floria’s Sunshine State Young Reader’s List! I note that fellow Mainer Megan Frazer Blakemore has made it on this list as well. Hey, Megan, we’re snowbirds!
https://www.floridamediaed.org/ssyra.html
Read MoreReview of Secrets of the Seven
From a perceptive and talented fifth grade reviewer:
Read MoreThe Founders
Death Valley, CAHistorians are thrilled by the discovery of an artifact in a remote region of Death
Valley earlier this week, and rumors are that more are to be discovered. I assume you are wondering what this artifact is. If I told you, I’d have to kill you. Before you go all whiny on me, make sure to write your will.
This artifact is a key. I know, disappointing. But not just any key. This key is valued at over $6,000,000. This is the key of Benjamin Franklin, the Founding Father of the United States of America. The one from the famous story about the kite.Benjamin Franklin did more than just mess with electricity. He also started a group call the Founders . The Founders is a group of seven famous figures of the late eighteenth century, and early nineteenth century, including Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, and Benedict Arnold.
Each of the Founders chose one artifact to represent them.
Finding all of the artifacts will supposedly do something amazing,
if not magical.
Sarah L. Thomson
A children’s book author publishing award-winning nonfiction, poetry, picture books and novels including…
“Readers will treasure the blossoming friendship between opposites in this whimsically illustrated tale. Short chapters and plenty of action make for an accessible and appealing reading experience. . . . Touching and inspiring.”
—Kirkus Reviews