Tuesday, January 27, 2009

Guest post by the Happy Nappy Bookseller and FREE books!

Once again, December isn't the only time you should support black authors. Every February brings plenty of opportunity. This Black History Month, Doret Canton, the Happy Nappy Bookseller, is hoping you'll support black children's and YA authors with the purchase of at least one book during the month of February. See her guest post below and keep reading: there are give-aways!

In honor of Black History Month, I am asking everyone who reads this to support diversity by buying a children's or young adult book by a Black author. If you visit the literature section in a bookstore, you can easily find stories from around the world. This is a little more difficult for children and teen readers. Though there are more books being released by minority authors for children's and teens, if customers aren't buying them bookstores won't stock them. As a bookseller all I can do is make sure the books are in, display and recommend them, after that it's up to the customer. If the books don't sell, they go back.



Now some books won't even make it to the shelf. Next publishers will be less inclined to sign new minority children's and young adult authors. Buying one book is not going to stop this vicious cycle but it is a beginning. So please go to a bookstore and buy a children's or young adult book by a black author. Also if you like the Black History Month display in the children's section tell the manager or owner. After your purchase, of course. A compliment means nothing to the bookstore, authors or publishers if it doesn't result in a sale.












Don't let this be a one time thing continue to support Black, Latino, Asian, Native American, Muslim children's and young adult authors, simply because you like the stories they tell. You want to continue to expose your young readers to different writing styles, nuances, cultures and ideas.


If you need some suggestions, click this link for a list of Black children's authors and titles by age.

Now on to the give-aways! Doret has kindly donated books and ARCs, and the authors Zetta Elliott and Dream Jordan have also donated a copy of their books. Here are the books:












Zahrah The Windseeker by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu (ages 10 & up)
The Last Black King of the Kentucky Derby by Crystal Hubbard (6 up)
Little Divas by Philana Marie Boles (10 up)
Nikki & Deja Birthday Blues by Karen English (ARC) (7 up)
Dope Sick by Walter Dean Myers (ARC) (12 up)
Bird by Zetta Elliott** (6 up) (signed by the author and illustrator, Shadra Strickland, who just won the Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Talent Award!)
Hot Girl by Dream Jordan (12 up)


Jumped by Rita Williams Garcia (ARC) (12 up)


The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon (10 up)


Rules:

1) Leave a comment about which book you'd like. 2) Promise to read the book and post about it on your blog in a timely fashion. 3) If you're a parent, have your child loan it to at least one friend. 4) One comment per person**. 5) If there are multiple requests for a book, we'll draw names.

** Since Bird is a signed book, Doret would like to do a drawing. Leave one comment with the promises above and you can earn a second entry by leaving another comment with a link to this post on your blog. See the book trailer for Elliott's new book, A Night After Midnight.

14 comments:

Tina Laurel Lee said...

I would love to read Zahrah the Windseeker and blog about it and I have plenty of young people I could pass it on to.

Anonymous said...

Hey Carleen & Doret,

Great list. Sign me up for "Jumped." I will definitely blog what I get, and I already have a borrower in mind for when I get done. I will spread the word.

Your blog has been great for my reading list - I've already read 3 of your recommendations:

- "Getting Mother's Body", by Suzan-Lori Parks
--"Aya" and "Aya of Yop City", by Marguerite Abouet (can't wait for #3)
--"This Side of the Sky", by Elyse Singleton (loved it!)

merc3069 said...

let's try this again: I'd love "Little Divas" and would be happy to blog all about it!

Anonymous said...

Hi Carleen - I'd love to read HOT GIRL. I'll definitely blog about it - sounds like a great YA pick.

Ali said...

Great giveaway! I'll link to it from Diversity Rocks. As for me, how to choose? I'd be happy to read and review any of those books! If I had to pick one...I recently read my first Walter Dean Meyers book (Sunrise Over Fallujah), and my kids are boys, so Dope Sick would probably be my first choice. I'd probably loan it to one of the 8th/9th grade kids I know rather than the friends of my own kids.

Mary Ann Scheuer said...

I've been yearning to read "Bird" - it sounds like such a moving book. I'd love to review it, and share it with the children at my school's library. Thanks so much -

Karen L. Simpson said...

Horse racing fan that I am I would love to read and blog about The Last Black King of the Kentucky Derby. My horse crazy niece will love, love this book and we will pass it on to other children in her class as well.

susan said...

I'd love to win Rita Williams-Garcia's Jumped for our library. I promise to read it and review it promptly.

Can't tell you how thrilled I am to have found your blog.

susan said...

Happy Nappy,

At Color Online and the community library I run, we have a commitment to promoting the work of writers of color. Please share with your readers that are currently hosting a Black History Month Writers' Contest and Giveaway. Post a link for us, and you're entered in a drawing for a freebie. Submit a review or bio sketch of a black woman writer, and you could win a gift card and a free book.

You can find us here Black-eyed Susan's or Color Online

Thanks,
susan

Doret said...

Thanks to everyone who has responded so far.
Tina Lee - Zaharh the Windseeker
Merc3069- Little Divas
Sarah- Hot Girl
Ali- Dope Sick
Lafreya- Last Black King
And I am still working on the rest.

Doret said...

Mary- Bird is all yours.
Susan, Alisa asked for Jumped first, so I am off now to tempted you with something else.

Doret said...

Alisa Jumped is yours. Susan's going to take the Rock and the River.

Andromeda Jazmon said...

I want to read Zahrah the Windseeker so I guess I'll get it at the library. Can you put me down for Nikki and Deja? I am always interested in beginning readers and first chapter books. This looks like a good one for my school library and my own kids. This is a great idea for posting and encouraging more book reviews.

Unknown said...

My review of Jumped is now up. I'm also putting it on my Goodreads account. Thanks, Doret, for the great read.