Author/illustrator Dan Santat created the image below for the Women’s March, based on the classic Rosie the Riveter image and text from Kyle Stephen’s powerful victim impact statement.
For all the girls out there who are survivors. Who are still surviving. Who feel unheard. You are already strong and growing stronger. You can do this.
Happy Friday, guys! This week has mostly been me hacking and sneezing and coughing, and walking around the house telling Bodo the Dog, “Bodo, I’m sick. I’m so sick,” and getting barely any sympathy from him. (He just get confused about why I’m not running around the house with him, squeaky toy in hand.)
But fortunately it’s Friday, which means a weekend of taking it easy. It also means book reviews in fifteen words or fewer!
All the Truth That’s in Me by Julie Berry
Not at all what I expected but in a good way. Berry’s writing is masterful.
Counting Thyme by Melanie Conklin
Sensitive and touching portrayal of childhood cancer, family dynamics, new friends, and change. Love!
Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic by Alison Bechdel
Also not what I expected but awesome–sad and literary, combining text and art beautifully.
Lots of links I’ve been saving:
I’m getting myself back on the blogging train after a couple weeks of off-line activity (marathon, NESCBWI, life with a dog), so today feels like a great time to share this fantastic comic by Debbie Ridpath Ohi:
It’s really easy to focus on all the scary “what ifs” and “you can’ts” and so on, but for today, let’s focus on what we can do. And then do the same tomorrow.
(PS–Debbie regularly posts writing inspiration illustration, so make sure to check out the rest of her work.)
It’s one thing to read stats, and it’s another thing to see them. Based on information compiled by the the Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC), David Huyck created the infographic below:
image by David Huyck
How sad is it to see actual kids with less representation than animals and inanimate objects? Publishing as a whole needs to provide diverse young readers with way more mirrors.
The good news is that David has made his infographic available for general use, so you can share this around your own blog/social media networks. Because the more we see and talk about problems like this, the harder it is to ignore.
Considering I go to a yoga class I refer to as “naptime yoga” (big pillows! lots of easy breathing! a 15 minute rest at the end!), I am loving this Yoga for Writers poster by ElectricLit:
Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll be over here doing the coffee shop outlet stretch.
A few of good links for today:
Emma Watson, aka Hermione Granger, aka magical bookworm, is starting her own feminist book club. She’s starting off with Gloria Steinem’s My Life on the Road, but it got me thinking about what books I’d include in a feminist book club.
For powerful and thoughtful YA novels about girls and family and their place in the world:
For YA novels about girls fighting back in many different ways:
YA feminism isn’t limited to the real world:
And graphic novels are perfect for a feminist book club:
And some of your favorite elementary/middle school reads are perfect for feminist book club:
This is obviously not a complete list, because there are so many awesome books featuring compelling female characters and dealing with feminism and what it means to be a woman.
Did I leave out a favorite? Shout out in the comments.
Happy Friday, everyone! I’m extra excited for this Friday, because it’s the start of ALA weekend here in Boston, which means I get to meet some of my favorite librarians and bloggers and writers in person. Book lovers unite!
In case you’re in town for the conference or a YA-loving local, don’t forget to come to tonight’s Real Teen Lives YA panel at Brookline Booksmith (7pm EST)! In the meantime, let’s kick 
off the weekend with a look at what I’ve been reading and writing in fifteen words or fewer.
Reading: Bitch Planet, Vol 1: Extraordinary Machine (Bitch Planet #1-5) by Kelly Sue DeConnick, Valentine De Landro, Taki Soma, Robert Wilson
Started off the year with some feminist sci-fi graphic novel goodness.
Writing: “I wonder if Ms. Simpson is somewhere now, walking with the living and reciting poetry.”
My latest short story (about poetry and the zombie apocalypse) is up at the Hanging Garden.
A few links to get you through the middle of the week: