November Recommendations
Adult Book Recommendation
The Rose Code by Kate Quinn
I’ve loved Kate Quinn’s books since I discovered The Alice Network several years ago. Her newest didn’t disappoint. I’m a sucker for anything about Bletchley Park, and enjoyed this view into the lives of the women who worked there, and the toll that signing the official secrets act took on them. It’s a hefty book, but I zipped through it.
Children’s Book Recommendation
Me and Banksy by Tanya Lloyd Kyi
When the security cameras that cover Dominica’s school are hacked, embarrassing photos of her and other students are posted online. She and her friends start an art-based protest campaign against cameras in the classroom. I thought this story dealt well with the issues of privacy and cyber-bullying which are so relevant to teens today. The Banksy elements and fast-paced plot kept me engaged right to the end.
Behind the Scenes
What’s with all the dead and divorced parents in children’s books?
I still remember the trauma of watching the opening scene of Finding Nemo with my two-year-old. (Spoiler alert - Nemo’s mom is killed within minutes). Disney is probably the worst offender, but a surprising number of children in books and movies have parents who have died or are divorced.
There’s a reason for that.
In the real world, when our kids have big problems, we want them to come to us so we can help them. In the fictional world, our children need to solve the problems themselves. The kids are the main characters. They are the ones who have to struggle and grow. In order for that to happen, the author needs to get the adults out of the way. Sometimes that can happen by sending the child on a trip (like in my novel Count Me In), or by placing the kids in a location where they have the freedom to roam (like Hildalgo Island in my Jake Reynolds books), but an easy way to get the adults out of the way is to have them be completely out of the picture. If there is only one adult at home, it means fewer opportunities for the parent to step in and solve the problem.
Professional Resource
SCBWI
https://www.scbwi.org/regional-virtual-events/
The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators has free FAQs on their website with information about publishing. The link above is to their calendar of virtual events held by their local chapters. Find affordable webinars about both the writing and publishing process.