Public Service Announcement #15
My birthday month means sharing other people's book birthdays!
Recent picture book birthdays to celebrate
October is my birthday month, and I wanted to use this PSA installment to give a very warm welcome-to-the-world to some special picture books. Happy birthday to these four new titles!
The Boldest White: A Story of Hijab and Community by Ibtihaj Muhammad and S.K.Ali, art by Hatem Aly. A little is sister following in her big sister’s footsteps—learning to fence, “saber first.” But Faizah feels more comfortable, more “right” when she’s part of a group, one of many at Jummah, in her fencing class with other students, or at the masjid. But soon, with the help of her big sis and mama in this gorgeously composed book, she discovers her own boldness. Faizah can, in fact, stand apart, “saber first.”
“Bravery grows in your mind. But its roots are in your heart. Water the roots for the right reasons, and bravery will grow. Exactly when you need it to.”
We are the Builders written by Deepa Dyer, illustrated by Romina Glotta. A story of all kinds of kids at a school building a community day and social change together through everyone finding a specific role that feels suited to them, their skills, and enthusiasms. Are you a storyteller? A disrupter? A frontline responder? A healer? Based on the author’s social change ecosystem map to help people identify how to build a better world based in equity, liberation, justice, and solidarity, this picture book models how to do it from the youngest age. A beautiful primer and inspiration.
The House Without Lights by Reem Faruqi, illustrated by Nadia Alam. A perfect story for this time of year when night comes early and homes light up with twinkles and festivities. Told from the house’s perspective, it misses the twinkly lights of years and inhabitants past because winter has arrived, a new family with it, and they don’t hang lights like the rest of the neighborhood. But then folks gather and cook and eat together, providing a different kind of glow inside. And then! Lights twinkle again on the house’s windows soon, when it’s time to celebrate a different holiday: Eid! A gorgeous, gentle story of how a home is filled with light and joy because of who is in it, how they celebrate, and the any-season love they bring.
“The other houses smiled back. House winked its lights. It was EID.”
This is How We Play: A Celebration of Disability and Adaptation written by Jessica Slice and Caroline Cupp, illustrated by Kayla Harren. This picture book is a playing primer, kin to We Move Together in its exuberant inclusivity. Kids, caregivers, grownups, families, a world populated by people—people who play in all different ways! Written by a pair of disabled mothers and writers, each spread is drawn from their interviews with other families, like them and different, about their experiences. What a beautiful world on display here: love, adaptation, imagination, PLAY.
“We sing, learn, sign! We stim, dance, crawl!…Sitting, rolling, running, wheels, walkers, and feet.”
Before and After Baby, a picture book I edited, is almost here!
Before and After Baby written by Maegan Blackwell, illustrated by Joanne Wong has a birthday soon!
“Before Baby, five-year-old Andy feels loved and safe with her kind and gentle Mommy. After Baby, Andy's world is turned upside down because Mommy has postpartum depression. Before Baby, Andy knew what to expect. After Baby, will everything be ok?
A hopeful story of postpartum depression through a child’s eyes.”
I’m so honored to have worked on this story with Maegan for over a year. (And I knew about it long before that. We first met through an online workshop of mine she took a handful of years ago.)
She describes it as a “book of [her] heart.” I believe it will touch many hearts, those hurting currently and those who have known the hurt of postpartum depression intimately through their experience as a parent, a child, or friend.
Maegan is motivated, diligent, and truthful. Her truth-telling shows so much in the way her main character, Andy, tells this story. In the narration. In all the dialogue. In the child’s experience of anticipation and then pain. In the mother’s both loving and heartwrenching portrayal. In the careful way Maegan conveys what’s drawn from true experience from her own life. And in the author’s note too, where she offers honest insight and support for kids, caregivers, and anyone touched by PPD.
It’s also been an honor to work with Joanne in the editing process! Her illustrations are so gentle while truthful as well! I adore the colored-pencil, watercolor feel of her artwork as well as how the colors and compositions in the book are rich, meaningful, and full of storytelling, whether showing joy, despair, or big-big love and hope.
You can pre-order or support Before and After Baby at Maegan’s website.
And follow them both on Instagram here: Maegan & Joanne. The book was designed by Naomi Silverio.
Banned books week
I had a chance to be part of banned books week at Cal State LA and facilitate a discussion, listening, and brainstorming session with college students about how to fight for the freedom to read. I was alongside extraordinary professor of English Dr. Sarah Minslow, Arwa Hammad, student advocate and VP of ASI on campus, as well as librarians. What a treat!
And a treat to read from read from THE GREAT BANNED-BOOKS BAKE SALE by Aya Khalil, illustrated by Anait Semirdzhyan. The main character, Kanzi, sums it all up to perfection in her speech at the bake sale she and her fellow students organize to support books banned because of their diversity:
“Books are for everyone. Am I not important? Am I invisible? Books make us think. Books make us imagine. Books make us compassionate. Books make us creative. Books make us LOVE. You have banned important books, but you can’t ban our words. Books are for EVERYONE.”
For my birthday
If you would like to wish me a happy birthday this month and have capacity, please consider giving to Ajjour’s Go Fund Me campaign. (We do giveaways on IG every week or two, so you might even win something!)
19-year-old Ajjour is still working with the kids of Camps Breakerz. He’s a helper who needs our help. Those of us who write for, work with, care for children are people who absolutely must stand up not only against book bans, but for peace, freedom, and justice for children everywhere. For Palestinian children like the kids pictured here with Ajjour, the ones whose schools have been bombed, who themselves are under attack and suffering right now.
This is a recent video Camps Breakerz and Ajjour shared of their last year.
How do you celebrate creative milestones?
Have you ever had a creation-birthday or marker? How did you honor and celebrate it?
How do you plan to celebrate your next one?
Since process is the part we live in and with for so long, I think it’s important to mark both the internal moments and milestones as well as go big for those that are more outward-facing. So how do you celebrate when something is finished or ready to be shared?
If you have rituals in place or ones you’d like to develop, please let us know so we might be inspired to potentially celebrate this way too!
Paid subscriber upgrades
Aside from supporting me as a writer, I host video Q&A’s two-four times a year for paid subscribers. Our first two were neat opportunities for discussion together! If you’re a subscriber who’d like to upgrade before the next one this fall, you can join in too! And if you can’t, no worries about that either.
Thank you for spending this time with me and for reading! I hope it served you as moments well spent. And please do tell a friend, leave a comment, or stay tuned for the next PSA from Danielle Davis.
Thank you for reading HOUSE WITHOUT LIGHTS, and for the other book recommendations, and for talking up about Palestine
love this one. This year I tried to celebrate it by going to an event that meant something to me.