Public Service Announcement #21
The Right to Read education resource from The Rights of Every Child + PB class + much more!!
PSA: The Right to Read, an educational resource for YOU
Here in the US, it’s National Library Week. And: every child has a right to read!
I’ve told you about the project of my heart, The Rights of Every Child . Well, I have to tell you about a new, educational offshoot (the first of more to come!): an engaging, interactive presentation on THE RIGHT TO READ through the lens of children’s rights and the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child. It’s free, downloadable, and ready-to-go for educators, librarians, or caregivers to download and use with kids and young adults in a classroom, library, book club, or any other setting. The goal? To inspire and resource children to use their creativity and champion their right to read!
This collaboration grew through what can only be described as kismet. I discovered Matheus Mendes in my quest for information on integrating the UNCRC with the right to read for a curriculum and his thesis, “A Child Rights-based Approach to the Right to Read” which won the prestigious Jaap Doek Prize.
“There are still many challenges worldwide to guarantee that every child is able and free to read and has access to books. For instance, the world is falling behind in literacy achievement, and there is a growing trend of books being banned or censored from libraries due to sexual, religious, or political content.”
—Matheus Mendes
Matheus is now our Children’s Rights Expert, and we spent a few months collaborating from our homes in Los Angeles and Brazil. Hanami Sutton, creative director, not only designed the project, but her fingerprints are all over it too.
"This is an incredible project, from top to bottom. It's so aesthetically moving and I think it will speak to both students and teachers...Engaging young people in this discussion is so important and powerful.”
—Josie Malone, reading teacher in North Carolina
That special, dreamy animation was created by artist and librarian Reena Devani.
“As an artist and librarian, this cause is very close to my heart. I believe every child deserves the right and freedom to read stories that reflect their inner lives and the world around them. Through reading, children can discover their own powerful voice, build compassion and empathy and help create a better world for us all.“
—Reena Devani
This resource is for YOU. Please check it out, download it, and share it!
And I hope you’ll sign up for The Rights of Every Child newsletter to support our art and advocacy.
picture book class at Writer’s Digest University May 15!
You’re invited to join my 6 -week, self-paced class at Writer’s Digest University all about picture books! There are videos, activities with feedback, interactive office hours, + I offer a general critique to every student on their PB manuscript at the close.
Writing and Revising Your Picture Book: From Concept to Polished Project
Starts May 15! Info here!
This online course gives writers and/or illustrators vital tools to write, revise, understand the “why,” “how,” and “what” of your story and develop a plan for next steps. As a picture book teacher, editor, and one-on-one mentor, my approach has been described as: “energizing, encouraging, productive, straightforward, fun, and confidence-building.” Please sign up if this interests you!
Borders are a fiction
Another collaboration with children’s book illustrator Addy Sonda Rivera, art from @addy_river words from me! I love collaborating with Addy whose art and spirt I so admire. Her illustrations are equally powerful and gentle, commanding and kind, infused with truth and love.
We wanted to bring attention to “borders,” that they are are human-made, often drawn by those in power for their own purposes. Fences are created to keep out instead of to welcome. And to @borderkindness . They serve vulnerable refugee communities, mostly women and children, providing food, clothing, medical, and legal services. They believe “everyone is our neighbor,” and so do we! And if you have or know someone who would like to help us make this into a fundraising print, please reach out!
Mariam’s Dream is out!
Mariam’s Dream: The Story of Mariam Al-Shaar and Her Food Truck of Hope by Leila Boukarim, illustrated by Sona Avedikian. This picture book is about an incredible woman—and written by one, beloved Leila Boukarim—who interviewed Mariam in 2018. And it’s an incredible book in every way: the words, the pictures, this true, contemporary story!
You know food trucks, but you may not know about the food truck started by @mariamalshaar! This story (for all ages) combines gorgeous illustrations, lettering, and composition plus lines like this: “Mariam is the daughter of refugees—people who live between worlds.” A celebration of being surrounded by walls and obstacles and not stopping. Of having the will, ingenuity, and fortitude to create something: Soufra! (“A feast. A table full of food.”) Mariam’s soufra was about community, about helping women use their gifts, about falafel, dolmas, freekeh, mansaf, hummus, za’atar, and about dreams coming true.
Both Mariam and Leila’s ingenuity, and fortitude honor the subject of this book and inspire all of us in creating and never stopping—always keeping on for justice and in love.
last announcement: LA Times Festival of Books Sun 4/27
I’ll be signing with Arvida Books at the year’s festival. I hope if you’re local you’ll swing through and say hello—I can sign TO MAKE if you’d like! I’ll be hanging out with Lois Lora and Dan Paley.
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.