In 1986, poet/activist June Jordan published a brilliant essay titled “The Difficult Miracle of Black Poetry in America: Something Like a Sonnet for Phillis Wheatley.” I taught this essay in my course on black women writers; I revisit it often and especially when I am feeling disheartened and demoralized by the publishing industry. Unlike some, who summarily dismiss Wheatley as a “sellout” for penning neo-classical verse, Jordan meditates upon the extraordinary conditions that produced the first black person to be published in the U.S.:
Come to this country a slave and how should you sing? After the flogging the lynch rope the general terror and weariness what should you know of a lyrical life? How could you, belonging to no one, but property to those despising the smiles of your soul, how could you dare to create yourself: a poet?
I have written about daring more than once in this blog, and the courage it takes to assert one’s own voice and artistic vision in an industry seemingly unconcerned with genuine diversity. Today I read yet another article about the struggle many parents and educators face when trying to provide black boys with reading material that reflects their realities. K.T. Horning says it best:
“For publishers, it’s a business. And they’re publishing for how they feel the market is defined,” says Kathleen Horning, director of the Cooperative Children’s Book Center at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, which studies and compiles data about books for kids.
Of the 5,000 children’s books published every year, no more than 5 percent are written by or about blacks, Asians, Latinos or Native Americans, Horning says. Last year, the center catalogued 172 picture books, novels and nonfiction books published that were about Africans or African-Americans. Of those, 83 were written or illustrated by blacks.
Horning says that despite the growing diversity in classrooms, there hasn’t been much change in the industry, which has few editors of color. “Children just are not seeing themselves in children’s books,” Horning says.
Publishers are loathe to talk publicly about whether they ignore black readers.
None of this is news to me, of course; I’ve spent enough hours writing and raging over the refusal of the children’s publishing industry (and the general kidlit community) to even ADMIT (never mind ADDRESS) this appalling inequality. Some white bloggers fume over the “injustice” of the Coretta Scott King awards being reserved for black authors and illustrators, but have little if anything to say about the fact that white authors and illustrators already have 95% of the publishing pie. Amy Bodden Bowllan, driving force behind the Writers Against Racism campaign, reached out to several publishers in an attempt to engage them in a dialogue about the potential of children’s literature to combat racism and promote tolerance. Their silence has been deafening. What can they say? That they collectively lack the daring, the moral clarity, the fiscal incentive to do right by our kids? Perhaps they will say, “The market can’t sustain more books by and about people of color. There simply isn’t enough demand.” And so they will continue to promote their endless books about Harriet Tubman and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., knowing that educators and librarians across the country need *something* to display when Black History Month rolls around…
In her essay, June Jordan argues that contemporary black and white poets have a different set of concerns, and a different vocabulary with which to articulate their particular “urgencies.” She writes:
I would not presume to impose my urgencies upon white poets writing in America. But the miracle of Black poetry in America, the difficult miracle of Black poetry in America, is that we have been rejected and we are frequently dismissed as “political” or “topical” or “sloganeering” and “crude” and “insignificant” because, like Phillis Wheatley, we have persisted for freedom. We will write against South Africa and we will seldom pen a poem about wild geese flying over Prague, or grizzlies at the rain barrel under the dwarf willow trees. We will write, published or not, however we may, like Phillis Wheatley, of the terror and the hungering and the quandaries of our African lives on this North American soil. And as long as we study white literature, as long as we assimilate the English language and its implicit English values, as long as we allude and defer to gods we “neither sought nor knew,” as long as we, Black poets in America, remain the children of slavery, as long as we do not come of age and attempt, then to speak the truth of our difficult maturity in an alien place, then we will be beloved, and sheltered, and published.
But not otherwise. And yet we persist…This is the difficult miracle of Black poetry in America: that we persist, published or not, and loved or unloved: we persist.
We do persist, though most of us languish in the shadows, obscured by the blinding spotlight focused on a handful of celebrated authors. It seems that if a publisher has one or two award-winning authors of color, they no longer feel obligated to actively seek out new talent, emerging voices that might extend the limited range of realities we find in children’s literature today. And, of course, there is a desperate need for “slice of life” stories that don’t (only) focus on racial or cultural conflict; I’m partial to wild geese and willow trees, but those aren’t the books editors and agents seem to champion. People of color make up a third of the population, and before too long, we’ll reach 50%. In 2050 will we still be petitioning the children’s publishing industry to be more responsive to our needs–OUR urgencies? The Catalyst Chicago article explains,
Many librarians and teachers say that publishing more books for African Americans isn’t merely a matter of political correctness. It’s crucial to lowering the achievement gap.
Reading test scores show that blacks significantly lag behind whites. Among 4th-graders, the gap was 27 points; it was 26 points for 8th-graders, according to 2007 data from the National Assessment of Educational Progress. On average, black boys scored 28 points behind their white counterparts, while the gap between white girls and black girls in the 4th grade was 25 points.
The lack of diversity in publishing is not entirely to blame for this achievement gap but it contributes nonetheless, and it’s not unreasonable to assume that children of color might read more avidly if they had more choices of books to read. We also need books that can help to restructure environments and attitudes that are hostile to our children’s survival. In April of this year, two 11-year old boys in two different states hanged themselves after enduring relentless, homophobic taunting from their classmates (read more about these tragic deaths here). New York Times columnist Charles M. Blow concludes,
In short, homophobic bullying is pervasive. It disproportionately affects black and Hispanic kids. A new study suggests an apparent link between bullying and suicide. To wit, black and Hispanic adults who are gay reported higher “serious suicide attempts” than their white counterparts, most of those attempts taking place when they were young.
What I am trying to say to children’s publishers is that the lack of books for children in our communities IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH. I am not asking you to level the playing field as a “favor” to people of color. I am asking you to work with us in our efforts to transform children’s lives. Isn’t that why you chose this field in the first place? I grew up in Canada in a semi-rural community on the outskirts of Toronto; I grew up without any stories that featured children of color, save the extraordinary books of Ezra Jack Keats. In a country that regularly boasts of its commitment to multiculturalism, I grew up not dreaming in color, and the first picture book story I ever wrote featured a white protagonist. I grew up never knowing black people could write books; I never met a black author or illustrator, and I suspect that most children in Canada are living that same sad reality today (thirty years later). The situation is better here in the U.S., but still far from perfect. In the 21st century, when we have managed to elect our first African American president, how is it possible that the children’s publishing industry is still 98% white? Is it any wonder, then, that the books being produced for children are also disproportionately white?
I have decided that the best way to proceed is to develop multiple strategies that can be implemented simultaneously on different fronts. As Haki Madhubuti reminded his audience at this year’s Harlem Book Fair, “We didn’t come into this world as beggars.” Forty years ago, he founded Third World Press with the goal of providing:
…quality literature that primarily focuses on issues, themes, and critique related to an African American public. The Third World Press mission is to make this literature accessible to as many individuals as possible including our targeted market of primarily African American readers…Our goals are to cultivate a broader readership of individuals who want to gain greater insight into African American cultural traditions; to reach individuals that are younger and/or less scholarly-focused; and also to reach that customer who just did not know that we existed. (my emphasis)
Lately I have found myself invoking some lines from the conclusion of Toni Morrison’s masterpiece, Beloved:
Everybody knew what she was called, but nobody anywhere knew her name. Disremembered and unaccounted for, she cannot be lost because no one is looking for her, and even if they were, how can they call her if they don’t know her name? Although she has claim, she is not claimed.
I KNOW that there are hundreds of writers of color out there with stories that deserve to be in print. Yet again and again I hear white editors deploring the lack of publishable material–“Those stories just don’t cross my desk!” Maybe, dear editor, you need to get up from your desk and go out into the world, into the communities where these writers reside. Great writers of color are not in hiding; many are simply persisting, holding onto hope, waiting to be “claimed” by an agent, an editor, any gatekeeper with more than dollar signs in her eyes. Some of us are following Haki’s lead and are becoming our own publisher; my own press was inspired by the black feminists of an earlier era who founded Kitchen Table Press so that their work would finally have a home and a life in the larger world.
Yet self-published books and those produced by small, independent publishers are often dismissed as illegitimate and/or unworthy of serious critical attention; they are generally excluded from traditional marketing and distribution channels, and so reach only a very small audience. I am exceedingly grateful to the librarians, reviewers, bloggers, educators, and journal editors who have embraced my self-published young adult novel; A Wish After Midnight will be featured on the cover of the Fall issue of MultiCultural Review, and it has been adopted by several public schools, the Brooklyn Public Library, and the New York Public Library. I urge all readers to embrace the new reality of the 21st century: gatekeepers don’t always get it right. It’s up to all of us to look in nontraditional locations for music, books, films, and other art forms that are meaningful yet marginalized. It’s fair to argue that many self-published books are poorly written, but more and more competent writers are turning to publishing on demand out of desperation AND a determination to circumvent a publishing industry that insists upon conformity (when it opens its gates at all). Wall Street head honchos got it wrong, and people throughout the world are suffering as a result. We cannot continue to implicitly trust children’s publishers who get it right sometimes, but so consistently fail us in every other way.
The world we dream in literature can one day become our reality. I am an immigrant, and one of the things I love most about this country is that it is a land of dreamers. Yes, I am sometimes bitter about the contradictions embedded in those dreams, and the inconsistent commitment that leads to only their partial fulfillment. But I still believe that the stories we tell ourselves will shape the future, and the more voices permitted to join the chorus, the better off we’ll ALL be.
Zetta, powerful, well thought-out and much needed post. The struggles that we still face both anger and sadden me. In this country, too many of the gatekeepers, publishing or otherwise refuse to see value in anything that doesn’t resemble them, yet minorities do this on a daily basis. I think that the negative perception of self-publishing is poised to change. Its an option that more writers are pursuing and I feel the momentum building.
Thanks, Veronica! I do hope a wave of change washes over the industry SOON…
You know I’m putting this on Facebook and Twitter. Found another site, Stumble Upon, too. When I learn how to use it. I’m going to stumble this as well.
Well said, Zetta. Keep talking. Keep writing. We’re listening AND acting.
I can always count on you to sound the alarm, Susan–thanks!
Great piece, Zetta. And yes, there is ample evidence that the lack of culturally relevant materials has an impact on literacy from the very beginning. MultiCultural Review published a pair of articles by Jonda McNair and Jane Gangi on this topic in spring 2008. Right now, I’m having trouble getting some of the corporate publishers to send me review copies of their forthcoming children’s books by authors of color. One publicist I talked to at ALA said, “You don’t need to convince me; I’ll send them,” but I have yet to see the books. So if the books by and about people of color are marketed so carelessly and they don’t sell well as a result, you’ll soon see the publishers saying, “We published these multicultural books and nobody bought them.” Well, nobody bought them because you chose not to promote them, and few people are going to find out about a book that isn’t promoted.
You’re so right, Lyn, and I thank you once again for bringing much-needed transparency to the publishing industry. Even though I’m usually disgusted, I’m so grateful for all you’ve taught me about the inner workings of the industry.
[…] Something like an open letter to the children's publishing …2 hours ago by elliottzetta I taught this essay in my course on black women writers; I revisit it often and especially when I am feeling disheartened and demoralized by the publishing industry. Unlike some, who summarily dismiss Wheatley as a âselloutâ for penning … […]
Excellent post! I tweeted it too.
Thanks!
Zetta, the more I learn about the ills of this industry the more I am disturbed. There are countless instances whereby the obvious oversight is in a vacuum. Why hasn’t the media taken this on as a story of interest? That is where the spotlight needs to be shown. The only way publishers will “wake up” is if they are called to the carpet. I will continue to shed a media spotlight on this. Imagine if in 100 years we did not have writers like you, Zetta? I came into this late, but I am in it for the long haul, and again, I thank you for your guidance. xo
Well, I owe you a big thanks, Amy, b/c I’ve always insisted it was best to start small and stay local–you really opened my eyes to the need for greater exposure and wider debate. I might try sending this to the NY Times…
In addition to a more diverse pool of editors, we need agents who specialize in representing authors of color, to bring those authors to the attention of editors and to fight for cultural authenticity once the editing process begins.
Agreed! And thanks for chiming in with info on available data…I hear Switzerland’s nice this time of year…
Duh–he meant his book…I need to go off-line and decompress for a while…
Yes, yes, yes. Beautifully-stated, and I really do hope there is some sort of critical moment building here. As you say, with the election of an African-American president, it just isn’t acceptable any more that the institutions which produce books for the nation’s children do not serve or represent their audience. It is an imperative in every way – moral, financial, just as a basic human right. I’ll link to this, but I agree, it needs to be covered in the mainstream, in the media. I’ve been asking Elizabeth Bleumle about getting PW to cover this following her blog posting, and she said she’d talk to people there. What I’d really like to see are interviews or discussion with editors about their experiences working with authors of color. Have they ever been aware of how the publication process shapes the books they take-on? What are their perceptions of how the authors feel about the process. Or better yet, in an idea world, would be a conversation with authors and editors describing their experiences and seeing the gaps. If people in publishing – in editorial, marketing, sales, design – aren’t pushed to reflect on the dynamic, the situation at hand, it just isn’t going to change. Self-publishing can definitely be a force, and groups working collectively. You see these groups of first-time new authors pooling together with websites to help promote themselves. I, for one, would be willing to participate in some sort of collective to publish books by people of color, helping to find and edit books. If you got enough “credible” people on-board, I think it would be possible to subvert the existing systems. So thanks, Zetta, for speaking so eloquently and forcefully on this subject. You are my inspiration to try to do the same.
Thanks, Laura. Couldn’t hold it in any longer…did you read Rilla’s remarks? That’s one of my fears–losing my voice b/c editors expect people of color to dilute and diminish their difference…how would we start a collective? Apply for a grant? get private investors? any publisher that hired YOU as senior editor could have ALL my unpublished manuscripts…I’m not sure about interviewing editors; what could you ask? Do you know you’re racist? Ok, not that. Do you know your expectations are distorting the intentions of writers of color? Or something more generic: what challenges have you faced in working with writers of color? You lead on this one; I’ll follow…
Thank you Zetta, this article is lovely and I’m happy you pointed the attention on such important issue. Here in Europe, let me say in Italy (I’m back from Kenya for a while), there is attention to literature produced by immigrants, but still it is a marginal section and it is quiet hard to find publishers who can really promote a book of the sort. No big publishing company will ever invest in multiculturalism and small indipendent publishers struggle a lot to sell and distribute… also getting reviews for such books is hard… but we have to have faith that things we’ll change. lert’s be dreamers as you suggest.
Thanks, Valentina. I think the internet is opening up more possibilities when it comes to promoting books, but we still have a long way to go…
Up until this whole Liar controversy, I feel as if I’ve lived my life in the margins, not seeing the whole picture, hiding from it really. Being comfortable. My eyes are opening, taking in more, as a librarian, I will do all I can.
Thanks for making that pledge, Brain Lair! Sometimes it takes a near-disaster to jolt us into action…
Well said Zetta. When a child doesn’t see themselves reflected in any media form on a regular basis its sad and dangerous. It brings about so many things like low self esteem. It also makes it okay for other kids to tease and bully them. These children don’t matter enough to have their stories told so why not call them names.
Even after all these years I can still remember discovering Black female authors that made me say I am, that’s me and thank you. Sadly I had to wait until high school. If this had happened earlier, I believe I would be a stronger woman now.
There must come a time when everyone is heard and seen.
I had to wait until college, Doret, but I know what you mean–that incredible moment of recognition when you open a book and YOU are at the center, not the margins…
powerful stuff here Z, good for you for laying it out so clearly and bravely. those lines by Morrison really are brilliant aren’t they.
they are–and YOU are the brilliant friend who loaned me that book!
Zetta, your essay/article is brilliant. I hope it gets published in the New York Times. Editors remain silent because their job is at risk if they speak. Yes. Publishing work by POC is “a matter of life and death” and I hope editors listen to Laura, Lyn and Amy so we can get a much needed dialogue going.”
Gracias, Z. Mil gracias!
Gracias, Mayra! We’ve got to break that white wall of silence…
Thank you for posting this. I tweeted & sent link to FB too. This is very well written, with just the right balance of passion and reason.
Thanks, Andromeda! I’m glad it reads as balanced, b/c I certainly felt “off” this past week.
Thanks Zetta for posting this essay. You’ve given me lots to think about.
As a writer of color, I think it’s very important that kids and teens see themselves within the covers of a book.
Other writers like me who share this same passion have formed the Association of Children’s Authors and Illustrators of Color (ACAIC) in the hope that we can foster a community to help writers with their craft and start producing quality work for publication. However, high-quality manuscripts won’t make a difference if the gatekeepers and the inner workings of the system do not see their merit.
But we are in it for the long haul and we will continue to try.
Again, great post!
Hi, Karen! Thanks for your comment. Sounds to me like your organization would be a GREAT starting point for any editor searching for stories by authors of color…
I agree with all commenters above: great post. I’ve just found your blog, and will post to Facebook as well.
As a former art supervisor at a textbook company in the 80’s and 90’s, I’m both sad to see and unsurprised to learn that what I saw in the industry is still going on today.
I was a lone voice in the wilderness, trying to have people of color depicted accurately and frequently in illustrations and photographs, and was often met with resistance as I insisted.
In those days, there was an actual percentage breakdown which governed how many people of color were included in any given book. Remember, these were textbooks, from elementary readers to high school science and everything in between. It was both a frustrating and exciting time to be in the industry, since before this, there was virtually no attention paid to diversity.
I will subscribe to your blog; I’m interested to read more, and to see your post in the NYT.
Hi, Michelle. I think we’ve had a lot of those moments where we start out hopeful and then slowly become jaded when it turns into the same old, same old. Funny how the word “quota” is most often used against people of color when they’re seeking equal representation, yet here it is employed at your old job…sigh. Thanks for your support and your honesty. We need to hear more stories like yours…
Hi Zetta,
I found your article interesting.
I think you’ve taken the right course in starting your own publishing company.
That’s how things change. Now comes the hard part, showing them a business model that works.
Good luck to you!
Rukhsana
Too true, Rukhsana! Many small presses flounder and fail…
You deserve partial credit for this essay–our email exchanges really got me thinking, and I had to do something with all that energy…so thanks!
LOL. Well glad I could help!!!
I thought you might want to skewer me by the time we were done!
Not YOU! Maybe a few Canadian publishers, though… 😉
Great post. It makes me think of the nervousness I have about introducing books that are written by or about POC to a non-POC audience. This article should alleviate some of my nervousness because clearly the kids aren’t aware of many of these titles…if I don’t show them, they might never see them.
Thanks, Evelyn. We have to find some way to “normalize” books by and about POC, making them more accessible and universal, for everyone and not just POC.
Publishing is a business … show them the money and they will listen. This is a Great subject. However, there is not enough emphasis on the amount of money that African Americans spend on Children books. Publishing is a business; show them the money and they will listen. There is no shortage of Black Hair Care products in America because that is a market where African Americans do not hesitate to spend. What percentage of African American income is spent on children books written by and about African Americans? If there is not a market for children books written by and about African Americans, no one will produce them. Increase the market for children books written by and about African Americans and they will publish more of them to meet demands from this increased market.
African Americans can easily create this market with zero investment. Simply borrow and return every public library book written by and about African Americans. The library card is free and no one will quiz or test the borrower’s knowledge of the book’s content. So why do African Americans refuse to use the public library to create a market and increase demand for children books written by and about African Americans? It is free and easy; just borrow and return a children book written by and about African Americans. If once in their life time, each living African American borrowed and returned just ONE public library children book written by and about African Americans, I am certain this one act would positively influence the production of children books written by and about African Americans.
Wonderful post, Zetta. Just got around to reading it because I’ve been on vacation, but I will blog and link to it. I, too, hope to read it in the NY Times, or PW.
I have lots to add and chime in on, and I’m thrilled/relieved/grateful that you are part of the (still small, but growing) chorus of voices speaking out on this and other important issues. Lots of e-hugs and anti-migraine-stuff to you, my friend.
Neesha
Linked, and posted some thoughts here: http://bit.ly/siT8D.s
Hmm, try this: http://bit.ly/siT8D
Thank you, Zetta, for beautifully articulating what must continue to be said to the publishing industry. Children of color, of LGBT families, adopted children . . . all look in vain for books they can relate to. Will blog and retweet in support! Our series, Runt Farm, aims to celebrate nontraditional and “found” family for this very reason. Meanwhile, my search for a range of books about girl characters of color, to inspire my grandchildren not only to read, but to See Themselves as Important Beings in the World, continues. Much appreciation for your YA contribution to the literature!
Thanks, Ceci! I have some friends who would definitely appreciate books about nontraditional families, so I’ll be sure to tell them about Runt Farm.
I think this article made some interesting points, I read a textbook directly related to this topic, its called Multiculturalism in the United States: Current Issues, Contemporary Voices by , I found my used copy for less than the bookstores at http://www.belabooks.com/books/9780761986485.htm
[…] and author Zetta Elliott’s article, “Something Like an Open Letter to the Children’s Publishing Industry,” articulates the frustrating refusal of industry leaders to address this issue. “Their […]
[…] on White Privilege in the Publications of Children’s Books“) and Zetta Elliot (“Something Like an Open Letter to the Children’s Publishing Industry“) as another clear example of the white-ness of children’s literature publishing; if […]
Hi ElliottZetta,
I came across a link to your blog on the Multicultural Literature Advocacy Group webpage and I am very pleased and inspired by what I’ve read. I am beginning a self-publishing venture and for a long time I felt that I was alone in my belief that minority children need to see themselves in the books that society encourages them to read.
My most vivid reading memory dates back to elementary school in Brooklyn, New York. As is the case in many places throughout the US, we were in a ghettoized environment. My school was predominantly black whereas five minutes away, there was another school that was predominantly white. We didn’t even interact until the school had to undergo asbestos removal – and even then we were not put in the same classrooms. We did not even receive instruction at the same time of day. But that’s another long and frustrating story of segregation in 1990s New York.
So anyway, we were lucky enough to have a pretty well-stocked library, but it was stocked with books that no one seemed to want to read, or at least that we were not enthusiastic about reading. But there was one book – ONE! – that everyone wanted, and it was about an African princess. It was really like a fairytale to us. We spent hours together staring at the pictures, trying to comprehend the characters. As soon as one person had brought it back from home, it would be gone again just as quickly, and despite the fact that it passed through so many hands, it never came back smudged or with dog-eared pages. That’s how much it meant to us – we took care of that book like a loved one.
That is the memory that inspires me and reminds me that producing literature that speaks to everyone is vitally important. I find it hard to believe that mainstream publishing houses are not more in tune with that necessity.
As I mentioned earlier I am also embarking on a publishing venture. Would you mind corresponding with me on issues that self-publishers face?
Anyway, I’ve enjoyed your post and will be keeping an eye on your writing. 🙂
Sure–I do have a post with tips for self-publishers:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/zetta-elliott/7-tips-for-self-published_b_500473.html
Feel free to email me if you have other questions. LaVora Perry is another black author who started her own press:
http://www.mlavoraperry.com/
Good luck!
[…] Elliott, Zetta. “Something Like an Open Letter to the Children’s Publishing Industry.” Fledgling: The Sky’s the Limit (blog), Sep.5, 2009. https://zettaelliott.wordpress.com/2009/09/05/something-like-an-open-letter-to-the-children%E2%80%99s… […]
[…] “Something Like an Open Letter to the Children’s Publishing Industry.” Fledgling blog. WordPress, 5 Sept. 2009. […]
[…] Elliott, Zetta. “Something Like an Open Letter to the Children’s Publishing Industry.” Fledgling: The Sky’s the Limit (blog), Sep.5, 2009. https://zettaelliott.wordpress.com/2009/09/05/something-like-an-open-letter-to-the-children%E2%80%99s… […]
[…] Check out Zetta Elliott’s Something like an open letter to the children’s publishing industry. […]
[…] Elliot, Zetta. “Something like an open letter to the children’s publishing industry” [https://zettaelliott.wordpress.com/2009/09/05/something-like-an-open-letter-to-the-children%E2%80%99s…] […]
[…] “Something like an open letter to the children’s publishing industry” https://zettaelliott.wordpress.com/2009/09/05/something-like-an-open-letter-to-the-children%E2%80%99s… […]
[…] The only good thing about bigots is that they usually hang themselves if you give them enough rope. That’s just what happened on The Daily Show when Al Madrigal traveled to Arizona to interview a school board member who voted to ban Mexican American Studies in Tucson schools (based on “hearsay,” not facts). If you haven’t seen the segment, you can watch it here. Debbie Reese has also transcribed the interview and you can find that on her blog, American Indians in Children’s Literature. You want to laugh because it’s so ridiculous, but the ramifications of this kind of ignorance are very real—and harmful to our youth and the future of the country. This week Amy Bodden Bowllan is featuring Matt de la Peña on her School Library Journal blog; Matt recently visited AZ after his novel, Mexican Whiteboy, was pulled from the shelves. Amy also gave me a chance to reflect on the Trayvon Martin case and its impact on young readers. THIS is what I’m talking about when I say that “the lack of books for children in our communities IS A MATTER OF LIFE AND DEATH.“ […]
[…] 2009, a year after the publication of my first picture book, I wrote an open letter to the children’s publishing industry. I appealed to the overwhelmingly white and middle-class editors, marketers, and artistic directors […]
[…] Elliott, Zetta. “Something Like an Open Letter to the Children’s Publishing Industry.” Fledgling: The Sky’s the Limit (blog), Sep. 5, 2009. https://zettaelliott.wordpress.com/2009/09/05/something-like-an-open-letter-to-the-children%E2%80%99s… […]
Just stumbled across this 3 years later. Amazing read. I am starting a company that makes Christian games, and plans to lead that effort by first releasing a book based on one of the games. The main character is white, but there is a lot of diversity in the supporting cast (even a Messianic Jew). But to push the book within the Black community is what I’m really trying to figure out. I need more market data on children’s books and their sales among Black families.
[…] books and other writings we should all read. For example, I always assign Zetta’s “Something like an open letter to the children’s publishing industry” alongside Laura Atkins’ “White Privilege and Children’s Publishing: A Web […]
[…] https://zettaelliott.wordpress.com/2009/09/05/something-like-an-open-letter-to-the-children%E2%80%99… […]
[…] Zetta Elliott, author of books for children, teens, and adults, brings the issue to the bare bones. She writes, […]
[…] https://zettaelliott.wordpress.com/2009/09/05/something-like-an-open-letter-to-the-children’s-publ… […]
[…] Elliott, Zetta. (2009 September 5). Something Like an Open Letter to the Children’s Publishing Industry. Zetta Elliott Blog. – https://zettaelliott.wordpress.com/2009/09/05/something-like-an-open-letter-to-the-children%E2%80%99s… […]
[…] Zetta. (2009 September 5). Something Like an Open Letter to the Children’s Publishing Industry. Zetta Elliott […]
Very insightful and inspiring. And seven years later still so relevant. Thank-you.
[…] “Open Letter to Children’s Book Industry” by Zetta Elliot […]
[…] about characters outside of the “norm”, they just aren’t always published, “white authors and illustrators already have 95% of the publishing pie.” These books are often overlooked and seen as though they are not in high demand. Except, they are […]
[…] visible with its annual count. Zetta Elliott, award-winning author of books for youth, wrote “Something Like An Open Letter to Children’s Book Publishers.” There is a Birthday Party Pledge to get multicultural books as gifts for children. The NY Times […]
[…] are speaking out. In 2009, Zetta Elliott, award-winning author of books for youth, wrote “Something Like An Open Letter to Children’s Book Publishers.” Awards and databases have been established by activists with a focus on major gaps and […]
[…] “Something Like an Open Letter to the Children’s Publishing Industry” […]