Some of you probably caught wind of the controversy around a book called Luv Ya Bunches by Lauren Myracle. She was asked to change parts of it so that it could be carried in the Scholastic Book Fair--and one of those changes was to alter the sex of a character in a same-sex couple.Here's a... Continue Reading →
Gender bias: interesting to ponder
Plenty of people have noticed how, when it comes to awards, a disproportionate number of them seem to go to men. The same can be true for annual "best of" lists.Here's a blog entry that shows how some orchestras--once wildly dominated by men --have changed their proverbial tune by having blind auditions in carpeted rooms... Continue Reading →
Good news for Kirby Larson
In honor of the fourth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina, Best Friends Animal Society featured the Two Bobbies in their very cool e-zine, Top Story!And don't forget to stop by Kirby's blog for the latest installment in her boy books vs. girl books discussion.
Girl books vs. boy books
Kirby's blog today looks at what makes a "girl" book and what makes a "boy" book. Very interesting. Do check it out.
Kirby Larson’s gender discussion
It's now live on her blog! Check it out--and remember, the first commenter gets a signed copy of HATTIE BIG SKY.
Girls vs. boys: the throwdown
Kirby Larson has organized the Ultimate Throwdown on Gender in Books.Following the SLJ article that suggested making characters boys when it makes no big difference to the story, and a rebuttal on MSN Entertainment written by a certain opinionated person whose name rhymes with Schmartha, Kirby's adding even more voices to the debate.Starting around noon... Continue Reading →
On judging a book by its cover
You might have heard the brouhaha about Justina Larbalestier's book, LIAR. Many people say the cover--of a light-skinned girl hiding behind her hair--doesn't match the protagonist, who is black.Here's Justina's take on it, on how much say the author really has on a cover, on working with Bloomsbury, and the disturbing notion that covers with... Continue Reading →