The Lucky 13th Annual SCBWI Winter Conference in New York City... Friday Intensives!

I'm very excited about participating in the Writers Roundtable intensive today, and about the whole conference.  After all, this is my first conference as the head of SCBWI Team Blog and the official blogger for SCBWI: THE BLOG!

You can check in on the conference at The Official SCBWI Conference Blog as well as follow the stream of info and comments on twitter with the hashtag #NY12SCBWI (and you don't even have to be on twitter to access it!)

Later tonight there's the New York City Kit Lit Drink Night, organized by Chrstina McTighe (@LaFabuliste on twitter) and other fabulous New York Kid Lit folk (including @newsboyhat, @Aunt_Feather, and Mackenzie Reide) to overlap with #NY12SCBWI so all us out-of-towners can attend.   It's tonight, Friday January 27, 2012, at 8pm at Public House on 41st and Lexington.  Right around the corner from the Hyatt!

It's the gathering in of our tribe...

Exciting stuff!

Namaste,
Lee

Inside the lives of LGBTQ Teens Today: "My Queer Testimony"

This Tumblr site, My Queer Testimony, has some great stuff!

The "My Queer Testimony" Tumblr page

I really liked this testimony by Patrick,

who writes on the difference to him between identifying as gay versus identifying as queer:

"‘Gay’ is really nice and friendly and, you know, you’re friends with all the really nice girls and you look pretty and wear your v-neck sweaters and you want to maintain your privilege. You don’t want to step on anyone’s toes and you don’t want to be in-your-face. ‘Queer’ is in-your-face and calling people out and not being afraid to speak your mind and that’s more me, more of what I’m about. I like ‘queer.’ I am ‘queer.’"

And Janet Mock's story of growing up as a transgender teen is powerful.  And you have to read this poem by Rex.

The site includes photos, videos, essays, heartfelt birthday wishes and organizations fighting for LGBTQ equality.  Be aware, it does include some adult content (like the bisexual rapper Imani's lyrics.) 

Awesome and diverse, My Queer Testimony is well worth checking out.

Namaste,
Lee

The 2012 Comment Challenge Finale!!!

More than 150 participants.

With a goal of 100 comments each.

Over 21 days.

That's 15,000 comments.

15,000 connections, just in our world of people blogging about children's literature.

That's community.  Or, in pictures...

lonely blogger

five-a-day commenter

commenter with a new habit!

ten of us with a new habit!!!!!!!!!!

150 of us with a new habit makes a COMMUNITY!

So whether you reached your commenting goal, or started reading blogs with a more participatory mind-set, or just felt more connected, we hope you've created a new habit... and that you'll continue your commenting on kid lit blogs throughout the year ahead.

If you'd like to be in our random prize drawings, please leave a comment (of course!) here and/or at MotherReader's with your final thoughts about the challenge, your how-you-did comment tally (honor system), and luck will determine the rest.

There will be prizes for those who made 100 and for those who just gave it a good try as well...

Thanks again for participating in the 2012 Comment Challenge, and keep on Commenting!

Lee

Scott Westerfeld's Leviathan, Behemoth and Goliath - A Steampunk Trilogy with a Teen girl disguised as a boy

It was great to talk with Scott Westerfeld about these books:

Leviathan, Behemoth & Goliath

Here's the synopsis of the triology from Scott Westerfeld's amazing website:

Prince Aleksander, would-be heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, is on the run. His own people have turned on him. His title is worthless. All he has is a battletorn war machine and a loyal crew of men.

Deryn Sharp is a commoner, disguised as a boy in the British Air Service. She’s a brilliant airman. But her secret is in constant danger of being discovered.

With World War I brewing, Alek and Deryn’s paths cross in the most unexpected ways, taking them on a fantastical, around-the-world adventure that will change both their lives forever.

All three books in this series are illustrated novels, full of incredible art (more than 50 plates in each book) by Keith Thompson.  Here are two of them:

Add your review of "Leviathan," "Behemoth," and "Goliath" in comments!

Today is the start of No Name-Calling Week!

Inspired by James Howe's awesome MG novel THE MISFITS, No Name-Calling Week is a wonderful real-world event.

With lesson plans (for elementary, middle and high school), resources, and even art lessons - No Name-Calling Week is a great event to know about - and to integrate into your life and school.

Imagine our world being one where no one said "gay" or "lame" or "bitch" as a negative. 

Think about the names you're heard - and maybe even the ones you've said.  We have the opportunity to recognize that our words are powerful... and we can use that power for good!  And we can start right now!

Namaste,
Lee

A young child sums up the problem with how toys are marketed

This is genius!




I'm really proud of Riley for "getting it" - shopping over the holidays it was very clear how there were "boy" aisles of toys and "girl" aisles of toys... and we can do better. We have to do better.

For my kid.

For Riley.

For all of us!


Namaste,
Lee

ps - My thanks to the GSA students who shared this with me!

Love and Leftovers - A Straight Teen Romance (where the Teen has a Gay father)

"Love and Leftovers" By Sarah Tregay

When her parents split because her Dad is gay and begins life with a new boyfriend, Marcie is dragged from Idaho to a family summerhouse in New Hampshire. She leaves behind her friends, a group of freaks and geeks called the Leftovers, including her emo-rocker boyfriend, and her father. By the time Labor Day rolls around, Marcie suspects this "vacation" has become permanent. She starts at a new school where a cute boy brings her breakfast and a new romance heats up.  But Marcie already has a boyfriend...



Written in poems, this is the Sarah's debut novel.  Add your review of "Love & Leftovers" in comments!

The 2012 Comment Challenge Week Two Check-In... Are You Feeling the Habit?

I love this image.  It's all 'The Sound of Music' meets 'The Matrix,' isn't it? 

Here on day 14, I hope you're feeling the commenting habit becoming more a part of your blogging and online experience!  If you've been keeping up with the 5-comments-a-day-is-habit-forming-goal, you should be right around 70 comments so far.

Let us know how it's going - we have well over 150 participants in this year's Comment Challenge, and that's a great list over at Mother Reader's to browse if you're looking for new blogs of other avid kid lit bloggers to explore (and leave comments at!)

Keep on commenting,
Lee

A New Path For Pre-Adolescent Transgender Children and their families... A chance to be Themselves

This is a remarkable story of 'identical' twin boys, one of whom has always been gender conforming, and the other who always said they felt like a girl.

And for that transgender child, the family has supported their transition from Wyatt to Nicole.  She's on hormone blockers to avoid starting male adolescence, and the plan is for her to start estrogen this year.

The parents' journey.  Their father, Wayne, going from unbelieving to supportive to a transgender rights activist, who said:

“We told our kids you can’t create change if you don’t get involved,’

The brother's journey.  Nicole remembers her brother telling their father

“Dad, you might as well face it...You have a son and a daughter.’’

Fighting their schools, and the statehouse.

The clinic helping them.

And most of all, Nicole's spirit of pride in herself and hope:

“Obviously my life is not going to be as easy as being gender-conforming, but there are perks like being able to get out there and do things that will benefit the [transgender] community,’’ she says. “I think everything’s going to turn out pretty well for me.’’

 It's inspiring.  And to Nicole and your family... We're cheering you on!

Namaste,
Lee

ps: My thanks to Lawrence for sharing this with me, so I could share it with you.

Taking Time To Honor Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., and His Dream

Every time I watch Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.'s "I Have A Dream" Speech, it inspires me.

Enjoy...



Join me in standing up in 2012 and working to make the dream a reality!

Namaste,
Lee