![]() The backmatter also includes other valuable information: poems, a playlist of songs, a timeline of names for African Americans, and a bibliography with further reading for adults. Black is a culture” and “My color is Black.” While the references to history, art, and culture will be familiar to many adult readers, an afterword provides details for sharing with children. Two verses repeat throughout the pages: “Black is a color. On one spread, “Black is the power of a movement in pain” accompanies pictures of people holding signs saying “I am a man,” “Equal Rights,” and “Black Lives Matter.” The powerful images alternate between everyday children and families, and famous historical figures such as Thurgood Marshall, Billie Holiday, and Paul Lawrence Dunbar, whose work is referenced poetically in the text. Joy’s rhythmic verses and Holmes’s vivid artwork combine to offer a celebration of Black American culture and history that connects current movements for social justice to past Civil Rights movements, offering context and continuity between generations. We believe that small acts like sharing picture books with Asian characters as protagonists can add up to help resist the racist exotification at the heart of much of the racism Asian Americans face. Such a shift feels particularly important now, as political leaders and conspiracy theories blame the pandemic on China and fan anti-Asian sentiment in the United States by depicting Asian people as inherently un-American. Lin has said that these two picture books signal a shift from a focus in her work on her Asian heritage to one of claiming her American identity. It shouldn’t be notable that the protagonist is an Asian boy, but unfortunately, it is, with the CCBC reporting only 7% of children’s books published in 2018 featuring API/APA characters (a statistic that says nothing about the quality of the representation in those titles). "When she switches it on, it's impressive.This companion title to Lin’s Caldecott Honor book, A Big Mooncake for Little Star offers a whimsical, original porquoi tale to explain the source of snowstorms. "I've worked in the business for over 30 years and and I've seen adults not be able to do what does," said Cam. The producers said they were left impressed with her presence. "And then she would hit them with a really thoughtful question and we'd see them all go, 'oh, so we're doing this.'" "She would start these interviews with these authors the typical 13-year-old fangirl," she said. Kat said one of her favourite parts about working with Alleyne was seeing her interview skills. ![]() Producers won over by 'impressive' interview skills "We felt like it's more appropriate to help amplify voice."Īlleyne is credited as creator in the series, a writer alongside her father, Shani Alleyne, and Cam, as well as an executive producer with the Hayduks and her father. "As middle-aged white people, it seems a bit disingenuous for us to be touting representation in literature," said Cam. ![]() "Almost almost every said almost the exact same thing, 'I never saw myself represented in media or in books.'" (Submitted by Susan Stafford/Cleopatra's Canvas Photography) Producers Kat Kelly Hayduk and Cam Hayduk said it was clear to them since day one that the project should be done as a partnership with Alleyne. "And for other kids who might not be of colour to be able to experience these cultures … these books can be those doorways into experiencing and stepping into another person's shoes, so I think that's really important," she said.ĭuring filming, she got to visit Los Angeles and Toronto, but one of her favourite places was Peekskill, N.Y., which inspired the town where Witchlings - the subject of her first episode - is set. Stepping into someone else's shoesĪs an Afro-Latina girl, Alleyne said she hopes kids who look like her are able to enjoy the series and discover new books that represent them. To celebrate the launch, Turtlebox Productions, the company that produced the series, is hosting a private screening Thursday evening for production crew, friends and family at Hamilton's Playhouse Cinema. The list includes authors like American Jerry Craft, author and illustrator of New Kid, and Hamilton-based author Lawrence Hill as well as celebrities like Peter Ramsey, director of Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. Ortega at her hometown in Peekskill, N.Y., which inspired the town where Witchlings, Ortega's book, takes place.
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