This week is National Library Week. It is a great time to celebrate the books and services our libraries provide as well as the library workers who make it all possible. Even with the physical closure of many libraries during this time, there are still services available to us remotely. As part of National Library Week, we’d like to invite you to two upcoming webinars. The first is a panel on censorship with Laurie Halse Anderson hosted by the Banned Book Week Coalition, and the other is a creator conversation with Mariko Tamaki and Gene Luen Yang discussing identity censorship brought to you by us at CBLDF. For more information and to sign-up, look for more details below. We hope to see you online!
Laurie Halse Anderson LIVE with Banned Books Week
Join the Banned Books Week Coalition at 1:00 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, April 22, for a special Facebook Live conversation about the 2020 theme and censorship with Laurie Halse Anderson (author of the frequently challenged novel Speak) and an exclusive statement from David Levithan (author of the challenged novel Two Boys Kissing)! https://www.facebook.com/bannedbooksweek/
Laurie Halse Anderson is a New York Times-bestselling author known for tackling tough subjects with humor and sensitivity. Two of her books, Speak and Chains, were National Book Award finalists, and Chains was also short-listed for the United Kingdom’s Carnegie medal. She was selected by the American Library Association for the Margaret A. Edwards Award for her significant contribution to young adult literature. Laurie has also been honored for her battles for intellectual freedom by the National Coalition Against Censorship and the National Council of Teachers of English. She is a member of RAINN’s National Leadership Council and frequently speaks about sexual violence.
Mariko Tamaki and Gene Luen Yang Celebrate National Library Week
Join celebrated authors Mariko Tamaki and Gene Luen Yang for a conversation about intellectual freedom, visibility, and creativity as CBLDF commemorates National Library Week! Sign up now for this live webinar happening on Thursday, April 23 at 12:30 PDT/ 3:30 EDT – Register here.
Renowned for their dedication to encouraging empathy, understanding, and connection in their work, Yang and Tamaki bring a thoughtful and compassionate approach to issues of identity. Sadly it’s those qualities that have brought challenges to both of their bodies of work. In this conversation, they’ll discuss how identity censorship affects authors, educators, and readers, along with strategies to counter those attacks. They’ll also dive into their creative processes, discuss the value of creativity in this current moment of crisis, and answer your questions in an interactive Q&A!
All attendees will also receive a resource kit from CBLDF including:
- Identity censorship tool kit
- American Born Chinese discussion guide
- This One Summer discussion guide.
Sign up now to participate in this CBLDF Creator Conversation today!
Gene Luen Yang writes, and sometimes draws, comic books and graphic novels. As a member of the CBLDF’s Board of Directors and the Library of Congress’ fifth National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature, he advocates for the importance of reading, especially reading diversely. American Born Chinese, his first graphic novel from First Second Books, was a National Book Award finalist, as well as the winner of the Printz Award and an Eisner Award. His two-volume graphic novel Boxers & Saints won the L.A. Times Book Prize and was a National Book Award Finalist. His other works include Secret Coders (with Mike Holmes), The Shadow Hero (with Sonny Liew), New Super-Man from DC Comics (with various artists), and the Avatar: The Last Airbender series from Dark Horse Comics (with Gurihiru). In 2016, he was named a MacArthur Foundation Fellow. For more, visit www.geneyang.com.
Mariko Tamaki is the author of the YA novel Saving Montgomery Sole and the co-creator of award winning comics This One Summer and Skim (with Jillian Tamaki), and Emiko Superstar (Steve Rolston). In 2015, This One Summer received Printz and Caldecott Honors, the Eisner for Best Graphic Album–New, Canada’s Governor General’s award, and 4 starred reviews. Her 2019 Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up With Me is the recipient of 5 starred reviews, including Kirkus and Horn Book, and was named a Printz Honor Book and as the “Best Children’s or Young Adult Book” at the Harvey Awards — as well as receiving the 2020 Walter Dean Myers Award. Mariko maintains a solid fascination with the complex process by which teenagers become, or try to become, grown ups.
