The 2024 LA Times Festival of Books was held at USC this weekend and featured a wide range of genres, but the children’s book stage was definitely the highlight of the event.
The children’s stage lineup included a number of authors and illustrators who read books live and answered questions from a curious audience (mostly children) who wanted to know more about their must-reads. .
While all the books featured on stage offered creative ways to convey their impactful messages, they all had something in common. These novels had a common goal: to introduce readers to the principles of respecting diversity, along with other important life lessons.
Philippa Soo and Maris Pasquale Dolan, authors of Piper Chen Sings
Actress and singer Phillipa Soo, best known for inventing the role of Eliza in Hamilton, teams up with her sister-in-law Maris Pasquale Dolan to write a children’s book inspired by the young Sue. did.
Sue loves singing and music and tends to get nervous before performing in public, so she writes a story about a young girl “Piper” and her mentor who helps her overcome the butterflies in her stomach. I started talking about how I helped.
The book also features snippets of Chinese culture and explores themes of immigration and the importance of learning family history.
When asked what she hoped readers would take away from this book, Sue said two things. Secondly, I hope that this book will be used as a tool and as a catalyst for conversations about emotions and how to deal with them. ”
Shannon Hale and Louen Pham, authors and illustrators of Bubbly Beautiful Kitty-Corn
The superstar duo shared their latest book in the “Itty-Bitty Kitty-Corn” series, “Bubbly Beautiful Kitty-Corn,” inspired by their real-life friendship. Hale and Pham talked about how the series is a passion project for them and one they’ve been working on for about a year.
The whole point of this series is to celebrate the importance and magic of friendship and to encourage your friends to love themselves for who they are. Pham gives a special nod to this message as an illustrator, ending each book with the characters Kitty and the Unicorn forming some form of heart.
The book was a crowd favorite, filling seats with young readers excited and laughing as they listened to Kitty Corn’s latest adventures.
Todd Parr, author and illustrator of “Be Who You Are”
The book that launched Parr’s career, It’s Authentic To Be Different, is celebrating its 23rd anniversary. This book pushed the boundaries of children’s literature at the time, published in the early 2000s, by emphasizing that the need for a wheelchair and, more broadly, that being disabled is not a bad thing.
In 2016, Parr released Be Who You Are, which comforts readers about common anxieties. I find it easier to be myself instead of pretending to be someone else. “Speak your language” and “Learn your way” are seemingly simple mantras, but these lessons are most forgotten when we are doubting ourselves.
As a bonus, Parr read from one of his recent books, “Monster Mac and Cheese Party.” This is one of Parr’s more light-hearted books, and since Parr is vegan, it includes a plant-based mac and cheese dish. This simple mention encourages kids to have another way to enjoy kid-friendly food and raises awareness about the plant-based community.
Beth Kalb, author of Buffalo Fluffalo
A captivating story about a buffalo who learns the importance of not suppressing your emotions and relying on a community that will be there for you no matter what. Kalb noted that the character “Buffalo” should serve as a mirror for how readers want to see him, adding, “Whatever the lesson is to be taken from the story, it’s the right one.” he added.
The author stated that the purpose of this book is to further transport the reader to a beautiful world full of nature. Kalb grew up in an urban environment and wants to give other children raised in cities the opportunity to imagine the beauty that nature has to offer.
Elle Duncan, author of For You I Will
Sports journalist Elle Duncan used this opportunity to try her hand at writing a children’s book. Duncan was inspired while writing a letter for his newborn daughter to read in the future. For Duncan, this book is a pledge, a promise she made as a mother to her children.
This book is more aimed at parents due to its advanced presentation. In response to her question about what kind of impact her book has on the children who read it and what readers can get out of it, she replied: “I wrote this book with the intention that parents would read this book to their children, and that their children would eventually read it back to them.”To parents. ” Duncan added, “I cried reading this book and I think other parents will cry as well.”
Black historical figures are woven into the story, creating another learning moment. The book draws attention to black parents raising black children, which Duncan said is personally important to her.
Raj Haldar, author of “This Book Is Banned”
The popular children’s book P is for Pterodactyl was published in 2018 by Raj Haldar. The book was loved by many and was one of his top two books on Amazon the week it was released (the number one book that week was Becoming by Michelle Obama). However, concerned parents soon demanded that Haldar’s book be banned because of its references to the Ujja board.
This inspired Halder to write his second book, This Book Is Banned. The title of the book says it all, but the story has no end because everything was banned. Mr. Haldahl urged the public to stop banning books, stating that “banning is on the wrong side of history” and “books should be a window to others, not a mirror to ourselves.” held a protest.
The overall message of this book is: If you only read books that everyone agrees on, you won’t learn anything new. ”
Meera Sriram, author of Spice Box
This book takes readers into the various spices and flavors of traditional Indian culture in the United States. In this gentle picture book, the protagonist ‘Rishi’ and his girlfriend’s father share their family’s story through a spice box that has been passed down from generation to generation.
Author Meera Sriram grew up in India and immigrated to the United States as an adult. She drew on her personal experiences from her childhood in writing this story. Although this story is rooted in Indian culture, Sriram reminds her readers that “we are more similar than different, we all share the same basic human experience.” We want you to recognize this.
Sriram’s latest book not only serves as an accurate representation about Indian culture, but also educates others about the intricacies of the spice box and family history.
These books listed above are just a few of the books currently available for children. More and more stories feature diverse characters and raise awareness of specific areas of expertise that are part of their identity. According to 2023 data from the Cooperative Children’s Book Center (CCBC), approximately 48% of the thousands of children’s and young adult books reviewed by the Center had non-white authors, illustrators, and editors. This is an increase from 24% in 2014.
Almost all modern children’s novels contain messages that are important to learn and practice at an early age. CCBC Director Tessa Michaelson Schmidt said: [reflecting] The multifaceted complexity of an individual’s life. ”
As one of the leading publishers, Penguin Random House is committed to promoting diversity in all the books it publishes. Their mission statement as a company is, “We create books for everyone, because books can change anyone.”
“My students are primarily Latino and African American,” said Mayra Telles, an avid festival participant and elementary school teacher in Los Angeles. “When I looked at it, I definitely noticed that students were more inclined to read.” “I feel strongly that representation is important at every stage of a reader’s life, starting with board books for babies. When children see themselves represented in books, they love it. You can understand it on a personal level. I believe people should be exposed to all kinds of lives in books, including your own.”
Teachers and readers spoke. Readers respond well to stories that highlight different cultures and characteristics and spread positive messages.
Although these books are aimed at young readers, the overall message is ageless. It’s important to remember simple life lessons that are often forgotten, but are the foundation of a functioning society.
