This is how to start the week off with a smile: CHAINS has been nominated to the longlist of the Carnegie Medal! What is the Carnegie Medal, you ask? It is the top award for children’s novels in England, sort of a combination of the Newbery and the National Book Awards. I am completely blown away by this – honored, stunned and very, very happy.
British hardcover British paperback
I had a blast at the American Association of School Librarians conference this weekend. I signed thousands of books, met countless friendly and passionate librarians and gave a speech. Thank you to everyone who made my conference so much fun.
Half a ballroom of librarians. (The other half of the room was filled, too!)
Many people asked me to post my speech online. We will be doing that soon. Here are a couple of snippets that people responded to the most. Permission is granted to reproduce, with proper acknowledgments, of course.
I talked about the recent censorship challenges my books have faced and then said this:
"I believe that every time a library budget is cut, every time a librarian’s hours are cut – or the position is eliminated completely – it is another form of censorship. It is stealing from children and interfering with their education.
Taking books out of libraries and taking librarians out of libraries are just like ripping the roof off of a school. And maybe that’s how we need to describe it, in the dire, stark terms of reality. You can’t run a school that doesn’t have a roof. You can’t run a school without librarians and libraries.
Book people – like you and me – tend to be a little uncomfortable with conflict. We value discussion, we respect other opinions. We avoid fights.
“Don’t you ever start a fight,” Mother said. “But if somebody picks a fight with you, by God, you finish it.”
The people who do not value books or librarians have picked a fight with me. That was a mistake.
They are ripping the roof off our libraries, off our schools. They are exposing our children to ignorance and condemning them to poverty. When they rip the roof off of libraries, they weaken our country."
[I’m cutting out a little from this section]
"Those of us who truly, deeply care about the health and happiness of kids and teenagers have a sacred obligation to help them along their path to adulthood. We are charged to create and to find the very best books for these children.
To hand a book to a child or a gawky adolescent is to rescue her from the unforgiving isolation of illiteracy and transport her to the joyful and rewarding kingdom of an open mind.
I cannot think of a job more difficult or more important than yours. Reading is not a subject matter. It is a survival tool, the requirement of modern living. Libraries are not luxuries. Libraries are the lifeblood of our schools and the foundation of our culture."
I hope my words might help, a little.
One last conference note. The other banquet speaker was Charles R. Smith Jr. Do you know his work? Have you heard him speak? If not, go out RIGHT NOW and pick up some of his books. Then arrange to have him visit your school – he is the best speaker I have seen in a very long time.
Charles and I sitting on chairs that look like thrones…. it was approaching midnight and we had just finished signing a kajillion books and so we look a bit tired. But how can you turn down the chance to be photographed in a chair that looks like a throne?
It was so lovely seeing you at AASL again — thanks for snapping and tweeting that pic of the Debs! I’m honored to be on the Carnegie list with you, and I fully expect to see CHAINS on the shortlist when April rolls around.
AASL
Thanks, Laurie, for posting this. The speech is still resonating in my mind. It was powerful as are your books. Now, if only those who are in control could understand this concept, we would be in much better shape. It seems to be such a travesty to have to fight for what should be an indisputable right for our students.
Wow, I find that second Chains cover really breathtaking. I can only wish to be blessed with such a gorgeous sight when I’m published. As always, thanks for sharing.
Best,
Phoebe
Great to see you again.
Loved your presentation at the Kinnesaw Conference … Great to catch you again at AASL. What a wonderful group school media specialists are!
Judith Geary
http://www.judithgeary.com
Sidebar: On the off chance it isn’t already part of your regular lexicon during engagements, you also said this in Tempe, AZ, and it codified exactly what I’d always thought. I put it here again in hopes it will resound elsewhere like it did for me.
Paraphrased: “It is immoral to not include hope in books written for children.” ~ LHA
Thank you for all your books – but thank you for taking the up the fight, too. I hope to join in soon.
CHAINS
will you write a sequel to CHAINS. the last page suggests that you will. i hope that you do. i’d like to know what happens to isabel, curzon and ruth.