Episode #145: Chop Suey: Winter Olympics, Book banning, and food texture!
Grace and Alvina talk about the treatment of Chinese and Chinese American athletes at the Winter Olympics, talk about the recent book banning controversies, and then welcome guest Alison Morris to talk about what kind of food textures are their favorites. Alison also shares some book recommendations!
But first….!
The Book Friends share a recent review on Apple podcasts. Kate says:
“ I love this podcast. Even as a teen I find it super interesting. I learn so much about literally everything and I’m always interested to hear Grace and Alvina’s points of views. I love hearing about the publishing industry, what is happening in Grace and Alvina’s lives, and I just truly enjoy hearing about everything from these very kind and intelligent hosts.
Thanks Kate! It is exciting to know that teenagers are listening to this podcast too. Please rate and review BFF on Apple Podcasts if you have a moment!
“How have you been?”
Alvina has been busy at the sales conference for the Fall 2022 season that went really well. One of her favorite presentations was on the book, If you laugh I’m starting this book over, by Chris Harris and illustrated by Serge Bloch.
Grace has been busy trying to find time to work but also be with her daughter when she’s not in school. She’s been working on her speech for accepting the Legacy Award that she won.
Grace is also working on The Horn Book cover art! She has reverted back to waking up at 4:00/4:30am in order to get work done.
Chop Suey!
Once a month, the Book Friends mix things up and discuss a variety of topics on their minds.
The Winter Olympics: Grace and Alvina talk about how they felt during these year’s winter Olympics in Beijing. They discuss the different ways that Asian American athletes and Asian athletes were treated by their own countries and by the US. Why do we place so much value on winners? What do the Olympics really mean if we’re becoming more divided from them instead of gaining a feeling of unification?
Book Banning: Grace admits that she keeps quiet about her feelings regarding the book banning controversies because obviously she doesn’t agree with them, but she also doesn’t want to bring so much attention to it. She believes it may be a distraction piece. Alvina mentions all the controversy surrounding, Jack of Hearts (and Other Parts), by L.C. Rosen.
Food Textures: Alison Morris joins in to talk about food textures and which ones we gravitate towards in life. Grace got this idea from a recent Gretchen Rubin “Happier” podcast episode because it was interesting to her but also because she felt that they needed to include a “light” chop suey topic! Are you a chewer? a sucker? a cruncher? or a smoosher? What was your comfort food during COVID?
Book Recommendations! from Alison Morris:
Alison Morris is a nationally recognized children's book buyer with an infectious enthusiasm for reading and 20 years' experience matching books to readers. As the Senior Director of Title Selection for nonprofit First Book, she oversees the curation of children’s and young adult books on the First Book Marketplace, hand-selecting a diverse range of titles that speak to and address the needs of kids in underserved communities, with a keen eye to inclusion, authenticity, and kid-appeal. She previously served as Senior Editor at Scholastic Book Clubs, Children's Book Buyer for Wellesley Booksmith and The Dartmouth Bookstore, and was the founding blogger of the ShelfTalker children’s book blog for Publishers Weekly. She'll be joining us from her home near Washington, DC where she spends LOTS of time discussing books with her husband, illustrator and graphic novelist Gareth Hinds.
GRATEFULS!
Alison is grateful for her dear friend Ashley Bryan who touched so many lives and brought so much joy and inspiration to others.
Grace is grateful that she is halfway through preparing her Legacy Award speech and that Hazel has finished selling her Girl Scout Cookies!
Alvina is grateful for a puzzle that was gifted to them. She’s enjoyed spending quality time on it with Stephen.
Special Tribute:
The Book Friends were going to have a tribute episode to memorialize all the authors and illustrators we lost in 2021, but instead they decided they will play the recorded tributes at the end of these episodes until Lunar New Year (or whenever they run out of tributes.) The Book Friends would love to hear your memories of these authors and how they touched your life in some way or another. On the bookfriendsforever.com menu, click “Record your author/Illustrator Tribute” and record your memories through Speakpipe. Some of the authors and illustrators we lost: Jerry Pinkney, Tomie DePaola, Beverley Cleary, Lois Ehlert, Eric Carle, Patricia Reilly Giff, Floyd Cooper, and Gary Paulsen. We encourage you to leave a memory and we’ll share it on a special upcoming episode! Thank you!
On this episode, you’ll listen to a tribute to Gary Paulsen from Darcy.
Thank You!
*If you’re a patron, don’t forget to check out this week’s Random Questions feed! Authors Mae Respicio and Grace Lin answer the random question: “What animal or plant do you think should be renamed?” Click here to listen! If you’re not a patron already, join today!
Thank you for tuning in! Thank you to Hachette Audio, Little Brown Books for Young Readers, and Alex at Pacyworks Studio for producing and editing this podcast. Be sure to rate and review us on Apple Podcasts and tell a friend about us. (Use the hashtag #bookfriendsforever.)
You can find Alvina @Planetalvina on Twitter and TikTok and @Alvinaling on Instagram
You can find Grace @Pacylin on Twitter and Instagram and @gracelinauthor on TikTok and @authorgracelin on Facebook
Alison Morris is @AlisonLMorris on Twitter and @kidlitgirl on Instagram
Order the 2022 WTMMTM CALENDAR: https://shop.carlemuseum.org/category/books/autographed-books/grace-lin
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