Episode#69: STAMPED Book Discussion. Part One
Grace and Alvina are joined by author Brendan Kiely to discuss STAMPED, by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi. This is part one of their discussion. They’re also going to catch up on each other’s lives and as always, end with saying what they’re grateful for today.
The Book Friends wanted to first be very transparent about why they didn’t have a guest on the podcast who was black to discuss this book. They were a little conflicted on the matter. Initially, they didn’t want to burden someone who is black with trying to educate others. They had asked two black panelists to join but they declined for various reasons. In the end, they decided that it would be best to keep it balanced out and not burden a black guest with having to educate, and to do the work and be the allies.
How have you been?
Grace mentions that school is now over so she has started a little craft camp for her daughter and a couple of friends in their “pod”. The pod means that they are now quarantined together and don’t have to wear face masks around each other. Her daughter is so happy to be with other kids. Kids Ask Authors is going to once a week, so things are slowing down.
Alvina took a three day weekend without doing any work. She has also expanded her bubble. She had two friends over. Masks or no masks? Even though she felt comfortable outside on the back patio without masks on, her one friend said they would prefer everyone wear masks. NYC is now in Phase 2 of re-opening.
Brendan has just spent a week with his son. His wife works for an organization called, Words Without Borders and they just had an online event for Pride Month. People from around the world listened in and contributed.
Stamped. Our history with the book and initial reactions:
Alvina: Stamped From The Beginning, the adult book, was always on her radar. Especially when it won the National Book Award the same year that Grace’s novel, When the Sea Turned to Silver was a finalist for the award. She listened to the audio book that was read by Jason Reynolds. She thought it was such a powerful and sobering book. What struck her the most was the definition of assimilationist and the way that they broke down three types of people in America. It was eye-opening and super helpful:
1. segregationists
2. Assimilationists
3. Anti-racists
Grace: She remember meeting Ibram at the book awards and his reading was so powerful. She was struck by how many of us have embraced this idea of exceptionalism that was so much of what her own family had been brought up to believe. Work harder, be exceptional, etc..then maybe they won’t hate you. “In Stamped, it was the first time I ever heard that idea being spoken about in a negative way.” Ibram explains this is “not a history book.” It’s a story and it showed the difference of who writes the story.
Brendan: The adult version sat around on his table for a while also. It was an intimidating read. He is grateful that Stamped is a book that is accessible to a really broad population. The key framing with the three different categories was very helpful he thought. He is still trying to learn from the beginning so this was a good primer for the adult version. It’s like looking at the world with a new lens.
What are we grateful for?
Alvina is grateful for people who are taking the pandemic seriously and wearing masks. She loves that the New York Public Library lion statues out front are now wearing masks!
Grace is thankful for her craft camp and for more time in her life to be creative.
2 minute book review with Alison Morris:
Alison is dedicating the next few episodes to reviewing books specifically by black authors. She will be focusing on books that are either new or forth coming.
Your Name Is A Song by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow
“One of best the picture books I’ve read so far this year.”
“It also reinforces the idea that we should honor other people by pronouncing their names they way they want us to. Pre-order a copy now!”
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.
