March 13: #DiverseCanLit Picture Books

Date: Thursday, March 13, 2014

Time: 8pm ET

Topic: Picture Books

Use the #DiverseCanLit tag to follow along on Twitter (or TweetChat). After a fantastic discussion about Canada Reads 2014, we can get back to our regularly scheduled programming. Tonight we’ll discuss picture books and presenting diversity to the youngest Canadians. Below are a few of the questions we may discuss:

• Why are some types of diversity considered “too complicated”  and inappropriate for young children and picture books?
• How can diversity be included in simple text without making it “an issue book”?
• How can the illustrations be key to the diverse narrative?
• Do anthropomorphic character’s help or hurt diversity? Or do they have no impact at all?
• Do picture book authors and illustrators from marginalized groups have creative freedom? Does more diverse creators lead to more diverse picture book narratives?

Getting Ready

• Read the highlights from last week’s chat.
• Follow the #DiverseCanLit list on Twitter. Feel free to tweet me (@leonicka) if you want to be added!
• Subscribe to Leonicka.com in the sidebar to get the schedules, recap posts, and digests of relevant resources.

DiverseCanLit Meet-up

I’d like to meet some of y’all in person! I’d like to organized a meet-up in downtown Toronto (maybe Yonge-Dundas Square?) on April 1. Some of you have already shown interest in attending so keep an eye out for the formal invite!