Parachutes

 I came across this on twitter. Children's author Kelly Yang taking on Scholastic in regards to standing up for authors in the US to the deranged book banning frenzy currently going on in many states.  I then read this article and was perplex that some how learning about and acknowledging racism was somehow also something children needed to be protected from.

I am white and not LBGT but I understand that reading about people and expereinces different to my own help me grow, or at least broaden my views and understanding of how the world works. And as Kelly Yang points out, being 'seen' is something valuable when you are in a minority.

I read Parachutes - picked at random - as I'd never read any of her books. It is a children's book (teen) but it dealt with some tough issues (sexual assault as well as racism). It was uncomfortable but I thought handled with great care. I see no reason why this book would be inappropriate for teenagers. 

I will track down her new book, Finally Seen as I think she has quite a lot to say, and she writing from expereinces I know nothing about or have never given thought to. As Stephen King says' "if they ban a book in your school, haul your ass to the nearest bookstore or library ASAP and find out what they don't want you to read."

This is a clip on the expereince and process that lead to Finally Seen being written.

Parachutes is written at a level for teens, so expect that but it's written from alternating points of view, and covers a range of issues - different wealth status, difference in race, power imbalance with teachers and students, pressures to have sex and of course, sexual assault.

COVID has pretty much stopped me reading at all this month, but fingers crossed I can resume soon enough. And by coincidence, yestersday I watched an episode of Blackish called ToysRn'tUs that also deals on lack of representation. Worth a watch.

Linking with #Weekendcoffeeshare #MonthlyBookworms and #WOYBS