A Chance to Give Back, and other Linky Goodness

You've probably heard of the Kidlit Cares: Superstorm Sandy Relief effort already, but if you haven't--you can go check it out on Kate Messner's blog and bid on a wide range of fabulous items like critiques, signed books, swag, Skype author visits and more, all to benefit those in need after the ravages of the storm(s) on the Eastern seaboard. Proceeds go to the Red Cross, so if you haven't donated yet, this is a great way to give back and get something nifty for your efforts.

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It is, of course, NaNoWriMo, and while this year is yet again a total bust for me as far as participating, I know some of you are--and if you're working on a YA novel, remember that the Serendipity Literary Agency is holding their Young Adult Novel Discovery Competition again this year--go read about it here.

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Last but not least, an interesting article via the SCBWI Expression newsletter: in the Guardian, YA/MG author Frank Cottrell Boyce is critical about the way literature is often taught. He says that if you teach it the wrong way, you risk putting kids off reading forever, rather than showing them that reading can be fun. Definitely some food for thought, and should make us reflect a bit on how we teach literature in the U.S., too...

Also from the same newsletter, a fascinating look at the ethical questions raised by the translation of children's literature. The article starts this way:

Since a language inevitably embodies the norms and ideologies of a culture, to impose the ideas of one culture on another through the medium of a translated book is an act of violence. Even more intense dynamics can arise from the history that these cultures share...

Very, VERY thought-provoking stuff. Happy reading!