Happy March, dear readers. This newsletter is full of resources and contests for our teen readers and writers. Share this list with that avid young reader or writer in your life!
We also want to take this opportunity to acknowledge the horrific violence that has occurred this past week against the Asian American community. Young Adulting is a platform which aims to highlight marginalized voices—including Asian American and Asian Canadian authors—and we will continue to do the important work towards increasing diversity and representation in the children’s books we review and discuss.
YAing Updates
We have some great new reviews up! Check out our newest reviews: Pine Island Home by Polly Horvath, and Here in the Real World by Sara Pennypacker. Also check out March’s author spotlight: 5 Questions for Gabrielle Prendergast, where she reflects on how a viral TikTok review impacted the sales of her sci-fi YA novel, Zero Repeat Forever.
Youth-Only Writing Contest
Orca Books is holding a writing contest for young authors, ages 8-13! The “How Do You Find Home?” Writing Contest invites entrants to consider what the word “home” means to them, perhaps by describing where their family is from, or where their home is today. Entries will be judged by award-winning author Jen Sookfong Lee, whose own book, Finding Home shares first-hand stories of people who have moved across the globe looking for safety, security, and happiness.
See full contest details at Finding Home Writing Contest. Entry deadline is May 16, 2021.
Spring Break Reading Lists
Spring break is a great opportunity to catch-up on your reading, but with so many options out there, it can be hard to know where to start. Young Adulting’s catalogue of reviews is one place, but here are some other great resources to check out:
- Spring Break 2021 Reading List from the Globe and Mail,
- The 16 Most Anticipated YA Books of March from Epic Reads,
- 22 YA Books About Asian Americans in the Past and Present from Epic Reads is an important resource through which to connect with and value Asian stories,
- Toronto in Literature: Neighbourhood Book Lists from the Toronto Public Library. As quarantine persists, this is one way to reconnect with places outside the home, while staying safe.
As always, please do send us your news related to children’s and young adult literature at young.adulting@ubc.ca so we can feature them in future newsletters. Our newsletters are published on the 2nd and 4th Monday each month.
Take care, and happy reading,
The Young Adulting Editors
