Happy July! We hope you’ve been soaking up the warmth, the sunshine, and all the good books these past few weeks. And if you find yourself in need of some new reads, look no further—we’ve got you covered. Here’s a roundup of all the exciting reviews and news since I last wrote:
YAing Updates
First, let’s start with what’s been going on here at Young Adulting this month. In our July author spotlight, managing editor Hannah Luppe interviews Emily De Angelis. Emily comes from a long line of visual artists, musicians, and storytellers. She was born in Sudbury, Ontario where she lived and taught special needs students for 30 years. A graduate of the Humber School of Writing, her western and Japanese-style poems as well as short stories have been published in various anthologies. She has also curated an exhibit of ekphrastic poetry based on the work of Canadian painter Florence Carlyle. The Stones of Burren Bay (Latitude 46 Publishing) is her debut YA novel. Emily now lives in Woodstock, Ontario with her husband while spending summers on Manitoulin Island.
I used to be quite enamoured with the final product of the writing process: the finished story, the poem ready to share, the completed manuscript. However, I got to the point where I could barely write a line or sentence without over editing myself, writing and rewriting. I now know that while completion of a project is the end goal and must happen, it is the working together of the various parts of the story machine that excites me. I am the perfect balance between a plotter and a pantser. I spend a lot of time on a project planning and thinking before any words are written on the page. I love to research but have learned not go down the rabbit hole of over researching. I’ve learned to be very specific about the information I need for the story. I have a schematic of the plot and various character and setting notes done ahead of time. I make myself write one continuous draft without revising or editing as much as possible. I keep a small notebook beside me to write down a kind of running record of the things I want to add or change later. Once the first draft is complete, I love layering in new scenes or chapters, additional character actions and thoughts, new plot points that make the story richer and more exciting, or setting enhancements like weather and time of day. I have given myself permission to not write perfectly right off the bat, because writing is a process not an action.
Don’t forget to check out extra content in our recorded interview!
We’ve also published some marvellous reviews. Here’s a recap:
- “Professor Goose is the stand-out character of the book. She is funny for both kids and adults,
is always positive, and clearly executes her goal of making sure her aunt’s tale is scientifically
sound. She is clearly full of knowledge and shifts the focus away from the well-known story
to herself and her scientific tidbits. The longer stretches where she does not jump in to correct
something builds the anticipation for when she finally does pop up.” Jacqueline Thomas reviews Professor Goose Debunks The Three Little Pigs by Paulette Bourgeois, illus. Alex G. Griffiths - “Karen S. Chow’s expert characterizations flow and the climax in Miracle is both beautiful and coherent, giving readers the sense of truthfulness of life’s circumstances, while at the same time creating a story that is not too heavy or bogged down by traumatic material. There may be controversy over whether or not a story surrounding death and trauma is good for children to read. But, in my opinion, if written correctly by tying in themes of love, friendship, and strength throughout the book, as Chow does, children will benefit from reading the type of material written in Miracle and realize that they are not alone.” Ashlyn Mather reviews Miracle by Karen S. Chow
- “Each one of her ancestors comes to life through their respective poems, with their own voices, wants, and beliefs. In this, the picture of Weatherford’s family feels whole and complete. Weatherford shares earnestly what she both knows and imagines to be her family’s thoughts and experiences, urging the reader to connect and empathize deeply with the text’s characters.” Ella Richards reviews Kin: Rooted in Hope by Carole Boston Weatherford, art by Jeffery Boston Weatherford
As always, check back every Thursday and every other Tuesday for more reviews of upcoming and new releases.
Industry News
Authors Against Book Bans (AABB) announced its official launch this week. The release stated the group of “writers, illustrators, and creators” in both the children’s and adult sectors will work to “organize authors on the national and local levels” to support “grassroots groups already fighting book bans and challenges” around the country. Read more here.
Ink, a teen journal for writing and visual art is currently accepting submissions! Ink is an annual publication for and by Vancouver teens, published since 2018 by Vancouver Public Library. Check out the submission guidelines here!
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 newsletter is published on the 2nd and 4th Tuesdays of each month. And remember to keep up with us on Twitter and Instagram!
Take care, and happy reading,
The Young Adulting Editors
YOUNG ADULTING 