A Civil Rights Leader Lives On in Fiction
At the launch of X: A Novel (from l.) moderator Sunny Hostin joined authors Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon to discuss the novel about Malcolm X as a teen at the 92nd Street Y in New York City. Among the topics addressed was how Shabazz’s father’s legacy might be misunderstood. Shabazz said: “Because we forget about the social climate, the church bombings, all that, when he is seen in clips he is reacting to these events... but he genuinely wanted justice for everyone.” Magoon added that she hopes that the book will give readers a “broader sense of who he was,” adding in light of recent events, “the kids protesting in Ferguson could read his words and be inspired to action.”
In ‘Other’ Words
Kate Axelrod celebrated the release of her debut novel, The Law of Loving Others at McNally Jackson on January 6. She was joined by fellow authors Una LaMarche (Like No Other, Razorbill) and Emily Gould. Razorbill’s Jessica Almon moderated the authors’ panel discussion about Axelrod’s novel and their own writing processes; around 80 people attended the event. From left to right: LaMarche, Almon, Gould, and Axelrod.
A Stirring Send-Off
Despite the somber notes in his novel – about a boy who works at a funeral home following the death of his mother – Jason Reynolds’s launch for The Boy in the Black Suit, held at Book Court in Brooklyn on January 5, was an uplifting occasion. The author spoke movingly about grief and the inspiration behind the novel – his friends’ experiences with losing loved ones and several of the funerals he has attended in his lifetime. Reynolds now heads out on tour with fellow YA author Chris Lynch, beginning on January 9. The two will visit schools and bookstores in Massachusetts and Connecticut.
Books on Wheels
Illustrator Derek Anderson (Little Quack; Hot Rod Hamster), was asked by the Ames Public Library in Ames, Iowa, to design and paint a bus that would be transformed into the library’s bookmobile to serve the Ames community. As Anderson explained, “I turned it into a giant, energetic one-of-a-kind story bus complete with sizzling racing flames and many characters from my children’s books aboard.” The unveiling of the bookmobile took place on December 20 at the library. The library holds a special place in Anderson’s heart, as he grew up in Ames.
