Skip to main content
Category

Appearances

Appearances
December 1, 2014

A Book Club from the Comfort of Your Phone

You're invited to join me at a book club tonight and the best part is that you never have to leave the comfort of your stretchy pants and living room. That's because I'm going to be part of the Las Comadres Young Adult Teleconference Book Club at 8 PM. Here's the number and code: Dial in #: 1-877-383-4771 Code: 120120143 If you're not familiar, Las Comadres is a nationally known Latina organization whose mission is to "empower women to be actively engaged in the growing Latino/Hispanic communities through online and face to face networks." What I like about Las Comadres is that its spine is mentoring. The idea is to share information, to help each other succeed, and to celebrate our cultural heritage along the way. Last fall, I had the pleasure of being part of the Las Comadres Writers Conference at Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, a gathering of established and up-and-coming Latino authors, editors, and agents. It was such a great time for me to work with writers who are coming up behind me and also to connect with people, like Esmeralda Santiago, whose work I've long admired. (José Vilson, was another highlight. Check out his bad ass teacher blog, particularly valuable in the wake of the events in Ferguson.) Anyway, for tonight, founder Nora Comstock is going to lead the conversation about Pura Belpré - the woman and the award that so many people just can't pronounce - and how I've used my year to honor her memory. We'll also talk…
Meg Medina
Love0
Appearances
November 21, 2014

The Old English Teacher in Me goes to NCTE

I'm heading for my last appearance of 2014 this weekend, and it's a celebration of a few things and, in a way, a full circle. Our big day at St. Andrew's in Flushing, Queens First, it's my husband's birthday.  Here we are over 30 years ago when we got married - much against everyone's advice due to our age, the fact that we hadn't finished college yet, that we were broke, and that, frankly, we were somewhat incompatible in terms of our interests. Well, we finished college; the rest is kind of the same. I honestly can't remember not knowing Javier. We met at the factory where both our mothers worked when they first arrived in the US. It would later be the same factory where we got our first summer jobs being bored to death testing transistors alongside our mothers. Those of you who have already met him know that this hot-headed mess is a truly lovely man, a solid dad, and for me, the whole world. Unfortunately, he's stuck with a birthday that falls on the same day that President Kennedy was shot, and also so near Thanksgiving that he often has to share the fun with the dead bird and its dressings. This year, it also falls during the NCTE Annual Convention, too. Miss his birthday? Yikes! So, since the conference is being held at the fancy schmantzy Gaylord Resort in Alexandria, he's coming along. Javier isn't a book man. He works in health care. So, the guy who…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesCommunity work
November 7, 2014

Philly, Vicks VapoRub, Kids & Me

The view from my hotel room ...across from the Free Library Pretty enough to eat...so I did... I'm back from Philly where I stayed at the lovely Four Seasons Hotel, a guest of the Free LIbrary of Philadelphia. The hotel is every bit as cushy as you'd expect. Chandeliers, thick rugs, polite people at every, single turn.  The staff even made me a beautiful candy version of the book cover for The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind - which was both astoundingly lovely and funny. I was there to speak about Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass, after all. Hmmm. I would have LOVED to have been a fly on the wall when the dessert guru had to decide what to do.   Anyway, I spent the day as part of library's well-regarded Field Family Teen Author Series, an endowed program that brings authors and books to students at no cost to their school. (Attention People of Means and Nice Shoes!  Consider doing this in your community, too!) The high school students in my groups were amazing. A sampling: Students with visual impairments who heard the audio version of Yaqui. Young people who were in a GED program and trying to get themselves back on track. A charter school that is over 90% Latino – and their teacher who is an aspiring author, too. We met at a branch in the Kensington area - decidedly NOT the Four Seasons ambiance. But it's a dead ringer for the Queens that I knew growing up, right…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesThe Writing Life
October 30, 2014

Happy Halloween: Cool stuff I saw this week

Welcome to Thomas Dale High School? It's odd that I like high school visits as much as I do - especially since I loathed my own experience. But what can I say? I run into hilarious librarians, teachers who dream up good projects, and (most importantly) amazing young people all over the place. Here's some proof.  These are some shots I took today of my shared day at Thomas Dale High School and Meadowbrook High School, both in the Richmond area.   Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass re-written as a picture book by TD high school students! Great way to study impact of audience on writing style... Don't be fooled. They aren't mild mannered librarians... ...they are zombie lovin' biblio-freaks A truck loaded with an English teacher's requested titles at Meadowbrook HS. So many diverse voices! Winnie the Pooh recycled into a new art form at Meadowbrook Loved the inky black on this one...   Abstract! The library team at Meadowbrook HS.    
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesThe Writing Life
October 29, 2014

Notes from the road: writing with depth, finding the joy & honoring your roots

I'm finally home after a long stretch in Northern Virginia. This weekend was the SCBWI Midatlantic annual writers conference, where I taught an intensive for the first time on how to write characters with depth, and how to develop a compelling voice in writing. Yikes. I had forgotten how hard it is to teach writing - and how much you learn from doing so. What I came to was this: Layers, depth and voice in writing really come from how deeply you want to go inside yourself and how honestly you can lay bare what you find.  I hope my SCBWI colleagues who attended were able to find something useful during our session. I'm wishing them lots of time to remember, to record, and to write. Then it was on to the Arlington Central Library. You could fit all of my hometown, Richmond, inside the hip pocket of Arlington. What a busy and vibrant place - especially its library. (Favorite feature: a vegetable garden planted in the beds that border the entrance.) Lisa Cosgrove-Davies, Youth Services Librarian, worked with the Arlington Teen Advisory Board to coordinate two school visits at Jefferson Middle School and Washington Lee High School, followed by an evening talk at the library. Now, was I feeling confident? No, I was not. It's always a crap shoot on whether people come to an evening library event, and Dallas was playing Washington to boot. But I kept channeling the words of Pat Cummings, who reminded me at the conference that the real joy in…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesCommunity workThe Writing Life
October 13, 2014

Teen Read Week & More in #RVA

It's a great week to love books in Richmond, Virginia - especially middle grade and YA fiction. That's because it's not only the Library of Virginia's Literary Festival, but it's also the American Library Association's TeenRead Week. Wao! So much going on, so what can I say except, Tengo los patines puestos! (I've got my roller-skates on!) Here are a few highlights of where I'll be during the week: Meadowdale Library/Tomahawk Creek MS:  I'll head down to Chesterfield County for a library book talk that is off-site on Wednesday, Oct 15, 7 PM.  We'll talk The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind and Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass. Here's the info and where you register.  Especially nice to see a partnership between the school and public libraries in a community.   Teen 14: Locals already know that the main branch of the Richmond Public Library on Franklin Street is always figuring out ways to make reading come alive, especially for kids. So, they're going to play host once again for a teen author event. Join Virginia authors who have works for teens published in 2014. It's a ready-made night for librarians, teachers, and readers who want to meet and make friends with the truly kick-ass authors we have in the Commonwealth. PLUS, food, music, giveaways.  If last year's event was any sign, it's going to be a really fun night. Details on their Facebook page or click on the jpg poster here. Hermitage High School Anti-bullying Book Event with Erin Jade Lange. You know her novel?  It's…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesCommunity workLatino LifeThe Writing Life
October 4, 2014

Happily Disobedient

That silly school board in Colorado got me feeling especially proud of young people - and also appreciative about my great day this Friday. While their school board continued to pit patriotism against informed thought in its AP History classes, I was surrounded by people who dedicate their lives to doing the opposite. I got to teach a workshop with the fabulous Duncan Tonatiuh, where we both discussed our writing/creation process and how we bring difficult topics to young people. Here's a video that fourth graders did in honor of his award-winning picture book, Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant's Tale.   Just after the workshop, I got to peruse the children's and YA collection at Busboys and Poets in DC, hands-down the most diverse offerings I have come across in our area. If you're serious about including all points of view, this is the place to be. I was especially fond of the free downloadable lessons and books lists available through Teaching for Change. Met the wise women who wrote Parrots Over Puerto Rico (Lee and Low), this year's winner of the Las Américas Award.  They had the nerve to write a nonfiction book without a single photograph and without even putting the title on the book cover. That, plus a look at the ga-billion scissors and scraps of paper that it took to make all those collage parrots makes me bow low in respect. ¡Felicidades, Susan and Cindy! Toured the Children's Literature Center at the Library of Congress for the first…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesAwards and newsThe Writing LifeWhat I'm reading
September 30, 2014

Birds of a Feather…

I'm checking out another great indi bookstore. It's Busboys and Poets  in Washington, DC, and I'm going to their 14th and V location for the first time this Friday. That's because it's time for the awards ceremony for the Las Américas prize. This year, top prize went to the lovely picture book Parrots Over Puerto Rico by Susan Roth and Cindy Trumbore, an especially delightful pick from Lee and Low, a smaller publisher that has long been advocating and promoting diverse children's literature. It's the story of the near extinction of wild parrots in Puerto  Rico and how that sad situation was turned around. I hope you'll stop in to the Young Readers Center at the Library of Congress to see an exhibit of the book and its art, which runs through the end of October. As part of the festivities, Las Américas also sponsors an annual educator workshop - hosted by Busboys and Poets – where teachers and librarians can get hands-on ideas and materials for bringing high quality Latino literature into their classroom or library. I'm so happy to be able to present alongside Duncan Tonatiuh this year. (9:30 - noon). Duncan won honorable mention, as well as a Pura Belpré Honor medal, for his exquisite book Pancho Rabbit and the Coyote: A Migrant's Tale. My own novel, Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass, was selected as a commended title this year (along with all of these). If you're a teacher or librarian, it's not too late to register. The reasonable $25 registration fee…
Meg Medina
Love0
Adult booksAppearancesLatino Lifepicture book, middle grade, YAThe Writing LifeWhat I'm reading
September 29, 2014

Book Hoarding and other things I admitted to on Book Riot

My heroes at Book Riot have a new podcast series called Reading Lives, where authors talk about pretty much anything except their own books. I'm on there today, episode #2, where Jeff O'Neal and I talk about my book collection fetish, as well as all the titles and authors (some surprising) that have shaped everything from my sense of culture to how I parented. These days I do a lot of interviews, but I can't remember a time when doing one was this much fun. Maybe it's because Jeff (aka @readingape on Twitter) is so charming, but maybe too because the hook is so simple. Two people talking about the books we love, old and new. What can I say?  It's a literary geek's dream. If you've got some time, check it out. You can subscribe on i-tunes, too.  
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesLatino LifeThe Writing Life
September 24, 2014

Banned On the Run…

It's a double whammy! Banned Books week and Hispanic Heritage month, so I've been on the road with no sign of rest in the near future. Fellow REFORMISTA Loida Garcia Febo just shared this link to Latino books that have been challenged and banned, including the book that turned me to writing in the first place: The House on Mango Street by Sandra Cisneros.  Que cosa mas grande... Gracias, Loida. Lists like this inspire me to write more books that might cause alarm and discomfort – and hey, even thought. And they make me feel especially fired up about my first teaching gig at Las Comadres Writers Conference in Brooklyn this weekend. Las Comadres is more than a conference. It's a movement based on the core principle of mentorship and culture. On Saturday, established Latina authors and publishing pros will come together at Medgar Evers College to help yet-to-be published authors learn the ropes. What's in it for me?  Mostly getting more Latino voices at the literary table, especially those writing for kids since this year, for the first time,  our public schools will be a majority minority. Besides, I'll be helping to create more amazing books that will end up on banned book lists. So, hermanas, if you have a story, if you've been too shy to admit that you want to be a writer, if you just don't know where to begin, register for Las Comadres. Finally, here are a few pictures from my recent travels to the DC area.  I'm exhausted, but so grateful to Candlewick…
Meg Medina
Love0
Appearances
August 4, 2014

So You Know I’m Not Lying: SCBWI in pictures!

Children's book author by day. Dancing nun by night. Who wouldn't want to read a kid's book by someone like this? Why do I write for young people?  Well, sure, I love kids, but I also adore the people who write FOR them. I'm spending five glorious days at the Society for Children's Writers and Illustrators right now. If you write for young people, make yourself a promise. Put an SCBWI National Conference on your calendar for next summer.  Save up. The inspiration, good will, and straight out fun are worth the headache of travel and budget busting. You'll  play, study, and (most important) find the friends and colleagues who will keep you dreaming and working when the creative times are lean. I'm putting some pictures below, including some shots of the pool party in honor of Tomie DePaola's 80th birthday.   A few hours of quiet time before the conference... What's not to love about eating poolside in LA? Only a small part of Candlewick's team. Megan McDonald (Judy Moody!) Mary Lee Donovan, and me Lamar Giles and Linda Sue Park getting ready to record our podcast about diversity. Debut authors and writing legends all in one place. Sure high tech set up for recording...(Hi Theo!) With Linda Sue Park, Sharon G. Flake, and Lamar Giles. Some wonderful thinking about books, diversity, and how we can see more books about everybody One amazing woman. The incredible Sharon G. Flake. A must-have speaker. What the ballroom looked like for the…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesAwards and newsThe Writing Life
June 24, 2014

Writing as the Biggest Gamble of All: ALA Las Vegas is Here!

Kids don't picture their librarians hanging out at a slot machine. But, I'm telling you, it could happen this week. That's because ten thousand librarians will descend on Las Vegas for their annual meeting. I'm heading over to join the party at the Association for Library Services to Children where I'll be among the authors receiving our medals.Yep, it's time for the Pura Belpré ceremony among others. Truthfully, I don’t know what to expect. But in between panic and packing, I'm giving lots of thought to this year's theme: Transforming Our Libraries, Transforming Ourselves. For the first time, my editor and marketing team at Candlewick, my agent, my husband, and the librarians who’ve championed my work will be in one place. These are the some of the people who took the gamble on me (sorry for that pun) and who have played the biggest role in my transformation. One heart isn’t big enough to hold all the gratitude I have for what these people have helped make happen in my life. One speech isn’t nearly enough to thank them  - or to thank all the bloggers, teachers, conference planners, librarians, college professors, fellow authors, family, and readers at home who have also offered me their hand and encouragement along the way. Thank you seems so meager right now. Not even mil gracias would be enough. But that's what I'm sending to you this week. A thousand thank you's for letting me tell stories. May our paths continue to cross in the years ahead. Meg If…
Meg Medina
Love0
Appearances
June 13, 2014

Author Visit or School Book Experience?

On Wednesday, I did my last school visit of the 2013-14 school year at Stonewall Middle School in Manassas, Virginia. They're author visit gurus over there, rolling out the red carpet with so much attention to detail that I didn't really want to come home. (Sorry, Javier.) On the drive back to Richmond, I got to thinking about the many great times I've had meeting teachers, kids and librarians this year - and how much I've learned about how they build collections, how they connect with their staff, and how they have to navigate budget cut threats all the time. I feel really lucky to have met so many inventive, non-shushing, hilarious Bookish Ones this year. What I especially loved about Wednesday at Stonewall, though, is that it was a "best practices" event for me. All the best parts of school visits were rolled into one. They pulled together an author visit so that it wasn't just a giant assembly. Instead, they created a book experience for the kids and teachers that stretched beyond the single day that I was there. So, in honor of the amazing job Stonewall did yesterday, here's a little cheat sheet on School Visit Greatness, with a special thanks to Linda Mitchell, Hope Dublin,Laurie Corcoran, and Diane Hilland  who hosted me so expertly. Good planning: I despise paperwork, but I have to admit that it helps keep things straight. Linda Mitchell contacted me early (an October email about a visit in June.) We were clear on what…
Meg Medina
Love0
Appearances
May 19, 2014

Women’s Media Center Live

My third grade art teacher was the first woman I ever knew to put "Ms." before her name. I remember almost nothing about her except that astounding decision – and the fact that she let us dance to Helen Reddy's  I Am Woman for our after school club performance. She was probably the first feminist I ever met, and thankfully she left an imprint on her little charges. A few years later, I was already reading my sister's Ms. Magazines, and eventually I went on to a life that's been about writing stories that in one way or another advocate for girls. So this weekend, when I was featured on the Women's Media Center Live podcast, I was thrilled. WMCL is a weekly broadcast out of DC. It's a project of a larger initiative called the Women's Media Center which was founded in 2005 by feminist icons Gloria Steinem, Jane Fonda and Robin Morgan. What I like about the podcast is that the guests are widely varied, (Anita Hill, Jimmy Carter, just two quick examples). I also like that Robin Morgan tackles any thorny topic with grace and brains. You can catch it every Saturday morning, but you can download episodes via i-tunes if you miss the 11 am EST stream. This week, Robin and I talked about lots of things: Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass, how librarians are truly the butt-kicking heroes,  Girls of Summer, REFORMA, and my favorite lists for finding pro-girl multicultural books. Check out Women's Center Live on Facebook or twitter (@wmclive). Subscribe…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesCommunity work
April 27, 2014

Wanted: Your Best Pix in Support of Diverse Books

It's a great week for thinking about books for all kids. On Tuesday, I'll finally be at the Library of Congress to celebrate DIA, the American Library Association's celebration of multicultural books for young readers. (If you're unfamiliar with that event, go here and get on board: Dia fact sheet_0) But it's also a week where I'll get to hear from you - I hope. A few weeks ago, I pointed you to CBC Diversity as a place to stay informed about advocating for representative children's books. Today, I offer you another way to help make diverse books more available in classroom and community libraries – and to help get more authors of color at literary conferences. All you need is a smart phone and a magic marker. Why do you think we need diverse books for kids? Please answer the question, take a quick photo of your written response, and send it to weneeddiversebooks@yahoo.com before Thursday, May 1. All the images will be hosted on the event's Tumblr page. Check out the details of the campaign on Facebook, if you prefer, and if you're a twitter person, please join the chat. Here's mine, with just a few of the titles I grabbed off my bookshelf in a hurry. Nothing fancy. See some of your favorites?   Meg's next appearance:  Young Readers Center at The Library of Congress, April 30 for Dia celebration, 10:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. 
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesThe Writing Life
March 24, 2014

Legends, Hashtags &Wisdom: VA Festival of the Book

Okay, a very quick post because I am on deadline! I spent three glorious days with my friends Kristen Swenson and A. B. Westrick in the mountains of Virginia at the 20th anniversary of the Festival of the Book. Some highlights in pictures: My school visit at Jackson-Via Elementary. Best question from a second grader: Do you make more than $30 a day? Great panel about author platforms with Jane Friedman, author Gigi Amateau, and "The Book Maven" Bethanne Patrick who is behind #Friday Reads. They gave lots of definitions and practical advice on creating your overall reputation. Favorite take-away from Jane:  Building your platform takes patience and consistency. It should outlast any single book or project that you do. Talking YA books for adults with old friend K.P. Madonia (Fingerprints of You) and new friend Andrew Auseon (Freak Magnet and others) at the Village School. Great reads. Put them on your list. Spending time with Sonia Manzano, the 2013 Pura Belpré Honor winner for The Revolution of Evelyn Serrano. (You probably know her as Maria from Sesame Street.)  What an honor to meet her and to be able to talk, even for a little while, about our books and next projects. Practicing the use of hashtags with children's lit legend Louis Lowry, Kathy Erskine and Jennifer Elvgren. I didn't see that one coming, but you know, we're all racing to understand this stuff! #YA, #kidlit, #canyoubelievethis? Jennifer, Ms. Lowry, and me Top pick of all: The joyous "homecoming panel" at the Paramount Theater on Saturday night. We…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesThe Writing Life
March 17, 2014

A Kid Lit Conference Con Sabor

Dr. Jamie Naidoo, Teresa Mlawer, Margarita Engle, Adriana Dominguez, Lila Quintero Weaver (front), Laura Lacámara, me, and Irania Patterson Snow outside - AGAIN. Thank goodness for the leftover cozy feelings from the  National Latino Children's Literature Conference this past weekend. On a scale of 1 - 10 in warmth and  camaraderie, it ranks about a 50. Lifting Me Home by Laura Lacámara One reason was the  faculty, a solid collection of Latinas in publishing. It included the fabulous former editor and literary agent Adriana Dominguez; color goddess illustrator Laura Lacámara; multiple-award winning poet and prose author Margarita Engle; Lila Quintero Weaver (who we've talked about here); bilingual library pro and storyteller Irania Patterson (how can anyone imitate every accent in the Spanish-speaking world?); longtime publishing icon Teresa Mlawer ("sounds like flour, with an m"); and me. For three days we worked side by side with teachers and librarians from all over the country who wanted to know how to use multicultural books to serve all kids. Inevitably, we all drew close as we asked ourselves hard questions and generated new ideas. "I'm so glad you guys aren't divas," one of them told me as we all sat together. Some of my personal highlights and favorite ideas: Margarita Engle. Poet, feminist, botanist, historian. If you want your students to experience history's most unknown and shocking corners, seek out her books. Who else can tell you about pirates in the 1400s, search-and-rescue mountain dogs, Cuba's first feminist, and how the Panama Canal was dug by hand...…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesAwards and newsLatino LifeThe Writing Life
March 12, 2014

You Want More Diverse Lit: Step 2

You're on a quest for more diverse literature for the young people in your life? Last week, I pointed you to CBC Diversity. Here's the next thing you can do: Make a point to meet the authors, editors, bloggers, and librarians with a passion for that area. Seek them out. Make relationship. We're friendly. Sarah Guillory, Ellen Oh and me. NOVA Teen Book Fest Example: This past week I met Ellen Oh (among other amazing YA authors) at the Northern Virginia Teen Book Festival - and it didn't take long for us two former New Yorkers to start putting our heads together on what we can do in the Mid Atlantic region to promote multicultural lit to all kids. She pubs with HarperTeen, and her latest is Warrior, which features Kira, a dragon-slaying ancient Korean girl on a quest. Ellen is kind of a dragon slayer, too. She's from Brooklyn, by her own admission speaks lousy Korean, and is determined to break stereotypes. Stay tuned. I'm on the road this week to the National Latino Children's Literature Conference held at the University of Alabama. That would be Tuscaloosa…which means cars, planes, vans to get there. It's absolutely worth it, as far as I'm concerned. (Look at the lineup.) It's the brainchild of Dr. Jamie Campbell Naidoo who has published widely on Latino lit, but also on the power of diverse books in general. I'll be talking about YAQUI, the Pura Belpré prize, and what my own plans are to help authors and librarians…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesThe Writing Life
March 4, 2014

Why Being a Kid Lit Author in Virginia is Great (Y’all)

My favorite library of all I'll admit that whenever I visit NYC, I wish I still lived there - at least for the first few days. It still feels like home to me. I love the energy, the ridiculous scale of everything from the buildings to the impatience and, of course, the neighborhoods oozing good food and (in the case of Brooklyn) an abundance of shifty children's book types like me. That yearning never really lasts, though. Sure, I live in the MidAtlantic where at least one of my children says y'all (the equivalent of you's, I suppose) and where an inch of snow can paralyze us for days. I live in a place with a racial past that is still heartbreaking and deeply troubling, and where my politics can get me into trouble during polite conversations (cause that's how we have them down here...who knew?) But central Virginia is a beautiful landscape that has turned out to be an encouraging place to make a life as a children's book author. It boils down to a feeling of community. I share the state with lots of notables from the children's lit world: Harper Lee, Katherine Patterson, David Baldacci, Kathryn Erskine – and the list goes on with a rich layer of peer authors whom I admire, not to mention librarians and indi booksellers who hand sell our stuff and ask us how our kids are. A lot of us know each other well, and more often than not, we serve…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesAwards and news
January 26, 2014

ALA Midwinter in Philly

Just a quick hello from ALA Midwinter in Philly, where I have re-learned how to walk for miles in six-degree weather. Ice, slush, cold toes, runny nose...I'd almost forgotten what it feels like to live in a place that keeps moving regardless of the weather. As I ride home on the Amtrak, I'm feeling so grateful for some of these favorite moments: Setting out on the train with two of my dearest writing friends, A.B. Westrick and Gigi Amateau. The whole train was filled with librarians. (I'm looking at you Lucinda Whitehurst, among others!) It had a Hogwarts sort of feel to it. We decided to stay in a Bed and Breakfast instead of a standard hotel. Cheaper and cooler, in my book. We were at Casa Buono in the Italian section of Philly.  The view from my window. Kat, Dana, and Laura- the goddesses of The Virginia Shop hauled all their quirky literary wares to the Convention Center, fought for parking spots, and kept us all laughing. Here they are during our wonderful Asian dinner at Sampan on S. 13th Street. I also enjoyed a great meal at the Candlewick Press Family Ho-down at Supper (South Street) on Friday night. (Thanks again, Andie!) No kidding: I met Jen Delgado from Delaware. (No relation, THANK GOD to Yaqui!) Always cool to see books by friends. Here are the galleys for Sandra and Rich Wallace's new novel, BABE CONQUERS THE WORLD (Cawkins Creek/Highlights). Fans of strong girls and sports should look for it in March 2014. Had a…
Meg Medina
Love0
Appearances
December 2, 2013

Show Some Love to the Readers and Writers on Your List

My last two appearances of 2013 are also two of my favorites. Yes, as a matter of fact, I DO want this for ChristmasFriday, Dec, 6: Forget buying ugly sweaters. Instead, dazzle your book loving friends with a Jane Austen umbrella, a chic recycled bag, or a onesie honoring The Little Prince. It's all at The Virginia Shop, inside the Library of Virginia this Friday. This gift store is where whimsy meets history and literature, and their Open House won't disappoint. The event starts at 2 PM, but my slot is 4 PM - 6 PM. All afternoon, authors and historians will be on hand to meet you and sign books. The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind and Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass (yes, for the holidays!) will  be on sale - and my titles come with a free, beaded milagro bookmark. If you're inclined, please RSVP on the Facebook invite here. The PDF flyer is here:  OpenHouseVAShopSaturday, Dec. 7: I'll head back down to Petersburg to the Appomattox Regional Governor's School for WriterFest. It's an all-day youth writing conference. I'm looking forward to a book talk lunch about Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass and then a look at student first pages with Dean King and Virginia Pye.And then, friends, it's time to rest and write...
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesThe Writing Life
November 25, 2013

Do Our Stories Create Activists? My takeaway from the VAASL conference

I'm not a librarian, and I haven't been a teacher in almost twenty years. But I'm still intrigued about how great schools happen and the role that books play in that drama. Two weeks ago, I got to spend time with Virginia school librarians at their annual conference in Williamsburg. Here are a few of my favorite takeaways. Library Girl fighting against Zombie librarians everywhere! If you're not already doing so, follow Jenifer LaGarde's blog or her twitter handle. Jennifer is an Educator on Loan for the NC Dept of Instruction. That means she travels the country as a mentor and lecturer, helping librarians develop the subversive skills they need to become the beating heart of their schools. She fights stereotypes, the Dewey decimal system and use of late fines with the same fervor Batman takes to the Joker - and she's figured out how to turn her innovative library programs into hard data that principals can't ignore when it's time for the budget ax. All that, plus a killer sense of humor. She's definitely worth following. My fellow Virginia author Natalie Dias Lorenzi introduced us to Padlet as a way to engage students with multicultural lit in the classroom. Natalie is the author of Flying the Dragon, but she is also a teacher with 19 years of experience. She uses the Padlet site to help middle school students connect with the  characters and stories they're reading. She walked us through building a custom-made Padlet comment wall, where students can post reader responses, ask…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesLatino LifeThe Writing Life
November 4, 2013

So Now That I’m Done Eating Snickers…

All right, then. I have finally eaten the last Snickers mini, so it's time to focus again. One happy effect of daylight savings time has been the perfect excuse to get up early and have a solid couple of "alone hours" with my new manuscript. It doesn't necessarily make the writing easier. It just means  I have shown up for work - half the battle. Today, I'm happy to be on Latinos In Kid Lit, a lovely new blog chock full of book lists, guest blogs Q & As, teaching ideas, and all around cool stuff for people interested in the Latino corner of multicultural lit for kids of all ages. (You can follow them on twitter, too @LatinosInKidLit.) Read through the bios behind this new venture. Very cool. Por favor, visit the site and leave a comment to cheer them on. This week, I'll also head out to the Virginia Association of School Librarians in Williamsburg, VA, where YA superstar Sarah Dessen will be the keynote on Friday. My concurrent session will be on Thursday and again on Saturday. We'll be taking a look at YAQUI DELGADO WANTS TO KICK YOUR ASS -  (a School Library Journal Audio Pick of the Day last week) - and  at what happens when a book offends. (Ahem…) I plan to hang out and catch some other breakouts, too. There is always a good selection of sessions, and I like getting to know my state's school librarians. Here's a look at the description of sessions.  Finally, I've…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesCommunity work
October 14, 2013

Virginia Book Lovers: This is the week for you!

This is the week to be proud to be a Virginian, especially if you're a book geek like me. The Literary Festival of Virginia is back. It has been  gaining national attention over the years, thanks to the impressive list of  bookish events you can find in this state. One event that I hope is on your radar is right here in Richmond. If you're a fan of books for young readers,  we want to see you at Teen '13  at the Richmond Public Library on October 17, 6 - 8:30 PM. Food, music, authors, books, free stuff, all in one place. The fifteen Virginia authors who are coming offer a mind-blowing range of styles and topics. The books - all 2013 releases -- are about psychic powers, romance, religious zealots, racism, canaries in coal mines, circus freaks, the KKK, bullies, military families, Darfur, dementia, horses, angels, courtiers, girls in juvie hall - you name it. See for yourself on the final schedule and the author list here. Teen '13 program_proof2 (2) Oh, and to sweeten the deal even more, there's free stuff: six $25 gift cards to Fountain Bookstore (which will be on hand that night); three winners of 30-minute video chats with an author of their choice; and an autographed collection of the entire list of books. Huge smooches to the Hanover High School Jazz band for their talents and to the Friends of the Library who funded the food, the space and all the prizes. (And buttons. Did I…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesLatino Life
October 8, 2013

A happy week, except when Congress socks it to the little guys

A bitter-sweet week. The sweet: Spent yesterday in the company of EE Charlton Trujillo (FAT ANGIE, Candlewick Press), and Kathy Erskine (MOCKINGBIRD; SEEING RED). EE is filming a documentary of her book tour,  which has featured  rental cars, buzzards, near tornadoes, and a chance to meet with authors and kids across the country. A blast, but I don't want to say more because she'll  be chatting with me on this blog next week. More soon. All I can say, is buckle in. I love beautiful libraries... I'll be at the Mt. Pleasant Neighborhood Library this Thursday night as part of their anti-bullying event and also as a tie in to their celebration of Hispanic Heritage month. Teens and social workers in the know will be on hand, and then we'll talk about how an abusóna became the inspiration for Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass. (And, yes, I will be allowed to say "ass," amigos.) Really looking forward to visiting this cool library and also checking out their exhibit called Héroes of the LGBTQ Community. Why, Congress, why? But here is the bitter:  It boils down to two words: government shutdown.  I was so excited to visit with K - 2nd grade students from four DC area public schools at the beautiful  Young Readers Center. Unfortunately,  the shutdown closed the Library of Congress.  It's definitely not as important as the many families who are now struggling financially or the Head Start programs now scrambling or the WIC programs being zapped or any number…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesThe Writing Life
September 24, 2013

Happy Paperback Birthday!

Paperback in stores today, September 24! Feliz Cumpleaños, The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind! It's the first time one of my hardcover books is becoming a paperback - and the first time a school is using one of my works as a school wide reading project. Thank you Sterling Middle School in Northern Virginia for this lovely way to celebrate a very special occasion! "Fluent and lovely..." School Library Journal
Meg Medina
Love0
Appearances
September 20, 2013

“Hola, ¿Qué Tal?” at The Nat’l Book Fest

It's here!  The mega weekend  for all of us book freaks in the US.  If you're at the Nat'l Book Festival, please stop by the Pavilion of the States at noon on Saturday so you can say "hola, ¿qúe tal? – and pick up free stuff like lapel pins and some ideas for the classroom to go along with Tía Isa Wants a Car. After that, I'll be enjoying the beautiful weather and stalking authors like the rest of you. Look out Kevin Henkes, Patrick Ness, Kathy Erskine, Monica Brown, Matt de la Peña and more!
Meg Medina
Love0
Appearances
September 16, 2013

Literary Mischief: A New Answer to Book Signings in RVA

Our host This Friday night, I'm getting in the ring with one of Richmond's favorite (and best named) storytellers, Slash Coleman for Literary Mischief, his refreshing and oddball take on book events. We'll be at The Crossroads Art Center and here's the basic set up. Four authors get a few minutes to talk about anything they choose. Then they face Slash for offbeat interview questions and plenty of audience participation. Yes, you can buy a book and we'll sign it, but the night is about relaxing and connecting with the authors who live and work in this city. I'll likely talk about what it's like to write for kids when your book pushes all the wrong buttons for school administrators. If that doesn't suit you, don't worry. I'll be joined by some of Richmond, Virginia's favorite faces in the arts, too. The lineup: Harry Kollatz, Jr - Senior writer and Arts and Entertainment Editor at Richmond Magazine  (Yep, you know him. The dashing guy in the fabulous hat.) He's the author of Richmond in Ragtime. Virginia Pye - former chair of James River Writers, whose debut novel River of Dust, was called "mysterious, exotic and creepy... A fine journey, well worth the effort" by The Washington Post Susann Cokal - critic, college professor essayist, and cat-obsessed friend, whose new novel The Kingdom of Little Wounds has earned a starred review from Kirkus. I admire everybody on the list, but we are a far-flung bunch, so who knows how Slash will knit us all together.  That's the fun. Our work spans…
Meg Medina
Love0
Appearances
September 4, 2013

Author Uninvited: A School Decides I’m Trouble

Let me start by saying that I am not making this up. You can buy your own lapel pin here. This week I was officially uninvited to speak on bullying at a middle school due to the title of my latest YA novel, YAQUI DELGADO WANTS TO KICK YOUR ASS. The timing could not have been more ironic. September is the month when the American Library Association celebrates Banned Book Week, our annual reminder about the importance of intellectual freedom. Sure, the title has raised eyebrows - as I knew it would. But the title of my book wasn't an issue several months ago when I was contracted  to be part of the school's anti-bullying event. YAQUI DELGADO WANTS TO KICK YOUR ASS  is the story of girl's unraveling as she navigates being in the crosshairs of a physical and emotional abuser. I had planned to talk about my own experience at the hands of a bully long ago - and all that the experience robbed from me.  Then, as now, there were no easy answers, no clear path out of the torment that I couldn't trust the adults around me to stop. I had also planned to talk about how that ugly sliver of life became fiction and about how writing and books help us make sense of our life experiences, good and bad. But last Friday, I received a painful email from the teacher who had reached out to me in the first place. She was apologetic as she explained that her…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesAwards and newsThe Writing Life
August 9, 2013

See you at the Nat’l Book Festival!

A quick post to say muchisimas gracias to the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities, which will be part of the 2013 National Book Festival September 21 - 22. This year, the Foundation has selected Tía Isa Wants a Car to represent Virginia at the Pavilion of the States.  How's THAT for a surprise? Here's the press release. The National Book Festival will be held on the mall in Washington DC.  Free and open to the public...just a gigantic gathering of book lovers. I'll be at the tent for a little while on Saturday enjoying the joyous mayhem. Otherwise, you'll find me strolling around and catching some of my favorite authors. (That, and buying too many books, as usual!)  Amazing lineup, to be sure. See you there!
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesCommunity workThe Writing Life
August 1, 2013

Read Local: You’re invited to Teen ’13

Like this lapel button? Yours for a buck fifty at Fountain Bookstore, RVA Mark your fall calendars, teen book lovers. You're invited to Teen '13, a literary party that will celebrate Virginia's homegrown talents.  If you've had the chance to sink your teeth into a local Virginia peach this summer, you already know why it makes sense to buy local.  But you shouldn't limit yourself to buying local food. You can feel  good about "reading local," too - especially if you're a fan of teen fiction. That's because Virginia has an impressive bench when it comes to authors. We're home to New York Times bestsellers and to authors who have won the Newbery Award, the Hans Christian Anderson Award, the National Book Award, and other top literary prizes. And that's to say nothing of the hefty number of Virginia authors whose works regularly grace the annual "Best of" lists  that recognize the top books for kids each year. Free and open to the public, Teen '13 will give book fans of all ages a chance to gather at the Richmond Public library to enjoy food and drinks, buy books, meet their favorite authors in person and win everything from indi bookstore gift certificates and free Skype visits to autographed copies of books and more. Fourteen Virginia authors will attend – all of whom have new releases in 2013. (Teen 13 authors and book blurbs.) It's exciting enough to have all those creative types in one place. But what's most satisfying to me is that…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesAwards and newsLatino LifeThe Writing Life
June 24, 2013

¡Verano! (Summer – the best time for book lovers)

With author Monika Shröder at the LUCY conference on multicultural lit A quick post today as I settle back from my amazing day celebrating multicultural lit at the LUCY conference at Old Dominion University. Looking forward to a busy first week of summer talking books, culture, and connection. At the Girls of Summer launch with some of our favorite librarians and authors KP Madonia and Jeri Watts. 1.  Gigi Amateau and I continue to celebrate our Girls of Summer list. Our launch last week was a huge success with about 180 mothers, daughters, librarians, teachers, and all-around book lovers enjoying free ice cream, book talk, and a celebration of strong girls. Hope you are enjoying Tanita Davis's Q & A this week. Looking ahead to Friday, 6/28 you'll meet the fabulous Latina author Guadalupe Garcia McCall on our site. She'll talk about winning the Pura Belpré prize for Under the Mesquite,  and how she found a way to tell a story based on one of her most painful challenges. 2.  For my Latino friends with kids, please check this out! A summer reading list for Latino readers from the blogging community. Latinas for Latino Literature provide book lists by age group, activities, and ideas for encouraging reading. Please follow them on Facebook, too, where you'll see the growing community around Latinos, youth, and empowerment through reading. 3. I'll be at the Shenandoah Children's Literature Conference this Tuesday and Wednesday as part of "Heavy Medal," celebrating children's book authors who have won…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesCommunity workThe Writing Life
May 23, 2013

Hope Sprouts in Arlington

"Milagros" are offered at shrines and altars all over Latin America as requests for help or as expressions of gratitude. I drove up to Arlington last week for a terrific ceremony for the graduating fifth graders at Claremont Elementary. Last fall, teacher Sherry Lord and art teacher Vicki Walchak decided to make a school hope tree with their students in honor of moving on to middle school. You might remember that the Hope Tree project began here in Richmond, VA when my YA novel The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind was published.  At the heart of that novel - and at the heart of the Hope Tree Project -- is the question: What is a hope or dream that you have for yourself? Students create metal "milagros" to represent that hope and offer them to the world.  Here's a poem that the students created together and read as part of the installation ceremony. I am so honored that they took on this project, and I wish all the graduates the best in middle school! The trees are beautiful! Hope Poem If hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul, then these are the things that keep it feeling safe and feeling whole. We hope that we'll stay friends after shutting school's door, we hope for family's health and being sick no more. We hope for a healthy sibling to be born this coming summer. We hope for safe travels to this country from another. We hope…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesThe Writing Life
May 13, 2013

RJ Palacio and Me: Compassion Fans and old BFFs

Me, in Flushing You never forget your childhood best friends. There's something sacred about that special someone who shared sleepovers and ran races in the school yard  just to see who was fastest. Or, as in my case, acted out Greek myths and enjoyed the mysteries of the Jew's harp. This Saturday, I have the extreme pleasure of reuniting with my grade school best friend,  RJ Palacio, whose lovely book WONDER, is a # 1 New York Times Bestseller and is on just about everyone's favorite list.We'll be at La Casa Azul, noon - 2 pm, to talk books, compassion, and friendship. Just couldn't resist doing the bunny ears. With Raquel and our friend, Patty, in my apartment. Queens, NY Raquel and I grew up in Flushing, Queens, about a block from each other. We were in the same class and were generally inseparable, until middle school dispersed us and we lost touch for nearly 30 years. But Raquel and her family left an imprint on me that has lasted to this day. Her parents, Neli and Marco, extended affection and time my way like surrogate parents. When I think of my happiest days as a kid, I invariably think of our times together. Watching Neli comb out Raquel's hair with the help of a dab of Breck cream conditioner; weekends feeding goats at the Catskills Game Farm; my first ride on roller coasters at Six Flags Great Adventure; and visiting Niagra Falls. All of those good times – and…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesCommunity workLatino Life
May 6, 2013

En Español Por Favor: My Day at Partners in Print

With the fabulous organizer Patricia Garcia I spent Saturday at the University Maryland (College Park) with Partners in Print (PNP), an organization under the umbrella of America Reads. PNP supports literacy  at 18 schools, mostly in Prince George County, Maryland, by helping parents – many of whom don’t speak English as their first language – learn how to support their children's emerging reading skills.  Saturday was the culminating event for the mentors and their students. More than 140 students and 100 parents came for the day-long gathering. Tia Isa Wants a Car in Spanish My role for the day was to read Tia Isa Quiere Un Carro and to speak to volunteers and family attendees in a bilingual presentation. Confession. It’s always a little strange for me to work bilingually because my English is simply better. I was born here. I studied here. Although we speak Spanish as home, I live about 75 percent of my life in English. That means that sometimes I'm stuck pecking for words or phrases in Spanish, frustrated between what I’m thinking and what I can say. Turns out this gives me the same problem as Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who was recently interviewed by Jorge Ramos of Univision. He noticed her occasional lapses into English, and it was the subject of a lot of Twitter chat. Like the justice, I grew up speaking Spanish at home, and I have no accent when I speak it. Yes, I can read a newspaper and magazine no…
Meg Medina
Love0
Appearances
May 2, 2013

Notes from the road

by Dave at Takoma Park Library I've been in the MidAtlantic states these days - a beautiful time to talk books and  take in the azaleas and dogwoods almost everywhere you go. I'm not sure I love driving in DC during the morning rush, but other than that, a great trip. A quick round up... A lovely children's and teens bookshop in Old Town Alexandria, VA Thanks to: Erika Denn at Candlewick Press for all her planning and last minute reshuffling Trish Brown and Ellen Klein (Hooray for Books) for a terrific YA panel with Adina Gewirtz and KP Madonia on girls, messy lives, and books. If you don't have The Zebra Forest and Fingerprints of You on your reading list, please add these terrific titles. Karen MacPherson (Takoma Park Library) and Kerri Poore (Politics & Prose) for a lovely evening talking about books and compassion Dara LaPorte (The Open Book Foundation) for providing my author visit and copies of YAQUI DELGADO WANTS TO KICK YOUR ASS to about 150 8th graders at (Hardy MS). Shout outs to Perinne Punwami (a really exciting teacher at Hardy); my sister-in-law Laura Quigley; and author-pal Wendy Shang for being part of all the fun, too. L-R: Trish Brown(co-owner Hooray for Books), me, Adina Gewirtz, KP Madonia, Ellen Klein (co-owner) Rose Hardy Middle School in DC a present from one of the 8th graders! Very cool! The restored interior of Hardy MS. Gorgeous!
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesCommunity workLatino Life
April 10, 2013

Paint Me a Story: Latino Children’s Book Illustration in RVA

Find your calendar. Here's something for everyone in Richmond who loves kids, books, and art. Paint Me A Story is a free, month-long celebration of El Dia De Los Libros, the American Library Association's annual celebration of multicultural children's lit. Beginning on Friday, April 26, 2013, two of our favorite community resources - the Richmond Public Library and the Visual Arts Center of Richmond - have cooked up a great way to celebrate. Librarians Cristina Dominguez Ramirez and Patty Parks have worked with me to create a gorgeous exhibit of Latino children's book illustration featuring the work of nationally-recognized illustrators Joe Cepeda, John Parra, and Lila Quintero Weaver.  The opening reception is at the Broad Rock branch on Friday, April 26, 4 - 6 pm. (Free food, great art. Thank you Friends of the Library for your generous support!) I'll be on hand to say hello and give you some information about books you might enjoy with your kids. For art fans, several pieces are available for purchase. Postcard designed by John Parra The exhibit will move to the main branch of the library on May 3 in time for First Fridays Art Walk and  will remain for the month of May. Best yet, the Visual Arts Center of Richmond will offer two, free youth art classes on bookmaking on May 4 and May 16 at the Main branch. Sarah Hand will be at the helm. (Check out her beautiful work below.) Please spread the word, join us for the reception, and enjoy the…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesCommunity work
March 17, 2013

And we have lift-off!

It was amazing to look out and see the huge variety of people in the audience who came to talk about books and bullying at yesterday's book launch for Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass. Great questions, honest conversation, and a lot of love in the room. Thank you so much for coming to the celebration! Click on the  word cloud title below for a tiny slide show that emerged from our I feel strongest when prompt. (Thanks AB Westrick for being the input goddess!) Trey Hartt, Lauren Davis (The Conciliation Project); ART 180 teen leaders (Jazmin, Jackson, Bre, Chris) and me.Thanks, Candlewick for the gift books! I promised to give you the Resources for anti-bulllying, so here they are.  The document is full of unusual arts and community activities that give  young people a voice about their experiences. Film, art events and competitions, on-line communities, books...it's a great peek at  new ways to look at an old problem. Maybe you will add you own innovations? Finally, my heroes for the day: Trey Hartt and Lauren Davis of The Conciliation Project; the ART 180 teen leaders; Marlene, Betsy, "the Mikes"at ART 180;  panelists Allison Conyers of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities and Paul Fleisher and Santa Sorenson of the Richmond Peace Education Center; Penelope Carrington for the photography; Gigi Amateau and Virginia Pye for the unglamorous job of food schlepping; bbgb tales for kids for the book sales; Candlewick Press for the gifts to the teens; and the amazing…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesAwards and newsThe Writing Life
March 7, 2013

GoodReads Giveaway and Virtual Tour

A quick post for Young Adult lit fans or authors: Check out YA Reads for Teachers (And Any Other Adults) on GoodReads. It's an online community of over 1,300 adult readers who want to read and discuss young adult novels for their classrooms and libraries. If you hurry, you can join the group and enter their book giveaway for Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass this month. (You have to sign up before March 13, midnight).  In April, I'll be the featured author, which means I'll check in daily to answer questions about my book, ass kickings and other joys of growing up. Should be fun.  YA Reads for Teachers (And Any Other Adults) on Facebook, too.
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesThe Writing LifeUncategorized
February 26, 2013

A True Bienvenidos

A warm welcome! I spent a wonderful morning at Good Shepherd Episcopal School visiting with students from Pre-K through the eighth grade. It is so exciting to find schools like this where  the students are so obviously honored and loved. Favorite comment: On hearing that my tía Isa was actually a terrible driver:  "Your next book should be Tía Isa Goes to the Emergency Room." Three best questions: Do you ever find that you accidentally put pieces of one story in another story? How do you know if your idea should be a book? (With a worried look.) Is your tía Isa still driving on the streets? Most touching event: Chef Sue (who cooks homemade from organic produce every day for these sweet kids) made me "lechon" (pulled Cuban pork), white rice and black beans, so that I could enjoy un buen almuerzo. We even had merengues for dessert.  (A big hit. "Yum! You got this cookie right," said one of the third graders.) A Cuban feast for school lunch! Chef Sue! Best slang I taught them: ¡Pin Pan Pun! (rollaway bed) Happiest coincidence: Señora Cardounel, the  Spanish teacher, is from Cuba, too. We chatted in Spanish and swapped lots of stories. I hope she'll visit me soon. The fabulous Mrs. Dysart Thank you, Ms. Dysart and all the lovely faculty and students at Good Shepherd! If I had to go to school again, I would want to go to a place just like Good Shepherd.
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesAwards and newsCommunity workThe Writing Life
February 11, 2013

Books, Bullying, and Building Compassion: A Book Event in RVA

Mark your calendars: Saturday, March 16, 2013, 2 PM - 4:30 pm. Book launch party for Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass, ART 180, 114 West Marshall Street, Richmond, VA 23220 Me in the eighth grade. One day back in middle school, a girl I didn't know came up to me and said, "Jackie Delgado is going to kick your ass." If that sounds familiar, it's because it's more or less the title of my new YA novel. I didn't know it then, but that moment was an awful turning point for me. If you've ever been targeted, you know that a low grade dread sets in and crowds out everything else, like your grades, your family, your self esteem. What followed for me were two long years of dodging a school bully and her obnoxious friends who would push me and threaten me, scream out my name and cackle in the halls. I suddenly felt scared to exist at my school, and no adult seemed capable of helping. I learned to avoid classes, to lie to my mother, to hang out with downright dangerous people so that I might become so tough that no one could ever hurt me. I wasn't alone, of course, but you couldn't have told me that. The good news is that, like most of us, I survived. The bad news is that girls like Jackie still exist today, and they're made all the fiercer with their cameras and YouTube sites and Facebook pages. I…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesThe Writing Life
February 4, 2013

Some music for Yaqui Delgado

So I'm putting the finishing touches on the launch events for Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass which comes out next month. And because it takes hours to work out all the details, I'm listening to music that puts me in the mood. Yaqui Delgado takes a shard of truth from my personal life. I wrote this novel white-knuckled some days, thinking back to when I was an early teen facing down a schoolyard bully. I was learning everything about everything back then: learning about lousy adults, learning what it meant to be a Latina, learning how to really take care of myself when others couldn't. It was a scary time, but all these years later, I find myself thinking a lot about all I took away from that experience. It was a Puerto Rican girl, Aida, I remember most. She lived upstairs, cut school, and had bad acne but a hot boyfriend nonetheless. More importantly, she taught me to salsa. Sometimes she gave parties in her hot apartment with Celia Cruz and the Fania All Stars (Johnny Pacheco, Hector LaVoe, etc) blasting out of her mother's stereo until the walls shook. When I think back to that time in my life, the soundtrack belongs to those old masters. So, here's a little YouTube gem of the late Celia Cruz fronting the band in Africa. And then, a more recent piece by Celia - Sin Clave- to get you in the spirit via Cuban music that (like a tough…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesCommunity work
December 3, 2012

School visits: An Open Book Literacy Foundation

Back to DC, one of my favorite cities, this time thanks to An Open Book Children's Literacy Foundation which gives Title 1 schools in the District access to books and authors. (Feeling charitable this season?  They make an excellent choice for your philanthropy.) So, it's second graders and eighth graders for me today. I think we'll make our own "Tía Isa" cars out of foam with the younger ones, since this gives me a chance to channel my inner craft geek. (I can't help it. I love office supplies and the smell of Elmers Glue). Thrilled also to start a new Hope Tree in the DC area with the older guys. Raymond Education Center, here I come! What color would your car be? Where would you want your car to take you?
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesCommunity workThe Writing Life
November 9, 2012

Claremont Elementary Spanish Immersion School: The Hope Tree Grows

Part of Claremont's display for El Dia De Los Muertos What a week! A nail-biter election that took me late into the night, and then up at 5 am (when it was still tan oscuro!) to get to Claremont Elementary School in Arlington, VA. (Thank you to Sherry Lord for inviting me!) Claremont is a funky Spanish Immersion school that's going to do a version of the Hope Tree project as their fifth graders move on to middle school. Again, we're asking, What is a hope you have for yourself? Coolest trio ever Such a pretty school, and the art is everywhere you look. I love these giant looming heads over the stage (inside one of those strange rooms called a cafetorium). They are César Chávez, Pocahontas, and Dr. Martin Luther King. Jr. Oh! And look at these urns in their lovely garden. I spotted them when I arrived. Hmmm...they are sitting near benches and empty trees. You thinkin' what I'm thinkin'? These two want some milagros hanging in the trees nearby...
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesCommunity workLatino Life
October 22, 2012

Dame Tu Voz: An Arts Celebration with Duende in RVA

What happens when you have a dream that you're watching a Henley Street Theatre play and all the actors are speaking in Spanish? If you're Rafael Seligmann, Board Chair of the Henley Street Theatre, you wake up, call Ana Ines King of The Latin Ballet of Virginia and plan a day-long celebration of Latin American music, theatre, literature and dance. On November 3, I'll be part of Dame Tu Voz(Give Me Your Voice), a free, one-day festival to be held at Centenary United Methodist Church (411 E Grace St.) from 1 - 9 pm. Here's why you should go. First, it's a bargain if you've got kids. Free family-friendly things happen all afternoon: food, music, art, flamenco demonstrations, puppet making and salsa lessons, to name just a few highlights. Who wouldn't want to see flamenco dancer Antonio Hidalgo? But don't worry; nobody is left out of the fun. At 4 pm the event starts to take a more adult tone. It begins with readings of favorite Spanish-language poetry.(Want to share one? Call (804) 307-5343 to sign up.) My performance is at 5 pm. I'll be reading a short selection from my YA novel, The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind) and talking about magical realism and transformation. Afterward, we can enjoy some food and downtime together before the evening offers up truly refreshing fare for theatre fans. (This shouldn't come as a surprise. Henley Street is already known for its free and innovative Bootleg Shakespeare series.) For  $10, you get to see…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesCommunity work
September 14, 2012

A Little Bit of Fiesta at City Hall

Happy Hispanic Heritage Month! This is a month for everybody to channel their inner Latino, but don't worry if you don't know an empanada from a salsa. I can help you, especially if you're in the downtown Richmond, Virginia area next week. That's because on Monday, September 17, 2012 The Hope Tree Project comes to the lobby of City Hall at Broad Street and 9th Street! (Map here.) We're having a little lunchtime party as the kickoff, and I hope you'll come. You'll remember that this exhibit of the hopes and dreams of Richmond's young people started out as a collaboration between me, eight area high schools, and the folks at Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden last spring, when The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind first pubbed. Well, we've moved the exhibit to its final phase --  the concrete jungle -- where the public can see what our kids are thinking about themselves and our community. The exhibit is, of course, free and open to the public. The lobby doesn't have trees (bummer) but I have a plan. Or I should say... my friends at Pine Camp Art Center (Shaun Casselle) and the Office of Multicultural Affairs (Tanya Gonzalez) have a plan. All those twigs that fell out of trees during last month's gusty days?  Yep, they're being recycled into the show. (How's that for clever use of resources?) We'll be spending our Saturday putting them in place. If you work downtown, please come down and join us for the  reception…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesGuestsThe Writing Life
August 17, 2012

Fighting for the Story

This is a new shirt I bought at La Casa Azul last week, a sweet Latino-themed bookstore on 103rd Street in Harlem. How could I resist? It reminded me of the hours I spent as a kid watching Lucha Libre wrestling -- that masked Mexican drama. My uncle was a big fan, and my grandmother and I soon joined him. "Do you think it's real?" Abuela would ask as someone got slammed with a chair. How stupid,  I thought. Of COURSE it's real. In case you want a mask of your own.http://coolmaterial.com/gear/sports-gear/lucha-libre-masks/ My shirt says Lucha Libros, of course. Much more civilized -- but maybe not. I'm a writer, after all, and as any of us in this business will tell you, you can get sucker punched and slammed with a folding chair at every turn. A lousy review, an unimpressed agent, an editor who says something just isn't ready. Dios de mi alma, it's tough. I'm thinking about all this because in two weeks I'll be taking you inside the horror with debut author Aimee Agresti whose debut YA novel, Illuminate, has received great reviews. (It's the first book in a planned Harcourt trilogy.) We're doing a panel for one of my favorite writing organizations, James River Writers, as part of The Writing Show. Ours is the last Writing Show of 2012, and I'm excited that it's about writers wrestling. Aimee has agreed to show her manuscript from the early, on-the-napkin stage, all the way to the picky line edits, all…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesCommunity workpicture book, middle grade, YAThe Writing LifeUncategorized
June 20, 2012

Scenes for the Girls of Summer Live Launch

The Girls of Summer 2012 site is live -- 18 great summer reads for girls! But here are some shots from a truly magical night under the shady trees of Library Park in Richmond, VA. More than 100 girls, moms, librarians, teachers, and friends gathered for ice cream, book talks, and a chance to meet the fabulous Wendy Shang, author of The Great Wall of Lucy Wu. Thank you to everyone at the Richmond Public Library, to bbgb tales for kids (our bookseller), to Penelope Carrington for filming, and to the Ice Cream Connection for the fantastic refreshments and music! Winners of our picture book, chapter book, and early middle grade bag of books! Cute or what? My new magical realism book bag. A present from Betty Sanderson! The lucky winner of our middle grade and YA book titles!
Meg Medina
Love0
Appearances
May 16, 2012

Do children get cuter than this?

I visited Colonial Trail Elementary School last week. It's nestled behind a behemoth mall, but don't be fooled. This school is a gold nugget in western Henrico County, and fourth grade teacher Tiffany Graves goes out of her way to bring literature alive in her room. Looking forward to thinking of ways of working together next year! Look at this good looking bunch. Fourth graders in Ms. Graves class
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesCommunity workpicture book, middle grade, YAThe Writing LifeWhat I'm reading
May 15, 2012

Back again! Girls of Summer 2012

Ah, it's almost time to kick back and read the way you're supposed to read in the summer: curled in a hammock or beach chair. Here comes Girls of Summer 2012.  Gigi Amateau and I are updating our curated reading list  with 18 new titles for this summer. It's an absolute joy to work on this project for a second year. I get to read (or re-read) books that I think celebrate girls, share time with a close friend, and talk to authors I've long admired all summer long. It doesn't get better. You'll find the spiffy new list and our comments on the website starting June 20. (We're under construction now with updates, so please be patient.) But what I really want you to do is save the night of June 19, 2012, 7 - 9 pm and join us at the Richmond Public Library for the live launch. It's free. It's fun. It's the best thing you can do on a Tuesday night. Were you there for our inaugural event last year? We promise another crazy, fun-filled evening, complete with book giveaways, summer refreshments (think popsicles) and authors on hand. Mark the date! Oh -- and don't forget Anita Silvey will be speaking on children's books at the library this Saturday, May 19. Not to be missed if you are even remotely interested in books for young people. She's amazing.
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesCommunity work
May 2, 2012

Wordles: samples from The Hope Tree Project

Me again. Two posts in one week Geez. First, the spiffy StyleWeekly article is here!  Thanks Julie Geen for spreading the word about The Hope Tree Project! Also, do you know about wordles?  They're handy as a wrap-up for a school activity or, in this case, as a display for a community project. You plug in words or phrases that emerged from an experience, and - POOF! -- out comes a graphic. For phrases, separate each word with a ~. Give it a try here. Here are the Wordles of phrases describing the dreams represented in each milagros for The Hope Tree Project. I took the phrases from the artist statements the school provided. Click to enlarge each.  
Meg Medina
Love0
Appearances
April 20, 2012

Party Hats, Everyone!

There's a celebration everywhere you look this coming week! Monday is World Book Night, that biblio-glorious event started in the UK to spread the love of reading. Right now, the event is targeted to adults and doesn't include  children's books. (I know. Sad.) I'll be celebrating anyway by signing copies of my YA novel, The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind at Barnes & Noble (Chesterfield Towne Center Mall) from 5 - 7 pm. Giveaways will include signed copies of my books for your favorite school library and a free school visit to one lucky raffle winner. But that's not the only celebration on the horizon. It's also El Dia de los Niños on Saturday, April 28-- a national celebration of reading and children across many cultures. In honor of the fun, I'll be at the Chesterfield County Public Library (Meadowdale Branch) for the morning, where I'll read Tia Isa Wants a Car and do a craft with the little ones at 10:30. (Who doesn't love a glue stick?) At 11:30, my favorite thing: a free writing workshop for teen writers. Here's the address: 4301 Meadowdale Blvd., Richmond, VA 23234. Branch phone number is 804-318-8778. ¡Vengan, por favor! And of course, you know the Hope Tree Project is just around the corner at the Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden. Tune into  Radio Poder, 1380 AM, on Monday, April 23 at 11 am and I'll tell you all about it. I'll be talking with my favorite Richmond Latina, Tanya Gonzalez. The milagros are absolutely beautiful. Wait til you see... More soon!…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesLatino LifeThe Writing Life
April 2, 2012

A Familia of Latino Children’s Writers and Illustrators

We talk a lot about the dry spells in a writer’s life – those awful times when your lack of ideas makes you crave a straightforward job as a cashier at Target or shoveling manure. But every so often – as happened to me this weekend at the National Latino Children’s Literature Conference – a writer receives a precious gift, an experience that lights something inside and changes everything for the good. The NLCLC is the brainchild of Dr. Jamie Naidoo at the University of Alabama, a herculean task he takes on every other year with his tireless team of current and former library science students. I know what you're thinking. Alabama? Why a conference to celebrate Latinos in a state with some of the nation's most disturbing anti immigration laws? The answer is, Sí, Alabama. What better place to send a group of passionate Latino authors, researchers, illustrators, and bad-ass librarians to fan passions, make connections, and work in the community? "I have thick glasses and white hair," one of the attendees confessed in our small group. "Who would suspect me?" It was especially exciting to tell the attendees about The Hope Tree Project (the topic of my talk). Several were interested in taking the idea for the project to their own schools and communities. Imagine all those hope trees taking root! Cindy Frellick of the Greenville Library in South Carolina even lent me a necklace of milagros she purchased in Mexico to wear for the unveiling on April 30. (Gracias,…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesThe Writing Life
March 20, 2012

The Hope Tree is Growing

Just a little update about The Hope Tree Project. (Details en español here.) Student artists are working out their answer to What is a dream you have for yourself or for our community? I got a sneak preview of their milagros thanks to Megan McConnell, art teacher at Meadowbrook High School, who brought a few to share at my book launch party for The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind this past weekend. (Thanks, Megan!) I'm also happy to announce that the fabulous Latin Ballet of Virginia will be joining us for the launch on April 30 and will perform selections of Verde. This work celebrates nature, hopes and dreams. What could be more perfect? (And check out these costumes!) Let me know if you are interested in an invitation to the opening. Latin Ballet of Virginia, scenes from Verde Where I'll be next:    March 21, 2012: University of Richmond, Gotwald Science Center, 5:30 pm. Lecture, reception and  book signing. March 23, 2012: The Steward School 11600 Gayton Road, Henrico, VA, 9 am. International Day presentation March 28 - 30, 2012: National Latino Children's Literature Conference: University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. Presentation on YA and community building -- The Hope Tree Project!
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesThe Writing Life
March 10, 2012

Another Reason to Love WriterHouse

I had a glorious day working at WriterHouse in Charlottesville. We ran short on time, but managed (I hope) to start sifting through some memories and figuring out how to reshape them for our work.  A sample: Gravel on the driveway -- and a long black car delivers a first look at The Terrible Grandmother. A boy stays out all night, shivering on the streets, too afraid to ring the doorbell. A hair-do that opens a child up to love. A girl plays innocently as her family waits for the train to leave their Nazi-occupied city. A mother and daughter try to make sense of an addiction. Trapped in a windowless building, a schoolgirl is lured by flowers blooming near the roof outside. Poets, journalists, children's book writers, aspiring authors. Thank you Bea,Sandy, Warrick, Bev, Doreen, and Connie.   Truly a wonderful day. Be fearless and let me know how your projects keep evolving. P.S. Shout out to James Madison Regional Library  -- this means you, David Plunkett -- for inviting me.
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesThe Writing Life
March 7, 2012

The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind blog tour starts today

Just wanted to give you the heads up this morning. I'm on tour. Yep -- and I'm still in my pajamas as I'm telling you this. That's because it's a blog tour -- the single most author-friendly invention since the pencil. Eight YA bloggers have invited me to answer questions -- some serious, some funny -- about my novel, The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind. For me, it's a chance to channel my inner Where's Waldo without ever leaving my kitchen computer. I meet their readers, talk about my project, and get the word out in anticipation of the March 12 pub date. For the bloggers, it's a chance for fresh content and connections. For you, it's a chance to win stuff (sometimes) and get the scoop on what is behind the book you're reading. Today, you can catch me on Waste Paper Prose, where I did  a  v-log (video version) at Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens here in Richmond, VA. Don't make fun of my hair in the last section. It was windy, okay? Visit at  www.wastepaperprose.com. I hope you'll make time this week to stop in on these blogs and get to know some rabid book lovers. You can see the dates and stops on the skyscraper that I've posted in the sidebar to the right. A big thanks to:  Waste Paper Prose, Book Briefs, Muggle-Born.net, The Book Cellar, Teen Reads, A Cupcake and a Latte, Joyousreads, and The Hispanic Reader. You're invited to Meg's book launch party for The…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesThe Writing Life
March 4, 2012

Shameless mining: A free workshop for VA writers

"Do you have my teeth?" That's what my mother asked me, her mouth caved-in like a dried apple, just as she was being wheeled into surgery last January. I shook her dentures in a plastic cup and chomped my own teeth clownishly, too terrified to say anything as her gurney disappeared into the operating room. Thankfully, those weren't the last words my mother would ever say to me. And as an added bonus, I get to keep that weird exchange in my brain for some future use in a novel or short story. Don't give me that look. Writers are opportunists when it comes to pearls of dialogue like that, and I'm no different. This one is already flagged under the label, "Dialogue, sub-heading Crazy shit people say.  What will I do with it? Who knows? It might find its way into a soul-searching look at helping my mother through illness, but it might take years for me to figure out how to tell that story. Besides, it would work just as well as a line for a hockey player to his girlfriend. Or an actor playing Dracula. Or...oh, I don't know. One thing is for sure, those. Those dentures are going to get immortalized one way or another. I bring this all up because this Saturday, March 10, I'll be leading a free writing workshop at WriterHouse in Charlottesville on how to take these million scraps of personal events and turn them into fiction -- especially fiction that captures culture and…
Meg Medina
Love0
AppearancesAwards and newsLatino LifeThe Writing Life
February 24, 2012

The Hope Tree Project

There are all sorts of ways of launching a new book into the world. This time around I've decided to go big. I'll have my regular launch at the ever-fabulous bbgb tales for kids on March 17. But when The Girl Who Could Silence the Wind pubs next month, I'll have about 500 high school students to help me celebrate, too. That's because they're part of a project I'm working on in partnership with The Lewis Ginter Botanical Garden and eight area high schools here in Richmond. The Hope Tree Project is a connection of art, reading, and community building for young people - a good addition to the Virginia Commission of the Art's Minds Wide Open 2012 celebration of children and the arts. The students and their art or ESOL teachers have agreed to create Latin American ex votives -- or milagros -- that symbolize a hope or dream that they have for themselves or for the community. When they're done, we'll decorate five crape myrtle trees in the beautiful children's garden with their collective wishes. Milagros are part folk art and part religious votives in Latin America. The tiny charms are attached to statues of saints, to the walls of churches, or even to women's jewelry. Why? To ask for a favor or to thank a saint for help, of course. It's a connection of the sacred or mystical to every day needs. Not that this is new, of course. The ancient Romans made them, too, as did many…
Meg Medina
Love0
Close Menu