Hello everyone my name is Yara and today
I'm going to be doing an announcement
for the Middle Grade Magic Readathon
Round Two
This is a readathon that will be taking
place between August 1st and August 16th
so just a little bit over two weeks
and it's going to be centered around
reading middle grade stories. This is a
readathon
created by Cara over at Wilde Book Garden
who started this last year and then this
year kindly invited me to be a
co-host
along with the other co-hosts Kelly from
Cozy Reader Kelly, Yvette from BookCave
and Kier from Kier the Scrivener. I'll
leave all of their channels and social
media information down below.
So as the name of the readathon suggests
this is all about highlighting middle
grade stories
as well as talking about what makes them
unique and special and valuable for just
about any reader.
All the prompts for this readathon are
inspired by quotes from writers who have
talked about the importance and power of
middle grade and children's literature
so let's get into all the prompts. The
first quote is from Dr Rudine Simms
Bishop who says:
"Children need windows and mirrors. They
need mirrors in which they see
themselves and windows through which
they see the world." So this prompt is
actually a two-parter and the first part
is
read an own voices novel featuring
a main character who is different from
you
and the second part is read a book with
a main character who you share part of
your identity with. I really like this
quote because it talks about and
emphasizes how important it is to see
a different perspective from your own
and someone with different experiences
but also how important it is for
children to just see themselves.
And not even just children it's
important for everyone to see themselves
at that age with those experiences that
are unique to them. The next quote is from C.S
Lewis:
"Since it is so likely that children will
meet cruel enemies, let them at least
have heard of brave knights and heroic
courage.
Otherwise you are making their destiny
not brighter but darker." And the prompt
for this
is read a book that gives you hope. And
this is definitely not going to be hard
to find books for because i feel like
it's an
almost cornerstone of middle grade to
have book centering on
looking towards a better future and you
can especially see this with stories
that deal with a lot of heavy topics.
Even when the characters are going
through a lot of pain a lot of struggle
there is always that
layer of hope and that layer of looking
towards a better future and it's
something so inspiring about reading
middle grade.
Prompt number three is inspired by a
quote by Madeleine L 'Engel: "You have to
write the book that wants to be written
and if the book will be too difficult
for grown-ups, then you write it for
children."
And the prompt for this is read a book
that deals with a serious topic.
I really like that quote because it kind
of touches on the idea that just because
middle grade and children's literature
is aimed and accessible to read by
children
it doesn't make the stories and the
themes less complex.
Like a lot of times it's the same themes
that are tackled in other kinds of
stories that are aimed towards older
groups but just handled in a different
way.
There are definitely middle grade books
that deal with a lot of different
serious issues
like racism, homophobia, Islamophobia,
bullying, self-acceptance. Kids go through
all kinds of experiences like that and
it's really valuable to see it
from their perspective and from that
lens. Prompt number four is inspired by
Audrey Hepburn and she says:
"if I'm honest i have to tell you I still
read fairy tales and i like them best of
all."
And the problem for this accordingly is
read a story time book
and that can be a fairy tale, folk tale,
picture book etc.
So obviously we have the classic Grimm's
fairy tales and Hans Christian Anderson
and all that
and even if you're familiar with the
story from like Disney princesses and
stuff,
it's really fun to actually see what the
original
story was that was told to children. And
honestly I think it's more fun to look
at it as an adult or as an older person.
And I'm personally really excited to
read some stories that I haven't heard
of even within like the Grimm's fairy
tales.
Prompt number five is inspired by Maurice
Sendak: "Imagination for the child is the
miraculous, freewheeling device he uses
to course his way through the problems
every day...It is through fantasy that
children achieve catharsis."
And the prompt is read a book that you
would consider imaginative or
fantastical.
Another really common trope for middle
grade is having these really whimsical
stories
because imagination is such a big part
of childhood and I love how these kinds
of stories
use the whimsy and use the fantastical
elements
to portray things about the kids and
what they're going through in their real
life.
And yeah so these kinds of stories can
be magical realism or fabulism or even
full-on fantasy.
The last prompt is inspired by Jacqueline
Woodson: "If someone had taken that book
out of my hand
and said 'you're too old for this,' maybe I'd
never have believed that someone who
looked like me could be in the pages of
the book,
that someone who looked like me had a
story." And the prompt for this is read a
book by a marginalized author that you
think will bring you joy.
That quote is definitely something I
resonate with and I think a lot of
older generations resonate with if they
have an identity that they never saw
represented
in the media they consumed as a kid and
even though publishing still has a long
way to go there are definitely
way more voices and more stories that
people can hear and see themselves in.
And the reason we specified reading a
book that you think will bring you joy
is because
a lot of times books by marginalized
authors and just marginalized stories in
general
have a lot to do with the pain, the
struggle, and the trauma that oftentimes
comes with that identity
and those stories are 100% valid and need
to be told
but also it's really important that kids
get to see themselves having fun.
That they can see themselves in an
adventure, being the hero,
and getting to see how they aren't just
their negative experiences.
And beyond the quotes that inspired the
prompts we also have two quotes from
Maya Angelou that represent the overall
theme of this round of the readathon:
"We all should know that diversity makes
for a rich tapestry, and we must
understand that all the threads of the
tapestry are equal in value no matter
what their color."
And, "It is time for parents to teach
young people early on that in diversity
there is beauty and there is strength."
If you decide to participate in this
readathon we really encourage you
to choose diversely not just for the
ones that specifically asked for
different experiences or books by a
marginalized creator.
It's really easy to just stay within the
realm of the popular authors and the
popular books
but reading diversely is really a matter
of intention and
it should be going on even when not
prompted to. So this readathon really is
meant to be light and easy going
you can double up on the prompts or not
do them at all and just read the middle
grade that you want to read.
If you happen to be taking part in the
Rick Riordan Presents readalong that
I'm also hosting through the summer and
fall
you can use those books for this
readathon and even if you're not
participating in the readalong the Rick
Riordan Presents imprint
are all middle grade books from authors
from marginalized communities so those are
great to check out.
So all the information about the
readathon and all the prompts will be
under the twitter
which is @MidGradeMagic. Please let me
know if you're going to participate
and if so what books you're thinking of
reading or if you have any
recommendations for me I would love that.
Even though I really tend to enjoy
middle grade stories I'm vastly under
read,
and I'm really hoping to improve that
with this readathon.
So anyway that is all I have to say,
thank you so much for watching and I'll
see you later, bye!
[Music]
