[Interview & Submissions Call] Anansesem's Special Issue On Puerto Rican Children's Literature

Illustration by Lea Stagno from La Cotorrita Boricua, written by Enrique Hidalgo

Carmen, one of our associate editors, is a Puerto Rican who lives in Puerto Rico. When Hurricane Maria first hit landfall on Wednesday September 20, 2017, I doubt she or anyone on the island imagined that they were about to experience the worst natural disaster on record to affect Dominica and Puerto Rico. Before the hurricane, I knew Carmen as many things: a warm and positive person, a devoted mother, an educator passionate about the Caribbean children's literature courses she teaches at the University of Puerto Rico at Humacao and exceptionally dedicated to her students, and an avid reader and researcher of Puerto Rican children's literature (check out her article, 'Puerto Rican Children's Literature and the Need for Afro-Puerto Rican Stories' in Bookbird: A Journal of International Children's Literature, and for a good overview of Puerto Rican children's literature, check out this 2014 interview with Carmen over on my website.) After Hurricane Maria, Carmen is still fully all of these things. In a country where so much has been lost and derailed, and most of the public libraries have been destroyed, she and many others continue to forge community, build resilience and reassure young people through the power of children's books.

I've always wanted Anansesem to publish an issue devoted to Puerto Rican children's and young adult (YA) literature, but I never felt I was fully equipped to edit a Puerto Rican issue (I don't speak Spanish fluently for one) and other ideas took priority. Now, with millions of Puerto Ricans still struggling to rebuild and the rich tapestry of Puerto Rican life in danger of being reduced to "a single story" à la Chimamanda Adichie, an issue devoted to Puerto Rico's distinctive legacy of #ownvoices children's narratives feels more than timely. From the early jibaro tales and coqui stories, to the bilingual folktale re-tellings of Pura Belpré and trailblazing works by Fernando Pico (La Peineta Colorada/The Red Comb) , Georgina Lázaro (El flamboyán amarillo), Ángeles Pastor (the Por el mundo del cuento y la aventura series), and children's poet Andrés Díaz Marrero, to name only a few, to fresh new fiction by the likes of Pablo Cartaya, Ann Dávila Cardinal and other Twitter-savvy Puerto Rican migrants to the US mainland, Puerto Rican literature for young audiences is ripe for much wider recognition, essential for Caribbean children, and historically vital for building pivotal cultural bridges.

Small publications like ours struggle to meet our editorial needs, so we are beyond excited to announce that Sujei Lugo Vázquez—a US-based Puerto Rican children's librarian and PhD candidate who is well-known in the children's literature world for her advocacy and teaching regarding anti-racist and social justice themes in children's books—will be guest curating and editing our upcoming May 2019 issue. Check out my interview with her below to learn more about her and her vision for the issue, and scroll down to the bottom to read the issue's Submission Call in Sujei's own words.

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Illustration by Lea Stagno from La Cotorrita Boricua, written by Enrique Hidalgo

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Sujei Lugo Vázquez is a former elementary school librarian from Puerto Rico, who moved to Boston, USA to pursue doctoral studies at Simmons University. Her research focuses on racial justice in children’s librarianship. She currently works as a children’s librarian at the Boston Public Library and is an active member of professional organizations such as REFORMA, ALA, and ALSC. She is a member of the Latinxs in Kid Lit blog and We’re the People Collective. Her body, heart, and mind constantly travel between Boston and Puerto Rico.

Summer Edward: Why do you think reading, writing and telling Puerto Rican stories is important for children and teens right now?

Sujei Lugo Vázquez: Puerto Rican stories told and retold to my grandparents, parents, myself and our children were mainly filled with colonial perspectives and outsiders telling our stories, or insiders with internalized oppressions telling fractured stories. Digging outside the mainstream publishing world and school curriculum was a way to find our stories of resistance and empowerment, and perspectives of marginalized voices. Right now, we need to continue telling our own stories, in our words, so youth can challenge and re-imagine our past, present and potential future. There’s no single way of being Puerto Rican and living in Puerto Rico, and our political, social and cultural landscape keeps influencing and shifting our stories. We need to keep our children and teens up-to-date on these changes, and educate them about their role in writing and telling Puerto Rican stories.

SE: What are you looking for in terms of submissions to the issue? Is there a particular kind of writing that stands out to you?

SLV: I’m looking for stories, experiences, literacy projects, words, and images that center works for youth, and with youth, in a post-Hurricane María Puerto Rico. The issue seeks to showcase voices and perspectives from the whole island, metropolitan area, rural areas, our coasts and mountains, and the islands of Vieques and Culebras. Educators, librarians, writers, illustrators, artists, activists, community leaders and community members mobilized and expressed their experiences and concerns in different ways regarding issues such as health, education, literacies, art, food justice, the environment, sustainability, power/energy, migration, and temporary relocations. I would like the issue to provide a glimpse of all of these local efforts, projects and activism for, and with, our youth. I'm not only looking for writing but also images that speak from hands-on experience and life in Puerto Rico. Pieces that readers could see and feel the sincerity, emotions and perspective of the creators using the language that best represents and portrays their voices.

SE: Ultimately, with this issue, what message do you want to send to Puerto Ricans— young Puerto Ricans especially, but adults too—still grappling with the after-effects of Hurricane María, and to those who will read the issue?

SLV: Our people might not be ready now to completely express ourselves, since we are still healing, coping, understanding and surviving the effects and aftermath of the natural, political and human disasters that Hurricane María made clearer. Our children and teens need to acknowledge that they have the experience and tools to control their own narratives, and that they can be expressed in many ways— through words, images, community organizing, and collaborative work. Their memories, experiences and reflections are all valid, and reflect not just an individual feeling, but a collective, intergenerational, and historical one.

Literacy, education and children’s literature have played, and will continue to play, an important role in moving Puerto Rico and our communities forward, serving as vehicles of change, empowerment and resistance for our youth, and for adults that work with youth. Through this issue, I want readers to see activism and children’s literature in practice and to understand that our voices, and youth voices, can and should be heard. I want Caribbean readers to know that collaboration is intrinsic for (re) building communities, and that we should enhance our connections with our fellow Caribbean peoples.

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Call for Submissions

Special Post-Hurricane Maria Issue on Puerto Rican Literature for Young People

Illustration by Lulu Delacre from How Far Do You Love Me?, written by Lulu Delacre

Anansesem is currently accepting submissions for our May 2019 issue. The issue will be guest edited by Sujei Lugo Vázquez, and will be titled Y este cuento (no) ha terminado: rebuilding, rewriting and resisting in Puerto Rico. The issue will spotlight stories, images, experiences, and projects in post-Hurricane María Puerto Rico connected to children's and young adult (YA) literature.

We want to highlight local and community art, literacy, and storytelling efforts for youth in Puerto Rico; Puerto Rican children’s authors and illustrators' work and experiences; Puerto Rican/Caribbean youth voices and experiences in writing and art; and works that intersect children’s literature with any of the following: activism, art, education, the environment, sustainability, food justice, housing rights, colonization and imperialism, and re-imagining a new future for Puerto Rico.

Poetry, short fiction and non-fiction, illustrations, comics, photographs, book reviews, and reflections are being accepted. Send in up to five poems, images, panels, and illustrations. Written pieces must be no more than 2,000 words max. We will accept .pdf, .docx, and .jpeg formats.

Submissions are limited to Puerto Ricans, Dominicans and Caribbean peoples living in Puerto Rico. Works may be in English, Spanish, Bilingual and Spanglish.

Include name(s), contact information and brief (up to 75 words) biographical notes.

Send up to two submissions to sujeilugo@gmail.com with “Anansesem Puerto Rico Issue — Poetry” or “Anansesem Puerto Rico Issue —  Prose” etc. in the subject line.

SUBMISSIONS ARE NOW CLOSED.



Edición especial sobre literatura infantil y juvenil puertorriqueña post paso del huracán María.

Anansesem está aceptando entregas para su edición de mayo 2019. Esta edición cuenta con Sujei Lugo Vázquez como editora invitada y será titulada “Y este cuento (no) ha terminado: rebuilding, rewriting and resisting in Puerto Rico”. La edición busca darle exposición a relatos, imágenes, experiencias y proyectos en el Puerto Rico post huracán María que estén conectados a la literatura infantil y juvenil.

Queremos darle énfasis al arte local y comunitario, alfabetización e iniciativas de contar cuentos para lxs jóvenes en Puerto Rico; las experiencias de autores e ilustradores puertorriqueñxs; las voces y experiencias de jóvenes de Puerto Rico y el Caribe; y trabajo donde se intersecta la literatura infantil con cualquiera de los siguientes temas: activismo, arte, educación, el medio ambiente, la sostenibilidad, justicia alimentaria, derechos de vivienda, colonialismo e imperialismo y la re-imaginación del futuro de Puerto Rico.

Poesía, cuentos o relatos cortos, ilustraciones, cómics, fotografías, reseñas de libros y reflexiones son bienvenidas. Se pueden someter hasta cinco poemas, imagenes, paneles e ilustraciones. Las piezas escritas no deben ser de más de 2,000 palabras. Aceptamos entregas en los siguientes formatos: .pdf .docx y .jpeg.

Entregas limitadas a puertorriqueñxs, dominicanxs y personas del caribe que viven en Puerto Rico. Los trabajos pueden ser en inglés, español, en ambos idiomas o en spanglish.

Se debe incluir nombres, información de contacto y una breve nota biográfica (hasta 75 palabras) en las entregas

Envíe hasta dos presentaciones a sujeilugo@gmail.com con "Anansesem Puerto Rico Issue - Poetry" o "Anansesem Puerto Rico Issue - Prose", etc. en la línea de asunto.

Fecha límite: 15 de enero de 2019.

LAS PRESENTACIONES ESTÁN AHORA CERRADAS.

About the Interviewer

Summer Edward is the Editor-in-Chief here at Anansesem. Her writing and art have been published in various literary magazines and anthologies. Her home on the web is www.summeredward.com.

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[Interview & Submissions Call] Lantana Publishing Seeks to Champion Caribbean Children's Stories

I first met Dr. Alice Curry, founder of UK-based Lantana Publishing, in 2013 when we worked together on a think tank to brainstorm the curriculum for Writing for Young Readers: Opening the Treasure Chest, a project she spearheaded during her tenure as Children's Literature Adivsor with the Commonwealth Education Trust. We've kept in touch since, and got together again in London in the summer of 2016, when Lantana was in its second year of operations and already making a mark on children's publishing in the UK.

With a degree in English Literature from Oxford University, a PhD in Children’s Literature from Macquarie University in Sydney, a keen sense of social responsibility, and a commitment to environmentally-friendly publishing, Alice is one of the youngest recipients of the prestigious Kim Scott Walwyn Prize for women in publishing. Over the years, she's spoken to me about wanting to find talented Caribbean children's writers to work with; as a small house, Lantana doesn't necessarily have the advertising budget or influence (yet) to reach children's writers as far away as the Caribbean, but that doesn't mean they aren't interested. Lantana is one of those exciting publishers who reassures me that publishing demand for stories like ours exists.

Lantana Publishing describes itself as "a young, independent publishing house producing inclusive picture books for children." Their mission is "to publish outstanding writing for young readers by giving new and aspiring BAME authors and illustrators a platform to publish in the UK and by working with much-loved authors and illustrators from around the world." Lantana’s award-winning titles have been nominated for a Kate Greenaway Medal (three times), received starred Kirkus reviews (three times), been shortlisted for the Early Excellence Awards, the North Somerset Teachers’ Book Awards, and the Sheffield Children’s Books Awards, and won the Children’s Africana Best Book Award. Lantana has been shortlisted for the Bologna Prize for Best Children’s Publisher of the Year and the Clarissa Luard Award for Independent Publishing. In 2017, they broke into the US market, and will continue to push high-quality children's literature from underrepresented groups even further.

I've always been struck by Alice's openness and genuineness, as well as her smarts, and am extremely happy to share her thoughts on working with Caribbean children's writers.

Alice Curry and I in London in 2016.

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Summer Edward: I was happy to learn that Lantana is specifically interested in receiving more submissions from Caribbean writers in the hopes of publishing its first Caribbean title (and hopefully many more after that!). What types of manuscripts do you tend to look for and accept? Do you handle a variety of genres and formats? Also, what types of manuscripts will you not accept?

Alice Curry: We mainly publish picture books so we tend to look for relatively short narratives – around 400-500 words is ideal – that are fun and childlike, or evocative and inspiring, where children of colour are the stars. We tend not to accept manuscripts that are primarily explanatory – teaching the reader about a particular culture, tradition or custom, even if couched in a story format. We may publish a manuscript that has already been self-published (this would depend on the context), and we do consider narrative nonfiction for slightly older readers (7-11).

Illustration by Sonja Wimmer, from Looking for Lord Ganesh by Mahtab Narsimhan, published by Lantana in 2016.

SE: As a children's publisher focused on cross-cultural collaborations, you've published picturebooks set in Africa, India, Syria and Singapore. Given that Lantana is based in the UK, how do you reach and serve the "cultural markets" in the countries and communities your authors are from?

AC: This is always tricky. We have thriving export markets in the United States and Canada, Australia and New Zealand, South Africa and most recently India, so we are steadily expanding our reach. But whether or not we can feasibly distribute our books in – say – Kenya or Syria depends so much on the political and economic context in that region. While our US distributors have some links with the Caribbean, we would actively seek sales or distribution outlets in this region if we were to publish a Caribbean title. And of course, in the meantime, our books can always be bought from our own website or via other online retailers who ship worldwide.

Illustration by Mehrdokht Amini, from Chicken in the Kitchen by Nnedi Okorafor, published by Lantana in 2017.

Illustration by Martina Peluso, from The Phoenix Song by Tutu Dutta, published by Lantana in 2015.

SE: All children's publishers have a "house style" that they impose upon the text, illustrations and layout of the stories they publish. What would you say to a children's writer in the Caribbean who might be concerned that a British publisher's house style could detract from the authenticity of the text or illustrations in their book? In other words, as a cross-cultural publisher, how does Lantana balance the sometimes competing concerns of house style and cultural authenticity in the picturebooks you publish?

AC: I will answer your question with an example from one of our previous titles. Ugandan author Nansubuga Nagadya Isdahl’s wonderful Sleep Well, Siba and Saba, illustrated by French illustrator Sandra van Doorn, is a story set in Kampala. It is the story of two adorable sisters who lose everything, except each other. Over the course of a few months, Nansubuga, Sandra and I had several three-way conversations trying to ensure that we were as culturally authentic in our representation of Ugandan life as possible – particularly when it came to Sandra’s illustrations. We became stuck, however, when Nansubuga suggested that Ugandan women often kneel when at home, while men tend to stand. Sandra drew a lovely scene in the family’s living room with the mother, father and children spending time together…with the wife kneeling before her husband. Culturally authentic, yes, but absolutely sure to be misinterpreted by a British reader as a patriarchal image of male control and female subservience. Our solution was for Sandra to move the mother figure further across the page to kneel beside her children rather than in front of her husband, thereby retaining a sense of Ugandan tradition without sacrificing British values. We strive for this balance on every occasion. We may of course make mistakes, but we are usually aware of the potential dangers.

SE: So many of the children's books with Caribbean content that have been published by Global North publishers have perpetuated cultural stereotypes or narrow narratives of the Caribbean. How will Lantana ensure that your books avoid doing this?

AC: First of all we think it’s vital that authors tell the stories they want to tell, rather than our own vision of what we think that story should be. Being committed to really listening to our authors means that we often publish very personal stories – memories of spending time with a beloved grandfather, or of the architecture of the city where an author grew up – where stereotypes can more easily be avoided. For many of our readers, the titles we publish might give them one of only a handful of chances to glimpse themselves, their families and their neighbourhoods on the pages of a book, and knowing this demands our absolute commitment and dedication. And we have a wealth of friends to call on if we need advice, including the wonderful Dr. Aisha Spencer, lecturer in literatures in English at UWI Mona, and you yourself, Summer.

Illustration by Nerina Canzi, from The Ammuchi Puchi by Sharanya Manivannan, published by Lantana in 2016.

SE: Generally speaking, what would you say makes Lantana a good publisher to work with?

AC: We’re passionate about what we do which means we’re passionate about our authors and getting their stories heard. Unlike larger publishing houses with A lists and B lists – and thus varying levels of advertising and attention – we dedicate ourselves to each of our authors and illustrators and their books as equally as we can. We don’t expect to receive nigh on perfect manuscripts or to work only with authors with agents – we are happy to undertake an extended editing process if we think your manuscript shows promise. And becoming a Lantana author means joining a supportive international community of talented authors and illustrators who are all achieving great things in their lives and writing – a community we find constantly inspiring!

About the Interviewer

Summer Edward is the Editor-in-Chief here at Anansesem. Her writing and art have been published in various literary magazines and anthologies. Her home on the web is www.summeredward.com.

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December 2012 Issue: Now Accepting Submissions

Anansesem December 2012 Issue: Call for Submissions

Deadline: November 25, 2012

Anansesem Caribbean children's ezine is now accepting submissions for our December 2012 issue. Adults, we are looking for poems, art, nonfiction articles and stories that Caribbean children will enjoy and relate to. Although Caribbean writers and artists are given first preference, you absolutely don't have to be from the Caribbean to submit your work, however submitting Caribbean-themed work will increase your chances of having your submission accepted.

Work by Caribbean/Caribbean Diaspora Kids

We are also looking for more work by kids ages 8-16. We're trying our best to make the ezine more child-centered. Writing, poems and art by children is what we're really after. Teachers and parents, give your kids the opportunity to see their work published online. It's up to us to foster children's creative development! Please follow the guidelines for submitting work by kids stated here our website. Although Caribbean child writers and artists are given first preference, a child does not have to be from the Caribbean to submit their work, however submitting Caribbean-themed work will increase the chances of having the submission accepted.

If you are an adult, submit poems to anansesempoetry@gmail.com, fiction to anansesemfiction@gmail.com, art to anansesemart@gmail.com and nonfiction to anansesemnonfiction@gmail.com. If you are a child 8-16 years of age, please submit poems to anansesempoetry@gmail.com, fiction and nonfiction to anansesemkids@gmail.com and art to anansesemart@gmail.com

NOTE: Please follow the usual submission guidelines (Guidelines for Adults and Guidelines for Kids) stated on our website. Failure to follow submission guidelines may result in your submission being rejected. Pleaseproof read your work before submission as well. While we are pleased to consider all submissions, anything that needlessly slows down the process may increase your chances of rejection. If you don't take your work seriously enough to follow these simple instructions, there is little reason for us to take your work seriously.

Featured Illustrators Wanted!

Children's illustrators from any country are invited to apply to be a Featured Illustrator in our upcoming issue. Your work must be Caribbean-focused. Featured Illustrators have their work displayed prominently in the slideshow on our homepage. They also get their own page on our site. To apply to be a Featured Illustrator, submit 1-4 horizontally-oriented illustrations 1000px wide x 395px high (larger images are fine as long as they can be effectively downsized) to anansesemart@gmail.com

We look forward to seeing your work!

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May 2012 Issue: Now Accepting Submissions

May 2012 Issue: Call for Submissions

Anansesem Caribbean children's ezine is now accepting submissions for our May 2012 issue. Adults, we are looking for poems, art, nonfiction articles and stories that Caribbean children will enjoy and relate to. Although Caribbean writers and artists are given first preference, you absolutely don't have to be from the Caribbean to submit your work, however submitting Caribbean-themed work will increase your chances of having your submission accepted.

Work by Caribbean/Caribbean Diaspora Kids

We are also looking for more work by kids ages 8-16. We're trying our best to make the ezine more child-centered. Writing, poems and art by children is what we're really after. Teachers and parents, give your kids the opportunity to see their work published online. It's up to us to foster children's creative development! Please follow the guidelines for submitting work by kids stated here our website. Although Caribbean child writers and artists are given first preference, a child does not have to be from the Caribbean to submit their work, however submitting Caribbean-themed work will increase the chances of having the submission accepted.

If you are an adult, submit poems to anansesempoetry@gmail.com, fiction to anansesemfiction@gmail.com, art to anansesemart@gmail.com and nonfiction to anansesemnonfiction@gmail.com. If you are a child 8-16 years of age, please submit poems to anansesempoetry@gmail.com, fiction and nonfiction to anansesemkids@gmail.com and art to anansesemart@gmail.com

NOTE: Please follow the usual submission guidelines (Guidelines for Adults and Guidelines for Kids) stated on our website. Failure to follow submission guidelines may result in your submission being rejected. Pleaseproof read your work before submission as well. While we are pleased to consider all submissions, anything that needlessly slows down the process may increase your chances of rejection. If you don't take your work seriously enough to follow these simple instructions, there is little reason for us to take your work seriously.

Featured Illustrators Wanted!

Children's illustrators from any country are invited to apply to be a Featured Illustrator in our upcoming issue. Your work must be Caribbean-focused. Featured Illustrators have their work displayed prominently in the slideshow on our homepage. They also get their own page on our site. To apply to be a Featured Illustrator, submit 1-4 horizontally-oriented illustrations 1000px wide x 395px high (larger images are fine as long as they can be effectively downsized) to anansesemart@gmail.com

We look forward to seeing our work!

On behalf of the Anansesem team,

Summer Edward
Anansesem Managing Editor

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Be a Featured Illustrator in Our Christmas Issue!

Oct 27, 2011

Caribbean illustrators are invited to submit illustrations to be a Featured Illustrator in our ezine. Featured illustrators have their work displayed prominently in the slideshow on our homepage. They also get their own page on our site. Please see the flier below for more details. For our December issue, we are especially interested in Christmas-themed Caribbean children's illustrations, but other subject matter is welcome as well. We look forward to seeing our work!

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Call for Submissions: Tu Books

September 20, 2011

Tu Books, an imprint of Lee and Low Books (USA) asked us to share the following Call for Submissions with our readers.

Tu Books publishes speculative fiction for children and young adults featuring diverse characters and settings. Our focus is on well-told, exciting, adventurous fantasy, science fiction, and mystery novels featuring people of color set in worlds inspired by non-Western folklore or culture. We welcome Western settings if the main character is a person of color.

We are looking specifically for stories for both middle grade (ages 8-12) and young adult (ages 12-18) readers. (We are not looking for picture books, chapter books, or short stories. Please do not send submissions in these formats.)

For more information on how to submit, please see our submission guidelines at http://www.leeandlow.com/p/tu_submissions.mhtml. We are not accepting unagented email submissions at this time.

What we’re particularly interested in seeing lately: Asian steampunk, fantasy or science fiction set in the Caribbean, any African culture, contemporary African-American stories, Latino/a stories, First Nations/Native American/Aboriginal fantasy or science fiction written by tribal members, original postapocalyptic worlds, historical fantasy or mystery set in a non-Western setting. Please note that while our focus remains on main characters that are people of color, we strongly welcome GLBTQ characters as well.

We look forward to reading your book!

Stacy Whitman
Editorial Director
Tu Books

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