I write about gender and inclusion. Click on the links below to read the articles on the websites that commissioned them or see the drop down menu to read the originals here.
Writing & Publishing
Articles about Writing
Picture a Story - an author's story about letting go -
The challenge authors have when handing over a text for an artist to interpret and illustrate: for National Share A Story Month 2017 The Federation of Children's Book Groups Anna McQuinn writes about gardens and she takes Lola with her for Unabridged - Charlesbridge Publishing's Author & Illustrator blog: Anna McQuinn writes and Gardens and she takes Lola with her - July 2014 Storytelling in a multi-lingual setting
In Books for Keeps No 180 - Articles about Publishing
Ebb and flow: The advances and retreats in the battle to make children’s books more inclusive and diverse
IBBY Conference, key note speech 2015 or read on my blog here 
An Inadvertent Publisher - Alanna Books 10 Anniversary interview with Books for Keeps 2016 Random Ramblings of a Small Independent Publisher interview for The Letterpress Project 2016 Sales of the Lola and Leo books hit $1million in the USA in 2016. Read all about it in the Bookseller by clicking here. Author interviews
On writing Lola & Leo,
Must-have Children's Books, Literacy Rituals and things parents can do to support children's reading with the wonderful site Here Wee Read 2017 Author Spotlight 2017 interview for KidLit 411 a one stop information shop for children's writers and illustrators Interview with speech-language pathologist Jeanette W Stickel and her kindergarten students on her blog SpeakWell, ReadWell Author blog for Charlesbridge Unabridged - Charlesbridge Publishing's Author & Illustrator blog: Ask the Author - December 2011 |
Inclusion &
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Articles by other people
Natual Inclusion
I care passionately about children's right to see themselves in books for no reason at all - this is called all sorts of things. I like the expression 'natural inclusion' best. The articles below explore the topic... We Don’t Only Need More Diverse Books. We Need More Diverse Books Like The Snowy Day. One of my favourite articles which really says everything I've ever wanted to say on the subject of 'natural inclusion' By Rumaan Alam in Slate Magazine: 28 Black Picture Books that are not about Boycotts, Buses or Basketball by Scott Woods The first in a series on Scott Woods Makes Lists Diversity Reflecting Realities an amazing series of reports developed at CLPE My article as part of the series Reflecting Realities and Representation is here. A Place at the Table A fabulous starting point for anyone interested in diversity from CBC Diversity A video interview with Rudine Sims Bishop, Ph.D. Ohio State University Super super article by LJ Alonge Writing Past The White Gaze As A Black Author Diverse Books: Don't Categorize as "Special Interest" by Ellen Oh in School Library Journal Best explanation for why 'All Lives Matter' is not an appropriate response to Black Lives Matter by Geek Aesthete Guest Post by Patrice Lawrence: Understand. Support. Challenge. Jennifer Baker: When It Comes to Inclusivity in Publishing, Editors Also Play a Role When you say you 'don't see race', you're ignoring racism
by Zach Stafford in The Guardian - here 7 Reasons why 'Colorblindness' Contributes to Racism by Jon Greenberg in Everyday Feminism - here Colorblind Ideology is a form of Racism by Monnica T Williams in Phychology Today - here School Library Journal articles
Krista Maywalt Aronson & Anne Sibley O’Brien: How Cross-Racial Scenes in Picture Books Build Acceptance Ellen Oh: Diverse Books: Don't Categorize as "Special Interest" 
Strong Women - it's complicated...
Sophia McDougall I hate Strong Female Characters OR Tasha Robinson We’re losing all our Strong Female Characters to Trinity Syndrome Mwangi The myth of the STRONG BLACK WOMAN Aqsa Sajjad I am not Someone’s Sister, Mother, Wife or Daughter: I am Someone, all on my Own Roxanne Feldman Diverse Thinking from Diverse Folks About Diverse Books |
