<div dir="ltr">Hi folks, <div><br></div><div>I wanted to make sure everyone saw the below email from Debbie Reese on the ALSC listserv. </div><div><br></div><div>I was on the Middle Grade Best Books panel for SLJ this past year, and consequently contributed to <i>The Brave</i>'s inclusion on their list. The now myriad reviews of <i>Brave</i> are very detailed and thoughtful, and I would encourage everyone to take the time to read them. We're always learning, but it's also important to own our mistakes and biases. Feel free to email me with questions or concerns. There's definitely work being done at SLJ regarding
<i>The Brave </i>and I've talked with (my) editor about it, but I'm not privy to the publication's inner workings. <i>I want to state clearly that this email is from me and me alone as a reviewer/committee member, not SLJ</i>. </div><div><br></div><div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif">"Good afternoon,</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><i>The Brave </i>by James Bird got starred reviews from some children's review journals and was placed on "Best Of 2020" lists. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif">However, it received a negative review from <i>The New York Times </i>book reviewer, David Treuer, who is Ojibwe. It also </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif">received a negative review from <i>The Circle</i>, which is a Native newspaper in Minneapolis. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif">I reviewed it and subsequently was pleased that two Ojibwe women submitted their reviews for posting on </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif">American Indians in Children's Literature. Please read and share the reviews, especially if teachers in your school</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif">plan to use the book. If there are Ojibwe children in their classrooms, the book will be problematic for them. For</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif">others, it will misinform them about Ojibwe people, places, and culture. </div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif">You can start with Allie Tibbetts review (linked here). At the top of that review are links to mine and one by an</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif">Ojibwe educator. In mine are links to the NYT and Circle articles.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><a href="https://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2021/02/an-ojibwe-mothers-thoughts-on-james.html" target="_blank">https://americanindiansinchildrensliterature.blogspot.com/2021/02/an-ojibwe-mothers-thoughts-on-james.html</a><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif">If you wish to share this email, there is no need to ask my permission, first. Just do it.</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif">Thank you,</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif">Debbie Reese</div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:georgia,serif"><br></div><div><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div><font face="georgia, serif">_____________________________________<br><br>Debbie Reese, Ph.D.<br>Tribally enrolled: Nambé Pueblo</font></div><div><font face="georgia, serif">Tewa Name:<font color="#000000"> </font></font><span style="text-align:center"><font color="#000000" face="georgia, serif">P'oesay P'oekwîn</font></span><font face="georgia, serif"><br>Founder: American Indians in Children's Literature</font></div><div><font face="georgia, serif">Twitter: debreese"</font></div></div></div></div></div><div><br></div><div>Sincerely, </div><div><br clear="all"><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><u>Taylor Worley <br></u><font size="1" color="#444444">Youth Services Librarian</font></div><div><font size="1" color="#444444">Springfield Public Library</font></div><div><font size="1" color="#444444">225 5th Street</font></div><div><font size="1" color="#444444">Springfield, OR 97422</font></div><div><span style="color:rgb(68,68,68);font-size:x-small">541.726.2243 (direct)</span><br></div><div><font size="1" color="#444444"><a href="mailto:taylorlgkw@gmail.com" target="_blank">taylorlgkw@gmail.com</a></font></div><div><font size="1" color="#444444"><a href="mailto:tworley@springfield-or.gov" target="_blank">tworley@springfield-or.gov</a></font></div><div><font color="#000000"><i style="font-family:garamond,serif"><font size="1">"Promise me you'll always remember: You're braver than you believe, and stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think." -A. A. Milne</font></i><br></font></div><div><br></div></div></div></div></div></div>