Days 4-6 of Youth Authors Week: “Talk about the wound which exists."
These next three reading recommendations come from yours truly!
For Thursday through Saturday of Youth Authors Week, we're highlighting three stories from the Novelly library whose work feels especially relevant today.
"Out Where the Bluebirds Flew" by B. Star is a stunning lyrical exploration of book censorship, hope, family, and how the small things we can do for one another still matters, even when it feels like we're powerless.
"Red Status" by Chase Kim, a powerful story thoughtfully exploring anti-Asian racism and authoritarianism, begins when an Asian-American boy is forcibly taken from his home to a Covid-19 "protection camp."
"Up Above and Inside Out" by Isla McCullough, following a girl determined to save both the "real world" and Bry, the world of her imagination, reflects a deep concern for climate change and a belief that all of us can make a difference.
Today’s prompt is inspired by B. Star’s explanation of why she wrote a short story about book censorship: “Sometimes, the best way to heal the world is just to talk about the wound which exists, no matter how many people wish to pretend it isn’t there at all.”
Writing or Reflection Prompt: What is “the wound which exists” that you want to talk about? What do you wish we’d stop pretending isn’t there at all?
“The carpenter’s daughter saw her gently placing each in the little free libraries around her street, and so the carpenter’s daughter went up and asked for a book with a family that looked like hers - two daddies and an adorable baby, please. The girl obliged, passing her a picture book about a family of penguins called And Tango Makes Three. Birds. Check. Two daddies. Also check. The carpenter’s daughter smiled and hugged the book to her chest.”
- B. Star, “Out Where the Bluebirds Flew”
“No COVID means Green Status. We each have a little plastic card that gives us access to places at camp. You begin with yellow “Neutral Status” that’ll only give you access to certain parts. Good deeds and behavior earn you more points, pushing you in the good ‘Green Status.’ Poor actions give you ‘Red Status.’ Everything here seems determined by this little card. Like First-Class, Green-Status-Citizens get special treatment, extra goodies, and early access to facilities. Red-Status-Citizens are ‘revoked of their privileges.’ The guards repeat it to us like a threat:
Red equals Regret. You don’t want to be Red, kid.”
- Chase Kim, “Red Status”
“Her parents were at work, and wouldn’t be home for hours, so she opened her sketchbook. Inside was the half finished drawing of a forest. Today she started to draw Earth, detailing the stars and space around it. Soon enough, the colors of her bedroom started to fade and swirl, dropping her down, down down.”
- Isla McCullough, “Up Above and Inside Out”
We’re accepting applications for new youth authors!
The authors you learned about today, B. Star, Chase, and Isla, are all alumni of our youth publishing program, the Rising Voices Collective. If you’re a young writer or you know a young writer in your life, consider applying or sharing the application. We’d love to help bring your story to life.
You can also stay up-to-date with our reading recommendations for Youth Authors Week by following us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.