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In the News
In the News is a monthly e-feature connecting our titles to events happening around the world today.

William J. Powell, who passed away last month, was the only African American ever to own and operate a golf course in the United States. Pair this article on his life as a Black golf pioneer with Night Golf, the story of an African American boy who works as a caddy and learns to play golf at night.
A new study has used the genomes of modern humans to determine the size of the human population a million years ago. Pair this New York Times article about the study with We, written by Alice Schertle and illustrated by Kenneth Addison, to explore human development through poetry, art, and science.
In Christmas Makes Me Think, the young narrator asks, "what about all those trees that never make it to the next Christmas?" The New York Times brings us an answer in its story, "He Delivers Christmas Trees for Rent." Scott Martin delivers live, potted Christmas trees to Californians-and collects them again after the holiday, returning them intact to thrive another year in nurseries.
In Balarama, author-illustrator team Ted and Betsy Lewin takes readers to southern India to learn about how elephants are raised and their role in an important holiday celebration. African elephants, too, often receive special care. In "Kenya orphanage takes in elephant babies," CNN World shares the story of a refuge for young elephants and the love between elephant keepers and their charges.
Recently in The New York Times, an article entitled "Experts Worry as Population and Hunger Grow" focused on the one billion people in the world who go hungry, the effect of the global recession on hunger, and the benefits and environmental costs of the Green Revolution. Our book Cycle of Rice, Cycle of Life looks at the successes of traditional, sustainable, and environmentally friendly rice farming in Bali and shows how sustainability and working with nature can have a positive impact on the global hunger crisis.
An article entitled "Bhutan Refugees Find a Toehold in the Bronx," published on September 24, 2009, in The New York Times, states, "Nearly every immigrant group in New York City has a neighborhood, or at least a street, to call its own. But for refugees from the tiny South Asian nation of Bhutan, the closest thing to a home base is a single building in the Bronx—a red-brick five-story walk-up, with a weed-choked front courtyard and grimy staircases." Our books When This World Was New, Coming to America, and Home at Last address the immigrant experience, and share a home at Lee & Low.
An article entitled "Black Hair, Still Tangled in Politics," published on August 26, 2009, in The New York Times, discusses the choices black women make about their hair and the judgments many people make based on black women's hairstyles. Our book Saturday at the New You takes a different approach to black women's hair by focusing on the close-knit communities that form around hair salons.
An article entitled "Turf War at the Hot Dog Cart," published on June 30, 2009, in The New York Times states, "MONDAY was a routine day for Grant Di Mille and Samira Mahboubian, the owners of the Street Sweets food truck, a mobile trove of croissants, cupcakes and cookies that got rolling last month. / The couple loaded the truck by 6 a.m., parked in front of the Museum of Modern Art at 7, traded hostilities with other vendors from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., and were surrounded by police officers by 2."

Our book The Have a Good Day Cafe captures some of this same competitiveness among food cart vendors—but without the police action!
An article entitled "A need to read: What parents can do to encourage summer reading," published on May 26, 2009, by Knoxville News Sentinel, states, "Summer slide. Although it sounds like some kind of toy, educators use the phrase to describe the dangerous loss in skills that occurs during the months of summer vacation—particularly reading proficiency." There is great advice in this article to help you keep your kids from falling victim to the "summer slide."

We have posted our updated Summer Reading Survey, and it's a great way to help kids connect to their favorite authors. Summer is a great time to foster the act of reading for enjoyment—imagine that!
An article entitled "Protesters oppose 'whitewashing' in new Shyamalan film," published on January 29, 2009, by The Daily Pennsylvanian states, "In the world of acting, not all colors are created equal—or at least that's how many people feel when ethnic roles are 'whitewashed,' or cast with white actors. Casting for extras in M. Night Shyamalan's Avatar: The Last Airbender took place last Saturday at the Spectrum, where protesters accusedcasting officials
  Zade Rosenthal, Paramount Pictures    of such discrimination."

The same problem is explored in Shining Star: The Anna May Wong Story, a picture book biography of Anna May Wong, the first Chinese American movie star. Although Anna May's struggles to become an actor occurred in the 1930s, many of the obstacles she faced continue to plague Asian American actors, and other actors of color, today.
An article entitled "'Super Sherpa' climbs to clean up Everest," published on April 5, 2009, by AFP states "Apa Sherpa has stood on top of the world more times than anyone in history, and now he is heading back up Mount Everest, not for the fame or glory, but in the name of environmental protection." Sacred Mountain: Everest features climber Apa Sherpa and highlights the Sherpa's crucial role in Mount Everest's exploration and preservation.
An article entitled "In Turkey, Women Playing Soccer Vie for Acceptance," published on March 3, 2009, in The New York Times notes that "although Turks may be soccer fanatics, there is a deep ambivalence in this socially conservative, predominantly Muslim society about women playing the game." Catching the Moon: A Young Girl's Baseball Dream takes place in the 1930s, when young Marcenia Lyle dreamed of being the first woman to play on a major league baseball team. The women in Turkey are a current day reminder that the same dreams often have to be fought for again and again.
Uptown Shrine's Upbeat Anniversary, published on nytimes.com on February 26, 2009, covered the 75th anniversary of the Apollo Theater. Pair this article with Steel Drumming at the Apollo for a book that emphasizes how the Apollo Theater remains true to its original mission of being the place where stars are born and legends are made.
How Climate Change Will Impact Animals, published on time.com on October 13, 2008, notes that "Global warming will do to wildlife what it may do to humans. As the climate changes, animals may be forced to move out of the habitats they're accustomed to—like human refugees." Pair this article with Everglades Forever to introduce children to the need to protect and rescue wetlands, and to learn how their actions can help the plants and animals of the Everglades survive.
Recession Triggers Memories Of Great Depression, published on npr.org on January 30, 2009, states: "The current financial crisis has been called the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. And it has brought back memories for 86-year-old James Bost." For Black History Month studies, pair this article with Rent Party Jazz to introduce children to how the Great Depression affected the African American population.
In China, Hard Times at the Scrap Heap, published on time.com on November 20, 2008, shows the plight of trash collectors worldwide, even in China. "Somewhere in there is a bottle you used," says a woman as she sits at the edge of the pile, rapidly grabbing bottle after bottle, stripping their labels and tossing the shorn containers into a basket." Armando and the Blue Tarp School, the story of a boy and his family living in the dump community near Tijuana and how their way of life depends on what people throw away. This uplifting book also highlights how one person can make a profound difference.
Against all odds: School offers hope, opportunity for young men, published on cnn.com on June 25, 2008, shows the struggles and small victories for young black teens who come from mostly single-mother homes. "It's always great when [mothers] come and say, 'My young man was doing this, and I was pulling my hair out, and now he's helping out around the house, helping with his brothers and sisters; he's more responsible. That makes you feel really good," says one local teacher in the article. "They're living our creed at home and in the community, and that really makes our chest stick out a little more." Gettin' Through Thursday, the story of a single mom who makes ends meet with pragmatism, hope, and love, touches upon the hardships of making ends meet and the joy of celebrating success even in hard times.
The Orphans of War, published on BBC: Today on August 29, 2008, states: "The war in Sudan, Africa's longest running conflict which left two million dead and forced four million more to flee their homes, ended in early 2005 after more than two decades of fighting." Brothers in Hope by Mary Williams, is a compelling depiction of the trials young Sudanese boys faced, and gives insight into the "Lost boys" lives after the war.
John Coy, author of Strong to the Hoop, sent us an article called Trim and a Chapter At East Hartford Barbershop, published in the September 25, 2008, issue of the Hartford Courant. The article discusses a new reading program that merges barbers and books, including Coy's Strong to the Hoop. Kamarr Dullivan, an East Hartford barber, said barbers are important people in the community, not just because of the service they provide. "We don't just cut hair. We listen to people's problems. We give them a voice to give their opinions," he said. "We try to live righteously and lead by example."
Getting Through to Teens About Driving Risks, published in the August 18, 2008, issue of The New York Times, states: "Teenage drivers have the highest motor vehicle crash and fatality rates of any demographic group, partly because they woefully underestimate driving risks." Alicia Afterimage by Lulu Delacre, gives good reason for teen drivers to slow down and exercise caution on the road. The book focuses on recovery and healing after the author loses her teenage daughter in a car accident.
A Child Jockey's Rise on the Steppes of Mongolia, which appeared in The New York Times on July 11, 2008, captures the thrill and excitement of the Naadam, a gathering that matters more to Mongolians than the Olympics. Children as young as five ride in races that can be dangerous, with hundreds of horses thundering across the open plain at once, running at speeds of 30 miles per hour or more. All told, more than 1,800 horses race during the weekend festival. While the article contains fantastic reporting and photographs, our book, Horse Song by Ted and Betsy Lewin, brings readers a step closer by experiencing the race with one of the nine-year-old jockeys racing in the Naadam.
Italy Gives Cultural Diversity a Lukewarm Embrace, which appeared in The New York Times on June 25, 2008, shows how cultural diversity is not encouraged in Italy and how a conservative mayor was elected in Rome on the platform of cracking down on crime and illegal immigrants. What is interesting about the article is that it also mentions how plummeting birth rates have made Italy's elderly population increasingly dependent on foreign laborers and caretakers. Our book Celebrate! Connections Among Cultures by Jan Reynolds, shows how seemingly different cultures share common foundations of their celebrations.
5 Countries Agree to Talk Over the Arctic, which appeared in the New York Times on May 29, 2008, discusses how global warming is impacting the region. Frozen Land, part of our Vanishing Cultures series by Jan Reynolds, gives a human face to the people living in the arctic circle and how their way of life is endangered by the changing environment.
Barack Obama essentially secured the Democratic nomination for president on June 3, 2008, a milestone in American history. The road to his nomination has revealed many issues left unaddressed in America, but also points to the progress made since the civil rights movement. John Lewis in the Lead by Jim Haskins and Kathleen Benson, illustrated by Benny Andrews, brilliantly depicts the sacrifice, racism, and outright battles fought for racial equality and justice, long ago paving the way for an Obama nomination today.



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