“No matter how someone has an abortion, everyone should be able to decide the way that is best for them.”
This lovely book arrived in my inbox a while ago & now is the time to share it with you.
What’s An Abortion, Anyway? is a picture book for children age 8+ that helps fill a gap in kidlit that’s existed for far too long. Children’s literature can be used to create comfortable & necessary conversations between a child, caregivers and teachers. This book is a helpful and beautiful resource to guide children in thinking about reproductive rights and the experiences of those who have abortions.
What I love about this picture book is that it is straightforward, pretty and thoughtful. Carly Manes takes great care with her words to ensure that the inclusive language of the book shines & reassures. The words “people” and “persons” are used throughout to remind readers that cis gender women are not the only people who get pregnant and have abortions. This is an important detail. The book, overall, has an extremely chill and comforting vibe, which is achieved through careful choice of words, sparse layout of the spreads and bright and earthy colors. Manes takes the time to delve into the importance of feelings and choices when describing what people who have abortions experience.
Manes also goes into some of the “whys” of the decision to have an abortion. These types of conversations help children explore empathy. This is so crucial when growing small humans. This picture bookis a “science book” but it’s also a “feelings” book. Clear communication and allowing space to explore emotion is crucial in helping kids understand what abortions are about and why they are important.
Image Credit: Carly Manes/Emulsify
The spreads of this picture book are open and welcoming. Emulsify does a gorgeous job of expressing emotion through color, line, body language and white space. The use of white space in this book draws the eye towards the blocks of text and to the illustration, inviting quiet reflection. In another thoughtful detail, the illustrations of people in this picture book are all based on people who have had abortions. I love this.
As you read the book, you’ll notice a thin, curved line & bright sparkles that joyfully zip through every spread. This illustrative detail adds levity and a feeling of connectedness as the reader flows through the book. I also especially love the spread where a dark-skinned person with bright pink cornrows stands on the left side of the page while a health clinic sits on the other side, a wide expanse of road connecting them. I believe this scene might depict the experience of many people who have abortions; it is often a contemplative journey. Emulsify really packs a lot of storytelling into this particular spread through excellent use of space & vivid color.
Image Credit: Carly Manes/Emulsify
What’s an Abortion, Anyway? is a joyful and important book for youth. It opens up the discussion of abortions in a respectful and beautiful way that children will be able to connect to. I’m glad that this book exists in our world and that the talents of Carly Manes (abortion doula) and Emulsify (artist, cultural worker and organizer) combined to produce this picture book.
This book was the result of lots of support and love through the website Kickstarter. If you’d like to purchase a copy, check out the Kickstarter link here & the website here.
Take good care, everyone! Let’s keep sharing loving, supportive and empathetic literature with our youth.
Recommended for: Ages 8+ Great for: Family, Community, Abortion, Healthcare, Friendship, Discussion, Empathy, Reproductive Rights Book Info: What’s an Abortion, Anyway? by Carly Manes/Illustrated by Emulsify, 2021 Kickstarter
Image Credit: Candlewick Press, Maribeth Boelts/Noah Z. Jones
In A Bike Like Sergio‘s, Ruben’s family has trouble making ends meet and money is always tight. His best friend Sergio has a slick new bike and doesn’t understand why Ruben can’t just ask his parents to buy him one too. Ruben, like many children around the world, already understands the necessity of being choosy about every purchase in order for his family to survive.
One day at the grocery store, a lady drops “just a dollar” that turns out to be a hundred and Ruben’s thoughts go straight to buying a new bike!! But when he sees his mother crossing items off their grocery list (they can’t afford all of it), he starts to feel guilty; the bill suddenly weighs heavy in his pocket. After Ruben scares himself by thinking he’s lost the money, and his dream bike, he develops empathy for the woman when he sees her again in the store…What’s the right decision to make when you’re so close to having something you desire, and maybe even deserve?
Duncan Tonatiuh’s work is some of the most important work in children’s literature right now. His books speak truth, teach our realities and his art isn’t too bad. 😉 He creates picture books that cover topics like immigration, city vs. rural life, friendship, art history, discrimination, prejudice, determination and history. You can read my reviews for Funny Bones and Salsahere.
Funny Bones was the very first book I reviewed for my blog, so it holds an important place in my blogging life. Through reading and experiencing his books, I became more interested in learning about him. He’s a very cool person! Let’s get on to the interview…
Alia: Q1. What are three words to describe yourself?
Duncan: Thats a tough one. One would be responsible or dependable.
Alia: Yeah I know! I like to ask people this though…
Duncan: Creative maybe? Smart sounds conceited but something to do with being a thinker. Thoughtful? That is what I can think of for now.
Alia: That’s great. Thank you.
Duncan: Calm maybe?
Alia: 🙂
Duncan: No problem.
Alia: Q2. Congratulations on your baby daughter! Has having a child influenced how you see yourself as a storyteller?
Duncan: I’m sure it has. But I’m not quite sure how yet. It’s definitely had a huge impact in my life. My world does not revolve around me anymore by any means. And I feel an enormous and unconditional love for my daughter. It’s a wonderful feeling.
Alia: Q3. The first time I saw your books, your art made me cheer. It’s such a beautiful display of indigeneity. The Mixtec codex influence. Do you mind discussing your style and how it developed?
Duncan: I went to design school in New York City. There is a large Mixtec community there. I became friends with a Mixtec guy named Sergio. For my senior thesis I decided to make a small comic book about his journey from his small village in the south of Mexico to working as a busboy in a restaurant in New York.
One of the first things I did when I began that project was go to the library to look up Mixtec artwork. I found images of Mixtec codex from the 15th century. I was blown away by them. I grew up in Mexico, so I was familiar with Pre-Columbian art but never paid much attention to it. When I saw images of the codex at the library I decided I would make a modern day codex of Sergio’s story.
I began emulating the drawings from the codex. I drew every one in profile. I stylized their ears to look like a number 3. I drew the character’s entire bodies, etc. I collaged my drawings digitally though to make them feel more modern.
Alia: That’s awesome! You kind of touch on that modern day application of art in your book about Diego Rivera. How he’d view the world now and create it in his style. I love how you take ancient art from your culture and make it modern for today’s children. I really really like how you use digital collage too! It makes the images pop.
Duncan: Thanks!
Alia: No problem!
Image Credit: Dear Primo, Abrams Books for Young Readers, Duncan Tonatiuh
Q4. What was your favorite food growing up?
Duncan: Hmmm. Maybe enchiladas or pozole. When I was a kid I asked my mom why my Dad always got to pick what we were having for lunch. She said it was because he gave her the money to buy the food. At some point I got a job after school helping out a jewellery maker. When I got paid I gave the money to my mom and asked her to make enchiladas.
Alia: Hahaha. That sounds like something my mom would say. 🙂
Duncan: lol
Alia: Q5. Your books are very powerful and full of history and perspective. They also have the ability to reach any child in the world. What do you hope children take away from your books?
Duncan: Thanks! Well, first and foremost I hope they find my books entertaining and interesting to look at. I make books about things that interest me. Hopefully young readers will find those things interesting and important too. I try to have a message in my books but I hope they don’t feel preachy or didactic.
When it comes to Latino children I hope they see themselves, their family and their community in the books. Hopefully they feel pride and realize that their voices and stories are important. For non-Latino children, I hope they learn about a different culture. With books like Pancho Rabbit or Separate Is Never Equal, I hope that they feel empathy and understanding of the struggles Latino children and people have to face sometimes.
One of the most rewarding moments I’ve had as an author is when a group of 4th graders from an Elementary in Texas wrote a multi-voice poem about their border crossing experiences after they read Pancho Rabbit. I feel my book encouraged them to speak and realize that their voices and stories are important. Let me find the link:
Alia: Thank you for sharing and that is amazing. I’m glad for your books because it is so important to not only share stories, but to create stories that children can relate to. Children of color sometimes need that boost, that representation. That’s why diverse books are so important. For teaching and learning, and inspiring as in the case of those 4th graders! 🙂
Duncan: 🙂
Alia: Q6. Congratulations on all the recent honors (Sibert Award/Pura Belpré Honor/NCTE Honor) for Funny Bones! Have you received any feedback from kids on that book?
Duncan: Thank you! I’ve received a few calavera drawings from students. And I’ve seen projects that they’ve created at school for the Day of the Dead. I look forward to receiving more feedback from kids and seeing how they respond to the book and what resonates with them.
Alia: How cool! When I was a teacher in Korea, I learned about Day of the Dead to share with my students. In Korea, they have a holiday called Chuseok where they also honor ancestors, make an altar of food, and clean graves. They seemed to connect with it, especially since they saw some cultural similarities. They were a little surprised about the calaveras though. But when I showed them the sugar skulls, they wanted to taste them. lol!
Q7. For the book Salsa, you illustrated words that weren’t your own. What was it like working with Jorge Argueta?
Duncan: The majority of picture books are written by one person and illustrated by another one. The publishing company pairs the two together. I did not meet Jorge until after I had illustrated the book. That is often the case with picture book authors and illustrators. I enjoyed illustrating Jorge’s book and we have become friends, but we didn’t work on that book together; at least not at the same time.
I finished illustrating a book recently for another author, a woman named Susan Wood. We’ve only met once very briefly. I enjoy illustrating other people’s stories but I like writing and illustrating my own books the best because I have a little more control. I can change the text or the illustrations as I need and hopefully that makes the book flow more smoothly.
Alia: That’s really interesting. I’ve also noticed that for some smaller publishers, the author can have some say in who they’d like to work with and there’s more dialogue during the creative process. I think the book came out really nicely.
Maybe also, like any piece of art, a book that is written and illustrated by you is your complete piece and like you said, you can tweak and bend the product to be exactly what you like and want to say.
Duncan: Definitely. And I’m not sure but I think the publisher asked Jorge if he thought I would be a good fit for the manuscript he wrote. He didn’t give me comments on my illustrations and sketches but he had the opportunity to look at some of my work first I believe.
Alia: Thanks for the insight!
Q8. You touched on it a bit above but are there any upcoming projects you can share with the public yet?
Duncan: I have two picture books coming out this fall. One will be called The Princess and the Warrior; A Tale of Two Volcanoes. I wrote and illustrated it. It’ll be published by Abrams. The book is my own version of the origin legend of two volcanoes that are outside of Mexico City: Popocatépetl and Iztaccíhuatl. The story is set in Pre-Columbian times and it has some similarities to Sleeping Beauty and Romeo and Juliet.
The second book is called Esquivel! Space-Age Sound Artist. It’s written by Susan Wood and illustrated by yours truly. It’ll be published by Charlesbridge. The book is about a Mexican composer who is considered the creator of lounge music. It was fun to illustrate. It’s a groovy and swanky book with a lot of hand-drawn text in it.
Alia: Oh man, I’m looking forward to both!!
Duncan: Thanks! Me too!
Alia: Side note: While studying your books for this interview, it was fun to see how your art style has evolved over time. In Dear Primo compared to Funny Bones, your lines now are a little cleaner, the hands of the people are smaller and they have necks! So interesting to see.
Duncan: Yeah. That is true. Sometimes I miss some of the rawness of Dear Primo. I am hoping to experiment a little more with upcoming projects. I want them to still be in my style but I also want them to evolve or change a little depending on the project.
Alia: Looking forward to how your style grows.
Q9. Any place or food you really recommend during a visit to your hometown of San Miguel de Allende?
Duncan: San Miguel is a great place to visit. A few years ago it was voted “Best City in the World” by Traveler’s Magazine. I think one of the things that visitors like about it is that there is nice combination of high-end and cheap options. There are some really good fancy restaurants but also great cheap street tacos.
My favorite place in town is probably the library. It has a wonderful courtyard. I love going there to write, draw and read. Some good places for visitors are the crafts market, the botanical garden, the Fábrica la Aurora -an old factory that was converted into art galleries- and the hot springs.
Alia: Fábrica la Aurora sounds sweet! A great space for creativity. Thanks for sharing!
Thank you Duncan for taking time to talk with me. I really enjoyed our conversation and I’m excited for all the books coming from you (this year and years to come!). Yay!
Image Credit: Hard Ball Press, Ann Berlak, Daniel Camacho, José Antonio Galloso
This book discusses making change and social justice in an easy way for children to understand. They can connect to Joelito, his friend and his struggle to make a big decision. It’ll get your children thinking about what they can do to improve our world and to ensure that everyone makes a living wage.
In Joelito’s Big Decision, Joelito wakes up Friday morning thinking about his family’s weekly trip to MacMann’s for burgers! At school, when his sister’s best friend’s backpack is stolen, he makes a comment that she can just go buy another one; he doesn’t get that his family is economically in a better place than his friend’s. Excited to finally get his burger, his family heads to MacMann’s but there are a lot of people standing outside with signs and no one’s eating. A big protest is happening because MacMann’s pays low wages and the workers can’t live on what they make. Turns out his best friend Brandon’s mom and dad work there and they’re a part of the strike too! When Brandon invites Joelito to join the strike, Joelito is hesitant (he wants to sit and eat his burger!) and he has to decide what is most important to him.
Image Credit: Hard Ball Press, Ann Berlak, Daniel Camacho, José Antonio Galloso
Joelito has to step outside his comfort zone. Until he encounters the strike, he doesn’t really notice that his friend’s family is struggling to make ends meet. Things become personal for him and he empathizes. Sometimes, something as simple as giving up a favorite treat can show how much you care for someone…and for a cause.
Daniel Camacho’s illustrations are very cool. I like the raw sketchy quality of the color pencil, his use of color, and the large, chunky bodies and hands of his figures. His illustrations suit the story very well. An extra treat to this book is that it’s bi-lingual (English & Spanish) and this duality will make it accessible to more children, which is excellent and needed.
I really recommend this book for discussion and learning. Teachers, look at this page from Hard Ball Press for ideas on how to use this book in the classroom!
Recommended for: 1st grade and up Great for: Social Justice, Social Issues, Friendship, Change, Economic Inequality, Empathy, Family, Immigrants, Latin-American, Low Wages, Moving, Perspective, Poverty, Relationships, Spanish Language, Struggles, We Need Diverse Books, Diversity Book Info: Joelito’s Big Decisionby Ann Berlak/Illustrated by Daniel Camacho/Translated by José Antonio Galloso, 2015 Hard Ball Press, ISBN: 9780986240096
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