No Voice Too Small by Lindsay H. Metcalf

A few weeks later, Lindsay emailed me about joining her and Jeanette in completing a proposal they were working on for a picture book pitched as SHE PERSISTED meets LITTLE LEADERS, told through poetry with prose sidebars, and #ownvoices contributors. The group kept posting links to inspirational stories about people who could be included. I responded to Jeanette’s post on KidLit Women asking about activists who inspired us. Lindsay: It’s funny that Traci messaged you at the same time, because we are longtime critique partners and often find ourselves in sync without even realizing it. She ended up being one of our poets, though! Jeanette: As does Traci, who was involved in planning at the very beginning of the project, but was too busy editing INDIAN NO MORE. I had been noodling with the very same idea, and I knew we shared an agent.

Lindsay: And I pounced and messaged you right away. A bunch of people contacted me saying “I want to do that!” Jeanette: I remember we were in the Kidlit Women Facebook group on a discussion about books we wished someone would write, and I posted about wishing there was a picture book biography anthology about contemporary kids doing things. Thanks, Jill! Where should we start, friends? Maybe how we came to work together and sell the book on proposal? Lindsay: So, Jill has passed the mic to us to talk amongst ourselves. This powerful collection came about in such a unique way that I invited its creators here to fill us in.Ĭreators Lindsay H. I can see 3rd-5th graders (especially) grabbing onto this one and not wanting to let go. Ask others to help you take the first step.”īackmatter includes definitions of the various types of poems used: ballad, chinquapin, reverse, tanka, etc., as well as brief bios of each poet. Join a group or start one to take action.” “You can break down stereotypes when you speak out - and when you listen.” Here’s your how-to.Įach spread includes a poem (tailored to a specific kid activist), a short biography, and a snippet of advice. This is the book teachers will hand to kiddos who are stirred up about some injustice/unfairness/problem/challenge and unsure which way to turn or what they can do to affect change. What I love about this book is that the overall package is so COMPLETE. It’s an uplifting, affecting armful of poetry by some heavy hitters–Nikki Grimes, Joseph Bruchac, Traci Sorrell, Janet Wong, and Carole Boston Weatherford, to name only a few. Dawson, and Jeanette Bradley, who also illustrated the book (Charlesbridge). It’s NO VOICE TOO SMALL – Fourteen Young Americans Making History, edited by Lindsay H.

A new picture book - out now! - recently caught my eye and my heart.

No Voice Too Small by Lindsay H. Metcalf