Thanksgiving Archives

Thankfulness – Diversity

I knew I wanted to end my November thankfulness series by spotlighting diverse authors. I didn’t realize how appropriate that would be.

Last week Jacqueline Woodson won the National Book Award for Brown Girl Dreaming. When I finished Brown Girl Dreaming in October, I knew it was one of the best books I’ve read in years. Jackie’s skilled telling of her childhood combined with the racial tension and events occurring in the 1960s and 70s brought an even clearer picture of the struggle she and many others have faced.

Immediately after accepting her award, the emcee of the event, a fellow children’s author, made an inappropriate, racist remark thinly veiled as an attempt at humor. It sadly revealed that the very things Jackie wrote about in Brown Girl Dreaming are alive in America today.

A heartfelt, public apology was made and backed up by raising over $100,000 for the #weneeddiversebooks campaign. Although that’s a wonderful outcome, it doesn’t erase the initial remark or the hurt and humiliation it must have caused.

Last night a grand jury in Ferguson failed to indict a police officer for killing an unarmed black teenager. I’m not making a legal judgment on a case where I don’t have all the facts (does anyone?), but I am shocked by the lack of empathy I’ve seen and heard today as I interact on social media, read opinions and talk with others.

My mind goes back to Jackie’s book, to her struggles as a child, and the realization that the struggles continue for so many in our country while others remain blind to what’s happening. This is exactly why we need books like Brown Girl Dreaming.

So today, with a heavy heart for those who are facing situations like we’ve seen in Ferguson, for those living in a world where hardships and challenges are more common than privileges, a world where we must have a #weneeddiversebooks campaign to increase the diversity of our writing, I’m thankful for writers like Jacqueline Woodson, An Na, Sherman Alexie, Pam Muñoz Ryan, Julia Alvarez, Tina McElroy Ansa, Sandra Cisneros, Marjane Satrapi and so many more – writers who are writing about their diversity, their experiences, their stories for the next generation.

Your stories matter. Your words matter. Your lives matter.

And we need them.

Thank you.

Thankfulness – C.S. Lewis

In this month of thankfulness, the second author I’m thankful for is C.S. Lewis. It seems like I was always rereading one of the Chronicles of Narnia as a child.

Lewis’ seven book series about the world entered through the wardrobe, the painting, the magic rings and other ways fascinated me. What child doesn’t want to discover a secret world where animals can talk and children can meet Santa Claus and fight in battles?

I loved that you never knew how or when an adventure to Narnia might begin. It could happen at any time, so you had to be expectant, watchful, ever dreaming of the next adventure. I found that true in my life as a child, and just as true as an adult. You don’t know when the next adventure is beginning. It could be just around the corner.

I’m not sure when I first made the connection between Aslan and Jesus. It probably wasn’t the first reading, and maybe not the second, but somewhere in those many readings, I realized Lewis was drawing a parallel between Aslan’s decision to let the White Witch kill him and the crucifixion of Jesus. I began to search for other parallels in the writing, and the books took on a new thrill as the deeper meanings of Lewis’ stories began to unfold before me.

There’s something magical and inviting about the world Lewis created that strengthened my faith in this world. I like to think that parts of his stories are in some ways true, if not here, then in a world I haven’t discovered yet, that world where talking animals do exist and I will get to meet Father Christmas face to face. That world where Aslan is king, both as the lion Lewis created and the man he personified.

“Africa Lion” Image courtesy of tiverylucky at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

“Lantern on Snow” Image courtesy of papaija2008 at FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Thankfulness – Madeleine L’Engle

It’s become popular in the last few years to do thirty days of thankfulness in November as we look forward to celebrating Thanksgiving. I’d like to expand on that idea this month and write about the books and authors I’m thankful for.

I can’t write about the authors I’m thankful for without beginning with Madeleine L’Engle. Madeleine (I feel we’d call each other by our first names if I’d had the chance to know her) has had a deep impact on my desire to write and the types of stories I choose.

Most people are familiar with A Wrinkle in Time, her Newbery award winning book. L’Engle persevered through 26 rejections before finding a publisher for her book. Anyone who writes knows the sting of rejection and how hard it is to continue when those ‘noes’ begin to pile up. Yet Madeleine didn’t give up on her science fiction story when others told her it was too adult, too strange and too overtly Christian. Lucky for us.

Of course, A Wrinkle in Time is just one of five books in the series, and if you haven’t read the others, you should do so right after you finish reading this blog. All of the books are equally wonderful in their eccentric plots and settings, from traveling inside the body to traveling to other worlds, to traveling into the past to a Biblical story. Madeleine centered her stories around the big questions. Why are we here? Why does evil exist? How do we live in the midst of evil? Is God real? Does He love us? These are the same questions many kids are asking themselves as they grow into adults, and questions adults continue to ask.

L’Engle’s other books range from autobiographical to the Austin Family Chronicles to her thoughts on spirituality. All of them encourage me in some way or another to push the boundaries of my known world. Her deep interest in science and the way the universe works spurs on my own interest in these topics. Her unwavering faith and eloquent interpretation of what it means to be a Christian help me understand my own faith.

Without a doubt I’m thankful for the written legacy Madeleine left for me and for many others for generations to come.

Here’s a few of my favorite Madeleine L’Engle books.

Many Waters

Glimpses of Grace

A Ring of Endless Light

A Circle of Quiet

Night Time with Stars in Sky Image courtesy of moggara12, Autumn Maple Leaves Image courtesy of Aduldej, and Planet and Star Background Image courtesy of Photokanok, all at FreeDigitalPhotos.net