Color It Up and 28 Days Later

I did a recent post over at Color Online
Here's the first part.

Children's blogger, Betsy Bird of Fuse #8 Production, over at School Library Journal recently announced a new poll. The Top 100 Children's Fictional Chapter Books. Everyone has until January 31, send along there 10 top middle grade choices of all time. When I saw the announcement, I knew that the majority of my selections would feature kids of color. I would love to be to able to vote for Juster's The Phantom Tollbooth , Paterson's Bridge to Terabithia, Konigsurg's The View from Saturday or any number of middle grade novels with White protagonists that I love and deserve to be on the list. But I can't. With my picks I am striving for a little color balance. I don't feel bad or guilty about the way I will vote. I love color in fiction but I am not blinded by it. I don't lower my standards or exceptions simply because a book has characters of color.

I decided it was best to post it over at Color Online, since that blog gets more traffic. I figured more people would see it.

I have not sent in my top 10 MG choices yet. I know what 6 of my choices will be, though I am actually waiting until I read a few more MG titles like Naming Maya by Umi Krishnaswami before I fill the final spots.

TheBrownBookshelf has announced the author's and illustrators who will be interviewed for their annual 28 Days Later It's wonderful list of artist as always.