I don’t have an English degree or an MFA in creative writing. Because of my AP English scores, I didn’t take one college level English class. I still have to Google “how to use emdashes.”
So allow me to invite everyone in the Atlanta area to my first writing workshop! February 18 at 1:30pm the Atlanta Writers Club has invited me to give a workshop on creating compelling and authentic characters by understanding how culture informs identity.
Because I do in fact know a few things well, but it took me a minute to realize what they are.
When I first reached out for speaking opportunities as an author, a librarian asked if I had any experience teaching writing workshops and what topics I felt comfortable speaking on. Ummm…Using Chicago style in-text citations? At the mention of “class” or “workshop,” I immediately considered what I’ve been academically trained to do.
Sure, I secured an agent and traditionally published. That doesn’t mean I know what I’m doing. I’m a self-taught author. I have one novel out. I couldn’t think of any skills I’d be more qualified to speak on than the librarian.
A book blogger from Nigeria helped me realize what I do uniquely well even among very talented people. She left a review on NetGalley specifically praising the characters in Jaguars and the fact none of them felt patronizing or like a talking stereotype. I read her review and thought “Oh thank God. I didn’t fuck that up.” Then I thought “But it’s actually hard to end up with a stereotype when you consider all of the character’s cultural groups and individual history.”
Wait. Do other writers not make lists of all the cultural groups their characters belong to? Does the word culture even appear in their thinking?
I may not have an MFA, but I do have a master’s in international communication. Specifically, I specialized in cross-cultural communication which was basically two years of studying how human culture is learned, used by the brain, can vary between groups and can cause someone to break down sobbing after being asked to get a form signed before using the club pool. (True story. Culture shock is fun!)
Here’s what I can teach other writers: how to use an understanding of culture to create characters and worlds that are unique, believable and NOT stereotypes. Sci-fi, fantasy and historical fiction authors are often creating cultures that either don’t exist or no one is actively living, but even authors of books set in the present-day or recent past will have to write characters from backgrounds other than their own. While this doesn’t absolve any writer from the responsibility of getting sensitivity readers, a basic understanding of culture and identity formation can help writers avoid patronizing and stereotyping when populating their fictional world with the diversity the exists in the real world and be aware of which groups they need people to read for.
So come out to the Atlanta Writers Club next meeting at Georgia State Perimeter College – Dunwoody Campus on Saturday, Feb. 18 at 1:30pm. Free for first time visitors! If you can’t make but this course sounds interesting, get in touch! I’d love to give a talk to your community either in-person or virtual.
Fortunately in Brazil, Projeto Tamar has worked with local communities to dramatically reduce the hunting of turtles while they lay their eggs. In fact, Projeto Tamar has been working for 37 years, just long enough that they’ve recorded an 87% increase in babies hatched over the last five years compared to the previous five. The first few groups of turtles hatched under the protection of the project are finally old enough to come back and lay eggs of their own.
ANA MARIA MACHADO
Some of her most famous books include 
CECILIA MEIRELES
The musicality of her lines is so strong, that “O Menino Azul” still sounded lovely when I read it aloud. (And as all adult learners of a second language know, nothing is harder to read aloud in a foreign language than poetry.) I haven’t been able to find any of her children’s works translated into English, but you can find many of 
EVA FURNARI
One of her most famous characters is A Bruxinha Zuzu or Zuzu the Little Witch, who never quite seems to master the power of her magic wand. Many of Funari’s books are textless, including our favorite A Bruxinha Zuzu e o Gato Miú, and can be enjoyed regardless of what languages you read. One of her most famous and award winning stories, Felpo Filva, is 
SONIA JUNQUEIRA
VERONICA STIGGER
However, one of her most recent books, Onde a Onça Bebe Água, Where the Jaguar Drinks Water, is one of the best books I’ve read for teaching empathy and seeing the world through a another’s eyes. In the story, Jaci is forced to consider the world from the perspective of the Jaguar he’s ends up dining with. Unfortunately, there isn’t an English translation of it or any of her books that I can find but several of her adults works do have Spanish versions available on Amazon.
Journey by Aaron Becker This stunning and wordless book, follows the adventure of a girl as she journeys to a fantastical land with the help of a magic crayon. There are enchanting forests, flying carpets, and bad guys on air ships!
If You Give a Pig a Pancake by Laura Numeroff illustrated by Felicia Bond If you loved what happens when you give a mouse a cookie, check out what one little girl has to deal with when she caves to a pig’s demands.
Viva Frida by Yuyi Morales This is one of the most gorgeous books my daughter owns. The text (what very little there is) in both English and Spanish goes through the themes in Khalo’s work, such as live, imagine, create. The illustrations are bright and vibrant and straight out of a dream.
Paper Bag Princess by Robert Munsch illustrated by Michael Martchenko I’m not at all opposed to Princesses if they’re one among many different types of characters and take matters in their own hands like Princess Elizabeth. She has no intention of letting that dragon get away with burning down her castle and stealing her fiance.
The Rough Face Girl by Rafe Martin illustrated by David Shannon In addition to the beautiful illustrations, the heroine wins the day because of her character. She’s not pretty. She doesn’t have fancy clothes, but she sees the beauty and power in nature and understands what’s truly valuable. Yes, the book is about a young woman looking for a husband, but the message about character over appearance and clothes is an important one for all kids.
My Two Grannies by Floella Benjamin illustrated by Margaret Chamberlain In addition to featuring females both young and old, black and white, the book also deal with two different cultures mixing! Multicultural, multiracial, and female protagonists! There is no reason not to have this book on your kid’s shelf.
Pretty Salma by Niki Daly A Little Red Riding Hood tale set in Ghana. What I love about this version is that Salma redeems herself after getting tricked by coming up with the idea for how to scare away Mr. Dog and save Granny.
My Pet Dragon by Christoph Niemann Lin has lost her pet dragon! She has to go on an adventure to find him and along the way the illustrator cleverly introduces some Chinese characters. Of your kid isn’t going to be fluent in Mandarin at the end, but thank to this book my daughter is ware that not all languages use an phonetic alphabet like English.
Menina Bonita do Laço de Fita by Ana Maria Machado illustrated by Claudius A Brazilian story about a beautiful little girl who so captivates a neighboring bunny that he wants desperately to become black like her. She gives him all sorts of funny tricks to turn black. None of them work. Don’t worry if you can’t read Portuguese. There’s an English version on Amazon.
The Most Magnificent Thing by Ashley Spires illustrated by Mark Pett Yes, this book is about a girl who loves to build things (awesome!), but that’s not the reason I bought it. My daughter gets frustrated easily and goes from fine to throwing things in a heartbeat. Just like the girl in the story. If you know a kid who has trouble coping with frustration when things don’t work exactly right, this book is a MUST read.
The Girl Who Never Made Mistakes by Gary Rubenstein Similarly to The Most Magnificent Thing, this book is great for kids who stress about being perfectionists and have a hard time dealing when things don’t work exactly the way they wanted. Spolier alert: A mistake is eventually made and lessons are learned.
As Mil e Umas Historias de Manuela by Marcelo Weberson illustrated by Maluf Santiago Ok, I don’t think there’s an English version of this, but Portuguese and Spanish speakers (because really they’re almost the same language) will love this story of a girl who devours books. Literally. She consumes so many books, she literally becomes a book and the only cure is to write her own story using all the words she has inside of her.
Wave by Suzy Lee This is a gorgeous, wordless story about a curious girl, a sunny day, and a playful wave. Lee is a fantastic illustrator from South Korea and her primarily ink drawings are stunning. If your child loves the beach, she will adore this book.
Biscuit series by Alyssa Capucilli illustrated by Pat Schories This is a series of simple stories about a girl and her dog, Biscuit, because it’s not only boys who love their dogs. My daughter adores animals. We bought her first Biscuit story to go with a veterinarian costume. Now that she is starting to read, Biscuit books are great first readers.
Rosie Revere Engineer & Ada Twist Scientist by Andrea Beaty illustrated by David Roberts Diverse representation in children’s literature is so important and Beaty has written two amazing books that feature girls in STEM fields. They’re rhyming books and a joy to read aloud, and the illustrations are so much fun.
I Am Jane Goodall by Brad Meltzer illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos At the end of the video above, the girls asks if the bookseller has any books about a girl going to Mars. Studies have shown that by 5 years old kids already think certain jobs are “for boys”. This book is part of the Ordinary People Change World series. It’s a delightful collection about real people from history in all different professions. Books feature Rosa Parks, Helen Keller, Amelia Earhart, Eleanor Roosevelt, Sacagawea and Lucille Ball for your budding activists, teachers, pilots, politicians, or comedians.
Mufaro’s Beautiful Daughters by John Steptoe I remember my teacher reading this book to my class in elementary school. It’s a Cinderella story but in this version both sisters are equally physically beautiful. It’s Nyasha’s generosity and respect for all creatures and nature that sets her apart from her selfish sister.
I Wonder by Annaka Harris illustrated by John Rowe I love this book about a mother and daughter on a walk wondering about…everything really. The book has a beautiful message. It’s ok to say, “I don’t know,” and the beauty of not knowing allows all to wonder about the mysteries of the universe.
The Princess in Black by Shannon & Dean Hale illustrated by LeUyen Phan This is an illustrated early chapter book and was one of the first chapter books my daughter stayed interested several nights in a row. I love Princess Magnolia, and I think her adventures fighting monsters would appeal to girls and boys. I love the message. You can enjoy a frilly dress at the tea party and also love wearing a mask and boots and fighting monsters. A kid doesn’t have to chose between sparkly tiaras and being a hero.
Our Walk to School A one act play inspired by true events with a 5-year-old.
Mom: Oh, ok. One day Mario was walking through the forest on his way to Princess Peach’s castle for tea when he heard a noise and Yoshi appeared.
