Lines: So Much More Than a Dash

We’re celebrating the launch of Sarvinder Naberhaus’s LINES! In this beautiful board book, Sarvinder shows us that lines are so much more than just a dash on a page. Lines create the whole world we live in! To bask in the beauty of Sarvinder’s LINES, us Emus are talking about our favorite lines on the planet!

Debbi Michiko Florence: My favorite “lines” make up the outline of my favorite bridge in the city of my birth – the Golden Gate Bridge.

Terry Pierce: My favorite “line” is the one that forms where land ends and water begins. Like this…

Janet Fox: The laugh lines at the corners of my eyes.

Christina Uss: I love lines on a map – the more squiggly and roundabout they are, the better they are for bike riding, since they’re usually not the most direct way to anywhere!

Hayley Barrett: Sometimes we’re online. Sometimes we’re offline. Both states of being have their charms and challenges. When we’re online, we possess an incredible, nearly limitless ability to form connections with others. We learn and grow, are comforted and discomfited in turn as our already small world contracts. When we’re offline, we come back to our earliest sense of self. We are free to daydream, to dig deep, to explore our minds and hearts. I benefit from time spent in each of these lines.

Jason Gallaher: Still, by far, my favorite lines of all time have been the lines outside bookstores waiting for the Midnight Release Parties of the Harry Potter books. People dressed in costume, carrying wands, gabbing about what Hogwarts House they are in…sigh. These were such great times when strangers could come together and make friends through their shared love of Rowling’s magic.

Elizabeth Acevedo: I love the lines of a poem!

Sarvinder Naberhaus: I love the line between night and day. The horizon at dusk.

You can get your own copy of Sarvinder Naberhaus’s LINES next week! Find it at IndieBound, Barnes & Noble, Amazon or your favorite bookseller!

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Golden Gate Bridge image from www.history.com

Bike map image from Portland Bureau of Transportation

Harry Potter Midnight Release image from BreakingNews.ie

Dusk image from 6iee.com

A Proclamation

Normally when I sit down to write a post for Emu’s Debuts, I come in with a plan, feeling assured and confident the post will be done in roughly an hour, I’ll add a few gifs, and voila! The post will be complete. But trying to write this post feels…strange. It’s my Farewell Post, that Emu’s Debuts tradition of thanking the Emus for supporting them on the journey toward their debut publication, and then they flap their Emu wings and fly from the nest. The equation of how this post works has already been given to me, I’ve seen it done a dozen times, but now I’m not exactly sure what to write. What should be the easiest post yet is not the hardest, but the weirdest.

I think this disconnect between my knowing what I’m supposed to post and me actually writing said post comes from my inner Emu soul knowing that the traditional purpose of this post, saying goodbye, doesn’t fit with how reality feels. It doesn’t feel like a goodbye. Goodbyes indicate endings or completion of something, but what I’m feeling right now is really a beginning and that the journey of fledgling little WHOBERT WHOVER, OWL DETECTIVE, my debut picture book, is nowhere near complete. I’m really just at the starting line.

My mind is focusing on marketing, on spreading the word, on readings and signings and school visits. I know that as Whobert’s path in the world continues, my fellow Emus are going to keep supporting me, keep helping me spread the word, and I’ll do the same for them. So it feels less like I’m leaving the nest for good, and more like I’m able to fly from it from time to time, but always return home. I’ll report back what I’ve seen in the world at large to help those who are still waiting for their debut to hatch, but still receive so much love and support from them when what I see is distressing or concerning and need someone to lean on.

So this isn’t really goodbye, but rather a declaration of how much I’ve come to rely on my fellow Emus as a writer. While my time posting on this blog may be complete, my time celebrating and commiserating and experiencing with Emus is still going strong. No, this is not a goodbye post. It is a proclamation of my identity as an Emu. Thank you for everything these past two years, Emu friends. Here’s to cozying up in the nest for years to come.

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Jason Gallaher is a picture book and middle grade writer who loves to create stories that mix the flamboyantly whacky with the slightly dark. His debut picture book, WHOBERT WHOVER, OWL DETECTIVE, is out now from Margaret K. McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster. When not writing, Jason zips about Austin, Texas. He loves dinosaurs, unicorns, Anjelica Huston, and Emus who have been with him for every step of the journey. Jason is a tried and true Hufflepuff, and he is actively looking for an Andalite friend. (Photo Cred: David-Gabe Photography)

 

Out of this World! THE COUNTDOWN CONSPIRACY Launch Begins!

It’s time to celebrate the launch of Katie Slivensky’s THE COUNTDOWN CONSPIRACY! To blast off the celebration of this sci-fi adventure, Emus flocked together to answer this question: If you could travel to one place in space, where would you go?

Hayley Barrett: I’d want to go….hitch a ride on C 1847/T1 — Miss Mitchell’s Comet! It’s non-periodic, so it’s going to be a long, long ride. See you later…maybe.

Miss Mitchell getting her star gazing on!

Kat Shepherd: The idea of space has always kind of scared me. That whole concept of infinity, and being in a vacuum, and being completely separate from everything you’ve ever known in your entire life. There is no particular place in space I’d like to visit, but I would love to go up in space, see the earth from a distance, have a little sleepover (because I want to see how comfortable I sleeping would be without gravity), and then come right back down again.

Christina Uss: Space scares the willies out of me, so I’d only go if I could slip into a book universe to do the deed. Then it’s easy: I’d want to get me an Electric Thumb and hitchhike with Ford Prefect and Arthur Dent to the Restaurant At The End of the Universe.

Debbi Michiko Florence: I do NOT want to go up in space, but I’m happy to read about it! So if other EMU’s go into space, I will read your books.

Jason Gallaher: I’m pretending that space travel doesn’t scare the Shatra out of me! I’d want to go to a planet in the Goldilocks zone where conditions are potentially just right for the planet to be habitable. Word on the hyperlane is that Kepler-62f, Kepler-186f and Kepler-442b are the planets to check out!

Image credit: NASA Ames/JPL-Caltech

Katie Slivensky: I’d want to go to Europa and try and see if anything is alive there. Europa is one of the many moons of Jupiter. It’s covered with ice, and under that ice–oceans of liquid water! It’s the PERFECT place to discover alien lifeforms. It’s my not-so-secret-dream that NASA gets its Europa mission together sooner rather than later. I know they’re planning on a more robotic angle for the mission, but maybe they’d let me sign up if I ask nicely. And hey, the Jupiter system isn’t that far away. I’d be willing to put in the 5 years of travel to get there!

Image from Galileo spacecraft

You can get yourself a copy of Katie’s THE COUNTDOWN CONSPIRACY from IndieBound, Barnes & Noble, Amazon or your favorite bookseller (all options much easier than blasting into space)!

Who, Who Made Whobert?

I can’t believe this day has finally arrived! Whobert is hatching from his little egg and becoming a fully fledged book bird! It’s so unreal, and I still can’t quite believe that this book is actually getting published, nearly two and a half years after the book was acquired. During that time, I learned that this book is so much more than just the manuscript I wrote back in 2014. So to celebrate the hatching of Whobert into bookstores, I’d like to take a moment to acknowledge who, who helped create Whobert and make his hatching possible.

Jess Pauwels! You are such an amazing illustrator, and you make Whobert and his pals pop off the page. Your facial expressions! I can feel Whobert’s suspicion ooze off the page. Thank you for making Whobert come alive.

Tricia Lawrence! You are the best agent a guy could ever ask for. You work for me tirelessly, and Whobert wouldn’t be in the hands of readers if it weren’t for your hands guiding me along this thrilling writing rollercoaster.

Annie Nybo! That first critique you gave of Whobert really spurred me on to keep creating. I can feel your enthusiasm for Whobert through every email and text, and I feel so lucky to have worked with you.

Bethany Hegedus! The Writing Barn feels like home. That ball that started rolling towards a real writing career was given that initial push because of you and the beautiful space of inspiration and creativity that you’ve created.

My entire family! You’ve supported me since birth, and have never once doubted me, even at the times I doubted myself. Thanks for cheering me on during the good news, and for boosting me up during the bad. I love you all!

Jerry! Words cannot express how much I love you. I am so thankful everyday to have you rooting for me and supporting me at every turn. I live a real life fairy tale, and that’s all because of you.

And lastly, to all my fellow Emus! Whobert may be hatching today, but he wouldn’t be able to take flight if not for your constant efforts, not only letting people know about his publication, but also being my cheerleaders and offering advice as I got closer and closer to this book birthday.

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Jason Gallaher is a picture book and middle grade writer who loves to create stories that mix the flamboyantly whacky with the slightly dark. His debut picture book, WHOBERT WHOVER, OWL DETECTIVE, releases TODAY, from Margaret K. McElderry Books. When not writing, Jason zips about Austin, Texas. He loves dinosaurs, unicorns, and days when the goofy characters that live in his mind get to actually make their way into the real world. Jason is a tried and true Hufflepuff, and he is actively looking for an Andalite friend. (Photo Cred: David-Gabe Photography)

Interview with JASMINE TOGUCHI editor, Grace Kendall!

The launch for Debbi Michiko Florence’s JASMINE TOGUCHI series continues with an interview with Debbi’s editor, Grace Kendall of Farrar, Straus and Giroux Books for Young Readers. Read below to get the inside scoop on all things Jasmine!

JG: What initially drew you to Debbi’s writing and JASMINE TOGUCHI?

GK: Oh! What a tough question. I think, aside from the writing itself–which is sweet and fun and pitch-perfect for this age–I was in awe of how elegantly Debbi handled big issues. In MOCHI QUEEN, Jasmine is simply trying to have a new experience before her older sister. It’s also about questioning traditional gender roles in a Japanese-American family. But the story is funny and energetic and packed full of silly sister drama. Jasmine has a ton of gumption, just like Debbi. That’s why I couldn’t put the manuscript down!

How have Jasmine, her adventures, and her family changed through the editorial process? Did JASMINE read much differently in the original submission from what we read now?

No, I think the Jasmine of Draft 1 is the Jasmine you see in the final books here. But when we decided to sign up four titles, it became clear that Jasmine’s voice needed a bit more volume to help sustain a whole series. So we worked on pulling out the brightest details in her personality. Debbi knows this character so well, and I love this little girl more with every book. It’s been so fun to see her develop over four stories!

One of my personal favorite characteristics of Jasmine’s is her insistence that she can do anything she sets her mind to, even if it’s labeled a “boy” activity. What is your favorite personality trait of Jasmine’s?

I can’t pick one, so I’ll give you three:

Artistic trait: Jasmine loves to make collages from her mother’s old magazines. I did the same thing when I was a kid.

Kinetic trait: Hopping. When Jazz (as I fondly call her) is anxious or excited, she hops from one leg to the other. It’s the perfect solution to too many nerves. And funny in a serious scene!

Emotional trait: I adore her sisterhood with Sophie. I’m a lot like Sophie, and my younger sister is a lot like Jasmine. I think it’ll be helpful for young readers to see these two siblings get through their growing pains–and look for any similarities in their own relationships.

Elizabet Vukovic’s illustrations are so dynamic and really showcase Jasmine’s personality. How did you find and decide on Elizabet Vukovic as the illustrator for these books?

It was a journey! We looked at A LOT of portfolios. But the second I saw Elizabet’s drawing of a little girl with big glasses playing dress-up in a glowing red gown, I knew we had our artist. I love Elizabet’s use of ink, the weight of her lines, and the phenomenal sense for color wash. We were SO lucky she was free. Her enthusiasm for the texts has brought a whole other layer of narrative to these books.

We get four whole JASMINE books, the first two releasing on July 11th! What adventures are in store for Jasmine as the series progresses?

Every time Debbi sends in a new manuscript, I’m convinced it’s my favorite Jasmine book yet. So, get ready for even more awesome adventures! In Book 3, Jasmine learns how to play the taiko drum for the school talent show. But there’s a big difference between being the best and trying your best. And a new kid in school will challenge Jasmine’s patience to hilarious and heartfelt effect.

In Book 4, Jasmine’s grandmother sends her and Sophie daruma dolls to wish on. So, Jasmine decides to wish for a pet: a flamingo! But where will it live, and how will Jasmine feed it? Can she even convince her parents to keep her pet flamingo? Jasmine gets a big surprise when a different wish is fulfilled!

Thank you so much for your time, Grace! We can’t wait to get our hands on more Jasmine adventures!

You can enter to win a copy of MOCHI QUEEN and SUPER SLEUTH! One entry per one comment per post this launch week for a maximum total of five entries. Enter by midnight EST, Sunday July 16. The winner will be drawn at random. Must have U.S. mailing address. Good luck!

Going Out with a Bang (of Fireworks)!

It’s the last day of our celebration of the release of Sarvinder Naberhaus’s BLUE SKY WHITE STARS, illustrated by Kadir Nelson. Sarvinder’s book celebrates the beauty of America, so to wrap up the launch of Sarvinder’s debut, we thought we’d go out with a bang and talk about our favorite Fourth of July memories!

Debbi Michiko Florence: When we lived in Upstate NY and my daughter was younger, Bob, Caitlin and I would go to Bob’s brother’s house and then both families would go to the park in downtown Saratoga. We’d set up blankets, check out the booths and play cards and board games until it got dark. Then the fireworks show would start – and it was spectacular, but the best part was spending it with family. I miss those days! Our kids are all grown up and while we sometimes still get together with Bob’s brother and sister-in-law, I miss having the kids around.

Hayley Barrett: I love a parade and my neighboring town, Wakefield, has the best 4th of July parade in Massachusetts. A few years ago, I had the joy of seeing Rex Trailer — a local television personality from my childhood — ride by on a SPECTACULAR and high-spirited palomino horse. He would have been about 82 years old at the time and rode like the true-blue cowboy he was. Boom, Boom, Boomtown Forever!

Katie Slivensky: Growing up in my neighborhood, we would all decorate our bikes in red, white, and blue and have a giant bike parade to our local pond. There, we would swim and bbq and celebrate with bomb pops and all our neighbors! It was one of my favorite days of the year.

Jason Gallaher: There is absolutely nothing like going out to Coeur d’Alene Lake in Northern Idaho on the Fourth of July. I have so many memories of hopping in a boat, water skiing all day, then bobbing along just after sunset and watching fireworks blast over the lake. It’s beautiful, and I’m positive it’s the inspiration behind Katy Perry’s “Firework.”

Sarvinder Naberhaus: My favorite 4th of July memories happened AFTER it was all over. The fair used to come to town, and set up at the park just down the hill. I could see it from the tops of my climbing tree. They had a Ferris wheel, tilt-a-whirl, swings (my favorite because I was flying). My neighbor girl and I would go down after it was all over. What a mess! But as the hazy lazy days of summer dragged on, it was hard to find an adventure. So we’d go down and sift through the plethora for “treasure.”

You can see fireworks and so much more of America’s landscape and history in Sarvinder’s BLUE SKY WHITE STARS, out now! Grab a copy for yourself from IndieBound, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, or your favorite bookseller!

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Bike photo from Bike Provo; Ferris wheel photo from Northforker/Katharine Schroeder

Our Favorite America!!

The launch for Sarvinder Naberhaus’s BLUE SKY, WHITE STARS continues! To keep the celebration going, we talk about our favorite cities, states and national landmarks in the USA!

Terry Pierce: City – It’s a tie between Boston, MA, and Portland, OR. I love the “intimacy” of both these large cities and their “walkability” (a word I just made up to mean “ease of walking.”). Portland is the essence of the Pacific Northwest with its small coffee houses, frequent bookstores and gorgeous distant mountain scenery. Boston’s incredibly rich history, amazing food (Hello, North End!) and sight-seeing points of interest make it a favorite big city to visit (yes, I visited Robert McCloskey’s mother duck and ducklings statue—what children’s writer wouldn’t?).

Natural landmarks – No doubt, Yosemite National Park. There is nothing like it with its massive granite cliffs, cascading waterfalls, abundant wildlife and the lazy Merced River meandering down the middle of the valley floor. When I drive through the Wawona tunnel and see the full view of the valley, it still takes my breath away. It’s truly spectacular and makes me appreciate the amazing natural forces of our planet. I mean, to think that a glacier carved away the solid granite and sculptured the valley is mind-blowing.

Debbi Michiko Florence: Oh it’s hard to pick just one place, so can I pick a few? While there are many landmarks, states, and cities in the U.S. that I love and enjoy returning to, because I’ve moved so often in my adult life, my favorite places are those that take me to be with family.

San Francisco – City of my birth – I love the majestic Golden Gate Bridge, the foggy mornings, and all my precious memories created there.

Huntington Beach, CA, and Portland, OR – My parents live in Huntington Beach and visiting them means down time, relaxation, walks to the beach and on the pier, sunshine and ocean. My sister and her family, and my stepson, live in Portland and there’s nothing like hanging out with family while visiting a vibrant city with great food and sights.

Christina Uss: I will narrow down my list of eight million to two.

Philadelphia. I went to college here and spent four amazing years soaking in the history and culture of Philly. I’d finish classes for the day and then have to decide – did I want to go for a run up the steps of the Art Museum with the theme song to Rocky playing in my head, or go visit the Liberty Bell, or peruse an original copy of the Declaration of Independence, or stroll down Elfreth’s Alley, the oldest residential street in the U.S.? Or just go eat a cheesesteak or a butter-soaked Amish pretzel? Or do ALL of them? I adored how day-to-day life of people of so many diverse backgrounds was swirling around these historic sites every day, all hours of the day. Philly feels to me like a place where every layer of American history from colonial times to an hour ago is alive.

My heart swells with patriotic pride when I visit any part of our National Parks system, often called America’s Best Idea. I particularly love the ones out west with historic, epic National Parks lodges built in the early 1900s, like Many Glacier in Montana’s Glacier Park, Old Faithful Inn in Yellowstone Park, El Tovar at the Grand Canyon. I was so grateful in my former life as a bicycling adventure tour guide to get to stay in these lodges; they struck me as the most brilliant combination of human architectural vision and craftsmanship with spectacular natural settings.

Katie Slivensky: Tough one! I love Glacier Bay National Park. It’s just so gorgeous and eerie and serene and wild. Also, Mackinac Island. Lots of horses. No cars. Beautiful sights. And FUDGE.

Anna Crowley Redding: Acadia, specifically Night Sky Fest, a week in the park with astronomers looking at planets, galaxies, and constellations!

Carole Gerber: Charleston, SC. Gorgeous city with wonderful restaurants, and mannerly, friendly people with beautiful southern accents. Did I mention there are lots of beaches nearby?

Hayley Barrett: I’m a true-blue Boston girl. I love that dirty water!

Jason Gallaher: Hands down, without a doubt, my favorite place in America and the whole wide world is Malibu, CA. I love strolling down the pier, I love having deep conversations with local dolphins by cackling back at them, I love recreating scenes from The Craft at Leo Carrillo Beach, and it definitely doesn’t hurt that Miley Cyrus just came out with  a song named after the city.

Sarvinder Naberhaus: I love the Grand Canyon and national parks!

You can see even more beautiful pictures and descriptions of America in Sarvinder Naberhaus’s BLUE SKY, WHITE STARS! You can find out more about the book here, and you can order a copy from IndieBound, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, or your favorite bookseller!

 

 

My Baby is Real!

As you can tell from a lot of our posts on Emu’s Debuts, the path to publication is a long one. It’s been over two years now since my debut picture book, WHOBERT WHOVER, OWL DETECTIVE, sold. The release is almost upon us (July 18, 2017). For the past six months or so, however, I entered a state of disbelief. When people asked if I was excited for my book to come out, I felt like Miranda on Sex and the City when people asked if she was jazzed to have a baby boy, and she would have this awkward pause, then squeal, “Boy, am I ever,” because she thought that was the right response, even when she wasn’t sure if that’s how she felt.

I told people at the beginning of this year that it still didn’t feel real yet that a book with my name on it would be in bookstores. Since it’s been a while since that call from Trish about our first sale, I didn’t think it would really hit me until other people were reading WHOBERT that the book would actually be out in the world. Well…that moment finally happened, and now I can’t stinking wait for WHOBERT to be among us. I feel like this:

The moment when I finally realized other people were reading the book came in the form of a review from Kirkus. When I saw an email from my editor saying Kirkus had taken a look at my book, I was immediately nervous. My stomach catapulted into my throat. I think I shouted to my partner, “THE REVIEW FROM KIRKUS IS IN WHAT DO I DO?” After his ears stopped ringing from my banshee shriek, he replied, “Um, read it.” So I did…

I pored over that thing. I think I was holding my breath the entire time. Here was real life proof that WHOBERT is actually going out into the world and that other people are going to read it and have thoughts about it. I am so, so happy with what Kirkus had to say (they used phrases like “witty wordplay” and called it “a cracking whooooo-dunit”), but what really hit me is that my baby is about to enter the world. After years of gestating in the womb that is Simon & Schuster, being cared for by so many loving hands, little WHOBERT is going to say “who, who” to the world and people are going to respond. So now when I’m asked if I’m excited, I can legitimately say, “I’M FREAKING OUT!” without a hint of Miranda hesitation.

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Jason Gallaher is a picture book and middle grade writer who loves to create stories that mix the flamboyantly whacky with the slightly dark. His debut picture book, WHOBERT WHOVER, OWL DETECTIVE, releases on July 18, 2017, from Margaret K. McElderry Books. When not writing, Jason zips about Austin, Texas. Despite his connection to Miranda in this post, experts agree he most closely resembles Charlotte, but he’d prefer to be likened to Anjelica Huston. Jason is a tried and true Hufflepuff, and he is actively looking for an Andalite friend. (Photo Cred: David-Gabe Photography)

 

Aaaaaand…Action!

Sometimes I think that all writers are gluttons for punishment. Whether it’s because of the waiting game wondering what’s going to become of your manuscripts to experiencing the ups and downs of your characters’ emotions, writing can be crazy-making.

For me, the crazy really started happening back in November. I participated in NaNoWriMo writing my first YA, and I was having all the feels. For the first time ever I was writing about first loves and losses, and the ups and downs of reliving some of my teen years while I was writing was making me very emotional. I cried for the first time while at my keyboard. I had to pace up and down the halls of my shared office space to get over it, and the other people in there looked at me like I was insane.

I couldn’t blame them. If you had looked through the glass walls into my office with me sitting at my keyboard with tears running down my face, then cut to me in a capital “M” Mood making grooves in the floor with my pacing, I probably seemed like I was a second away from a straightjacket.

So I had to find a way to fight the crazy! I was getting so much creative anxiety and energy build up that wasn’t being expended from writing alone. In fact, writing was causing a lot of this anxiety, putting my soul into a work and then wondering what will become of it. I needed a way to let out all that creative energy and get instant feedback. So, what did I do? Inspired by a Jennifer Lawrence SAG Award acceptance speech in which she said her first union gig was shooting a commercial for MTV’s “My Super Sweet 16,” I enrolled in acting classes.

Let me tell you, it has worked! I find myself living for every second of the class. It’s been such a great way to be creative in front of a group of people and have those people give you constructive criticism right then and there. It’s also helped me so much in my writing. I’m used to characters talking to me inside my head, but becoming a character someone else created has been an entirely different thing, and has helped me dive even deeper into the psyche of people I’ve created.

While it remains to be seen whether or not I will ever become the next Leo D. or Sean P. or Charlize T., I’m going to keep at it because I feel waaaaaay calmer. Which is kind of ironic seeing as how I’m pretending to be other people to feel less crazy.

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Jason Gallaher is a picture book and middle grade writer who loves to create stories that mix the flamboyantly whacky with the slightly dark. His debut picture book, WHOBERT WHOVER, OWL DETECTIVE, releases on July 18, 2017, from Margaret K. McElderry Books. When not writing, Jason zips about Austin, Texas. Roles Jason would love to one day play include any Animorph, a young Jareth in a Labyrinth prequel, and/or any part in anything that would allow him to meet Anjelica Huston. Jason is a self-described Hufflepuff, and he is actively looking for an Andalite friend. (Photo Cred: David-Gabe Photography)

Inspiration from Songs, Chants, and Slogans

The launch of Cynthia Levinson’s THE YOUNGEST MARCHER, a picture book about the youngest civil rights marcher in Birmingham, Alabama, continues today! As Cynthia described on Tuesday, the strength in nine year-old Audrey Faye Hendricks’ voice was often boosted by music and protest chants. In that spirit, Emus gathered together to discuss different songs, chants, and slogans we found memorable and inspirational in civil rights movements.

Darcey Rosenblatt says that “It Could Have Been Me” by Holly Near was a life-changing song for her when she first heard it, and that it still carries power with her today. Holly Near sang this at a memorial for the four students shot at Kent State University as they protested the bombing of Cambodia in May 1970.

Jason Gallaher says he will never forget the immediacy and the impact of the NOH8 campaign after Proposition 8 passed in California, banning same-sex marriage. Thousands of people came together to get their pictures taken in a silent protest against the proposition. Even though the protest was silent, the amount of photos of people with NOH8 painted across their faces created a sort of hum in the air, moving more and more to speak out in favor of same-sex marriage. While same-sex marriage is legal today, the campaign still serves as a stand against any kind of discrimination.

Hayley Barrett says she thinks it’s hard to top the emotional impact of the Memphis Sanitation Strike in 1968. The strikers carried signs with the words “I AM A MAN” on them, fighting against dangerous working conditions and discrimination. You can find more information about the strike at the National Civil Rights Museum website. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., gave his last speech, “Mountaintop,” to Memphis sanitation workers the night before he died.

Anna Crowley Redding says that Langston Hughes’ “I, Too” has stuck with her over the years. In addition, she read his “Christ in Alabama” in the seventh grade in Spartanburg, SC, and remembers thinking, “This is the best thing I have ever read. EVER.”

Sarvinder Naberhaus says that “Keep Your Hand on the Plow” is one song she found memorable in the Civil Rights Movement.

This article by Cynthia provides more information about the history of songs in the Civil Rights Movement.

Cynthia’s THE YOUNGEST MARCHER is out now and can be found at IndieBound, Barnes & Noble, Amazon, or your favorite local bookseller.