KONNECTION // August 2024

 

SURVEY // Books for Teens & Young Adults We invite you to take our brief survey by clicking the image below; your feedback and recommendations will help us with our programming and activities. Thank you :) YA LITERATURE // Writing Difficult Themes The UNLV College of Education addressed the importance of approaching dark and/or difficult themes within young adult literature, including family violence, sexual abuse, suicide, religion, drugs/alcohol, racism, mental illness, and poverty. Are you thinking about writing a novel for today's youth? Their recommendation: "Don't shy away from books that take on challenging topics." Read the full article here for insight. Interested in learning more about this genre through related research? Here are a few additional resources: Sankofa: A Journal of African Children's and Young Adult Literature The 30 Greatest Young Adult (YA) Novels (Forbes.com) The Summit on the Research & Teaching of Young Adult Literature TORONTO TALES // Novels & Short Stories The Toronto Tales collection amplifies voices, relationships, and experiences rooted in the soul and vibration of Black Canadian communities. View and order the books here, paperback or digital! OPPORTUNITY // YA Novel Submissions James Lorimer & Company, Publishing is currently open for children and teen book submissions from experienced Canadian writers and social justice experts. If you're interested in developing a manuscript proposal, visit their website for complete details and guidelines. DANCEHALL REBEL // Young Adult Novel "An accessible, realistic cross-cultural coming-of-age novel about seeking a balance between tradition and change. A teen challenges family norms and navigates her sexuality in this novel centering on an Afro-Caribbean Canadian community. Denise, a Black girl born and raised in Ontario by Jamaican immigrant parents, is about to go away to college to study business. Her upbringing has been deeply entrenched in Jamaican culture, and she proudly possesses a deep love of the food and language—and especially dancehall and reggae music. She follows in her father’s footsteps as a DJ and branches out into online streaming..." Continue Reading Full Kirkus Review... Book now available from Amazon, Indigo, and Barnes and Noble! CARNIVAL SEASON // Guide for Playing Mas The Caribbean Carnival season in our hometown of Toronto came to an end earlier this month; Notting Hill Carnival in the UK just took place this past weekend, and it's almost time for the West Indian Day Parade in Brooklyn, for Miami Carnival, and for the start of a new carnival season as we head into 2025. In the spirit of preserving, enhancing, and operationalizing the culturally significant event that is Caribbean Carnival, Kya Publishing has created a template that can be used in any city, for those who are looking to select a group to participate in the parade with. Access to the downloadable template--where you can enter specifics about each masquerade band, to assist your decision making--is available in Kya Publishing's Carnival Spotlight archive. Here's a soca mix from Toronto's DJ Buzz B, to help keep the Caribbean carnival spirit and good vibrations high throughout the rest of the year! Enjoy :)

KONNECTION // July 2024

 

WRITERS // Creating Stories for YA Readers

Preparing to write a story for middle grade or teen readers, but aren't sure where to begin? Here are a few things to think about while planning your YA novel: Consider the perspective of your narrator Match your character's age to your audience Develop a realistic voice and language for your character Approach sensitive topics with care Additional insights to help you on your writing journey: Smells Like Teen Spirit: How to Write Young Adult Fiction (by Nisha Tuli) The Ultimate Guide To Writing YA Fiction (by Mackenzie Belcastro) How to Write a Young Adult Novel (by Robert Lee Brewer)

James Lorimer & Company, Publishing is currently open for children and teen book submissions from Canadian authors! If you're interested in developing a proposal, visit their website for complete details and guidelines.

YA LITERATURE // Benefits of Reading

The Teen Magazine has a few articles outlining why youth need to read more. Here are a few highlights about how reading YA literature can benefit children and teens:

THEY NOT LIKE US // Hip Hop Culture Across the Black Diaspora

Commentary about hip hop music and culture across the Black and African Diaspora, written from a Canadian perspective. Posted this month on Kya Publishing's "Reflection & Reason" blog: They Not Like Us: A Drake Thinkpiece (Part 1) They Not Like Us: Hip Hop's Accreditation (Part 2) Related book recommendations, for your reference:

DANCEHALL REBEL // A Caribbean Canadian Teen Novel

"An accessible, realistic cross-cultural coming-of-age novel about seeking a balance between tradition and change. A teen challenges family norms and navigates her sexuality in this novel centering on an Afro-Caribbean Canadian community. Denise, a Black girl born and raised in Ontario by Jamaican immigrant parents, is about to go away to college to study business. Her upbringing has been deeply entrenched in Jamaican culture, and she proudly possesses a deep love of the food and language—and especially dancehall and reggae music. She follows in her father’s footsteps as a DJ and branches out into online streaming..." Continue Reading Full Kirkus Review... Book now available from Amazon and Indigo U.S. release date: August 1, 2024: Barnes and Nobel

YA LIT // More Black Canadian Stories

Take a look at these young adult stories from Black Canadian authors Kevin HeronJones, Jawara Pedican, and Carlos Anthony; visit Lorimer's website to browse the full catalogue of their diverse authors and contemporary themes.

We invite you to take our brief survey by clicking the image above; your feedback and recommendations will help us with our programming and activities. Thank you :)

KONNECTION // June 2024

 

WRITERS // Creating Stories for YA Readers

Preparing to write a story for middle grade or teen readers, but aren't sure where to begin? Here are a few things to think about while planning your YA novel: Consider the perspective of your narrator Match your character's age to your audience Develop a realistic voice and language for your character Approach sensitive topics with care Additional insights to help you on your writing journey: Smells Like Teen Spirit: How to Write Young Adult Fiction (by Nisha Tuli) The Ultimate Guide To Writing YA Fiction (by Mackenzie Belcastro) How to Write a Young Adult Novel (by Robert Lee Brewer)

James Lorimer & Company, Publishing is currently open for children and teen book submissions from Canadian authors! If you're interested in developing a proposal, visit their website for complete details and guidelines.

YA LITERATURE // Benefits of Reading

The Teen Magazine has a few articles outlining why youth need to read more. Here are a few highlights about how reading YA literature can benefit children and teens:

THEY NOT LIKE US // Hip Hop Culture Across the Black Diaspora

Commentary about hip hop music and culture across the Black and African Diaspora, written from a Canadian perspective. Posted this month on Kya Publishing's "Reflection & Reason" blog: They Not Like Us: A Drake Thinkpiece (Part 1) They Not Like Us: Hip Hop's Accreditation (Part 2) Related book recommendations, for your reference:

DANCEHALL REBEL // A Caribbean Canadian Teen Novel

"An accessible, realistic cross-cultural coming-of-age novel about seeking a balance between tradition and change. A teen challenges family norms and navigates her sexuality in this novel centering on an Afro-Caribbean Canadian community. Denise, a Black girl born and raised in Ontario by Jamaican immigrant parents, is about to go away to college to study business. Her upbringing has been deeply entrenched in Jamaican culture, and she proudly possesses a deep love of the food and language—and especially dancehall and reggae music. She follows in her father’s footsteps as a DJ and branches out into online streaming..." Continue Reading Full Kirkus Review... Book now available from Amazon and Indigo U.S. release date: August 1, 2024: Barnes and Nobel

YA LIT // More Black Canadian Stories

Take a look at these young adult stories from Black Canadian authors Kevin HeronJones, Jawara Pedican, and Carlos Anthony; visit Lorimer's website to browse the full catalogue of their diverse authors and contemporary themes.

We invite you to take our brief survey by clicking the image above; your feedback and recommendations will help us with our programming and activities. Thank you :)