We work at a publishing house. We look at manuscripts and produce press releases and cover designs day after day to (hopefully) publish works that we feel hold integrity and have a unique story to tell. We also love reading. We’ve probably always loved reading. It’s kind of understood, you’d assume, that those who devote […]
diversity
On the Lack of Lady Lovers
By Amanda Matteo
I am not Triinu Hoffman. I never went to church; I never had a goth phase; my parents never blithely recited poetry to me in their spare time (how quaint!). I am certainly nothing like Triinu Hoffman in the overarching sense of the word. But we do have something in common, and it’s something both […]
Diversifying My Reading in 2015
By Emily Goldman
Diversity is a never-ending conversation within the publishing industry. I say never-ending because, despite the repeated conversations about the importance of representation within books, as well as the diversity of authors published and books reviewed by various media outlets, the industry continues to be slow to institute real change addressing the glaring lack of representation […]
The Children’s Book Bank: Bridging the Literacy and Diversity Gap for Local Kids
By Jordana Beh
Though Portland is hailed as a literary hub, in reality, many homes don’t have books readily available. This is particularly problematic for children who need to read books and have books read to them in order to build foundational learning skills. The Children’s Book Bank (CBB) is a local nonprofit that works to bridge this […]
Hold the Door Open
By Alyssa Gnall amgnall
In theory, everyone has access to higher education and the materials it uses and produces. There are thousands of institutions to choose from, millions of people pursue a postsecondary degree every year, and President Obama just proposed a plan to eliminate the cost of community college entirely. In practice, however, there are still many hurdles […]
Judging YA Books by Their Covers
By Alex Fus
The mission statements of young adult fiction publishers are crammed with commitments—to promoting diversity, to fostering imagination, to supporting young readers’ developing identities—but when you scan the shelves of your local library or bookstore, what do you see? Odds are, you’re more likely to come across a book featuring a sexy vampire than a story […]