The idea of how to teach American history has been very much in the news over the past few years; much of the debate centers on how to talk about some of the more difficult and troubling parts of the country’s past.
That idea is a big part of author Kelly McWilliams’ latest young adult novel, called “Your Plantation Prom is Not Okay.”
In it, the main character Harriet Douglass lives on a former plantation site, which she and her parents have transformed into an enslaved people’s museum. But when the former plantation next door is bought and turned into an event space, she knows she has to fight that.
As part of Lit Squad, a series of conversations with the authors of middle grade and young adult novels, The Show spoke with McWilliams about her book.
McWilliams talked about her impetus to write it — and why so many former plantations continue to ignore their history of slavery.
-
President Donald Trump signed an executive order saying the country’s official policy is that there are two genders. It is into this environment that a new novel for young adults hits the shelves.
-
A 13-year-old girl is preparing for her bat mitzvah, even though her family rarely goes to synagogue. At the same time, Zippy believes she’s a witch. That is the premise of the latest children’s novel from Laurel Snyder, called "The Witch of Woodland."
-
Thousands of Japanese-Americans were held in internment camps in Arizona during World War II. MichiNishiura Weglyn was one of them — along with her family. Ken Mochizuki tells her story.
-
Maria Ingrande Mora is a writer and content designer who lives in Florida. She talked about how she writes about something like anxiety — which some number of her readers likely also deal with — while keeping it authentic.
-
The Show spoke with author Celia Pérez about her book "Tumble" and how the main character's story is someone many other children can relate to.