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Malorie Blackman, The New Children’S Laureate.

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anotheoldgit | 15:39 Wed 05th Jun 2013 | News
29 Answers
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/books/10098595/Black-characters-put-parents-off-books-new-Childrens-Laureate-says.html

Yes they have chosen a black person as the new Children's Laureate, and straight away she has brought race into play.

/// Parents can be put off from buying a book with a black character on the front cover, Malorie Blackman, the new Children’s Laureate, has said. ///

/// The multi-award-winning Noughts & Crosses was Blackman’s first literary foray into issues of race and ethnic identity and was inspired by her anger about the death of Stephen Lawrence and his family’s treatment by the police. ///

Why can't they just get on with things instead of constantly causing diversions?

/// Blackman, a London-born author whose parents came to Britain from Barbados, said there was a distinct lack of black and Asian children in picture books. ///

It would seem that there is also a distinct lack of Chinese children in picture books, and before some pedantic reminds me that Chinese are Asian, we all know that they are not generally referred to as Asians.

Wasn't her novel series Noughts and Crosses, about the Crossers who were the Africans, the Noughts who were the Europeans, and the Crossers made slaves of the Noughts?

If a white author was to write such a book today, it would never get published.




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AOG

Are you actually saying that it can be wearisome for someone to keep banging on about issues of race?

I absolutely bow to you Sir.
-- answer removed --
By the way - there's truth in what she says. The reason why British Vogue consciously avoids putting black models in solo shoots on their front covers, is that they see a sales dip whenever they do.

Perhaps the same can be said of children's books. I don't know - maybe Malorie is projecting?

Also:

"Wasn't her novel series Noughts and Crosses, about the Crossers who were the Africans, the Noughts who were the Europeans, and the Crossers made slaves of the Noughts?

If a white author was to write such a book today, it would never get published."

Why?
-- answer removed --
AOG

triggerhappy makes a good point.

White director Quinten Tarantino made Django Unchained last year.

It was a box office smash.

It was nominated for Oscars and Golden Globes.

Christoph Waltz won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar for his (brililant) performance.

Could it be that your last point is a little off target?
sp1814. Thank you, your very subtle posts or answers always make my day.

WR.
Question Author
sp1814

Both you and triggerhippy misunderstood what I meant, I did not mean a white author writing on the same level, but from an opposite point of view ie white superiority and black inferiority.

/// White author wrote about the Crossers who were the Europeans, the Noughts who were the Africans, and the Crossers made slaves of the Noughts? ///

She seems, unlike some, to have quite an unbiased and tolerant view of the responsibilities of her role over the next two years, I for one, wish her every success,
I echo your thoughts, Baldric.
AOG

I've had an extremely busy day at work, and my brain is currently operating in 'low power mode'.

I won't argue the toss on your point because I think I might break my mind and I'll end up forgetting how to walk or feed myself.

I'll defer to trigger...
we sell quite alot of her books to girls aged around 12 - 16.
aog

are you confused or being dishonest

you put this in quote /marks/

/// White author wrote about the Crossers who were the Europeans, the Noughts who were the Africans, and the Crossers made slaves of the Noughts? ///

but in your OP it was:

/Wasn't her novel series Noughts and Crosses, about the Crossers who were the Africans, the Noughts who were the Europeans, and the Crossers made slaves of the Noughts? /


WHY have the demarcations of 'noughts' and 'crossers' transposed?

There's the world as it is and the world as you think it ought to be, aog. You may think that nobody has ever distinguished between black and white to the detriment of the former. If you don't think that, then you shouldn't be surprised if efforts are made to encourage our children to think differently from your and later generations.

Now, what is you complaint, translated into language that a simple person can understand? Is it that you want Chinese people to be portrayed in a non-stereotyped, positive and balanced way ? No more evil Chinese characters of the stories of our youth, singularly unmatched by good ones? If you think that, why would you object to black people being so treated?
/.cont

and yet you have marked it as a /quote/ from earlier?
(sorry - bl00dy iphone)

are you suggesting that there are NO books written in which europeans enslave africans?

i thought your constant complaint was that this aspect of history was never allowed to rest? Not that it couldn't be published
-- answer removed --
AOG

Without wishing to throw a great big spotlight on my poor comprehension skills - this is the bit I don't get:

Are you saying that a book written by a white author about the supposed racial superiority of whites over blacks would never be published, or that a book by a black author about the supposed racial superiority of blacks over whites would never be published?
aog, did you actually read your own link or did you just guess at what you would like it to say, to fit your own view of the world? What exactly is your complaint? Even the bits you pick out aren't controversial and, as a whole, the piece is not controversial at all. Please explain how it offends you.
Question Author
sp1814

/// Are you saying that a book written by a white author about the supposed racial superiority of whites over blacks would never be published, or that a book by a black author about the supposed racial superiority of blacks over whites would never be published? ///

Yes I am saying that a book written by a white author about the supposed racial superiority of whites over blacks would never be published, not in the present day.

Regarding your second question, /// or that a book by a black author about the supposed racial superiority of blacks over whites would never be published? ///

No I did not mean that, simply because this black author has already written such a series of novels, and they are called 'Noughts and Crosses' and have been published and are widely available.
Question Author
FredPuli43

/// Please explain how it offends you. ///

Because this woman cannot just accept the honour of being chosen as the new Children’s Laureate, but now installed she is now going to use her position to get her own personal message of the supposed discrimination of black people across.

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