Jen Bryant Flying Tidings June 2019




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May 2022

“There are so many ways in which sex discrimination manifests itself in the form of social custom … that you really have to make an issue, whenever it strikes, to protest it. You can’t tolerate it.” — Patsy Mink

This month we celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islanders Heritage Month with a plethora of great links, articles and teaching ideas related to Fall Down Seven Times, Stand Up Eight and the life and work of congresswoman Patsy Takemoto Mink. We also continue this fiftieth anniversary year of the passing of Title IX and how those 37 words have influenced multiple generations of women in the classroom, workplace and on the playing field. We take a quick look back on National Poetry Month, Earth Day and (of course!) we give you a chance to win a signed book copy of your choice.

A quick note about my author visits

Jen has just a few dates open in June if your school would like a late-in-the year-virtual author visit. If you are looking to schedule for next year, please contact Jen directly to inquire about Fall/ Winter 2022.

School visits are GREAT!

May is AAPI Heritage Month

As the first woman of color and the first Asian American woman to be elected to the U.S. Congress, Patsy Takemoto Mink was a trailblazer for millions of people in her generation and beyond. Here are some links to find out more—and to teach—about Mink’s role in the history of women’s rights, civil rights, and AAPI rights:

“Patsy Takemoto Mink blazed the trail for Kamala Harris …” by Judy Tzu-Chun Wu, professor of Asian American Studies, U California, Irvine.

Teaching activities, video, lesson plans for grades K-6, English/Lang. Arts & Social Studies, focusing on Patsy T. Mink, from the Asian American Education Project.

The origins of, and legislation behind, the celebration of AAPI Heritage Month, via Inside History.

Movie trailer for Patsy Mink: Ahead of the Majority, a film by Kimberlee Basford.

a still from Patsy Mink: Ahead of the Majority

illustration © Toshiki Nakamura, from Fall Down Seven Times, Stand Up Eight,
written by Jen Bryant (Quill Tree Books)

60 Years Ago, Baylor Scores 61 Points

Did you watch this year’s thrilling NCAA March Madness? Are you watching the NBA playoff and finals series?? Even IF you are an ardent basketball fan, you may not know that sixty years ago, in a 1962 NBA playoff game, Elgin Baylor scored 61 points against the toughest defensive player of his time. (And yes, this is BEFORE the 3-point shot was part of the game.)

But if you have read Above the Rim—How Elgin Baylor Changed Basketball, illustrated by Frank Morrison, you know that Elgin changed things off the court, too. Click here to treat yourself and your students to a FANTASTIC reading of our book by Hamilton cast member Colby Lewis!

Hamilton cast member Colby Lewis reads from Above the Rim

Boys reading the newspaper, illustration Frank Morrison,
from Above the Rim, written by Jen Bryant (Abrams)

Sit-down boycott, illustration Frank Morrison,
from Above the Rim, written by Jen Bryant (Abrams)

April: National Poetry Month and Earth Day!

Even though the calendar has flipped, we never EVER stop celebrating Poetry or Mother Earth. The dynamic duo of Sylvia Vardell and Janet Wong, founders and publishers of Pomelo Books, continue to create some of the most exciting, diverse and FUN poetry books for young people. Check out these two reading my poem “Laugh” from the recent Pomelo poetry anthology Things We Do.

Planning a Road Trip This Summer?

Feed Your Mind—A Story of August Wilson, my biography in poems based on the life of the prolific Pittsburgh playwright, is available in Audiobook. Brilliantly read by David Sadzin, it’s a very doable 52-minute listen!

Current and Past Issues

Earth Day

And click here to see one of the many great book lists (with quick links to order) for helping our young readers to learn about, appreciate, nurture, and protect our one and only beautiful planet Earth. Earth Day was April 22, 2022, but really … it’s EVERYday.

Thank you for reading all the way to the end!

To enter our current drawing for ANY ONE signed book copy (your choice) by Jen Bryant, send your full name, mailing address and “May 2022 contest” in the subject line to jen@jenbryant.com. Winner to be drawn June 15th.