C.O.L.O.R.

I can now announce my sekrit project, that I've been thinking intensely about since making my New Year's Resolutions. I'm not going to apologize for the fact that I'm a blogger and activist and this project is a way for me to help other people discover all the diverse YA/MG books out there. So announcing...

C.O.L.O.R.

Coalition Of Librarians and Online Readers

Online readers being those of us who lurk around book blogs. The librarians (as of right now) are all librarians who blog. The end goal being to donate at least 25 books in two months to a library that could use a little extra TLC. I have four libraries as of right now and depending on the success of the project, more librarians and libraries will be added.

How it works: I provide the link to the wishlist. You buy the books. You are welcome to donate multiple copies of books on the wishlist. If you wish to donate a book of your own, please email the respective librarian or myself first (if possible). To start off, we are using the Book Depository so that international readers have no excuse not to participate ;) (unless they happen to be in one of the few countries the Book Depository does not mail to).

Why?: Budget cuts for libraries are increasing. Many of us love libraries and I want to help by sending books to libraries that have been hit hard by the budget cuts. A bonus is that I would like to only send books by/about people of color for children and teenagers, both fiction and non fiction. For now I am focusing on middle schools (6th-8th) and high schools in the U.S. The ideal scenario is to send books about Asians/Black people/Latinos and Native Americans to the library, but to have the majority of the books match the ethnicity of the students.

First up is Edi from Crazy Quilts (I highly recommend you check out her blog first, you won't be able to resist wanting to help this warm and informative librarian). Read my blogger spotlight with Edi.

Edi is a librarian at Arlington Community High School in Indianapolis, Indiana. The majority of her students (90%) are Black. To learn more about the school (including a matchup of Arlington Community High School students who pass their grades versus the state average which is depressing to say the least) go here.

Project for Arlington Community High School begins: February 11, 2011
Ends: April 11, 2011

Now that I've gotten you all eager to help out, go to the wishlist I made for The Book Depository. Wishlist from there you can easily buy the book and mail it out, easy peasy.

For your convenience I've included the wishlist titles below:

A Year in Japan by Kate T Williamson

Tales of Otori (1,2,3) by Lian Hearn (Thanks Kaz!)

Zaharah the Windseeker by Nnedi Okarafor (Thank you Tricia!)

Before You Suffocate Your Own Fool Self by Danielle Evans (Thank you Tricia!) Thank you also Ivanova!

Dragon Road by Laurence Yep (Thank you Ivanova!)

A.D.: New Orleans After the Deluge by Josh Neufeld (Sweet, thank you Zetta!)

Asleep by Wendy Raven McNair

Pyongyang: A Journey in North Korea; Burma Chronices by Guy Delisle

Aya: The secret comes out vol 3

Still I Rise: A Graphic History of African Americans by Roland Laird, Taneshia Nash Laird, Elihu , "Adofo" Bey, and Charles Johnson-Thank you Zetta!

Greatest Stars of the NBA Volume 1: Shaquille O'Neal by Tokyopop and NBA

Michelle Obama (Female Force) by Neal Bailey and Joshua LaBell-Thank you Jessi!

The Civil Rights Freedom Train (Comix With Content) by Bentley Boyd

All the Rage: The Boondocks Past and Present by Aaron McGruder-hugs and many thanks Neesha!

Nat Turner by Kyle Baker

Miss Emily the Yellow Rose of Texas by Ben Durr

Yellow Rose the Myth of Emily Morgan by Douglas Brode

Bessie Coleman: Daring Stunt Pilot (Graphic Biographies) by Robbins, Trina, Steacy, and Ken

Captain America: Truth by Robert Morales and Kyle Bake

Fist stick knife gun a personal history of violence by Geoffrey Canada (graphic novel)-Mil gracias Helen!

Tall Story by Candy Gourlay -Yay, thanks Jodie!

Black Frontiers: A History of African American Heroes in the Old West by Lillian Schlissel

Jackie Ormes: The First African American Woman Cartoonist by Nancy Goldstein

Buffalo Soldiers and the American West (Graphic Library, Graphic History) by Glaser, Jason, Smith, and Tod

Booker T. Washington: Great American Educator (Graphic Library: Graphic Biographies) [Paperback]by Braun (Author), Eric (Author), Martin (Illustrator), Cynthia (Illustrator)

Graphic Myths and Legends: Sinbad: Sailing into Peril: an Arabian Tale (Graphic Universe) by Marie P. Croalland Clint Hilinski Triple thank you Trish!

Beowulf: Monster Slayer (A British Legend) (Graphic Universe) [Paperback] by Paul D. Storrie (Author), Ron Randall (Illustrator)-Thank you so much Jessi!

Isis & Osiris: To the Ends of the Earth (Graphic Myths and Legends) [Paperback] by Jeff Limke (Author), David Witt (Illustrator) Thanks again Neesha!

If you go ahead and buy a book, please comment or email me with your name and the title of the book. I would like to thank you and recognize you on this post.

I'm really, really excited to be doing this. I need YOU to help me make this work. Please? It would honestly mean the world to me if you guys could help out. And while in the spirit of giving (it's so cold out in most areas of the country, something needs to cheer us up and isn't giving better than receiving?) consider donating money or a book to A Little Angel Named Kaylea who loves to read, is six years old and has leukemia.

PS If you can't afford to donate right now, want to consider making me a button? I really need to up my technology/designing skills :)

ETA: Apparentely the Book Depository isn't showing you guys the address so here it is (sorry about that!)

Arlington Community High School Grades: 06-12 C/O Edi Campbell
4825 N Arlington Ave
Indianapolis, IN 46226-2499
Phone: (317) 226-2345