047: Crow Funerals, Papier-mâché, and Unsung Kansas Heroes

On this episode, the inimitable Dan Coleman — LPL Librarian, Papier-mâché wizard, and #weneeddiversebooks advocate — talks to Polli and Kate about places where children's literature is sorely lacking. They also discuss alarm clocks and bird things. Listen up!

Show notes: https://lplks.org/blogs/post/047-crow-funerals-papier-mache-and-unsung-kansas-heroes

Two Book Minimum:
The Language of Crows by Michael Westerfield (out of print but available via ILL)
More crow goodness: Hollow Kingdom by Kira Jane Buxton, A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki, and famous crows of Seattle)
The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai
I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter by Erika Sánchez

Special Episode: Kansas Needs Diverse Books!
Joining us is Dan Coleman, Collection Development Librarian and selector of children’s items.*
Did you know that the U.S. turned down the chance to send the first astronaut of color to space? And that this astronaut -- Ed Dwight -- is from Kansas?

Read Dan's blog post that inspired this episode for more information on overlooked Kansas figures whose stories need to be told, including Oscar Micheaux (featured here), Billy Mills, Lucile Bluford, KU grad and editor/publisher for The Call, and more. 
Check out a few of these awesome bibliographies with your kids (or for yourself!) --
Game Changer: John McLendon and the Secret Game by John Coy
No Small Potatoes: Junius G. Groves and His Kingdom in Kansas by Tanya Bolden
Gordon Parks: How the Photographer Captured Black and White America by Carole Boston Weatherford
(*btw youguyz, there are 65 THOUSAND items in the children’s section at LPL.) 

Upcoming at LPL: A GIANT ALARM CLOCK TO SMASH! AND MORE!
Join us at Keep Retirement Weird on Sunday, Sept. 15th to see Dan's other handiwork, an enormous Papier-mâché alarm clock that current and upcoming retirees can smash to bits! 

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2019 Book Squad Goals Reading Challenge can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/LPLBSG2019

Twice(-ish) a month, the librarians are in, with their favorite recommendations in Two Book Minimum, a toe-to-toe discussion on a book or topic, as well as news from the book world, updates from Lawrence Public Library, and beyond.

This episode was produced by Jim Barnes in the Sound & Vision studio. Our theme song is by Heidi Lynne Gluck. You can find the Book Squad Podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, or SoundCloud. Please subscribe and leave us comments – we’d love to know what you think, and your comments make it easier for other people to find our podcast. Happy reading and listening! xo, Polli & Kate