I still remember the comfort of my mother’s lap. We had a rocking chair that was gifted to us by my grandfather, and I clearly recall resting against Mom’s pillowy body as she held a book open in front of me. My mother has obsessed over her weight my entire life, and even at 80, she still fusses about her belly. I will turn 50 this year, and though I haven’t spent my life dieting, I admit to searching YouTube for exercise videos that target the dreaded FUPA (fat upper pubic area). We inherit a lot from our mothers, some habits healthier than others. Mine’s greatest gift to me was unquestionably a love of books.
My father regularly read the Bible and the newspaper, but I never saw him reading a novel when I was growing up
It was only when cancer confined him to his bed that Dad asked for “the classics” — the books his Afro-Caribbean grandmother made him stay inside and read when he was a boy. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland was the title he hated most; Ivanhoe is the last book I remember him requesting before he died in 2004. My father didn’t live long enough to see the success of my urban fantasy series — he was never thrilled about my plan to become an author, and I sometimes wonder if he would have even picked up a novel called Dragons in a Bag. It’s the kind of “mirror book” I wish I could have given my dad when he was a boy — an exciting, inclusive tale that might have hooked him on reading instead of making it feel like a chore.
Reading culture took hold early in our home
Both my parents were teachers, and my mother was my kindergarten teacher, so in some ways, being at home was a lot like being at school. My big sister, Karyn, and I understood the ritual perfectly. Sit side by side on the sofa? No way! I always sat on her lap. We mimicked our mother until we got our own library cards and began to prefer reading independently. But going to the library was still a family affair, and on Sundays when TV was forbidden, you could find my brother, sister, and me in our respective corners and cubbyholes (mine was under the stairs), reading quietly.
When the pandemic began, many predicted the publishing industry’s demise
But the demand for books has never been greater. No longer able to cross the country conducting in-person presentations in schools, I end every virtual author visit by reminding children that stories keep us connected. Last fall, Dragons in a Bag was selected for the 2021 Global Read Aloud, and it was amazing to see students around the world connecting online (and with good old-fashioned postcards!) to share their impressions of my novel. Some classes (#DragonPals22) even opted to keep the conversation going by meeting on Twitter every Friday morning to discuss book 2, The Dragon Thief. The third book in the series, The Witch’s Apprentice, just came out last month, and I was thrilled to recently receive this email from Patty in Montclair, New Jersey:
Subject: When is Book #4 coming out?!?!
Hello Ms. Elliott –
My 8-year-old daughter and my mom have been big fans of the Dragons in a Bag series, and JUST finished reading Book #3 together last night. AHHHH!!! What a cliffhanger!! PLEASE tell us Book #4 is coming out ASAP. We can’t wait very long! In all honesty, thank you for creating a fantasy world with Black characters. Even though we are white, I greatly value sharing diverse books with my daughter and having important conversations that come up from your stories. You’ve done an amazing job of creating fantastic characters that we are constantly rooting for. Thank you, thank you for creating this series!
Patty’s timing couldn’t have been better
In the past few months, I’ve been confronted with attempts to ban two of my picture books. Yet more and more schools are choosing Dragons in a Bag as their One Book, One School selection. My hope is that by sharing inclusive stories with our children, we can create a reading culture in our homes, schools, and communities that promotes not just literacy but respect for the diversity that is this nation’s strength.
