What is #ownvoices

By Lydia Frankenburger
 
Not long before I attended the 2019 ALA Midwinter Conference I saw #ownvoices on a list for types to book to read for the year, which made me reflect about the books I get for my high school. Am I getting books that my students identify with?  I like to think I am, but I need to make sure I am more conscious about it. I should add that a month or so before seeing the hashtag one of my big fantasy readers pointed out that he was not seeing any new fantasy books with a male protagonist. Because of this conversation, I searched for more recently published fantasy books with a male protagonist, which I found is not easy. I also connected the student with one of my favorite fantasy books, The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss, which he loved, but I digress.
 
When I saw that there was a session featuring #ownvoices authors I knew ...(CLICK HERE to continue reading)