I’m Gabrielle Prendergast, the author of WICKET SEASON (featuring a Jamaican Canadian protagonist) and the upcoming verse novels AUDACIOUS and CAPRICIOUS, which also feature a diverse cast of characters. In response to discussions about diversity in YA and MG books, I’m building a collection of images to inspire writers for children and young adults and the artists who design covers for their books. Young Adult book covers in particular seem to be caught in a rut. Let’s escape the mundane, the blonde white girls, the gowns, the floaty hair, the dead girls. Let’s imagine outside the box. Read my blog at www.angelhorn.comTumblr (3.0; @angelhorn)http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/0eabaf92cf45525bcd0f921d4b7fd42f/tumblr_mmhwa4S3EQ1rt4lmgo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>One more, because a tweep suggested it.</p>http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/49951508757http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/49951508757Wed, 08 May 2013 12:46:52 -0700coverflip<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/86ddc533e7a9daf47f270a8b01adf02b/tumblr_mmev1q60lw1rt4lmgo1_400.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>I can’t believe no one has done this one yet</p>http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/49834103584http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/49834103584Mon, 06 May 2013 21:27:27 -0700coverflip<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/c2dd25f430d0a4e8431660fff7d47ec2/tumblr_mmetncN4iQ1rt4lmgo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Sorry I spelled the author’s last name wrong. Trish DOLLER. A  great recent book, coverflipped.</p>http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/49832190486http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/49832190486Mon, 06 May 2013 20:57:13 -0700coverflip<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/63b3be0c6f727e0d19a1bb707686fae7/tumblr_mmetjoH9l71rt4lmgo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/>http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/49832045953http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/49832045953Mon, 06 May 2013 20:55:01 -0700coverflip<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/cc4c41d77b84a0ac1a77bd42ea585219/tumblr_mk5ni5QCgr1rt4lmgo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a href="http://flutear.deviantart.com/art/journey-353888482">journey</a> by ~<a href="http://flutear.deviantart.com/">flutear</a></p>http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/46145638337http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/46145638337Sun, 24 Mar 2013 00:58:52 -0700<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/0b564830356207966cdf468a5489c49e/tumblr_mjtzc8RRzY1rt4lmgo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a href="http://northstar76.deviantart.com/art/Permanent-shade-of-grey-294042630">Permanent shade of grey</a> by ~<a href="http://northstar76.deviantart.com/">Northstar76</a></p>http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/45634291863http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/45634291863Sun, 17 Mar 2013 17:43:20 -0700<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/08b1c17ff407213496a7a810c3291057/tumblr_mjs9hkb2121rt4lmgo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a href="http://kardaev.deviantart.com/art/Alexandra-349623509">Alexandra</a> by ~<a href="http://kardaev.deviantart.com/">Kardaev</a></p>http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/45550139750http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/45550139750Sat, 16 Mar 2013 19:27:20 -0700<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/35f28083e44335d70e3c3e9dac6dad86/tumblr_mjs9e27rHf1rt4lmgo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a href="http://m-twins.deviantart.com/art/navy-dress-2-356332082">navy dress 2</a> by ~<a href="http://m-twins.deviantart.com/">M-Twins</a></p>http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/45549982709http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/45549982709Sat, 16 Mar 2013 19:25:14 -0700<a href="http://www.teenwritersbloc.com/2013/02/19/dear-john-green/">Dear John Green: An Open Letter About Diversity from a Little Brown Librarian</a>: <p><a class="tumblr_blog" href="http://stacylwhitman.tumblr.com/post/45545813935/dear-john-green-an-open-letter-about-diversity-from-a">stacylwhitman</a>:</p> <blockquote> <blockquote> <p>Granted, I know that it’s probably unfair of me to ask you this question. I am a writer and don’t want to ever be told what to write or to be questioned about what I choose to write, but after watching you with President Obama, I couldn’t help but think, <em>Can Sasha or Malia find themselves in John Green’s books? Is there someone who looks like them in his universe? Would someone who looks like them ever be the main protagonist in one of his awesome novels?</em></p> <p>A child or teen (or a person, really) can connect to anything if there’s a thread of universality present or an emotional core that transcends race or class or ethnicity or religion. I get that. I’ve experienced that. You’ve done that in your works.</p> <p>But what’s sad is that I get questions like this from my students when they visit the library weekly:</p> <p><strong><em>“Why is the library filled with books about white teens?”</em></strong></p> <p><strong><em>“Why is everyone in books white?”</em></strong></p> <p><strong><em>“Why have I read every single book about kids like me?”</em></strong></p> <p><strong><em>“Do any books with brown kids – besides Sherman Alexie’s</em><em><span>The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian</span></em><em>– hit the New York Times best seller list?”</em></strong></p> </blockquote> <p>—<a href="http://www.teenwritersbloc.com/2013/02/19/dear-john-green/">Dhonielle Clayton, “Dear John Green: An Open Letter About Diversity from a Little Brown Librarian”</a></p> </blockquote>http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/45546380670http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/45546380670Sat, 16 Mar 2013 18:36:48 -0700<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lnswqcZn3E1qexit6o1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a href="http://ziggyplayed.tumblr.com/post/7222891704">ziggyplayed</a>:</p> <blockquote> <div> <p>So I found through the Tumblr grapevine that @<strong>m-azing</strong> had the awesome idea: “What if Tangled was set in India?” and then @<strong>rghayati</strong> drew it, and I loved it so much I needed to draw my own. I will now forever be disappointed that this version of Tangled doesn’t exist.</p> <p><strike>also making links on Tumblr, how do they work</strike></p> </div> </blockquote>http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/44313799108http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/44313799108Fri, 01 Mar 2013 12:56:00 -0800<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/e329abbcafe6a32c8b5af7a71df31dd4/tumblr_miyxvfdbsU1rt4lmgo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a href="http://jaicca.deviantart.com/art/Raining-Sunset-Warmth-127309340">Raining Sunset Warmth</a> by *<a href="http://jaicca.deviantart.com/">Jaicca</a></p>http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/44280075864http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/44280075864Thu, 28 Feb 2013 22:26:03 -0800<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/57dae5f60845fa37a86ba531894a58e8/tumblr_mieaohhWaD1r3y74po1_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/888fa509e655befac61749c48734572e/tumblr_mieaohhWaD1r3y74po2_500.jpg"/><br/> <br/><p><a class="tumblr_blog" href="http://lohrien.tumblr.com/post/43372612936/indian-red-riding-hood-by-dmitry-grebenkov">lohrien</a>:</p> <blockquote> <p><a class="hoverZoomLink" href="http://dmitrygrebenkov.deviantart.com/art/Indian-Red-Riding-Hood-327610034">Indian Red Riding Hood</a> by *<a href="http://dmitrygrebenkov.deviantart.com/">Dmitry Grebenkov</a></p> </blockquote>http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/44073884606http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/44073884606Tue, 26 Feb 2013 10:36:29 -0800<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/7ced96176e7d8999d5cfbaa92118afe6/tumblr_miub2tpTRQ1rt4lmgo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a href="http://artools.deviantart.com/art/HIJABERS-Cheersful-351250714">HIJABERS Cheersful</a> by ~<a href="http://artools.deviantart.com/">ARTOOLS</a></p>http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/44073166562http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/44073166562Tue, 26 Feb 2013 10:23:17 -0800<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/83f4560e04d2b59766834c46b0095c90/tumblr_mihd7tOceb1rt4lmgo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a href="http://faytful13.deviantart.com/art/Enchantress-of-the-White-346964415">Enchantress of the White</a> by *<a href="http://faytful13.deviantart.com/">Faytful13</a></p>http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/43498519811http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/43498519811Tue, 19 Feb 2013 10:40:41 -0800<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/e9c7f3e8e5df7daab5db062530a2245c/tumblr_mepahmu79M1rt4lmgo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a href="http://kurtmorrisrojas.deviantart.com/art/Prinsesa-ng-Timog-Silangan-339996645">Prinsesa ng Timog Silangan</a> by ~<a href="http://kurtmorrisrojas.deviantart.com/">kurtmorrisrojas</a></p>http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/37461636441http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/37461636441Fri, 07 Dec 2012 23:08:09 -0800<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m57agmGgCz1r8pnzgo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/>http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/30124316624http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/30124316624Fri, 24 Aug 2012 14:31:39 -0700<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m7luwfzhms1rt4lmgo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p><a href="http://Uchefuna.deviantart.com/art/Self-Portrait-I-315502373">Self Portrait I</a> by ~<a href="http://uchefuna.deviantart.com/">Uchefuna</a></p>http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/27824826956http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/27824826956Mon, 23 Jul 2012 01:43:27 -0700<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m6eydx33ry1rt4lmgo1_500.png"/><br/><br/><p>Color, the expression on her face. It all works. <a href="http://Aseo.deviantart.com/art/Dawn-of-Venus-292700459">Dawn of Venus</a> by *<a href="http://aseo.deviantart.com/">Aseo</a></p>http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/26191967025http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/26191967025Fri, 29 Jun 2012 21:41:57 -0700<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m5somttiU81rt4lmgo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>Too young for YA or MG, maybe a picture book? So cute! <a href="http://IgnisRainSilverWar.deviantart.com/art/I-ve-got-your-back-cutie-309018141">I’ve got your back cutie</a> by ~<a href="http://ignisrainsilverwar.deviantart.com/">IgnisRainSilverWar</a></p>http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/25342524233http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/25342524233Sun, 17 Jun 2012 21:04:05 -0700<img src="http://24.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m5hj9eeiFI1rt4lmgo1_500.jpg"/><br/><br/><p>How cool are these two? <a href="http://vaxzone.deviantart.com/art/Diablo-III-Time-to-Hunt-306504039">Diablo III - Time to Hunt</a> by *<a href="http://vaxzone.deviantart.com/">vaxzone</a></p>http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/24932565953http://angelhorn.tumblr.com/post/24932565953Mon, 11 Jun 2012 20:34:26 -0700