Shelley Tanaka / Author talk

Last night I went to hear author Shelley Tanaka speak. Tanaka is a non-fiction author and editor. Some of her books include: Amelia Earhart: the legend of the lost aviator, Climate Change, Mummies: the newest, coolest & creepiest, Earthquake, Gettysburg, D-Day, The Alamo, new Dinos, Attack on Pearl Harbor, Footnotes: dancing the world's best loved ballets, In the time of knights, Secrets of the Mummies.

What I found most interesting, was hearing Tanaka speak of her thirty year career in book industry and the changes she has seen and dealt with first hand in the publishing of non-fiction materials. Some of Shelley's earlier works were creative non-fiction (meaning creative narrative was added to enrich the facts). I think young readers enjoy a story that accompanies the factual material but I do understand the argument that they also need to be told which parts of the book might be fictionalized and which parts are factual. The publishing industry has moved away from this creative non-fiction style and seem to be embracing non-fiction books that every fact is thoroughly researched and cited.

I also enjoyed the fact that Tanaka has worn many hats within the book publishing realm. As an author she has argued with editors and publishers to keep certain pieces in a book. Likewise she has probably argued with authors to whittle down words when wearing her editors hat. I think we often forget how many changes a book sees before it ever reaches our hands and that readers sensibilities vary across the country, across our continent and across the world.

Thank you to the Lethbridge Children's Roundtable for bringing authors like Shelley Tanaka in to speak. I am reminded once again how incredible an authors role is to young people and how my role as a librarian can help bring them closer to understanding and appreciating great books.
Read on.