Around the Web: Women's Fiction, Moomins, the Griffin Prize, and Challenged Books
Hello and welcome back to Around the Web! If you’re new here, this is where I gather fun links from across the internet to share with you.
This week, I’ve got some info on women’s fiction, the Moomins, the Griffin Prize, and Challenged Books. And if you’ve been reading anything interesting, be sure to share in the comments.
What is Women’s Fiction?
Genre labels are a point of contention for many readers and writers. Lit Hub brought together six essays on “women’s fiction” to examine the ways books are gendered and the biases women authors face in publishing.
A History of Moomins
Kid-lit fans, here’s one for you! A history of Tove Jansson’s Moomins. For those unaware, Moomins are hippo-like creatures that star in a series of Finnish children’s books. They have a huge following and they’ve been experiencing a resurgence in popularity since Jansson’s death in 2001. They’ve been called the “crown jewels” of Finnish culture, so if you want to get in on the phenomenon check it out.
The Griffin Prize
Since it’s poetry month, I thought I’d share some poetry news. The Griffin Prize shortlists have been announced. There are two prizes—one Canadian and one international—so if you’re looking for some poetry recommendations, these lists are pretty much guaranteed to have something you’ll like.
Top Challenged Books
Finally, the American Library Association recently released 2018’s top eleven most challenged books. The Hate U Give, This One Summer, and the Captain Underpants series all made this list. The top reasons for challenging the books on the list include sexual content, LGBTQIA+ content, and profanity. Some of the books have even been burned for their content!
