We’re having some summer fun here at the press in the form of our very first children’s book — a book written by my own little one, Maxine. She is 13 now, though, so maybe not technically so little anymore, and certainly not “little” in her opinions. How to Be a Feminist (For Little Girls and Boys) is only available on our website, although you’ll soon find it on the shelves at Page Against the Machine and other stores throughout Long Beach..
A self-proclaimed feminist, Maxine has spent the last year on a mission to educate her fellow middle schoolers about feminism. Spoiler alert: It hasn’t always gone well. Not everyone applauds activism — or activists. But luckily, every barb has just fueled her fire. To her, it’s just proof that there is more to do, more to accomplish. Last fall, she and her friends organized a series of classes for young children (ages three to 10) to teach them about racial diversity, feminism, animal rights and climate change. Then, in June, they held a “Children’s Equality March” outside our house in Long Beach. No joke. There were speeches by children and an art auction that raised more than $300 for the Malala Fund, the ACLU, the Trevor Project and Planned Parenthood. Close to 100 people attended. The picture shows some of the marchers; Maxine is wearing the pink shorts.
Maxine originally wrote and illustrated How to Be a Feminist for the feminism class she taught; the kids loved it. One little girl took her copy to show-and-tell for weeks afterward. It was only after hearing the reactions from other parents that Max and I realized her little bespoke book 1) was of great interest to others beyond the borders of our living room, and 2) fit the mission of Brown Paper Press to a T.
We had so much fun making this one. Hope you enjoy it.