DuEwaWorld News! by DuEwa Frazier

DuEwa released her first children's picture book ALICE'S MUSICAL DEBUT in summer 2019!  A dream come true for a writer, literacy advocate, and book promoter who desired to write for children for many YEARS!!!  Alice's Musical Debut  by DuEwa Frazier Illustrated by Nadia Salas ( Lit Noire Publishing Children ) is a historical fiction picture book for young readers!  The story reimagines one day in the early childhood of notable jazz pianist, harpist, and organist Alice Coltrane (wife of jazz great John Coltrane). DuEwa is excited to share this story with young readers, parents, educators, and children's book lovers!  Follow DuEwa on Twitter @duewafrazier1

 My answer to this, after taking a very thorough young adult lit class and participating in many in depth discussions during my MFA studies is - "no" with a hint of "yes."  The darkness and depravity is what so many readers love.  If there's no conflict, where is the journey for the reader?  I say "no" to the question understanding that, just because there is "dark matter" in a story, doesn't make it harmful.  The story line can provoke a reader to research the subject, feel validated about what he/she is going through and share what they're learning.  Other than that most of these epic, series novels are pretty darned entertaining.  What teen who's living a dull, routine life wouldn't want to get lost in the life drama of Bella ( Twilight ) or Katniss ( Hunger Games )? YA novels like other genres of literature represent the ups and down of human experience.  Kids are certainly not immune to ups and downs.  YA fiction is he...