For a curious little girl, books opened a world of wonder to me. I especially loved fiction and fairy tales because I was blissfully hopeful and I believed in happily ever after. I enjoyed storytellers like The Brothers Grimm and Aesop because, even as a child, I was unconsciously studying style. Nancy Drew, the Hardy Boys and I had some exciting times together. I cavorted with the “Little Women” of Louisa May Alcott and hung out on the streets with Oliver Twist.
I devoured good writing, paying little attention to what color the characters were. Except for the occasional mention of blond hair or blue eyes, I didn’t dwell on the characters being white. Our mutual quests for love, happiness, fair play, and equal treatment were basically the same. I grew up being a reader of diverse books. In fact until I went to college, I hadn’t even picked up…
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