February 2021 at Women & Children First: Black History Month, Valentine's Day Pop-up Shop & more virtual events!

February 2021

Dear Friends of Women & Children First!

While we are under no illusion that a Biden/Harris administration means our work as an intersectional feminist bookstore is over, we gotta say, we're breathing a little easier these days! We are hopeful that the communities our bookstore represents will help shape the national priorities of the next four years.

And we are hopeful for a near future when we can safely gather in-person again. But, sadly, we're not quite there yet.

February is Black History Month. This is a time for us to not only honor Black History, but also protect and celebrate Black Futures. With COVID-19 disproportionately harming Black communities, we are committed to using our power to do whatever we can for as long as we can to prioritize those who are most at risk. With the new, more contagious strain of the virus now present in Illinois just as bars and restaurants begin to reopen, we have decided to keep our doors temporarily closed. Like our friends at the Chicago Teachers Union, we want to reopen, but we want to do it in a way that is safe for all.

Please know we are still here for you, 7 days a week, answering the phones from noon to 4 p.m. and providing curbside pickup from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Our online store is open 24/7, but remember to wait for a notification from us that your order is ready before swinging by to pick it up.

With solidarity & love,

W&CF

Forthcoming books from Inaugural Poet Amanda Gorman

For there is always light, if only we're brave enough to see it.

If only we're brave enough to be it.

--Amanda Gorman, "The Hill We Climb"

For all of us who became newfound fans of Amanda Gorman on Inauguration Day, there are three books publishing later this year from the inaugural National Youth Poet Laureate! Below are descriptions and links to preorder.

The debut poetry collection by Amanda Gorman, which will include "The Hill We Climb" along with other original poems.

Publishes Sept. 2021

PREORDER HERE

A lyrical picture book debut from Amanda Gorman, illustrated by #1 NYT bestseller Loren Long!

Publishes Sept. 2021

PREORDER HERE

A special edition of "The Hill We Climb," the poem read on January 20, 2021 at the inauguration of the 46th president of the United States, Joe Biden.

Publishes April 2021

PREORDER HERE

SitStayRead Black History Month Book Drive!

During past holiday seasons, many of you have supported our annual Wishing Tree book drive in collaboration with SitStayRead whose mission is to advance children’s literacy through a confidence-boosting and comforting curriculum that brings Certified Reading Assistance Dogs into CPS classrooms. To continue the important work of building diverse libraries for students, we are thrilled to host a Black History Month version of the book drive! To participate in this donation drive, just shop THIS WISHLIST, and we will manage the order and deliver the books! Thank you for your support!

GIFT BUNDLES

ORDER HERE!

**The images show the kinds of items that will be included in the bundle, not the exact items included. The bundles are not returnable or exchangeable.**

Afrofuturist Gift Bundles

In honor of Black History Month, we are excited to launch our Afrofuturist Gift Bundle on February 1st! We decided to dedicate the bundle to Afrofuturism because Black Lives Matter and, in the words of artist Alisha B. Wormsley, "There Are Black People in The Future."

We will offer two types of Afrofuturist Gift Bundles: The Genre and The Movement.

Stay tuned to our social media for the official launch date on February 1!

Afrofuturist Bundle: The Genre

This is our fiction option, highlighting the iconic work that gave us Afrofuturism as a distinct literary canon. In addition to those who love Octavia Butler and Nnedi Okarafor, this bundle option is a great choice for anyone wanting to discover and explore Afrofuturism for the first time.

Afrofuturist Bundle: The Movement

This bundle consists of both nonfiction and fiction selections. Afrofuturism has delivered a roadmap for social justice movements and pedagogy. The selections in The Movement will highlight contemporary thought on Black lives and liberation as well as a living radical expression of Afrofuturism through a comic book or graphic novel.

Valentine's Day Gift Bundles

Looking for the perfect gift for your feminist Valentine? Look no further than our Valentine's Day Gift Bundles--for kids or adults! For the adult bundle, choose from themes like "Queer Love" and "Sex & Erotica," and a W&CF bookseller will thoughtfully select a book along with a small journal; a Valentine's Day card; and a button, magnet, or sticker. Shopping for a kiddo? Just choose the age range from the drop-down menu, and we'll do the rest!

Valentine's Day Gift Bundle for Kids!

Valentine's Day Gift Bundle for Adults!

Upcoming Events

Subscribe to our Crowdcast Channel!

Wed., January 27 at 6 p.m. CT

Virtual Book Launch: Ida B. the Queen by Michelle Duster

For this event, Michelle Duster will be in conversation with Karen Hawkins.

Ida B. the Queen tells the awe-inspiring story of an pioneering woman who was often overlooked and underestimated—a woman who refused to exit a train car meant for white passengers, a woman who brought to light the horrors of lynching in America, a woman who co-founded the NAACP. This biography is written with a unique warmth by Wells’s great-granddaughter Michelle Duster.

Wednesday, February 3 at 7 p.m. CT

Virtual Author Conversation:

Gabriel Bump & Melissa Faliveno

Recently named a New York Times Book Review Notable Book of 2020 and a Chicago Public Library Best Book of 2020, Everywhere You Don't Belong is the alternately witty and heartbreaking debut novel from local author Gabriel Bump. The novel centers on Claude McKay Love, an average kid coping with abandonment, violence, riots, failed love, and societal pressures as he steers his way past the signposts of youth: childhood friendships, basketball tryouts, first love, first heartbreak, picking a college, moving away from home.

Saturday, February 6 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.

Valentine Pop-up Shop & Puzzle Exchange

In conjunction with Hygge Fest, the Andersonville Chamber of Commerce will be hosting a Jigsaw Puzzle Exchange in our back parking lot! Bring a puzzle, take a puzzle! Plus, we'll be hosting a pop-up shop featuring Valentine's Day cards and books we LOVE!

*Cash and cards accepted, but cards preferred*

Wednesday, February 10 at 7 p.m. CT

Virtual Conversation:

Emma Copley Eisenberg & Wendy C. Ortiz

As part of the paperback release tour for The Third Rainbow Girl, Emma Copley Eisenberg and Wendy C. Ortiz (Excavation) will be discussing the parallels in their books and lives, delving into the non-binaries of evil and the constantly shifting nature of causing and receiving harm.

Wednesday, February 17 at 11 a.m. CT

Virtual Story time with Cozbi Cabrera

Mama’s love is brighter than the sun, even on the rainiest of days. This celebration of a mother-daughter relationship is perfect for sharing with little ones! Join us on Women & Children First's Facebook Page for this recorded story time!

Tuesday, February 23 at 6 p.m. CT

Virtual Book Launch: DEAR BLACK GIRL

by Tamara Winfrey Harris

"Dear Dope Black Girl, You don't know me, but I know you. I know you because I am you! We are magic, light, and stars in the universe." So begins a letter that Tamara Winfrey Harris received as part of her Letters to Black Girls project, where she asked black women to write honest, open, and inspiring letters of support to young black girls aged thirteen to twenty-one. In Dear Black Girl, Winfrey Harris organizes a selection of these letters, providing "a balm for the wounds of anti-black-girlness" and modeling how black women can nurture future generations.

Wednesday, February 24 at 7 p.m. CT

Virtual Book Launch: THE UPSTAIRS HOUSE

by Julia Fine

For this event, Julia will be in conversation with Rebecca Makkai!

Ravaged and sore from giving birth to her first child, Megan is mostly raising her newborn alone while her husband travels for work. Physically exhausted and mentally drained, she’s also wracked with guilt over her unfinished dissertation—a thesis on mid-century children’s literature.

Monday, March 1 at 7 p.m. CT

Virtual Conversation: Randa Jarrar

& Leila Abdelrazaq

Randa Jarrar is a fearless voice of dissent who has been called "politically incorrect" (Michelle Goldberg, The New York Times). When Jarrar finds herself captivated by the story of a celebrated Egyptian belly dancer's journey across the United States in the 1940s, she sets off from her home in California to her parents' in Connecticut.