Acclaimed Kiwi children's book author Graci Kim can no longer promote her latest novel, Dreamslinger, with a US book tour due to political concerns. Photo / Supplied
Acclaimed Kiwi children's book author Graci Kim can no longer promote her latest novel, Dreamslinger, with a US book tour due to political concerns. Photo / Supplied
Graci Kim’s US school tour for her new book, Dreamslinger, has been called off due to political concerns.
Teachers feared a backlash in the present US political environment, affecting visits for “certain groups of writers”.
Kim’s American publisher plans a belated tour, while her New Zealand tour proceeds with strong local support.
A New York Times bestselling children’s book author from New Zealand will no longer head on a United States school tour to promote her upcoming novel, after teachers expressed concerns about a potential backlash in the country’s “current political environment”.
Graci Kim told the Herald she’s been unable to schedule school visits to celebrate the launch of her latest book, Dreamslinger, on April 29 – despite having “no problems” doing so on successful US tours for her earlier works.
Kim, born in South Korea and raised in Aotearoa from the age of 3, is best known for her middle-grade fantasy trilogy, Gifted Clans. Set in contemporary Los Angeles, the series blends elements of Korean mythology and culture into its storyline.
After a decade-long career in diplomacy, Kim released her debut novel in 2021 and has since relied heavily on school visits to connect with young readers.
She had planned another tour to celebrate Dreamslinger‘s release later this month, but the acclaimed author recently shared with Facebook followers that securing school visits had become “increasingly difficult”, especially “for certain groups of writers”.
“As a writer of Korean heritage, with a Korean name, and with books that draw inspiration from Korean culture and mythology, my visit could be seen as a ‘diversity and inclusion’ initiative, and therefore something that could invite scrutiny and challenge from their schools, boards, or authorities,” Kim shared on Facebook.
In a conversation with the Herald, the 38-year-old author and mother said while many factors dictate these decisions, feedback from teachers suggested there were concerns her books could become targets in the culture war debate affecting US schools.
“What I was hearing was definitely fear,” Kim said, adding American teachers and librarians face “so much uncertainty” in a fractious socio-political landscape.
“Does it make a difference that I am who I am and I write what I write? I think absolutely, yes.”
Despite her setback in the US, Kim says she’s received “so much support” at home from schools, readers, and her publisher, which is “something for us to be proud of” as Kiwis.
Kim plans to undergo an in-person US tour later this year, "with the hope that the landscape has shifted somewhat by then". Photo / 123rf
“My local publisher here, Penguin Random House, they’ve got an awesome school tour organised in May and it’s just a completely different world”.
Meanwhile, Kim’s US publisher, Disney, is continuing to support Dreamslinger‘s rollout in American bookstores while organising a “belated” in-person tour towards the end of the year, “with the hope that the landscape has shifted somewhat by then”.
Acknowledging it’s still a “crappy situation” to be in, Kim sees her continued writing as both “an act of rebellion” and an “act of joy and compassion”.
She says the experience has also highlighted how many educators, booksellers and publishers are “trying their best to counter the uncertainty” that writers and readers alike are facing.
“I’m going to continue writing these stories because I have a sense of responsibility for these kids that I write for, and I refuse to let them down”, Kim said.
“Whatever the circumstances are, the choice to keep writing is mine and mine only, and that’s something that no one can take from me”.
