Early One Morning
Lawrence Schimel
Illustrated by Elīna Brasliņa
Two board books for pre-school readers that have provoked a storm in Europe are now available in New Zealand and Australia.
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| From Bedtime, Not Playtime! |
Hungary has fined a bookseller that stocks Bedtime, Not Playtime! and Early One Morning as its parliament introduces a ban on showing same-sex relationships in materials for people aged under 18.
The European Commission has responded with legal action against Hungary for violations of the fundamental rights of LGBTQI people, related to the new law and the book banning.
Bedtime, Not Playtime! and Early One Morning feature rainbow families in stories that simply show them living their daily lives.
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| From Early One Morning |
Author Lawrence Schimel has condemned the Hungarian government as “trying to normalise hate and prejudice with these concerted attacks against books like mine
“In these stories, the fact that the parents are two mums or two dads is incidental to the story,” he said. “These families don’t only experience homophobia, they also have fun.”
Oratia Books is proud to publish these books in Australasia, and stands alongside Lawrence, Elīna and the 20 other publishers of the books around the world in condemning the actions of the Hungarian government.
The authors
Lawrence Schimel is an American author and translator who writes in English and Spanish and has published over 120 books in a range of genres. He lives in Madrid, Spain, where he founded the local Society of Children’s Book Writers.
Elīna Brasliņa is an award-winning illustrator who has almost 20 books to her name, mostly for children and young adults. She has translated numerous Latvian books into English. Also a printmaker and film production designer, she lives in Riga, Latvia.
