The book's creators
The Author - Gayle E. Pitman
This Day in June is the debut work of Gayle E. Pitman, and the first of many 2SLGBTQIA+ childrens books that Pitman would go on to write as a form of both advocacy and representation for the community.
“LGBTQ+ history is largely hidden, and one of my goals in writing these stories is to bring visibility to that history. So many LGBTQ+ people feel invisible and unmoored, and one way to root people into a community is to share our histories with one another. Thankfully, two states (California and New Jersey) now require LGBTQ+ history to be incorporated into public school curriculum, and other states are moving in that direction.” - Pitman (CBC Diversity)
Writing is Pitman’s secondary career, as she spends the majority of her time enlightening minds as the Vice President of Institutional Equity, Effectiveness, and Success at Hartnell College. This is only her most recent addition to her academic career, having previously worked at Sacramento City College for 22 years as a full-time Professor of Psychology and Women & Gender Studies, and then as the Dean of Planning, Research, and Institutional Effectiveness.
With her expertise in women and gender studies, Pitman is frequently invited as a guest speaker to schools for grades from kindergarten all the way up to grade 12. Through both these talks and her eight published picture books, she works to provide children with diverse knowledge of 2SLGBTQIA+ people and their history.
“Children might ask questions when they’re confronted with a situation that challenges the gender binary. Answering those questions directly and honestly helps them better understand gender as a spectrum. Children who are gender-creative may have questions at an early age about the reactions others have to them, or about the physical and emotional feelings they’re experiencing.” -Pitman (Sutton)
The Illustrator - Kristyna Litten
The artist who brings the parade of colour within This Day in June to life is none other than Kristyna Litten. Litten is no stranger to children's books, having worked on over a dozen published picture books.
She brings a unique, bright style to the page that carries a sense of whimsy with its soft round shapes. She places a high value on texture, prefering to draw fast to "give an energetic line quality to her illustrations" (Arena Illustrations).
Litten graduated from the Ediburgh College of Art and works in a variety of media, including textiles and hand drawn typography. She is also a writer, having authored and illustrated several of her own books, such as Ori's Stars, Ziggy and the Moonlight Show, and her non-fiction book Around The World in 80 Dogs.
Sources
CBC Diversity. “Author Interview with Gayle E. Pitman.” CBC Diversity, 28 June 2019, cbcdiversity.tumblr.com/post/185912819588/author-interview-with-gayle-e-pitman.
“Gayle E. Pitman, Ph.D. - East West Literary Agency, Children'S Book Publishing, Illustrators.” East West Literary Agency, Children’s Book Publishing, Illustrators, 22 Oct. 2021, eastwestliteraryagency.com/book_author/gayle-pitman.
“Kristyna Litten - Arena Illustration.” Arena Illustration, www.arenaillustration.com/artists/kristyna-litten.
Kristyna Litten – Peachtree Publishing Company Inc. www.peachtreebooks.com/illustrator/kristyna-litten.
Sutton, Roger. “Publishers’ Preview: Diversity Five Ways: Five Questions for Gayle E. Pitman.” The Horn Book, www.hbook.com/story/publishers-preview-diversity-five-ways-five-questions-for-gayle-e-pitman.