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To Our Readers
 Because of the Bologna Book Fair, there will be one issue of Children's Bookshelf next week, on Wednesday, live from Bologna. We'll have lots of news, photo highlights, and notes from all over in our special issue.
Exit Interview
 Good Old-Fashioned Bookselling: An Exit Interview with Betty Takeuchi
In 1975, Betty Takeuchi opened San Marino Toy and Book Shoppe in San Marino, Calif., helping guide generations of children’s booksellers and readers during a historic period of growth for the industry. We caught up with Takeuchi as she heads into retirement. more  
Book News
 Ian Falconer Switches Publishers for New Book Ian Falconer, creator of the internationally bestselling book series about Olivia the pig, is swapping porcine characters for canines in his first picture book outside of the Olivia universe: Two Dogs will be published by Harper’s Michael di Capua Books in April 2020. “After Olivia, dachshunds seemed natural because our family has always had dachshunds,” Falconer said. more  Gidwitz Expands Collaborative Middle Grade Series Due out this April, The Chupacabras of the Río Grande is Newbery Honor-winning author Adam Gidwitz's third collaboration in the Unicorn Rescue Society series for middle graders. We spoke with Gidwitz and co-author David Bowles about the inspiration for their fantasy novel, which takes place on the U.S.-Mexican border. more
In the News
 PRH Acquires Little Tiger Group Penguin Random House is acquiring Little Tiger Group, a publisher of children's books based in London. more  Children’s Comics Authors Appear at C2E2 The 10th Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo, better known as C2E2, attracted tens of thousands of fans, and a major lineup of publishers and comics stars, including a number of children's authors. more
Reading Roundups
 Noteworthy Novel Sequels: March 2019 This month, middle grade and YA novel sequels offer fantasy realms, super (and not so super) heroes, middle grade adventures, reformed bullies, and theater kids. more
In the Winners'
Circle
 2019 Pannell Award Winners Announced The Women’s National Book Association has announced the winners of its 2019 Pannell Awards, which are presented annually to two bookstores that enhance their communities by fostering a love of reading. more
Licensing News
 Licensing Hotline: March 2019 Last December, Scholastic published Baby Shark: Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo Doo, a paperback book based on the wildly popular public-domain song and YouTube video. The book has shipped 300,000 copies as of mid-March, and a second title, Bedtime for Baby Shark, is planned for July 2019. Read on for news about Random House's new Minecraft fiction series; Carlton Books' new Disney license for augmented-reality formats; Studio Fun’s Lost Kitties tie-ins; Sterling’s Wetmore Forest books; Bob Books' license for VersaTiles; and more. more
Q & A
 Raúl the Third Author-illustrator Raúl the Third's 2014 debut, Lowriders in Space, featured Latinx characters and lowrider cars. Two more Lowrider volumes followed; the second won the Pura Belpré Award. Raúl's new picture book, Vamos! Let’s Go to the Market, explores the Mercado de Cuauhtémoc—Ciudad Juárez’s market across the river from El Paso, Tex. Raúl spoke with us about his story. Q: Do you feel like an artist with more ideas than you’ll ever get down on paper? A: It took me a while to begin to create artwork that was about myself and who I was. I had been trained to shy away from that. It was almost as if I had opened up this well full of material. Suddenly, I went from having a difficult time creating artwork to having a difficult time catching up with all these ideas. I became proud of my grandparents who opened up the market in Juárez. more
Out Next Week
 Hot Off the Presses: Week of April 1, 2019 Among the books hitting shelves next week are a picture book about the creatures who live on the forest floor, a time-traveling middle grade adventure, and a YA novel about two friends who travel to India. more
Rights Report
 Emilia Rhodes at HMH has preempted world
English rights to Sarah Everett's Some Other Now. Pitched as This
Is Us meets 500 Days of Summer, the YA novel features a teenage
girl caught between two brothers, alternating between the summer that she
falls in love, and the summer that her ex-boyfriend returns from college and
asks her to pretend they're dating again for the final months of his mother's
life. Publication is planned for fall 2020; Suzie Townsend at New Leaf
Literary & Media brokered the deal.  Bess Cozby at Tor Teen has bought world
English rights to Demetra Brodsky's The Juniper Sisters, a
novel about sisterhood, survival, and family secrets. Three sisters raised as
doomsday preppers face a different kind of threat when one sister's actions
draw unwanted attention to the secret compound where they live. As the
group's leader's erratic actions increase, they will have to decide if it's
better to run or take their chances against the people sworn to protect them.
Publication is set for May 2020; Suzie Townsend and Devin Ross at New Leaf
Literary & Media handled the deal.  Maya Marlette at Scholastic has acquired Leah
Johnson's debut YA rom-com, You Should See Me in a Crown. Liz, a
self-declared band-geek, has always felt like an outsider as one of the only
black kids in her small, prom-obsessed Midwestern hometown—so it's no
surprise she's not the most obvious choice for prom queen. But with a college
scholarship on the line, Liz decides to enter the race, only to fall for the
competition. Publication is slated for 2020; Sarah Landis at Sterling Lord
Literistic negotiated the deal for world rights.  Lee Wade at Random House/Schwartz & Wade
has acquired, at auction, Secrets & Spies: The Hidden Life of
Codebreaker Elizebeth Smith Friedman by Amy Butler Greenfield, a
YA biography about America's first female cryptanalyst. Publication is
scheduled for spring 2021; Sara Crowe at Pippin Properties brokered the deal
for North American rights.  Alessandra Balzer at HarperCollins/Balzer +
Bray has bought world English rights to The Shape of Thunder, a middle
grade novel by Jasmine Warga. Set a year after a school shooting has
devastated a small Ohio town, the novel follows two 12-year-old best friends
as they hatch a seemingly impossible plan to try to make everything okay
again, and discover that hope might be the most impossible, but also the most
important, thing of all. Publication is planned for winter 2021; a second,
untitled novel was included in the deal. Brenda Bowen at Sanford J.
Greenburger Associates was the agent.  Deirdre Jones at Little, Brown has acquired Seven
Minutes of Magic by Henry Clark, author of What We Found in the
Sofa and How It Saved the World. In the quirky adventure with an
environmental twist, three children discover the secret of magic—that it can
only be done during seven separate minutes each day—and must use their
newfound knowledge to save not only their world but also a mysterious,
magical land in peril. Publication is slated for spring 2020; Hilary Harwell
at KT Literary negotiated the deal for world rights.  Christy Ottaviano at Holt/Ottaviano has bought
at auction Caroline Hickey's The Geography of Ginny P. Pitched
as See You in the Cosmos meets The Miscalculations of Lightning
Girl, the book tells the story of a boisterous girl whose geography
obsession helps her navigate a lonely summer in a new town and the absence of
her deployed dad. Publication is set for winter 2011; Alex Glass at Glass
Literary Management did the two-book deal for North American rights.  Keith Garton at Red Chair/One Elm has acquired
world English rights to Into the Wind, a novel by William Loizeaux.
The middle grade novel features an unlikely friendship between young and old,
and explores the complexity, emotional depth, and capacity for sympathy in a
child's life. Publication is scheduled for early 2021; the author represented
himself.  Lauri Hornik at Dial has bought Corinna
Luyken's The Arguers, a fable-like picture book about a town that
has been full of arguing folk for as long as anyone can remember. But when a
contest is set to determine the champion arguer once and for all, will the
citizens be able to put aside their differences to follow the rules?
Publication is planned for fall 2021; Steven Malk at Writers House brokered
the deal for world rights.  Talia Benamy at Philomel has acquired The
Bear Must Go On illustrator Brandon Todd's solo debut, Tou-Can't,
in which a young toucan tries to keep up with his older sister, but he just
"tou-can't." Publication is slated for summer 2021; John Rudolph at
Dystel, Goderich & Bourret negotiated the deal for world rights.  Tom Peterson at the Creative Company has
bought world rights to Knowing the Name of a Bird, written by Jane
Yolen (l.) and illustrated by Jori van der Linde, a poetic picture
book about birds and all the ways we know them beyond what we name them.
Publication is set for fall 2020; Elizabeth Harding at Curtis Brown
represented the author, and Kate Moore at Sullivan Moore represented the
artist.  Allison Hunter Hill at Page Street Kids has
acquired world rights to Hair, a picture book by M.L. Marroquin
(l.), illustrated by Tonya Engel, in which a girl celebrates her
natural hair in verse. Publication is scheduled for fall 2020; the author
represented herself, and Gail Gaynin at Morgan Gaynin represented the
illustrator.  Andrea Hall at Albert Whitman has bought world
rights to First Beach Day by Nancy Viau (l.). The rhyming
picture book explores all the ways a family can have fun at the beach.
Publication is planned for spring 2020; Charlie Alder will illustrate.
The author represented herself, and Alex Gehringer at the Bright Agency
represented the illustrator.  Phoebe Yeh at Crown has acquired Louisa
Jaggar (l.) and Shari R. Becker's Sprouting Wings,
illustrated by Floyd Cooper. The nonfiction picture book biography is
about James Herman Banning and Thomas Allen, the first African-American
pilots to complete a transcontinental flight. Publication is set for summer
2020; Gina Maccoby at Gina Maccoby Literary Agency handled the deal for world
rights.
To see all of this week's deals, click here.
IN THE MEDIA
SHELFTALKER
Cynthia Compton Spring Has Sprung, the Grass Is Riz
Spring is the best season of all in a children’s bookstore.
more »
Kenny Brechner The Compelling Conundrum of Middle School Events
Middle school events are often the most dynamic and the least
financially successful. What to do?
more »
Elizabeth Bluemle Board Books vs. Common Sense
When choosing which books to turn into board books, publishers
seem to be forgetting how young toddlers really are.
more »
Meghan Dietsche Goel Making Mistakes and Falling in Love
A trio of LGBTQ graphic novels take readers into the messy ups
and downs of teen romance.
FEATURED
REVIEWS
 Where Are You From? Yamile Saied Méndez, illus. by Jaime Kim. HarperCollins, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-06-283993-0 A girl with brown skin and dark curly pigtails encounters variations on the title question over and over. “Is your mom from here?” asks her ballet teacher. “Is your dad from there?” asks a friend’s mother. From her Abuelo, the girl learns she comes from the Pampas region of Argentina. Although the book begins as a gentle riposte to narrow cultural and ethnic categorizations, its conclusion reaches out to all readers, evoking both heritage and the human family. more   Her
Fearless Run: Kathrine Switzer’s Historic Boston Marathon Kim Chaffee, illus. by Ellen Rooney. Page Street Kids, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-62414-654-1 Kathrine Switzer turned heads when she ran—doing laps around her yard at a time when girls weren’t supposed to sweat, competing with the boys’ track team in college, and, in 1967, as the first woman to officially complete the Boston Marathon. Chaffee’s effective telling of Switzer’s iconic story emphasizes persistence, ambition, and discipline. more  Finding Orion John David Anderson. Walden Pond, $16.99 (368p) ISBN 978-0-06-264389-6 Rion has always felt that his family is strange, but even he is shocked when news of his grandfather’s death is delivered via a clown with a singing telegram. Rion’s father has never forgiven Papa Kwirk for his absent parenting and is content to bury him without resolution, but that proves impossible when they discover that the casket is empty except for one tantalizing clue: “To find me, start digging in our favorite spot.” more  Crossing on Time: Steam Engines, Fast Ships, and a Journey to the New
World David Macaulay. Roaring Brook, $24.99 (128p) ISBN 978-1-59643-477-6 Macaulay continues to amaze with his architect-trained eye for detail and ability to make the complex understandable. His latest demystifies steam power and its use in ships through the mid-20th century. Bookending the steamship chronicle is the story of the author’s boyhood immigration from Great Britain to the U.S. in 1957 aboard the fastest transatlantic passenger steamship at the time, the SS United States. more  Girl Gone Viral Arvin Ahmadi. Viking, $17.99 (416p) ISBN 978-0-425-28990-7 In this near-future thriller, when 17-year-old coder Opal Tal’s father went missing seven years earlier, she attempted to track him down by reaching out to his business partner, Howie Mendelsohn. But Opal’s requests were ignored. Now a senior at Palo Alto Academy of Science and Technology, she is given an opportunity to meet Howie by entering the Make-a-Splash competition on WAVE, a virtual reality social media site that Howie created. more
TALES FROM THE
SLUSH PILE
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March 28, 2019
     
ICYMI
Sneak Previews
 Take a look ahead at some of the big titles for children and teens due out this fall, from picture books to YA novels, in our exclusive roundup.
Follow Us
 Children's Bookshelf is on Instagram! Follow us @pwkidsbookshelf.
Bookshelf
Archives
Looking for a previous issue of Children's Bookshelf? Click here for
our archives page!
CONTACT US
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School and
Library Spotlight
 Librarians Harness Instagram Today’s librarians are typically well versed in social media, and for many, one picture-friendly platform shines brighter than the rest: Instagram. We spoke with a number of school and public librarians about how they are using 'Library-stagrams' for promotion, professional development, and fun. more
In the News
 2019 Carle Honors Announced The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art has revealed the recipients of the 14th annual Carle Honors. This year's honors will be presented in New York City on September 26, hosted by author-illustrator Grace Lin and Little, Brown Books for Young Readers v-p and editor-in-chief Alvina Ling. more
Comics News
 In Her First YA Graphic Novel, Lauren Myracle Takes On Catwoman This spring, DC is releasing the first titles from DC Books for Young Readers, a new publishing unit composed of imprints DC Zoom, for middle grade readers, and DC Ink, for young adults. YA author Lauren Myracle spoke with us about her debut graphic novel, which is part of the launch list, Under the Moon: A Catwoman Tale. more
On the Scene
 On Tour with Marcus Emerson Author Marcus Emerson recently set out on a national book tour to launch his new middle grade adventure Ben Braver and the Incredible Exploding Kid, sequel to last year's The Super Life of Ben Braver. Over the course of the tour, Emerson presented to approximately 2,200 kids. Click through to see our selection of highlights from the events, which included readings, drawing demos, and more. more
Q & A
 Lucy Strange Lucy Strange's second historical novel for young readers, Our Castle by the Sea, thrusts her protagonist Petra's family into intrigue at the start of World War II. Strange spoke with us about her latest novel's timely message, and weaving history with fantasy as she also did in her debut, The Secret of Nightingale Wood. Q: Why did you decide to blend history and magic in Our Castle by the Sea? A: I think the more real the world is in the story the more effective the magical realism is, because if the world feels very concrete and then you have an element of the supernatural seeping into the story—if it’s done well—then you’ll get goosebumps. And you’ll get this very odd kind of feeling of vertigo where you’re not quite sure what’s real and what's not. The historical elements ground the story in reality. more
Out Next Week
 Hot Off the Presses: Week of March 25, 2019 Among the books hitting shelves next week are a picture book about a book hoarding pig who can't read, a middle grade novel about a bully who gets a second chance, and a myth-infused science fiction YA novel. more
In Brief
 In Brief: March 21, 2019 This week, a debut author brings her story of survival into the light; an actor-turned-author celebrates her debut; Hena Khan attends a Washington Wizards pregame; and author-illustrator Ben Clanton makes new friends. more
Rights Report
 Sara Goodman at Wednesday Books has acquired Estelle
Laure's YA novel, Remember Me. Inspired by Eternal Sunshine of
the Spotless Mind, the story follows Remy, who rediscovers herself while
on a mission to recover the troubling memories she has had erased in order to
avoid her heartbreak. Publication is scheduled for spring 2021; Emily van
Beek at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management negotiated the deal for North
American rights.  David Linker at HarperCollins has bought We
Are the Ants author Shaun David Hutchinson's The State of Us,
the story of Dean and Dre—the 16-year-old sons of the Republican and
Democratic candidates for President of the United States—who fall in love on
the sidelines of their parents' presidential campaigns. The book is planned
for summer 2020; Katie Shea Boutillier at Donald Maass Literary Agency
brokered the deal for world rights.  Joy Peskin at FSG has acquired North American
rights to Indies Introduce New Voices author Marisa Reichardt's
contemporary YA novel, Juniper Jade v. Her Parents. After contracting
the measles and unknowingly passing them to a newborn, 16-year-old Juniper
Jade fights her anti-vaxxer parents for the right to be vaccinated, as public
sentiment in their small California town turns against her family.
Publication is slated for winter 2021; Kate Testerman at KT Literary handled
the deal.  Kelsy Thompson at Flux has bought Jennifer
Gruenke's debut novel, Of Silver and Shadow, a YA high fantasy set
in the magical world of Denfell, where Ren, a silver wielder in hiding,
strikes a deal with a broody rebel plotting to overthrow the king.
Publication is set for spring 2020; Hilary Harwell at KT Literary negotiated
the deal for world English rights.  Kristin Rens at HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray
has acquired at auction Chantel Acevedo's middle grade debut, Muse
Squad: The Cassandra Curse. The first book in a series, the story is
centered on Callie Martinez, an 11-year old Cuban-American girl, who
discovers she's one of the nine muses of classical history when she
accidentally turns her best friend into a pop star. A Latino International
Book Award winner and finalist of the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in
Fiction, Acevedo is published on the adult side by Europa Editions.
Publication is planned for summer 2020; Stéphanie Abou at Massie McQuilkin
Literary Agents did the deal for North American, audio, and open market
rights.  Reka Simonsen at Atheneum has bought two
middle grade novels by Jamie Sumner. The Survival Playlist is
the story of 12-year-old Lou Montgomery, a talented singer with a flighty,
fame-hungry mother and an undiagnosed sensory processing disorder that makes
performing nearly unbearable. Publication is scheduled for fall 2020, with a
second, untitled novel to follow in fall 2021; Keely Boeving at WordServe
Literary handled the deal for world rights.  Melissa Warten at FSG has acquired, at
auction, author Sarah Allen's debut middle grade novel What Stars
Are Made Of, an Own Voices novel that follows Libby, a smart, determined
girl living with Turner syndrome who strikes a bargain with the universe to
help her big sister's growing family, and along the way navigates a
coming-of-age that is at once relatable and extraordinary. Publication is
slated for winter 2020; Brianne Johnson at Writers House brokered the
two-book, six-figure deal for North American English rights.  Phoebe Yeh at Crown has bought Betty Culley's
middle grade novel Stone from the Sky. Science meets wonder when a
boulder-sized meteorite falls in the field outside Henry's home in Maine,
destroying roads and eventually washing away his house. Soon the town's water
supply dries up, and it is up to Henry, who comes from a long line of water
drillers and dowsers, to restore the flow of water—but what if he doesn't
have the gift of water dowsing? Publication is set for fall 2021; Steven
Chudney at the Chudney Agency handled the two-book deal for world rights.  Brian Geffen at Holt has acquired, in a
preempt, Races to the Bottom of the Earth by Rebecca E.F. Barone.
Equal parts adventure and science, the middle grade nonfiction book offers an
account of two different races to the South Pole, bringing to life the
expeditions of explorers separated by 100 years but intent on the same goal—completing
a history-making journey to the end of the Earth. Publication is scheduled
for winter 2021; Michael Bourret at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret negotiated
the deal for world rights.  Luana Horry at HarperCollins has bought world
rights to Danielle Murrell Cox's debut board book My Hair, a
celebration of the multiplicity and vibrancy of African-American/black
hairstyles for girls. Publication is planned for summer 2020; Murrell Cox
represented herself.  Carol Hinz at Lerner/Millbrook has acquired
world rights to Marcie Flinchum Atkins's debut picture book, Wait,
Rest, Pause, about how plants and animals use dormancy to survive harsh
conditions in nature, for Millbrook's new nonfiction photographic picture
book initiative. Publication is slated for September 2019; Roseanne Wells at
the Jennifer De Chiara Literary Agency brokered the deal.  Christian Trimmer at Holt has bought, in an
exclusive submission, Santa Baby by Jonathan Stutzman and Heather
Fox, in which Santa is feeling his age and uses a little Christmas magic
to become young again—he's aiming for his 20s, but ends up a baby. And now,
with just days before Christmas, the elves must teach Santa Baby all he needs
to know to make the holiday a success. Publication is set for fall 2020;
Elena Giovinazzo at Pippin Properties did the deal for North American rights.
 Stephanie Pitts at Putnam has acquired world
rights to Amy Guglielmo's Just Being Dali, be illustrated by Brett
Helquist, a picture book biography about the irrepressible individuality
of the artist Salvador Dali. Publication is scheduled for spring 2021;
Stephen Barbara at InkWell Management represented the author, and Steven Malk
at Writers House represented the illustrator.  Charlotte Wenger at Page Street Kids has
bought world rights to Over in the Blue Ridge, a debut picture book by
Laura Sperry Gardner (l.). The book is a southern Appalachian
adaptation of the traditional folk song "Over in the Meadow." Stephanie
Fizer Coleman will illustrate; publication is planned for winter 2021.
The author represented herself, and Alex Gehringer at the Bright Agency represented
the illustrator.  Barb McNally at Sleeping Bear Press has
acquired world rights to Boats Will Float by Andria Warmflash
Rosenbaum, illustrated by Brett Curzon. The picture book follows
every kind of boat imaginable though their busy days and into their nighttime
moorings. Publication is slated for spring 2020; Natalie Lakosil at Bradford
Literary Agency represented the author, and Christy T. Ewers at the CAT
Agency represented the illustrator.  Asia Citro at Innovation Press has bought
world rights to Klyde the Kraken Wants a Hug, a picture book by Brooke
Hartman (l.), illustrated by Katy Halford. When Klyde tries his
monster-sized squeezes on some swashbuckling friends, things turn out less
than ship-shape. Thankfully, his new pals teach Klyde the way to get the hugs
he's looking for, in a tale that lightly broaches the topics of boundaries
and consent. Publication is set for fall 2020; Clelia Gore at Martin Literary
Management represented the author, and Bethany Sparks at Plum Pudding
Illustration Agency represented the illustrator.
To see all of this week's deals, click here.
IN THE MEDIA
SHELFTALKER
Kenny Brechner When Go To Books Go Away
A method is proposed of identifying books that have been retired
before their time.
more »
Cynthia Compton Let the Children Read
A bookseller celebrates the value of “old fashioned” books for
children in a screen-filled age.
more »
Elizabeth Bluemle Not Your Kid’s Picture Book Anymore
There are so many picture books that are most loved by adults,
but how do we help them reach their audience?
more »
Leslie Hawkins Family Is Family
Spellbound hosts a very different kind of family celebration at
the bookstore.
FEATURED
REVIEWS
 You Are New Lucy Knisley. Chronicle, $17.99 (52p) ISBN 978-1-4521-6156-3 Cartoonist Knisley makes her solo picture book debut with a hearty welcome to the new babies of the world: “Hello, you! You are new. When you’re new... what can you do?” Working in a bold graphic design style, she depicts babies of different ages and backgrounds observing and interacting with their environments. It’s a vivacious celebration of new arrivals and the many wonders to explore. more  Duckworth, the Difficult Child Michael Sussman, illus. by Júlia Sardà. Atheneum, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-5344-0512-7 Duckworth has a problem: a scarlet serpent as big as a minivan is coiled in his closet, and his parents, immersed in their new copy of Dealing with Your Difficult Child, are unconcerned. Then the snake swallows Duckworth—neatly, so that he can still hold a conversation. Sardà creates an elegantly chilly atmosphere for Duckworth’s Treehorn Trilogy–esque drawing room comedy. more  Pie in the Sky Remy Lai. Holt, $21.99 (384p) ISBN 978-1-250-31410-9 Lai centers her incisive illustrated debut novel on Jingwen, who moves from his unspecified home country to Australia with his mother and younger brother Yanghao after his father’s death. The boy mourns the loss of his father and feels like an alien among his fifth-grade classmates. Summoning memories of baking with Papa, Jingwen imagines the cakes they’d anticipated selling at Pie in the Sky, the bakery they planned to open upon moving. more  The Moon
Within Aida Salazar. Scholastic/Levine, $17.99 (240p) ISBN 978-1-338-28337-2 Writing in clear, lyrical first-person verse, debut author Salazar gives voice to 11-year-old dance enthusiast, Oakland-based Celi Rivera, as she grapples with her changing body and a first crush, as well as familial and cultural expectations about growing into womanhood. Celi describes her heritage as “Black-Puerto Rican-Mexican-ness,” and she is particularly dreading the start of her period, because her mother insists that she celebrate with a “moon ceremony,” an ancestral Mexica tradition. more  The Line
Tender Kate Allen. Dutton, $17.99 (384p) ISBN 978-0-7352-3160-3 In Rockport, Mass., budding artist and narrator Lucy, 12, does everything with her best friend Fred, a keen scientist, including writing an extra credit field guide to local wildlife. When family friend and fisherman Sookie accidentally catches a great white shark, TV stations broadcast old footage of Lucy’s marine biologist mother, a shark expert who died suddenly when Lucy was seven, dredging up old feelings for the girl. more  I Wish You All the Best Mason Deaver. Push, $17.99 (336p) ISBN 978-1-338-30612-5 In an emotionally complex story about finding acceptance and redefining family, 18-year-old Ben is rejected by their parents when they come out as nonbinary. They’re taken in by their older sister, Hannah, who was also driven out by their conservative and judgmental parents 10 years earlier. A powerful illustration of the ways that compassion and love can overcome intolerance. more
TALES FROM THE
SLUSH PILE
 |
March 21, 2019
  
People
Random House Children's Books has several promotions. Maria
Modugno has been promoted executive editorial director at Random House
Books for Young Readers, from editorial director. Erin Clarke has been
promoted to editorial director at Knopf Books for Young Readers, from senior
executive editor. Katherine Harrison has been promoted to senior
editor at Knopf Books for Young Readers, from editor. Kelly Delaney
has been promoted to editor at Knopf Books for Young Readers, from associate
editor. Karen Greenberg has been promoted to associate editor at Knopf
Books for Young Readers, from assistant editor. Marisa Dinovis has
been promoted to associate editor at Knopf Books for Young Readers, from
assistant editor. Dana Carey has been promoted to associate editor at
Wendy Lamb Books, from assistant editor.
Ellen Kokontis has joined Cottage Door Press as art director; previously she
was associate art director at Albert Whitman & Company.
Oona Patrick has been promoted to senior production editor at Bloomsbury Children's Books, from production editor.
In the Winners'
Circle
 Philip Pullman, author of the His Dark Materials series, is the recipient of this year’s J.M. Barrie Award, given annually by Action for Children’s Arts in recognition of a lifetime’s achievement in delighting children. The award will be presented at a ceremony in London in the fall. For more information, click here.  Lee & Low Books’s Tu imprint has announced the winner of its sixth annual New Visions Award for new authors of color. Monica Zepeda has won for her contemporary YA manuscript, Boys of the Beast, and Michelle Jones Coles’s YA historical fiction manuscript Woke has received the New Visions Award Honor. Zepeda will receive a cash prize of $2,000 and a publishing contract with Lee & Low; publication of Boys of the Beast is planned for fall 2020. For the complete list of this year’s finalists, click here.  The Boy at the Back of the Class by Onjali Q. Raúf (Delacorte) is the winner of this year’s overall £5,000 Waterstones Children’s Book Prize. Tomi Adeyemi’s Children of Blood and Bone (Holt) won the prize in the older fiction category, and The Girls by Lauren Ace and Jenny Løvlie (Rodale) won in the illustrated category. For more information, click here.
ICYMI
Sneak Previews
Take a look ahead at some of the big titles for children and teens due out this fall, from picture books to YA novels, in our exclusive roundup.
Follow Us
Children's Bookshelf is on Instagram! Follow us @pwkidsbookshelf.
Bookshelf
Archives
Looking for a previous issue of Children's Bookshelf? Click here for
our archives page!
CONTACT US
Have a comment or
suggestion? We'd love to hear from you. Click here to drop us a note. |
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Bologna Preview
 New Attractions at Bologna 2019 Two new exhibition halls and additional programming bring excitement to the upcoming Bologna Children’s Book Fair, which runs from April 1–4 in Bologna, Italy. more  Trends to Watch for In Bologna We spoke with a dozen literary agents and scouts attending this year’s Bologna Fair about trends they’ve been noticing in children’s and YA books, and what they’re expecting to see. more 
Obituary
 Marjorie Weinman Sharmat Author Marjorie Weinman Sharmat, creator of more than 130 books for children and young adults, and known for her beloved series about boy detective Nate the Great, died on March 12 at the age of 90. Beverly Horowitz, senior v-p and publisher at Delacorte Press, said, "Generations of kids learned to read and to think because of Marjorie and Nate." more
Book News
 The Enemy Child Who Became a Leader: A U.S. Congressman's Story of
Incarceration We spoke with author Andrea Warren about her research for Enemy Child, a timely nonfiction account of former congressman Norm Mineta, who was taken as a boy by military police with his Japanese-American family from their home in California to an internment camp in Wyoming, where they lived for the duration of World War II. "He went through this and did something with his life, to ensure that something like this doesn’t happen again," Warren said. more  Random House to Publish Spanish Editions of Seuss Classics
Beginning this spring, Random House Children’s Books will publish Spanish-language editions of classic picture books by the late Dr. Seuss. more
Digital News
 Epic Launches Original Content Program Fresh from announcing impressive company growth and an infusion of $30 million in new funding, Redwood, Calif.-based kids’ digital reading platform Epic has kicked off a line of exclusive, original content. The Epic Originals collection of books and videos went live today with the release of three titles. more
On the Scene
 2019 Tucson Festival of Books in Photos This year's Tucson Festival of Books took place at the University of Arizona on March 2–3. The event drew approximately 140,000 attendees and featured a lineup of 70 children's authors and storytellers, among other authors. Click through for our selection of photo highlights from the celebration. more
Q & A
 Andrew Smith Andrew Smith is the author of a number of YA novels, including the Printz Honor-winning Grasshopper Jungle. Smith’s first middle grade novel, The Size of the Truth, is a spin-off focused on Sam Abernathy, a character who first appeared in the teen novel Stand-Off. We spoke with Smith about writing for a middle grade audience, and the connections between his novels. Q: What made you decide to branch out to younger readers? A: I was on tour back in 2015 and my publicist had set up some visits to middle schools. At first, I said, “Why are you sending me to middle schools? I don’t really write for that audience.” She said, “Oh no. They have been asking for you for a long time.” The first middle school I got sent to on that tour was in Boise, Idaho. The kids there were devouring my young adult books, and I really keyed on their energy and thought, wow, I really would like to write something specifically for that age group. more
Rights Report
 Jennifer Ung at Simon Pulse has acquired Bruised
by Tanya Boteju, author of the forthcoming Kings, Queens, and
In-Betweens. The contemporary YA novel follows a teen girl as she
explores truths about family, grief, identity, sexuality, and love when she
immerses herself in the world of roller derby. Publication is scheduled for
spring 2021; Jim McCarthy at Dystel, Goderich, and Bourret negotiated the
deal for world rights.  Antonia Markiet and Megan Ilnitzki at
HarperCollins have bought, in a preempt, world rights to debut author Alysa
Wishingrad's The Verdigris Pawn, an upper middle grade fantasy
novel about a boy who must break free from being a pawn in his father's quest
for power if he is to save his people. Publication is slated for winter 2021;
Victoria Marini at the Irene Goodman Agency brokered the deal.  Lauren Bisom at DC Comics has signed Shannon
Hale (l.) and Dean Hale to write, and Victoria Ying to
illustrate the first tween Wonder Woman graphic novel, Diana, Princess of
the Amazons, for DC Comics' new DC Zoom imprint. Publication is planned
for January 2020; Barry Goldblatt at Barry Goldblatt Literary represented the
authors, and Heather Flaherty at the Bent Agency represented the illustrator,
in the deal for world rights.  Nicole Sclama at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has
acquired Frankie and Tin Heart author Shivaun Plozza's
debut middle grade novel, The Boy, the Wolf, and the Stars, about a
12-year-old boy searching for the wolf who can help return the Stars that
were stolen from the sky by a Dark Witch, rescuing the land of Ulv from the
witch's evil plans and the Dark Creatures that roam the night. Publication is
set for fall 2020; Katelyn Detweiler at Jill Grinberg Literary Management did
the deal for North American rights.  Carol Hinz at Lerner/Millbrook has bought a
middle grade work of nonfiction by Kate Messner, Tracking Pythons:
The Quest to Catch an Invasive Predator and Save an Ecosystem. The book
looks at how invasive Burmese pythons are affecting southern Florida and what
high-tech strategies scientists are using to keep these massive snakes from
taking over the ecosystem. Publication is scheduled for spring 2020; Jennifer
Laughran at Andrea Brown Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world
rights.  Nancy Mercado at Dial has acquired Women
Artists A-Z by Melanie LaBarge (l.) and illustrated by Caroline
Corrigan, an alphabet picture book that highlights women artists. By
using a concept from each artist's oeuvre (e.g. D is for Dots for Yayoi
Kusama; S is for Spider for Louise Bourgeois), the book animates the life and
stories of a diverse group of both known and unknown female artists, and
introduces art concepts to children of all ages. Publication is set for
spring 2020; Sarah Bowlin at Aevitas Creative represented the author and the
illustrator in the deal for world rights.  Jessica Echeverria at Lee & Low has bought
world rights to Bethany Hegedus's (l.) Rise! From Caged Bird to
Poet of the People, Maya Angelou, illustrated by Tonya Engel, the
first in-depth picture book biography of Dr. Angelou, tracing her life from
her early days in Arkansas to her work as a freedom fighter and rise as a
renowned poet, writer, and humanitarian. Publication is planned for fall
2019; Alexandra Penfold at Upstart Crow Literary represented the author, and
Gail Gaynin of Morgan Gaynin represented the illustrator.  Emily Feinberg at Roaring Brook has acquired
world rights to Bye Land, Bye Sea, a bilingual picture book
co-authored by Rodolfo Montalvo and René Spencer and
illustrated by Montalvo, which tells the story of two children who meet on a
deserted island and shows that friendship has no language barriers. The book
is slated for winter 2021; Joanna Volpe at New Leaf Literary & Media
represented the author and the illustrator.  Louise May at Lee & Low has bought world
rights to Monica Brown's (l.) Digging Up the Past: Peruvian
Archaeologist Julio C. Tello, a bilingual picture book biography about
the indigenous archaeologist considered the “father” of Peruvian archaeology.
Peruvian-American illustrator Elisa Chavarri will provide the artwork.
Publication is scheduled in 2020; Stefanie Sanchez Von Borstel at Full Circle
Literary represented the author, and Claire Easton at Painted Words
represented the illustrator.  Allison Hunter Hill at Page Street Kids has
acquired world rights to Celebration Bess, a picture book by Elizabeth
Gilbert Bedia (l.), illustrated by Katie Hickey. A steadfast barn
named Bess celebrates each season of farm life, but when a new owner plans to
tear her down, Bess proves that she is made to stand the test of time.
Publication is planned for fall 2020; the author represented herself, and
Helen Boyle at Pickled Ink represented the illustrator.
To see all of this week's deals, click here.
IN THE MEDIA
SHELFTALKER
Elizabeth Bluemle Not Your Kid’s Picture Book Anymore
There are so many picture books that are most loved by adults,
but how do we help them reach their audience?
more »
Leslie Hawkins Family Is Family
Spellbound hosts a very different kind of family celebration at
the bookstore.
more »
Cynthia Compton In Response to “The Problem with Problems”
Another bookseller responds to the recent Twitter storm against
YA titles.
more »
Kenny Brechner The Problem with Problems
When does expunging harm from children’s books become harmful?
FEATURED
REVIEWS
 Busy Babies Amy Schwartz. Beach Lane, $17.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-4814-4510-8 Babies and their guardians appear in eventful scenes illustrated with detailed patterns and splashy colors. A child in a highchair is seen “eating peas”; another baby is supine on a pink blanket, “rattling keys”; and a third is “clapping chubby hands.” Schwartz delicately captures the wonder of new experience in her spry, friendly artwork. more  A Normal
Pig K-Fai Steele. HarperCollins/Balzer + Bray, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-06-274857-7 Pip, the only spotted pig in her class, is “a normal pig who did normal stuff.” But Pip feels unmoored and vulnerable when a new pig at school points to her lunch of greens and dried seaweed and bellows, “Eww!! What are you eating?!” Instead of rushing in to fix things for Pip, her parents take her to the city for the first time, where she sees many different kinds of pigs, none of whom seems to feel that who they are (or what they eat) makes them strange. more  I Will Race You Through This Book! Jonathan Fenske. Penguin Workshop, $9.99 (32p) ISBN 978-1-5247-9195-7 Speed-reading takes on new meaning when a rabbit named Book-It Bunny challenges readers to a race in this interactive early-reader-turned-race-course. With long ears, buckteeth, and a tendency toward duplicity, Book-It proves to be a wily competitor. With fast-paced text and illustrations to match, Fenske has created a page-turning race that readers will surely want to run again. more  Share Your Smile: Raina’s Guide to Telling Your Own Story
Raina Telgemeier. Graphix, $12.99 (144p) ISBN 978-1-338-35384-6 Bestselling graphic novelist Telgemeier encourages readers to tell their stories and offers “tips, tricks, and inspirational kick-starters for getting your story down on paper.” Integrating sketches and sample art from her bestselling comics (as well as a few childhood photos), she describes her creative process. Blank panels provide space for readers to create their own drawings. An encouraging and compassionate guide for budding comics creators. more  Up for Air
Laurie Morrison. Amulet, $16.99 (288p) ISBN 978-1-4197-3366-6 Debut author Morrison, a former teacher, realistically captures the challenges of middle school—complicated family dynamics, volatile friendships, and first love—in this story about a girl struggling to find where she belongs. Though a learning disability makes school difficult despite tutoring and extra study sessions, Annabelle Wilner finds success on her swim team, where she is bumped up to the high school level. more  A Quick
& Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities Mady G. and J.R. Zuckerberg. Limerence, $9.99 paper (96p) ISBN 978-1-62010-586-3 This nonfiction graphic novel by #OwnVoices collaborators Mady G. and Zuckerberg packs a lot of useful information into a slim volume. Iggy, a snail, imparts terminology, concepts, and advice to other snails observing a campfire gathering of queer humans. Iggy begins by helpfully answering “What is queer?” and then considers topics such as gender identity and expression, dysphoria, and asexuality. more |
March 19, 2019
 
People
 Cecily Kaiser has been named director of preschool publishing at Penguin Workshop, as of April 1. She will create a developmental program that will encompass board books, novelty books, and 8x8s. Most recently she was children’s publisher at Phaidon Press, and before that launched the Appleseed imprint at Abrams.
Miriam Newman has been promoted to editor at Candlewick Press, from associate
editor.
Emily Mannon has
joined Holiday House as trade marketing coordinator; she was previously
marketing and project coordinator at Trustbridge.
Jamie Real has
been promoted to associate managing editor of children's books at Chronicle,
from assistant managing editor.
Lynn El-Roeiy has joined Little, Brown Books for Young Readers as design
assistant for picture books; previously she was marketing and publicity
assistant at Abrams.
Brian Murray has
joined Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing as marketing assistant.
Of Note
 The Highlights Foundation has announced the Diversity Fellowship in Children's Literature, a 24-month professional development and mentorship program for people of color and Indigenous authors or illustrators who are pursuing publication within the children's publishing industry. Mentors include author-illustrator Floyd Cooper, and authors Debbi Michiko Florence, Emma Otheguy, and Paula Chase Hyman, with more to be added. The Foundation is currently accepting applications for the Diversity Fellowship. For more information, click here.
In the Winners'
Circle
 The shortlists for the 2019 CILIP Carnegie and Kate Greenaway Medals, the U.K.’s oldest book awards for young readers, have been announced. For the first time, three verse novels have been shortlisted for the Carnegie Medal, all of which are by U.S. authors of color: Elizabeth Acevedo’s The Poet X, Kwame Alexander’s Rebound, and Jason Reynolds’s Long Way Down. Debut author-illustrator Jessica Love has been shortlisted for the Greenaway Medal, along with the Fan Brothers, and illustrator Jon Klassen has been nominated for the second time. To see the complete shortlists, click here.
Bestsellers
 Children's
Frontlist Fiction #1 Brawl of the Wild (Dog Man #6) by Dav Pilkey. Click here  Children's
Frontlist Fiction #1 Green Eggs and Ham by Dr. Seuss. Click here
Sneak Previews
 Take a look ahead at some of the big titles for children and teens due out this fall, from picture books to YA novels, in our exclusive roundup.
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