Sneak Peek at Fall/Winter 2011

A few weeks ago we had our biannual Library Preview. We introduced our Fall/Winter 2011 list to local librarians, reviewers, and educators. As usual, our School and Library Marketing Director/Guru wore amazing shoes for the occasion:

Our super secret guest star was author/illustrator Sujean Rim, creator of Birdie's Big Girl Shoes and the upcoming Birdie's Big Girl Dress. She talked about working in fashion, yet always harboring a love of children's books:

So, since we were talking about Fall/Winter 2011, I thought I'd give you all a sneak peek at the books I've edited on that list. Except as I started writing this, I realized that I had given an earlier sneak peek back in October here. Although, back then we didn't have all of the titles or covers finalized yet. Well, many of the covers are still in progress now (particularly for the YA titles, for some reason), but I thought I'd go ahead and post the covers we do have below. And since I described the books in more detail then, I'll be brief here.

Picture books:

YOU WILL BE MY FRIEND! by Peter Brown (Sept. 2011)
This is a companion book to Children Make Terrible Pets. In this adventure, Lucy the Bear decides that she's going to make a new friend. Of course, this doesn't turn out to be as easy as she thinks it's going to be.

The House Baba Built: An artist's childhood in China by Ed Young, as told to Libby Koponon (Oct. 2011)
This book has been a labor of love for everyone involved--we've been working on it for over two years, and in a sense, Ed has been writing it for his whole life, although in earnest since he became a father. This is an illustrated memoir of his childhood in Shanghai during World War II, living in the house his father (Baba) built to keep his family safe.

Middle Grade:

ok, this isn't the cover...we do have a cover, but I don't have it on my computer at home!
Maybe Grace can help me out and add it?

cover added 4/19!

Dumpling Days by Grace Lin (Jan. 2012)

In this sequel to Year of the Dog and Year of the Rat, Pacy and her family visit Taiwan for a month. As usual, the food descriptions will make you hungry! And it may just make you want to visit Taiwan.

Young Adult:

The Shattering by Karen Healey (Sept. 2011)
An idyllic New Zealand setting. Magic, romance, tragedy, humor, and a possible serial killer. What more do you want?

DJ Rising by Love Maia (Feb. 2012)
A moving debut novel about a boy from a troubled home, his love of music, and a DJ contest.

BOY21 by Matthew Quick (March 2012)
Basketball Diaries-meets-Stargirl, set in a racially charged urban neighborhood. We have a final cover for this one, but once again I don't have it on my computer. I'll update this post later.

cover added 4/19

In the meantime, I present to you the redesigned paperback cover of Matthew's first novel, Sorta Like a Rock Star:

The paperback is out this May.

And finally:
Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor (Sept. 2011)
Once upon a time, an angel and devil fell in love. It did not end well. But oh, this book is not your typical angel book, not by a long shot. I'm excited to be speaking about this book on the YA Buzz Panel at BEA this year...I hope I can do it justice!

I hope to do a Beyond the Book post about this soon, but just wanted to give a shout out to a novel I edited that just came out officially last week. Andrea Davis Pinkney's Bird in a Box is a middle grade historical fiction about three children growing up during the Great Depression, all facing tragedy and loss, and all finding inspiration in the fights of boxer Joe Louis.

The NY Times says:

“Bird in a Box” isn’t about Joe Louis per se. Instead, with tenderness and verve, it tells the stories of three 12-year-old black children, Hibernia, Otis and Willie, in Depression-era Elmira, N.Y. Hibernia’s mother abandoned her when she was a baby — to sing, she hoped, at the Savoy Ballroom in Harlem — leaving the girl to her preacher father. Otis and Willie grow up in the Mercy Home for Negro Orphans: Otis’s parents are killed driving their truck, and in a drunken fit, Willie’s father sticks Willie’s hands in a pot of boiling grits, reducing them to stumps and ending Willie’s own dreams of glory in the ring.

Inspiring them throughout is Joe Louis. For the three children, as for millions of Americans, Louis’s nationally broadcast fights are communal, semireligious events.

Right now, I'm working on my Spring 12 and Fall 12 lists. I'm working at home today, editing a novel on the Fall 2012 list. But more on that in due time...

What I'm working on now

I'm deep into the frantic juggling phase of my Fall/Winter 2011 list. Final drafts of novels are due into copyediting next week, picture books are supposed to be in the mechanical stage now and aren't, etc. etc. For a few months now I've been, juggling juggling juggling. As I said on Twitter, "Edit, revise, repeat. Edit, revise, repeat."

So, here's a sneak peak of what I'm working on now. Three of the books are still untitled, which tells you how much of a sneak peak this is...

Picture books:
The House Baba Built: an artist's childhood in Shanghai by Ed Young
This is an illustrated memoir of Ed's childhood growing up in Shanghai during WWII. His father decided to build a house to keep his family safe, and over the years they took in additional families to help keep them safe, too. This book is a beautiful testament to how times of great hardship and difficulty can also be times of great creativity, and how a child can remain happy during those times. Ed and I have been working with my brilliant fellow BRG, Libby Koponen to help shape the text. It's been a very, very long process, but a rewarding one, and it's going to pay off--it's a beautiful, fascinating look into wartime China from a child's point of view. It's a deeply personal book for Ed.

Untitled picture book by Peter Brown
Peter is working on a follow-up to Children Make Terrible Pets, featuring Lucy the Bear. It isn't exactly a sequel, but more a companion. In this book, Lucy decides that she wants to find a best friend, goes about it the wrong way, and hilarity ensues, of course.

Middle Grade:
Dumpling Days by Grace Lin
Grace is hard at work at the revision right now! This is a follow-up to Year of the Dog and Year of the Rat. Pacy and her family go to Taiwan on vacation for a month in the summer to celebrate Pacy's grandmother's 60th birthday. And yes, there are plenty of mouth-watering descriptions of food.

Young Adult:
Boy 21 by Matthew Quick
This is Matthew's sophomore YA effort, and although it's much different from his first, Sorta Like a Rock Star, it's just as beautifully written, and yes, it made me cry. This is a novel about a boy named Finley, the only white player on his high school basketball team. His coach asks him to take a new kid under his wing, Russ, whose parents have been tragically murdered. The problem is, because of his trauma, Russ calls himself Boy 21 and claims to be from outer space...

Daughter of Smoke and Bone by Laini Taylor
A Romeo-and-Juliet-esque story in which an angel and a devil (of sorts) fall in love. That oversimplifies the book, though--it's so much more rich and layered, unique, unforgettable, and absolutely gorgeous. The novel opens in Prague (very cool) and we meet a lovely and mysterious art student named Karou who has bright blue hair (which just may grow out of her roots that color), a strange (to say the least) family, and the ability to wish things into reality. We signed Laini up to three books (this book, a sequel, and another stand alone) in a huge auction, and I couldn't be more thrilled and honored to be working with her. Plus, she loves revising!
 
Untitled DJ book by Love Maia
We're still brainstorming titles, but I think we're close to pinning one down. This is a debut novel about a sixteen-year-old named Marley who dreams of being a professional DJ. I've called this novel Save the Last Dance with DJing, because it has that kind of feel--there's drama, characters you root for, a DJ contest, a sweet romance, tragedy, and gorgeous descriptions of the power of music. I'm so excited to introduce this new author and voice to the world.


Untitled book formerly known as Summerton by Karen Healey
This is Karen's second novel, a follow-up (not a sequel) to Guardian of the Dead. Also set in New Zealand (not--as we sometimes slip up and say--Australia), this book involved an idyllic vacation town, suicide, a possible serial killer, and dark magic. So different from Guardian, but equally fresh, intriguing, compelling, and creepy. I love how Karen features a diverse cast of characters and themes, too. We have a Japanese exchange student love interest, main characters who are Maori and Samoan, a Chinese-New Zealander ex-boyfriend, and themes of sexuality, ethnic identity, religion, friendship, grief, and more. 


And there you go. I hope this gives you an enticing taste of what's to come...stay tuned! Coming to a bookstore near you between September 2011 and March 2012.

And for another sneak peak, check out this uber-cool trailer for You Killed Wesley Payne by Sean Beaudoin, coming out in February 2011.

Sneak Peek at Spring 2010

We had our Focus meeting a few weeks ago where we presented to our Sales, Marketing, and Publicity teams our Spring/Summer 2010 list for the first time. I thought I'd give you all a sneak peek of my (and Connie's) titles:

picture books:
Sit-In: How Four Friends Stood Up by Sitting Down by Andrea Pinkney, illustrated by Brian Pinkney.
This is a title that I'm handling for our editor-in-chief during her maternity leave, and it's been a real honor to work on this beautiful book with such an amazing team. This is a nonfiction picture book about the momentous Greensboro, North Carolina Woolworth's lunch counter sit-ins that started on February 1, 1960. Next year will be the 50th Anniversary of this historic moment that helped spur on the entire Civil Rights movement.

Shark vs. Train by Chris Barton, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
A hilarious, wacky book that pits Shark against Train in increasingly silly scenarios. Shark and Train play basketball, go bowling, play hide-and-seek, have a burping contest, and more. Who do you think wins, and who are you going to root for, Shark or Train?

Look! A Book! by Bob Staake
This is another project I'm handling for our Editor in Chief. Bob Staake is an award-winning author/illustrator of over 40 books who also has numerous New Yorker covers to his name. This is a fun seek-and-find book in the tradition of Where's Waldo, but with an innovative format using die-cuts on every page.

Board books:
Boy of Mine and Girl of Mine by Jabari Asim, illustrated by LeUyen Pham*
These are two board books that are companions to the adorable Whose Knees are These and Whose Toes are Those by the same team. The text in these two bedtime board books is fun and lyrical, and LeUyen's illustrations are absolutely brilliant. I can't wait to give these books as gifts to my friends with babies!

Middle Grade Fiction:
Ling & Ting: Not Exactly the Same by Grace Lin
This isn't really Middle Grade, but it falls between MG and picture book, so this is where we slotted it. This is an early reader, 48 pages, full color throughout, about two irresistible twins named Ling and Ting. They look exactly alike, but in reality they're very different. This is an exciting new format for Grace, and one that we haven't published much before either, but it's an absolutely beautiful, adorable book. Was Ling named after me? You'll have to ask Grace. :)

Moonshadow: The Rise of the Ninja by Simon Higgins*
A fun action adventure set in ancient Japan, and written by an expert of Japanese swordplay. This book was first published in Australia. This is a little more light and commercial that my usual books, but I loved the humor, the action scenes, the little bit of magic, and the historic setting. And although the main character is a boy, he encounters a girl ninja spy along the way, so there's plenty of girl power here as well. And who can resist ninjas?

The Adventures of Nanny Piggins by R.A. Spratt, illustrated by Dan Santat*
This is my assistant Connie Hsu's second acquisition, but I wanted to include it here because it's so frickin AWESOME. This is Mary Poppins meets Babe with the wicked sense of humor of Roald Dahl. This is the story of three kids and their nanny--who just happens to be a pig, and a wonderful adventurous, stylish one at that. Oh, and she has an insatiable love of chocolate. Here's a character sketch of Nanny Piggins in her former life as a circus pig.

Young adult fiction:
Guardian of the Dead by Karen Healey
This is a debut urban fantasy set in New Zealand and steeped in Maori lore. What impressed me most was the sharp, fresh voice and the kick-ass main character. It's deliciously creepy, sexy, scary, funny, and full of adventure, Maori fairies, monsters, and of course an epic battle. We already have endorsements from Holly Black and Libba Bray, the latter who says, "Mark my words, Karen Healey is going to be a big star." I believe it.

Sorta Like a Rock Star by Matthew Quick
When I first read this novel, I was on the subway, and I was right in the middle of a very tragic, heartbreaking scene that resulted in snot and tears running down my face--pretty embarrassing. But people who know me know that I'm a sucker for books that make me cry, and this was love at first sight for me. This book is Juno meets Stargirl--Juno for it's fresh, spunky voice, and Stargirl because of its message of optimism and hope.


Stay tuned for these books next Spring/Summer!

*books Connie took the editorial lead on

What I'm working on now--another sneak peak.

Work has been hectic again, but even more so for the last two months as I try to get all of my Fall 2008 novels ready to be sent to copyediting. The deadline is mid-October, and although most of the novels are close, it's going to be down to the wire for some! I have four novels and one picture book on the Fall 2008 list, which is fairly average in terms of number of titles, but I'm not usually juggling this many novels at once. For example, on my Spring 2008 list, I had three picture books and only one novel: The Postcard by Tony Abbott (his follow-up to Firegirl), Crocs! by David Greenberg, illustrated by Lynn Munsinger, The Blue Stone: A Journey Through Life by Jimmy Liao (the follow up to Sound of Colors), and Sergio Makes a Splash by Edel Rodriguez.

My Fall 2008 list tentatively consists of:

North of Beautiful by Justina Chen Headley: this is the third YA novel I've worked with Justina on, and she's such a beautiful writer and a pro. This is the first of her novels where the protagonist isn't Asian, but for this story, it just felt right. But of course there's an Asian-American love interest (who gives a whole new meaning to the "Team Jacob" T-shirt I have), a powerful family drama, a trip to China (which was especially timely for me, as I'm in the process of planning a trip to Beijing and Shanghai), geocaching, and rumination on the meaning of true beauty and finding one's direction in life.

Sour White by Sean Beaudoin: think Charlie Kaufman meets Vanilla Sky (in a good way) meets The Matrix. This somewhat cyberpunk YA novel is an incredible, ambitious second book by the author of Going Nowhere Faster which came out this Spring. Sean is such an incredibly strong writer, and I'm excited that he's writing something completely different. This novel will blow your mind, but it's also engaging, humorous, and smart.

Every Soul a Star by Wendy Mass: this is Wendy's fifth novel with us, and the second that I've worked on with her. Another middle grade novel in the vein of her brilliant Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life, this is a story written in three voices. Three very different kids, two girls and one boy, come together at the Moon Shadow campground to see a very special sight--a total eclipse of the sun. Wendy always impresses me with the topics she chooses to write about, and I especially love that she says something different and important in every book that she writes, but never in a didactic way. And her description of the total eclipse, from three different point of views, always leaves me breathless no matter how many times I read it.

Wabi Sabi by Mark Reibstein, illustrated by Ed Young: I described this book when I gave my last sneak peak, as this was originally slated for Spring 08. But due to tragic circumstances that involved the art for this book being stolen, as well as the even more tragic timing of Ed Young's beloved wife passing away, this book was put on hold. But Ed is back at work, and just delivered the final art two weeks ago. The book is now in the hands of the designer and is absolutely brilliant and beautiful.

And last but not least, the first book of a deliciously scary and gross horror series, Sorry Night. This is probably the most commercial novel I've ever acquired, and I just love how fun it is. This is a book about teen girl who delights in all things scary. She herself has a phobia of spiders, but pushes herself to embrace this fear. When evil mythical creatures feed on her little brother's fears and take over his soul, she must push herself even farther to try to bring her brother back. I love that this is a horror series with a female hero. And as I'm also afraid of spiders (well, creeped out by them, at the very least), this book challenged me to try to overcome that fear. For all of your enjoyment, here is a photo that reminds me of this book. My colleague Nancy encountered this monstrosity while vacationing on Martha's Vineyard a few weeks ago.

*shudder*

I hope to write more about these books in the future. If you want to check out some of the books I worked on that are out right now, here's a quick list:

Yeah! Yeah! Yeah! The Beatles, Beatlemania, and the Music that Changed the World by Bob Spitz: I absolutely LOVE this gorgeous, illustrated book that was adapted from Bob's adult book The Beatles. This is the perfect gift for Beatles fans of all ages (especially those for whom the 900+ page adult book is daunting), and I loved learning all of the inside stories behind the group and the songs. Special kudos go to designer Alison Impey.Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall by Wendy Mass: this is the first novel I worked with Wendy on, and it was such a pleasure. This is her first novel-in-verse, and she did an incredible job. Best of all, I loved the imperfection of the main character--Wendy managed to succeed in the difficult task of making a flawed, sometimes wretched main character sympathetic and likeable.The Twelve Days of Christmas: A Piñata for the Piñon Tree by Philemon Sturges, illustrated by Ashley Wolff: this is a posthumous publication of the author's writing, and Ashley has outdone herself in the illustrations, making this a lovely homage to him. This is 12 Days with a Southwestern spin, complete with coyotes, cowgirls, and of course a piñata.I have a few more books coming out in January which I'll write more about then, including Grace Lin's follow-up to Year of the Dog, and Justina Chen Headley's follow up to Nothing But the Truth (and a few white lies): Year of the Rat and Girl Overboard, respectively.

Any questions? Want to know more? Ask away!