Swell Books

Welcome!

2010-09-27T10:43:00.003-04:00

Thanks for stopping by. I started this website as a way to connect with people who love children's books and to share my experiences around the publication of my first book for children, Maggie's Monkeys. I'm happy you found your way here. What do you want to know more about? How I came to write the story of Jack and his struggle to accept his sister's invisible friends... Imaginary friends,

We interrupt this hiatus to...

2010-09-08T09:09:00.002-04:00

Forgive me for being self-congratulatory, but I can't resist sharing a bit of good news. I just found out (belatedly) that Maggie's Monkeys is included in The Best Children's Books of the Year 2010 from the Children's Book Committee at Bank Street College. I'm honored and excited for it to be among some truly great books for children in the Under 5 age category. Parents, if you're looking for

Story behind the story: The Brave Escape of Edith Wharton

2010-08-24T09:33:00.002-04:00

My friend and writers' group colleague Connie Nordhielm Wooldridge is the author of the just released biography The Brave Escape of Edith Wharton, which received a wonderful feature review in the New York Times Sunday Book Review a few days ago. I was there as she began the long process of research and writing that led to this achievement -- and to be honest, I doubted that Connie's passion and

On hiatus

2010-08-07T21:50:00.000-04:00

Temporarily. But I hope to share a new "Story behind the story" guest post soon.

Being Neil Gaiman

2010-07-17T10:09:00.003-04:00

Sometimes I read books that have won stars, awards and widespread praise and think, "Why can't I write like that?" But I've just read two books that fall into that category which left me with a completely different reaction: "I could never write like that!" The books in question are The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman and The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly. You'll notice the

Parting ways with your writing group

2010-07-14T09:53:00.001-04:00

Can there come a time when even a good writing group isn't good for your writing life? I've been wondering if any other writers ask themselves that. Whether and how others decide to part ways with their writing groups. But first I need to say I love my writing group. Both the group as a whole and the individuals in it. Without them, I would never have made it to publication. They took me in as

I write like... him?

2010-07-13T13:31:00.000-04:00

The website I Write Like measures your prose against famous writers. You paste in a sample of your writing and it tells you which writer you write like. It's been distracting all kinds of writers this week, so I thought I'd play along too. My fiction apparently reads like Stephen King. My blog registers as HP Lovecraft. Professional writing I did for a client's

I changed the look

2010-07-10T10:49:00.000-04:00

What do you think? I'm having trouble with elements fitting into the column widths in this template but it's kind of fun to change things around. Especially since I'm not allowed to rearrange furniture or paint rooms at home. The rest of the family likes things the way they are.

Stay with me

2010-07-08T08:44:00.003-04:00

First, an indulgence: Today is the one-year anniversary of this blog. I've had fun doing it and learned a lot, but it's been lots of work too. I don't know how long I'll keep it up, but it seems like a good time to remember Why I did this. Thank you to everyone who's read my rambles, and an extra thanks to those who have commented on them. The conversations my posts have sparked are my favorite

The freedom of restrictions

2010-07-03T10:26:00.003-04:00

I find the question of how the discipline of a tight structure can be freeing for your writing an interesting one. Nothing I've read lately brings that issue into focus better than Crossing Stones by Helen Frost. The story of two families navigating change during World War I, Crossing Stones is written in both free verse and what the author describes as cupped-hand sonnets, a carefully

I make stuff up

2010-06-29T09:00:00.001-04:00

I have this great t-shirt given to me by a friend who's also a writer. It says, "I MAKE STUFF UP" right across the chest. Nothing else on the shirt but that. It's fun to wear, because it starts conversations with people. I almost never go out in it without at least one person commenting. Sometimes I tell them I write, sometimes I let them decide what it means. The thing that always surprises me

Time for reading and the state of YA publishing

2010-06-20T09:52:00.002-04:00

I've had the tremendous luxury over the past few weeks of having had time to read. (Part very welcome, from being on vacation, and part enforced by having thrown out my back. Not so welcome.) I dedicated the time to catching up with some current YA authors, mostly those writing in the area of realistic contemporary fiction. A subgenre which Abbie -- whose reading trajectory as been along the

The awful truth about signings

2010-06-17T07:58:00.001-04:00

For a little comic relief, authors and book fans, check out this way-too-true video about author signings. I haven't done many but know this is how it is even for pretty successful authors.

The dangers of writing by default

2010-06-14T09:37:00.001-04:00

I don't recall what got me thinking about this recently, but the subject of challenging your assumptions in writing for children has been on my mind. Challenging your assumptions is an important consideration in all of life, but those of us who hope to have some influence on a child have a particular obligation to be careful. Bias can be so subtle. I was forced up against my own failure in this

Story behind the story: Preschool Day Hooray!

2010-06-07T08:25:00.004-04:00

Linda Leopold Strauss is the author of numerous books for children, including A Fairy Called Hilary and The Princess Gown. She is also a good friend and writing critic who has taught me a lot about writing for children. As I promised in my previous post, she has generously agreed to share the story behind her new picture book, Preschool Day Hooray. Can we read that book again? So there I was,

Book release, Hooray!

2010-06-01T09:00:00.004-04:00

Congratulations to my friend Linda Leopold Strauss on her new book, Preschool Day Hooray! Here's a quick sample: "Hi to teacher, Coat on hook. Run to shelf And find a book. Painty hands and Gooey glue. Tricky puzzles I can do!" It comes out today and is perfect for the three- and four-year-olds in your life. Both the bouncy rhymes and the cheery illustrations by Hiroe Nakata are so much fun you

Marcelo and me, in the real world

2010-05-29T11:31:00.008-04:00

One thing about relying on the library for most of my reading material is that I hardly ever read books close to their release date. (Another thing is that I don't contribute to authors' royalties, but unfortunately it's not within my budget to buy as many books as I want. That's my real world.) All that to say: Here's another belated response to a book that's gotten lots of attention elsewhere.

There's always room

2010-05-23T09:40:00.002-04:00

These two books came out within a few months of each other. I don't know if the publishers knew of the other book or were surprised by the coincidence, but they do go to the point that there is always room for more than one take on a subject. How to Clean Your Room by Eileen Spinelli and illustrated by David Leonard is, as you would expect, a poet's take on the child's chore. First, wade

Taking on hard topics

2010-05-13T17:10:00.002-04:00

I stumbled on an interesting juxtaposition of books while browsing at the library a few days ago. I happened to pick up Sparrow Girl by Sara Pennypacker and illustrated by Yoko Tanaka. It's a beautifully illustrated and poignant story that starts, "One day, not too long ago, war was declared in China." The war is against the sparrow population, which has been eating the wheat crops. People

Children's books and life lessons

2010-05-07T21:11:00.002-04:00

One of my friends shared her copy of Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Children's Book with our writing group this week. I'd heard about the book, but hadn't seen it. Anita Silvey, a former editor who has written and spoken widely about children's literature, asked more than 100 famous or accomplished people to write about a children's book that taught them something. It was great fun

Dream of Night

2010-05-04T09:13:00.000-04:00

Congratulations to Heather Henson on the publication of Dream of Night, which releases today from Atheneum. Once full of promise and life, now lost in the shadows of abuse. This is Dream of Night’s story—and it is also Shiloh’s. One is a Thoroughbred racehorse, the other a twelve-year-old foster child. By chance they both find themselves under the care of Jessalyn DiLima—a final stop for each

Social studies

2010-04-30T17:57:00.003-04:00

I guess it should come as no surprise, but I find that I'm not typical in my social media habits. I've known that for a while --I first got clued in when I realized no one else follows my rule that I don't friend anyone on Facebook who I haven't friended, or at least met, in real life. But now that I've been blogging and playing around with Twitter for a bit, I see that my ideas for how to make

A Boone for kids' books

2010-04-24T10:06:00.001-04:00

I don't read much John Grisham. So I'm not an expert in his usual style. But I just read the first chapter of the first book in his new series for kids, Theodore Boone, Kid Lawyer. (The chapter is available on the book's website.) The premise is great, and the adventure sounds like it's straight out of Nancy Drew. With two attorneys for parents, thirteen-year-old Theodore Boone knows more about

Impossible dreams

2010-04-18T19:21:00.001-04:00

Last week Elana Roth at Caren Johnson Literary Agency wrote a blog post she called The Picture Book Problem. Kudos to her for taking on a tough subject. She outlined just how tight the picture book market is and why most agents don't want to take on picture books. Having been to yet another writing conference loaded with people who want to write picture books, she said she wished more people

My year as a children's author

2010-04-14T14:40:00.000-04:00

Maggie's Monkeys was released a year ago today, so this seems like a good time to look back on my experience as the author of a children's book. It's been one of the best things that has ever happened to me -- from the great launch party at Blue Marble Books to discovering last week that a reviewer on Amazon wrote that her 3-year-old loved the book and understood it was about 'mag-nation.

Stay tuned for Book Two

2010-04-11T09:25:00.000-04:00

The Maze Runner by James Dashner succeeds in many ways. The main character is likable and sympathetic (if gifted with enough advantages that he is more "hero" than "everyday guy"). The construct is intriguing -- I especially liked the giant maze walls rearranging themselves at night. And the monsters are certainly monstrous. Dashner is a genius to combine robotlike features with a slug! But the

Wait for it

2010-04-07T19:43:00.001-04:00

Most of the time, I like writing. I even like revising a lot of times. I enjoy keeping up with what's going on in children's literature and learning what I can about editors and publishing houses. In fact, I like almost everything about the writing process -- except waiting. Anybody who's ever pursued publication knows about waiting. It's what we do after we submit. Wait. We distract ourselves

Liar, writer. What's the difference?

2010-03-31T18:50:00.002-04:00

I'm always getting to books after everyone else has discovered, analyzed and written about them. This time it's Liar by Justine Larbalestier. The one of the cover conflict fame (I couldn't resist using the before and after versions here, because the before is just so wrong). If you don't know the premise of Liar, suffice it to say Micah is the ultimate unreliable narrator. She promises to tell

Rockin' robin

2010-03-28T08:57:00.002-04:00

I've been playing around in Twitter lately, and it's been an interesting experience for me as a writer in a few different ways. One is the obvious: 140 characters. I think of myself as a fairly succinct writer, but that limit can be ... well, limiting. Especially if you add a link. It's challenging to say something that might be relevant or informative or funny in so few characters. I've been

A quiet book

2010-03-25T12:56:00.000-04:00

I was browsing new picture books at one of my local indie bookstores a few days ago and picked up The Quiet Book by Deborah Underwood and illustrated by Renata Liwska. As the promo materials note, "There are many kinds of quiet -- from first one awake quiet to top of the roller coaster quiet." The book is very minimal and understated, a catalog of different kinds of quiet. But between the

I never get tired of this

2010-03-23T11:28:00.000-04:00

New review today for Maggie's Monkeys on the Young Readers blog. Becky wrote: I found this one to be a cute book, a funny book, with some heart! I loved the story of this one. How a brother and sister can not get along, and yet, when it really matters, when it really counts, they can be there for one another.She also encouraged readers to look for the pink monkeys, which I love. I really

Absolutely true diary of a part-time critic

2010-03-20T09:39:00.003-04:00

It happened again this week. I belatedly read Sherman Alexie's The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, the National Book Award winner. I'd seen nothing but rave reviews for it and had been meaning to get to it for a long time. And I liked it. Junior is a very sympathetic protagonist and his troubles are real. It was a welcome trip into a world I know only from the outside. But I

This book's gonna be a good book

2010-03-15T19:39:00.000-04:00

This is a great video by middle school students in Florida. I hope their energy is catching. (It's fun to look for books in the crowd. I think I saw Holes, Star Girl, The Giver, Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.)

Web editor

2010-03-13T08:38:00.002-05:00

Okay, so I totally stole that title from the piece itself. But it's too perfect not to use. This article in Slate called Hey, Charlotte, about that thing you wrote last night... by Dan McCoy is a riot. Wilbur gives Charlotte a bit of helpful advice about her writing. It might sound familiar to anyone who's gotten writing advice: "It's not as if I don't appreciate your efforts on my behalf.

About the author

2010-03-11T10:53:00.001-05:00

Yesterday I got an email from someone who told me she read my entire blog and found very little personal information on it. She was trying to write an introduction about me for an authors' reception this week and couldn't do it based on the blog. I was kind of taken aback, to tell the truth. I know I'm a private person, but felt like this is one place where I put myself out there a bit.

Great minds

2010-03-09T09:04:00.001-05:00

I just saw this interview at Cynsations with M.T. Anderson on the subject of my last post. Not that he or the incredibly helpful blogger-interviewer Cynthia Leitich Smith (who has done a series of interviews on writing across formats) was responding to me. But it's interesting to hear thoughts on the subject from a National Book Award winner: "After I write one kind of thing, I have a natural

Age appropriate

2010-03-06T12:22:00.000-05:00

A couple of times lately I've had a conversation with another children's book author about the age range we choose to write for. Among the authors I know, there are generally two types. One type is drawn to and writes almost exclusively for a single age group, whether it's picture book readers, young adults or something in between. Many authors feel they are meant to write for one particular

Ninja victory

2010-03-02T07:55:00.002-05:00

Congratulations to fellow picture book author and blogger Corey Schwartz, whose new book The Three Ninja Pigs will be illustrated by Dan Santat and released by G.P. Putnam's Sons in 2012 or 2013. Corey had a break of six years between publication deals (her first book, with Tali Klein, was Hop! Plop!) So there's hope for those of us waiting for that second offer. Corey has been very generous in

Why didn't I write this book?

2010-02-28T10:06:00.001-05:00

I just read Ella Kazoo Will Not Brush Her Hair by Lee Fox and illustrated by Jennifer Plecas. It's tons of fun and the rhymes work. Ella Kazoo will not brush her hair. She hides in the cupboard and under the stair. She roars at her mum Like a big growly bear, she whines and she moans and she howls in despair, but Ella Kazoo will not brush her hair.Ella's hair gets longer and wilder as the book

Rules for writing

2010-02-20T11:18:00.001-05:00

It isn't specifically about writing for children, but this article from The Guardian that asks lots of authors for their Ten Rules of Writing Fiction has a lot of helpful, amusing and sometimes baffling advice. Unfortunately for those of us who are writers looking for ways to improve, the most common advice seemed to be that we have to write. I was hoping there was a pill or something.

Kirkus and a Rodney Dangerfield moment

2010-02-17T08:32:00.000-05:00

In the "you never know" category... the owner of an NBA team and shopping mall developer has purchased Kirkus Reviews. Described as an inveterate reader, Herb Simon said "my love of books makes me want to be part of the solution for the book publishing industry.” Good for him. And in another random thought for which there is no reasonable segue, I've been thinking about the lack of attention in

More monkeys in the fridge

2010-02-13T09:16:00.000-05:00

I ran into a former colleague this week whose young daughter likes monkeys and has a copy of Maggie's Monkeys. Apparently Audrey keeps her pink stuffed monkey in her toy refrigerator. Cool. (An explanation of the photo is here.)

Only One Year

2010-02-09T16:22:00.001-05:00

I know I've given a good bit of space on this blog to books by my friends, but can I help it if I have such talented friends? I missed the debut date of Andrea Cheng's latest book, Only One Year, but wanted to be sure to add my congratulations and encourage anyone who hasn't yet encountered this book or Andrea to check it out: Sharon can hardly believe the news. Di Di, her two-year-old brother,

Books are for kids, silly rabbit

2010-02-07T10:36:00.000-05:00

You gotta love The Onion. Not that I have any problem with adults loving children's books. But they have a point.

The story behind the story: Kyle's Island

2010-02-06T09:05:00.000-05:00

I'm pleased to welcome guest blogger Sally Derby, a well-established picture book author whose first middle grade novel, Kyle's Island, was released this week. Many of us who know and love Sally celebrated the release Tuesday at our wonderful local children's bookstore, the Blue Marble. Here's a synopsis of the book from the publisher: For as far back as Kyle can remember, he spent summers at

Well, this book certainly deserves to be banned

2010-02-02T10:13:00.000-05:00

The dictionary? Really? A California elementary school removed the Merriam-Webster's 10th edition from library and classroom shelves because it has "objectionable" phrases. Saner heads prevailed eventually and the dictionaries were put back, but the idea that anyone associated with education would take such an action is disturbing.

Kyle's Island

2010-02-01T08:11:00.001-05:00

Congratulations to my friend and writing group comrade Sally Derby on today's release of her first middle-grade novel, Kyle's Island. Sally has a long list of fabulous picture books to her credit (No Mush Today, Hannah's Bookmobile Christmas, My Steps), but this is the first longer work she's published. I had the great pleasure of reading this in manuscript when Sally first began developing it,

The talent trap

2010-01-27T08:34:00.001-05:00

I would like nothing more than the opportunity to fall into this trap someday, but until then I will enjoy the privilege of the unfamous to carp about those who are hugely successful... The trap is that of having to live up to success. The pressure to keep the money-makers -- er, I mean books -- coming seems to catch up with almost every bestselling author. Despite what I believe to be the best

Making connections

2010-01-25T13:07:00.000-05:00

Last week was a good one for hearing from people who have read Maggie's Monkeys. First there was the interaction with Ms. Smits and her class, which seemed to cheer up the teacher and students as much as it did me. (See my previous post.) I loved seeing MM on their Shelfari shelf. Then there was this blurb in Storytime 101: Alien Ants and Spiderman Underpants (don't you love that subtitle?):

From the mouths of boys

2010-01-22T08:34:00.000-05:00

I woke up tired and tapped out today. Then when I checked my email, I found a Google alert letting me know of a blog post that mentioned Maggie's Monkeys. It turned out to be the Smitizen News, written by Ms. Smits about her fourth-grade class at Holmes Elementary in Spring Lake, MI. After a project where she used picture books to help her students with fluency, she wrote: "Each child had a

And the award goes to...

2010-01-18T09:26:00.001-05:00

I'm not the sort of person who has favorites. If you ask my favorite children's book or author -- or color, for that matter -- my honest answer is, for what? My favorite book to read at bedtime, or my favorite from my childhood, or my favorite to read to a group of kids, or the one most likely to make me laugh, or the one most likely to make me cry, or the one I wish I had written or ... For me,

Writing ... or not

2010-01-13T10:05:00.001-05:00

Fellow writers: Does blogging count as writing -- or does it keep you from writing? I've been blogging for six months now and am starting to wonder whether it's worthwhile as an exercise that at least keeps me engaged in the world of children's literature or if it's simply a distraction from doing real writing. And by real, I mean the stuff that results in manuscripts that can be sent to

Random reading

2010-01-10T10:02:00.002-05:00

Another browse of recent picture books and some random reactions to them: I found a spate of didactic picture books, which I really don't like. Maybe it's because I've never liked being told what to do. I think lots of kids are like me in that. Me and You by Genevieve Cote is about two friends, each of whom wishes to be like the other, which is something lots of children feel. It is gentle and

A turning point

2010-01-05T10:01:00.001-05:00

Now that we're all back to business, I'm ready to start thinking about what I hope to accomplish with my children's writing for 2010. It feels like a "make or break" year for me. While 2009 was a great ride with Maggie's Monkeys getting published, I've been struggling with the truth that it doesn't seem to have been the "foot in the door" that we writers always believe the first book will be. (

Not a resolution

2010-01-03T20:05:00.001-05:00

I don't make New Year's resolutions, but if I did I might resolve to work my way through all the titles in 1001 Children's Books You Must Read Before You Grow Up by Julia Eccleshare and Quentin Blake. Hmm. That's nearly 20 a week. A little daunting, unless that's all I was doing. But wouldn't that be a great way to spend 2010? I especially like that the book apparently isn't US-centric, so I'd

Best children's books of 2009

2009-12-30T19:42:00.002-05:00

It's that time of year. All the review publications and media outlets are publishing their "best of" lists for children's books published in 2009. There are some great books on the lists, too. Books that I recognize as head and shoulders above my own effort. Even so, it's a bit of a pang every time I see a new one and Maggie's Monkeys isn't on it. Ridiculous, I know. Some of the titles that

Categories of Christmas

2009-12-26T09:51:00.002-05:00

I couldn't resist reposting this from Emily Reads because it's just too funny. A selection of Library of Congress (LC) subject headings for the holidays Shopping malls -- Religious aspects Muzak (Trademark) -- Psychological aspects Advertising -- Toys Advertising -- Confectionery Christmas show windows Avarice in children Temper tantrums in children Department store Santas -- Protection

Happy winter holiday!

2009-12-24T09:22:00.000-05:00

I'm sending out best wishes to everyone, no matter which holidays you celebrate (or, as in my case, suffer through). A little gift, to you from me. This is one of my favorite winter stories, The Tomten, a traditional story adapted by Astrid Lindgren (yes, the Pippi author). It's a quiet little story, so watch the video when you need a few minutes of calm. Winters come and winters go... Merry

Head over heels

2009-12-21T19:50:00.001-05:00

The New York Times Book Review brought up what I've been thinking about the picture book Birdie’s Big-Girl Shoes by Sujean Rim. It's the story of a little girl obsessed about high heels. She feels beautiful -- glamorous -- when she wears her mom's stilettos. "Will she grow up caring only about looks and equating maturity with the size of her shoe closet, or is this the kind of harmless fun with

Invitation to lurkers

2009-12-16T11:36:00.002-05:00

Dear readers: Take a peek at the description of Swell Books in the yellow bar above. When I started this blog, I wanted it to be more of a conversation than a monologue. I was hoping for an exchange of ideas and opinions. With the exception of a few faithful commenters, most of you who stop by here seem to prefer to remain silent. Maybe that's because you're used to being readers -- with its

Wandering the library

2009-12-12T12:19:00.001-05:00

I'm at a library waiting while Abbie is in Mandarin class, so I took some time to browse the picture books. Some random reactions: Will Hillenbrand's illustrations for Sleep, Big Bear, Sleep! are wonderful. There's something really captivating about a childlike bear. I also love Jez Alborough's bear from Where's My Teddy? I wonder what it is: the hope that all big, scary things have a soft side

Preying on my mind

2009-12-09T08:44:00.000-05:00

The immediacy and connectedness of the internet create some interesting dilemmas for writers. I follow a few editors' blogs and Twitter comments, which is great for helping me stay aware of what it's like on their end of the slush pile. They're also good reads -- it's no surprise that editors are good writers and interesting people. But it gets weird when I've actually submitted to one of those

The manuscript that came to dinner

2009-12-07T20:41:00.000-05:00

If you're interested in writing or selling picture books, check out the terrific post by Michael Stearns of Upstart Crow Literary. His description of what makes a successful picture book is right on target, though his assessment of why so many agents refuse to handle picture books is rather discouraging. Of what makes a picture book work, he says: It is about grace and the right words in the

Leave the children out of this

2009-12-06T21:22:00.000-05:00

From Fox News: "Sarah Palin Stars as Heroine in New Children's Book The former vice presidential candidate is the subject of new book ' Help! Mom! Radicals Are Ruining My Country!'" I try not to pay too much attention to the radical right. But really.

Sylvester, put down that magic pebble!

2009-12-02T08:30:00.000-05:00

Nice guest post by author Bonny Becker (A Birthday for Bear, The Christmas Crocodile) at Maw Books on whether we've gone too far in sanitizing children's stories. This is a topic I've wrestled with often (as you may remember from this and that), as have most of the children's authors I know. Bonny cites one of my top all-time favorite children's books in her discussion, which is Sylvester and

Twilight zone

2009-11-30T09:22:00.001-05:00

With the buzz about New Moon stirring up Twilight fever again, I finally gave in and read Twilight this weekend. As a diligent would-be young adult author, I should have read it a couple of years ago. But Abbie (then 13) read it and gave me her opinion, which was enough for me. Because she's had enough trouble with friends who love the series, I won't share her take on it beyond saying that she

Fun with children's books

2009-11-24T18:05:00.002-05:00

Or what they're really doing in publishers' offices. The world's longest domino rally with children's books (possibly), from HarperCollins. And then over at Random House... Too much fun.

Unfinished stories

2009-11-23T12:28:00.002-05:00

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, I'm reminded that I have an unfinished attempt at a Thanksgiving story tucked away in my files. It was one of those ideas that never quite came together. I wanted to capture that steamed-up-windows feeling of an extended family crammed into one house, and the pang when someone is missing. I chose to focus on the moment when the missing person calls -- and

Evidence that I don't have a clue what's likely to get published

2009-11-18T13:10:00.004-05:00

If anyone had asked me, I would have said this title would never work as a kids' book. What kid even knows what a bunion is? And the story is in rhyme? No way. I'd have guessed that no editor would touch it. I would have been wrong. An editor liked it, reviewers liked it -- and I'm sure kids like it. Author Marsha Hayles has served up what Kirkus called a "bouncy rib-tickler." Bunion Burt had

Why writing books for boys makes me nervous

2009-11-12T08:36:00.000-05:00

This book was number 2 on the New York Times Bestsellers list for picture books this week. I might not have noticed, except that I was around my nephew over the weekend. Justin is 7 and we spent a good bit of time paging through the Jedi starfighters and battle droids while he told me about Geonosians and General Grievous. I didn't follow all of it, but he was very enthusiastic so it didn't

Escape from Disneyland

2009-11-08T15:52:00.001-05:00

I just picked up the edition of The Jungle Book illustrated by Robert Ingpen for my sister's family. It came out a couple of years ago, but I'd never seen it. The illustrations are simply incredible. Realistic and detailed yet richly evocative, they convey the dignity of Kipling's characters that Disney so unforgivably robbed them of. I'm sorry that so many kids (myself included) first

Springing eternal

2009-11-04T20:59:00.001-05:00

I did it again. I don't submit to publishers as often as I used to, but I do have three or four manuscripts I still believe in enough to keep sending out. For the most part, I try to send them and forget about them. You can drive yourself bonkers if you don't. But I decided a couple of days ago that I should check my file to see what's out. With so many publishers taking the "no news is bad

Reader of the free world

2009-11-02T12:44:00.000-05:00

No matter what your feelings about Barack Obama, I think we can all agree he knows how to read a picture book to children. I love how he engages the kids in this clip, especially when they all practice staring into the wild things' yellow eyes without blinking. Picture books should be shared like that, don't you think? With the adult and child interacting about the content, sharing their

Scary Mary

2009-10-31T09:31:00.003-04:00

It's all a matter of perspective, isn't it?Mary Poppins is the first memory I have of going to the movie version of a book I'd read. I was disappointed that some of my favorite details were missing. As I recall (it's been a long time), it has something to do with the talking parrot on her umbrella.I've since learned to appreciate the different strengths of book and movie versions of the same

Great Halloween costumes, part 2

2009-10-28T18:02:00.008-04:00

For those of you who have been breathlessly waiting since yesterday's post, here's the second installment of Abbie's Halloween history.As she got older, Abbie did more of the work of creating the costumes, so her ideas needed to be things we could pull off together. They were less structural, more closely following the human form. (I haven't watched all that Project Runway for nothing.)During the

Great Halloween costumes, part 1

2009-10-27T15:17:00.009-04:00

Technically, this blog is about children's literature. So Abbie's Halloween costumes over the years aren't really relevant. But kids and imagination are, and it's the last week of October, and...What the heck. I don't have to justify what I choose to post about. If I want to depart from the topic at hand, I can. (Hey, I think I've just discovered the true attraction of blogging for professional

For your reading pleasure

2009-10-26T12:38:00.005-04:00

I like meeting other children's book authors. It not only allows me to learn more about the business and craft of publishing, but it introduces me to new books.When I met Heather Henson at Books by the Banks earlier this month, I was already familiar with her lovely picture book That Book Woman, which has won the Great Lakes Book Award, the Christopher Award, Parenting magazine best book

Adventures of the politically correct

2009-10-24T13:10:00.008-04:00

I'm enjoying the brouhaha over the BBC changing the words to Humpty Dumpty."Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.All the king's horses and all the king's menMade Humpty Dumpty happy again"Apparently in a change on another show, Little Miss Muffet made friends with the spider.Lots of jokes are floating around, of course. Peter Sagal of Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me provided new

Pippi's little sisters

2009-10-21T13:36:00.004-04:00

Fran Hawk, an author who writes about children's books for the Charleston Post and Courier, recently took note of a trend toward picture books with what she called "girls who are feisty, full of spirit, independent and strong-willed."Her column cited several examples of these feisty girl characters, including the girls in Harriet's Had Enough! by Elissa Haden Guest, Beatrice Doesn't Want To by

The moments I've been waiting for

2009-10-19T09:44:00.011-04:00

Those of you who know me -- which includes all but about four of my readers, I think -- will probably understand what a huge thing it is for me to be able to say this, but I had a great time promoting Maggie's Monkeys this month! The introvert in me took a back seat for once and allowed me to enjoy interacting with children, parents and other authors at two fall events.I worked an awfully long

Max and Declan

2009-10-18T16:26:00.003-04:00

Nice post on Where the Wild Things Are by Tracy at Tiny Mantras, including this comment:I simply loved this movie because of what it moved me to remember and the rich moments on new emotional terrain that it has given me to explore with my kid.

Write on

2009-10-17T17:21:00.005-04:00

After piles of submissions that are based on photos of children in Halloween costumes acting out the parts or stories in rhyme about talking household objects, editors can be forgiven for getting cynical from time to time. But if those same editors could have seen the last meeting of my writing group, I think their faith in writers would have been restored.This month, as usual, we spent two hours

Conflict of interest

2009-10-15T15:40:00.004-04:00

Nobody needs my opinion of the wildly popular and bestselling The Hunger Games and its sequel Catching Fire by Suzanne Collins. Not with reviews everywhere from Time magazine and Entertainment Weekly to the New York Times and Booklist raving about both.But I just finished Catching Fire yesterday, and I'm still trying to sort out how I feel about these two books. In both cases, I read them against

Being Lois Lowry

2009-10-11T17:24:00.005-04:00

I wouldn't mind being Lois Lowry. The Giver and Gathering Blue, perhaps two of the most effective cautionary tales out there, are among my favorite books, but she also has the range to give us Anastasia Krupnik and the Gooney Bird Books. And the stamina to have written something like 40 books for kids.After all her accomplishments, including winning the Newbery medal twice, Lowry has just

Slushing to judgment

2009-10-08T13:18:00.008-04:00

There's got to be a better way to handle slush. Doesn't there?I understand that the reason publishers either refuse to accept unsolicited submissions or take months to respond to them is that a lot of people who have no business sending out manuscripts send out manuscripts. I know editors are overwhelmed. Perhaps there's more garbage in children's publishing than anywhere because non-writers tend

Mary on the Prairie

2009-10-05T13:59:00.012-04:00

In the most recent episode of the radio show This American Life, the subject was books that changed people's lives. One segment was called Little Sod Houses for You and Me and featured a New York woman who traveled to DeSmet, SD, on the trail of Laura Ingalls Wilder.It brought back happy memories of the time our family spent with Ma and Pa and the girls. Abbie discovered the books when she was

The mysterious Mr. Sanders

2009-10-01T10:51:00.005-04:00

Can you guess why this is one of my favorite children's book illustrations?I wondered about Pooh's sign when I was a kid, and was disappointed that Mr. Sanders never appeared in the story. But it was fine, because Mr. Sanders was clearly an adult and adults had no business in the Hundred Acre Wood.Apparently, Ann Thwaite says in her biography of A.A. Milne that Mr. Sanders was named Frank, a

A storybook life

2009-09-30T09:42:00.006-04:00

Wouldn't you just know that Jan Brett lives in a house like this? And raises chickens (I can't bring myself to use the article's phrase of "ornamental poultry").She met her husband, a bassist for the Boston symphony, while taking flying lessons. He caught sight of her flying upside down in an open cockpit. And she runs marathons and travels and describes herself as "very cluttery."No wonder she

Phrases: The reveal

2009-09-29T15:26:00.010-04:00

Since I've had one request -- no, wait, I mean dozens of requests -- for the sources of favorite children's books phrases I wrote about in Going through a phrase, I thought I'd share them.Even in Australia. Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad DayBut not the hippopotamus. But Not the HippopotamusLet the wild rumpus start. Where the Wild Things Are"Something is not right!"

Pass the crayons, please

2009-09-23T16:39:00.012-04:00

I'm writing this on a computer. I do almost all of my writing on a computer and have for 30 years (I was a cub reporter when newspapers first went electronic). So I'm pretty good at composing on a computer. It almost feels like second nature to me.Except...When I'm writing fiction, I often use pencil and paper. Sometimes that's because I'm in the car waiting to pick up my daughter at school or

Another act of wise parenting

2009-09-21T10:34:00.004-04:00

A friend just emailed that she was sending a copy of Maggie's Monkeys to a mom who specifically asked not to get the book until the weather cooled off. She was worried that her three-year-old son would keep opening the refrigerator door to look for monkeys.That put a smile on my face this morning. You've got to love a mom who is open to a book engaging her son's imagination and yet practical

Magic, loss and other topics for children

2009-09-18T07:52:00.007-04:00

On learning of Mary Travers' death, I listened to Puff, the Magic Dragon yesterday morning. Abbie had never heard it before. She seemed surprised when I got teary at the end, not expecting either the sad ending or me to react to it. But of course I have both moved beyond childhood and lost friends in my life, so I know what it feels like to sadly slip into my cave. With her on the cusp of

Rejection revisited

2009-09-13T12:44:00.008-04:00

Okay, I admit it. I'm not a completely nice person. If I was, I wouldn't write this post. So if you're someone who only likes to read kind-hearted remarks, or who wants to think of me as completely generous and forgiving, don't read on. (What, there's no one who thinks I'm perfect?)If, on the other hand, you share a certain childish delight in having the chance to say, "See there! You were wrong!

Going through a phrase

2009-09-11T16:41:00.007-04:00

Around here, the hallmark of a great book or movie is when some phrase from it enters our permanent vocabulary. Lots of children's books have contributed to the unique Sanders-Wells parlance over the years -- a couple of times I've tried to write an essay or article using as many of them as I could, but it never quite came together. Some projects are like that. Even in Australia.The three of us

Like Alexander, who used to be rich last Sunday

2009-09-09T08:40:00.006-04:00

I love Judith Viorst's Alexander books. She uses just the right amount of humor to help get a kid through tough spots. So it's fitting that I felt a bit like Alexander when I decided to write this post about an accomplishment from a long time ago: Linda, who used to work in publishing.Once upon a time long, long ago, I was the editor for an anthology of short stories called Best Stories from New

Titles I love

2009-09-07T10:10:00.004-04:00

Book titles are not my strong suit. I have written entire novels and never landed on the right title for them -- which probably means the novels are too unfocused, but that's another issue.I appreciate a good title. Some picture books have titles that just demand you pick them up. Mo Willems (the disgustingly brilliant Mo Willems) hit a home run with this one, I think.I also love this one, from

Missed opportunities

2009-09-03T18:37:00.003-04:00

In the children's section of a busy bookstore recently, I spent a little time watching parents with their young children. The kids in the picture book area were happily playing with all kinds of toys, oblivious to the piles of books around them. The adults seemed to prefer it that way. I saw one mom roll a ball toward her toddler and say to her husband, "I should have gotten a ball for each of

The (occasional) joy of writing

2009-09-01T17:51:00.007-04:00

A lot of the time I spend writing isn't fun. It's hard work. Really hard. Hard in the "why do I do this to myself?" kind of way. Hard in the "this is the last piece of fiction I'm ever going to try to write" way.But every now and then, a moment arrives when the pieces come together in a way I didn't expect and don't control. Those moments -- when the fictional world I'm creating shows an internal

"This close"

2009-08-31T09:34:00.009-04:00

I was at the bookstore this weekend and noticed the huge line of Fancy Nancy books and gear. And once again I felt jealous. I love the original Fancy Nancy story, which strikes close to home. Like Nancy, Abbie went through a long period when she was fancy. She wore only dresses and particularly liked colorful prints. Howard and I laughed because she called us "the plain people." Abbie never asked

Finding lost books

2009-08-24T22:37:00.006-04:00

If you spend a lot of time with children's books, you tend to get the question fairly often: Can you help me remember this book I loved? As I wrote about in Why I write for children, it's wonderful to be able to help someone find a lost friend.Recently I stumbled on the Stump the Booksellers service from Harriett at Loganberry Books in Shaker Heights, Ohio. People post their queries and then she