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Tricia and I attended the ALA Midwinter Convention in Dallas, where we stuck around to attend the ALA Youth Media Awards announcements live on Monday morning. It's always fun and interesting to hear the announcements instead of having them filtered through Twitter or Facebook feeds--and this time it was especially fun, when my recently signed client Duncan Tonatiuh's name was read out as the recipient of the Pura Belpré Illustrator Award, for his book Diego Rivera! Duncan was also recognized by the Belpre committee with an illustrator honor designation last year for Dear Primo. Much of the focus at Midwinter is on the work of the awards committees. Some of them are open, and you can sit in and listen to discussions, and there is an awareness of them that hums through the exhibit hall and the events of the convention. That hum continues well into the week, as the committees' final choices are not all announced Monday morning. Now that the lists are up, we are so pleased to have even more books on even more lists! On the Notable Children's Books list: Stars, by Mary Lyn Ray (illustrated by Marla Frazee) Diego Rivera, written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh On the Best Fiction for Young Adults list: Liar's Moon, by Elizabeth C. Bunce Words in the Dust, by Trent Reedy The Queen of Water, by Laura Resau and Maria Virginia Farinango On the Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers list: Can I See Your I.D.?, by Chris Barton (illustrated by Paul Hoppe) And on the Amelia Bloomer list: The Queen of Water, by Laura Resau and Maria Virginia Farinango Words in the Dust, by Trent Reedy Huge congratulations to all! —Erin |
Fresh on the heels of a recent deal for a new middle-grade novel, our own Ammi-Joan Paquette, agent AND writer extraordinaire, is celebrating a new deal for a picture book manuscript, thus cementing her status as Renaissance Woman. Here is the Publishers Lunch announcement: Author of The Tiptoe Guide to Tracking Fairies and Nowhere Girl Ammi-Joan Paquette's Hullabaloo!, an action-filled celebration of sesquipedalian words, to Daniel Nayeri of Clarion, by Erin Murphy of Erin Murphy Literary Agency. Two notes of interest: 1) This will make four picture books on shelves or under contract for Joan, at three publishing houses, plus two middle grade novels and a YA novel at two more publishing houses. WOW, Joan! 2) Daniel Nayeri has wanted to publish a picture book about big words for years, apparently, but neither Erin nor Joan knew that until Erin called him to pitch Hullabaloo! We are so glad that we happened to have just the right thing on hand to meet the need (with a little collaborative revision). Huge congratulations, Joan! —Erin |
A second star, from Kirkus, for Robin LaFevers' upcoming YA trilogy His Fair Assassin book #1, Grave Mercy:
Congratulations, Robin! —Erin |
Just about a month ago, we welcomed a new member into the EMLA community: recent VCFA grad Melanie Crowder, who won the 2011 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Prize for her gorgeous and lyrical eco-fable WATER. |
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We're delighted to share that LIAR'S MOON, by Elizabeth C. Bunce received a starred review in the January 2012 edition of The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books.
Congratulations, Elizabeth! —Erin |
Pat Zietlow Miller may still be a relative EMLA newbie, but she certainly knows how to start a new year off with a bang. Just three months after the sale of her first picture book, SOPHIE’S SQUASH, I’m delighted to announce that another book from Pat is going to be shared with the world! Filled to bursting with the warm, rich language that is her trademark, SHARING THE BREAD is a lyrical celebration of food and family and togetherness as seen during one down-home Thanksgiving dinner. It’s moving and mouth-watering and is absolutely destined to be a read-aloud classic. —Joan |
The holidays are over and New Year's resolutions have been made! Resolved to read more in 2012? Here's a couple of titles to help you with that. Darkness Falls by Cate Tiernan is the second book in the Immortal Beloved series (IMMORTAL BELOVED book #1) about a girl torn between two worlds all while trying to choose true love, published by Little, Brown. Too Princessy! by Jean Reidy continues her TOO . . . series (TOO PURPLEY!; TOO PICKLEY!) and is about a girl learning to use her imagination while it rains outside, published by Bloomsbury. We wish these book into readers' hearts! —Erin and Joan |
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PW bestowed a star on Cynthia Levinson's WE'VE GOT A JOB over the holiday break: "This chronicle of a pivotal chapter of the civil rights movement weaves together the stories of four black children in Birmingham, Ala., who were among some 4,000 who boycotted school to participate in a march to protest segregation. Before recounting that event, during which almost 2,500 young people were arrested and jailed, first-time author Levinson opens with intimate profiles of the four spotlighted children (drawn from interviews she conducted with each of them), along with descriptions of Birmingham’s racist laws, corrupt politicians, antiblack sentiment—and activists’ efforts to fight all of the above. Readers also get an up-close view of such leaders as Rev. Fred Shuttlesworth, who founded the Alabama Christian Movement for Human Rights; Rev. Martin Luther King Jr., who advocated a nonviolent response; and James Bevel, a preacher who rallied the city’s children and teens. Yet the most compelling component is Levinson’s dramatic re-creation of the courageous children’s crusade and the change it helped bring about in the face of widespread prejudice and brutality. Powerful period photos and topical sidebars heighten the story’s impact." Congratulations again, Cynthia! —Erin |
And a middle grade and chapter book! Go ahead, PEEK!
Happy 2012! |
Yes, a bonus round. We're so excited about all of our titles, we can't resist showing you a few more sneek peaks due out from later in the year—picture books—all getting ready with anticipation for a summer launch. Ready. Set. (No, not Go . . . yet!) Peek!
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