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Last summer Deborah Underwood sent me a manuscript in an unusual form for a writer who's not also an illustrator—a PDF, with sketches. She had started using drawing as a new way of playing with story ideas, and boy, did I like the result! The story, which perfectly captured cat personality, had the off-page narrator communicating with a cat character who wanted to take the Easter Bunny's job. By the first of the year, we had an offer in hand from Jessica Garrison at Dial, who thought the Easter Cat was the perfect foil for all the sweetly nostalgic books that appear in stores around Easter time. We're just now announcing because an illustrator has now been signed for the project—Claudia Rueda, whose HUFF AND PUFF features three expressive pig characters and was praised by Shelf Awareness as "Sure to be a family favorite." HERE COMES THE EASTER CAT is slated for a spring 2014 release. Hooray, Deborah! —Erin |
Picture book author Mary Lyn Ray has lots of experiences with dogs and lots of experiences with school visits, and so it seems perfect that the two should come together in a manuscript called A LUCKY AUTHOR HAS A DOG. And it's even more perfect that the wonderful Arthur Levine should read the manuscript and see in it another, parallel story—one about a child who wants to be an author and wants a dog, who meets the adult author character at a school visit, when everything comes together. You've probably guessed by now that this is an announcement of a new book deal! Arthur A. Levine acquired Mary Lyn's picture book manuscript for his imprint at Scholastic, and we couldn't be happier. Huge congratulations, Mary Lyn! —Erin |
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This is the first star awarded to Katerina's Wish, and here's the full text from Kirkus:
Congratulations, Jeannie!
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Happy July from EMLA! How's the heat? Stay cool with these delightful books—two picture books, one debut novel—out this month from three of our fabulous authors. Flying the Dragon by Natalie Dias Lorenzi is a heartfelt story of two cultures, two kids, and kite fighting, published by Charlesbridge. Think Big by Liz Garton Scanlon introduces a cast of creative kids putting on a pageant in which no one gets left out or left idle, published by Bloomsbury. Time (Out) for Monsters by Jean Reidy shows us how an imaginative little boy spruces up his time out corner and has loads of fun in the process, published by Disney-Hyperion. We wish these books into readers' hearts! —Erin |
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It's the second star, but the first full starred review we can post (stay tuned for the Kirkus full starred review on July 15!):
Congratulations, Jeannie! —Erin |
Some manuscripts just seem to have some greased-lightning magic on them right from the start. When Kathy Duval sent me A BEAR'S YEAR, I just had a feeling this was one of those manuscripts. It was lyrical and lovely and perfect for young picture book readers, and I could just imagine what a great illustrator would do with it. Granted, I'd seen an earlier version of A BEAR'S YEAR, back when it was one poem in a whole collection of poems that we hadn't successfully placed with a publisher. And granted, it was one of my favorites in that collection, one I'd encouraged Kathy to consider tinkering with to turn into a standalone picture book. But this read--well, I just KNEW it had found its perfect form, and I hoped like crazy that I was right and it would find a home quickly. Boy howdy, did it! From the moment I finished my first read of A BEAR'S YEAR, I had Lee Wade of Schwartz & Wade in mind for it. I sent it to her the second week of May; by the end of the month, we knew she was interested; by this week, even with the hullabaloo of BEA, ALA, and a Wade family vacation in there, the offer was finalized and we were going to contract. Greased lightning! Here's the official Publishers Lunch announcement:
Hooray for Kathy! What an example of persistence and ingenuity paying off. I'm so glad this little poem didn't stay in a drawer! —Erin |