- Absolutely Maybe by Lisa Yee. In Lisa's first YA novel, Maybe runs away to California to find her father, and discovers a great deal else besides. Coedited with Arthur Levine. Spring 2009.
- Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally), by Lisa Yee, illustrated by Dan Santat. In Lisa's first chapter book -- as funny and moving as her middle-grades -- the very nice, very sincere, very nine-years-old Bobby Ellis-Chan inadvertently gets into a whole heap of trouble with the girls in his class -- especially his former secret best friend, Holly Harper from next door. Coedited with Arthur Levine. Fall 2009.
- The Book of Everything,
by Guus Kuijer, translated from the Dutch by John Nieuwenhuizen. A
take-your-breath-away brave and beautiful short novel about Thomas, who
can see things no one else can see -- including the magic of
Mrs. van Amersfoort, the Beethoven-loving witch next door, and the Lord
Jesus, who comes to visit him regularly. These visions give him the
strength to stand up to his father, who often beats his mother, and to
become what he wants to be when he grows up: happy. This is a book
about religious faith, fundamentalism vs. humanism, the importance of
community, the power of art to comfort and heal . . . It is absolutely
stunning, and I'd say that even if I didn't edit it. Spring 2006.
- The Book of Time
trilogy by Guillaume Prevost, translated from the French by William Rodarmor: The Book of Time (Fall 2007), The Gate of Days (Fall 2008), and The Circle of Gold (Fall 2009).
When Sam's father mysteriously disappears, could the strange stone
statue in the basement have something to do with it? The ensuing
time-travel adventure whips Sam to all over history and the world, in the course of three books, in a terrific fun read (with just a soupcon of history)
for kids ages 9-14.
- The Chanters of Tremaris trilogy by Kate Constable: The Singer of All Songs (Spring 2004); The Waterless Sea (Spring 2005); The Tenth Power (Spring
2006). A gorgeously written trio of fantasies set in a world where
magic is worked through music. Imported from Australia. All three books
have been excellently designed by one of Scholastic's several resident
genius art directors, Elizabeth Parisi.
- Crossing to Paradise by Kevin Crossley-Holland. This followup to Kevin's stunning Arthur trilogy follows Gatty, a poor field girl, across Europe to the Holy Land in the early thirteenth century. Fall 2008.
- A Curse Dark as Gold
by Elizabeth C. Bunce. Winner of the ALA's inaugural William C. Morris Award for YA Debut Novel. In this beautifully written historical fantasy,
Charlotte Miller wrestles with an impossible mortgage on her family's
woolen mill, the charming banker who could take it all away, and a
mysterious stranger who can spin straw into gold. If you're thinking
"'Rumplestiltskin' just before the Industrial Revolution," you're
right. This is the first domestic book I ever acquired and edited
entirely on my own, so it's near and dear to my heart. Spring 2008.
- Don't Let the Peas Touch! and Other Stories,
by Deborah Blumenthal, illustrated by Timothy Basil Ering. Two
sisters quarrel and connect over foods touching on a plate, quiet time,
and the growth of a pet. Arthur and I worked on this book together; he
is the youngest of three brothers, and I am the oldest of two sisters,
and those dynamics totally
came out in the editing. This ends up being about the youngest sister
and succeeds wonderfully at conveying her point of view (assisted by
Basil's vibrant illustrations), and I'm delighted by that; but I still
think the older sister is right. Fall 2004.
- Fast Food, by Saxton Freymann. Sax works his vegetable magic through the whole spectrum of transportation, from feet
to cars to moon rockets. A companion to Dog Food and Baby Food. Spring 2006.
- Food for Thought: The Complete Book of Concepts for Growing Minds, by
Saxton Freymann. He does it again for basic learning concepts
like shapes, letters, numbers and opposites. All the images are
brilliant, but my favorites are the frogs, the hippos, and the sheep.
Spring 2005.
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, by J. K. Rowling, illustrated by Mary GrandPre. I served as the continuity editor for the American edition. Summer
2007.
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, by J. K. Rowling, illustrated by Mary GrandPre. Ditto. Summer 2005.
- Happy School Year! by Susan Milord, illustrated by Mary Newell DePalma. As a town wakes up on the first day of school, five children make their fearful way there for the first time . . . but the surprise awaiting them there promises it will be a happy school year! Fall 2008.
- Heartsinger by Karlijn Stoffels, translated from the Dutch by Laura Watkinson. A daisy chain of tales about love centered upon Mee, who can sing others' stories and heal their pain. Beautifully translated, wry and wise. Spring 2009.
- In the Shadow of the Ark, by Anne Provoost, translated from the Flemish by John Nieuwenhuizen. In the vein of The Red Tent, an incredible, dizzyingly
imagined, gorgeous and devastating retelling of the story of Noah's Ark. Summer 2004.
- The Legend of the Wandering King,
by Laura Gallego Garcia, translated from the Spanish by Dan Bellm. An
amazing coming-of-age novel set in pre-Islamic Arabia with the feel of
a tale out of the Arabian Nights; you can see some of the things I've
had to say about it here. Summer 2005.
- The Light of the World: The Life of Jesus for Children,
by Katherine Paterson, illustrated by Francois Roca. A gorgeously
illustrated, generously told, inspiring picture-book biography of
Jesus. I wrote about the editorial process behind this book and why I
love it so much here. Spring 2008.
- Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco X. Stork. A young man with something like Asperger's syndrome faces moral dilemma, first love, and the concept of other people's suffering in this astonishing (if I do say so myself) YA novel, with some of the most real characters I've ever read in any fiction. The recipient of five starred reviews. You can read more about its editorial process here. Spring 2009.
- Millicent Min, Girl Genius, by Lisa Yee. Over
the course of a tumultuous summer, an 11-year-old child prodigy
struggles to pass her college summer school class, survive
tutoring "jock, jerk, and poster boy for Chinese geekdom" Stanford
Wong, and make her first real friend. In Tam Lin
by Pamela Dean, the main character reflects that Jane Austen has the
knack of showing you the tragedy in her story but allowing the comedy
to prevail; Lisa has that same gift, as well as Austen's talents
for real moral/emotional development, terrific characters, and the
zingy one-liner. (And I'm not the only one who makes the Austen
comparison; Liz Rosenberg of the Boston Globe
called Millie "the most likeable unlikeable heroine since Jane Austen's
Emma.") Rightly the winner of the inaugural Sid Fleischman Award for
Humor. Coedited with Arthur Levine. Fall 2003. (I also wrote the extras
that appear in the AfterWords edition.)
- Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit by Nahoko Uehashi, translated by Cathy Hirano. Winner of the Mildred L. Batchelder Award for Translation. This novel translated from the Japanese presents Western readers with a fantasy unlike any they've ever seen and an absolutely kick-ass heroine: Balsa, the bodyguard assigned to protect young Prince Chagum, the unwilling bearer of the egg of the Water Spirit. Summer 2008.
- Moribito II: Guardian of the Darkness, by Nahoko Uehashi, translated by Cathy Hirano. The sequel to the above follows Balsa across the mountains to confront her past, where she discovers a decades-old conspiracy and all the trouble that always awaits fantasy heroes at home. But this is even better than the first one, I think, for the way the fantasy world and Balsa's emotional struggles echo and strengthen each other, for a wholly real, powerful, and involving read. Summer 2009.
- Mother Goose's Storytime Nursery Rhymes, illustrated by Axel Scheffler. I oversaw the publication of the American edition. Spring 2007.
- My Senator and Me: A Dog's-Eye View of Washington, D.C.,
by Senator Ted Kennedy, illustrated by David Small. A day on Capitol
Hill with Ted Kennedy and his Portuguese Water Dog. A celebrity book
with a difference: It's actually well-written! It offers great insight
into how Congress works (don't be cynical, now), and wonderful,
wonderful illustrations of dogs and Washington by Caldecott winner
David Small. Summer 2006.
- Oliver Who Would Not Sleep! by Mara Bergman, illustrated by Nick Maland. Excellent rhyming text traces the adventures of Oliver Donnington Rimington-Sneep, who couldn't and didn't and would not sleep! I oversaw the American edition. Fall 2008.
- Operation Yes by Sara Lewis Holmes. When the unconventional Ms. Loupe comes to Young Oaks Elementary School, on the Reform Air Force Base, she brings a tattoo, an Ugly, Ugly Couch, lessons in improvisational theatre, and eventually wonderful new strength to the lives of Bo, Gari, and the other kids in her class. You can see my post on writing its flap copy here. Fall 2009.
- The Pirate Princess and Other Fairy Tales, by Neil Philip, illustrated by Mark Weber. The rich and strange fairy tales of the Jewish mystic Rabbi Nachman of Bratslav,
with lovely jewel-toned Chagallesque illustrations. Fall 2005.
- The Red Bird,
by Astrid Lindgren, translated from the Swedish by Patricia Crampton,
illustrated by Marit Tornqvist. An incredibly beautiful, emotionally
powerful fairy tale about two children who work for a cruel farmer and
the red bird who leads them to a wondrous otherworld. Spring 2005.
- A Second Is a Hiccup: A Child's Book of Time,
by Hazel Hutchins, illustrated by Kady Macdonald Denton. A book that
beautifully and meaningfully answers those common childhood questions
"How long is a minute? an hour? a year?" Imported from Scholastic
Canada. Spring 2007.
- The Snow Day by Komako Sakai. A little bunny and its mother spend the day in their apartment as the snow falls outside . . . but will Daddy be able to get home? The soft gray illustrations perfectly capture the light of a snowy day, and the quiet sense of longing and worry for Daddy is beautifully and subtly conveyed. Spring 2009.
- So Totally Emily Ebers, by Lisa Yee. The companion to Millicent above and Stanford
below, where Emily Ebers gets to tell her surprising side of the
friendship-crush triangle. Coedited with Arthur Levine. Spring 2007.
- Stanford Wong Flunks Big-Time, by Lisa Yee. The companion to Millicent Min, Girl Genius traces the same summer from Stanford's perspective,
and read with Millicent, it's an object lesson in not judging someone by first appearances. . . . I would never
have suspected from MMGG that
Stanford had such a difficult relationship with his father, or such a
great group of friends, or that he could display so much sensitivity
and heart. Watch especially for the conversations with Stretch and
"Emily Ebers is the girl of my dreams," a line that still makes me
laugh out loud. Coedited with Arthur Levine. Fall 2005.
- Timothy and the Strong Pajamas by Viviane Schwarz. One of the cutest picture books EVER, for reasons I enumerate
here. Spring 2008.
- The Valley of the Wolves,
by Laura Gallego Garcia, translated from the Spanish by Margaret Sayers
Peden. The first novel by a hugely imaginative Spanish fantasist, about
a girl who's in love with her best friend -- a boy no one else can see.
Laura has been favorably compared to J. K. Rowling; read this or Legend of the Wandering King and see if you agree. Spring 2006.
- Wishworks Inc. by Stephanie Tolan, illustrated by Amy June Bates. Max really, really wants a dog -- but he needs to be careful how he asks! Summer 2009.
|
