These are the books I’ve edited, with my commentary and links to our official catalog copy (and purchasing information) on the Arthur A. Levine Books website. I used to oversee most of the foreign projects for our imprint, which is why the list includes a number of books translated from other languages; Arthur says part of our mission is “to bring the best of the world’s literature to American young readers,” and I’m proud to be a part of that.

• 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 the Brave (Sometimes), by Lisa Yee, illustrated by Dan Santat. In this sequel to Bobby vs. Girls (Accidentally), Bobby and his friends face their fears of performance, mean cats, failure, and speaking honestly. Coedited with Arthur Levine. Fall 2010.
• 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.
• Eighth-Grade Superzero by Olugbemisola Rhuday-Perkovich. A funny, smart, and inspiring novel about an eighth-grader in Brooklyn discovering his real-life superhero gifts. Spring 2010.
• 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.
• Happy 100th Day! by Susan Milord, illustrated by Mary Newell DePalma. Spring 2010.
• 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.
• Happy 100th Day! by Susan Milord, illustrated by Mary Newell DePalma. Graham doesn’t like school — too much reading! The one thing he looks forward to is his classroom birthday party. But when he discovers that his party will be on the same day as the school’s 100th Day celebration, both sadness and a surprise are in store for him. The gorgeous illustrations each incorporate 100 of some object, doubling the fun for new counters and fans of 100. Spring 2011.
• 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.
• 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.
• I Now Pronounce You Someone Else by Erin McCahan. Bronwen Oliver has never quite fit into her family . . . but she loves her new boyfriend and his family a lot. So when he proposes, why shouldn’t she say yes? This book is laugh-out-loud funny, swooningly romantic, and wonderfully wise. Summer 2010.
• 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 Last Summer of the Death Warriors, by Francisco X. Stork. This is one of those books where a plot summary doesn’t do it justice:  Pancho wants revenge on his sister’s murderer, while D.Q. is dying of cancer; and this is the story of how they influence and change each other’s lives. It’s all in the characters and the sharp, tight writing. Spring 2010.
• 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.
• Mad at Mommy by Komako Sakai. Little Bunny is furious at his mommy, and by God, he’ll let her know why. Fall 2010.
• 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.)
• The Miracle Stealer by Neil Connelly. Andi Grant is determined to protect her six-year-old brother — a maybe miracle worker — from those who seek to use him for their own ends . . . but at what cost? Fall 2010.
• 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. Winner of a Mildred L. Batchelder Honor for Translation. 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. A New York Times Best Illustrated Book. 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 and So Totally Emily Ebers 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.
• Warp Speed by Lisa Yee. This middle-grade novel takes place the fall following the summer chronicled in Millicent / Stanford / Emily, and traces the life of Stanford’s very much former best friend, Marley Sandelski — a Star Trek geek who’s relentless bullied. But as he discovers new allies and powers (and we readers have the pleasure of seeing old friends), his life begins to change at last. Coedited with Arthur Levine. Spring 2011.
• 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.
• Words in the Dust by Trent Reedy. Zulaikha struggles to meet life in 2005 Afghanistan with faith and heart, even with her cleft lip and the mean boys who tease her because of it; but when she begins to learn to read, and American soldiers offer surgery to fix her face, her life begins to change in unexpected ways. An Al Roker’s Book Club for Kids selection. Spring 2011.