Rebecca Stead
Photo: Joanne Dugan

Where did the idea for Liar & Spy come from?

I began with just a glimmer of the main character, Georges. And then the story grew, fueled mostly by my memory of school and childhood.

I heard that you initially wrote the book for younger kids. Why’d you change your mind?

I didn’t actually write it for younger kids, though that was my initial approach. But there was just too much material. I needed more space to unpack it.

Liar & Spy is a much quieter book than your Newbery-winning When You Reach Me (Random, 2009). Was that intentional?

Yes and no. I never thought to myself, “And now, I will write a quiet book!” But as soon as I began to recognize the characters in Liar & Spy, I knew it would be different from When You Reach Me.

Many people read a book with the expectation that the emotional impact will line up with the story’s “big events.” But Liar & Spy isn’t written that way—for me, the book’s loudest moments are in the aftershocks, places where the characters drop their guards and allow themselves to be vulnerable.

Safer and Georges have a complicated relationship. What message were you trying to send about friendships?

I’m rarely trying to send a message, but I think if there is a message to be taken from their relationship, it’s that friendship is messy sometimes.  Forgiveness may be necessary.

What inspires the quirky characters in your books?

I’m big on specificity when it comes to characters, because they usually reveal themselves in small details. But I feel the same way about actual people. Maybe it’s just how I see the world.

How do you write so convincingly in a kid’s voice and make your characters so real?

None of it is easy for me, because the discovery of the story is such an agonizing process. And finding the characters is part of finding the story—it’s all intertwined.The story is written on the characters, I think—you have to be able to read their experience in their actions and their words. And that’s why writing, all of it, is hard.

Both Liar & Spy and When You Reach Me are set in New York. Tell us about your connection to the Big Apple and why your books tend to take place here?

Ha! Well, it’s the most obvious connection:I grew up in New York City and have lived here my whole life. Observation and memory are 90 percent of my writing, and most of my observations and memories were made in New York…if I thought I could write convincingly about life in a suburb or in the country, I might do it. But so far, I can’t. The truth is that I’m always driven by what I believe I can do pretty well. Writing is terrifying enough without adding a high wire act.

What impact, if any, did winning the Newbery have on your writing?

It made me shy about writing for a while, but it also gave me confidence. Neither the shyness nor the confidence lasted long, though.

I remember running into you and your son on the upper west side a while back. I think you said you were touring middle schools. Do your kids give you inspiration—whether dialogue or stories—for your books?

I don’t draw directly from my kids’ lives, but I’m sure that living with them informs my dialogue. I also know that watching my sons navigate life sometimes taps my own memory of childhood in ways that are helpful to me as a writer. (And I’m happy to report that we found a great middle school. Five weeks in, and he’s loving it.)

Glad your son is happy with his new school. Did you have a difficult time in middle school?

Yes, in the sense that there was unrelenting name-calling by a small group of kids. I felt that I was never really safe from them. I walked around in a state of high alert. But I had one close friend (to whom Liar & Spy is dedicated), and a handful of less-close friends with whom I killed time, and some perfectly kind teachers. When I think about it carefully, I realize that the put-downs were a tiny part of my school experience. And yet they completely colored my life at the time.

Do you think you’d still be a lawyer if your then four-year-old son hadn’t dropped your laptop?

Good question. I have no idea. I wonder about things like that all the time.

What advice do you have for kids who aspire to become writers or someone who wants to write but is either scared or has no time?

Time is an interesting issue. There are many days when I don’t write at all. Sometimes I’m grocery shopping or running down the steps to the subway and something will hit me—a line of dialogue or description, or an idea about a place where my storylines might touch. Whatever it is, I stop and write it down. Often it’s the only real writing I get done that day. Other days I’m able to do much more. But there isn’t a clear relationship between how much time I have and how much I actually write. My advice is, begin.

As for fear: Almost everyone is afraid, because when you write you expose yourself to 1) the risk that you will be disappointed by your own work, and 2) the risk that others will not understand your work as you yearn for it to be understood.

In fact, these risks are more than possibilities—they’re almost certainties. But if you think about it, these things aren’t so terrifying. Disappointment is where the work begins, for every writer. So come, join us.

What are you working on now?

A middle-grade novel. I’m at that part right before the beginning.

What made you want to write a picture book about the life of John Coltrane?

When I was 17, I bought my first Coltrane record and was moved by the heartfelt quality of his sound. I had heard about his addiction history and knew he was great player, but only years later—as I listened to WBGO, the great jazz station—did I become really familiar with his depth and range. Some time after I’d finished writing my first picture book, Jimi: Sounds Like A Rainbow (Clarion, 2010), I heard a Coltrane birthday broadcast…and it was my mother’s birthday, as well. Because of that, I felt inspired to delve into the man’s life, and again, it was the qualities of heart and tenderness—in his story and in his music—that convinced me to write about him.

Coltrane had a complicated life and your book deals with some serious topics like drug abuse and alcoholism. Did you feel they were essential to the story, and did you have difficulty addressing those issues with a young audience?

I tried to discuss those topics in a way that would lessen some of the mystery often attached to them. As a therapist myself, I know that drug use is just a side-effect of difficult things that happen or exist in a person’s life, whether it’s poverty, trauma, the loss of a parent or someone close, and various kinds of abuse. People use drugs and alcohol to try and balance out feelings of sadness, pain, lack of confidence, or confusion. It’s never really about the substances, but always about what’s underneath. For John, the loss of all the men in his life (father, grandfather, uncle), at an early age, left him vulnerable to a certain loneliness—even emptiness—that was temporarily relieved by alcohol and drugs, despite his spiritual nature or maybe even because of it. He was a very sensitive teen—like many of the kids I work with today—and the power of his story lies in the fact that it’s a very human tale, about losing one’s way and finding it again. Kids can understand these things if we’re honest and straightforward in our talking or writing about them.

Tell us about the research you did for the book? What surprised you most about Coltrane?

I did a lot of reading about Coltrane’s life, from a variety of sources. This wasn’t simply to understand the arc of his life, but to benefit from different perspectives on the man and insights into his character. What surprised me most about Coltrane’s life were the details about his childhood. He was deeply affected by his father’s and grandfather’s deaths, and suffered panic attacks, tremendous self-doubt and grief because he lost his footing, part of his emotional foundation, at the age of 12/13. And of course, this was only intensified by living in the Jim Crow South. As a child, I experienced some emotional challenges of my own, and I still marvel at how people survive such powerful—and seemingly destructive—forces.

Spirit Seeker deals with spirituality. Are you spiritual yourself or did you include it because it was a big part of Coltrane’s life?

I’ve always been very drawn to the spiritual side of things, from my early exposure to Christianity to a deep interest in Eastern philosophies—Buddhism and Taoism—as a teenager and adult. I also nearly died as a result of an accident when I was 24 years old, and that experience changed my life in profound ways. It was a spiritual moment for me, and became a touchstone of sorts for everything that followed. Coltrane had a similar experience when he decided to stop using drugs—he experienced a revelation—and it put him on a new path, one that led to his work with Thelonius Monk, his reunion with Miles Davis, and his development as a band leader and composer. A Love Supreme is really all about his spiritual transformation, his rebirth, and the gratitude that he felt for being able to use and develop his talents. It’s a jazz lovesong, and you can hear Coltrane himself speaking the words “A Love Supreme, A Love Supreme,” over and over. It’s also about a personal approach to the Divine, and how each of us interprets that connection.
You’re a clinical social worker and psychotherapist who works with kids and teen on issues like addiction. How does it influence you as a writer?

Don’t tell anyone, but I’m really still 16 (though my wife might put the number considerably younger than that). I love teenagers because I tune into that age frequency, which is filled with longing and hopefulness, a search for the ideal. Teens want so much to believe in the goodness of the world, but they’re easily disappointed and often have trouble sustaining confidence in themselves, or faith in other people. And who can blame them? Which is why they need to be given inspiring examples—like John Coltrane—in books and movies. Teens are very susceptible to inspiration.

What do you think is the appropriate age that parents should start telling their kids about substance abuse?

So many parents I know—well-meaning parents—send mixed messages to their kids about substance use, and especially about drinking. Sure, it’s funny to see Cheech and Chong carrying a three-foot joint, but when adults start telling “war stories” about their adventures at Woodstock or Bonnaroo, we can’t blame kids for wanting to experiment. And teenagers will experiment—they want to learn about life on their own—but if we talk to them while keeping a cool head, the lines of communication can remain open. Teenagers also have advanced B.S. detectors, so if we say one thing and do another (like get drunk at a party or smoke a joint in the basement), then they feel there’s a double standard. Most of all, kids want adults to be consistent, honest, and reliable, and while none of us is perfect, it’s important to match our words to our behaviors as parent, caregiver, teacher or mentor. There’s really no perfect age for discussing substance use with kids, because every child has different needs and experiences. Ideally, it should be an ongoing conversation.

What do you hope kids take away from Spirit Seeker?

The book isn’t didactic, just a story of one person’s persistence, a desire to do the best he can with what he’s been given. Everyone’s best is different, of course, and we may feel that some people fall short of what they could accomplish. But life is more subtle and rich than that—things aren’t always so simple—and we can never say where someone will end up, given sufficient support and encouragement. Coltrane would have been the first person to thank all those—musicians, family, and friends—who helped him along the way, all of whom he saw as embodying Spirit in one form or another. We’re very much interdependent on one another.

You’ve also written books about Jimi Hendrix and Bob Dylan. Can you explain your fascination with musicians?

Music and musicians are fascinating! I love music and can never really get enough of it, given my taste for just about every genre: world music, jazz, pop, blues, symphonic, rock, folk, country, bluegrass and electronic. John Cage, Eminem, Bessie Smith, Bartok—I could go on forever—they’re all fair game, depending on the mood I’m in. Only problem is, if I listen to something intently and repeatedly during the day, I hear it all night in my sleep!

How does Rudy Gutierrez’s illustrations enhance your words and how closely did you collaborate?

I wish I could take credit for choosing Rudy, but that honor goes to my beloved editor, Lynne Polvino, of Clarion. She has a great talent for pairing picture book authors with illustrators, and even though she graciously asks my opinion, it’s not really the author’s call. Picture book authors and illustrators are pretty much kept apart (for their own good and the sake of the book!), but Rudy asked that I be present when he brought in his paintings/illustrations. So the folks at Clarion had his paintings—some of which were 5 feet high by 3 feet wide—set up around a large conference room when I arrived, and one look took my breath away. At that moment, I realized that the book wasn’t about me, or Rudy, or maybe even about John Coltrane, but about the themes of Art and Spirit that are at its core. I’ll also say that Rudy has a big heart, full of Spirit, and his sincere dedication to Coltrane’s story and music shows in those incredible images.

What are you working on now? Maybe something on Billie Holiday? I know my kids would love that.

Funny you should say that, because I always wanted to do a picture book on Billie but never found a way that made sense. Fortunately, Carole Boston Weatherford did write about her—for a teen audience—with Becoming Billie Holiday, a powerful, beautiful book. As for my present projects, I recently sold a picture book text called Bird & Diz, about the creators/creation of Bebop, and also finished a picture book text on Charlie Chaplin, another fascinating subject. See—I don’t just do musicians!

Read SLJ’s interview with Asher about The Future of Us.

Check out SLJ’s Tumblr post with Mackler on “where I write.”

SLJ Blogger Liz Burn’s review on A Chair, a Fireplace & A Tea Cozy.

SLJ’s Review of The Future of Us :

ASHER, Jay & Carolyn Mackler. The Future of Us. 356p. Penguin/Razorbill. Nov. 2011. Tr $18.99. ISBN 978-1-59514-491-1. LC number unavailable.
Gr 8 Up–The year is 1996. Josh and Emma, lifelong best friends and neighbors, are in the midst of sorting out their awkward, possibly romantic feelings for one another when Emma receives her first computer and logs on to the Internet with a free AOL CD. Mysteriously, the teens find themselves on a website called Facebook, which has all sorts of information about their lives… 15 years in the future. This intriguing premise is an instant hook for today’s social-media-savvy readers. Clever references to cassette tapes, dial-up Internet access, and camera film are sure to induce chuckles from those who remember 1996, but the nostalgia is subtle enough that the writing will feel fresh to contemporary teens, and the idea of glimpsing one’s future is a tantalizing draw for any reader. Although the discovery of Facebook initially propels the plot, there is a solid and appealing story beyond the sly humor that comes from poking fun at trivial status updates. In addition to sustaining well-crafted romantic tension, the authors deftly address universal questions relevant to teens, such as, “What do I want?” and “How do my actions affect my future?” As Josh and Emma confront these dilemmas and reevaluate their feelings, their alternating first-person narratives have a sense of urgency that makes this book impossible to set aside. This quick, highly engaging read is a tremendously likable, soul-searching romantic comedy and a subtle reminder to occasionally unplug and live in the moment.–Allison Tran, Mission Viejo Library, CA.

The five names were among 20 finalists for the National Book Awards in Fiction, Nonfiction, Poetry, and Young People’s Literature, which were announced Wednesday morning by David Steinberger, chairman of the National Book Foundation’s board of directors, on MSNBC’s Morning Joe, hosted by Joe Scarborough, Mika Brzezinski, and Willie Geist.

William Alexander, author of Goblin Secrets (Margaret K. McElderry Bks./S & S), was sipping coffee at a café before picking his three-year-old son from preschool. Having some quiet time alone with his notebook was a present to himself on his 36th birthday. So when a call came from a man claiming to be Harold Augenbraum, the executive director of the National Book Foundation, Alexander thought it was a cruel and elaborate birthday prank.

“I didn’t say so at the time, just in case it wasn’t a prank and he really was Harold Augenbraum,” says Alexander, whose novel is about a boy who joins a troupe of goblins to help him find his missing brother. “So far it seems to be real, which makes all of this a magnificent birthday present, but I’m still not sure I believe it.”

Now that the news has started to sink in, Alexander says, he feels “Astonishment. Joy. Hiccups.” And he can’t wait to meet Susan Cooper, this year’s Margaret A. Edwards Award-winner and one of the five judges, including Daniel Ehrenhaft, Judith Ortiz Cofer, Marly Youmans, and Gary D. Schmidt, who will present the award on November 14.

Patricia McCormick, who wrote Never Fall Down (Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins), describes her reaction to the news about being a finalist as a scene from the film “Love Actually” where actress Laura Linney’s character jumps up and down because she finally gets asked out on a date.

“I was jumping up and down like a kid while trying to keep a totally cool tone of voice on the phone with Harold Augenbraum,” says McCormick, whose novel, narrated by Cambodian human-rights activist Arn Chorn Pond, deals with his survival during the Khmer Rouge reign of terror and genocide. “When I called to tell [Pond] about the award, he was characteristically humble. He asked me to thank the judges.”

McCormick says receiving validation from the National Book Awards judges is so important to a book like this because it helps reluctant readers overcome any hesitation they might have had to the difficult subject matter.

“Just as importantly, it affirms the artistic risks that I took by writing the book in the voice of an 11-year-old boy—a very poetic, but ungrammatical voice that conveys all the terror as well as the humanity of his experience,” she says. “Lastly, and perhaps most importantly, it affirms the importance of storytelling as a way to foster understanding and peace.”

Eliot Schrefer, who wrote Endangered (Scholastic), went for a morning run and returned at 9 a.m. to a bunch of excited voicemails from his fiancé, so he knew that something major had happened.

“Then I opened my email while listening to the voicemails, and it all became very clear,” says the author, whose books involves a girl who discovers just how much humans can bond with animals when she visits her mother at her sanctuary for bonobos in Congo. “I’m moved and humbled by being a finalist. To be acknowledged, yes, but also because I’ll get to meet my fellow nominees and the committee members, whom I admire a ton.”

Steve Sheinkin, author of Bomb: The Race to Build―and Steal―the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon (Flash Point/Roaring Brook), was working in the library—his home away from home—when he received a very cryptic email with “confidential” in the subject line and the message containing just a name and number to call.

“But at the bottom was the National Book Foundation contact info, which got me kind of intrigued,” says Sheinkin, whose book, which received a starred review from SLJ, tells the story of the atomic bomb. “I called the guy, and he told me my book was a finalist, but that I couldn’t tell anyone except my wife! So I tried to play it cool, and just went back to work. Actually, it was fun to have that secret for a day.”

On Wednesday morning, he watched the announcement on TV with his kids, ages six and three, and although they were semi-interested, they seemed to enjoy the show’s previous interview with actor Ben Affleck just as much.

“The recognition is a huge honor for me and really confirms that I’m on the right path,” he says. “And to think that just a few short years ago I was writing textbooks!”

Carrie Arcos, who wrote Out of Reach (Simon Pulse/S & S), had just finished teaching a class at Southern California’s Biola University when she received an email from the National Book Foundation.

“The note was very official-sounding and formal, ‘Dear Ms. Arcos please call us immediately,’” she said it read. “I actually thought that I might have been in trouble for something!”

When she returned the call and was told the news, Arcos says she was completely shocked and, like Alexander, thought a friend was pulling a prank on her.

“After the very patient person on the line proved to me he was a part of the foundation—it  all really set in,” she adds.

Arcos says it’s “so humbling and affirming” to receive a nomination for such a prestigious award.

“I have read National Book Award winners over the years and to think that I’m including in that category is exhilarating,” she says. “What an honor!”

The winners will be announced Wednesday, November 14 during a ceremony at Cipriani Wall Street in New York City,

The following is a list of the finalists:

William Alexander’s Goblin Secrets (Margaret K. McElderry Bks./S & S)

SLJ‘s review: Rownie and other “stray” children live with Graba, a Baba Yaga-type witch with mechanical, chickenlike legs. His older brother, Rowan, lived with him until he became an actor and disappeared since their city outlaws acting. Rownie, anxious to find him, runs away, much to the ire of Graba. He meets a troupe of goblin actors who teach him their craft? and the secrets of the masks they wear and make. He learns to trust the goblins and thinks they will help in the search for his brother. Written in “Acts” and “Scenes” as in a staged drama, the story weaves a many-webbed tale, rich in imagination with a fairy-tale feel. However, it seems as though something important is missing in the connections among the many situations as well as the story as a whole. Also, the characters, except for Rowan, seem one dimensional without much importance in the plot. True fans of fantasy or science fiction may enjoy this book but it’s additional at best.–D. Maria LaRocco, Cuyahoga Public Library, Strongsville, OH

Carrie Arcos’s Out of Reach (Simon Pulse/S & S)
Rachel has always idolized her older brother Micah, who struggles with addiction. But she tells herself that he’s in control. And she almost believes it—until  the night that Micah doesn’t come home.

Patricia McCormick’s Never Fall Down (Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins)

SLJ‘s starred review: With unflinching candor, an authentic voice, and an indomitable will to survive, Cambodian human-rights activist Arn Chorn Pond narrates the remarkable story of his survival during the Khmer Rouge reign of terror and genocide. McCormick has blended his personal recollections with extensive interviews, historical research, and her own imagination to create a powerful, intimate novel. In 1975, 11-year-old Arn lives an impoverished but inventive life with his aunt and siblings. His father has died and his mother can no longer run the family-owned opera house. After the Khmer Rouge soldiers arrive in his town, everyone is ordered to agricultural labor camps. Separated from his family, Arn witnesses the brutality and sadism of the “black pajama” soldiers, the exhaustion and starvation of his companions, and the horrific Killing Fields massacres. When the soldiers ask for musicians, Arn volunteers. Although he has never played, his natural talent quickly emerges and he becomes a popular khim player, ensuring his survival. With the 1979 Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia, the Khmer soldiers abandon his camp and he flees with thousands across the border into Thailand. Rescued by peace activist Peter L. Pond, Arn and other orphans come to America where Arn eventually channels his traumatic past into helping other refugees and preserving traditional Cambodian arts and music. Once again, McCormick has delivered a heartrending exposé of human tragedy. The natural syntax and grammar of Arn’s narration imbues his story with a stunning simplicity and clarity against a backdrop of political chaos, terror, and death. This compelling story will awaken compassion and activism in secondary readers. –Gerry Larson, Durham School of the Arts, Durham, NC

Eliot Schrefer’s Endangered (Scholastic)
When Sophie has to visit her mother at her sanctuary for bonobos in Congo, she’s not thrilled to be there. It’s her mother’s passion, and Sophie doesn’t want to have anything to do with it. At least not until Otto, an infant bonobo, comes into her life, and for the first time she feels the bond a human can have with an animal.

Steve Sheinkin’s Bomb: The Race to Build―and Steal―the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon (Flash Point/Roaring Brook)

SLJ‘s starred review: “Harry Gold was right: This is a big story.” So begins this depiction of the “creation–and theft–of the deadliest weapon ever invented.” As he did in The Notorious Benedict Arnold (Roaring Brook, 2010), Sheinkin has again brought his superior talent for storytelling to bear in what is truly a gripping account of discovery, espionage, and revolutionary changes in both physics and the modern world. This fascinating tale, packed with a wide cast of characters, focuses mainly on three individuals: spy for the Soviets Harry Gold, leader of the Manhattan Project J. Robert Oppenheimer, and Knut Haukelid, who sabotaged German bomb efforts while working for the Norwegian resistance. Sheinkin skillfully combines lucid, conversational snapshots of the science behind the atomic bomb with a fast-paced narrative of the remarkable people who made it possible and attempted to steal it. Handsomely designed and loaded with archival photos and primary-source documents, the accessible volume lays out how the bomb was envisioned and brought to fruition. While the historical information and hard facts presented here will likely be new to the intended audience, they in no way overwhelm readers or detract from the thoroughly researched, well-documented account. It reads like an international spy thriller, and that’s the beauty of it.–Brian Odom, Pelham Public Library, AL

Jacqueline Woodson
Photo: Marty Umans

I think my daughter saw a little bit of herself in Chloe when she read Each Kindness. Where’d the idea come from?

Each Kindness (Penguin, 2012) came from a number of places. When my daughter was a bit younger, I was surprised to notice how cruel second graders could be. I remember hearing one girl say to another friend “Why would you even THINK of wearing that bathing suit?” The friend immediately covered herself up in this heartbreakingly suddenly self-conscious way. I think that’s when I really started trying to understand all of this. When I’m trying to figure something out, I usually end up writing about it. I always say I write because I have questions, not answers.  So I started thinking about the whole Mean Girl thing. Was it new?  How do children figure out how to be cruel, and what is it about that cruelty that is attractive to them?  I knew part of it was power. There is a way in which looking down on someone else can make the down-looker feel powerful.  But then, the question became “Why do we need that kind of negative empowerment?”  On and on, the questions kept spiraling until they landed back to me as a young girl and the moments when I was cruel. And of course, the remorse I later felt because of it. A lot of times, especially with pictures books, I like to press the rewind button and go back to who I was as a child—warts and all. I was cruel sometimes and sometimes kids were cruel to me.  And this is not something new.

Were you more like Chloe or Maya as a little girl?

I think at some point we are all either Chloe or Maya—I don’t’ know a single person who has not been cruel at some point in their lives, and I don’t know anyone who hasn’t been treated cruelly.

It made me sad to find out that Chloe never gets to make amends with Maya.

I think there’s this sense people have that tomorrow will always come—that we’ll always have another chance at something.  But of course, it’s not always true. People die. People move away. Whatever the reason is, sometimes that moment is, as Chloe says, “Forever gone.”  When I got to this line in the book, I knew that’s what this book was saying to me and by extension, once it was published, to the world: that we can’t assume we’ll get another chance. So do the right thing in this moment—be kind. I think kindness is so easy. It connects people, and it’s empowering.  It feels good to compliment someone and watch their face light up.  At night, our family has to say what kind things we’ve done during the day.  The beauty of this is it makes us all slow down during the day, take in what we’ll be bringing to the dinner table.

This is third time you’ve chosen E.B. Lewis to illustrate one of your picture books. What is it about his style that draws you to his work, and what’s it like to work together?

I love that people always confuse him with the Charlotte’s Web author. When I wrote The Other Side, E.B. set it back in the past, and I was surprised. Once the shock wore off, I loved the book and 10 years later, I still love it.  And because I knew he was able to do such beautiful paintings of the past, I chose him for Coming On Home Soon because it was set during World War II.  When I wrote Each Kindness, because it was such an important book for me, and because it was a story about girls, I chose a different illustrator.  But that illustrator’s drawings didn’t give the book the depth I wanted it to have—or the resonance.  I realized I had made a mistake not choosing E.B. in the beginning.  When I knew we’d have to scrap the original illustrations for the book, we approached E.B. and he fell in love with the story and said he’d illustrate it.  Each time E.B. illustrates a book of mine (and sometimes it takes me a moment to realize it), I feel like he gives me and the world a gift.  While I love The Other Side and Coming On Home Soon, I think he took Each Kindness to a whole new level.  The way he uses light and point of view just blows me away. These days, when I’m stuck on my present work, I just spend time staring at that last image in Each Kindness—there is so much hope in it that I can’t help but thinking “Everything will work out fine.”

You address some serious issues in all of your books. Do you prefer writing YA novels, books for middle schoolers, or picture books?

I love writing them all.  With picture books, I get a chance to write poetry. I love poetry and read lots of it. When I’m writing picture books, I spend a lot of time thinking about line breaks, white space, the visual impact of each line of text, the story’s trajectory, the economy of language and stuff like that.  When I’m writing for young adults, I feel like I have this HUGE canvas that I can paint a complicated story on. I also feel like I can take my time—that the story will get where it needs to get to when it gets there.  And so while I’m still thinking about language, I’m not so concerned with line-breaks and white space.  But I do believe that there isn’t any time to waste—even if I am taking my time. I know that sounds contradictory but it makes sense on the page. Each sentence has to move the story forward. But the sentences don’t have to be in a hurry.They can ebb and flow gently. I’m thinking of Behind You –the book opens with these lines “You do not die. Your soul steps out of your body, shakes itself hard because it’s been carrying the weight of your heavy skin for 15 years…”   There’s the slow entry into the story –we don’t know who is speaking yet, don’t know why they’re telling us this. But each word pulls us further in and the gentle sway of the language gives us faith that what we need to know will be revealed in time. So I love that.  With middle grade fiction, my language has to be more immediate—there is really no time to waste. The action begins from the first line “His coming into our classroom that morning was the only new thing.”  (Feathers) And boom, someone has entered a room and we’re ready to find out what the old things were, who this ‘he’ is, etc. So I love all of it and wouldn’t be able to choose one over the other.

Do you ever worry that any of your books will get banned? Does that ever interfere with the writing process?

I’m sure my books get censored and banned left and right (well, probably mostly Right) but it’s not something I worry about. I don’t give it that much energy. I’m not writing for the people who don’t want to read me, I’m writing for myself and for the people who have been hungry for reflections of themselves in literature, for people who want to step into a world completely different from their own and gain empathy through that journey, for the people who believe that all people have a right to tell and read their stories. I’ve always been stronger than the forces that have aligned against me. I know that strength comes from the people who came before me who have had forces aligned against them since they were first brought as enslaved people into this country. I’m sure my ancestors would have been happy to have something as simple as censorship to worry about!  So I don’t let thoughts about someone trying to silence me to keep me from doing the work I was brought here to do. I do believe my work in this lifetime is to write stories that matter about people who have been historically silenced.  We all have such a tiny window of time on this planet, and I don’t’ want to waste my time here worrying about the people who want to silence me or by being afraid.  There’s this great verse in the poem I Remember, I Believe by Bernice Johnson Reagon. “The power of the Universe knows my name. Gave me a song to sing and sent me on my way. I raise my voice for justice, I believe.”

You’re so prolific and seem to always be working on more than one book at once. Where does the inspiration come from?

What is there NOT to write about? You walk outside, and you see a dozen things and have a dozen thoughts before you get to the corner store.  Also, all the life that happens to people all day long…  I think I’m constantly taking stuff in and thinking about it and then writing to try to understand.  So I guess that’s my biggest inspiration—my desire to know, to understand.  And because that is a never-ending desire, I’m always inspired.

Do you write on a PC or Mac?

I write on a Mac now, but my first 13 books were written using notebooks and a PC. I love writing wherever the words come to me!

Where’s your favorite place to write? 

I used to love writing in my favorite yellow chair.  And then I loved writing in my office when the light hit the room just so.  And then it was my stoop.  But I find I move around, and I’m not really happy until I can be still and have the words flowing. These days, I write at my kitchen table because my kitchen is warm and gets a lot of light. Light is very important to me.

What do your kids, Toshi, 10, and Jackson-Leroi, 4, think of your work?

Toshi is admittedly “Not a fan of your work, Mommy.”  Which is fine. I think it’s a journey for her—to bring the two selves (Mommy/Writer) together. I have a lot of fans among her friends, which is flattering and cool. Her big constructive criticism is “You’re just not funny enough when you write.” JL reads my work (or rather, we read it to him). He says sweet things about all of my work.  With my new book, This Is The Rope, he said “This is really good, Mommy!” and it completely made my day.  But he also says things like “Your book needs a dragon in it.”  Alas.

Are there plans to make any of your books into movies?

There’s talk about making Beneath A Meth Moon into a movie. An actress signed on to play Laurel and there’s a director who is interested. I don’t know if it’ll happen. I try to distance myself from my books being anything but books, really. I try not to get caught up. When I finish writing a book, I try to make sure I’m working on something else I can bury my head inside so that the new story has my attention instead of stuff like reviews, awards and Hollywood.

What are you working on now?
I’m also working on plays these days. I don’t know a whole lot about writing them, but I’m learning. It’s really great to be a neophyte. I mean, each time I write a book, it’s like I’ve never written one before because of all the challenges that new story presents. But with plays, I barely know what upstage/downstage is so I’m REALLY green. So green that I find myself laughing at myself and shaking my head when I’ve written myself into some crazy corner. It’s all a journey and I’m pretty glad I’m on it.

Ellen Hopkins

The National Coalition Against Censorship (NCAC) will honor award-winning authors Ellen Hopkins and Phyllis Reynolds Naylor next month for their fight to defend free speech.

Hopkins, who writes about addiction, teen prostitution, and other controversial issues in her “Crank” trilogy (S & S/Margaret K. McElderry Bks.), is no stranger to book banning. In January 2010, she and a handful of other YA authors were scheduled to attend the Humble ISD Libraries’ Teen Lit Festival in Texas, but Hopkins was uninvited when a middle school librarian voiced concern over the author “being in the vicinity of her students.”  In protest, five of the seven other festival authors—Melissa de la Cruz, Matt de la Peña, Pete Hautman, Tera Lynn Childs, and Brian Meehl—withdrew from the event.

Hopkins was also banned from speaking at Whittier Middle School in Norman, OK, in 2009, after a parent asked that her novel, Glass (S & S, 2007), a semiautobiographical account of her daughter’s battle with a crystal meth addiction, be pulled from all district middle school libraries—and that no student be allowed to hear Hopkins speak.

For Banned Books Week in September 2009, Hopkins created a “Manifesto” video, in which she recites an anticensorship poem that chides “you zealots and bigots and false patriots who live in fear of discourse.”

“We’re thrilled to honor Ellen as an author who is courageous for the kinds of stories she writes and her willingness to fight for young people’s right to read them,” says Joan Bertin, NCAC’s executive director.

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Reynolds Naylor, a 1992 Newbery Award-winner for Shiloh, has published more than 25 books in the often-challenged “Alice” series, which deals with relationships, sex, friendships, life problems, and God—and landed on the American Library Association’s list of most challenged books for several years, topping the list in 2003. Reynolds Naylor is also founder of the PEN/Phyllis Naylor Working Writer Fellowship, which annually rewards $5,000 to an author of children’s or young-adult fiction of literary merit to complete a work-in-progress.

NCAC has for years honored authors and journalists among defenders of free speech but began recognizing YA authors annually in 2009, when it highlighted the work of Judy Blume, who has served on NCAC’s board since 2000 and is vocal about her battles against censorship.

Lauren Myracle, a New York Times best-selling author of the “IM” series of books, which include ttyl, ttfn, and l8r, g8r, was honored in 2010. Myracle ranked number one on ALA’s top 10 most frequently challenged books list in 2011 and 2009—and also made the list in 2008 and 2007. In 2011, NCAC honored Laurie Halse Anderson, author of the debut novel, Speak, about rape, and Wintergirls, which deals with eating disorders. Both books are often challenged in schools.

Hopkins, Reynolds Naylor, and Chris Finan, president of the American Booksellers Foundation for Free Expression, will be honored November 12 during NCAC’s annual Free Speech Matters ceremony in New York City.

NCAC’s Free Speech Matters celebration is the only annual event to recognize YA writers and children’s book publishers for their contributions to free expression. If you’d like to attend, sponsor, or donate to the event, there’s still time.

Lauren Myracle

freedom to read. We caught up by email with bestselling author Lauren Myracle, who ranked number one on the American Library Association’s top 10 most frequently challenged books list in 2011 and 2009—and who also made the list in 2008 and 2007.

What does it mean to top ALA’s list of most challenged books–not once–but twice?

Well, it means I get a little bit of attention for a few days. I like that. I like attention! It also reminds me to do my best to stay on the top of my game. If I’m going to be an advocate for intellectual freedom which I sure try to be—then I better keep a close eye on myself. Where do I fall short? What ideas am I uncomfortable with? How do I deal with those ideas and the people who express them? +shrugs+ It’s tough. I am still a total work in progress.

Are you proud? Sad? Mad?

PROUD, for sure. “Mad” went away a long time ago. (I didn’t just fall off the turnip truck, you know. I’ve been on this list before.) “Sad”? Well…maybe a little, in the broad way that I am sad that we silly humans can’t get our acts together and sing in harmony. But I’m an eternal optimist. We’ll figure it out, and conversations about tough topics—like censorship—inevitably lead to growth.

This is your fourth time on the list in five years. Why’s it important that kids get to read books like yours?

Because they’re AWESOME. Can that be my answer? Okaaaay, fine. Because ideas don’t kill people. Guns do. Except maybe gun-totin’ mamas have a valid argument for strapping lady revolvers to their inner thighs. Only how will I know if I’m forbidden from reading the gun-totin’ mamas’ treatise: “How to Coordinate Your Pistol with Your Pumps”? Hmmm???? (Um. My books have nothing to do with guns. My brain just goes to weird places late at night…)

What is the most moving comment from a reader that you’ve received?

“I am a gay boy living in NC. If I hadn’t read yr book Shine (Amulet, 2011), I probably wldn’t be here today. Thx.”

Do book challenges have any effect on your writing?

Absolutely, and it’s a pain in the butt. I doubt myself all the time. I want to reach tween and teen readers, but to reach them, I often have to meet the approval of an adult parent/teacher/book buyer/etc. But I don’t care about the approval of those adults. Do I? What if what I write really *is* “wrong”? What if I try so hard to not censor myself that I go too far and fall over? What if I try so hard to not not censor myself that I teeter in my high-and-mighty heels and fall over in the other direction? WHAT IF I SUCK? It is a mind game, see? But for the record, I don’t wear heels. I am usually barefoot.

OK, an easy one. How do you feel about book banning and challenges?

Can my answer be “Awesome!” again? Kidding. I don’t feel awesome about book banning. I feel crappy about it. Censorship hurts readers (all readers) and hurts authors (especially those who have yet to develop a thick skin). As Chris Crutcher said, “When you ban a book, you ban a kid.” Uncool. On the plus side, the fact that we celebrate Banned Books Week every year *is* awesome, because it draws attention to the importance of our First Amendment rights and the power—and yes, the absolute and utter awesomeness—of literature.

Lisa Von Drasek Leaves Bank Street after 15 years.

Lisa Von Drasek, a children’s librarian at the Bank Street College of Education and director of its Center for Children’s Literature, has taken a job as curator at the University of Minnesota’s Children’s Literature Research Collections.

Why leave Bank Street after 15 years? Von Drasek says giving up “the best job a children’s librarian could have” was like “breaking up with a boyfriend.”

It all happened by accident while she was attending the American Library Association’s midwinter meeting in Dallas, TX, earlier this year.

“The seed was planted by Wendy Woodfill of the Hennepin County Library,” says Von Drasek. “I wasn’t looking, but she mentioned that Karen Nelson Hoyle of the Kerlan Collection—a renowned repository of children’s literature, original art, and manuscripts—was retiring after 43 years. To those of us in this world, the Kerlin and Hoyle were synonymous. Wendy knew that my husband’s family was in Minnesota, and every year we returned for Christmas, and for the Minnesota State Fair, as well as visits for family events.”

Coincidentally, Von Drasek ended up in the Twin Cities less than a week later and visited the Elmer L. Anderson Library at the University of Minnesota. Hoyle had already retired, and Meredith Gilles, the archive assistant, gave Von Drasek an extensive tour of the materials and facilities, where she discovered that the Kerlan Collection was only part of the Children’s Literature Research Collection.

“I was unaware and stunned by the extent of the collection, which includes manuscript materials ranging from Karen Hesse, Jane Yolen, Walter Dean Myers, Katherine Paterson, and Kate DiCamillo, as well as original art and sketches of Brian Pinkney, Wanda Gag and Gustaf Tenggren,” Von Drasek says. “[There’s also] a collection of Oziannia (Wizard of Oz) , a collection of series books, dime novels, and pulp fiction—and the Borger Collection of 40,000 comics! And a Paul Bunyan collection and a Treasure Island collection!”

Although Von Drasek never considered herself an archivist, she applied for the job, realizing that she would face stiff competition.

“The odds were slim that I would even be invited for an interview,” she says, explaining that since the hiring process was extremely slow, it gave her time to “really contemplate leaving my school and New York City.”

Funny enough, Von Drasek wrote a feature article in the February 2011 issue of SLJ called “Hang in There: How to get a library job against all odds.” She took her own advice and revised her resume to reflect the job description, studied the University’s website, researched local media, and talked to friends to better understand the corporate culture. Von Drasek even joined the Society of American Archivists and attended a workshop on archival practices for librarians on her own dime to see if she had an aptitude and interest to work there. “Most of what was presented was not unfamiliar,” she says. “And I realized that I was certainly capable of managing the materials and staffing.”

Leaving Bank Street, where Von Drasek was a school librarian for a Pre-K through 8th grade lab school that had a graduate school with a progressive education philosophy, was tough.

“How could I leave my colleagues whose practice and intellectual challenges I admire and aspire to? How could I leave the work of the Children’s Book Committee and the joy of coordinating the Irma Black Award and the Cook Prize, a STEM award? And the children?” Von Drasek asks.

The clincher came when a small package sent by the stepsister of Von Drasek’s husband arrived at their Brooklyn Heights co-op. “It contained home-made raspberry cherry jam wrapped in Minneapolis/ St. Paul real estate listings,” says Von Drasek. The “quality of life” issue—no longer commuting an hour or more each day, having a house with two bathrooms, a garden, and a yard for her dog—is what ultimately closed the deal.

Von Drasek’s last day at Bank Street is September 28, and she starts her new position November 1. She will continue to write and blog for Earlyword.com

Von Drasek’s position at Bank Street will be divided in two. Allie Bruce will be the interim Children’s Librarian for the School for Children and Graduate School of Education and Jenny Brown (the person behind Twenty by Jenny and Shelf Awareness) will be the interim Director of the Center for Children’s Literature. A committee is being formed, and an official search kicks off in January.

“After 15 years at Bank Street as a children’s librarian, and the last few years as Director of the Center for Children’s Literature, there hasn’t been a dull moment,” she says. “Some say that it’s best to leave for a new opportunity when you still enjoy the work that you’re doing. When is the right time for a new adventure? One must take a leap of faith. To reach out of one’s comfort zone is essential for learning. We ask this of children and graduate students every day. Shouldn’t we be willing to do so, too?”

Bill Moyers Joins ALA’s Banned Books Week Virtual Read Out.

As honorary co-chair of this year’s Banned Books Week, from September 30 to October 6, Moyers’s video, “The Bane of Banned Books,” talks about how he grew up in East Texas without any money for books, so he’d go to the small local library where he checked out his first books: Jules Verne’s Around the World in Eighty Days and a primer on Greek and Roman mythology.

Years later, when he entered the library as a freshman at a state college, Moyers says he was overwhelmed.

“I looked down at row after row of books and periodicals and thought, ‘Wow! All this for me?’” says Moyers, adding that he even considered majoring in library science just to be close to all those books. “Which is one reason it pains me to think that in this modern age, some folks and communities across America are saying, ‘No, that book isn’t for you.’”

ALA’s Virtual Read Out is an advocacy campaign that highlights the danger of censoring books in schools and libraries, and provides an opportunity for readers to demonstrate their support for the First Amendment by reading from their favorite banned or challenged books.

Joining Moyers in this year’s Virtual Read-Out are frequently challenged authors Dori Hillstad Butler, Stephen Chbosky, Sara Paretsky, Carmen Tafolla, and others. More than 800 videos were uploaded during last year’s Banned Books Week, including posts from authors Jay Asher, Judy Blume, Chris Crutcher, Whoopi Goldberg, and Lauren Myracle.

Be sure to mark your calendars for another Banned Books Week event: Moyers will discuss book censorship and Banned Books Week, along with other topics, in a “Live Chat with Bill Moyers” on Monday, October 1 at 3 p.m. EST. Join the chat with your class by leaving comments and questions on the site or via Twitter @BillMoyers.

This year marks the 30th anniversary of Banned Books Week, an annual event sponsored by ALA, which recognizes the importance of the freedom to read. For more information about book challenges and bans in your area, or a listing of Banned Books Week events sponsored by libraries, bookstores and other groups across the county, visit the Banned Books Week website.

Carrie Russell

Why is it so important that educators understand copyright law?

The purpose of the copyright law is to advance learning by enabling the broad dissemination of knowledge, creative works, and information. Educators are stewards of that purpose for their educational or library community. This means not only that educators and librarians should care about copyright, they’re responsible for defending the educational mission that’s key to the purpose of the law. As professionals, educators and librarians must demonstrate their strong support of users’ rights to information.  One way to do this—understand the exceptions allowed for educators and librarians—and exercise those options. Don’t break the law, but don’t spurn creativity and learning.

What are some of the biggest misconceptions librarians have about copyright law?

Some people think that copyright is a bunch of laws.  It’s just one law—the copyright law of 1976—that that’s changed by amendments, but this does not occur that frequently. Others think that there’s a set of rules that one can follow that provides a safe harbor from liability. The “rules” I’m primarily talking about are fair use guidelines. Guidelines—when you really think about them—are nonsense.

What are some important changes in copyright law that librarians need to know?

Since more and more materials will be acquired through license agreements, copyright law seems less important.  But everything you have with copyright law (fair use, etc,) should transfer to license environment and contract agreements. That would be the gold standard, difficult to achieve, but we need to keep pushing the rights holders to craft licenses that reflect the balance between the rights of users and the interest of rights holders that we see in the copyright law.

What are some important ways that technology has complicated copyright law for educators?

Digital technology—as we all know—makes it possible to copy, distribute, and modify copyrighted works in digital formats. That’s the biggie because one might feel that since this technology enables these functions, one should always be able to use them. And because “everything is on the Web,” it must be free to use—otherwise people wouldn’t post materials on the Web.  So I think educators need to focus even more on what the law is and is not, what is fair use, and what is plagiarism.

Does copyright affect elementary, middle and high school librarians/educators differently?

I am not sure if there is a dramatic difference. There is the issue—when do I start teaching kids about the copyright law?  Third grade? Fifth grade? The reality is you have to teach it all of the time. I’m not talking about giving a lecture every semester.  I am talking about integrating the ideas of creativity and authorship in teaching.

You say copyright never catches up to technology. So what needs to be addressed pretty quickly?

I’m of the opinion that our copyright law is great as it is. The law should be amenable to technological change—flexible enough to be applied.  Fair use allows this flexibility. I don’t believe that Congress intended for copyright law to be rigid—a black and white kind of thing. Crafting the law to address every possible situation isn’t possible and will lead to an overly complex, rule oriented patchwork that will not make sense and will restrict our ability to learn and create, and even impact free expression.

What surprised you the most about your recent informal copyright survey of librarians?

That the majority of the librarians who completed the survey didn’t know the purpose of copyright.

You’ve said that librarians make overly conservative decisions because they’re afraid of copyright litigation. So what’s the most important message that librarians can take away from your book?

I would say “don’t be afraid to think.”  Making fair use determinations is ambiguous—you don’t know if you are right or wrong—but it’s also based on common sense thinking. If you refuse to think, and make conservative decisions—instead of working with teachers and students to carve back excessive copying or online posting while still meeting the desired teaching or learning goal—then you’re doing a disservice to your school. I’m pretty brutal about it. I’d like librarians and educators to feel like they have more involvement with copyright issues and concerns. Take action, think about long term implications of short term decision making, and be flexible—and remember that you have a professional mission and copyright need not get in the way. It should instead enable your mission.

Kathy Dawson
Photo: Belathée Photography

Dawson, the editor of award-winning authors Kristin Cashore, Gennifer Choldenko, and K. L. Going, says she’s drawn to books “that matter” rather than those that just entertain.

“Life is complicated and humans have many levels, and I want books that express that,” explains Dawson, who plans to bring big-name authors along with her, as well as search for new talent.

Kathy Dawson Books will launch in the winter of 2014, with the release of nine titles in the first year. “We’re going for quality versus quantity,” says Dawson, adding that it will include a novel by Cashore  that takes place in a boarding school and a middle grade book by Going called Pieces of the Puzzle Why, which is about a gospel singer in New Orleans who goes through emotional trauma and loses her voice. Others include a still unnamed fourth-grade series by Julie Bowe that focuses on a group of kids who do good for their community, a high school murder mystery by debut author Elle Cosimano, and a middle grade novel about a girl who can literally enter books by Django Wexler, who wrote it while his adult novel, The Book of A Thousand Names, was being edited. Wexler has already signed on for three or more additional novels.

Dawson says editing books with controversial subjects is important. “I really don’t worry about censorship,” says Dawson, who edited Going’s Fat Kid Rule the World, a 2004 Printz Honor Award book about an overweight teen, which was challenged in several school districts around the country for its profanity. “Kids need to find books that mirror the real world and help them navigate life.” Dawson added that although attempts to ban a book can lead to more book sales, other times it means kids just don’t gain access to the book. “It’s hard on the authors, and it breaks my heart when it happens,” she says.

That’s why librarians mean so much to Dawson, who calls them her “favorite” people because they don’t just follow trends, “they make sure that that right books get into the hands of the right kids.”

Dawson’s attraction to “honest and true books that kids can relate to” may be partly rooted in her upbringing; she grew up in a family with four children, one of whom has albinism and is legally blind. Her mother, who worked with children “who would otherwise never read” made tactile books for her sister out of felt and other materials. Dawson’s older sister is a psychologist who works with kids. So, she says, she and her family are “no strangers to psychological distress.”

The idea for Dawson’s own imprint came about when Don Weisberg, the president of Penguin Young Readers Group, approached her. Although she says it was a difficult decision to leave Dial because she “totally loved” working there, the “dream of editing and being able to focus on determining my own list was really exciting.”

Dav Pilkey
Photo: Karyn Carpenter

SLJ talked to Dav Pilkey about the creative process behind his books, working with DreamWorks to turn Captain Underpants into a 3-D animated movie, and, of course, Captain Underpants and the Terrifying Return of Tippy Tinkletrousers (Scholastic)—the ninth installment of his sublimely silly novels.

What made you decide to take George and Harold back in time to kindergarten?

I really wanted to do something different. I thought it would be fun to see what the boys would do if they got into a jam and DIDN’T have a superhero to “snap” them out of it. What if all they had to rely on were their imaginations and a bunch of silly pranks?

This one has a strong anti-bullying message. Does it have anything to do with the subject making headlines almost every day?

Not really. To me, all of the Captain Underpants stories have anti-bullying themes. It’s just that the bullies in the previous books are grown-ups. This new book is the first time the bullies are other kids.

Were you bullied in school?

I wasn’t really bullied too much in school by other kids. I WAS bullied by grownups at my school, though. I had some really cruel teachers and a principal who was physically abusive to me and a lot of other kids. I guess I handled it the way most kids do. Fortunately, I had good parents, and I was able to get through it. Eventually, I moved to a different school and things got better.

Captain Underpants has inspired so many reluctant readers to pick up books. I once gave a teacher some of your books to give her son. She literally started to cry and thanked me because she said he finally loves reading and carries your books in his backpack. Do you think about these things while writing?

It’s so rewarding to hear stories like that. I think I was a lot like the son of your teacher friend when I was a kid. Reading was a real challenge for me. It’s not that I wasn’t smart, it’s just that I learned differently than most of the other kids in my class. I remember how hard it was for me to find a chapter book that I was interested in reading. My school librarian used to get frustrated because it took FOREVER for me to pick out a book to read. She’d finally shove a book in my hands and say, “HERE! You’re a boy! Read this book about football!” (I was even less interested in football than I was in reading). When I began writing chapter books, I purposefully designed the Captain Underpants books to appeal to kids who, like me, either didn’t like to read, or who had reading challenges. This meant the books had to have very short chapters, a high picture-to-text ratio, lots of mini-comics and novelty “Flip-O-Rama” pages, and ridiculously humorous stories and cartoons. I really made these books for the kid I used to be.

Tell us a little about the creative process behind Captain Underpants? How long does it usually take to write one?

I spend a lot of time thinking about the books before I ever write a word of text. Once I get a good idea for a story, I start sketching pictures and writing down ideas and jokes in notebooks. This process usually takes about three months. The actual writing takes another three months, and the illustrations often take six months or longer to complete. About one solid year of my life goes into each book.

This is your ninth Captain Underpants? How do you keep coming up with ideas?

Kids really inspire me. I’m constantly amazed by their energy and enthusiasm. I get a lot of fan mail that really encourages me, too. Every time I open a big envelope and a child’s homemade comic book falls out, I feel so honored to have this job. In some small way, it feels like my silly books are making a difference in the world—inspiring kids to laugh and read and be creative. To me, that’s very motivating.

A lot of people—even some librarians—still don’t consider comics real reading. Care to comment?

That’s a prejudice that’s unfortunately quite common in the United States. Other countries, especially in Europe and Asia, consider graphic novels to be a very legitimate, even sophisticated form of art and literature.

I think it’s important to keep in mind that a lot of kids have a very difficult time when it comes to reading. It can be a frustrating time, especially when kids are making the transition from picture books to chapter books. That’s a HUGE step, and there’s a good chance that some kids might get overwhelmed and give up on reading altogether. Comics can help with this transition because the pictures give contextual clues to the meanings of the words. This helps with reading comprehension, and can give kids the confidence and skill they need to tackle more challenging books, including the classics.

What’s one of the most moving things you’ve heard a kid or librarian say about your work?

Your books turned me (or my kid, student, grandchild, etc.) into a reader.

Did libraries play a role in your life while growing up?

Sadly, the public library in my town was about the size of a school bus, and the entire children’s section could have fit in the trunk of my car. My school library was even worse. Fortunately, I was exposed to lots of great books every month thanks to Scholastic Book Clubs. They always had a way of making books seem like candy. Sometimes, I even spent my own money on books.

How important are librarians in spreading the word about your books?

Very important. Part of the reason that Captain Underpants has been around for 15 years is because librarians have been championing these books to kids and their parents.

I know there are ebooks of Super Diaper Baby. Why aren’t there any for Captain Underpants? Would you consider turning any of your books into an interactive app?

I can’t give away too many details at this time, but there are lots of Captain Underpants e-things “in development.”

What made you finally agree to turn Captain Underpants into a movie? How involved are you in the whole process, including casting and screenplay?

When I found out that DreamWorks Animation wanted to make a 3-D animated movie, I couldn’t resist. As far as my role in the creative process goes, DreamWorks Animation has been very good about offering me as much involvement as I want. The great thing about DreamWorks Animation, however, is that they don’t need my help. They really know what they’re doing.

Are you ever amazed at how popular Captain Underpants has become?

Yes and no. I tried to design these books so they’d be irresistible to kids, so I guess I’m not surprised that kids like them so much. The thing that always amazes me, though, is when my books show up in popular culture. I’m so “close” to my characters that I’m still shocked when they’re mentioned in a movie or a TV show.

One night my wife and I were watching “The Big Bang Theory”, and one of the characters was holding a full page illustration from my book, The Adventures of Ook and Gluk: Kung-Fu Cavemen from the Future. We both screamed and pointed at the TV like a couple of monkeys.

What are you working on now?

I’m working on one of George and Harold’s full-length graphic novels. It’s all about their new character, “Dog Man,” who appeared for the first time in Captain Underpants #9.

What trends are you seeing?

Vampire books seem to have eased off a bit, but there are witch books aplenty. (I recommend Burn Mark by Laura Powell.) Postapocalyptic and dystopian novels remain abundant. While thought-provoking and engaging books continue to be published in this genre (Flash Point by Nancy Kresson), I have to agree with a baseball-playing middle schooler I recently spoke to on the subject. He said there were just too many bleak “future” books.

Anything else?

Speculative fiction as a whole seems to be stretching in new directions with more sci-fi, more sci-fi/fantasy mixes, and pleasantly, more humor (The Last Dragonslayer by Jasper Fforde). As we read for our spring 2013 list, we are seeing a bit more ethnic diversity in fantasy novels—a trend I hope will continue to grow. We seem to be seeing more female protagonists in classic, non-paranormal thrillers such as The Night She Disappeared by April Henry, Don’t Turn Around by Michelle Gagnon, and Ten by Gretchen McNeil.

What about for younger readers?

For younger readers, there are sequels and prequels to classics and long-running series, and authors returning to characters from some time back. (Examples include Return to the Willows by Jacqueline Kelly, Third Grade Angels by Jerry Spinelli, One Year in Coal Harbor by Polly Horvath, Princess Academy: Palace of Stone by Shannon Hale, and Paula Danziger’s Amber Brown Is Tickled Pink,  a sequel written by Bruce Coville and Elizabeth Levy that fully captures Paula Danziger’s and Amber’s voice and spark.)

We are seeing humor used in pleasing ways to convey information, notably in two graphic novels by Nathan Hale One Dead Spy and Big Bad Ironclad!; in Michael Townsend’s Where Do Presidents Come From?: And Other Presidential Stuff of Super-Great Importance (also in graphic format); and It’s a Dog’s Life: How Man’s Best Friend Sees, Hears, and Smells the World by Susan E. Goodman. Don’t be fooled by the title of What Body Part Is That?: A Wacky Guide to the Funniest, Weirdest, and Most Disgustingest Parts of Your Body by Andy Griffiths . Hilarious it is, but as the author freely admits, it is also “99.9% fact free.”(As you can see from above, long and lively subtitles and taglines are trendy!)

Any changes in picture books?

Picture-book illustrations seem to include more sophisticated and stylized approaches. (Infinity and Me by Kate Hosford, illustrated by Gabi Swiatkowska, and Abe Lincoln’s Dream by Lane Smith, for example.) While there are still plenty of cute picture books, even some of these have a little edge. (Nighttime Ninja by Barbara DaCosta, illustrated by Ed Young; I’m Bored by Michael Ian Black, illustrated by Debbie Ridpath Ohi; and Otter and Odder: A Love Story by James Howe, illustrated by Chris Raschka.)

What are some of your favorites?

From the fall season, I love Twelve Kinds of Ice by Ellen Bryan Obed, illustrated by Barbara McClintock. The language and the illustrations are evocative and perfectly matched. It feels like an old book, a classic, but while there’s a palpable longing for the ice of days gone by, it is so compelling that readers of all ages will want to experience the different kinds of ice, the ice-skating, the family, the winter. Fortunately, the world created in the book is so well-realized and immersive that reading it is experiencing it.

H.O.R.S.E.: A Game of Basketball and Imagination by Christopher Myers is playful both conceptually and visually. Two kids try to outdo each other on a basketball court and their incredible shots, which they brag will go as far as outer space, will make readers smile. I also love the humor in Joe Hayes’s bilingual Don’t Say a Word, Mama / No digas nada, mamá . With striking paintings by Esau Andrade Valencia, it is a beautiful book!

An extraordinary book for the older end of the age spectrum is My Book of Life by Angel by Martine Leavitt. The subject matter definitely made it difficult to read—I’d rather not face the fact that girls are forced into prostitution. However, I grew to love and admire Angel as she found a way to save herself as well as an even younger girl. Leavitt’s writing is powerful and flawless.

I feel like I am leaving out so many other strong fiction titles: Prairie Evers by Ellen Airgood,  Chickadee by Louise Erdrich, The Vengekeep Prophecies by Brian Farrey, Homesick by Kate Klise, Pinned by Sharon Flake, The Diviners by Libba Bray, Endangered by Eliot Schrefer, Such Wicked Intent: The Apprenticeship of Victor Frankenstein, Book Two by Kenneth Oppel among them.

What are your nonfiction favorites?

There are so many great nonfiction books this year, that it is hard to choose favorites. Among my nonfiction favorites are Island: A Story of the Galápagos by Jason Chin and Nic Bishop Snakes by Nic Bishop—both are gorgeous and full of insight. Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World’s Most Dangerous Weapon by Steve Sheinkin is a book I cannot stop talking about or recommending. It’s a riveting recounting of a thrilling time in history. Here are some other standouts: Moonbird: A Year on the Wind with the Great Survivor B95 by Phillip Hoose, Beyond Courage: The Untold Story of Jewish Resistance During the Holocaust by Doreen Rappaport, The Impossible Rescue: The True Story of an Amazing Arctic Adventure by Martin W. Sandler.

Any newbie authors/illustrators who we should keep an eye out for?

I’m eager to see more from David Nytra the author/illustrator of The Secret of the Stone Frog. As well, I am looking forward to future books from Debbie Ridpath Ohi, the illustrator of by Michael Ian Black’s I’m Bored, Lana Krimwiede, author of Freakling, and Irfan Master, who wrote A Beautiful Lie.

I see some familiar faces like Mo WIllems are back. 

Mo Willems has definitely done it again with Goldilocks and the Three Dinosaurs as has Jon Klassen with his latest hat book, This Is Not My Hat. Among more serious—and memorable—picture books are Each Kindness by Jacqueline Woodson, illustrated by E. B. Lewis, and Sarah Stewart and David Small’s The Quiet Place.

Is there anything unique or different this year? 

There seem to be an increasing number of books requiring visual literacy, from Look . . . Look Again! by John O’Brien or wordless stories like The Giant Seed by Arthur Geisert to the proliferation of graphic novels. We discovered an all-ages book on the Chronicle adult list Stick Man’s Really Bad Day by Steve Mockus, which tells a story using the wordless cautionary signs posted near roads and machinery.

Were there any surprises?

Well, we were pleasantly surprised by Sara Pennypacker writing for an older audience with Summer of the Gypsy Moths and Hilary McKay writing for a younger audience with Lulu and the Duck in the Park. We didn’t expect the mix of realism and fantasy in Prairie Thief by Melissa Wiley and What Came from the Stars by Gary D. Schmidt. Karen Hesse’s photographs and gently idyllic approach to dystopia in Safekeeping was also something new.

Are you seeing more graphic novels than previous years?

Yes, definitely. I am so glad that more children’s publishers are publishing this incredibly versatile and appealing form of storytelling.

Some of my current favorites are Little White Duck: A Childhood in China by Na Lui and Andrés Vera Martinez, Cardboard by Doug TenNapel, and Sumo by Thien Pham. I also like the strength and substance of the adaptations of two novels, The Supernaturalist: The Graphic Novel by Eoin Colfer, illustrated by Giovanni Riganoand, and Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time: The Graphic Novel adapted and illustrated by Hope Larson.

A few of the 76 branches throughout the city saw double the amount of middle and high school students on Monday and Tuesday, while others say traffic “feels like an average summer day,” says library spokeswoman Ruth Lednicer.

“Typically, a parent stays at home or they’ve already made some arrangements like leaving kids with family,” adds Lednicer, explaining that it’s branches in working class or immigrant neighborhoods such as Rogers Park and Little Village that are seeing more students show up.

Even though the library doesn’t allow kids under the age of seven to enter without an adult, some branches saw more elementary aged children than usual because the parents and caregivers who accompanied them wanted them to have some type instruction, she adds. The library is allowing kids to bring their own packed lunch and to eat in the community room.

But the YouMedia  teen center, located at the library’s downtown Harold Washington Library Center, hasn’t experienced heavier traffic, probably because “teens are enjoying the time off to sleep,” says Lednicer, explaining that it’s still a popular destination for the usual crowd.

Regardless, all branches are fully prepared to handle more young patrons this week, with extra computers being aside—and the one-hour limit suspended—for high school seniors taking advanced placement courses or recovery classes to help boost their grades, Lednicer says.

While all branches plan to maintain their regular hours of operation (two regional libraries and the central library are open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m., and others are open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. or 12 p.m. to 6 p.m.), many were sent additional adult volunteers from the community service organization Chicago Cares and student helpers from City Year  to assist with the extra activities being offered throughout the day.

“We thought it wouldn’t hurt to be prepared,” says Lednicer, adding that the Chicago Public Library Foundation even sent extra bins of games. “But this is what librarians do every day—except it’s on a larger scale.”

While the strike has kept about 350,000 Chicago students out of school, they do have other options. The district has designated some 144 elementary and high schools as Children First sites for families who are unable to find a place for their kids during the work day. These locations, which plan to extend their hours from 8:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. starting Thursday, offer activities such as reading, writing, and computer-based programming, and also serve meals, which is important because 80 percent of district kids qualify for free or reduced lunch, says Lednicer.

District officials have also designed about 60 churches as safe havens for children to go during the day. Other sites include the Chicago Park District, museums—which have waived admission for the week—and community-based organizations such as the YMCA, and Boys and Girls Clubs.

“Everyone has stepped up and is prepared for the whole week,” says Lednicer, adding that since school just started, the experience feels like an extension of the summer. “Of course we love having them in the library, but they really belong in class.”

As the teacher’s strike enters its third day, school librarians told SLJ that their work emails have been turned off so there’s no way of communicating that way with fellow media specialists. Their main concerns include being asked to use of a new system that ties teacher evaluations to student standardized test scores.

“It doesn’t evaluate the depth and breadth of that person’s job performance—and it sets the groundwork for merit pay,” says a librarian who asked to remain anonymous.

Also, elementary school librarians are fighting to keep in their contracts the four extra prep periods they need to process and shelve books, says the librarian.

UK Children’s Laureate Julia Donaldson fights library closures and cuts.

the eve of a six-week library tour, sent an open letter to the newly appointed Culture Secretary Maria Miller, urging her to save Britain’s libraries.

The Gruffalo author, who embarked on her tour of England, Wales, and Scotland on September 10, says she’s promoting the value of libraries at a time when so many of them are under threat of closure. Donaldson also plans to visit libraries in Northern Ireland in March 2013.

“Libraries are very close to my heart; not only do they provide a wonderful opportunity for adults and children to browse, borrow and engage with books, but they are also great community centers,” Donaldson says. “This tour is my way of celebrating libraries, to highlight all that they do and offer—from lively baby and toddler rhyme-times and book club discussions to calm spaces for study and contemplation—and to protest against the cuts and closures, which are threatening so many of them.”

Donaldson’s letter to Miller criticizes her predecessor Jeremy Hunt and Libraries Minister Ed Vaizey for not acting on violations to the 1964 Libraries Act, which states that “every authority must provide a ‘comprehensive and efficient’ library service. Donaldson says she hopes her tour will draw attention to the “erosion of the library service which is happening in so many local authorities, and to the current government’s utter refusal to intervene or to provide any leadership.”

A spokesperson with the UK’s Department for Culture Media and Sport told the BBC that Miller would be happy to meet with Donaldson, but added that libraries are funded and run by local authorities rather than the central government—and that it was up to local authorities to decide the best way to provide library services to their communities.

Donaldson cites a recent survey by Public Libraries News, which shows that since April 2012 nearly 250 UK libraries are either under threat of closure or have been closed. Another survey by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals estimates that during this fiscal year 2,159 library positions out of a total of 20,924 will be cut—which is on top of huge cuts made in previous years. Library cuts have varied from region to region, with some places suffering budget cuts of up to 35 percent and “cuts in book stocks of up to 90 percent,” Donaldson’s letter reads.

Donaldson asserts that Vaizey denied any problems with library services in the UK. “This may be because he is happy with the idea (now a reality in some areas) of libraries being run entirely by volunteers,” Donaldson says, adding that she hopes this is only a short-term measure. “This summer, while visiting France, I had an engagement in a village library whose users were thrilled because at last they were getting a professional librarian. Yet we are going in the opposite direction.”

Donaldson’s letter goes on to day that she’s particularly concerned about the impact of library closures on children’s reading. “Today many towns have no bookshops,” she writes. “If they also have no library, where are children to find books?”

Donaldson’s tour will include bringing some of her stories to life through acting and singing. She will also visit local independent bookshops, as well as celebrate community relations among libraries, bookshops, and schools.

Donaldson joins other high-profile British authors, such as previous Children’s Laureate Anthony Browne, Philip Pullman, and Alan Gibbons, who have spent years championing school and public libraries in the UK.

Judy Blume Opens Up About Breast Cancer Diagnosis on her blog.

In a candid and sometimes humorous blog post, Judy Blume revealed Wednesday that she was diagnosed with breast cancer in June and recently underwent a mastectomy and reconstruction. She’s now recuperating and getting ready to start work on her next book.

Now, one month post-surgery, Blume tweeted earlier today that she’s in Martha’s Vineyard for the first time this summer attending  the film fest, where the film adaptation of her 1981 novel Tiger Eyes will screen Saturday night.

“[I'm] feeling stronger every day, walking a couple of miles in the park each morning and going out to early dinners with [her husband] George,” Blume wrote, adding while she still naps daily, she’s finally able to read again without falling asleep. “I’m not working on my book yet (have just been given permission to type an hour at a time with arm exercises in between) but I’m thinking about getting back to it after Labor Day, kind of like starting school.”

The shocking news came when Blume, 74, was preparing to leave for a five-week trip to Italy, with four of those weeks devoted to staying at an artists’ colony at a castle in Umbria, where she was hoping to wrap up her new book. But a routine visit to the radiologist on June 12 to check on dense breast tissue resulted in the unexpected.

“There’s no breast cancer in my family (recent extensive genetic testing shows no genetic connection),” Blume wrote. “I haven’t eaten red meat in more than 30 years. I’ve never smoked, I exercise every day, forget alcohol—it’s bad for my reflux—I’ve been the same weight my whole adult life. How is this possible? Well, guess what—it’s possible.”

The biopsy report came back a few days later with the news that Blume had invasive ductal carcinoma, the most common type of breast cancer. Blume also revealed that she had a hysterectomy 17 years ago as a result of cervical cancer caused by the Human papillomavirus.

“For whatever reason I didn’t cry. I choked up that first day, but the tears didn’t flow,” wrote Blume, explaining that instead, she decided to take action. “Okay, I thought—let’s gather all the info, talk with both my primary care docs in NY. Talk with friends who’ve been through this. Ask for recommendations. Get a list of breast surgeons. Get this done. Taking charge (or thinking I was taking charge) made me feel better.”

What followed were some of the hardest decisions she’d ever made in her life: whether to have a lumpectomy followed by radiation or a mastectomy with or without reconstruction.

Blume’s cardiologist, who is also her primary care doctor, and her gynecologist, both recommended against radiation. “Hearing the same thing from each of them was powerful,” Blume said, which helped her ultimately decide to undergo a mastectomy and reconstruction.

Blume said she might have opted for a double mastectomy if she were younger, “not for the “matched pair” but for the worry that it will happen again in the other breast.”

In the six weeks prior to surgery, and with permission from her doctors, Blume went to Nantucket, where she’d rented a house for two weeks. The film adaptation of Tiger Eyes, directed by her son Lawrence Blume and starring Willa Holland as Davey and Amy Jo Johnson as Gwen Wexler, was screening at the Nantucket Film Festival. She also spent four days in San Francisco, as planned, where Tiger Eyes was screening at the San Francisco Jewish Film Festival. Blume apologized for not staying after the screening to sign books.

“Note to disappointed fans in San Francisco: I’m sorry I couldn’t stay after the screening to sign your books,” she wrote. “Now you know why. I wasn’t supposed to be in crowds. Could not take the chance of catching a bug before surgery. On the plane I wore a surgical mask (and scrubbed our seats, tray tables, etc, like a lunatic while George pretended to be asleep) but I couldn’t do that with you without explaining, and the time wasn’t right for explaining. I’ll come back to your beautiful city and sign books for you another time.”

Blume’s advice to the public was clear: “If you have dense breast tissue ask your radiologist about having a sonogram,” she says, adding how grateful she was to her to her radiologist, who’s performed her mammograms for two decades. “If she hadn’t decided I should have a sonogram because of dense breast tissue we still wouldn’t know,” Blume wrote, adding that, “this didn’t show up in a mammo or in physical exams, and I’m checked by doctors four times a year. Even the breast surgeon couldn’t feel this one.”

Blume joked about now being a member of “The Club.” “Not one I wanted to join or even thought I would ever be joining—but here I am,” she wrote. “I’m part of this Sisterhood of the Traveling Breast Cells (apologies to Ann Brashares). Medical diagnoses can leave you feeling alone and scared. When it comes to breast cancer you’re not alone, and scary though it is, there’s a network of amazing women to help you through it.”

Blume thanked her friends who’ve survived breast cancer for their help and support.

“They got me through this. They were my inspiration.”

The Explorer Kids’ Bookmobile will stop serving schools as of August 31. And in mid-November, the Explorer, along with the library’s family bookmobiles, will cease traveling to local communities. As a result, a total of five positions—including three bookmobile operators—will be eliminated, says Mary Getchell, the library’s community relations director. Some may get reassigned.

The library’s board of trustees agreed to the cuts earlier this month in order to offset an anticipated $2.6 million to $3 million budget shortfall for 2013, which amounts to approximately 10 percent of the library’s $26.8 million 2012 operating budget. Stopping the bookmobiles will save the library $180,000.

At the beginning of 2012, the library significantly reduced its bookmobile services to rural and remote areas, and determined that it could serve more kids at a lower cost by stopping the bookmobiles, says Getchell.

“We also examined the use patterns of our bookmobile customers and found that many of them use our in-library services, too,” she explains.

The library board reached its decision after finding out the less than one percent of the library’s 256,000 card holders use the bookmobiles, which have been primarily been serving low-income neighborhoods in central Pierce County—Frederickson, Graham, Waller, Midland, Summit, Parkland, Spanaway, Fife, and Lakewood.

The library has offered bookmobile service since 1947. And at that time, 37 percent of all of its checkouts were on the bookmobile.

“Today, we offer 18 libraries and online services, with less than one percent of all of our checkouts coming from the bookmobiles,” explains Getchell. “We are moving to a new way of service for children in low-income neighborhoods where the bookmobiles served.”

That includes serving kids in schools and in after-school programs located in three school districts where the library has provided bookmobile service.

“We are working with the schools to determine how best to meet the reading needs of their students,” Getchall adds. “We are considering bringing books to schools on carts in vans. We will continue to serve the people who used the bookmobiles and who are not students through our 18 libraries and online library.”

About 700 people regularly use the bookmobiles, with a checkout of nearly 6,000 items a month. The majority bookmobile card holders were kids in elementary and middle school.

“Sadly, we can no longer afford to run the bookmobiles, [but] we have far more ways of serving children in the schools, in the libraries, and online, Getchell says, adding that the library offers trained librarians and staff to provide assistance, as well as more books and materials, computers, and Wi-Fi.

“We are committed to getting books into the hands of children throughout our service area,” says Neel Parikh, the library system’s executive director. “We believe with this new way of delivering library service we will serve even more children than we did with the bookmobiles, which are aging and costly to operate, especially in today’s economy.”

Will low-income students still have Internet access? Getchell says based on information from the nearby Franklin Pierce School District, the library learned that about 90 percent of those in their service area have Internet access at home. “So, yes, some people will have access to the online library from their home,” she say, as well as at the library and at school.

“The bookmobiles have been a personal, friendly and valued service for 65 years,” says Parikh. “We now serve people in many different ways—with downloaded books directly to your phone and iPad and 18 library buildings throughout the county. This new direction of serving kids, who are the most in need, directly in their schools will also move us forward in our commitment to support reading and learning.”

When asked is school librarians were expected to replace the bookmobile service, Getchell responded, “No, we are working with the schools to provide books and movies to students that will help the students in their studies and leisure reading.”

So far, the community has been understanding. “The schools are very supportive and will work with us to help us reach even more students in this new way of service directly in the schools,” Getchell says. “One staff member told me that several of the principals were sad to see this service go, but they totally understood budget issues. We have heard from some other people who have used the bookmobiles and they understand the change, but again they are sad to see this way of service end—in the sense of an end of an era feeling.”

You sold the screen rights to The Diviners even before it was published. How’d that happen?

Lots of book-savvy producers track the deals announced on Publisher’s Marketplace. The good producers identify the titles, authors/illustrators, and loglines that seem most interesting and are persistent about getting access to the manuscripts as soon as possible.

Why are so many children and YA books—from the Hunger Games and Diary of a Wimpy Kid to Where the Wild Things Are and even Judy Moody—being adapted for the big screen.

Family films often prove to be very profitable as they play to the widest audience. Classic titles like Raggedy Ann are beloved by many generations. Newer successes like The Kane Chronicles often have crossover appeal. If studios and producers are going to spend millions of dollars on a film, they want to make sure as many people see it as possible.

Dystopian tales seem to be big now. Are there any other trends you’re seeing?

Every studio seems to have optioned several dystopian titles, so there is a glut within the development pipeline. Only so many films of this nature can be produced. The trend that is most surprising is the demand for love stories. It’s great to know that people want to produce and to see movies that make people swoon. It’s a welcome relief from the dark and serious movies that dominate the multiplexes these days. The movie posters for “Batman,” “Superman” and “Spiderman” are nearly pitch black. Let’s add some color back into our lives!

You work with some big names in the kid lit world like Mo Willems, John Corey Whaley, and Libba. What do you look for in your clients?

Each one seems to have a very unique and immediately identifiable voice, and yet each has a sense of flexibility as storytellers, crafting amazing narratives across genres and formats.

What kind of relationship do you have with publishers to get galleys or advanced copies of books?

We represent a number of publishers and a number of book agents, so we get to see material at very early stages very often.

Can you tell immediately after reading a book whether it’s going to be a hit?

I can’t always tell, but sometimes when you see it, you know it. There have been a handful of titles that I knew would make great movies or TV shows. Almost all have been optioned by now. I work in Hollywood and I read. There are many smart book-friendly executives who do read.  Anyone who wants to work with underlying material really should read. That said, Hollywood traffics in screenplays and so most people are best trained to read that medium. Reviews are helpful for summary more than for commentary. I want to make up my own mind.

Name some famous kid lit authors you’re successfully brought to the big screen?

Our company has the good fortune of working with many of the best in the business. We produced The Spider Chronicles by Tony DiTerlizzi and Holly Black. Cassandra Clare’s City of Bones is going into production shortly.

Obviously, you need a good book first, but tell us what happens after that.

There is no one definitive process. There are many roads, all rambling, to make it to the screen.  Typically, producers will read a book—or the coverage of the book—and say “Great book. Get a screenwriter.”  The screenwriter—or five—will adapt the book. Add a director who can get a great cast. Then add cast who are economically meaningful to an international audience. Make sure there is secure financing. Shoot the footage. Fix everything in post. Then maybe, hopefully, we’re off to the premiere. It all takes about eight years.

Does this bring in big bucks for you and your clients?

We always aim to get the best deal for our clients, and the best deal isn’t always about the biggest paycheck. Some have done very well, but everyone wants to do better.

How long have you been doing this?

I worked at Alloy [Entertainment] for a year before Gotham, where I’ve been now for eight years. Prior to that I was a college professor at Emory University in an interdisciplinary program. My favorite class to teach was “Fantasy, Fairy Tales, and Folklore,” where I taught books like Coraline, and Harry Potter, along with classical myths and Disney movies.

Do you have much competition out there in LA?

In the grand scheme of things, there is a relatively small group of people who speak Hollywood and publishing with equal fluency. When it comes to children’s and YA, there are even fewer. I am lucky enough to work with some of the best here at the Gotham Group.

A group is organizing a “People’s Library” in the Central District—and it needs children and YA titles.

The goal? To provide the public with kid’s activities, reading materials, and Internet access from Monday, August 27 through Sunday, September 2, when all 26 branches will be shut. Libraries will remain closed on September 3 for Labor Day.

The group, led by a local activist named Rebecca Yates Coley, has set up a Facebook page and blog calling for financial donations, as well as books, magazines—and just any reading material.

An August 22 blog post read, “Now accepting financial donations” with a link to a page to help reach a goal of $500 to help cover the costs of wireless hotspots, storage needs, transportation, and arts and crafts materials.

But as of August 23, there were no donations.

To set up a functional and welcoming library space, organizers are also asking for other much-needed supplies on its wish list, such as milk crates, pop-up tents or tarps, tables and chairs, wagons or dollies, and small generators to run laptops. They’re also seeking loaner laptops and hot spots for the week.

There are a total of seven donation sites set up throughout the city—and local book stores, such as the Pegasus Book Store in West Seattle,  have made large contributions.

In fact, people have been so generous that organizers are now faced with a storage problem. So they’re asking those in the construction, storage, or trucking business to help out.

“Come to the Library on Monday, Aug 27! Browse our collection. Lead arts and crafts activities or games with the kids” reads a recent blog post. “Bring your neighbors.”

Unlike Seattle Public, this library won’t have late fees—and people can even keep the books if they like.