May 2020

May 31, 2020

 Stay safe and be well. 


Four starred reviews
and now…

Ernesto Cisneros’s

EFRÉN DIVIDED

is on SLJ’s
Newbery Consideration list!

 


It’s also a 2020-21

#ProjectLITBookClub selection.

 


 

Happy Book Birthday

 

NYT Bestselling
Jennifer Fosberry’s

 

MY NAME IS NOT ISABELLA

Just How Big Can a Little Girl Dream? 

(Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, illustrated by Mike Litwin)

 

Join Isabella as an ordinary day turns into an extraordinary adventure through history

now in paperback!

The first book that launched the 6-book, NYT bestselling picture book series starring our plucky, purple-haired heroine Isabella …


 

Ever shot a syrup shooter and hit a china plate head on? Isabella has! Ever kept your school bus seat and started a movement? Isabella has! Ever thought your cookie was radioactive? Isabella has!

 

 

A CBC Champions of Change selection

A Mighty Girl Top 100 Pick
Amelia Bloomer List

 

“Speaks frankly about self-identity and self affirmation as Isabella decides at the end that she is actually herself…because she possesses the best parts of all of the women she looks up to.”

ForeWord Magazine

 

 

“Use this story to ignite young readers’ interest in women’s history.”

―SLJ

(Click on link above for a video of Mike Litwin illustrating a spread from
MY NAME IS NOT ISABELLA)

 

An Amazon Hot New Release

 

The NYT bestseller that explores some of the amazing women who changed history…

Includes backmatter with biographies of Marie Currie, Elizabeth Blackwell, and Isabella’s own mom.

More in the series–


 

 

Check out Isabella’s
activity kits and education guides!

 


5.2.20

Congrats!

 

Kimberly and James Dean’s

PETE THE CAT:
BIG EASTER ADVENTURE

 #7

on the 

NYT Bestseller List

 

23 weeks
#1 four weeks in a row!

 

Marking East/West’s 

257th week:

 


 

Partial Fall 2020

COVER REVEALS

Coming October:

Click on images to pre-order…

 

FELÍZ NEW YEAR,
AVA GABRIELA!

by Alexandra Alessandrini

(illustrated by Addy Rivera Sonda;
Albert Whitman)

 

Ava Gabriela is visiting her family in Colombia for the holidays, but her loud relatives and the unfamiliar place make Ava shy and quiet. Will she find her voice?

   


 

LIA & LUÍS:
WHO HAS MORE?

(in hardcover and paperback)
 

by Ana Crespo

(illustrated by Giovana Medeiros;
Charlesbridge)

 

Luís likes to brag – but when he insists he’s got more snacks than Lia, can his sister prove him wrong?

 


 

COW BOY IS NOT
A COWBOY

by Gregory Barrington

(Harper Collins)

 

Meet Goat Girl and Merle: an irresistible pair of characters who show young readers that the best friendships are built on more than first impressions.

Happy Book Birthday

ROLLO’S MANY COATS

by
NYT Bestselling Author
Reed Duncan


 

(Penguin Workshop,
illustrated by Keith Frawley)

 

Book #3 in the easy-to-read series, just “write” for progressing readers, about a rambunctious, mischievous, and totally lovable bulldog, Rollo!

 

 

Inspired by the real-life Rollo–pictured here (l) with Francesco Sedita (President & Publisher of Penguin Workshop)

 

 

…which began with the launch of 
UH-OH, ROLLO! and WHERE’S ROLLO?

 

Speaking of…

Happy Book Birthdays

 UH-OH ROLLO

and

WHERE IS ROLLO?

…now available in paperback.

 

–Stay tuned

LOOK AT ROLLO!

Book #4

Duncan is a former reading instructor, teacher, and school administrator. He was the longtime partner of Anna Dewdney, and is a co-creator and an executive producer/writer for the “Llama Llama” animated Netflix television series.

 


Happy Book Birthday

LLAMA LLAMA
FAMILY VACATION

based on Anna Dewdney’s

NYT bestselling picture books
and an episode from the original series, now in its second season on Netflix.
 

Congrats!

LLAMA LLAMA
MESS MESS MESS

included in
 

Romper’s 14 Children’s Book Recommendations From Independent Booksellers.

Also included:
Kwame Alexander’s

HOW TO READ A BOOK

(Illustrated by Melissa Sweet)


 

 

Remote Learning?

Check out this Llama Llama Mess Mess Mess printable activity page.

 

And click on the image above to download this Llama Llama Printable Educator’s Guide.

 


Happy Book Birthday(s)

D.J. Butler’s

WITCHY KINGDOM

(Baen)

mass market paperback

Book #3 of the DRAGON AWARD–nominated “Witchy War” series.

“For readers who love history-based fantasy, steampunk, or urban fantasy… this series…gives the genre a new twist.”

—Booklist

Both WITCHY EYE and 
WITCHY WINTER were
nominated for best alternate history novel at the Dragon Awards.

 

 

A 2018 Whitney Award winner for Speculative Fiction

A 2018 AML Award winner

A B&N Best Book

“Fans of epic and alternate historical fantasy will savor this tale of witchery and intrigue.”

–PW

 

Also celebrating a
book birthday:

WITCHY WINTER

Audible Audiobook
Unabridged

 

Stay tuned this fall for Book #4 in the 6-book arc of the “Witchy War” series,

 

SERPENT DAUGHTER

 


Image by East/West talent
Heather Brockman Lee.

Happy Book Birthday

MY MADDY

by Gayle E. Pitman, Ph.D. 

(Magination Press,
Illustrated by Violet Tobacco)

A CBC Champions of Change selection


“A heartfelt narrative that marries refreshingly unapologetic LGBTQ illustrations with text that many child readers will be able to relate to. This celebration of nonconforming parents is a nuanced and noteworthy addition to any home, classroom, or library.”

Booklist 
 

Best New Books

Gender diverse families finally get a story that celebrates the parent-child bond…

 “The latest in Pitman’s LGBTQ books for children introduces young readers to a parent whose gender identity and expression are ‘entirely fantastically their own’—not a mommy or a daddy, but ‘my Maddy….’ Such positive images of gender-nonconforming presentations are rare in children’s literature, making this a valuable addition to any school, public, or personal library for its engaging art and accessible representation for a wide age range… Much needed in the landscape of family-oriented picture books.”
–Kirkus

Included in PW‘s

READING WITH PRIDE:
LGBTQ BOOKS 2020 List

“Most mommies are girls. Most daddies are boys. But lots of parents are neither a boy nor a girl. Like my Maddy” …Pitman’s affirming text highlights the joy of in-between things—hazel eyes, sporks, sunrises, motorcycles (“It’s not a car or a bicycle. It’s kind of both, and it’s something all its own”) —gently illuminating the idea that people, too, can exist beyond categorization. An extensive note from a psychologist is aimed at parents transitioning or living an affirmed gender.”

–PW

 

From The Horn Book:

Publishers’ Preview–
Diversity Five Ways:
Five Questions for Gayle E. Pitman

 
How do we help children of nonbinary parents navigate questions from their friends and friends’ parents?
Children should never feel they have to navigate these questions by themselves. Parents who identify as nonbinary (and those who don’t) can open the lines of communication with other parents, teachers, and other adults, and help prepare their children for questions friends might ask. 

Check out these other
Magination titles from Pitman:

 

 

THIS DAY IN JUNE

  • Winner of The Stonewall Award

  •  A Top Ten Title, 2015 ALA Rainbow List

  • Winner, 2015 Notable Books for a Global Society Awards

  • Named one of the most important books of the last decade by The Advocate’s “40 Under 40” list

 

WHEN YOU LOOK OUT
THE WINDOW

 

 

 

SEWING THE RAINBOW 

  • 5th-6th grade Finalist in 2019 Children’s Choice Book Awards

  • 2019 ALA GLBT Round Table Rainbow Book List Selection

  • NCSS-CBC 2019 Notable Social Science Trade Book for Young People

  • National Parenting Product Award Winner (NAPPA)

 


 

FEMINISM FROM A TO Z

  • Gold Medal, 2018 IPPY Awards

  • Silver Medal, 2017 Foreword INDIES Awards

Also Available:

 

THE STONEWALL RIOTS

(Abrams)

  • 2020 Rainbow List

 

 

A CHURCH FOR ALL

(Albert Whitman)

 


 

Acquisitions and Licensing

  

Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library has selected NYT bestselling Gianna Marino’s “magical,” “brilliant” (Kirkus; starred) 
JUST LIKE MY BROTHER (Viking)
for their program. 
We love you, Dolly!

As a 4th foreign language license, Jacarandá Editora has “penciled in” Portuguese rights to Karen Kilpatrick, Luis O. Ramos, Jr. and German Blanco’s WHEN PENCIL MET ERASER (Imprint/Macmillan), a 2020 ILA-CBC Children’s Choice Selection and a 2019 Parents Best Children’s Book

Stay tuned for the “colorful” companion,
WHEN PENCIL MET THE MARKERS
in July!


 


Speaking of penciling in…

SAVE THE DATE

  

At 10am PT, on June 27th, at the Bay Area Book Festival #UNBOUND virtual series, join award-winning author Jim Averbeck and award-winning animator and illustrator Yasmeen Ismail, in their quest for love and art as they discuss LOVE BY SOPHIA (McElderry/S&S), the latest installment of the series that Kirkus calls “fun, clever, and empowering.

 

 


PW Deal Announcements

 


   
MAY the Creative FORCES be with you!

Congrats, Luciana Navarro Powell, SCBWI’s  featured illustrator for May.

      

 


Dow Phumiruk is East/West’s 
May Illustrator Highlight 

 

  

For more art by Dow, click here.

 


 

Where’s East/West?

 

Halli Gomez, debut author of the upcoming #ownVoices YA, LIST OF TEN (Sterling),
was on a panel at  SLJ Day of Dialog.

 

 

Shannon Hitchcock and FLYING OVER WATER (Scholastic) co-author Naheed Hasnat Senzai were part of Missouri Assoc. of School Libraries webinar: Stories in Conflict–Findiing Hope in War.

 

 

In addition to BookBound 2020, #SocDistBookFest, Everywhere Fest and ninosbookfest,
Ernesto Cisneros appeared at #UNBOUND:

 

 

Speaking of Ernesto‘s EFRÉN DIVIDED, it’s been chosen as a Project Lit Selection, along with Kwame Alexander’s BOOKED and THE CROSSOVER, and the graphic adaptation of THE CROSSOVER,
illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile.

 

Alexandra Alessandrini (left) presented the #OwnVoices webinar Mining Our Cultural Heritage and Memories for Stories –watch a free replay here with Joana Pastro, offered through Las Musas. Find out more about Las Musas and their free webinars here.

 

Sarah Scheerger, author of the upcoming YA contemporary HOW TO LIVE ON THE EDGE (Carolrhoda Lab/Lerner), was interviewed on Episode 24 of the Oxygen Starved Podcast

   
 


 

Congrats!
 

DON’T LET THEM DISAPPEAR (by Chelsea Clinton; Philomel), illustrated by Gianna Marino, has been selected for the 2020 ILA-CBC Teacher’s Choice List!

 

 
 

As to the 2020 ILA-CBC Children’s Choice Reading List:

  

Other “notable” news:


 

JACOB’S ROOM TO CHOOSE by Sarah & Ian Hoffman (Chris Case / MaginationPress) – included in the 2020 Rainbow Book List — is also a Foreword Indies Finalist!

    

 

Summer? Summer!

SUMMER 2020 READING LIST 

THANK YOU, INDIES!

Other accolades:

UNDER THE BROKEN SKY by Mariko Nagai (Christy Ottaviano Books/Henry Holt/Macmillan):

 

Sarah Scheerger’s MG, OPERATION FROG EFFECT (Random House), continues to be awarded and/or nominated to 2020/2021 state lists  – in addition to Florida [Sunshine State Readers Award] and Maryland [the Black-Eyed Susan]  the “compelling … enticingly readable” novel has recently been honored in Virginia and Alaska [HK Battle of the Books].

  

 

 

CONGRATS to Ernesto Cisneros and Heather Brockman Lee on their SCBWI call-outs for the RAM award and the winning piece in the April “Draw This!” word prompt –cooped up– for illustrators.

 

 



  “Overheard” at @EastWestLit on Twitter:


 

 


*CONGRATULATIONS ONE AND ALL*

We are thrilled and thankful to represent such amazing talent.


Artwork by Danielle Arbour

 

Thanks for following us on Twitter.
Tweet your good news our way and we’ll retweet.
@EastWestLit .