September 2019

September 28, 2019

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Happy Book

Birthday(s)

THE CROSSOVER

Now available in a Spanish edition

Translated by
former Poet Laureate
Juan Felipe Herrera

and 
Graphic Novel

Kwame Alexander’s 
Newbery Medal winner, NYT Bestseller,
and Coretta Scott King Honoree 
is vividly brought to life
as a graphic novel
illustrated by Dawud Anyabwile. 


HMH Books for Young Readers


 This graphic-novel adaptation of Alexander’s 2015 Newbery Medal winner offers powerful visuals to an already-cherished narrative.…Veteran comics illustrator Anyabwile brings an expansive range of black-boy emotional expressiveness to the page, accompanied by a striking attention to detail and pop-cultural reference….Flashy and engaging with emotional depth—a slam-dunk thrill.KIRKUS, STARRED


A fresh look at the Newbery Medal–winning book, still told in verse but now stunningly illustrated by Anyabwile….With lively poems that use basketball as a metaphor for life, this mix of free verse, hip-hop, and powerful artwork will resonate with fans of the original book and inspire a new audience of nascent players, artists, and poets.
SLJ 
STARRED 

An energetic and lively re-envisioning, this transformation of the original text into a combination of visuals, poetry, and changing font styles will be sure to engage young readers who are both familiar and unfamiliar with Alexander’s original work.
BOOKLIST

With confident strokes and choice details…the graphic version brings out the best in the original, as any good teammate should.
PW

A beautifully measured novel of life and line.
NYT Book Review

 


Happy Book

Birthday

PETE THE CAT 
AND THE 
PERFECT PIZZA PARTY

by NYT Best Selling creators
Kimberly and James Dean 


Harper Collins

debuting at #7
on the 
NYT Best Seller list

(9.28.19)

marking East/West’s
232nd NYT week 
including–

by Anna Dewdney & Reed Duncan
Viking / Penguin Young Readers


#5
(9.14.19)



Reviews and recommendations
from critic Ron Charles’
THE BOOK CLUB
:

LLAMA LLAMA MESS MESS MESS
(Anna Dewdney and Reed Duncan)

Dewdney left behind more than 30 stories in various stages of completion. “It’s crushingly sad to all of us who loved her that she’s no longer here in person; I miss her every day,” Duncan says. “But … I know that Anna would be pleased that there’s plenty more Llama Llama still to come.”
Llove it. 


 

and….
Happy Book

Birthday

to

PETE the KITTY 
GOES TO THE DOCTOR 

(My First I CAN READ)
Harper Collins

 


Acquisitions and Licensing

Beijing Publishing Group has licensed Simplified Chinese language rights to four titles from Gianna Marino (Viking/ Penguin Young Readers):

 
 

Jill Morgan at Purple House Press has acquired publication rights to Jim Averbeck’s 2009 Charlotte Zolotow Honor winner for outstanding picture book text, IN A BLUE ROOM
(originally published by HMH),
illustrated by Tricia Tusa. 

photos next column –>

Happy Book

Birthday

SNOW GLOBE WISHES
by
Erin Dealey 

Illus. by Claire Shorrock

Sleeping Bear Press

Sure to be a new holiday classic.

think hygge in picture-book form…The feelings of community and togetherness are palpable.
KIRKUS STARRED


Click image to view trailer. 

A little girl makes a wish on her snow globe. The sun dawns on a clear day and a world covered in fresh snow. The family steps outside to play in the pure white snow and so do neighbors and their families… and in the snowy world, someone reaches out and holds another’s hand. And then another does and on and on. Peace on earth, all is right with the world.

Author Erin Dealey has written a sweet, lyrical story that will give joy to youngsters and the adults who read to them. The text has a perfect meter and rhyme and is thoroughly enchanting. The soft, quiet illustrations by artist Claire Shorrock are the perfect complement to Dealey’s lovely story. This will become a favorite and will make those who live where there is no snow want to move to wintry places.
SF BOOK REVIEW

It’s sure to be an enduring holiday classic. Lyrical and beautiful. 
Dylan Teut / Exec. Director
Plum Creek Festival 

In Erin Dealey’s SNOW GLOBE WISHES what if, on a snow-filled day, families shake their busy lives and one and all, young and old, strangers and neighbors, go out to play?
 
 
 
Q: If you had a magic snow globe that could grant one wish, what would your Snow Globe Wish be?
 
Erin Dealey: My snow globe wish became part of the jacket copy of our book: I wish that SNOW GLOBE WISHES might inspire many acts of kindness in our world. And a few much needed hugs.

Full interview here. 


Happy Book

Birthday 

THE ONE & ONLY WOLFGANG
From Pet Rescue to
One Big Happy Family
 


by
NYT Best Selling Author 
Mary Rand Hess

& Steve Greig

Illus. Nadja Sarell 

With an afterword by Jodi Picoult


A PW Best Seller 

From Instagram sensation Steve Greig aka Wolfgang2242 – with close to 800K fans — and New York Times bestselling author Mary Rand Hess comes this humorous, heartwarming story about Greig’s real-life menagerie of senior rescue animals that affirms, in a family, everyone belongs.

Wolfgang is an all-animal family first popularized on Greig’s Instagram.
The meaning of family is important to
12 animals who became one family through adoption. In order to fully acquaint readers with the members of this family, individual portraits of each animal and an amusing fact are presented in a double-page gallery at the beginning of the book… 

Family members include nine dogs, one rabbit, one pig, and one chicken. Each animal has a quirky side that is visible through the illustrations, which digitally collage photographs of the animals onto cartoon backgrounds. It is obvious to readers that there is much love and acceptance in this book despite all of their differences … All of the members of this family are loved, whether it is the old cocker that trips all of the other dogs, the big pig who eats all of the food, the deaf dog, or the blind dog… the busy, amusing scenarios will endear these characters to readers. A memorable and entertaining celebration of adoption. 
–KIRKUS


Happy Book

Birthday(s)

UH OH, ROLLO

Meet Rollo, a little bulldog with a BIG personality.


WHERE’S ROLLO?

by

NYT Best Selling author
Reed Duncan

Illus. by Keith Frawley

Penguin Workshop

A debut series by Duncan,
with easy-to-read vocabulary and lively illustrations, just “write” for progressing readers.


Inspired by the real-life rambunctious, mischievous, and totally lovable bulldog, Rollo–pictured here with Francesco Sedita, President & Publisher of Penguin Workshop.

For fans of Tiny, Biscuit, and Charlie the Ranch Dog.

Look for two more books in the series, soon, including:

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


Happy Book

Birthday

GRUMPY UNICORN
WHY ME? 

A hilarious new comic collection


by
Joey Spiotto 

Author/Illustrator

Scholastic

Not all unicorns are rainbows and sunshine. Meet one unicorn that isn’t a sparkly, magical creature. In fact, he’s downright grouchy.

Learn all about Grumpy Unicorn’s least-favorite things like seasons (all of them), holidays (every single one), traveling (anywhere), and so much more! From party planning to looking tough, this grumpy guy will make you smile with all his frowning.

Spiotto previously illustrated Alien Next Door and Attack! Boss! Cheat Code! A Gamer’s Alphabet.

 


Happy
Book Release


Check out
Calida Garcia Rawles’
gorgeous cover art

 for Ta-Nehisi Coates’s
debut novel 
THE WATER DANCER 
(One World)


Oprah’s New Book Club Pick!
Click image to watch video. 

Calida Garcia Rawles began her career as a fine artist. She studied painting at Spelman College (later serving as artist-in-residence) and continued her education, earning a master of arts at New York University. She has exhibited her paintings nationally and abroad, exploring the concepts of beauty and identity. 
 


Happy Haiku

Megan E. Hoyt

Megan’s poem appears in 
Miranda Paul’s anthology 

THANKU:
Poems of Gratitude

Illus. Marlena Miles
(Millbrook)


PW Deal Announcements 


 


  
     
GELA KALAITZIDIS 
is featured in our September 
Illustrator Highlight.


FALLing into

     September News and Reviews


  
Ernesto Cisneros’ MG debut novel Efrén Divided (Harper Collins) is a 
Top 10 Kids Indie Bookseller Pick for Winter/Spring 2020!


Cisneros will present at the #SCIBA Southern California Independent Booksellers Association’s
Fall Breakfast at the Sheraton LA in San Gabriel on September 28th.

And he’ll be feted at the Winter Institute!

 
Erin Dealey signed SNOW GLOBE WISHES at the #NCIBA Northern California Independent Booksellers Association on Sept. 20th at the Hyatt Regency SF. 


Ian Hoffman was interviewed by Tandem, Partners in Early Learning, about the Jacob books. 

 

Another lovely review for Mariko Nagai’s UNDER THE BROKEN SKY
(Christy Ottaviano Books/Henry Holt)
— this one from SLJ!

Nagai writes in verse with both a detached hesitancy, as if looking at the story from a distance, and a deep understanding of the sisters’ pain through rich imagery that poetry so often allows. It is a hard history to swallow, but it is made palatable through the characters’ tenacity and belief in an outcome greater than their own. ­VERDICT Echoing the hardships and redemption of many novels about World War II, this well-timed story about a lesser-known group of refugees adds an important chapter to the narrative of human oppression and survival.
–Rebecca Redinger, Lincoln Park Branch, Chicago Public Library


SLJ includes Lynne-Marie’s MOLDILOCKS AND THE THREE SCARES among
Zombies, and Vampires, and Skeletons–Oh my! 10 Picks for Elementary Readers:
 
“… This change to the traditional ending 
adds a warm element of familial acceptance.”SLJ

“It’s a horror spoof with a big heart … readers will cheer for this undead family that finally feels complete.” —PW


Congrats to these E/W Best Sellers:


PETE THE CAT: TRICK OR PETE
is also a USA Today Best Seller:

Two E/W titles 
made the 

Indie Bestseller Lists for September:

HOW TO READ A BOOK (Alexander/ Sweet / Harper Collins)

  
LLAMA LLAMA MESS MESS MESS (Dewdney & Duncan/ Viking)

 

Hey, WOW!

Look who’s featured on GUESSING GEISEL:

“The Geisel Award criteria does not preclude nonfiction, nor does it encourage it. As with all things, it is up to the discretion of the committee itself to determine whether or not a book meets with its standards. Even so, I can hope that a book this joyous in its willingness to teach, not just language skills, but science as well, will earn the respect of all gatekeepers. Fun, funny, and desperately smart, this is a book [Antoinette Portis’ HEY WATER] to keep your eye on.”  Betsy Bird


Cover Reveal:
Mehrdokht Amini’s illustrations grace the upcoming DICTIONARY FOR A BETTER WORLD,
by Charles Baker and Irene Latham (Lerner). 

Pencil them in… 
  
Now in its third printing!

#TeamPencilandEraser (authors Karen Kilpatrick & Luis O. Ramos Jr.,
and illustrator German Blanco/ Imprint) 
presented at #EurekaSIBA.  


Ruth Harper (r, Illus. THE KISSING HAND) hanging out with her friend Kathy and
SCBWI co-Founder Lin Oliver at the Plum Creek Fest.


25 Books That Teach Kids To Care About The Environment
includes: DON’T LET THEM DISAPPEAR by Chelsea Clinton and illustrated by Gianna Marino (Philomel). 


9 Picture Books that Celebrate Grandparents: 

We would also add these Kane Miller books by Erin Dealey and Luciana Navarro Powell.(Spanish editions too!):

  
Also from Brightly:

15 Picture Books That Celebrate Hispanic Heritage

We would add Ana Crespo‘s International Latinx award-winning THE SOCK THIEF (Albert Whitman)
and Sarah Scheerger’s OPERATION FROG EFFECT (Random House) #Cecilia 

  
Speaking of Ana, who edits our monthly Illustrator Highlight, she is featured this month in SCBWI Rocky Mountain’s Letters and Lines / Kite Tales Member Spotlight:

And speaking of Sarah Scheerger, look at the wonderful reactions her picture book, MITZVAH PIZZA (Kar-Ben / Illus. Deborah Melmon, is getting:
 

Adding to the accolades:
   
COUNTING ON KATHERINE, illus. by Dow Phumiruk
(Becker/ Christy Ottaviano) 

  

  “Overheard”  at @EastWestLit on Twitter:


*CONGRATULATIONS ONE AND ALL*

We are thrilled and thankful to represent such amazing talent.


Artwork by Danielle Arbour

 

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Tweet your good news our way and we’ll retweet.
@EastWestLit .