Editor Interview: Connie Hsu (Roaring Brook Press)

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This month’s Industry Insider interview is with Connie Hsu, Editorial Director at Roaring Brook Press. She was born in Taiwan and grew up in Alabama, though Connie admits to being “one of THOSE editors” who didn’t dream of working in publishing when she was younger. Thankfully, she discovered the Sweet Valley Twins series in the school library, and really identified with the character Elizabeth, who wanted to be a writer. From that point on, Connie knew she wanted to be in media.

Connie took a detour in college as a psychology major at the University of Illinois, but after a year, she switched to advertising, followed by a Master’s degree in journalism. It took two internships—one with a Chicago magazine and one with an Atlanta magazine—for her to realize her true calling was in publishing.

Let’s find out how she went from that realization to creating an impressive career in children’s literature where she’s been able to work with some of the most exciting picture book makers working today.

Roaring Brook Website

Connie’s Twitter

RVC: One of my favorite PBs in the last few years is a book you edited–Dan Santat’s After the Fall, (which I included in OPB, of course). What was the biggest challenge you and Dan had in making that book work?

CH: From the get-​go, we knew that the story arc would end with Humpty Dumpty climbing back up the wall, to show him overcoming his fears, after taking the time to heal from his trauma. But we felt that simply going back up doesn’t quite capture the sense of personal triumph, to push through so much pain and fear. We had several conversations about how to make the story and character feel transformative, to show how Humpty Dumpty is changed forever by his choice to climb up. Dan jokingly mentioned that Humpty should hatch, since he’s an egg, and noted that the imagery might terrify young readers. We laughingly referenced the iconic scene from Alien. But when Dan mentioned that, it felt right. Of course Humpty would hatch and take flight! And Dan was totally on board to try it, going through rounds and rounds of sketches to get the moment just right.

RVC: The Alien reference is hilarious. I’d never have guessed it, though, since that moment in the story is so sweet vs science fiction‑y.

Now, whether you’re working with Dan Santat or a fresh-​out-​of-​college illustrator, how do you know how much you can/​should push them?

CH: I think this varies from editor to editor. I’m accustomed to pushing my creators fairly hard, because I believe that the best work isn’t easy. To produce something truly standout and special, there should be some struggle, because we have to always questions ourselves and what we’re doing—and why it deserves notability.

That said, there are different styles of pushing. I saw that when I worked with the legendary picture book editor Neal Porter, who is so gentle and nuanced with his directives; he asks open-​ended questions and encourages his creators to take time to incubate and think. Meanwhile, I feel I’m more like a coach on the field, running drills and patterns.

RVC: In early 2020, you picked up Mark Pett’s I Eat Poop: A Dung Beetle’s Story at auction. What specifically motivated you about that book to bid against other companies? 

CH: It was Mark’s brilliant combination of great, evocative title, smart and innovative concept, and an expressive and relatable character. I knew from the tiny cover thumbnail in my email that I wanted to love the book. And when I got into the story about a young dung beetle who is embarrassed about eating poop, I saw so many layers to this story. It’s got the fun potty humor mixed in with important themes about identity, heritage, and self-​acceptance. And it’s hilarious to boot!

RVC: In general, do you think book auctions are a good thing?

CH: In some ways, auctions are good for letting creators know what the market value for their work is, and it informs the publishers too. However, I find it challenging when advance levels skyrocket. It’s great for the authors and their agents, who take a commission, but I sometimes worry that it sets unrealistic expectations. A book that sells for a very high advance will need to perform even better in the market for the project to be financially sound, and sometimes, not even the best marketing and publicity can make that happen. Sometimes, it’s just luck. What I worry is that the book and its creator(s) will be seen as a business failure. This can mar a creator’s sales track and make it more challenging to bring on more books by them in the future. It’s also such a personal blow to go down in advance too.

RVC: I can hear the chorus of currently unpublished authors howling, “I’ll take a book auction any day of the week, even if my track record and future advances take a hit!” But there’s another solid route to success, isn’t there? 

CH: I’ve been fortunate enough to have some authors who will submit to me exclusively. Their agents can still get them a very strong advance, and it deepens the trust and bonds I have with them, which I feel leads to better books.

RVC: Let’s back up a little bit. Before you got your New York publishing career going, you worked as an intern and a freelance writer for celebrity gossip magazine In Touch. Care to share any behind-​the-​scenes secrets?

CH: I know this shouldn’t have surprised me, but the majority of the gossip news was planted. Either someone would get a tip from a publicist, or we would try to create drama. For instance, one assignment of mine was to show a paparazzi photo of a woman celebrity to several doctors, who were willing to be quoted in the magazine, and ask if they thought the woman looked pregnant. My job was to go through a list of doctors until one said yes, and that would be the story we ran. That person did not ultimately have a baby, and I later felt bad that we probably just caught her at a bad angle and made a big deal out of it.

RVC: I’m glad you were able to move on from that to more rewarding work. Yet at one point, though, you were living in New York City, taking on odd jobs, and you ended up working for a daycare. How’d you go from that situation to landing a job at Little, Brown?

CH: Working at the daycare allowed me to revisit childhood favorites, like James and the Giant Peach. It also exposed me to more recently published books at the time, like Orphan Train by Verla Kay, which opened my eyes to the depth and complexity that a picture book could have. When I mentioned enjoying reading these books to a friend of mine, who worked at Scholastic Book Club, she forwarded me a job posting with Alvina Ling at Little, Brown and encouraged me to apply. I hadn’t thought about children’s books as a career at the time. When I had my first interview with Alvina Ling though, I knew I had to have the job. She inspired me from the get-go!

RVC: What are some of the biggest differences between working in the magazine world and the book world?

CH: The magazine world felt very ephemeral, and the timelines were also very tight. There’s this stress on making sure the magazine had content and it had to be created, no matter what, while the stress I feel from publishing is making sure authors and agents are happy and ensuring the best quality book possible. Books have more permanence, and the feeling of pride when a book is done is just so much more satisfying.

RVC: Back to the present. Let’s break down a typical day in the life of Connie. Put some percentages on how much is spent on each of the following–queries/submissions; email; meetings; editing; industry news.

CH:

  • queries/​submissions: 10%
  • emailing: 40%
  • meeting: 40%
  • editing: 5% (mostly happens during nights and weekends)
  • catching up on industry news: 5%

RVC: I think writers have this mental image of editors hunched over manuscripts day and night–yes, in this mental image, it’s universally agreed that the manuscripts are always paper–helping us all make dynamite books that change the lives of young readers now and for generations to come. But like the rest of us, the reality for editors is an ocean of emails and an avalanche of meetings. Fair enough!

Let’s talk about happier things. Agent lunches—great thing, or the greatest thing?

CH: A great thing. Some agents have become genuine friends and trusted colleagues. I feel lucky when an agent I adore shares an author with me who becomes a success. It’s like building a mini family.

RVC: What actually happens at these lunches?

CH: Agent lunches are something I do miss, because it’s a comfortable way to get to know someone and connect on projects. Sometimes, the effect isn’t immediate; rather, it’s an investment in getting to know the person and seeing the payoff down the line.

RVC: Got a great example of that?

CH: Sure–the agent Judy Hansen of Hansen Literary. Judy and I met over lunch a couple of years before I changed jobs and moved to Macmillan, where her author Vera Brosgol publishes her graphic novels with First Second. Judy wanted to keep Vera at Macmillan for her picture books, and when I got to Roaring Brook, she thought of me as a possible editor for Vera. Fortunately, we all connected wonderfully, which resulted in Vera’s debut picture book, Leave Me Alone!, a Caldecott Honor book.

RVC: In light of the COVID-​19 reality, what are you doing to replicate agent lunches?

CH: I’m having phone calls with agents, although I haven’t really had a chance to meet with new agents. The remote working has resulted in increased workload, so it’s been challenging to find time.

RVC: On average, how many submissions do you deal with each month?

CH: I average about 40 — 50 submissions per month.

RVC: While many editors (and agents, for that matter) use form responses to speed things up, you haven’t done that in the past.

CH: I try not to, because I understand that authors pour their heart and soul into projects and it helps them feel seen and heard to have a personalized decline letter. That said, with the increasing volume of submissions, I’ve had to resort to form letters.

RVC: How many of your response notes include an invitation to send it back—an R&R (revise and resubmit)? 

CH: Maybe 10 projects per year.

RVC: How many manuscripts do you take to the editorial committee for serious consideration each month? And what stakeholders are there besides yourself and your editorial team (which includes Emily Feinberg, who OPB interviewed not so long ago)?

CH: I bring about 3 – 4 projects per month and discuss with my team: Emily Feinberg, Kate Meltzer, Mekisha Telfer, and Nicolás Oré-​Girón. When we have an intern on staff, we invite them to participate. In the past, we’ve had our design team join, but not since we started remote working.

RVC: Beyond reading a manuscript aloud, what’s a strategy/​technique most picture book writers don’t know/​use but they really should if they want to move closer to the “YES!” they crave?

CH: Being aware of the marketplace is a huge help! Keep track of what’s coming around the bend and new deals. Signing up for Publishers Weekly’s Children’s Bookshelf gives writers a terrific resource.

RVC: Roaring Brook still has a small-​press feel, despite having the backing of a Big Five. How do you maintain that?

CH: We have an extraordinary publishing history in the short time we’ve been around (~25 years), with several award winners, and more recently, major bestsellers. It’s a legacy and reputation we uphold, while also bringing fresh and exciting voices to the list. We’re also a small team, like a family, where each person has a distinctive taste, but we have shared goals in wanting to publish high quality, notable books.

RVC: One last question for this part of the interview. What are two Roaring Brook titles that really represent your brand in the way you want it to be?

CH: I’ll share two recent titles: I Dream of Popo and Outside, Inside. Both are emotionally rich and memorable reads, and they tug at the heartstrings in the most perfect way.

RVC: Those are some memorable books, for sure (we gave a strong review of Outside, Inside at OPB not that long ago).

But we have to move ahead because it’s time for the LIGHTNING ROUND! The point values are tripled and the clock starts……NOW! What’s a secret talent of yours that most don’t know about?

CH: I’m very good at parallel parking.

RVC: Best late-​night reading snack?

CH: Baked Cheetos. All the pleasure, half of the guilt.

RVC: If you could be any picture book character for a day, who would it be?

CH: Peter from The Snowy Day.

RVC: What’s the One That Got Away?

CH: The Book of Mistakes by Corinna Luyken.

RVC: Favorite non-​Roaring Brook picture book of 2020?

CH: Me & Mama by Cozbi A. Cabrera.

RVC: Three words that sum up your picture book philosophy?

CH: Unexpected. Exciting. Extraordinary.

RVC: Thanks so much, Connie. It’s been great getting to know what the secret of Roaring Brook’s success is–clearly it’s GOOD people being at the core of all you do!

Educational Activities: Ocean Soup by Meeg Pincus

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Ocean Soup: A Recipe for You, Me, and a Cleaner Sea
Author: Meeg Pincus
Illustrator: Lucy Semple
15 March 2021
Sleeping Bear Press
40 pages

Book description from Goodreads: “From the shore, the ocean looks like clear, sparkling blue but look closely at a small scoop and you’ll find the ocean looks more like soup! Our oceans are filled with plastics, from water bottles and take-​out containers to the teeny tiny plastic particles you need a microscope to see. But who exactly cooked up this stinky soup? And, more importantly, what is the recipe for getting (and keeping) our oceans clean? This bouncing, rhyming story pulls no punches about how we ended up in this sticky mess but also offers hope and help for cleaning up this ocean soup.”

Need some reviews of Ocean Soup?

As a bonus, here’s a mini-​interview with the author from the website First Draft to Final Book.

Educational Activities inspired by Meeg Pincus’ Ocean Soup: A Recipe for You, Me, and a Cleaner Sea:

  • Before Reading–From looking at the front and back cover: 
    • Where and when do you think this story takes place?
    • What does the title–Ocean Soup–make you think of?
    • What are the kids doing?
    • Does this beach seem like a happy place? 
      • If not, why not?
  • After Reading–Now that you’ve read the story: 
    • How big of a problem is ocean pollution?
    • What are some of the main causes of ocean pollution?
    • How did you feel when the story mentioned that YOU eat fish that are eating the ocean “soup”?
    • What does the author suggest can be done about ocean pollution?
  • Art–Use your art skills to let others know what Ocean Soup told you about water pollution. Make a poster that alerts people to the danger. Will you use words? Images? Both? Perhaps ask an adult to help you hang it somewhere where others will see your message.
  • Conservation–Here are simple ways to help our ocean. Which of these will you do? 
    • Use refillable water bottles
    • Skip balloons at parties or events
    • Ask local ice cream shops not to use plastic spoons and straws
    • Only wear clothes that are made without pesticides
    • Ask adults to use natural fertilizer for gardens instead of chemicals
  • Crafting–Try your hand at one or more of the following crafts (use recyclable materials when you can!). Get an art- or ocean-​loving adult to help: 
  • Further Reading–Which of these other picture books about oceans have you read? (Click on any book cover for more information on these titles!)

 

 

 

 

 

 

Author Interview: Sy Montgomery

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I’m a sucker for authors with great personal stories, and Sy Montgomery shares this on her website:

To research her books, films, and articles, Sy Montgomery has been chased by a silverback gorilla, embraced by a Giant Pacific Octopus, and undressed by an orangutan. But she is perhaps best known for her 14-​year love affair with Christopher Hogwood, a runt piglet who grew to a 750-​pound great Buddha master.

So, yeah. We’re having Sy in for this month’s Author Interview. No doubt about it!

Here’s a bit more bio-​wise about Sy. She’s a naturalist, documentary scriptwriter, and author of more than twenty acclaimed books of nonfiction for adults and children, including the National Book Award Finalist The Soul of an Octopus and the memoir The Good Good Pig, a New York Times bestseller. The recipient of numerous honors—including lifetime achievement awards from The Humane Society and the New England Booksellers Association—she lives in New Hampshire with her husband, border collie, and flock of chickens.

And since I’m a world-​class animal fan, I know we’ll get along famously.

With that, let’s get to it!

Sy’s website

Sy’s Twitter

RVC: Some of the picture book authors I interview have a zillion different books about a zillion different topics. You seem to have gone another way and committed more fully to a specific focus. What’s the common denominator with the kidlit—all the books, really—that you write?

SM: Everything I write, for adults and kids, is inspired by and in service to animals.

RVC: Clearly you must’ve had a meaningful early encounter with animals. What was it?

SM: I don’t even remember this, but my parents told me: When I was younger than two, my parents took me to the Frankfurt Zoo, in Germany (where I was born–not in the zoo, but in the city of the Frankfurt!) I broke free of my parents’ hands for a few moments and disappeared. When they found me, I had toddled into the hippo pen—right next to a 3,000-pound hippo, considered the most dangerous animal in Africa.

My parents weren’t happy, but clearly, both the hippos and I were fine about it. I always felt comfortable with animals—far more so than with most people.

RVC: That’s amazing. When did you go from being an animal pal to becoming a writer (not that you can’t do both, as your career demonstrates so well)?

SM: When I began to read, my father, an Army General and my hero, used to help me read animal stories in The New York Times. Back then, in the 1960s, most of the animal stories in the newspaper were about how animals were going extinct due to poaching, pollution, and human overpopulation. I was horrified! Even as a little kid, I realized that people were at fault here, but the good news was that people could also be the solution. If only people knew what was happening! If only people understood that animals have thoughts and feelings, and love their lives as we love ours!

Up to that point in my life, I’d wanted to be a veterinarian—to this day, it’s a vocation I consider almost holy. But I realized as a child that I might be able to help more animals as a writer by getting people to care about animals.

RVC: You were a triple major in college. How did that happen, and how did it prepare you for a life as a writer (and adventurer)?

SM: I just was so hungry for knowledge about EVERYTHING—which is a great thing for a writer. My majors were magazine journalism, French language and Literature, and Psychology. I would have quadruple majored, adding biology, but the school wouldn’t let me!

RVC: I’ve been there. I finished 2.5 undergraduate majors myself and would’ve kept accumulating more had someone not told me, “Hey, just go to graduate school, silly!” Which I did. 

Let’s get to your books. I’m a big fan of Inky’s Amazing Escape: How a Very Smart Octopus Found His Way Home. How did that book come about?

SM: In 2015, my book for adults, The Soul of an Octopus, was published, and became a surprise national (and later international) bestseller and National Book Award finalist. So when a very smart octopus who lived in a New Zealand aquarium escaped from his tank and slid down a drain back into the ocean he’d come from, all sorts of news outlets turned to me for comment. It seemed like this would make a fabulous book for children!

RVC: Besides telling Inky’s escape story in that book, you share interesting octopus facts. They’re such interesting creatures—how do you know which things to share, and how much is too much? That’s something many nonfiction picture book writers struggle with.

SM: Kids absolutely LOVE octopuses! Really, space on the page—not my young readers’ interest—was the limiting factor!

RVC: Why are octopuses so special to you?

SM: I love how these creatures are so different from us that you’d have to go to outer space or science fiction to find something more different from us—and yet, you can become very good friends with an octopus. We both like to play!

RVC: I’m now second-​guessing myself, grammatically speaking. Should I be saying “octopi” instead?

SM: “Octopuses” is the correct plural, though “octopi” sounds cooler!

RVC: Gotcha–thanks!

Let’s talk about the octopus book you just mentioned–The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness. Wow, what a book! Honestly, it’s the first one of yours I ran across. I’ll bet you hear that a lot.

SM: Thank you! That book sure had legs! (or arms!) It was my second national bestseller. The first was The Good Good Pig, a memoir (for adults) of my life with a 750-​pound pig who was really a great big Buddha master.

RVC: What was the most difficult aspect of writing that book?

SM: I had such fun researching and writing The Soul of an Octopus. The only difficult part was my own self-​doubt that I wasn’t worthy of telling my octopus friends’ stories. But when I can’t trust myself, I can trust my teachers, in this case the octopuses and others (including people) who showed me that if I have a soul, an octopus has one, too.

RVC: You wrote about an octopus as well in the New York Times bestselling book How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals. How did you go about adapting that 208-​page into a 40-​page picture book, Becoming a Good Creature? What was the process?

SM: In addressing the struggles that adults face—finding a passion, building a family, learning to forgive, to survive despair, to start life anew–How to be a Good Creature dealt with some mature themes (child abuse, suicide) that weren’t appropriate for very young children. But we must remember that even very young readers face equally dramatic challenges in their lives. I thought about these, and about what animals a young child might like to meet. Clearly I needed to put lions and tigers and sharks in there, too! And hyenas! So the picture book has fewer icky grown-​up problems and more animals.

I was very lucky to have Kate O’Sullivan, my fabulous editor, to help me with this book. (And Becca’s artwork is so amazing that I honestly think this title would have sold if all I’d done was copy 40 pages from the phone book.)

RVC: Rebecca Green illustrated both the adult version and the picture book. You’re right–she’s very good. What appeals to you most about her work?

SM: The tenderness that she shows in depicting the animals is what I love most about her work. She doesn’t portray animals as cartoons. Many books about octopuses, for instance, have the head in the wrong place. That drives me nuts. Becca’s respect and affection for the animals shines through every illustration.

RVC: It seems to me that you think that we should—need to, in fact—interact more meaningfully with the animal world.

SM: Absolutely! Limiting your friendships to just one species is just as impoverishing as eating only one food, or listening to only one piece of music.

RVC: You’ve got a new book coming out in a few weeks—The Hummingbirds’ Gift: Wonder, Beauty, and Renewal on Wings. Congrats on that! While it’s not a picture book, it’s definitely kid friendly. In all your experience putting that book together, what surprised you the most?

SM: In that book, I had the great blessing of working with hummingbird rehabilitator Brenda Sherburn helping to raise and release orphaned baby hummingbirds. What amazed me is that these tiny delicate babies—they are little more than bubbles wrapped in light–can survive at all. Even for a mother hummingbird, raising a baby is a Herculean task. But for a person to do it? Consider this: they have to be fed every 20 minutes or they starve. But feed them too much, and they can actually pop.

RVC: That’s amazing. What’s the biggest misconception people have about hummingbirds?

SM: Most people love hummingbirds, and don’t realize how many we inadvertently kill. They are killed in shockingly large numbers by our pet cats. They are killed by pesticides we use on our lawns and gardens. (They don’t just need nectar; they need hundreds of tiny bugs every day to survive.) They are killed by pollution, by climate change, by the destruction of their habitats for homes and offices and stores. So it was a great privilege to try to fight that tide by working with Brenda to literally help bring some nearly-​dead hummingbird babies back to life!

RVC: I’m a shark fan, too, so of course I really enjoyed your The Great White Shark Scientist, which is part of the Scientists in the Field series that includes other titles of yours such as Condor Comeback and Amazon Adventure. What is the most important thing people should know or understand about sharks?

SM: More people are killed by toilets than sharks. More people are killed by toasters than sharks. More people are killed by doctors’ and nurses’ mistakes than by sharks. But nobody wants to get rid of toilets, toasters, or medical professionals!

RVC: You likely don’t know this, but I live quite close to Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium, which was launched in 1955 as the Cape Haze Marine Laboratory. Who started it? Why, Dr. Eugenie Clark, a.k.a. “The Shark Lady.” Did you ever get a chance to talk sharks with her?

SM: Oh my gosh, I would’ve loved to! But I’m very lucky to be good friends with the star of The Great White Shark Scientist, Dr. Greg Skomal, who is the lead researcher documenting the recent and exciting population increase of great whites off Cape Cod’s iconic shores.

RVC: One last question before the final part of the interview. The New York Times has called you “equal parts poet and scientist” and The Boston Globe says you’re “part Indiana Jones and part Emily Dickinson.” Which of those four compliments pleases you the most?

SM: Though I’m a huge fan of Emily Dickinson’s, I think Indiana Jones had more fun!

RVC: Okay, Sy. Here we go. Put on your penguin party hat, because it’s time for THE SPEED ROUND! Zebra-​fast questions and zoomy cheetah answers, please. Are you ready?

SM: You bet!

RVC: Craziest thing you ever ate while chasing animals all around the world the way you do? 

SM: I drank rice wine flavored with the corpse of a fetal deer out of a human skull in Borneo while researching my first book.

RVC: Which animal would you most want to see write a book about YOU?

SM: Octavia the Giant Pacific Octopus. I would love to know what she thought about me, even though my mouth was in the wrong place (should have been in my armpits), I had two too few hearts (octopuses have three) and I could neither change color nor shape. Yet she loved me. Why?

RVC: If you had a theme song that describes your life right now, it’d be….

SM: A‑wimoweh, a‑wimoweh, a‑wimoweh, a‑wimoweh (“The Lion Sleeps Tonight”)

RVC: If you could ask any one animal any one question—which animal, and which question?

SM: I would ask Fire Chief, a 40-​pound, 60–80 year-​old snapping turtle who I work with (and adore) at Turtle Rescue League, what is his experience of time. (He was injured when he was hit by a truck crossing a street, and we are working with him to strengthen his back legs. I’m attaching a picture just for you!

RVC: A recent great picture book about animals is…

SM: Wildlife on Paper: Animals at Risk Around the Globe by Kunal Kundu. The book was inspired by his son, and features artwork he creates from crumpled paper.

RVC: What’s the best thing a child ever said about one of your books?

SM: I want to spend my life helping animals just like you!

RVC: Thanks so much, Sy! This was a a REAL treat.

Picture Book Review: Ten Beautiful Things by Molly Beth Griffin

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Ten Beautiful Things
Author: Molly Beth Griffin
Illustrator: Maribel Lechuga
Charlesbridge
12 January 2021
32 pages

This month’s PB review is by Ryan G. Van Cleave (Picture Book Reader Aficionado at Only Picture Books) and Ringling College of Art and Design Illustration Professor (and OPB friend) Rebecca Zomchek.

–Ryan’s Review of the Writing–

Moving to a new home is on the short list of Most Stressful Things a child can go through, and that’s what’s happening with our main character, Lily. The story begins with Gram driving Lily to a far-​off Iowa farmhouse–the child’s new home.

We quickly realize that Lily is going through yet another Most Stressful Thing. Her parents are MIA. It’s never explained why they’re not in the book, but the reasons surely don’t matter. The mere fact of their absence exponentially adds to Lily’s sadness and anxiety.

To pass the time–and take Lily’s mind off her worries–Gram suggests, “Let’s try to find ten beautiful things along the way.”

Lily is understandably reluctant. But, soon, she notices how beautiful things start to appear once you begin to look for them.

A gorgeous sunset.

A wind farm whose “spinning windmill blades gleamed in the morning sun.”

“A red-​winged blackbird perched on a swaying stalk of last year’s corn.”

What makes things interesting and situationally honest is that between these moments where Lily witnesses beautiful things–all wonderfully depicted by the skilled hands of Maribel Lechuga–she slips back to feeling sad and “hollow” inside. The contrast of Lily being gently urged out of her funk by these beautiful moments is well handled, and the more beautiful moments she finds, the less fully and frequently Lily slips back into that place of sadness.

Beauty seems to resurrect her dampened spirits and fortify her. What a lovely idea.

At one point, Gram suggests that a falling-​apart barn counts as a beautiful thing, yet Lily disagrees because it’s not pretty. Gram responds: “We’re not looking for pretty. We want beautiful.” What a great distinction–pretty versus beautiful. I can see how adult readers might have a conversation with a child over what those words mean and why considering their differences is worthwhile.

Without giving spoilers, the resolution to the hollow feeling inside Lily’s chest and the arrival of beautiful thing #10 are emotionally rewarding and earned by the story.  I’m also pleased that the author avoided naming most of the emotions, choosing instead to let art, action, and nuanced dialogue bring those to life for readers. Trust me–they’ll get it.

In Ten Beautiful Things, Molly Beth Griffin has created a touching, quiet book that’s both a nod to the wonders of the natural world and a positive life-​changing journey for a child who has brighter days ahead.

4.75 out of 5 pencils

 

– Rebecca’s Review of the Illustrations–

This book is a visual pleasure and really is full of many beautiful things.

We are presented with a wonderful diversity of times of day, landscapes, and weather, and through these different vistas, the book does a brilliant job of taking us on this journey of not only passing from city into country, but finding our way home.

As someone who grew up in the Midwest and has gone on many meditative car trips, this book was wonderfully nostalgic and felt like such a real time and space come to life on the page. From the rolling fields, to hay bales, to the wind turbines and glowing treetops at sunrise, the land springs to life for us as the day unfolds and invites us along on the visual and emotional journey Lily and Gram are experiencing.

Illustrator Maribel Lechuga has really taken advantage of digital painting’s capacity for texture and has included wonderful movement and light. The clouds swirl and undulate, grass and water flow, and both leaves and birds float in the breeze. Along with our vibrant landscapes, we get wonderful 360° views around the car, both inside and outside, which help to capture the feeling of movement and the inner and outer worlds of a person.

One of my favorite scenes is the rainstorm as Gram and Lily get close to their final destination. The storm is palpable and generates a sense of drama, energy, and cleansing. This moment also creates closeness between the characters, and I found myself drawn into every page, looking at all of the small details and finding beauty in the pebbles and fences and treetops as I remembered so clearly and fondly the places where I grew up.

Lechuga captures emotion even with a relatively simplified character design style. We can feel loss, longing, questioning, and even grief on the characters’ faces (especially Lily’s), but also toward the end of the book we can feel the peace, growth, and love between the two characters as they find beauty together through hard times.

For a book that covers a lot of intense emotions that are not necessarily given names in the text, the illustrations do a fantastic job of drawing us all in and connecting us to the journey–both physical and emotional–that the characters are taking. At the end of the book I, too, was pleased with all the beautiful things I found and felt as I enjoyed this story.

5 out of 5 crayons

Rebecca Zomchek is a children’s book illustrator who has worked as a concept artist and cartoonist. She earned her BFA from Syracuse University and her MFA from The School of Visual Arts; she teaches Illustration at Ringling College of Art and Design. Rebecca likes distinguished things like classical music and museums, but also loves being outside and getting paint everywhere.

A Celebration of Jane Yolen’s 400th book (2 interviews and one original poem)

On By Only Picture BooksIn Author Interviews, Illustrator Interviews4 Comments

To help celebrate Jane Yolen’s 400th published book–what an amazing accomplishment!–I felt the need to do more than just review it at OPB. Thus, we have this bonus goody that’s just for you!

I asked Jane and Jen four questions each, and with the productivity and generosity that Jane is so well known for, she offered an original poem, too. Enjoy!

Questions for Jane

RVC: Why is Bear Outside a good book to be #400?

JY: Because it is typical of my picture book style–lyrical, strong young girl who solves a problem, and has a kicker last line.

RVC: What was most surprising about the hubbub around #400?

JY: That I seem to be the most surprised person of all!

Heidi (my daughter and PA) had been counting the books because when I hit 365 we had a big party at the Eric Carle Museum with teachers, librarians, editors, friends, etc. But I thought as I was just reaching my 80s, I would slow down. But a little over three years later, it was clear I was going to hit 400.

RVC: What’s something readers wouldn’t guess about the girl in this story?

JY: She is me in a way, though instead of a bear, I look out through the eyes of story and it emboldens me.

RVC: Your favorite image from the book? 

JY: I think the very last page, when they are quiet, and instead of a child hugging a toy bear to keep herself safe from night frights, the bear is hugging the girl.

Questions for Jen

RVC: Why is Bear Outside a good book to be #400?  

JC: Bear Outside is the result of so many things I never saw coming or anything I could have conceived of when I started my career in illustration. I had worked on bits and pieces here and there, and I got my foot into the door with Little Pea, but it wasn’t until I started creating bodies of work for gallery shows that I really started to develop a visual voice that felt true to me. It has always been a symbiotic relationship, bringing what I learned creating pieces for galleries into book work and bringing the narrative structure of book work back into paintings made for gallery shows.

If you had told 2007 me that this piece of my career would become part of someone else’s artistic milestone, let alone Jane Yolen’s artistic milestone, I would have calmly told you to get off of my lawn. But it is. It exists, it’s here, and it’s an incalculable honor. To have something put out into the world be seen and understood by someone and then be moved to write a story that respects the core of the image with spare, perfect words? It gives me too many feelings.

For me it’s not a good book to be #400. It’s the PERFECT book to be #400.

RVC: What was most surprising about the hubbub around #400 for Jane?

JC: When I received the manuscript for Bear Outside, I wasn’t told that it would be Jane’s 400th book. I didn’t even know until recently. So it’s all a wonderful surprise. I muddled through my own brain and ideas for so long–it’s a real crock pot of a brain. It makes me wonder what it’s like to have a brain that is all “go go go” while also creating beautiful, meaningful stories. It’s awe inspiring.

RVC: What’s something readers wouldn’t guess about Bear?

JC: Probably that Bear is a Taurus sun with a Sagittarius moon.

RVC: Your favorite line from the text?

JC: “I take care of Bear and Bear takes care of me.”

It’s the perfect distillation of the relationship between Girl and Bear. It’s ideally the relationship we should have in others.

Hugging the Bear

At night, in the dark,
he snores and grumbles.
Sometimes he whimpers.
Then I curl around him.
I am here, Bear, I whisper.
Day will come soon enough.
Wear me like a  suit of armor.
Hold me like a sword of fire.
Tell my story over and over
till all night fears go away.
And his mumbles and whimpers
fade into the dawn.

©2021 Jane Yolen all rights reserved

Editor Interview: Kelsey Skea (Two Lions and Amazon Crossing Kids)

On By Only Picture BooksIn Editor Interviews2 Comments

This month’s Industry Insider Interview is with Kelsey Skea, the Editorial Director of Two Lions and Amazon Crossing Kids at Amazon Publishing. Prior to taking on this position, she worked as an editor at Disney Book Group—a real plus in my book, considering that I live in Florida which means I’m barely a stone’s throw from Orlando!

(Okay, Sarasota’s a brisk two-​hour drive, but when it comes to The Mouse, who’s going to quibble about a little distance?)

And here’s another reason I had to invite Kelsey to be part of the OPB friends and family club—I’m a fan of Two Lions books, as you can see!

Witness Picture Book Reviews for Anna Kang’s We Are (Not) Friends (Two Lions) and Joy Jordan-​Lake’s A Crazy-​Much Love (Two Lions)!

Behold Educational Activities for Lindsay Gray’s This Book is Gray (Two Lions)! and Todd Tarpley’s Naughty Ninja Takes a Bath (Two Lions)!

So, let’s see if Kelsey can help us figure out what makes Two Lions Books so appealing!

RVC: Looking back at when you first got hooked on books, where did you think it was going to lead you?

KS: I’ve always loved books. I remember going to the library from a very young age and the very proud moment I got my own library card. I also loved writing stories and was encouraged to write by my family. As a young girl, being a writer was one of the many possibilities I imagined for myself. I feel so fortunate to have ended up in children’s publishing.

RVC: What key training/​experiences prepared you for your editing career?

KS: I had a couple of internships and summer jobs that involved publicity, copywriting, and writing articles. Those, alongside my English literature classes at the University of Virginia, gave me insight into writing for different purposes and reacting to fiction (albeit of a different kind).

The best training was on the job. As an editorial assistant and assistant editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books, I tried to learn everything I could from the senior staff I supported. I was fortunate that they were all generous with their time and expertise—that’s something I always remember as a manager.

RVC: What’s the best advice you’d give to a current college undergraduate who’s interested in an editing career? 

KS: If possible, try to get some sort of work experience that relates to the field, even if tangentially. I came to my interviews for editorial positions with writing from a publicity internship, ad copy I’d written for my local radio station, articles I’d written for a local business journal, and some essays from literature classes. In a way, these all related to aspects of the industry, even if not directly. They showed I had the potential to write good jacket copy and critically analyze fiction.

During my interview, my first (future) boss asked me if I liked to organize. Reflexively, I said, “No.” Happily she started laughing, and then I jumped into how I was good at it even though I didn’t like it.

Pro tip: maybe be more enthusiastic about your organizational prowess than I was! Also, use your college’s alumni network to see if you can connect with someone in the field to learn more about it or possibly connect with a job opportunity.

RVC: Great advice indeed!

So, you joined Amazon in 2013, right after they acquired 450+ titles from Marshall Cavendish Children’s Books. How challenging is it to incorporate another press’ entire catalog like that and still keep up with your own publishing agenda?

KS:  It was an exciting time to join the company. The Marshall Cavendish Children’s Books list had so many strong titles, and some of those titles absolutely took off at Amazon Publishing. For example, Turkey Trouble by Wendi Silvano and Lee Harper, has had such growth that we’re publishing a fifth book in the series this summer, Turkey Goes to School, with a sixth book signed up for next year.

That’s one of the things I love best about Amazon Publishing—our books are supported in many different ways over their lifetime and constantly exposed to new readers.

RVC: How did those original Marshall Cavendish books differ (or not!) from Two Lions books? And what makes a Two Lions book a Two Lions book, in your opinion?

KS: Well, the Marshall Cavendish Children’s Books all became Two Lions books (or Skyscape, in the case of the YA titles), but as every publisher’s focus evolves over time, so has ours. Many of those titles were acquired with an eye to the institutional market, and while that is important to us, we’re also looking for books that have an emotional core that kids can connect with, as with Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant’s You Are (Not) Small series, which uses bearlike creatures to examine broad subjects like perspective, fear, perception of perfection on a level that’s very kidlike and full of humor and heart. Another great example is A Home Again by Colleen Kosinski and Valeria Docampo, out this fall, which is from the perspective of a house who closes itself off after its first family moves away, only to rediscover that it can be a home once again.

RVC: Let’s get specific about your job. What’s something about the editing process that might surprise people?

KS: People outside of the industry often think that my work focuses on grammar-​related issues. Thankfully, our terrific copyeditors make me look good in that respect. People are often surprised at how much of my day involves business decisions about our overall list or assessing and participating in new opportunities. Often they’re surprised to hear about the developmental process and how I work with closely with our art director from sketches through to the final artwork.

RVC: People talk all the time about the importance of community for writers and artists. What about community in terms of editors? 

KS: I’ve been fortunate to work with some amazing editors over the course of my career, and lucky to work with some amazing women, in particular, who really lift each other up. But beyond editors, I also work closely with folks from marketing, production, publicity, sales, and various other departments. What I love about the kidlit community is that those connections last, even if you fall out of touch with someone and run into them at a conference (and I’m imagining a post-​pandemic world where that will happen once again).

The publishing community wants the best for each other and that’s a nice thing to be part of professionally.

RVC: Complete the following sentence. Kelsey Skea is an editor who…

KS: …puts her heart—and her pencil—into working with authors and illustrators to make their book the best it can be.

RVC: What are a few of your proudest moments as an editor?

KS: It’s always a thrill to see a book you’ve worked on win an award or receive a great review, but the proudest moments for me are seeing a child’s excitement about a book or character, either in person or in a letter from their caregiver.

RVC: How do you balance the creative side of editing with the business side?

KS: As a publisher, I want to do everything possible to support the success of the books I acquire, so I spend a significant amount of time on the business side looking at the best opportunities for a particular title, whether that’s in terms of publicity, marketing, or placement in some of our programs, in addition to how it fits into the overall list. I work with these teams consistently to experiment and get creative with different ways to give our books exposure.

I spend a lot of time in creative development so the book is the strongest it can be. When possible, I try to group meetings to open up blocks of time when I can focus on a book-​in-​progress. I block out longer chunks of time for significant editing and sign out of email so that I can delve into the work uninterrupted.

RVC: Speaking of the business side of things…it SEEMS like you’re trying to buck the trend of books taking so long to come out. I especially note this with a series—like Dexter T. Rexter or Duck and Hippo—where titles come out without a year or two between them.

KS: We try lots of different approaches at Amazon Publishing in how we publish, including cadence. I always think about how long a child will be passionate about a picture book character before they leap to the next reading level or format. And so much in the way that people consume content now with binge-​viewing, I’ve tried to launch follow-​up picture books quickly so that if a child loves a character, they can read the next book as soon as we can get it to them.

RVC: What are some forthcoming projects you’re excited about?

KS: So many projects! It’s always a special treat to work with debut talent, and I have two titles this year that fall into that bucket: Julius and Macy: A Very Brave Night, a gentle tale of friendship and bravery from author-​illustrator Annelouise Mahoney that is enchantingly illustrated and comes out on April 1st, and Dancing with Daddy, a debut from Anitra Rowe Schulte and established illustrator Ziyue Chen, that tells the story of a girl who uses a wheelchair and communicates through gesture and a book illustrated with pictures that show her dreams of her first father-​daughter dance. I love that it’s a story many young girls can relate to, but coming from an underrepresented point of view.

Also this year, we have a couple of titles that address the importance of community and finding common ground: Hudson and Tallulah Take Sides from Geisel winners Anna Kang and Christopher Weyant, out this May, which features a cat and dog who can’t agree on anything, and Between the Lines from Lindsay Ward, out this fall, about a neighborhood that drifts apart and literally loses its color until a boy takes matters into his own hands.

RVC: I look forward to seeing those books!

But let’s toss a submission-​related bone (or two!) to writers. What are you just not interested in seeing right now?

KS: We’re pretty well covered on turkeys, dinosaurs, monsters, and fractured fairy tales. And no counting books, please!

RVC: And what’s the flip side of that? What kind of submissions would you love to see?

KS: For Two Lions, we’re looking for books from a diverse group of authors and illustrators that have an emotional arc, either driven by a memorable personality or featuring standout writing and illustration. We’re also always looking for seasonal titles.

RVC: One last question for this part of the interview. In all your experience as a picture book editor, what has most surprised you? 

KS: I think what surprises me the most—in a good way—is the sheer reach and impact a picture book can have each time I experience it. I love seeing a child in the UK dressed up as a character from a book I edited, or seeing a child’s reaction to a book knowing it is helping them cope through a difficult time. It’s easy to get a little caught up in my own world, so these moments are always a refreshing surprise that centers me and reminds me why my job is so important.

RVC: Thanks for that! But now it’s time for the SPEED ROUND, Kelsey. That means zippy questions and zoomy answers, please. Are you ready?

KS: So ready!

RVC: Favorite lunchtime pick-​up spot in Midtown? 

KS: When I need to grab a quick lunch, I like the chicken shish at Naya. I’m looking forward to getting some once we’re back at the office. There’s always a line out the door, but it moves quickly.

RVC: You’re caught singing in the shower. What song is it?

KS: Assuming I’m not groggy, maybe a little Zac Brown.

RVC: Biggest time waster?

KS:  Twitter. And pulling information into spreadsheets!

RVC: Five things you can’t do your job without?

KS: Creative thinkers. Outstanding authors and illustrators. A team who is passionate about kidlit. Literary agents. A sense of humor.

RVC: What are some recent non-​Amazon picture books that really caught your attention?

KS: Well, of course all of the Caldecott honorees—such a terrific group this year. Watercress by Andrea Wang and Jason Chin—can’t wait to flip through that. Oona by Kelly DiPucchio and Raissa Figueroa (Raissa is working on a book with us in 2022, We Are One), and The Tree in Me by Corinna Luyken.

I could go on and on, but I’ll stop there.

RVC: Let’s end with a single fave line from a picture book you edited.

KS: “You’ll show them a world that’s bright and true, so ever after, when they think of you, the world will feel full of love … and soft and sweet and new.” This is from World So Wide by Alison McGhee and Kate Alizadeh, and the pairing of Kate’s gorgeous art and Alison’s lovely text gets me every time.

RVC: What a terrific way to end! Thanks so much, Kelsey. It’s always a treat to partner with my friends at Amazon (like we did with Marilyn Brigham a few years back!).