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Albert Whitman & Company has been publishing children’s books that entertain, educate, and encourage since 1919. This blog is a means to extend those values. We feature weekly podcasts with our authors and illustrators, nostalgic look-backs through Albert Whitman’s early archives, and "Classroom Connection," news and materials specifically geared for educators. Of course we will also keep you updated with sneak peeks on forthcoming titles, industry news, and Twitter-ready musings.
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1. Another #FridayReads with AW&Co Staffers!

It’s #FridayReads with Albert Whitman Staffers!  Today, metadata master and sales team all-star Caity Anast talks about her current reads:

I laughed when I read Annette’s post, because I too went through a period of very little “fun-for-me” reading when my children were babies (What to Expect the First Year doesn’t count as fun).

I nodded my head as I read Wendy’s post, because although I am not keeping track of books I’ve read on Goodreads, I do have my own personal list that I have kept since high school. It started with a pamphlet my freshman year English teacher passed out called “Excellence in English: The Honors English Program, York Community High School” that listed the core and supplemental readings by grade level. (A shout out to those great English teachers at York.) I highlighted the titles as I read them, and my goal was to read all the titles in the pamphlet.

high school pamphlet

(The ACTUAL pamphlet…I still have it…)

But I reassessed that goal after picking up Moby Dick for fun. I just couldn’t get through it. I mean how many times do you have to describe the whale? I get it, it’s big. I suppose if I read it for English class and had someone to discuss it with, I would have found it more interesting. But instead, I put it down and never finished it. That was the first time I had ever done that. I always felt it was my duty to finish a book. After that, I decided I didn’t have to read every book on that list, but I could refer to it from time to time.

The latest book I am reading is a recommendation from my dad, Bellweather Rhapsody by Kate Racculia. I’m not very far along into the book, but the setting is the Bellweather Hotel where a murder-suicide happened fifteen years ago in room 712. Now the hotel is host to Statewide, a high school music festival. So far I’ve been introduced to Alice and Rabbit Hatmaker, twins who are participating in the festival, and their chaperone and teacher, Natalie, who happens to be a former student of Viola Fabian, Statewide’s chairperson and mother of Jill, the best flautist in the state. It’s received three starred reviews, so it’s bound to be good. Booklist says, “Encore, encore.”

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At the same time I am listening to an audio book in the car. I find this is a great time to catch up on what my kids are reading. It’s also a great way to find out the proper pronunciation of a character’s name. I am in the middle of because of mr. terupt (tear upt, not tur upt as I thought) by Rob Buyea. It’s a great story about a fifth grade class and their new teacher. Each chapter is told from the point of view of one of seven children in the class. You’ve got your brain, outcast, loner, mean girl, prankster, fat girl, and the new girl. I honestly can’t wait to get in my car each day to see what’s going to happen next.

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2. #FridayReads with Albert Whitman Staff …Plus StarWarsReadsDay!

It’s #FridayReads with Albert Whitman Staffers!  Today Senior Editor Wendy McClure talks about her current reads:

So I’m one of those nerds who does the reading challenge on Goodreads, where you set a reading goal for the year and log all your books. In the past years my goal has been around thirty books—not that many compared to some folks, but then I read a lot of manuscripts for my job, so if you count unpublished works or books in production, my stats are a lot higher. So high, in fact, that I decided I was totally WINNING at reading and decided to set my Goodreads goal for FORTY books this year. So here’s where I’m at now:

goodreads

You guys, I don’t know if I’m going to make it to my goal.

Part of what got me behind is The Bone Clocks by David Mitchell, the most recent book I finished, because it’s 600 pages. But it’s one of the better 600-page books I’ve read. Then again, I don’t take on a book this long unless I’ve heard it’s good. And as it happened, my husband read it, and he made me read it too, partly because he wanted to talk to someone about it.

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This is only the second David Mitchell novel that I’ve read—last year I read Black Swan Green, and I’ve been trying to gather the will to read Cloud Atlas (which is supposed to be a challenging read). How do I even begin to describe The Bone Clocks? Um, well, it begins in 1984 and ends in 2044. And it’s divided up into six sections. And there are immortal characters fighting a psychic war that has lasted for centuries. And since it’s 600 pages, you really do feel like you’ve been fighting a psychic war for centuries. IN A GOOD WAY, I mean. I really enjoyed it. It just came out, so you’re probably reading all about it right now anyway. (And hey! Here’s an excerpt.) I won’t give anything away except to say that I really hope the real 2044 is better than the one in the book (spoiler alert: it’ll make you want to hoard batteries).

Another fun thing about The Bone Clocks: my husband won the advanced reader copy in a bookstore raffle, so we both got to feel like the cool kids on the block for getting to read it early. And this is one of the first times I’ve read an ARC and found out that there are some significant differences in the final version: apparently David Mitchell loves to put characters from his previous books in cameo roles in other books. Several of them made an appearance in The Bone Clocks, but Mitchell changed his mind at the last minute and took out a few of them in the final version.  As an editor, I know of course that this can happen, but it was fascinating to find out about it from a reader’s standpoint.

So, what do you read next after reading a 600-page book about the future?

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Book 3 in a totally addictive YA trilogy!  Ashes to Ashes by Jenny Han and Siobhan Vivian is now on deck. This is the follow-up to the novels Burn for Burn and Fire with Fire (which of course I’ve read), about three girls who find they’ve been wronged by the same people and enter into a revenge pact to bring them down. PSYCHIC WAR, INDEED. I can’t wait.

———

And here’s a little bonus link in honor of #StarWarsReadsDay tomorrow—my favorite story ever about books and Star Wars: Darth Vader Made Me Cry, about a book signing with the Imperial Dark Lord. Seriously, read it.


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3. #FridayReads with Albert Whitman Staff

It’s #FridayReads with Albert Whitman Staffers!  Today our Marketing Manager, Annette Hobbs Magier, is filling us in on what she’s currently reading:

As I thought about what I was going to post this week for #FridayReads, I found myself getting a little depressed.  I used to read A LOT.  Like, all the time and everything—NYTimes best sellers, classics for the second or third time, YA novels, middle grade (my fave!), graphic novels, you name it.  I even used to be in a few book clubs at once!  Then, about 2 years ago, I had a baby and, well, reading for pleasure kind of went down the toilet.  There was a period of time where the thought of reading was so exhausting, that I even stopped picking up ARCs at trade shows.

But then, my baby turned a corner.  She started paying attention to the actual words in her little board books and before I knew it, she was finishing the stanzas in Jamberry and The Little Blue Truck as I read each page.

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Now, on the cusp of her 2nd birthday, she’s finally able to sit through an entire picture book without trying to chew the corners or tear the pages into oblivion (thank goodness because somehow my signed copies of Kevin Henke’s Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse and A Good Day have made it into her regular rotation!) AND she’s actually paying attention to the story.

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So, what are we reading in the Hobbs Magier household these days?  Every single night for the last three weeks we’ve read Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak.  She requests it every single night.  Her favorite part is when Max shouts, “Be still!” at the Wild Things and tames them with the trick of staring into their yellow eyes.  I love the way she shouts, “Be still!” when we get to that page (and sometimes she shouts “Be still!” while she’s eating her dinner or playing with her toys, which is always a little hilarious and strange).

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Our other selections usually rotate between Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse, The Hello, Goodbye Window, and The Ghosts Go Haunting.  And you know what? It’s not depressing at all—it’s awesome! I feel like I’m starting my reading journey all over again with fresh eyes. I can’t wait to break into the Roald Dahl collection with her!

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4. Colleen Gleason remembers distinct, family-oriented images from The Boxcar Children

In light of the new animated film, “The Boxcar Children,” our author series continues with author Colleen Gleason, who read The Boxcar Children, by Gertrude Chandler Warner, as a child. The film features voice actors Joey King, Mackenzie Foy, Zachary Gordon, and Jaden Sand; directors include Daniel Chuba and Mark A. Z. Dippé. It’s now available at local retailers!

Boxcar DVD cover

Gleason remembers the first time her librarian handed her a Boxcar Children book:

It was the first in the series, and I dove right in, completely enchanted with—and worried for—the four homeless children. I loved their sense of family, these four parentless children, and found the creativity and ingenuity of the Alden siblings compelling.

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These reactions continued as I read the whole series—many of the books multiple times. My very favorite was Blue Bay Mystery. There was something so fun about the four of them going to a South Seas island with their grandfather and Lars, the kindly shipwrecked sailor. I loved the environment of the island—and what we learned about everything from plankton to some basic survival skills to the statues of Easter Island.

To this day, whenever I think of The Boxcar Children, the first image that comes to mind is the pink cup in their comfy little boxcar, followed closely by the sunny, warm tropics of Blue Bay and the mysterious stranger on their little island. Sleeping in huts, picking bananas, swimming in Green Bay, and, of course, soup in the turtle shell.

The Boxcar Children were a part of my young reading life, and not only were the books filled with interesting mysteries, but I also felt as if the family of four really existed, really cared about each other, and would always be together.

clockwork-scarab

Gleason is the author of The Clockwork Scarab: A Stoker & Holmes Book. Connect with her on Facebook, Twitter, or through her website.


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5. #FridayReads with Albert Whitman Staff

It’s the perfect storm! #Fridayreads and #BannedBooksWeek. You know all of us at Albert Whitman love books. Publishing them and reading them. Going forward, every #FridayReads we’re going to have one of our staffers talk about a book they’re currently reading. Today, we start off with our Director of Sales and Marketing Mike Spradlin:

I kind of chuckle to myself that ALA reports ever increasing challenges of comics and graphic novels in the last few years. Growing up, if it wasn’t for comics, I know I wouldn’t be the reader I am today. I read all of them I could get my hands on, and still do to this day. Right now I’m enjoying the Fables graphic novels by Bill Willingham, James Jean and Alex Maleev.

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The story takes place in a contemporary world, where all of the characters from classic fables and fairy tales have been driven from their world, and forced to live among mankind. Many of them like Snow White and her ex-husband Prince Charming can pass as human, but many such, as the three little pigs, must keep to the shadows. All the ‘fables’ want is to unite and remove a mysterious, malevolent evil from their homelands that drove them into our world in the first place. But much like human beings, factions develop, trust issues abound and they find that even with a common enemy uniting is harder than first thought. It’s a great story, with terrific art and I highly recommend it.

Happy Friday and Happy Reading!


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6. Karen Hawkins’ magical adventure with The Boxcar Children

The first animated DVD of The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner, the first book in the series, is now on sale wherever DVDs are sold! The film features voice actors Joey KingMackenzie Foy, Zachary Gordon, and Jaden Sand.  Directors include Daniel Chuba and Mark A. Z. Dippé.

Boxcar DVD cover

New York Times best-selling author Karen Hawkins writes how The Boxcar Children series is magical:

I’ve been a reader from the day I could hold a book. My mother encouraged reading by filling every bookshelf in our house with books she’d gathered from library sales and bookstore bins, both new and used. And it was on one of her packed bookshelves that I found my first Boxcar Children book.

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It was a difficult time for me, as we’d just moved, and I was struggling to find friends in a small school where everyone already had a best friend. Reading was my escape from the awkwardness of being the new girl, and from the moment I opened the first page of the first Boxcar Children book, I fell madly, wildly, and crazily in love with the series. In a few weeks’ time, I’d read every single one and would reread them over and over.

There were so many things I loved about the Boxcar Children—the mystery of each story, the family interactions, the way they faced adversity together—all of it spoke to me. To this day, whenever I see a Boxcar Children book on a shelf, I smile. I smile even more when I see the books in the hands of my children. And one day, I hope to see those books in the hands of their children, too.

It takes a special series to last through generations of readers, and yet the Boxcar Children series has done just that. There is magic in those pages. Magic that lasts.

Karen will be doing a Boxcar DVD giveaway—like her on Facebook or follow her on Twitter for a chance to win a copy!  And be sure to pick up her new book THE PRINCE WHO LOVED ME on sale SEPTEMBER 23!  Visit her website for more information. 

Out September 23!

Available September 23!


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7. Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ thoughts on reading The Boxcar Children

The Boxcar Children by Gertrude Chandler Warner, the first book in the series, has come to life in the animated film, “The Boxcar Children,” with voice actors Joey King, Mackenzie Foy, Zachary Gordon, and Jaden Sand.  Directors include Daniel Chuba and Mark A. Z. Dippé. It’s now on sale wherever DVDs are sold!

Boxcar DVD cover

Susan Elizabeth Phillips, a New York Times Bestselling author of over twenty novels, writes about how reading The Boxcar Children as a young girl helped shape her love of reading for pleasure:

The Boxcar Children is the book that changed my life. An exaggeration? Nope. Cross my heart. I was seven years old and in second grade. Learning to read had been a terrible struggle for me, and my seven-year-old brain could not comprehend reading for pleasure. And then Mrs. Martin began reading The Boxcar Children to the class at the end of each school day.

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I was enraptured with the story from the first page, and to this day, I remember the sick feeling in my stomach when the school bell rang, and Mrs. Martin closed the book—the story UNFINISHED. Then, the agonizing wait through the next day for the magical moment—would it ever arrive?—when she would open the book again.

After that introduction, how could I not beg my mother—not that it took much begging—to take me to the library to get Surprise Island. And then The Yellow House Mystery. My lifelong love of reading had begun.

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Phillips’ newest book Heroes Are My Weakness is on sale everywhere that books are sold beginning on August 26th. You can visit her website; follow her on Twitter, and like her Facebook page.


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8. Hilary McKay Lulu Blog Tour

LuluBlogTour_Banner

 

Hilary McKayThe Lulu books have arrived in the United States and Canada with a blast! Thanks to five starred reviews and a number of best book lists — including ALSC’s Notable Children’s Books – Lulu and the Duck in the Park has captured the hearts of kids everywhere. Lulu and the Dog from the Sea is now available here as well. Author Hilary McKay is touring North America via her office at home in England. Please join her travels as she answers questions and muses on a variety of topics from eyeglasses to beaches.

Blog Tour Stops

Sunday, March 24, 2013
http://www.madiganreads.com/
Review

Monday, March 25, 2013
http://www.evereadbooks.com/
Guest post and giveaway

Tuesday, March 26, 2013
http://www.greenbeanteenqueen.com/
Guest post and giveaway

Wednesday, March 27, 2013
http://www.awrungsponge.blogspot.com/
Interview and giveaway

Thursday, March 28, 2013
http://mommayoungathome.com
Review and giveaway

Friday, March 29, 2013
http://slayground.livejournal.com/
Interview

Saturday, March 30, 2013
http://www.jenrothschild.com/
Interview and giveaway

Sunday, March 31, 2013
http://bringonthebooks.blogspot.com
Guest post and giveaway

Tuesday, April 02, 2013
http://www.the1stdaughter.blogspot.com/
Interview and giveaway

Wednesday, April 03, 2013
http://fireandicephoto.blogspot.com/
Guest post and giveaway

Thursday, April 04, 2013
http://bookaunt.blogspot.com/
Interview and giveaway

Friday, April 05, 2013
http://barefootbooks-ladyd.blogspot.com/
Interview and giveaway

Saturday, April 06, 2013
http://www.thechildrensbookreview.com/
Guest post and giveaway

Sunday, April 07, 2013
http://www.sweetonbooks.com
Interview and giveaway

Monday, April 08, 2013
http://mybrainonbooks.blogspot.com/
Guest post and giveaway


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9. BEING HENRY DAVID Blog Tour

banner_blogtourBEING HENRY DAVID Blog Tour

Cal Armistead

February 19-March 2, 2013

Debut author Cal Armistead is hitting the virtual road for her first blog tour. Her contemporary YA novel Being Henry David (Albert Whitman Teen) has already received great attention in the book review media (a STAR! from Kirkus Reviews) and from many bloggers.

Blog Tour Stops

Tuesday, February 19
Actin’ Up with Books
Guest Post and Giveaway

Wednesday, February 20
The Cozy Reading Corner
Interview and Giveaway

Thursday, February 21
Bittersweet Enchantment
Guest Post and Giveaway

Friday, February 22
The Modpodge Bookshelf
Guest Post and Giveaway

Saturday, February 23
The Book Pixie
Interview and Giveaway

Sunday, February 24
The Compulsive Reader
Interview and Giveaway

Monday, February 25
Teen Librarian’s Toolbox
Guest Post and Giveaway

Tuesday, February 26
DJ’s Life in Fiction
Guest Post and Giveaway

Wednesday, February 27
Cracking the Cover
Interview and Giveaway

Thursday, February 28
The Book Babe
Guest Post and Giveaway

Friday, March 1
Mimosa Stimulus Reviews
Interview and Giveaway

Saturday, March 2
A Blog about Nothing
Interview and Giveaway

Plus!
Miss Page-Turners City of Books
Giveaway (last two weeks of February)


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10. April is also Autism Awareness Month

Since this is Autism Awareness Month we want to remind you of some of our great titles featuring children (both real and fictional) with autism. Many of these titles have won awards and are excellent books to read to kids to help them understand more about autism and autism spectrum disorders. Pick up a copy today.

Autism & Me: Sibling Stories by Ouisie Shapiro, photos by Steven Vote

• A 2010 Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People

• IRA-CBC Children’s Choices 2010

Ian’s Walk: A Story about Autism by Laurie Lears, illustrated by Karen Ritz

• 2002 Children’s Crown Gallery Award Master List

• Dolly Gray Children’s Literature Award

• Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities 1999, International Board on Books for Young People

• Pick of the Lists, American Bookseller

Looking after Louis by Lesley Ely, illustrated by Polly Dunbar

Waiting for Benjamin: A Story about Autism by Alexandra Jessup Altman, illustrated by Susan Keeter

• Outstanding Books for Young People with Disabilities 2009, International Board on Books for Young People


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11. April is National Poetry Month!

In honor of National Poetry Month, here is an excerpt from A FUNERAL IN THE BATHROOM, written by Kalli Dakos and illustrated by Mark Beech. 

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A Funeral in the Bathroom

 

Tears in the bathroom,

time to say good-bye

to a chubby little fish—

we called him Pudgy Pie. 

 

We could almost hear him say,

“This fish food is so good!
It’s my ice cream and pizza pie!”

Oh, how he loved his food!

 

But here beside the toilet,

we try to decide.

Did Pudgy eat too much?
Is that why he died?

 

We place him on the water

amid a gentle hush.

Then we push the handle,

and the toilet starts to flush.

 

Pudgy’s back in water.

Oh, how he loved to swim!

And here in the toilet,

he takes his final spin.

 

One last exciting whirl,

before he must move on.

And then in one giant gulp,

our little fish is gone.

 

© Kalli Dakos

 

For more information about A FUNERAL IN THE BATHROOM or to purchase, you can visit our website at http://www.albertwhitman.com/content.cfm/bookdetails/A-Funeral-in-the-Bathroom.


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12. Guest Blogger: author Alison Formento

The Buzz on THESE BEES COUNT!: Inspiration and Information

 by Alison Formento

One of my favorite questions from students when I visit schools or libraries is how do I get the ideas for my books. For my new book, I have a sweet and tasty answer to that question. Honey, or to be more specific, a scoop of honey-flavored ice cream triggered the idea for THESE BEES COUNT!

Our family was vacationing in Florida and one hot afternoon we stopped at the local ice cream shop. Signs were displayed to promote the special honey-flavor and to bring awareness about the mystery of disappearing bees. The display had a long list of the fruit and vegetable crops that bees pollinate and how important they are for the world. It might have been brain freeze, but I definitely experienced an “Ah ha!” moment about bees. The phrase “Bees Count!” popped in my head and I immediately began writing a draft of the story.

I knew a lot about trees before I ever wrote my first picture book THIS TREE COUNTS!, and now you might call me Bee-ologist after all of the research behind THESE BEES COUNTS! Several university scientists and beekeepers, including the president of my regional beekeeping organization, have been my go-to experts for honeybee facts and in helping me prepare for my own backyard hive. I enjoyed visiting several local hives and shared my research photos and important bee facts to help Sarah Snow plan her illustrations for our book.

 

 

 

If you have a chance to visit a bee farm or a friend’s hives, watching bees work is an amazing experience. They zip and circle, planning their day’s flight to pollinate and gather nectar. That honey ice cream inspired me and I’m in complete awe of what bees provide our world every day. And to quote Jake, one of the characters in THESE BEES COUNT!, here’s a great word to describe about honeybees: “Sweet!”


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13. Tales of Spring Break

by Caity in Sales

This unusual weather has made it feel like spring here in Chicago, but we all know that winter is not officially over. With spring break just around the corner, the Albert Whitman staff thought we’d share some of our spring break memories. And while you’re relaxing in the sand, or just relaxing on the couch, why not read Tails of Spring Break by Anne Warren Smith. Then check out her new book Bittersweet Summer.

“When I was about 15 we took a family vacation to the Ozarks over spring break. I was miserable at first, because I had friends who were spending that same week in Paris on a school-sponsored trip, and here I was in Missouri. The fact that we were CAMPING, traveling with our pop-up trailer, didn’t help. But I’d never taken a road trip in the early spring, and everything around us was so new and green, and what I remember the most is spending Easter in a tiny wooden chapel at the campground listening to local musicians playing bluegrass fiddle music.”—Wendy in Editorial

“When I was younger my family and I would drive to Ft. Walton Beach, Florida for spring break. The road trip from Chicago was just as much fun as the time spent in Florida—driving through the hills of Kentucky, seeing the rocket at the rest stop in Alabama, getting a glass bottle of coke from a gas station in Florala, and finally arriving at the white sandy beaches of the gulf.  We enjoyed days on the beach, collecting sea shells, riding the waves, and trying not to swallow the salt water. My dad had family down there and we would spend a little time with them too. It was great to see our Florida cousins and swim in their inground pool—what a treat. Now my dad owns a condo in nearby Destin. My husband and I make the road trip with our kids, and I get to relive it all over again.”—Caity in Sales

“As a kid, spring break was usually spent at my grandparents—playing with cousins, being beaten at backgammon by my grandfather—you know, the usual stuff. I do have one funny spring break memory from college (with nothing to do with alcohol or Florida). About 10 or so students stayed in the dorm through break one year. Our schedule became study until noon and then do something together (movies, shopping, etc.). One day it was a nice, warm, sunny day (by upstate New York standards), so we decided to go for a hike. Let’s just say that the fact that we took a photo around the “closed trail” sign let’s you know that we were clearly not as smart as we thought. We walked the upper trail (we figured that would be safer…further from the gorge). However, in the last 100 yards or so, the shorter route to the parking lot had us join the lower trail. Our leader turned around at one point and said “careful, ice” and the next person slid, fell, and just manage to direct himself to the end of the icy patch. Needless to say, the rest of us backtracked, took the longer route…and we all walked back to our cars via the road. I’d just like to point out that we all still received our degrees—good thing spring break is not ‘for credit.’” —Michelle in Marketing


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14. What’s in a Cover?

by Kristin in Editorial

We at Albert Whitman are no fools: We know that everyone literally judges books by their covers. A cover can make or break a book’s success in the marketplace. A book’s cover is its first impression on the world. Good impression: You (might) buy it. Bad impression: You won’t.

With that in mind, the cover design process can be a pretty involved one. The process usually goes like so: Nick, our talented art director and designer extraordinaire, gets the illustrator moving on a cover sketch (or, in the case of many of our novels, he designs the cover art himself—sometimes in many variations, as seen here with The Glass Collector). Once the art portion is completed, Nick mocks up a number of sample covers for that particular book with varying font and title treatments/designs. Then we go pretty old-school.

Nick posts all the covers up on a bulletin-board wall of ours, and everyone in our company—from our VP and President to our customer service staff—weighs in. Everyone’s opinion is important, and at the end of the day, the big questions almost always come down to: Does this cover convey what this book is about? Is it appealing to a child/tween/teen reader? Will it sell? Oftentimes, we’ll debate a particular font or whether certain words need to be larger. If, for example, the author’s name is the big draw, then his or her name needs to be big and easily legible. A lot of the time, this round goes through several revisions, until we wind up with a cover we can all (mostly) agree upon.


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15. Rolling with the changes
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By: Wendy in Editorial, on 3/5/2012
Blog: Albert Whitman & Company Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Things never stay the same at publishing houses. Offices move, editors come and go, and submissions guidelines change all the time. Within the past five years here at AWCo we’ve relocated, seen two retirements in Editorial, experienced new leadership, and have changed our submissions response policy. For a small house like us with a long history, it feels like a lot of change, but it’s often par for the course at bigger houses.

What’s the best way for writers to respond to all these changes? Don’t panic. I say this because, well, people panic sometimes. I’ve gotten the phone calls. “I submitted my manuscript to Editor X,” the caller will tell me. “But I heard she’s gone! What does that MEAN? What do I do NEXT?”

I can’t speak for other publishers, particularly the bigger houses. But a writer sending us unagented work does nothave to worry that we’ll make a big bonfire of unread submissions addressed to Editor X. Here at AWCo, submissions still come addressed to Editor X sometimes, or for Editor Y, who retired two years ago, or even Editor Q, who left sometime in the 90s. They still get read.

Having an editor’s name is helpful in that it helps your submission get to the right place in a publisher’s office. In the case of our office, an envelope with an editor’s name on it will bypass the big pile of envelopes in the editorial mail bin and go straight to . . . the big pile of envelopes in an editor’s cubicle. One pile gets read a little faster, but both still get read.

How-to-get-published guides will tell you that a cover letter sent to a real name is preferable to “Dear Sir or Madam,” and that’s still true. But an editor’s name is not a Wonka Factory Golden Ticket to the inner circle of a publishing house. To an editor, a personally addressed cover letter lets her know simply that the writer has taken time to research the company and find out her name, or else came across her name in a publication or at a conference, or found her business card on the sidewalk. None of that, of course, is nearly as important as the manuscript enclosed.

Here are some additional tips for when you learn your Editor X has retired or left the company:

Good luck with your submissions!

 

 

 

 

 

 

It is not, however, the Golden


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16. Guest Blogger: Sarah, Age 10
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By: Michelle in Marketing, on 3/2/2012
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My name is Sarah, and I am 10 years old.  I am a fifth grader in Mount Prospect, Illinois.  I recently read Small Steps:  The Year I Got Polio by Peg Kehret.  I was assigned this novel in my reading class at school.  At first I thought the story would be sad and depressing.  However, I was curious about this being a true story and I wanted to learn more about the author’s disease and how she battled it.  I actually enjoyed reading Small Steps and I’m glad my teacher assigned it to my reading group.

I was very impressed by Ms. Kehret’s bravery and strength in fighting polio when she was a girl, not much older than I am now.  She worked very hard and stayed focused to accomplish her goal.  I think of Ms. Kehret when I believe I cannot reach one of my goals, and she inspires me.  The book also left me feeling very thankful that we now have a polio vaccine so no one has to suffer any more like Peg Kehret did.  I’m sure she was extremely happy when her children received their first polio vaccination.


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17. Enter the 2012 First Peas to the Table Contest
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By: Michelle in Marketing, on 2/23/2012
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Albert Whitman & Company, publishers of First Peas to the Table: How Thomas Jefferson Inspired a School Garden (written by Susan Grigsby, illustrated by Nicole Tadgell), invite your classroom to participate in a national pea growing contest.

Thomas Jefferson, our third President, held a pea growing contest with his neighbors every spring. The first person to have a bowl of peas ready to bring to the table was declared the winner and would invite his neighbors over for a dinner that included the dish of peas.

2012 Contest Guidelines and Rules

Goal: To be the first student team in your USDA Hardiness Zone to harvest at least two cups of peas without using a hot house. The contest is open to students in grades one through four. An entering team may consist of one or more students. Each team may use no more than twenty pea seeds. These should be garden shelling peas (often called English Peas), not snow peas or snap peas.

You may not begin the contest until the official start date of 03-1-12. In other words, your pea seeds must not be placed in soil, other growing mediums, or water before 03-1-12. (Depending on the USDA Hardiness Zone you’re in, you may not wish to start until well after this date. The contest closing dates have been set to accommodate for climate differences between zones.) You may not use a hot house.

Winners will be the first team to harvest 2 cups or more of shelled garden peas in each of these USDA Hardiness Zones: 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10. To identify your zone, enter your zip code into the National Gardening Association’s zone finder.

In the event of a tie within the same time zone, one winner will be randomly selected from those that tied. The date of harvest must be noted on the harvest form. All Saturday-Sunday harvests will be bumped up to the following Monday.

One entry form should be completed for each team.

Entrants must also submit a photo of their pea growing log and a photo of their shelled pea harvest being measured. They are also invited to send in a group photo of the winning team members for posting on the Albert Whitman blog and other promotional materials with express permission for such usage.

Entries must be submitted via email to mailto: [email protected] no later than 5 days after the date that your peas are harvested, measured and recorded. This way the winners may be acknowledged in a timely manner.

The contest will close when a winner is announced or, at the latest, on the following dates:

Zones 7, 8, 9 and 10 May 22, 2012

Zones 5 and 6: June 15, 2012

Zones 3 and 4: July 15, 2012

Certificates of Participation are available in the Teachers’ Contest Resource Guide.

The winning team from each of the eight designated zones will receive four books with gardening themes from Albert Whitman & Company and will be featured on the publisher’s blog. The books are 0 Comments on Enter the 2012 First Peas to the Table Contest as of 1/1/1900

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18. Anderson’s Bookshops’ Children’s Literature Breakfast
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By: Michelle in Marketing, on 2/22/2012
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By Kristin in Editorial

This past Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending the tenth annual Anderson’s Bookshops’ Children’s Literature Breakfast in Glen Ellyn, Illinois. Anderson’s is an independent bookstore with locations in Napervile and Downers Grove, two Chicago suburbs; Publisher’s Weekly named it Book Store of the Year in 2011. It’s a fabulous institution run by the even more fabulous Becky Anderson—a bookselling legend in the publishing community who, in addition to running an incredible book store, also acts as an advocate for authors through Anderson’s school visits program and through this breakfast.

The event was attended by hundreds of people, primarily teachers and librarians, all seated at round tables in a large meeting hall. Each table was manned by an author, and the authors (many of whom are Illinois locals) rotated tables throughout the event. The authors that sat at my table included Bob Raczka, an Albert Whitman illustrator, author/illustrator Robin Luebs, middle grade author Marianne Malone, Fancy Nancy author Jane O’Connor, and Caldecott-medalist David Small. Each was lovely and gracious.

In the midst of the rotations, we were also treated to talks by headlining authors and illustrators. Jane O’Connor talked to us about Fancy Nancy and her new chapter book series, Fancy Nancy: Nancy Clancy, Super Sleuth. David Small read us his new picture book, One Cool Friend. Katherine Applegate spoke about the real-life inspiration for her middle grade novel, The One and Only Ivan. Augusta Scattergood spoke about Glory Be. And Gordon Korman spoke about his writing process as well as about his new middle grade novel, Showoff. We were also treated to a list of favorite new titles from Anderson’s booksellers Kathleen March and Jan Dundon—many of which I can’t wait to get my hands on. All in all, the talks were funny, enlightening, and inspiring.

There’s really nothing like being in a room stuffed with people who are truly passionate about kids’ books. It was also wonderful to realize just how many great authors and illustrators there are in Illinois and the greater Midwest; the sheer amount of talent is pretty incredible. I hope to come back and meet more of them in future years.


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19. Books for President’s Day
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By: Michelle in Marketing, on 2/17/2012
Blog: Albert Whitman & Company Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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It’s President’s Day weekend.  Celebrate with some great books about presidents!

Abe Lincoln Loved Animals by Ellen Jackson, illustrated by Doris Ettlinger

Climbing Lincoln’s Steps: The African American Experience by Suzanne Slade, illustrated by Colin Bootman

Finding Lincoln by Ann Malaspina, illustrated by Colin Bootman

First Peas to the Table: How Thomas Jefferson Inspired a School Garden by Susan Grigsby, illustrated by Nicole Tadgell

If I Ran for President by Catherine Stier, illustrated by Lynne Avril

If I Were President by Catherine Stier, illustrated by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan

Phillis Sings Out Freedom: The Story of George Washington and Phillis Wheatley by Ann Malaspina, illustrated by Susan Keeter


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20. The Year of the Dragon: Happy Lunar New Year!
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By: Michelle in Marketing, on 1/23/2012
Blog: Albert Whitman & Company Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Today Chinese and others around the world will celebrate the lunar new year and welcome in the Year of the Dragon. Coincidentally, we have two dragon books available…

The Boy from the Dragon Palace by Margaret Read MacDonald, illustrated by Sachiko Yoshikawa was published in Fall 2011 to great acclaim. It was named a 2011 NYPL 100 Books for Reading and Sharing and received a starred review from Kirkus: “MacDonald’s lively retelling of this folktale is bound to fascinate kids; after all, who can resist a tale with a snot-nosed boy?”

Brand new this season is How to Be Friends with a Dragon by Valeri Gorbachev. Reviews are just coming in on this book and Kirkus said “A sweet and gentle picture book with friendship, etiquette and a hint of dragon breath….Bedtime approved thanks to its soft palette and reassuring tone, and clever enough to land in many a read-again pile.”

Happy New Year!


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21. What’s in a Title?: The Editorial Perspective!
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By: Wendy in Editorial, on 1/20/2012
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(From betterbooktitles.com)

Yesterday Michelle spoke about choosing a book title from the marketing department’s perspective, and about the “running argument” she has with us folks in Editorial.

Hmm, is it really an argument? Well, I will admit to thinking that if Marketing truly had their way, the title for every book would be an artless string of words broadcasting its selling appeal. The Hunger Games would be called ACTION PACKED DYSTOPIAN LOVE TRIANGLE and When I Reach You would be FRIENDS ARE IMPORTANT, PLUS TIME TRAVEL.  It would be like that Better Book Titles site, except worse, because it would be for real! And mostly not funny!

But I also get why it’s often necessary for book titles to be unsubtle. Since Whitman specializes in “issues books” I understand that a well-chosen title can broadcast its usefulness to those in need. If a child is diagnosed with asthma, chances are her mom would rather not scan endless titles looking for artful metaphors for “hard to breathe.”

If anything, I think my place in the running argument titles is somewhere in between Marketing and the author. In fact, I’m often the actual go-between: sometimes I’ll have to explain to Marketing that the author-illustrator I’m working with would rather not have “A Story About the Importance of Oral Hygiene” as a subtitle for her picture book about a wacky tooth fairy; other times I might have to persuade a writer to let us come up with something better than “Tommy the Turtle” or “Reflections.”

(Note: these are all hypothetical examples.)

And I’ve been there right in the middle myself. A few years back I wrote a picture book about a girl with a peanut allergy. I called it “The Princess and the Peanut,” which I thought was totally the cleverest title in the world for a book about peanut allergy. Except that it didn’t have the word “allergy” in it. Somehow it sounded a lot less witty with that “A” word.  But Marketing began to insist, and while it took a while, I finally realized that while “The Princess and the Peanut” was a clever title, The Princess and the Peanut Allergy was a SMART one.

And then we all lived happily ever after, and with continued royalties, too! THE END.



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22. What’s in a Title?: Marketing Perspective
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By: Michelle in Marketing, on 1/19/2012
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Editorial and I have a running argument about titles, especially titles for nonfiction, informational, and issue books. As I much as I love a funny, quirky book title, the title has to tell the consumer what the book is…really, it just does. Trust me.

There are two main concerns: 1) will a search engine bring the book to the top? and 2) will the consumer in the store/library know the book is for them by looking at the cover?

Search engines (Google, Yahoo!, Bing, etc.) and online retailers (name your favorite) respond to searches by looking at the title field first, then the subtitle, then description and key words. Ideally, you would have your topic or key selling point in all of these fields.

For example, if a consumer wants a book about dragons and your title doesn’t have “Dragon” in it, she may never to see your book on the list. This seems even more true if the book is about peanut allergies or diabetes or bullying.

Editorial and I sometimes compromise with a catchy title and what they call a boring subtitle. But the truth is, when you don’t name your book well, it can get lost — especially once it’s in the backlist.

We have a number of issue books that have been in print for a decade or more. I believe they continue to sell well — despite newer competition — because when a parent types in “kids diabetes book” they get Even Little Kids Get Diabetes (published in 1994) in the top few items.

Using the same example, if the title for this book were Johnny and the Sugar Monster, a parent couldn’t tell from the cover (or the spine for that matter) that the book directly address diabetes in young children.

A recent example of the subtitle compromise worked. Out next month is The Wooden Sword: A Jewish Folktale from Afghanistan. Without the subtitle, you need to read the book description to even know it’s a folktale, let alone Jewish and Afghani.

Thanks to the subtitle, in the first month or so when only the data was available — not the book or even the catalog — I received requests for review copies from several major Jewish organizations. They have search engine alerts looking for Jewish children’s books — they don’t want to miss any. We had buzz even before the marketing began — because of a subtitle in the data feed. (Note: Part of the compromise was to have the subtitle on the title page but not the cover.)

Of course, this is not as much an issue with novels, but it’s still true that the title and what’s on the cover communicates information to the consumer. Perhaps we can talk more about that another time.

Editorial will express their opinions tomorrow on the blog. In the meantime, authors — I encourage you to suggest titles that are both fun and informative. Those are always the best!


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23. Getting Fit with Miss Fox
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By: Michelle in Marketing, on 1/17/2012
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by Kristin in Editorial

There’s no crazier time at the gym than the month of January, when everyone’s over their December sugar highs and onto their New Year’s resolutions.

Not that I would know this year, having not made a single visit so far in 2012.

But perhaps I should take a cue from Miss Fox and her class, who, in Miss Fox’s Class Shapes Up, make a group effort to eat healthily and exercise more. Miss Fox notices one student sleeping in class, another whose tummy is a-rumbling, and others who get out of breath way too easily, and decides to help them get a bit more fit.

This book, with its light touch and humorous illustrations, reminds us of key ways we can all be healthier with easy-to-tackle activities. Eating healthy can be a joy when you cook with family, and there are lots of fun ways to exercise, from jumping rope to hula hooping to going on bike rides and swims with your family. The best part is, this stuff works! Miss Fox and her students see firsthand how being healthier and more fit makes life easier and more enjoyable—particularly when the class wins at Field Day!

Miss Fox and her class have even inspired little old me to get up off the cozy couch, cook myself a healthy meal, and then brave the January weather to head to the gym. If Miss Fox’s class can get fit, then I can, too!


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24. Celebrate Poetry Break Day
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By: Michelle in Marketing, on 1/13/2012
Blog: Albert Whitman & Company Blog (Login to Add to MyJacketFlap)
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Today is Poetry Break Day!  (It’s also Rubber Ducky Day, but we don’t have any rubber ducky books.)

Across the country, poets and poetry fans are taking poetry breaks — and this year is a double dose, since it’s also time for the regular Poetry Friday activities.

So here’s a start for you — a poem from our most recent book of poems for kids, A Funeral in the Bathroom and Other School Bathroom Poems by Kalli Dakos, illustrated by Mark Beech.

 


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25.
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By: Michelle in Marketing, on 1/11/2012
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Today is the 10th anniversary of the opening of the Guantanamo Bay detention center. It is also the National Day of Action to Close Guantanamo — organized by Amnesty International. There are rallies all across the country from DC to Chicago to San Francisco…and more.

Visit the Amnesty International website for information about events near you.

If you do attend an event, we’d love for you to post comments and pictures on the Guantanamo Boy Facebook page.

Also, author Anna Perera will be appearing (via Skype) on “Politics Tonight” on CLTV here in Chicago. You can visit the website later in the week for video.


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