Children’s Writing Web Journal

• If you’re a grammar geek, this site will be like porn to you: http://bettereditor.org/ Jon, Write4Kids.com #
• Wild paperback covers from the 50s and 60s. Very cool indeed. http://jijr.com/9pm Jon, Write4Kids.com #
• Need a smile? 2008 intentionally bad writing contest winners are in. http://snipr.com/91qge Jon, Write4Kids.com #
• Interesting step-by-step guide on writing a novel: http://snipr.com/91qca Jon, Write4kids.com #
• Nice list of writing contests: http://snipr.com/91q1g Jon, Write4Kids.com #
• I love books as much as the next guy, but…. http://jpgmag.com/photos/1295486 Jon, Write4Kids.com #

If you said Janette Sebring Lowrey, you are good.

But most folks probably draw a blank, even though The Poky Little Puppy is one of the most famous children’s books ever written.  Ms. Lowrey deserves better, and the Beaumont Enterprise has done its part to remember their hometown girl with this article that recounts her life and works.  Turns out Janette was quite prolific, although her books beyond Poky are little known.

Take a minute to read the article and pay respects to the lady who gave the world a book that, for many young readers, is a true first love.

http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/local/orange_native_wrote__poky_little_puppy___the_best-selling_kids__book_of_all_time_12-21-2008.html

Sorry for the limited posts — my time is being taken up entirely by a top-secret ultra-cool project that I’ll be telling you about after the new year.  It’s gonna be really amazing.  But good lord, I need sleep. 

Anyway, before I head back to the salt mines, here’s a link to a superb post by the always superb Nathan Bransford.  it’s about the fine (and sometimes non-existent) line between young adult and adult when it comes to novels.

Really good stuff:

http://nathanbransford.blogspot.com/2008/12/holiday-cheer-dude-looks-like-ya.html

Farrar, Straus & Giroux is the publisher that has given us Madeleine L’Engle, William Steig, Louis Sachar and Polly Horvath.  And Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn.  And Pablo Neruda.  And Isaac Bashevis Singer.   And…. well, you get the idea.

So it would be a tragedy if FSG was a casualty in the Macmillan restructuring announced yesterday.  Fortunately, it appears that FSG will make it through the storm, though not entirely unscathed.

On the heels of job losses and a restructuring of the children’s division, FSG publisher Jonathan Galassi penned a relatively hopeful memo to FSG staff yesterday that says, in part:

Our approach to publishing and what we choose to publish are not going to change…This new structure will make us more agile, more capable of being creative in doing what we do best in an environment that is constantly changing and ever more competitive.

The full memo, along with a thorough analysis that includes what’s in store for FSG’s Young Readers division can be found here:  http://www.observer.com/mobile/article/80428

With the dust settling after yesterday’s announcements from Macmillan, we’re starting to get a clearer picture of how, exactly, the new Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group will be structured.

Got your pencils and scorecards handy?

Publishers’ Weekly reports that Jean Feiwel and Simon Boughton are now senior vp publishing directors under group head Dan Farley. Feiwel’s domain will include Feiwel and Friends, Square Fish, Holt Books for Young Readers, and Priddy Books. Laura Godwin, publisher of Holt Books For Young Readers, will report to Feiwel. Boughton will oversee FSG Books for Young Readers and Roaring Brook Press. Margaret Ferguson,  ed. director of FSG Books for Young Readers and First Second’s ed. director Mark Siegel will now report to Boughton.

The most hopeful quote in the piece comes from Macmillan CEO John Sargent, who says he wishes Macmillan to remain “a loose federation of publishers.” Let’s hope so, especially when it comes to editorial autonomy.

Full article: http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6623005.html?nid=2286&source=title&rid=

Publisher’s Weekly is reporting that Macmillan Publishing has eliminated 64 positions and has created a new children’s publishing division that will “bring all of its imprints under one umbrella”.

The new division is called the Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group.    Children’s imprints owned by Macmillan include  FSG Books for Young Readers, Feiwel & Friends, Holt Books for Young Readers, Kingfisher, Roaring Brook, Priddy Books, Starscape/Tor Teen  and Square Fish.   Although there’s no specific word on what will happen with these imprints,  this piece deals with the possible fate of FSG Books for Young Readers.

Full story: http://www.publishersweekly.com/article/CA6622854.html

• Toss your characters a curve with this instant conflict generator! http://snipr.com/7r848
• Big list of descriptive words: http://fleck.com/ZMeMv
• Quite a brilliant little utility for when you can’t access a particular site: http://fleck.com/bRmsS

Infant and board books don’t always get enough attention, so we enjoyed seeing this blog post from Joan Holub about a delightful soft-cloth book called Button Nose by Nina Laden.

Some real creativity can be found in this genre, and the folks who make it happen don’t get enough love.  So go and give them some!

http://readertotz.blogspot.com/2008/12/nina-laden-button-nose.html

Interested in writing stories and sending them to children’s book publishers? Come on over to The CBI Clubhouse for audios, videos, insider writing tips and much, much more!

Amanda, the children’s librarian behind the terrific A Patchwork of Books blog.

1.  Tell us about your blog.  Why did you start it?  What has it added to your professional life?

My blog, A Patchwork of Books, focuses on reviews of children’s books, from infant to teen age levels. I began the blog in order to spread the word on books I love, with the hope that someone will find a gem in the midst of my reviews. My day job is as a Children’s Librarian, resulting in thousands of books being placed in my hands each year, some that many people may never have heard of. By blogging, I not only get to speak out about those books, I also get to find new titles; ones I’ve never heard of!

2.  Has running the blog changed your perspective or taught you new things about children’s lit?

Every time I read and review a book, I browse other blogger’s reviews of the same titles, looking forother perspectives. I enjoy knowing what others thought of what I just read. Sometimes we agree, sometimeswe don’t and that’s what makes the entire blogging experience fun!

3. As a librarian, what kinds of books would you like to see more of?  What kind would you like to see fewer of?

This is certainly not an easy question. I’m not sure there is any specific type ofbook I would like to see either more or less of, but rather I would enjoy simply seeingmore people reading any book! I do not believe there are any “bad” books, maybe a lot that I personally do not enjoy, but not necessarily books that there need to be less of in ourliterature world.

4. We tell our readers that they must write books for today’s children, and not simply write the kinds of books they enjoyed as a child.  What’s the best way for a writer to get up to speed about today’s young readers and their likes & dislikes?

Honestly, go to a library or a bookstore and read all the “most popular” titles. The ones on display or the ones deemed bestsellers. Browse kid lit blogs and see what the most talked about titles are in the blogging world. Do simple, reading research.

5.  What are your favorite books of 2008 so far?

I loved Peg Leg Peke by Brie Spangler and Bats at the Library by Brian Lies, both picture books. The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins was absolutely fantastic, a young adult book, and I also very much enjoyed Lizard Love by Wendy Townsend, a middle grade novel.

6.  If you could tell aspiring children’s writers one thing, what would it be?

Don’t preach! Having positive messages in books is a great way to help encourage children to develop good character, but when a message is overly preachy and incredibly obvious, that’s a definite turn-off. Blend the message in subtly to your plot and you’ll be successful.

Thanks Amanda!  be sure to get over to A Patchwork of Books for lots more great insight into the world of children’s books.

• Scores of alternatives to the phrase “he said”. Handy indeed, I murmured, http://jijr.com/xbf
• Nifty real-time rhyming tool: http://short.to/bmy
• Kurt Vonnegut on how to write w/style: http://is.gd/Zhx
• Money saving coupon codes for buying books online: http://snipr.com/7o429
• Cool alternative uses for books: http://snipr.com/7o45f Check out that chair!
• Details on Big Sur Writing Workshop: http://fleck.com/6V7Gp
• Extremely cool way to surf back in time. This will be pretty amazing when it’s out: http://fleck.com/f2jhs