YA Authors Get Political on Twitter; Celebrating Leo Lionni

[PW Children's Bookshelf: Breaking children's and YA publishing news, author interviews, bestsellers lists and reviews.] [Good Night, Baby Moon Toddler Time Activity Kit]( In the Spotlight [To Tweet or Not to Tweet]( In the midst of growing political unrest, a number of YA authors are using just 140 characters or less to share their thoughts on current events with their Twitter followers. We asked writers to reflect on the often difficult task of balancing professional and political views on social media. [more]( Celebrating a Legacy [The Mouse That Roared: 50 Years of Lionni's 'Frederick']( This year is the anniversary of author-illustrator Leo Lionni's Frederick, and to mark the occasion, Random House Children’s Books and Knopf Books for Young Readers are releasing special editions of several Lionni classics. [more]( [Leo Lionni’s 'Unfinished Business']( In honor of Banned Books Week, Annie Lionni, granddaughter of the acclaimed author-illustrator, shares reflections on her grandfather's socially conscious—and at times challenged—work, and the full story behind his debut picture book, Little Blue and Little Yellow. [more]( [School of Awake: A Girl’s Guide to the Universe]( Book News [Snappsy the Alligator Returns—Begrudgingly]( The disgruntled protagonist of Snappsy the Alligator (Did Not Ask to Be in This Book)! makes an encore appearance next month in a new picture book by Julie Falatko and Tim Miller. We spoke with the collaborators about Snappsy's creation and the possibility of future stories. [more]( [Jane Eyre Moves to Brooklyn In Graphic Novel Adaptation]( Screenwriter and Crazy Ex-Girlfriend executive producer Aline Brosh McKenna has adapted Charlotte Brontë's classic novel into Jane, a graphic novel starring a young art student. We spoke with McKenna about what a 170-year-old book has to offer modern readers. [more]( Q & A [Samantha Mabry]( As both a YA writer and a teacher of Latino literature, Samantha Mabry is drawn to stories that blend the real and the fantastic. Her second novel, All the Wind in the World, has recently been longlisted for the National Book Award for Young People’s Literature. Set in a near-future Texas, the book stars a pair of secret lovers who are forced on the lam and onto an allegedly cursed ranch. Mabry spoke with PW about her personal connection to magical realism, and the imaginative possibilities found in the Texas landscape. Q: What draws you to explore magical realism in your writing? A: I come from a family where that blend is present in day-to-day life. My grandmother, a Mexican-American woman, used to keep coins in a dish on the top shelf in her kitchen. The thought was if money was in a high place, it would bring you wealth. And she was a big believer in dreams. To have that kind of lived experience of a bit of magic in everyday life makes a lot of sense to me. [more]( [Maddie & Sayara by Sanjyot P. Dunung]( Out Next Week [Hot Off the Presses: Week of October 2, 2017]( Hitting shelves next week are a picture book that offers a new perspective on the Statue of Liberty, a middle grade caper about a pickpocket in Paris, and a YA novel that imagines a futuristic Victorian London. [more]( In Brief [In Brief: September 28, 2017]( This week, Lemony Snicket holds a flame for Dave Eggers's new picture book; artist David Diaz celebrates artists and art-making in Texas; Michael Mahin provides a musical tribute to the subject of his picture book; and artist and cancer survivor Jessica Reid Sliwerski shares a message of strength and hope. [more]( SPONSORED [PW KidsCast: Listen Now]( Francisco X. Stork, Andrea Beaty, Dan Santat, Julie Fogliano, Christian Robinson, Philip C. Stead, Matthew Cordell – listen to these and other top writers and artists discuss their new books for children and teens in the PW KidsCast podcast. [Click here]( to listen. For more about these and other great jobs, visit the new [PW JobZone]( now with resume hosting and more! - [Vice President, People - ABRAMS - New York](. - [Operations Coordinator - Abrams Books - New York](. - [Associate Digital Marketing Manager - Albert Whitman & Company - Park Ridge](. - [Senior Art Director - Albert Whitman & Company - Park Ridge](. - [Group Marketing Director - Lerner Publishing Group - Minneapolis, MN](. Rights Report Jocelyn Davies at HarperTeen has acquired The Never Tilting World, a YA fantasy series by The Bone Witch author Rin Chupeco. Pitched as Frozen meets Mad Max, the series is about a world ruled by goddesses that has been split in two—one half existing in perpetual scorching Day, the other in freezing Night—and the twins separated at birth who learn they're destined to make their way across the great divide and rule a reunited world. The first book is scheduled for summer 2019; Rebecca Podos at Rees Literary brokered the two-book deal for world rights. Kieran Viola at Freeform has bought author of the Naturals series Jennifer Lynn Barnes's Little White Lies, about a girl from the wrong side of the tracks who agrees to move in with her wealthy grandmother and become a debutante, in hopes of figuring out which scion of high society got her mother pregnant 18 years earlier. Publication is planned for fall 2018, plus one additional untitled YA novel; Elizabeth Harding at Curtis Brown Ltd. handled the deal for world English rights. Lauren Smulski at Harlequin Teen has acquired The Disappearance of Sloane Sullivan by Gia Cribbs, a debut YA novel about a teen girl in the witness protection program. The psychological thriller follows Sloane Sullivan through her 19th new identity when she discovers that Jason, the best friend she left behind years ago, is a student at her latest school. Publication is slated for May 2018; Steven Salpeter at Curtis Brown Ltd. negotiated the deal for world rights. Mari Kesselring at Flux has bought world rights to My Whole Truth by debut author Mischa Thrace. The contemporary YA novel stars 17-year-old Seelie Stanton, who defends herself from a vicious attack only to be put on trial for her attacker's murder. Publication is set for fall 2018; the book was unagented. Lauren Knowles at Page Street has acquired world rights to Naomi Hughes's sci-fi thriller, Afterimage. After 12-year-old Camryn is the sole survivor of an explosion that killed thousands—including her mother—she's haunted by a transparent boy who may be a figment of her imagination. Together, they must figure out who caused the explosion before the culprit comes back. Publication is scheduled for fall 2018; Kira Watson at the Emma Sweeney Agency brokered the deal. Karen Wojtyla at McElderry Books has bought world English rights to four books in aquanaut and environmental activist Fabien Cousteau's (l.) Fabien Cousteau Expedition graphic novel series. Cousteau will team up with author James O. Fraioli (center) and Marvel and DC Comics illustrator Joe St.Pierre. The middle grade series takes readers on ecological expeditions in exotic places, while educating on environmental issues. Publication of the first title, Great White Shark Expedition, is slated for fall 2018; Clelia Gore and Sharlene Martin at Martin Literary Management negotiated the deal. Pam Gruber at Little, Brown has acquired Cecil Castellucci and Jim Rugg's graphic novel, The Plain Janes, following a group of girls named Jane and their adventures in guerrilla art activism. Originally published as two volumes by DC Comics in 2007 and 2008, both stories will be bound with an all-new third story into one volume. Publication is planned for fall 2019; Kirby Kim at Janklow & Nesbit Associates did the deal for world rights. Kelsey Horton at Delacorte has bought Dana Alison Levy's middle grade novel, It Wasn't Me. Pitched as The Breakfast Club for middle schoolers, with a prank twist, the story features six very different seventh graders who are forced to band together after a vandalism incident at school and figure out who is responsible, only to discover that everything is not always what it seems. The book is set for fall 2018; Marietta B. Zacker at Gallt & Zacker Literary Agency handled the deal for North American rights. Annie Nybo at Albert Whitman has acquired debut author Viviane Elbee's picture book, Teach Your Giraffe to Ski, in which a boy teaches his giraffe to ski in an effort to distract her from the Big Scary Slope. Publication is scheduled for fall 2018; Natascha Morris at BookEnds Literary negotiated the deal for world English rights. Christina Pulles at Sterling has bought world rights to American Gothic and Esquivel! author Susan Wood's Holy Squawkamole! Little Red Hen Makes Guacamole, a little red hen story. Laura Gonzalez is set to illustrate; publication is expected in October 2018. Caryn Wiseman at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Lisa Musing at Advocate Art represented the illustrator. Eliza Swift at Albert Whitman has acquired world rights to Janet Lawler's (l.) picture book, Fright School, illustrated by Chiara Galletti. Before Halloween, young monsters go to school to learn how to frighten trick-or-treaters—but who will be spooked in the end? Publication is planned for fall 2018; Anne Moore Armstrong at Bright USA represented the author, and Emily Coggins at Astound represented the illustrator. To see all of this week's deals, [click here](. IN THE MEDIA [From the Guardian:]( OUP responds to Biff, Chip and Kipper book 'cottaging' controversy in U.K. [Click here]( [From the New York Times:]( Sex, Politics and the Banned Books of 2016. [Click here]( [From Book Riot:]( Banned Children's Books to Read During Banned Books Week. [Click here]( [From the Atlantic:]( What Writers Can Learn from Goodnight Moon. [Click here]( [From Indiewire:]( Beatrix Potter's Beloved Bunny Gets a Naughty New Origin Story. [Click here]( [From Book Riot:]( 10 New YA Books for Gossip Girl Fans. [Click here]( [From NPR:]( A Modern Collaboration with Mark Twain in The Purloining of Prince Oleomargarine. [Click here]( [From Rich in Color:]( Banned Books Week: Sex in YA. [Click here]( [From Brightly:]( Twelve Authors on the Banned Books They'll Never Forget. [Click here]( [From Omnivoracious:]( Behind the Scenes of The Antlered Ship. [Click here]( [From Clevver:]( 11 YA Books That Have a Transgender Main Character. [Click here]( [From Brightly:]( 10 Times When a Book Is a Better Gift Than a Toy. [Click here]( SHELFTALKER Kenny Brechner [Cleaning Out Your Website’s Attic]( Choosing what to keep and what to discard with your store’s high stakes narrative in mind. [more »]( Cynthia Compton [Bookselling by the Numbers]( 15 items on the daily “to do” list of the independent bookseller. [more »]( Elizabeth Bluemle [Fabulous First Lines of 2017 (Round 2)]( MG and YA openers exceptionally good at drawing readers in. [more »]( Leslie Hawkins [Learning and Leftovers]( Leslie reports back on Spellbound’s third not-yet-annual educator event. [more »]( FEATURED REVIEWS [Hey Black Child!]( Useni Eugene Perkins, illus. by Bryan Collier. Little, Brown, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-316-36030-2 Perkins’s 1975 poem, originally written as song lyrics, has always made for a stirring recitation. New and old fans will find that Collier’s images do full justice to it. Using a combination of dense, burnished watercolors and photo collage, Collier imagines the possibilities open to empowered African-American children. [more]( [The Boy and the Whale]( Mordicai Gerstein. Roaring Brook, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-62672-505-8 Abelardo, the brown-skinned, shaggy-haired narrator, is the son of a fisherman and lives by the ocean. One morning he spots a large mass in the bay. A whale is entangled in their only fishing net. The story of how the boy gathers the courage to save it will thrill readers. [more]( [Tyrannosaurus Ralph]( Nate Evans, illus. by Vince Evans. Andrews McMeel, $9.99 (180p) ISBN 978-1-4494-7208-5 Frankenstein meets Gladiator—with dinosaurs and aliens thrown in—in the story of fifth-grader Ralph, whose brain gets transplanted into the body of a Tyrannosaurus rex after the boy is “squashed flat as a pizza” in an incident involving the school bully and a tuba. The muscle-bound Professor Overdrive is responsible for Ralph’s transformation, and he explains that Ralph is Earth’s only chance at survival against a demonic alien. [more]( [The Chaos of Standing Still]( Jessica Brody. Simon Pulse, $17.99 (416p) ISBN 978-1-4814-9918-7 For months 18-year-old Ryn has been struggling to accept the car crash that killed her best friend Lottie. As the anniversary of the event draws near, an anxious and withdrawn Ryn plans to spend the day at home, far from other people. Instead she gets stranded at a crowded airport during a blizzard. [more]( TALES FROM THE SLUSH PILE [SEE ALL]( September 28, 2017 E-mail not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( [Hatchet by Gary Paulsen and Drew Willis]( [La La La: A Story of Hope Book Trailer]( [Sell Your Rights at the Largest Global Marketplace]( People Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Books for Young Readers has one new hire and one promotion. Veronica Wasserman has joined as executive director, marketing and brand strategy, based in the New York office; she was formerly brand director, Wimpy Kid marketing at Abrams. Lisa DiSarro has been promoted to executive director, marketing; she was previously marketing director. Hannah Moushabeck will join Nobrow/Flying Eye Books as associate director of sales and marketing in mid-October. Previously she was associate marketing manager at Chronicle Books. She replaces Tucker Stone, who has moved to Consortium as client marketing manager, focused primarily on children’s books and comics. Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing has four new hires and one promotion. Caitlin Sweeny will join the company as associate marketing director on October 10; previously she was senior marketing manager at Macmillan Children's Publishing Group. Vanessa DeJesus has joined as associate publicist; she was assistant manager of author events at Macmillan. Jasmine Hodge has joined as publicity assistant. Nicole Benevento will join as marketing and publicity assistant on October 2. Aubrey Churchward has been promoted to publicist, from associate publicist. Random House Children's Books has two new hires. Dakota Reed has joined as subsidiary rights assistant. Connie Le has joined as brand manager; she previously worked for ebook publisher TumbleBooks. Kailee Baylor has joined Rodale Kids as editorial assistant, in the Emmaus, Pa., office. SNEAK PREVIEWS Have you checked out our Spring 2018 Sneak Previews? Take a look ahead at some of the big titles for young readers due out next season, [in our exclusive roundup](. In Case You Missed It [YA Reimagining of 'Cinderella' Sells in Pre-Frankfurt Deal]( [more]( [Besser to Replace Boughton at Macmillan]( [more]( [Dan Santat and Connie Hsu in Conversation]( [more]( [Lantana Publishing Breaks into U.S. Market]( [more]( Follow Us Children's Bookshelf is on [Instagram]( Follow us @pwkidsbookshelf. Bookshelf Archives Looking for a previous issue of Children's Bookshelf? [Click here]( for our archives page! CONTACT US Have a comment or suggestion? We'd love to hear from you. [Click here](mailto:childrensbooks@publishersweekly.com) to drop us a note. [Follow PWKidsBookshelf on Twitter]( Children's Bookshelf Editor: Diane Roback Associate Editor: Emma Kantor Digital Producer: Michael Seidlinger Send editorial questions about this e-newsletter to: childrensbooks@publishersweekly.com Send advertising questions about this e-newsletter to: cbryerman@publishersweekly.com Follow PW on [Facebook]( and [Twitter](. 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