Beverly Cleary Books Go Retro; Norman Rockwell Gets the Picture Book Treatment

[PW Children's Bookshelf: Breaking children's and YA publishing news, author interviews, bestsellers lists and reviews.] [Gimme Shelter by Doreen Cronin]( Book News [Beverly Cleary Titles Go Retro]( At 101 years old, Newbery Medalist Cleary has left a mark on the imaginations of readers through her many stories set on the fabled Klickitat Street. This November, HarperCollins is releasing special jacketed hardcovers of six of Cleary’s classic novels, featuring the original artwork by Louis Darling and forewords by contemporary writers and illustrators. [more]( [A Picture Book Debut for Norman Rockwell]( For the first time ever, the work of iconic American artist Norman Rockwell graces the pages of two picture books, released this month by Abbeville Kids. We spoke with Abbeville's Will Lach about the genesis of the project, and about connecting with two of the artist's former models for their story. [more]( [Breathe and Be by Kate Coombs]( In the News [Children's Authors Drive Conversation at NCIBA]( Children's authors played a pivotal role at the Northern California Independent Booksellers Association's Fall Discovery Show in San Francisco, sparking discussions on current events and diverse representation. [more]( [Publishing with a 'Point of View': An ABPA Panel]( Publishers and advocates of mission-driven books gathered in Manhattan on October 25 to share innovative outreach strategies for connecting with readers. [more]( On the Scene [On Tour with Julie Fogliano and Christian Robinson]( Last month, illustrator Robinson and author Fogliano set out on a seven-city tour in celebration of their new picture book, When's My Birthday? The collaborators visited schools and bookstores across the country for storytimes, art demonstrations, and more. We've gathered a selection of highlights from their travels. [more]( [Rettie and the Ragamuffin Parade by Trinka Hakes Noble]( Global Kids Connect [Global Kids Connect 2017: Four Questions for Kristen McLean]( This December, the third annual Global Kids Connect conference will bring together industry professionals to discuss “Publishing in an Unpredictable World.” For more information on GKC, which is presented by PW and the Bologna Book Fair, [click here](. McLean, executive director of business development at NPD Book, will be presenting retail data, trends, and insights for the children’s publishing community at this year's conference. We spoke with McLean about issues facing the industry and evolving models for publishing. Q: Let’s start with a current challenge within the industry. What is top of mind for you? A: What is jumping out at me is the speed with which kids are picking up and dropping things they’re interested in. This is happening across all forms of media right now, but is a particular challenge for publishers. [more]( In Brief [In Brief: October 26, 2017]( This week, Brian Selznick gets snazzy for the Wonderstruck premiere; Christmas comes early to Abilene, Tex.; a book event has a cuteness overload; Kamilla Benko takes readers on a unicorn quest; Sanae Ishida meets readers in Portland; and Will Kostakis gets his pizza and eats it too. [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! - [Managing Editor, Yale University Press - Yale University - New Haven](. - [Associate Editor, Center Street Books - Hachette Book Group - New York](. - [Marketing Manager, Adult Trade - Abrams Books - New York](. - [Sales Coordinator - 1010 Printing Group - Hackensack](. - [Project Editor, Baker Academic & Brazos Press - Baker Publishing Group - Ada](. Rights Report Rosemary Brosnan at HarperTeen has acquired world rights to the debut YA novel by author and Caldecott Honor illustrator Christopher Myers. Set in the world of hip-hop, the story follows teenage Stick, who skyrockets to fame when his mixtape is picked up by a major label, but is forced to examine the impact of his lyrics after a friend ends up in the hospital. A publication date has not yet been set; the author was unagented. Tiffany Liao at Henry Holt has bought world rights at auction to debut author Margaret Owen's The Merciful Crow, first in a YA fantasy series that follows a girl from a caste of mercy-killers who can steal magic from the teeth of the dead. When her persecuted clan is targeted by a ruthless usurper queen, she must smuggle the crown prince and his bodyguard to safety. Publication is planned for spring 2019; Victoria Marini at Irene Goodman Literary Agency negotiated the mid six-figure deal for a duology and an untitled standalone. Julie Rosenberg at Razorbill has acquired North American rights to Isabel Sterling's These Witches Don't Burn, and a sequel. The contemporary fantasy features a teen witch living in modern-day Salem who discovers that the tension with her ex-girlfriend doesn't much matter when there's a Blood Witch on the loose. To stop the attacks and score a second date with the new girl in town, she must uncover who's causing the deadly fires before her coven is destroyed. The first book is scheduled for summer 2019; Kathleen Rushall at Andrea Brown Literary Agency brokered the deal. Lauren Knowles at Page Street has bought world rights to Meredith Tate's dystopian thriller, The Freedom Trials. In a prison where inmates' memories are altered to erase their crimes, 17-year-old Evelyn must pass seven challenges where winning means freedom—and losing means execution. But when a new prisoner arrives with knowledge of Evelyn's forgotten crime, she must decide whether learning the truth is worth risking her freedom and her life. Publication is set for fall 2018; the author represented herself. Calista Brill at First Second has acquired world rights to Roadkill Witch by Kat Leyh, a YA graphic novel about a skeptical girl named Snap who befriends her town's local "witch." Publication is slated for 2019; the author was unagented. Kat Enright at Sky Pony has bought The Wreck of Stephen Oliver, a YA novel by Kirstin Cronn-Mills. Tobin's father can no longer hide his ALS diagnosis from her, and when he decides to end his life early, Tobin must recognize that every person has the right to say how they'll live—and die. Publication is planned for early 2019; Amy Tipton at Signature Literary Agency brokered the deal. Nick Thomas at Scholastic/Levine has acquired world rights to Twins, a graphic novel by Varian Johnson and illustrated by debut artist Shannon Wright, about twin sisters who struggle to find their new, true selves when forced to attend separate classes and join different clubs for the first time in middle school. The story is largely inspired by Johnson's childhood as a twin. Publication is set for fall 2019; Sara Crowe at Pippin Properties represented the author, and the illustrator represented herself. Jean Feiwel and Anna Roberto at Feiwel and Friends have bought Daphne Kalmar's A Stitch in Time, about 11-year-old Donut, newly orphaned and stuck with her Aunt Agnes who plans to drag her off to Boston. As Donut dodges her grief, she and her best friend Tiny plot to keep her in their Vermont village. Publication is scheduled for summer 2018; Susan Hawk at Upstart Crow Literary negotiated the two-book deal for world English rights. Yolanda Scott at Charlesbridge has acquired world rights to two titles by Barney Saltzberg featuring Dog and Rabbit, animal characters who navigate the pitfalls and rewards of friendship in stories told in short chapters. The first, as yet untitled book in the series is slated for 2020; Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio brokered the deal. Margaret Ferguson at Holiday House has bought world rights to Winter Tales, a picture book by author-illustrator Liza Woodruff. Winter Tales tells the story of Milo, a boy who follows signs in the winter landscape: a set of footprints, a single feather, a fallen branch, and more, which suggest nature has grander stories to tell once he knows how to look for them. Publication is planned for fall 2019; Andrea Cascardi at Transatlantic Agency did the deal. Virginia Duncan at Greenwillow has preempted world rights to debut author-illustrator Lindsay Moore's Sea Bear. The narrative nonfiction book highlights the consequences of the shrinking ice caps, following a polar bear as she embarks on her annual swim from ice to shore only to find the trip longer and more treacherous than anticipated. The book is scheduled for winter 2019, with a second untitled book to follow; Jill Corcoran at Jill Corcoran Literary Agency negotiated the deal. Celia Lee at Scholastic has acquired My Wish for You, the debut picture book by actress Kathryn Hahn (l.), illustrated by Brigette Barrager. Inspired by Hahn's six-year-old daughter, the book is a reminder to girls at every age and every stage about the beauty and strength that reside inside each of them. Publication is set for October 2018; Allison Cohen at the Gersh Agency represented the author, and Kirsten Hall at Catbird Productions represented the illustrator in the deal for world rights. Kate O'Sullivan at Houghton Mifflin Harcourt has signed world rights to Deborah Underwood's (l.) Outside, a picture book in which nature gently reminds humans that they are connected to the natural world, despite their frequent separation from the great outdoors. Cindy Derby will illustrate; publication is slated for spring 2020. Erin Murphy at Erin Murphy Literary Agency represented the author, and Jennifer Laughran at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the illustrator. Frances Gilbert at Doubleday has bought The Moonlight Jungle Train by Kristyn Crow (l.), illustrated by Annie Won. This rhyming picture book follows a child on a dream-like jungle adventure aboard a train filled with mysterious animals and creatures. Publication is planned for spring 2020; Minju Chang at Bookstop Literary represented the author, and Rubin Pfeffer at RP Content represented the illustrator in the deal for world rights. Carolyn Yoder at Calkins Creek has acquired Kirsten Larson's (l.) debut nonfiction picture book, Wood, Wire, Wings, a biography of Emma Lilian Todd, the first woman to successfully design and engineer a working airplane. Tracy Subisak will illustrate; publication is scheduled for spring 2020. Lara Perkins at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Emily Mitchell at Wernick & Pratt represented the illustrator. Amy Novesky and Tom Peterson at the Creative Company have bought world rights to Sarah Tuttle's (l.) Scale, Feather, Fur, a board book that teaches about textures using animals. Miriam Nerlove will illustrate; publication is set for spring 2019. Anna Olswanger at Olswanger Literary represented the author and the illustrator. To see all of this week's deals, [click here](. IN THE MEDIA [From the Guardian:]( Iona Opie, folklorist who collected and published children’s rhymes, has died at age 94. [Click here]( [From Deadline:]( Drew Goddard to write and produce Fox's Nevermoor Movie. [Click here]( [From Publishing Perspectives:]( YA Reading and Writing Trends from Wattpad’s 60 Million Users. [Click here]( [From Entertainment Weekly:]( Read J.K. Rowling's pitch to publishers for her first Harry Potter book. [Click here]( [From Brightly:]( 11 Books That Model Empathy and Compassion. [Click here]( [From the Associated Press:]( Mayim Bialik Follows Girling Up with Boying Up, about boys and childhood. [Click here]( [From the Associated Press:]( If I Stay Author Gayle Forman Has New Novel Out in March. [Click here]( [From the Guardian:]( Russian revolutionaries' children 'read classic fiction, not Marx.' [Click here]( [From Book Riot:]( How One Teacher Used Graphic Novels to Get Students to Love Reading. [Click here]( [From Book Riot:]( 17 Wonderful Wordless Picture Books Everyone Can Love. [Click here]( SHELFTALKER Kenny Brechner [Dust in My Eyes]( Why has The Book of Dust not, at least here at our store, been the out of the box phenomenon I expected it to be? [more »]( Cynthia Compton [When the Children Are All Above Average, And Some Are Not]( Middle school kids are under pressure to achieve instead of to dream. [more »]( Elizabeth Bluemle [After This Great Audiobook, What Next?]( It’s hard to find audiobooks this good. What do you recommend? [more »]( Kenny Brechner [A Surprising Suitor for Amazon Headquarters II]( The planet Saturn joins the nationwide pursuit to be chosen as Amazon’s new center. [more »]( FEATURED REVIEWS [The Great Dictionary Caper]( Judy Sierra, illus. by Eric Comstock. S&S/Wiseman, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-4814-8004-8 Bored with sitting in a dictionary “day in, day out,” the words make a break for it and organize a parade—which lets Sierra and Comstock introduce linguistics terminology in just about the most playful way possible. It’s all lexicographical fun and games, but eventually Noah Webster himself herds the words back between the dictionary covers. [more]( [Let the Children March]( Monica Clark-Robinson, illus. by Frank Morrison. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, $16.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-544-70452-7 Clark-Robinson’s stirring debut unfolds through the resolute voice of a (fictional) African-American girl participating in the 1963 Children’s Crusade, during which young residents of Birmingham, Ala., marched to protest segregation. The girl's parents can’t risk losing their jobs, so she, her brother, and thousands of their peers volunteer to serve as “Dr. King’s army.” [more]( [Mummies at the Museum]( Wong Herbert Yee. Holt/Ottaviano, $12.99 trade paper (112p) ISBN 978-1-62779-462-6 In this first book in the Hammy and Gerbee series, schoolmates Hammy the hamster and Gerbee the gerbil pursue a gleeful rivalry with Anna and Hanna, twin girl mice in their elementary school class. The girls know the right answers; the boys, not so much. [more]( [All That Was]( Karen Rivers. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $17.99 (384p) ISBN 978-0-374-30246-7 Ever since they became best friends in preschool, Sloane and Piper have been two peas in a pod, dressing alike, fixing their hair the same way, and doing everything together. But now Piper is dead and Sloane believes that she is to blame. [more]( TALES FROM THE SLUSH PILE [SEE ALL]( October 26, 2017 E-mail not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( [The Secret Sheriff of Sixth Grade]( [The Witch Boy by Molly Knox Ostertag]( [I Am Alfonso Jones - Request a copy]( [PW KidsCast: A Conversation with Kiki Prottsman]( People Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing has three promotions. Sylvie Frank has been promoted to senior editor, from editor, at Paula Wiseman Books. Jen Ung has been promoted to editor, from associate editor, at Simon Pulse. Cindy Kim has been promoted to assistant editor, from editorial assistant, at Little Simon. 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 [Self-Published Author Lands Deal with HarperTeen]( [more]( [Elisha Cooper on the Life Cycle of a Book]( [more]( [Workman Trio Moves to Macmillan]( [more]( [ATK and Sourcebooks to Collaborate]( [more]( Follow Us Children's Bookshelf is on [Instagram]( Follow us @pwkidsbookshelf. 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