NCTE Highlights

So two weeks ago was the NCTE conference, followed by the ALAN workshop. As I mentioned here, it was my first conference in my new job so I was nervous and excited and nauseous building up to the big event (come to think of it, I felt that way during the event too).

I'm happy to report that the conference was a fantastic experience, and I had little reason to worry; some hiccups aside, everything went fairly smooth, I think. Here were some highlights:

• Someone stopped by our booth and mentioned that Donna Jo Napoli was signing at Penguin's booth, which I could see from our HarperCollins spot. So I was able to hop away and have her sign a copy of The Smile for me. I'm such a huge fan of hers and she graciously allowed me to slobber all over her, going on and on about how Prince of the Pond was one of the first books I read as a children's librarian...blah, blah, blah. She was just brilliant.


• Do you remember how I mentioned in my earlier post that, if you were attending NCTE, you should stop by the booth and say hi? Well, someone did! I was so flattered and so happy and so relieved (cue Sally Field's Oscar speech). However, in all the hoopla and all the following days, I have forgotten my new friend's name. Monica? I think? Reintroduce yourself to me cyberly!


• I mentioned to a publishing cohort from another house that we HC gals were going to try to get better about taking breaks from the booth. Her response? "Oh, yeah, no breaks. You also forget to eat and to go to the bathroom. It's like your body shuts down when you're in booth!" Word up. Seriously, give your friends in publishing a hug next time you see them in a booth...or better yet, bring them food or drink. Chances are they have satisfied no basic bodily functions in hours.


• Lee Bennett Hopkins accepted the NCTE Award for Excellence in Poetry during the conference and ended his speech by reading Langston Hughes' "Dreams." It was beautiful.


• Jarrett Krosoczka. Yes, just that name. I saw him across the aisle, signing at Random House's booth and wanted to get over there to tell him what a HUGE fan I am of Lunch Lady and Punk Farm...but it was just too crazy. I saw him no less than ten more times during the course of the conference but, for a multitude of reasons, he remained elusive to me. I never got the chance to go all fangirl on him. So, Jarrett, I am publicly declaring that I'm a fan (I can actually spell your name from memory - how many people can do that?!) and it was a thrill just to see you from afar (over and over again) at NCTE.


• Speaking of fangirldom, I also got to talk in-depth with Matt Phelan and that was a pinnacle, truly. Eileen Spinelli signed in our booth and - would you believe it? - I never even got a chance to introduce myself, much less gush about how much I adore Where I Live. So imagine my surprise when I spontaneously met Matt in the lobby of our hotel! So I was able to ramble on and on to him about that book...and to find out that Matt is particularly fond of Where I Live as well. Chatting with Matt was a highlight of the conference for me. (Fun story: Matt and I talked at length about David Small's work, and Matt said he was lucky enough to win some original art by David Small during a silent auction at BEA. Apparently Matt hovered next to the sheet, determined to outbid anyone who dared sign their name to paper. And he was rewarded for his vigilance! I thought it would be too fangirl of me to point out to Matt that plenty of people feel the same way about his artwork!)


• A simple pleasure: watching the sunrise over the river from the 28th floor of my hotel, sipping green tea. When you're on a 5-day-long adrenaline rush, it's quiet moments like this that you treasure.


• Laurie Halse Anderson's keynote speech at the ALAN breakfast was inspiring and uplifting and funny and beautiful (she blogs a bit about it here). I've never had the pleasure of hearing her speak before and she had the whole room riveted. Likewise, Naomi Shihab Nye's speech at that same breakfast made me laugh and cry at the same time. Both of them made me want to be a better person and made me believe that positive change is possible and that there is good to be found in everyone. Seriously, no irony, no snark.

Lastly, the biggest highlight of the conference for me was our HarperCollins "family dinner" at Osteria. We had it at the "chef's table"...which, seriously, is a huge square butcher block table in a private room off the kitchen. You walk through the prep station to get to it. Around the table are sorbet machines, pastry blenders...the server said the table is actually where they make their pasta every day. The staff had lit candles all around and were playing "Italian pop music." And the food? Oooooh, the food. Superb in every way. Not only was this a highlight for the conference and my job thus far...it was a culinary highlight of my life, truly. An added bonus? Morimoto (!) actually poked his head in briefly to check out the space and we later saw him eating in the main dining room! Apparently he and the owners of Osteria are friends. And here are two subpar photos I took with my phone:

And did I take a moment during the dinner to reflect, like I said I would? Yes, I did. There was a minute or two when I was out of the conversations going on around me. I looked around at the table, watching everyone engaged in conversation, eating and drinking, everything aglow in candlelight. I loved that I had a part in making it happen, and I loved that food and drink allowed us all to slow down and enjoy each other. It would not be exaggerating to say that it was one of the best moments of my adult life, as it was professionally, creatively, and emotionally satisfying.

Eat, drink, and cheers to all of you - for sitting at my table (the blog, of course), for stopping by the booth to see me, and for taking this journey with me. You are so appreciated!

Simon and Schuster's Summer 2008 Preview event

Last Thursday was the summer preview event at Simon and Schuster and, like the last one, the editors shared some exciting upcoming books and invited a hilarious author to speak. The last time was Jon Scieszka – not too shabby! – and this time was Alan Katz, author of Take Me Out of the Bathtub and Other Silly Dilly Songs (S&S, 2001) and the newly published poetry collection, Oops (McElderry, 2008). Well, I can tell you that Mr. Katz is one of the funniest authors I’ve had the pleasure of listening to – he just had the whole room in stitches, telling such fantastic stories. It was the perfect way to start off the morning.

Demi has a new book coming out, The Magic Pillow (6.3.08). Demi’s work is visually stunning and does not disappoint here. My only concern with Demi’s style is that it lacks some accessibility with children; that’s been my impression, anyway. Has anyone encountered any kids that were really drawn into Demi’s books? Or able to use her books in programs? Just curious… Nevertheless, it’s always a treat to pore over the details and beauty in her books.

What are two things that are sure things to grab kids’ attention? Pirates and penguins, of course. Put them together in one book and you have Uncle Pirate by Douglas Rees, illustrated by Tony Auth (6.3.08). I didn’t get to look at the interior of this one but, at 112 pages, I’m thinking it’ll be a good “boy book” recommendation. According to the editors, a sequel is already planned.

When I saw the cover for Bees, Snails, and Peacock Tails by Betsy Franco and illustrated by Steve Jenkins (6.17.08), I sort of felt nonchalant. My initial impression was “there they go again.” Then I mentally kicked my own rear because that’s really no way to think. How can you be blasé about so much talent and gorgeousness? So they’re at it again and there’s nothing ordinary about its fabulousness.

Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman have another “Bear” book coming out, Bear Feels Scared (8.5.08). There really isn’t much else to say about that. The books are enormously popular, and there will definitely be multiple copies purchased for my library system.

Okay, so let me tell you the book I am most excited about. Seriously, this sounds so cool. It’s called Acting Out (6.17.08) and it’s a collection of one-act plays. Every library needs more plays, right? Okay, maybe it’s just Queens… Anyhoo, wait for it…you won’t believe the line-up of Newbery stars: Avi, Susan Cooper, Sharon Creech, Patricia MacLachlan, Katherine Paterson, and Richard Peck. Shazam! All edited by Justin Chanda, publisher extraordinaire. Justin explained to us that he and the authors wanted some way to unify the whole work. So each author picked a single word – six words total – and each author had to incorporate each of those words into their own play. Justin shared the six words, but I don’t remember all of them. I can tell you one of the words, though, because it’s a hard one to forget: “Justin.” Funny, right? I’m real excited about this one.

Yay, another middle-grade graphic novel! More of them, publishers! More! This one is called Chiggers by Hope Larson (6.17.08). It’s a summer camp story centering on female friendships and the growing pains of adolescence.

Andrew Clements book about twins, Lost and Found (7.1.08). He’s a master. Enough said.

Delight! A picture book illustrated by Mark Siegel and written by Lisa Wheeler, Boogie Knights (8.5.08). I love Mark’s style, for one thing. For another thing, having listened to him speak to groups of librarians a couple times, I have no problem admitting I have such a crush on him. He’s incredibly eloquent, artistic, wrote a book with his wife, handsome, and brings graphic novels to all us librarians starving for them – how could you not love him?

The Reminder by Rune Michaels (8.26.08) is possibly the oddest novel I’ve heard of. A girl’s mother dies. She hears her mother’s voice. Then she hears her dad talking to her mom behind a closed door. Yeah, so she finds out that her dad has constructed a robotic head in the likeness of her mom, and he’s been conversing with her! Wha?! So the dad starts dating again and the head disappears…naturally, the girl has a chance to save her mother this time. Totally out there, right? Which naturally means I’m intrigued and longing to read it.

The Fartiste by Kathleen Krull and Paul Brewer, illustrated by Boris Kulikov (6.3.08). Need I say more? This will crack kids up.

Independent Dames by Laurie Halse Anderson, illustrated by Matt Faulkner (6.3.08) looked fantastic. Can’t wait to have it in the collection.

Doing a happy dance! Tony DiTerlizzi is coming out with a new middle grade fiction, Kenny and the Dragon! (8.5.08)

Got a galley of Dan Gutman’s new one, Nightmare at the Book Fair (7.29.08) How must it feel to be so universally popular among kids?

S&S is also publishing an intriguing series: 10 Days That Shook Your World (7.1.08). The concept is almost like time travel where you take a single historical figure (Thomas Edison, Anne Frank, and Benjamin Franklin) and you zoom in on the 10 most important days in their life. And on the front of the covers that S&S showed us, it states in big numbers how many days each person lived. Obviously, Anne Frank’s cover is incredibly poignant. This appears to be an exciting addition to the biography genre.

Unfortunately, I can’t report on the Simon Pulse presentation because I had to leave early to get to another meeting. Alas, perhaps next time!

The photos are thanks to Baker and Taylor. Keep in mind that all the covers, pub dates, titles, etc. are based on the information given to me at the time. All subject to change.