SCBWI Magazine Merit Awards deadline coming up in two weeks: Applications Due December 15, 2012!

The SCBWI Magazine Merit Awards are presented by the Society of Children's Book Writers & Illustrators annually for original magazine work for young people.

Each year, the SCBWI presents four plaques, one in each category of fiction, nonfiction, illustration, and poetry,  to honor members' outstanding original magazine work published during that year.  The works chosen are those that exhibit excellence in writing and illustration, and genuinely appeal to the interests and concerns of young people. Honor Certificates in each category are also awarded.

Find out the submission information for your magazine work published in 2012 here.

Good Luck!

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Books For Your Reading List: The 2012 National Book Award for Young People's Literature Finalists and Winner!

Let's do the Winner first!  The National Book Award For Young People's Literature Winner is...

William Alexander for Goblin Secrets
(Margaret K. McElderry Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing)

Here's what it's about:

Rownie, the youngest in Graba the witchworker's household of stray children, escapes and goes looking for his missing brother. Along the way he falls in with a troupe of theatrical goblins and learns the secret origins of masks. Now Graba's birds are hunting him in the Southside of Zombay, the Lord Mayor's guards are searching for him in Northside, and the River between them is getting angry. The city needs saving—and only the goblins know how.

The Finalists:

Carrie Arcos, Out of Reach (Simon Pulse, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing)

Rachel has always idolized her older brother Micah. He struggles with addiction, but she tells herself that he’s in control. And she almost believes it. Until the night that Micah doesn’t come home. Rachel’s terrified―and she can’t help but feel responsible. She should have listened when Micah tried to confide in her. And she only feels more guilt when she receives an anonymous note telling her that Micah is nearby and in danger. With nothing more to go on than hope and a slim lead, Rachel and Micah’s best friend, Tyler, begin the search. Along the way, Rachel will be forced to confront her own dark secrets, her growing attraction to Tyler… and the possibility that Micah may never come home.

Patricia McCormick, Never Fall Down (Balzer+Bray, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers)

When the Khmer Rouge arrive at his hometown in Cambodia, Arn is just a kid, dancing to rock 'n' roll, hustling for spare change, and selling ice cream with his brother. But after the soldiers march the entire population into the countryside, Arn is separated from his family and assigned to a labor camp. One day, the soldiers ask if any of the kids can play an instrument. In order to survive, Arn must quickly master the strange revolutionary songs the soldiers demand. This will save his life, but it will also pull him into the very center of what we know today as the Killing Fields. And just as the country is about to be liberated, Arn is handed a gun and forced to become a soldier. He lives by the simple credo: “Over and over I tell myself one thing: never fall down.” Based on the true story of Arn Chorn-Pond, this is an achingly raw and powerful novel about a child of war who becomes a man of peace.

Eliot Schrefer, Endangered (Scholastic)

When Sophie has to visit her mother at her sanctuary for bonobos in Congo, she’s not thrilled to be there. It’s her mother’s passion, and Sophie doesn’t want to have anything to do with it. At least not until Otto, an infant bonobo, comes into her life, and for the first time she feels the bond a human can have with an animal. But peace does not last long for Sophie and Otto. When an armed revolution breaks out, the sanctuary is attacked, and the two of them must escape unprepared into the jungle. Caught in the crosshairs of a lethal conflict, they must struggle to keep safe, to eat, and to survive.

and

Steve Sheinkin, Bomb: The Race to Build—and Steal—the World's Most Dangerous Weapon (Flash Point, an imprint of Roaring Brook Press)

In December of 1938, a chemist in a German laboratory made a shocking discovery: When placed next to radioactive material, a Uranium atom split in two. That simple discovery launched a scientific race that spanned three continents. In Great Britain and the United States, Soviet spies worked their way into the scientific community; in Norway, a commando force slipped behind enemy lines to attack German heavy-water manufacturing; and deep in the desert, one brilliant group of scientists was hidden away at a remote site at Los Alamos. This is the story of the plotting, risk-taking, deceit, and genius that created the world's most formidable weapon. This is the story of the atomic bomb. 

It's also fascinating to learn about who judged the books in this category:

Born and raised in England, Susan Cooper has been writing books for children and young adults since 1963. Her classic five-book fantasy sequence, The Dark Is Rising, won the Newbery Medal and Carnegie and Newbery Honors, and she is the 2012 recipient of the American Library Association’s Margaret Edwards Award for lifetime achievement. A board member of the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance, she lives on an island in a saltmarsh in Massachusetts.

Daniel Ehrenhaft is a bestselling author of books for teens, among them The Wessex Papers, winner of the 2003 Edgar Award, and most recently Americapedia (2011), which The New York Times has called "Jon Stewart's America for the YA set." As an editor, he helped to create the Gossip Girl and Peaches series. He is now Editorial Director of Soho Teen, whose first list launches in January, 2013.
www.danielehrenhaft.com

Judith Ortiz Cofer is the author the YA story collection An Island Like You (1995); YA novels The Meaning of Consuelo (2003), Call Me Maria (2004), and If I Could Fly (2011); and other works. She has published poetry and prose in The Georgia Review, The Kenyon Review, The Southern Review, Glamour, and other journals and anthologies. She is the Regents and Franklin Professor of English and Creative Writing at the University of Georgia.
judithortizcofer.english.uga.edu

Gary D. Schmidt is a Professor of English at Calvin College, where he teaches courses in writing, medieval literature, and children's literature. He is the author of the Newbery Honor and Printz Honor-winning novel Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy (2004), the Newbery Honor- winning The Wednesday Wars (2007), and Okay for Now, a National Book Award finalist in 2011. He lives on a two-hundred-year-old farm in Alto, Michigan.

Marly Youmans is the author of nine books, including novels, poetry collections, and several Southern fantasies for young adults. She is the recipient of the Michael Shaara Prize and was a finalist for the Southern Book Award for The Wolf Pit (2001), won the Ferrol Sams Award for A Death at the White Camellia Orphanage (2012), and received several Hoepfner Awards, among other honors. A Carolinian, she lives in Cooperstown, New York with her husband and three children.
www.thepalaceat2.blogspot.com

Congratulations to the finalists and winner!  

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

The 2012 Crystal Kite Winner Profiles: AUSTRALIA's Norman Jorgensen

In the Australia/New Zealand continental division, the 2012 Crystal Kite Member Choice Award winner was THE LAST VIKING, by Norman Jorgensen (Fremantle Press.)

I connected with Norman to find out more...

Lee:  Hi Norman!  Congratulations on winning the Crystal Kite!  Please tell us about your book.

Norman:  The Last Viking is a picture book illustrated by James Foley about Josh, a small, timid boy who is frightened of just about everything, including monsters under the bed. When his grandfather gives him a book about Vikings, where he learns they are brave and fierce, Josh decides to change his name to Knut and become a Viking. He imagines if he makes himself a Viking ship, a sword and horned helmet he will automatically become a Viking and become brave and fierce, just like them.  Later, when the local bullies come for him, he goes bravely out to face up to them, however, the Norse Gods, who have been watching out for their newest warrior from their hall up in Asgard, intervene and burst from the clouds in a heavenly Longship to save him.

Lee:  That sounds great!  How long have you been involved with SCBWI?

Norman:  I joined SCBWI soon after the hugely talented illustrator, Frané Lessac, started our Western Australia chapter seven or eight years ago.

Lee:  Can you share what you feel you've gained by being a member?

Norman:  Not only have I loved being with the members and sharing their enthusiasm and their successes, (they really are a lovely bunch) but our new book resulted directly because of James Foley and myself both being members of SCBWI.   Every year we have a SCBWI retreat on Rottnest Island, a magical spot about ten miles off our coast, and at the retreat three years ago I saw a wonderful picture in James’ sketchbook of a young boy dressed up as a medieval knight. I immediately thought, if a boy can dress up as a knight then why not as a Viking? With my Danish surname I’ve always wanted to do a Viking story, so I tapped James on the shoulder and asked, ‘Are you busy for the next year?’  I then had to quickly think of a plot involving a boy Viking, and, most importantly, go and convince my publisher, Cate Sutherland at Fremantle Press that I had found the greatest new illustrator since Shaun Tan stubbed his big toe on his Oscar.

Lee:  Wow! What a story!  I love knowing that.  Do you have any advice to share with other children's book writers and illustrators?

Norman:  Just two pieces.
1. Persistence. Never, ever, ever give in.  I’m so reminded of JK Rowling and JRR Tolkien both having had had their books rejected over fifteen times, but they still kept at it.
2. And, most importantly, have fun. Write for yourself and not what you think the market or other people may want to read.

Lee:  Excellent advice!  Thanks so much Norman, and congratulations again!


I also connected with the SCBWI Regional Advisor for Australia, Susanne Gervay, and asked her to weigh in on Norman's win and let us know more about their region.  Here's what she shared:

Norman Jorgensen is a great supporter of  SCBWI and a hugely respected award winning author in Western Australia and throughout Australia.  He has been a mentor to others. The illustrator James Foley is a young new illustrator who met Norman at the Rottnest retreat on the coast of Western Australia. Norman gave him the opportunity to work with him on The Last Viking.

The Rottnest Retreat is one of those quirky and wonderful events held in the West. Rottnest is a small island which is protected as a National park. It is an island with great colonial heritage and has the little marsupials called quokkas there. They run freely around the island which is car free. Everyone uses bicycles, although there is an island bus. People can stay in cabins on the beach or camp or there are some low key hotels. You catch a ferry from Perth or Fremantle to reach the island.

The major biennial Australia and New Zealand conference which runs from 29th June to 2nd July held at The Hughenden Hotel in Sydney attracts delegates from all over Australia and New Zealand, Norman and James will be attending to receive their Crystal Kite Award.  The conference is a wonderful one where most of the Australian publishers attend. We also bring one USA publisher or agent to our shores. This year it will be Jill Corcoran from the Herman Agency.

Australia and New Zealand is a huge region and traditionally we hold events every three months in Brisbane (Queensland), Sydney (NSW), Melbourne (Victoria), Perth (Western Australia) and Aukland (New Zealand). There are additional events/meetings in country/regional areas including Cairns (Queensland), Launceston (Tasmania), Alice Springs (Northern Territory).

As of 4th May, Australia and New Zealand has been divided into two regions which is wonderful for our membership. Australia West includes Western Australia and Northern Territory.  Australia East and New Zealand includes the State of Queensland, NSW, Tasmania, Victoria and South Australia and of course the country of New Zealand.

The RA for Australia West is Dianne Wolfer; ARA Meg McInlay; IC Frane Lessac.

The RA for Australia East and NZ is Susanne Gervay: ARA Deborah Abela (NSW); ARA Sheryl Gwyther( Queensland); ARA Corinne Fenton (Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania); ARA Frances Plumpton (New Zealand); IC Sarah Davis.

Chris Cheng is Crystal Kite Coordinator; co chair of the SCBWI board; and taking on international roles.

Everyone is thrilled about Norman Jorgensen and James Foley

Susanne Gervay
RA Australia East & New Zealand

To learn more about Norman Jorgensen, you can find his website here.

His illustrator, James Foley, is online here (where you can see the image of the boy in armor!)

And for more about SCBWI Australia, visit the region's website here.  

My thanks to Susanne for the Australian update, and cheers for both Norman and James on the Crystal Kite award for their picture book, THE LAST VIKING!


Illustrate and Write On,
Lee

Staying Current - What are you going to read from 2011?

Linda Sue Park spoke at the 2007 SCBWI Summer Conference about how you really need to immerse yourself in reading the kinds of books you want to write.

If you want to write picture books, she said, then you need to read 1,000 picture books.  She lowered the number for novels (I believe it was to 500) but her point was loud and clear: How can you successfully write it if you don't understand the format in your bones?

And it's true for illustrators as well - you'll become a better illustrator if you've studied 1,000 illustrated books!

Yet with all the Children's and Teen books (including self- and vanity- and print-on-demand) coming out every year, how do we decide what we're going to read?

There are three main ways:  Best sellers.  Awards.  And word of mouth.

Best sellers. 

Publishers Marketplace recently published a list of the 15 top selling print books as tracked by Nielsen BookScan in the outlets they cover for juvenile titles.

2011's Top 15: Juvenile Books 
1 THE HUNGER GAMES*, Suzanne Collins (Scholastic; trade paperback; 9780439023528) 1,578,000
2 DIARY OF A WIMPY KID 6: CABIN FEVER, Jeff Kinney (Amulet; hardcover; 9781419702235) 1,563,000
3 CATCHING FIRE*, Suzanne Collins (Scholastic; hardcover; 9780439023498) 985,000
4 INHERITANCE, Christopher Paolini (Knopf Children's; hardcover; 9780375856112) 900,000
5 MOCKINGJAY*, Suzanne Collins (Scholastic; hardcover; 9780439023511) 853,000
6 THE SON OF NEPTUNE, Rick Riordan (Hyperion; hardcover; 9781423140597) 699,000
7 THE THRONE OF FIRE, Rick Riordan (Hyperion; hardcover; 9781423140566) 535,000
8 DIARY OF A WIMPY KID: THE UGLY TRUTH*, Jeff Kinney (Amulet; hardcover; 9780810984912) 524,000
9 ELF ON THE SHELF*, Carol Aebersold (CCA&B; hardcover; 9780976990703) 500,000
10 THE WIMPY KID DO-IT-YOURSELF BOOK*, Jeff Kinney (Amulet; 9780810989955; hardcover) 488,000
11 DIARY OF A WIMPY KID 2: RODRICK RULES*, Jeff Kinney (Amulet; hardcover; 9780810994737) 338,000
12 GOODNIGHT MOON*, Margaret Wise Brown (Harper Festival; 9780694003617) 329,000
13 DIARY OF A WIMPY KID*, Jeff Kinney (Amulet; hardcover; 9780810993136) 309,000
14 THE LOST HERO*, Rick Riordan (Hyperion; hardcover; 9781423113393) 294,000
15 DIARY OF A WIMPY KID 3: THE LAST STRAW*, Jeff Kinney (Amulet; hardcover; 9780810970687) 289,000

*These editions were first published prior to 2010

And of course, the NY Times, USA Today, and many other publications have their own best-seller lists to consult.


Awards.

You can also look at the Award winners, which tend to come out the following year (so in 2012 we'll find out which books won for 2011.)

Just yesterday the ALA announced the top 2012 awards in children’s and young adult literature as the finale of their ALA Midwinter Meeting!

There are LOTS of authors and illustrators you'll recognize and cheer on - and some of them you can even congratulate in person at #NY12SCBWI!

Like John Rocco, whose "Blackout" was named a Caldecott Honor Book!  And Peter Brown, whose book "Children Make Terrible Pets" was made into the Andrew Carnegie Medal-winning best children's video!

Little, Brown, HarperCollins, Henry Holt, Delacorte Press/Random House, Scholastic, Penguin, Simon & Schuster, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Lee and Low and Macmillian are all well-represented among this year's winners... and among our #NY12SCBWI faculty!

The Cybils nominations for 2011 are out as well (these are the book blogger awards.) And here are some past award lists to explore:

SCBWI's 2011 Golden Kite Awards

SCBWI's 2011 Crystal Kite Winners

The 2011 Newbery Winner and Honors Books

The Other 2011 Association for Library Service to Children Award Winners

And there are also diversity-focused lists and awards, like the 2011 Rainbow Books (for GLBTQ kid lit), the Coretta Scott King Book Award Recipients (awards given to African American authors and illustrators for outstanding contributions to literature for children and young adults) and the Sydney Taylor Book Award (books for children and teens that portray the Jewish experience.)


Word Of Mouth.

Talk to others and get their recommendations.  Booksellers.  Librarians.  Friends.  Read kid lit blogs and book reviews. 

For those of us creating content for children, it can also be fascinating to focus on a single editor's output by looking at the lists of published books that accompany their conference bios, and also the "edited by" document at scbwi.org.  (Here's how to find it:  sign in at scbwi.org, go to the resource library, just getting started, SCBWI publication guide online, getting started: preparing and submitting your work, click on "Edited By: A House-by-House Listing of Editorial Credits" and it will download as a pdf. file to your computer.  An excellent resource!)

So this year, let's heed Linda Sue Park's advice - and read broadly and deeply in our genre and age category!

Illustrate and Write On,
Lee