Brodie to Leave Roaring Brook

by Diane Roback, PW Daily -- Publishers Weekly, 4/17/2007

Deborah Brodie, one of the three founders of Roaring Brook Press, will be leaving on May 16. Publisher Simon Boughton, who called the decision "not acrimonious," said that the company was in the midst of making a number of changes. "We had different ideas about the future direction, and mutually decided it's time for a change."

Brodie, who was executive editor, said, "Being part of a startup, especially such a successful one, was very gratifying. Now I'm looking forward to new opportunities to do what I love most—editing a wide range of books for children and teens." Books she has worked on at Roaring Brook include Shattering Glass by Gail Giles, Ballet of the Elephants by Leda Schubert and Robert Andrew Parker and Dead Connection by Charlie Price. She also acquired Candyfloss by British children's laureate Jacqueline Wilson, which Roaring Brook will publish in September. Earlier this year, Brodie instituted a master class in children's book publishing for junior-level employees at Holtzbrinck.

Boughton said that Brodie's position would be replaced, and the company would be adding a few new positions this year as well. "We're in the middle of a growth plan," he said, "and we don't want to take a step back." Roaring Brook was founded in 2002 and was acquired by Holtzbrinck in 2004.