Jimmers

I have a framed piece of Jim Marshall’s art hanging in my kitchen. It’s a wonderful drawing and on the back it’s covered with Jim’s dedications: “For Devine Susan Meddaugh, From Thoughtful Jim Marshall,” “For Good Old Susan, From Handsome Jim Marshall,” “For Ms. Meddaugh, From Mr. Marshall,” and more, all crossed out. Then, down in the corner, he wrote: “To Susan, From Jimmers.”

I was one of the lucky ones who worked at Houghton Mifflin when Jim did his first books, Plink, Plink, Plink, and then the George and Martha stories. I think everyone in the department considered him a friend. I’d start to smile the moment he got off the elevator.

Then he would read a new story. I can hear him as George, and then as Martha. I hear him as Viola Swamp and Miss Nelson. I hear him as Eugene the turtle and Emily Pig. And you can see Eugene and Emily waiting in the wings in “The Amusement Park” in George and Martha One Fine Day.  

A former schoolteacher, K-8 music teacher and director of a children's theater company, Elmore said at the time of the store's opening in November 2006 that it was "a lifelong dream come true." StoryBook Lane, which stocked books and toys for babies through tweens, got top reviews on Web sites like Yelp and Insiderpages.com. —Judith Rosen

Say a Little Prayer stars Little D, a girl who finds her special talent when she first sings in front of an audience with her grandfather’s encouragement. The story is based on Warwick’s own childhood: she first sang in public from the podium of her minister grandfather’s church in East Orange, N.J. Packaged with the book is an audio CD featuring Warwick’s recording of “Jesus Loves Me,” the song she sang during that debut performance. Warwick says her childhood memories came back easily. “They have always been very much alive for me.”  

Keren Taylor, WriteGirl’s founder and executive director, initially saw the company’s books—trade paperback anthologies of the high school girls’ poetry, essays and short stories—as a showcase for potential members and supporters. “But it quickly became clear,” Taylor says, “that the books have a greater potential for sales to teens, parents and women writers than we realized.”

WriteGirl has published six anthologies since 2001, each containing selections from about 200 students and mentors. In the Los Angeles Times, book review editor David Ulin wrote, “For these girls, writing is a lens, a filter, a way to cut through the nonsense and see the possibilities. The WriteGirl books suggest that reports of literacy’s death have been greatly exaggerated.”  

The paperback original, which is the only biography of the actor on the market, was originally scheduled to be published November 4, but when the Twilight film moved to November 21 from December 12, HarperCollins adjusted its pub date as well. Harry Potter fans may also remember Pattinson as Cedric Diggory in two of the films.

The deal came about when one of DC Comics’ reps, who happened to have two sons who were reluctant readers, noticed Stone Arch’s books and thought that pairing those with DC characters would be a good way to get boys to read. She suggested that Stone Arch contact the appropriate people at DC. “Struggling readers really want to read about heroes,” said Michael Dahl, Stone Arch editorial director, noting that the books will include original illustrations by DC Comics artists. “This license will really get a kid to pick up a book.” The titles, for children in grades 3–6 with a reading level of grades 2–3, will develop vocabulary and reading skills in the context of the well-known action franchise. “We worked very carefully with DC on being consistent with the world of DC Comics,” Dahl adds.

Maryellen Gregoire, Stone Arch’s director of planning, says the company is considering adapting more licensed characters for the school and library market, a relatively new strategy in this channel. She reports that, once licensors became aware of Stone Arch’s deal with DC, more of them began contacting the company. “They tend to talk amongst themselves,” she says. A few proposals for future licensed lines currently are on the table.

In other licensing news, Walter Foster and Giddy Up add new licenses; also, there’s news about Martha Speaks and a trio of other book-based entertainment properties on the horizon.