CURSED BY A HAPPY CHILDHOOD: Tales of Growing Up, Then and Now

In a project begun as a diary for his 11-year-old daughter, publishing vet Lennertz, currently HarperCollins's marketing v-p, chronicles his "safe, fun, basic childhood" in the 1960s in a small, rural town on Long Island. Writing in brief, epistolary chapters that revolve around themes like cliques, summer jobs, comic books and television shows, Lennertz routinely draws parallels between his experiences and those of his daughter, a modern kid coming of age in the city. Lighthearted and nostalgic, the book is written for two audiences: Lennertz's fellow baby boomers and their preteen kids, in terms that can be digested easily by both. Like all parents, Lennertz struggles between protecting his daughter and giving her a sense of independence, as when he allows her to take a first unchaperoned walk around the neighborhood. In this episode, he comments, "kids actually do want parents to be clear about what the boundaries are and to help them shape and understand their world," and he recognizes that these borders become more difficult to define as children get older. Lennertz is comfortable bending the rules of proper child-rearing, as when he proclaims, "Thank goodness for television... how could any parent get by without it?" He also finds humor in family quagmires, as when he dresses up as Barney the Dinosaur for his daughter's second birthday party only to terrify two of her young guests. Acknowledging the "Norman Rockwellian" nature of his childhood experiences, Lennertz still addresses universal truths about parenting and growing up. This is a charming meditation on the imperfect art of raising children. Agent, Sarah Burnes. (May)

Forecast: Lennertz has the connections and experience to get lots of media coverage, aided by an NPR campaign and five-city author tour. This could be a popular Father's Day gift.