RUTGERS UNIVERSITY COUNCIL ON CHILDREN'S LITERATURE
| Council Members |
The Council's membership is comprised of noted authors and illustrators of books for young readers, distinguished editors, agents, and academic professionals. Caroline Abbey Associate Editor, Bloomsbury Children's Books. Caroline Abbey acquires and edits at all age levels with a focus on middle grade and young adult fiction. Her current projects include the laugh-out-loud teen novel Two Parties, One Tux, And a Very Short Film About the Grapes of Wrath by Steven Goldman, the contemporary issue-driven teen novel Say the Word by Jeannine Garsee, and the middle grade mythology-inspired Pandoraseries by Carolyn Hennesy. Her recent acquisitions include the paranormal YA novel The Mark, by Jen Nadol and the zany middle grade adventure Pickle Impossible, by Eli Stutz. She was previously with Simon Pulse before joining the Bloomsbury team. Author. Specializes in picture books, beginning readers, chapter books and magazine stories. Marcie writes for both trade and educational publishers, fiction and nonfiction. Her newest trade books include four math ‘Read it Readers’ – The Pizza Palace, The Tallest Snowman, Mike’s Mystery and The Lemonade Standoff. Other trade books include: The Giant Jelly Bean Jar (A Garden State Book Award nominee), Uncle Willy’s Tickles, India, and Guatemala. Marcie has also written over two dozen educational books for guided and leveled reading programs. She is the author of licensed activity books for DreamWorks, Looney Tunes, Clifford—The Big Red Dog, Holly Hobbie, and others. Her short stories are featured in numerous children’s magazines including Highlights for Children, Spider and Children’s Playmate. Member: Authors Guild, SCBWI. Courtney Bongiolatti Associate Editor, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. She has worked on many titles including the best-selling Private and Privilege series by Kate Brian. She also edits all of the 7 Habits children's books with Sean Covey, Kaza Kingsley's Erec Rex series, and the Wee Little picture book series with Lauren Thompson. Upcoming projects that she is excited to be editing are a historical fiction novel about the New York Yankees set in the summer of 1961, a teen non-fiction novel with organizational guru Peter Walsh, and Long Shot, a picture book with NBA All-Star Chris Paul illustrated by Coretta Scott King honoree Frank Morrison. Author/illustrator. Peter Catalanotto graduated from Pratt Institute in 1981 and began working as an illustrator for print publications such as Reader's Digest, and American Girl Magazine. In 1984, he began illustrating young adult book covers. After painting the jacket for Judy Blume's Just as Long as We're Together in 1987, editor Richard Jackson asked him to illustrate Cynthia Rylant's picture book, All I See. Mr. Catalanotto was soon encouraged to write his own picture books. He has published 37 books for children to date, 13 of which he has written, including Ivan the Terrier, Matthew A. B. C. and Emily's Art. He has illustrated the work of some wonderful writers including Mary Pope Osborne, Megan McDonald, George Ella Lyon and Robert Burleigh. Lindsay Barrett George Author/Illustrator. Lindsay specializes in picture books. Her books include: The Secret; Inside Mouse, Outside Mouse; My Bunny and Me; Around the Pond: Who's Been Here?; In the Woods: Who's Been Here?; Around the World: Who's Been Here?; and In the Snow: Who's Been Here?; Box Turtle at Long Pond, by William T. George; and Beaver at Long Pond, co-written by William T. George. Her books have received the following honors: American Bookseller "Pick of the List," Children's Literature Choice, Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children NSTA/CBC, and Library of Congress Children's Book of the Year. Member: SCBWI, Authors Guild, Audibon Society, Wayne County Arts Alliance, Penn Center. Vivian Grey, Council Chair Council Chair. Author. Editor. Teacher. Vivian is the founder of the One-on-One Plus Conference, she has been an active participant since its inception. An elected member of the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame, she is a lecturer at Temple University where she teaches, “Writing for the Children’s Market,” and other creative writing courses. Her award-winning titles have been included in numerous “notable” or “Best Books” lists. Her title, Roentgen’s Revolution: The Discovery of X-Rays, is in the Pennsylvania State Library’s Children’s Collection. Her recent biography about baseball legend, Moe Berg, The Spy Behind Home Plate: The Story of Moe Berg, is under option for TV or film. Waller Hastings Visiting Professor.
Department of Library and Information Science Author. Pamela specializes in picture books, chapter books, and short middle-grade fiction. She has published over 25 books for children, some of which include: Monster Countdown; Noelle of the Nutcracker, illustrated by Jan Brett; Monster Mischief; Spring is Here! and Fall is Here!; Milo and the Fire Engine Parade, Milo and the Greatest Trick Ever, and Milo and the Flapjack Fiasco; A BOO C: A Spooky Alphabet; All About Christmas: A Merry ABC; ABC Valentine; Just Plain Penny; No Way, Winky Blue!; Take a Bow, Winky Blue!, Right On, Winky Blue!; Winky Blue Forever; Winky Blue Goes Wild; and Way to Go, Winky Blue! Pamela Jane’s books have appeared in Scholastic Book Clubs, on ABA “Pick of the Lists,” and Weekly Reader and foreign language editions. She has a picture book, Ten Little Goblins, forthcoming from Harper (2011) and another from Putnam, What Do You Do When a Vampire Comes to Dinner? 10 Rules to Follow (2010). Member: SCBWI and Author’s Guild. Author. Michael is the author of Teaching with the Norton Anthology of Children's Literature (W.W. Norton, 2006), co-editor of Handmade Literacies (The Lion and the Unicorn, Johns Hopkins University Press, Jan. 2005); author of "Illustrating Andersen as He Isn't" (Princeton Library Chronicle, Spring 2007); My Infant Head: A History of Children's Poetry (New Brunswick, NJ: Special Collections and University Archives, 2008); in press: "Liminality in Children's Literature" Keywords in Children's Literature (New York: New York University Press, 2009); "Children's Literature Resources Online" Handbook of Research on Children's and Young Adult Literature (New York: Routlege, 2009); director of the New Jersey Book Arts Symposium. Rare Book Librarian in Special Collections and University Archives at Rutgers University; Lecturer in English Department and Professional Studies; owner, founder of Child Lit; editorial board of "The Lion and the Unicorn." Agent, Kneerim & Williams. Leslie Kaufmann represents authors who write fiction and non-fiction for Middle Grade and YA readers. Leslie is actively looking for new clients who can write smart, witty stories about the extraordinary that is found in the everyday. While she does have a soft spot for light fantasy, these days she is mostly drawn to boy books, books set in New York City, and stories that sneakily impart some knowledge of something real yet esoteric upon their readers. Denise Lang Author. Producer. Teacher. Denise is an award-winning investigative reporter, editor & author, with books ranging from YA nonfiction to health/family issues and true crime for adult readers. Denise Lang is also a television producer. She has been a guest on shows ranging from Oprah to CBS This Morning, and her producing credits include the national shows Court TV’s Parco P.I., Ambush Makeover, Shipmates, Judge Mills Lane, Day & Date and Dateline. Denise’s adult books include A Call for Justice; The Dark Son; Coping with Lyme Disease; How to Stop Your Relatives from Driving You Crazy, and The Phantom Spouse. Young adult titles include But Everyone Looks So Sure of Themselves, a New York Public Library’s selection to the Permanently Recommended list, and Footsteps in the Ocean. Denise has served as a judge for the Emmy Awards for Children’s Television Programming for 3 years and is an Adjunct Professor for the NYU College of Continuing and Professional Education. Author. David specializes in fiction for teens and tweens. He’s written novels (Hidden Talents), Story collections (In the Land of the Lawn Weenies and Other Warped and Creepy Tales) and chapter books (Punished). His stories have appeared in Boys’ Life, Highlights for Children, Read Magazine, and various anthologies. He recently finished a five book series, Nathan Abercrombie, Accidental Zombie, and contributed a story to a Jon Sceiszka anthology. In a past life, he designed and programmed video games, including Frogger 2 and Home Alone, and Fantastic Voyage. He has more than two and a half million books in print, though he hasn’t actually counted them himself. Author. Wendy Mass’s books for young readers have been translated into 12 languages and nominated for 40 state book awards. Her first, A Mango-Shaped Space, was awarded the Schneider Family Book Award. Others include Jeremy Fink and the Meaning of Life, Every Soul a Star, 11 Birthdays and The Candymakers. Wendy also supplied the storyline for an episode of the TV show Monk entitled "Mr. Monk Goes to the Theatre," which aired during the show's second season. She lives in Sparta, New Jersey. Author. Jim Murphy specializes in nonfiction and fiction dealing with American history for elementary age children through young adults. Among his many critically acclaimed works are An American Plague; Inside the Alamo; Blizzard!; West to a Land of Plenty; The Great Fire; The Boys' War, and The Long Road to Gettysburg. He has received two ALA Newbery Honor Awards, the ALA Robert F. Sibert Award, as well as a Sibert Honor Book Award; three NCTE Orbis Pictus Awards; the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award and a Boston-Globe-Horn Book Honor Book Award; two SCBWI Golden Kite Awards; The Washington Post-Children's Book Guild Award; the James Madison Book Award; three Virginia Library Association Jefferson Cup Awards, and been a Finalist for the National Book Award. Author. Is the award-winning author of numerous picture books including: Apple Tree Christmas (which she wrote and illustrated), The Scarlet Stockings Spy (IRA Teacher’s Choice, 2005), The Last Brother (2006), The Legend of Michigan(2006), and The Legend of the Cape May Diamond (2007). Her newest titles are: The Pennsylvania Reader (2007), The Orange Shoes (IRA Teacher’s Choice 2008), and the New Jersey Reader (2009) published by Sleeping Bear Press. Ms. Noble also wrote the ever-popular Jimmy’s Boa series, illustrated by Steven Kellogg, and Meanwhile back at the Ranch, both featured on PBS’s Reading Rainbow. Her many awards include ALA Notable Children’s book, Booklist Children’s Editors Choice, IRA-CBC Children’s Choice, Learning: The Year’s Ten Best, and several Junior Literary Guild Selections. She was awarded Outstanding Woman in Arts and Letters in the state of New Jersey for her lifetime work in children’s books. Author. Dianne specializes in picture books and step-into-reading fiction. Her first book for children, Cats Add UP!, was published by Cartwheel Books/Scholastic in 1998. She has had two additional titles published in the ‘Hello, Reader!’ series from Scholastic, along with softcover/audio editions of her hardcover picture books from Margaret K. McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster. Ten Monkey Jamboree, appeared in French and Korean language editions as well as a hardcover edition from Simon & Schuster/UK. Pillow Pup, was selected by Valencia Community College as a ‘perfect read-aloud’ for use in its family literacy program and teaching training curriculum. Sixteen Runaway Pumpkins, was placed on the 2005 Best Books of the Year list by Bank Street College. Lull-a-Bye, Little One (G.P. Putnam’s Sons), was selected by Dollywood Foundation’s Imagination Library’ in both 2007 and 2008. Forthcoming is It’s a Firefly Night (Cooper Square) and Molly, by Golly! (Calkins Creek/ Boyds Mills). Dianne is a children’s book reviewer, writing coach, and past ‘success story’ speaker for the Rutgers ‘One on One Plus’ conference. Rachel Orr Agent, Prospect Agency. Rachel represents a wide range of children’s book authors, including those who write board books, picture books, chapter books, middle-grade novels and YA novels. She also launched Prospect Agency’s artist representation service two years ago and is pleased to represent ten very talented illustrators. Some of Rachel’s clients include Sudipta Bardhan-Quallen, A.C.E. Bauer, Jason Chin, and Cori Doerrfeld. Prior to joining Prospect Agency in 2007, Rachel worked as an editor for eight years at HarperCollins Children’s Books. For more information on Prospect Agency, please go to: Author. Wendy has had thirty-three non-fiction books published, with eight more under contract. A Log’s Life, (Simon and Schuster) won the Jon Burroughs Nature Books for Young Readers Award and The Giverny Award for the Best Children’s Science Book. Awards for other books: Book List, Banks Street’s Best Children’s Books, Chicago Public Library’s Best of the Best, American Bookseller’s Pick of the List, and Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children. Various titles: From Tadpole to Frog, What’s it Like to Be a Fish, Wiggling Worms at Work, and Dolphin Talk, (HarperCollins.) A four book series begins with The Shortest Day: Celebrating the Winter Solstice (Dutton). Wendy’s books are in Spanish, Chinese and Korean. She is a member of the SCBWI, Savvy Marketers, Bucks County Authors of Books for Children, and The Authors Guild. Mary Riskind Author, Librarian. Mary Riskind specializes in middle grade fiction. Her books include Apple Is My Sign, an ALA Notable Book; Wildcat Summer, named to the New York Public Library Books for the Teen Age; and Follow That Mom!, starred in School Library Journal (all from Houghton Mifflin) She has also written plays and for the educational market. She is the director of the Bergenfield Public Library in Bergenfield, New Jersey, offering a busy, high-quality Children's/ Young Adult program in a newly renovated facility. Member: SCBWI, Authors Guild. Author. Ventriloquist. Karen is an award-winning children's book author. Her books include Food Fright (Price Stern Sloan), Rooster Can't Cock-a-Doodle-Doo (Dial), Bandit (Marshall Cavendish), Bandit’s Surprise, and Tea Time (both due out in 2010 from Marshall Cavendish). Some of her books have received a starred reviews from School Library Journal, been nominated for Missouri Show Me Awards, were IRA-CBC Children’s Choice Awards, listed on the Bureau of Education and Research’s Best of the Year list, included in Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, and on several state reading lists. She is also a published humorist. Her humorous books include: The Unofficial College Survival Guide (Great Quotations), Remote Controls Are Better Than Women Because. . . (Longstreet Press), and Telephones Are Better Than Men Because. . . (Longstreet Press), and If Men Had Babies. . . (CCC Publications, LLC). She was a guest on the Ricki Lake Show and has been promoting her books on over 62 radio shows around the country. Brian Schatell Illustrator. Author. Brian Schatell has written and/or illustrated numerous picture books, including Two Crazy Pigs; the Farmer Goff series, and Pup and Pop, his first collaboration with his wife, Jane Gerver. His work has been recognized by School Library Journal Best Books and IRA-CBC Children’s Choice Awards and others. For 12 years he taught children’s book writing and illustration at Parsons School of Design. A freelance illustrator and childrenswear artist, he has spoken frequently at schools and libraries. Illustrator. Lena Shiffman specializes in picture books. She has illustrated thirteen books, including: Coralito's Bay/Bahia de Coralito by Juan Felipe Herrera (Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary, 2004); A Second Chance for Tina by Marilyn Snyder (Scholastic, 2003); Playing with Dolphins by Faith McNulty (Scholastic, 1999); and Keeping a Christmas Secret by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor (Atheneum, 1989), which received the Christopher Award. She has also done magazine illustration for Cricket and Ladybug. Member: SCBWI. Author. Lyn Sirota's publishing credits include fourteen nonfiction animal/nature books. She has a middle grade science book about Wildfires also in print. In January of 2011, she publishes her 16th book, a biography about the singer, Pink. Sirota has also published articles and poetry in Highlights, Wee Ones, Saplings, Boy's Quest, Hopscotch, Ladybug, Spider, Dragonfly Spirit, Moo Cow Fan Club, Holiday Crafts 4 Kids, Fandangle, Cecil Child, Stories for Children and Inspiration Station magazines. She wrote a series for Next Step magazine about careers with animals, careers in medicine, law and education. She has also published an information technology career profile in American Careers magazine. As a regular contributor to Science Weekly, Sirota has published several issues (K-6th grade) including “How Birds Fly,” “Hot Springs,” and “Whales.” Her next issue will be “Poisonous Animals.”. Member: SCBWI. Author. Pamela Curtis Swallow specializes in elementary and middle grade fiction and nonfiction. Her books include: Groundhog Gets a Say (Penguin Putnam/Scholastic); It Only Looks Easy (Roaring Brook Press/Scholastic); The Melvil and Dewey Series (Libraries Unlimited); A Writer’s Notebook (Scholastic); Wading through Peanut Butter (Scholastic); No Promises (Putnam/Scholastic); and Leave It to Christy (Putnam/ Scholastic). She is currently writing a biography about Ellen Swallow Richards, found of ecology. Pam’s books are included on several state award lists. She is a former school librarian and is a member of SCBWI, Authors Guild, River Stone Writers, Bucks County Authors of Books for Children, and the New Jersey Educational Associaton.I. Edie Weinberg Edie Weinberg is Everything at Edie Weinberg Design. Edie loves to art direct and design picture books. Notable recent titles she’s designed are SNOWBALL FIGHT! by Jimmy Fallon and SHEETZU-CACA-POOPOO! by Joy Behar. Edie also loves to create more sophisticated and serious designs in nonfiction, most recently she designed a middle-grade biography REV. DANIEL A. PAYNE: GREAT BLACK LEADER. While at Cartwheel Books/Scholastic Inc., Edie was the art director of the I SPY PICTURE RIDDLES series and their Hello Reader! line. More recently, Edie art directed a new leveled reading program for Wireless Generation. Tina Wexler Agent, International Creative Management (ICM). Tina Wexler represents authors in the children's and adult marketplace, with a focus on middle grade and YA fiction. Current and forthcoming titles include How to Survive Middle School by Donna Gephart, Past Midnight by Mara Purnhagen, Mamba Point by Kurtis Scaletta, and Penny Dreadful by Laurel Snyder. She is particularly interested in tall tales/magical realism, contemporary coming of age stories, adventure, urban fantasy, and fiction that will appeal to both girls and boys. She has a MFA in poetry, and is originally from Southern Maine.
.......................................................................................... Former Council Members Gail Aaron, Tracey Adams, Susan Campbell Bartoletti, Rob Blake, Pat Brisson, Denise Brunkus, Virginia Buckley, Joan Carris, Dennis Cate, Barbara Cohen, Floyd Cooper, Margery Cuyler, Kathy Dawson, Harry Devlin, Wendy Devlin, Lisa Rowe Fraustino, Patricia Lee Gauch, Alyssa Eisner Henkin, Martha Hewson, Lenny Hort, Cynthia Kane, Sally Keehn, Beverly Komoda, Elizabeth Law, Stephanie Owens Lurie, Janet Taylor Lisle, Kevin Lewis, Dorothy Markinko, Joyce McDonald, Samantha McFerrin, Walter Dean Myers, Gail Parris, Penny Pollock, Linda Pratt, Keith Robertson, Sarah Sevier, Carol Snyder, Judith St. George, Nicole St. John, Kay Vandergrift, Refna Wilkin, Rita Williams-Garcia, Kay Winters, and Thomas F. Yezerski.
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