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. Gail Aaron Assistant Curator in the Department of Prints and Drawings at the Jane Voorhees Zimmerli Art Museum, Rutgers/The State University of New Jersey, in New Brunswick, New Jersey. Gail Aaron's curatorial duties include responsibility for the Rutgers Collection of Original Illustrations for Children's Literature and encompass all aspects of research, collection development, and exhibition planning. Her experience includes academic training in fine art, art history, English literature and education. Author. Specializes in picture books, beginning readers, chapter books and magazine stories. Marcie Aboff writes for both trade and educational publishers. Her trade books include: The Giant Jelly Bean Jar (Dutton/Puffin) and Uncle Willy's Tickles (Magination Press). She is also the author of two activity books based on DreamWorks 2005 movie, Madagascar, as well as several Clifford, the Big Red Dog books, and Cartoon Network's Foster's Home For Imaginary Friends (all from Scholastic). Marcie has written over a dozen educational books for guided and leveled reading programs. Her most recent titles include Raising Pilot and The Hot Shots (Pearson Learning) and Sammy's New School and Missing Sneakers (Zaner-Bloser). Her short stories are featured in numerous children's magazines including Highlights for Children and Spider. Member: Authors Guild, SCBWI. Author. Pat Brisson specializes in picture books and easy-to-reads. She is the recipient of numerous awards for children's literature, including the IRA Teachers' Choice Honor Book and the New York Public Library Best Books for Reading and Sharing. She is the author of Benny's Pennies; Little Sister, Big Sister; Bertie's Picture Day; Wanda's Roses; Hot Fudge Hero, and The Summer My Father Was Ten, which won the Christopher Award, the Paterson Prize, and the Hodge Podger Award. Her more recent titles include the picture books Tap-Dance Fever; Mama Loves Me from Away; Beach is to Fun; and Star Blanket. Member: SCBWI, RiverStone Writers, Bucks County Authors of Books for Children. Vivian Grey, Council Chair Author, Editor, Lecturer and Workshop Leader on writing and children's literature. Vivian Grey specializes in nonfiction, particularly science and biography; teaches "Writing for the Children's Market" at the University of Pennsylvania; President, Vivian Grey Associates. Best known for The Spy Behind Home Plate: The Story of Moe Berg (selected for USA Today's Annual Baseball Issue Best Baseball Books List); The Chemist Who Lost His Head: The Story of Antoine Laurent Lavoisier; Secret of the Mysterious Rays: The Discovery of Nuclear Energy; Roentgen's Revolution: The Discovery of the X-Ray. Her work has received Best Books awards from the National Association of Teachers of Social Science, the National Association of Teachers of Science, Children's Book Council, and ALA's Booklist. She has been elected to the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame; recipient of the Foremost Women in Communications award, 2,000 Women of Achievement award, and the Women's National Book Association Award. She is the founder of the Rutgers University Council on Children's Literature and its annual One-on-One Plus Conference. At the 1996 One-on-One Plus Conference, she was honored for her contributions to the Council over its 25-year history. She is a faculty member at the Long Beach Island (NJ) Foundation of the Arts and Sciences, where she conducts writing workshops. She has also conducted writing workshops at the Annual Writer's Conference held at the University of Pennsylvania. She has been elected a member of the Women's National Book Association. Other Memberships: Board member, College of Human Ecology, Cornell University; Philadelphia Children's Reading Round Table; SCBWI; Authors Guild. Council Chair. Alyssa Eisner Henkin Agent. Trident Media Group. Alyssa Eisner Henkin began her editorial career at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers where she spent seven years as an editor. Here she edited The New York Times best-selling Little Quack series by Lauren Thompson as well as fiction by Cynthia Rylant, Coleen Paratore, and Ron Kidd. In December of 2006 Alyssa joined Trident Media Group as a literary agent for children’s and young adult authors and illustrators. Her clients include acclaimed authors Jennifer Roy, Susan Shaw, and Jen Bryant. Martha Hewson Author. Martha Hewson specializes in fiction and nonfiction for middle-grade and YA readers. Her books include John Quincy Adams, The Electoral College, and Stonewall Jackson, all published by Chelsea House. Her fiction has appeared in Cricket, and her short story "The Worst Cakes in the World" is the title story in an anthology published by Highlights. She was formerly an editor at McCall's magazine and The Philadelphia Inquirer, where she won a Sigma Delta Chi award for headline writing. Her essays have appeared in The Washington Post, New York Daily News, Glamour, and other publications. She is also the editor of several nonfiction books for adults. Member: SCBWI, Bucks County Authors of Books for Children. Author. Pamela Jane specializes in rhyming picture books, chapter books, and short middle-grade fiction. She has published over 20 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. Pamela is also the author of the "Winky Blue " series published by Mondo, including 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. Member: SCBWI and Author’s Guild. Scholar, Author, Rare Book Librarian in Special Collections and University Archives at Rutgers University, and Associate Director of the Youth Certificate Program in Professional Development Studies at Rutgers University. Michael's recent books are Teaching Guide to the Norton Anthology of Children's Literature (WW Norton & Co., 2005), Handmade Literacies (Johns Hopkins UP, 2004), and Poem for Constance (Edizione Pulcinoelefante, 2004). His most recent chapters in scholarly books and essays in peer reviewed journals include "Mary Mapes Dodge and Illustrating St. Nicholas" in St. Nicholas, edited by Ruth Ann Thompson, Susan Gannon and Suzanne Rahn (McFarland, 2004); "The Rise and Maiden Flight of Hannah Goose's Nursery Rhymes," Lion and Unicorn 29 (2005): 16-37, and "Old Comic Elton and the Age of Fun: Robert H. Elton and the Picture Book," Children's Literature Association Quarterly 28:3 (Fall 2003): 158-70. His short list of professional activities include: owner/moderator of http://www.rci.rutgers.edu/~mjoseph/childlit/about.html, a controversial online discussion group of international scope convened for the express purpose of discussing the theory and criticism of children's literature; artistic director of The New Jersey Book Arts Symposium, which he co-founded with Susan G. Swartzburg in 1994 (http://www.libraries.rutgers.edu/rulib/spcol/bookarts/intro.htm), and board member of New Jersey Center for the Book (http://njcenterforthebook.org/). Author. Sally Keehn specializes in middle grade novels, historical and contemporary fiction, and fantasy-adventure. Titles of Published Books include I Am Regina (recipient of the Carolyn W. Field Award, a Jefferson Cup Award Honor Book, a CBC-NCSS Notable Children's Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies, an IRA Young Adults' Choice, and a New York Public Library's Books for the Teen Age); Moon of Two Dark Horses (on the Kansas State Reading Circle Master List, a New York Public Library's 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing, and a Bank Street Children's Book of the Year); The First Horse I See, and Anna Sunday (all Philomel Books). Sally's latest novels, Gnat Stokes and the Foggy Bottom Swamp Queen (one of New York Public Library's 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing), and Magpie Gabbard and the Buried Moon (a Junior Library Guild Selection), are tall-tale fantasies set in the Appalachian Mountains. Member: SCBWI, RiverStone Writers, and Bucks County Authors of Books for Children. Denise Lang Author, Producer, Teacher. Denise Lang is an award-winning investigative reporter, newspaper editor and author of seven books ranging from nonfiction for young adults to health/family issues and true crime for adult readers, Denise Lang leads a dual life as both an author and television producer. Her on-camera television credits include Oprah, Geraldo, Sally Jesse Raphael, A Current Affair, CBS This Morning, and numerous regional television and radio shows. Her off-camera credits include serving as a producer for such national shows as Shipmates, Judge Mills Lane, New York Central, Day & Date, NBC's Dateline and Fox's Current Affair. Her books, which have received both state and national awards, 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, selected for the New York Public Library's Books for the Teen Age, and Footsteps in the Ocean. Member: Sisters in Crime, Producers Guild of America, National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences where she serves as a judge for the Emmy Awards for Children's Television Programming. She has recently been appointed Adjunct Professor for the NYU College of Continuing and Professional Education. 2004 Conference Co-Chair. Author. Joyce McDonald has written several books for teens and young readers, including Swallowing Stones (Delacorte), an ALA Top Ten Best Book for Young Adults, Booklist's Best of the Best 100, a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age, VOYA's "Books in the Middle" Outstanding Title of the Year and an ALA/YALSA Popular Paperback for Young Adults 2003; Shadow People (Delacorte), a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age; Shades of Simon Gray (Delacorte), an ALA Best Book for Young Adults, a VOYA Best Science Fiction/Fantasy/ Horror of the Year, a New York Public Library Book for the Teen Age, and a 2002 Edgar Award nominee; Comfort Creek, a Children's Book Committee Children's Book of the Year (starred reviews in School Library Journal and Kirkus); Homebody; and Mail-Order Kid, a Children's Choice Book and a Weekly Reader Book Club Selection. Her short story, "Transfusion," appears in Don't Cramp My Style (Simon & Schuster, March 2004), edited by Lisa Rowe Fraustino. Her latest book is Devil on My Heels (Delacorte). Her books have been nominated for numerous state awards and are on several state reading lists. She has taught literature and writing at Drew University and East Stroudsburg University, and currently teaches in the Brief-residency MFA in Writing Program at Spalding University. Member: SCBWI, Authors Guild, ALAN/ NCTE, Bucks County Authors of Books for Children, RiverStone Writers. Samantha McFerrin Editor. Harcourt Children's Books. Samantha McFerrin acquires and edits picture books and middle grade and young adult fiction. She is always on the lookout for new and talented writers and illustrators. Books she has edited include the 2004 Pura Belpre Award winner Just a Minute: A Trickster Tale and Counting Book, written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales; Rhinos Who Play Baseball, written and illustrated by Julie Mammano; and The Kid Who Named Pluto: And the Stories of Other Extraordinary Young People in Science, written by Marc McCutcheon, illustrated by Jon Cannell. She has also worked as a children's book editor for Chronicle Books in San Francisco, California. 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 and Illustrator. Trinka Hakes Noble specializes in picture books. Her titles include the popular Jimmy's Boa series, illustrated by Steven Kellogg; The Day Jimmy's Boa Ate the Wash (Reading Rainbow Feature book); Jimmy's Boa Bounces Back, and Jimmy's Boa and the Big Splash Birthday Bash; and Meanwhile Back at the Ranch (Reading Rainbow Feature book), illustrated by Tony Ross. She has written and illustrated Apple Tree Christmas; Hansy's Mermaid, and The King's Tea. She also illustrated Karin's Christmas Walk by Susan Pearson; The Witch Who Lost Her Shadow; Will You Take Me to Town on Strawberry Day, and did the cover art for The Dream Stealer and Norton's Through the Eyes of a Child. Her books have been named ALA Notables, IRA-CBC Children's Choice, and an American Bookseller's Pick of the Lists. She has also received the American Book Award, the Arizona Young Readers Award, and the North Dakota Flicker-Tail Children's Award. She was the keynote speaker for the 1999 Mazza Summer Institute and her work was featured recently in Crayola Kids Magazine and New Jersey Countryside. Her newest titles are Jimmy's Boa and the Bungee Jump Slam Dunk (Dial, Fall 2003), and The Scarlet Stocking Spy (Sleeping Bear Press, Fall 2004). Member: SCBWI, Authors Guild, Somerset Art Association, RiverStone Writers. Author and Children’s Book Reviewer. Dianne Ochiltree primarily writes picture books and easy-reads, often with a math-oriented twist to the plot. Three of her picture books have been published by Margaret K. McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster, including Sixteen Runaway Pumpkins, named to the Bank Street College ‘best books’ list of 2005. Her most recent picture book, Lull-a-bye, Little One, published by G.P. Putnam’s Sons, was selected in 2007 and 2008 for inclusion in the Dollywood Foundation’s “Imagination Library” childhood literacy program as a featured title for toddlers. Three of her easy-reads have been published in the popular “Hello, Reader!” series from Cartwheel Books/Scholastic, including Cats Add Up! which has been in print for over ten years. Several of her books have been published in foreign language, audio, and Braille editions. Her next picture book, It’s a Firefly Night, is scheduled for publication in 2009 by Rowman & Littlefield Publishing. She is a book reviewer for the Children’s Literature Comprehensive Database (http://www.childrenslit.com), as well as an author of nonfiction articles for aspiring children’s writers of all ages, appearing in numerous journals and websites. Member: RUCCL, SCBWI, Authors Guild, ABC, PLA, FLA, Florida Writers Association, Northwest Jersey Reading Council, Writers Roundtable of Sussex County. Author. Wendy Pfeffer is the author of dozens of award-winning books. She specializes in nonfiction and narrative nonfiction, some titles include: From Tadpole to Frog, What’s It Like To Be A Fish, Sounds all Around, Wiggling Worms at Work, From Seed to Pumpkin, Dolphin Talk, Whistles, Clicks and Clapping Jaws (all HarperCollins); A Log’s Life (Simon and Schuster); Thunder and Lightning (Scholastic); Writing Children’s Books: Getting Started (Drew Publications); and The Shortest Day (Dutton). Among honors awarded: Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children, John Burroughs Nature Books for Young Readers, American Bookseller Pick of the List, Junior Literary Guild and Children’s Book of the Month Club. Forthcoming titles: We Gather Together (Dutton); Mysterious Spinners (Mondo) and Many Ways to Be a Soldier (Carolrhoda/Lerner). Her newest book is A New Beginning. Member: SCBWI, Bucks County Authors of Books for Children. Linda Pratt Agent, Sheldon Fogelman Agency. Linda Pratt represents clients who write all types of books for children, from picture books through young adult. Although she takes on a limited number of clients, the types of work that Linda is currently most interested in are humorous "boy-oriented" middle grade fiction and young adult fiction of all types. 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. Karen Rostoker-Gruber is an award-winning children's book author. Her books include Food Fright (Price Stern Sloan) and Rooster Can't Cock-a-Doodle-Doo (Dial Books for Young Readers). Her third children's book, Bandit, will be coming out in 2008 from Marshall Cavendish. 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 most recently, 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, Teacher. 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. 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 children's clothing designer, he also speaks 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. Pamela Curtis Swallow specializes in elementary and middle grade fiction and nonfiction. Her books include Groundhog Gets A Say (Penguin Putnam/Scholastic), with illustrations by Denise Brunkus; It Only Looks Easy (Roaring Brook Press), featured in People magazine and selected for Bank Street College’s Best Children's Books of the Year; The Melvil and Dewey Series (Libraries Unlimited), which includes the latest gerbil adventure, Melvil and Dewey Gone Fishin' and Melvil and Dewey Teach Literacy, an activity guide for teachers and librarians; A Writer's Notebook (Scholastic), a nonfiction book for children interested in writing; Wading through Peanut Butter (Scholastic), featured on the satellite TV program "The Author's Desk"; No Promises (Putnam/Scholastic), selected for the New York Public Library's Books for the Teenage; Leave It to Christy (Putnam/ Scholastic), included in SLJ’s “Students’ Favorites” list. Her books are included on several state awards and reading lists. She conducts writing workshops for both adults and children. Member: SCBWI, Authors Guild, RiverStone Writers, Bucks County Authors of Books for Children, and New Jersey Educational Association. Author. A former teacher, Kay Winters is the author of more than a dozen picture books and chapter books for preschool up through 6th grade. Her current books include, My Teacher for President;(Dutton) The Teeny Tiny Ghost series, (HarperCollins)Voices of Ancient Egypt; (National Geographic)Abe Lincoln the Boy Who Loved Books; (Simon and Schuster)and Did You See What I Saw?(Viking) Several of her books have received starred reviews, been named to Bank Street College Best Books list, IRA children’s choices, Chicago Public Library Best Books list, and the Junior Library Guild. A number have been included in the Children's Book of the Month Club. All of the above books are in the Scholastic Book Club and/or Book Fair. Abe Lincoln the Boy Who Loved Books was featured on CSpan2. A number of her books have been nominated for state awards and are included on state reading lists. She currently has five books under contract.She is a member of the Authors Guild, SCBWI, Inkweavers, and the Bucks County Authors of Books for Children Writers Group.
.......................................................................................... Former Council Members Tracey Adams,
Susan Campbell Bartoletti, Rob Blake, 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, Lenny
Hort, Cynthia Kane, Beverly Komoda, Elizabeth Law, Stephanie Owens Lurie,
Janet Taylor Lisle, Kevin Lewis, Dorothy Markinko, Walter Dean Myers, Dianne
Ochiltree, Gail Parris, Penny Pollock, Keith Robertson, Sarah Sevier, Carol Snyder, Judith
St. George, Nicole St. John, Kay Vandergrift, Refna Wilkin, Rita Williams-Garcia,
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