Hypocrisy suspected in school board's ban of THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST

This Monday, Cape Gazette announced that the Cape Henlopen school board in Delaware had decided to ban The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily M. Danforth from its summer reading list. The announcement coincidentally came just as LGBT Pride Month was ending and sparked a backlash against the school board on Twitter and the blogosphere.

The Miseducation of Cameron Post is a critically acclaimed young adult novel published by HarperCollins in 2012. It tells the story of a girl named Cameron growing up in rural Montana whose parents die in a car accident the same day she kisses a girl for the first time. Feeling a mixture of guilt and relief that her parents will never find out, Cameron moves in with her highly conservative aunt and eventually falls in love with her best friend, a girl. When her aunt discovers the truth, she sends Cameron to a religious conversion camp, where Cameron must decide the person she wants to be. You can read more about the book in our previous posts here.

Below is an excerpt from Cape Gazette:

Citing language deemed inappropriate for entering freshmen, Cape Henlopen school board has removed "The Miseducation of Cameron Post" from the district’s summer reading list.

The book was part of a 10-book list given to district middle school students entering high school in the fall and taking college prep and honors classes. The list, called the Blue Hen List, is a collection of books deemed age-appropriate by state librarians from across the state.

Yet, as noted on AfterEllen.com, the school board was not concerned with the same "inappropriate" language in other books allowed to remain on the summer reading list, including The Fault in Our Stars by John Green and Eleanor and Park by Rainbow Rowell. Hypocrisy, anyone? AfterEllen.com posits the real issue was not inappropriate language but rather homophobia.

Here's more on what AfterEllen.com had to say about Danforth's book:

The Miseducation of Cameron Post by Emily Danforth, published in 2012, was a YA tour de force, a book that older queers wished had been written when they were kids, lauded by numerous high-brow publications for the quality of its writing. It was also nominated for the much-coveted Morris Award, given by the American Library Association each year to the best new voice in YA. This wasn’t just a book that the gays were reading. Everybody was reading it! And loving it!

AfterEllen.com called upon readers to "act now," and email the school board with complaints. They posted the complaint letter they sent themselves, as well as the email addresses of all the members of the school board. You can view these here.

Browseabout Books, a local Delaware bookstore, got in the action.  It has been working with AfterEllen.com to give donated copies of The Miseducation of Cameron Post to interested readers in the area. Find out how to donate copies to the cause here.

In a recent blog post, Danforth pointed out that other books on the Blue Hen reading list have been banned elsewhere due to their supposedly offensive language. To combat this censorship, she decided to celebrate all the books on the original list with a massive giveaway. In collaboration with Browseabout Books, she's giving away every single book on the Blue Hen list--including a signed copy of her own and possibly others' books. Here are more details:

All you have to do to enter is to use your twitter account (easiest for tech-challenged me to track and collate) to explain, in not very many characters, why you want/need these books. Use the hashtag #LeaveTheBlueHenListAlone so that I can find your entry. (The limited character count is part of the challenge.) And you have to do this by next Friday, July 11th. Feel free to tweet about this as many times as you’d like—the more entries the better.

Already, people have been putting out some great reasons why these books are so important:

And, in a very recent update on AfterEllen.com, it seems the emails coming into the school board may have begun having some effect.  One board member claimed he would make a request to reinstate The Miseducation of Cameron Post on the reading list.

We can only hope the other board members will be swayed--but in the meantime, more emails to the school board can't hurt, nor can donating more books to interested readers in the area and speaking out to prevent censorship like this from continuing to happen now and in the future.

Phenomenal praise for THE MAN WHO WALKED AWAY

Maud Casey's The Man Who Walked Away has received phenomenal praise. The novel, published by Bloomsbury in March, is about a man who walks across Europe in a trance-like state and the doctor from whom he seeks help.

Check out our publicity round-up below!

The New York Times Book Review published a rave review from Geraldine Brooks!  Brooks called The Man Who Walked Away "richly engaged with language...Poignant, touching." 

The book also appeared in the Editor's Choice column in The New York Times Book Review.

The Washington Post published a glowing review, praising Casey for "evok[ing]--with no shortage of verve and gusto--the romance of 19th-century Europe."

National Public Radio (NPR) called Casey's handling of her story "a feat as graceful as it is clever" in its stellar review!

The Washington Independent Review of Books released another rave review, calling the novel "intelligent, superb...a beautiful, poignant story worth considering and reconsidering."

Kirkus Reviews gave the novel a starred review, too, and listed it in their "Most Overlooked Books" and "9 Novels Based on Extraordinary True Stories" lists!

The Washingtonian named The Man Who Walked Away a "Top Ten Book for March"!

The Man Who Walked Away was named a Publishers Weekly Book of the Week and received a starred review!

And here are excerpts of the amazing reviews:

“Lyrical in its style and fascinating in its psychology, Casey’s narrative provokes a host of intriguing questions beyond those the Doctor raises, and Casey is wise enough as an author not to provide easy answers.” --Kirkus, starred review

“Haunting...unconventional and engaging...Though her plot is solidly rooted in the history of medicine...Casey’s true focus is human rather than clinical. Our need for stories, our relationship with time, the inevitability of loss, and our startling endurance all resonate through her beautifully crafted interweaving of image and observation, fairy tale and fact.” --Publishers Weekly, starred review

“If I were blurbing Maud Casey’s The Man Who Walked Away, I’d be hard pressed to avoid labeling it ‘luminous’ and ‘liminal,’ and maybe even ‘lyrical’ and ‘plangent.’ Casey is a consummate stylist, and her new book is so richly engaged with language, so profligate with glorious sentences, that at times the prose ascends to the level of poetry. This is a writer who pays a deep, sensual attention to the world...Poignant and touching.” --Geraldine Brooks, The New York Times Book Review

“Casey’s book is a vivid chronicle of the time, bringing alive the mysteries and joys of a fledgling science...Shucking the theme of contemporary angst, Casey evokes — with no shortage of verve and gusto — the romance of 19th-century Europe...The Man Who Walked Away is as compelling a portrait as you will find of the co-dependence between psychiatrist and patient.” --The Washington Post

“Intelligent, superb...Casey’s spectacular third novel...is a meditation on the elusive nature of time and life, the way they approach and leave us...Casey’s capable hands have elevated these ideas into a beautiful, poignant story worth considering and reconsidering...Her prose leaves rich morsels on almost every page, satisfying in both beauty and complexity of thought...Casey’s characters find companionship and anchors in one another, and we are fortunate to find such company in this treasure of a book.” --Washington Independent Review of Books

“If you're listening closely enough, you might just hear [Casey] pull off a feat as graceful as it is clever...Casey handles the story expertly.” --National Public Radio

“Maud Casey's The Man Who Walked Away is a haunting, deeply empathetic, and rigorously intelligent novel. It is also seamless marvel of construction and language. The Man Who Walked Away cast a spell from which I never wished to wake.” --Alice Sebold, internationally bestselling author of The Lovely Bones

“Pay attention, this lovely novel urges. As Maud Casey spins this mysteriously urgent tale of patient and doctor entwining, her quicksilver prose yields one astonishing image after another: each moment fleetingly beautiful, each character here—here!—and nowhere else. As this novel is like nothing else. Reading it is a singularly moving experience.” --Andrea Barrett, National Book Award-winning author of Ship Fever and Archangel

“The Man Who Walked Away is a book of enchantments of an extremely intelligent kind. Dreamlike and sharply real, the novel unfolds in a nineteenth-century asylum where all the inmates have their own poetry of delusion, fear turned to metaphor. Wildly original fiction, with a particular melancholy magic.” --Joan Silber, bestselling author of Ideas of Heaven and The Size of the World

Celebrate Children's Book Week with some stellar recent releases!

Happy Children's Book Week!

Children's Book Week has been celebrated every year in May since 1919, making it the longest-running national literacy initiative in the country. The movement is run by Every Child a Reader, an organization “dedicated to instilling a lifelong love of reading in children,” and is sponsored by the Children's Book Council (CBC), the association of children's book publishers. According to the CBC site, 2013 saw over 150 Children's Book Week events held in 58 cities across the US. This year, they've been aiming for even more!

In celebration of Children's Book Week, we decided to highlight some of our exciting recent (and some upcoming) kids' books!

This Is a Moose by Richard T. Morris, illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld (Little Brown Books for Young Readers, May)  

In a recent Publishers Weekly podcast, Morris talks about how the picture book came to publishing light—with some coercion from Morris's wife and agent, Alice Tasman, along the way! Lichtenheld joins the podcast to discuss how he helped the surprise ending evolve, and more. Listen to it here!

Morris has also been doing a number of readings since the book's release, accompanied by none other than the book's star moose himself! Mum's the word on who's actually inside that moose suit, but feel free to take a guess... :)

Searching for Sky by Jillian Cantor (Bloomsbury, May)

A glowing review from Booklist noted, “In this 'reverse dystopian' novel, Cantor skillfully invites the reader to see our world and all its shortcomings and idiosyncrasies through Sky's questioning gaze.”

Count on the Subway by Paul DuBois Jacobs and Jennifer Swender, illustrated by Dan Yaccarino (Knopf Books for Young Readers, May)

Count on the Subway was spotlighted in The New York Times Book Review's Children's Books section! It was also named an Editors' Choice pick!

Now and for Never by Lesley Livingston (Penguin Canada, May)

This will be the third in Livingston's Once Every Never trilogy, which began with Once Every Never in 2011 and was followed by Every Never After in 2013. Livingston is hosting a fab launch party for anyone in the Toronto area! Details are below if you happen to live nearby.

Burn Out by Kristi Helvig (Egmont, April)

A rave from Kirkus said of Burn Out, "Helvig builds a rock-solid future world and provides enough staggering plot twists and turns to keep pages flying to the gut-wrenching cliffhanger. A scorching series opener not to be missed”!

Gabe and Izzy: Standing Up for America's Bullied by Gabrielle Ford with Sarah Thomson (Puffin, March)

Publishers Weekly praised this book in a big article on bullying several months ago. You can find out more about the book and the PW article via our blog piece about National Bullying Prevention Month here.

Otis Dooda: Downright Dangerous by Ellen Potter, illustrated by David Heatley (Feiwel and Friends, March)

This is the hilarious sequel to Otis Dooda: Strange but True (2013). Otis has his own website, which simply should not be missed by any kids' book lovers! There you can download original songs based on the books, as well as super fun activities--such as How to Make Fart Goop or How to Make a Ninja Mask. So go check it out!

The Tyrant's Daughter by J.C. Carleson (Knopf Books for Young Readers, February)

School Library Journal named this their top Recommended Summer Read! But it's also gotten heaps of accolades and praise since its release, which you should check out in our previous post on the book here!

Neverwas by Kelly Moore, Tucker Reed, and Larkin Reed (Arthur A. Levine Books, January)

Kirkus named Neverwas to its "Smart Reads for Teens" list!  In a separate rave review, it said, “In this sequel to Amber House (2012), the creepy atmosphere of its predecessor segues into full-blown terror...A wild ride that leaves its readers breathless.”

So now go out and celebrate Children's Book Week with some great reads!

Breaking news! Film rights to OLIVIA KIDNEY go to Moonbot Studios

We're so excited to announce that film rights to the Olivia Kidney trilogy by Ellen Potter have been acquired by Moonbot Studios!

Ellen Potter's critically acclaimed children's novel Olivia Kidney was published by Philomel in 2003. Publishers Weekly likened it to Alice in Wonderland, calling it "an imaginative, original offering with a poignant and satisfying ending that may bring a tear or two." Potter followed the first in the trilogy with Olivia Kidney Stops for No One in 2005 and Olivia Kidney and the Secret Beneath the City in 2007.

Below is the full press release via Reuters:

OLIVIA KIDNEY Film Rights Acquired by William Joyce’s Moonbot Studios

Academy Award®-Winning Team To Develop Feature Film

Moonbot Studios announced today that it will acquire film rights to the Olivia Kidney trilogy of young adult books by award-winning author Ellen Potter. The series is published by Philomel (a division of Penguin/Putnam). Moonbot plans to develop Olivia’s Alice in Wonderland-like adventures as a live action film with significant animation sequences. The film rights deal was handled by David Lipman and Michael Siegel for Moonbot and for Ellen Potter by Alice Tasman and Jennifer Weltz of Jean V. Naggar Literary Agency.

“At Moonbot, we’re grabbing for magic and Olivia Kidney has captivated us,” said William Joyce, Moonbot co-founder and author of the New York Times bestselling book, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. “Ellen Potter has crafted a unique and enchanting fantasy that we can’t wait to bring to life as a film.”

Moonbot Studios has also recently acquired film rights to The Extincts by Veronica Cossanteli, published by Chicken House Entertainment. Both books will be come part of Moonbot’s slate for feature films, chosen because of their high caliber of storytelling, immersive worlds and charming characters. These are the first books optioned by Moonbot outside of their internally-developed IP including The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, The Numberlys and The Lollipop 3.

For more information about Olivia Kidney visit: http://ellenpotter.com

ABOUT MOONBOT STUDIOS

Moonbot Studios is a secret, zero-gravity colony inhabited by interstellar beings in Shreveport, La. Their mission is to create the best books, films, apps, games, and entertainment in the galaxy. Award-winning artists and filmmakers William Joyce, Brandon Oldenburg, and Lampton Enochs cofounded Moonbot Studios in 2009. Since then, Moonbot has produced an Academy Award®-winning short film, New York Times bestselling book and iTunes Hall of Fame app, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore. Moonbot’s Annie Award-winning short film for Chipotle Mexican Grill, The Scarecrow has garnered over 12 million views on YouTube. The studio’s latest book, The Numberlys, will be released in May 2014. For more information, visit moonbotstudios.com.

Moonbot Studios
Sara Hebert, 318-213-0193
shebert@moonbotstudios.com

Celebrating amazing women for Women's History Month

There are all kinds of ways to honor Women's History Month. Here in the publishing world we like to honor it by reading books about amazing women—whether real, fictional, historical, or contemporary.

In taking a look at all our JVNLA books centered around amazing women, we realized we simply had too many to list...so we created a Pinterest board! Check it out below.

One of the highlights on the adult fiction side is the prehistorical novel of a young woman, Ayla, who must learn to survive among a people who look and speak entirely unlike her in The Clan of the Cave Bear by Jean M. Auel (Crown; 1979, 2010). It's the beginning of a six-book saga that dramatizes the story of human survival itself.

On the adult nonfiction side, there's Natalie Zemon Davis's Women on the Margins (Harvard University Press; 1997, 2003) about the lives of three women from the seventeenth century whose daily dilemmas and turmoils reveal what it meant to be a woman during that period of history, and which also shed insight on women's lives today.

For the kids' fiction side, there's Passion Blue by Victoria Strauss (Skyscape, 2012) about a seventeen-year-old girl in Renaissance Italy who wants to find true love but is forced to enter a convent. She ends up falling in love with painting instead and journeys toward self-discovery.

Then on the kids' nonfiction side, there's the Newbery Honor Book and Boston Globe-Horn Award-winner Upon the Head of a Goat (FSG; 1981, 2004). Written by Aranka Siegal, this memoir tells the story of her childhood in Hungary as World War II starts, her father begins serving on the Russian front, and eventually she and her family are taken to the Auschwitz concentration camp.

Click below to see the full Pinterest board!

These books are timeless, inspiring reads, so pick them up now--or any other month--and dive in!

"Eye-opening and insightful," THE TYRANT'S DAUGHTER is a must read

The Tyrant's Daughter by J.C. Carleson has been having a great release month this February! It was named to the YA Movers and Shakers list on Goodreads where, according to Goodreads, it's been “racing up [their] popularity charts.” It was selected to the coveted position of “Amazon Best of the Month” in the teen category, one of only four total books. And it was named to Book Riot's list of hot new books to read in 2014.

Written by a former CIA officer, The Tyrant's Daughter tells the story of fifteen-year-old Laila, who has fled with her family from an unnamed Middle Eastern country after her father was killed in a coup. In Washington, D.C., Laila must adjust to a completely new life and new school, where she is shocked by girls who wear tank tops and shorts and where newspapers refer to her father as a “dictator.” Just as Laila's life begins to precariously balance amidst new friends, her mother's refusal to let go of the past threatens to upend everything in a new international crisis.

Central Ohio NPR's Shelf Discovery program recently spotlighted The Tyrant's Daughter.  They highly recommended the book, saying, “Although it was written for teens, The Tyrant's Daughter is an eye-opening and insightful short novel that has something to say to readers of all ages.” You can listen to the full review here.

Nearly every reviewer has praised Carleson's “beautifully written” prose (Booklist) and the complexity of Laila as a character. The strength of Carleson's writing is immediately evident when you pick up The Tyrant's Daughter. Take a look for yourself via the excerpt made available by Knopf Books for Young Readers here.

Below are some of the excellent reviews that have come in for The Tyrant's Daughter:

“Filled with political intrigue and emotional tension...Riveting...Raising as many questions as answers about Laila’s fate, the novel challenges social values close to home and abroad.” --Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Absorbing, character-driven...Carleson shrewdly makes what has become a sadly familiar story on the evening news accessible by focusing on the experiences of one innocent girl at the center of it. Laila is a complex and layered character whose nuanced observations will help readers better understand the divide between American and Middle Eastern cultures. Smart, relevant, required reading.” --Kirkus, starred review

“This is more than just Laila’s story; rather, it is a story of context, beautifully written, and stirring in its questions and eloquent observations about our society and that of the Middle East.” --Booklist

“An amazingly gripping and honest tale. Carleson keeps her readers feeling as though they have just returned from traveling in a foreign land, making those faraway issues feel a little more personal—a feat few can achieve with words alone.” --BookPage

“Timely, relevant, and fascinating, Laila’s story offers readers an accessible understanding of the seemingly intractable nature of Middle East politics.” --The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books

“Some books are entertaining, some books are eye opening, but it's a special book that's both...Insightful and honest, this book also delivers a powerful ending worthy of Homeland.” --Justine Magazine

“A touching, suspenseful story...Every American should read this book. It’s an eye-opener.” --Suzanne Fisher Staples, New York Times bestselling author of Shabanu: Daughter of the Wind

Knopf Books for Young Readers, February 2014