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Editor Spotlight: Karen Chaplin of Quill Tree Books/Harper Children’s/Teen

By on February 27, 2020   /   Articles, Editor / Agent Spotlight, Writing  

Hello Mixed-Up Filers!

Are we in for a treat! Today, I’m pleased to have with us, Karen Chaplin, Executive Editor at Quill Tree Books / Harper Children’s/Teen!

JR: Hi Karen, thanks for joining us today!

 

KC: Thanks so much for having me!

KR: To start with, could you tell us a little bit about your path to becoming an editor at Harper?

KC: Sure! I had a bit of an unconventional path to becoming an editor. I started out on the children’s managing editorial side of the process—copy editing, scheduling, proofreading. I did that for a few years until I made my way to editorial, first in academic publishing, then back to children’s, where my heart always was. I look at all my different jobs as huge learning opportunities, and even though I didn’t go the traditional route, I still use all the knowledge I gained from my time in managing editorial and academic publishing. They were extremely valuable experiences.

 

JR: You’re right, that is unconventional. But thankfully, you wound up in children’s books! And speaking of which, what was the first book you worked on?

KC: When I was at Puffin/Penguin Young Readers Group, my very first acquisition was a four-book YA series call The Specialists by Shannon Greenland. They were such fun books! About a girl who was recruited into a secret spy group, which eventually became her family. Sort of a version of X-Men meets Spy Kids.

JR: X-Men meets Spy Kids? I’m in! What do you enjoy the most about your job?

KC: I love working with my authors. Collaboration, exchanging ideas, being creative—it’s exciting to bring an author’s vision to life and have a small hand in it.

 

JR: When I read the books you’re involved with, it is some eclectic list. Is there anything that you look for in particular?

KC: I’ll say that one of the things that unites my fiction list is a strong narrative/character voice that takes me back to being a kid. It’s so hard to do, but when it is done well, these characters feel like they could’ve been me, or one of my friends, back in the day. And as for nonfiction, I love learning new things, so the stories I like to bring to readers are ones that are little-known or a different perspective or experience on a familiar time period.

 

JR: Are you very hands-on with your authors?

KC: I try to take cues from my author. I’m happy to be a very hands-on editor if my author needs me to be. At the same time, I never want to be too hands-on that I crush the creative spirit. But I tell my authors I’m here if they need me.

 

JR: That sounds like a good policy. What advice can you give to authors?

KC: What I tell my authors is to read in the category you want to write in—learn everything you can from other authors. Writing is a craft, and you can always get better and learn new things. I would also say don’t get caught up in trends or word counts. Write until the story feels finished. You can always go back and revise—that is probably the biggest part of the writing process.

 

JR: Great advice! Now, I have to know, what was your favorite book as a child?

KC: Wow, that is a tough one. There were so many! I was obsessed with From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and Harriet the Spy. I also devoured Beverly Cleary’s Ramona and Beezus and Ramona.

JR: From the Mixed-Up Files? Well, you certainly came to the right place for that! I read that you also liked the Encyclopedia Brown, which I loved as well, but if you had been friends with him, do you think he might’ve gotten on your nerves for being a know-it-all?

KC: Ha! I did love Encyclopedia Brown—and really mysteries in general. I was a huge fan of all thing mystery—Agatha Christie for one. And yes, I do think I would’ve gotten a little annoyed with Encyclopedia Brown, but he was clever and always right….

JR: I LOVE Agatha Christie! And Then There Were None is one of my all-time faves! I know that you’re also a fan of The Great British Bake Off. You posted a challah that you baked, which looked delicious. Do you enjoy baking in general? If so, what’s your specialty, and follow-up, did you make enough for everyone?

KC: You’ve done your homework! Yes, I got into GBBO, probably a bit late, and it inspired me to make a challah, which looked great but turned out dreadful. (I will conquer bread one of these days!) I do really like to bake in general. I make a lot of banana bread, which my family devours within a few hours of it coming out of the oven, usually not even leaving me a slice.

Karen’s Actual Challahs!

 

JR: Well, they do look great, so when you conquer bread, save me a slice! How can people follow you on social media?

KC: I’m on Twitter @capchapreads

JR: Thanks so much for taking the time to speak with us today!

KC: Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to chat!

 

Well, that’s it for this month, my mixed-up friends! I’d like to once again thank Karen Chaplin for joining us, and until next month, Happy Reading!

 

Jonathan

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Zatanna and the House of Secrets Interview and Giveaway

By on February 27, 2020   /   Articles, Author Interviews, Giveaways  

Support Independent Bookstores - Visit IndieBound.orgHi Mixed-Up Filers!

Today, I have the privilege to be talking to both Matthew Cody and Yoshi Yoshitani, whose graphic novel, Zatanna and the House of Secrets,  is available now from DC Comics.

Hi Matthew and Yoshi. Thank you for joining us today.

My first question is for both of you. Can you tell us a little bit about Zatanna and the House of Secrets?

Matthew: Zatanna and the House of Secrets is about a normal tween girl, Zatanna, who discovers that just about nothing in her life is what it appears to be – not her dad, not the house she grew up in, not even the family pet rabbit. There are magical secrets afoot, and more to Zatanna than she ever imagined!

Yoshi: It’s a story of a girl growing up and trying to figure out her identity as the world and people around her change—figuratively and literally! And of course, lots of magic

Matthew, you’re books are, for the most part, a mix of fantasy and superheros. So, Zatanna’s story seems like a natural fit for you. Did you choose the character?

Matthew: I did. When this opportunity to work with DC came along, they asked me to pitch them three or four characters I’d like to write. Zatanna was a no-brainer, because she’s never been your typical superhero. She’s a magician! The story of how she became a magician – how she discovered her powers – was such a joy to conjure up (see what I did there?)

Not gonna lie, Zatanna is one of my favorite DC characters, and my go-to for cosplay. Yoshi, I love the new character design. I’m already planning on rocking this as my next cosplay. How did you approach the character design?

Yoshi: Yes! Zatanna is one of my absolute favorites too! Zatanna’s fully grown costume is over the top and confident, so it was fun to work backwards and consider what her pre-evolution outfits would be. Maybe some vintage finds, maybe her dad’s old shirts – she has a style but has yet to nail down her look. I really wanted to capture that transition.

One of the things that I really liked about this story is how it explored the relationship between Zatanna and her father and the idea that our parents aren’t always the heroes we expect them to be. Matthew, was that something that you wanted to focus on early on?

Matthew: Definitely. Middle school is hard for a lot of reasons, but one of the toughest aspects of it is that push/pull between still needing your parents tremendously, while at the same time feeling like you need to separate yourself in some ways. So, we took fantasy and did what the genre does best – we externalized that conflict. At its heart, this is a very family focused story about the mistakes we make both as kids and adults. And how we deal with them.

Another thing that I particularly loved was that the House of Secrets is like a character itself in the story. So, another question for both of you: How did you approach the world-building?

Matthew: The House of Secrets has been around in DC Comics lore for a long, long time. It’s been interpreted and reinterpreted in a many different ways, so I kind of took that meta-fact and applied it to the house in our story. Our House of Secrets has been passed down from Caretaker to Caretaker for centuries, and each one left their mark. Poor Yoshi then had to being all that to life on the page (btw, she knocked it out of the park)

Yoshi: Matthew had the idea that the House of Secrets had been passed through many different owners in different parts of the world and different eras. I absolutely loved that, and I personally relish any opportunity to kit-bash multiple cultural influences. Plus those huge stylistic changes really gave the impression of a magical unpredictable house—one you were just dying to run around yourself!

We see Teekl throughout the illustrations before we’re ever introduced to the character. Yoshi, was this an easter egg or is Teekl spying on the Zataras?

Yoshi: I was hoping someone would notice! And yes, Teekl is definitely a warning that Klarion and his mother are nearby, not that Zatanna understands that at the time. Its an Easter egg that’s fun on the reread.

Are there any other easter eggs that fans should keep an eye out for?

Matthew: Oh yeah! Yoshi’s art has a ton of clever hints and nods, but if you want to look for one in particular that might excite old school DC fans, pay special attention to the stone busts and portraits throughout the house to get a glimpse of the house’s original “caretakers”.

Yoshi: There are a few visual Easter Eggs for those who are familiar with the DC universe. I won’t give anything away, but definitely check out the school dance. Also, those in the know will recognize the Witch Queen’s assistants for what they are.

Speaking of fans, I’m going to geek out for a little bit here. In DC canon, Zatanna was the caretaker of the House of Mystery, which is similar to, the House of Secrets. Can we expect to see another story featuring the House of Mystery, perhaps a different caretaker?

Matthew: Huh. That’s a great idea! 😉

Is there anything else about the story that either of you would like to share?

Matthew: It’s really, really good!

What’s the best piece of creative advice that both of you have received and would like to pass on to other writers and artists?

Matthew: For writers, read more than you write – but write a lot.

Yoshi: Breaks are important to creative flow, and pursue a creative process that brings you joy.

What is something that people would be surprised to learn about you?

Matthew: I tried to break into comics as a writer before I became a published novelist.

Yoshi: I’m allergic to coconut.

What are you working on next?

Matthew: I’m finishing up a novel for older readers and am working on a couple of kids comics projects that I’m really excited about.

Yoshi: Something else with DC!

How can people follow you on social media?

Matthew: On twitter I’m at @mattcodywrites. I tweet rarely but always respond!

Yoshi: Twitter @yoshisquared. Insta @yoshiyoshitani  Website Yoshiyoshitani.com

Thank you so much for the interview!

Zatanna and the House of Secrets is out now, and here at The Mixed-Up Files, we’re giving away a copy. Enter our giveaway below.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

The winner will be contacted  via email and asked to provide a mailing address (US/Canada only) to receive the book.

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Debating, Campaigning, and Voting, Oh My!

By on February 24, 2020   /   Articles, Book Lists, Curriculum Tie-in, Fiction, For Kids, For Librarians, For Parents, For Teachers, Nonfiction  

The many televised debates along with the upcoming election have occupied a huge space in the realm of social media, social interaction, and social anxiety. I can’t help but think kids are also affected in many ways. It also makes me wonder how books can help them understand and cope. Fortunately, there are many middle-grade books–nonfiction and fiction–that deal with debating, campaigning, and voting. Here are just a few below. If you have a favorite that you’ve read with kids at home or in the classroom, please let us know in the comments section.

 

Speak Out! Debate and Public Speaking in the Middle Grades

By John Meany and Kate Shuster

Combining the practical and theoretical, Speak Out! teaches students the basics of public speaking, argumentation, and research, and helps them prepare for debate competitions and classroom debates. Exercises give students hands-on experience with important topics.

 

 

 

 

If They Can Argue Well, They Can Write Well

By Dr. Bill McBride

Every student can become a great debater. The key concepts of argumentation, critical thinking, and meeting academic standards align in a single, engaging format in this book. Packed with practical, hands-on activities, this collection teaches students to argue effectively, research information, think critically, and write persuasively. Also included is in-depth discussion on online research and emphasizes the timely skill of evaluating the validity of various internet sources. This revised edition provides specific connections between book content and the Common Core State Standards, as well as a new section on debate skills.

 

 

The Benefits of Being an Octopus

By Ann Braden

In this middle-grade novel, the protagonist joins the debate team and learns new ways to view her life:

Seventh-grader Zoey has her hands full as she takes care of her much younger siblings after school every day while her mom works her shift at the pizza parlor. Not that her mom seems to appreciate it. At least there’s Lenny, her mom’s boyfriend—they all get to live in his nice, clean trailer. At school, Zoey tries to stay under the radar. Her only friend Fuchsia has her own issues, and since they’re in an entirely different world than the rich kids, it’s best if no one notices them. Zoey thinks how much easier everything would be if she were an octopus: eight arms to do eight things at once. Incredible camouflage ability and steady, unblinking vision. Powerful protective defenses.

Unfortunately, she’s not totally invisible, and one of her teachers forces her to join the debate club. Even though Zoey resists participating, debate ultimately leads her to see things in a new way: her mom’s relationship with Lenny, Fuchsia’s situation, and her own place in this town of people who think they’re better than her. Can Zoey find the courage to speak up, even if it means risking the most stable home she’s ever had?

 

 

Running for Public Office

By Sarah De Capua

Find out just what it takes to run for office in the United States. Also learn about campaigning and how elections work.

A True Book: Civics series helps children become productive citizens by presenting core civic knowledge in a fun and engaging way. This series includes an age appropriate (grades 3-5) introduction to curriculum-relevant subjects and a robust resource section that encourages independent study.

From small town mayors to the men and women of the U.S. congress, all public officials play important roles in the nation’s government.

 

 

President of the Whole Fifth Grade

By Sherri Winston

Start counting your votes . . . and your friends.

When Brianna Justice’s hero, the famous celebrity chef Miss Delicious, speaks at her school and traces her own success back to being president of her fifth grade class, Brianna determines she must do the same. She just knows that becoming president of her class is the first step toward her own cupcake-baking empire!

But when new student Jasmine Moon announces she is also running for president, Brianna learns that she may have more competition than she expected. Will Brianna be able to stick to her plan of working with her friends to win the election fairly? Or will she jump at the opportunity to steal votes from Jasmine by revealing an embarrassing secret?

 

 

Lillian’s Right to Vote
By Jonah Winter and Shane W. Evans

An elderly African American woman, en route to vote, remembers her family’s tumultuous voting history.

As Lillian, a one-hundred-year-old African American woman, makes a “long haul up a steep hill” to her polling place, she sees more than trees and sky—she sees her family’s history. She sees the passage of the Fifteenth Amendment and her great-grandfather voting for the first time. She sees her parents trying to register to vote. And she sees herself marching in a protest from Selma to Montgomery. Veteran bestselling picture-book author Jonah Winter and Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award winner Shane W. Evans vividly recall America’s battle for civil rights in this lyrical, poignant account of one woman’s fierce determination to make it up the hill and make her voice heard.

 

 

The Kid Who Ran for President

By Dan Gutman

“Hi! My name is Judson Moon. I’m twelve years old and I’m running for President of the YOU-nited States.”

That’s how I introduced myself to about a zillion people. I must have kissed a zillion babies, said a zillion hellos, shaken a zillion hands . . . Will I get a zillion votes? The answer might surprise you.

Can you picture a kid as President? Imagine what we can accomplish — together — in a country where parents listen. Where teachers give no homework. Where every lawmaker obeys a single kid — me! How am I going to pull this off? Who knows! Read the book to find out.

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