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I have good news to share.
Great news, in fact.
I have a new picture book coming out, titled All Welcome Here.
It was announced yesterday in a write-up in Publishers Weekly Children’s Bookshelf:
Liz Szabla at Feiwel and Friends has bought North American rights to All Welcome Here by James Preller, illustrated by ____________, celebrating the first day of school and the beginning of a child’s new, diverse, and open-hearted community in a narrative composed of interconnected haiku. The book is set for spring 2019; Rosemary Stimola at Stimola Literary Studio negotiated the deal for both author and illustrator.
I deleted the illustrator’s name because I want you to guess.
I’ll wait.
Hum-dee-dum, dee-dum-dum.
Give up?
It’s possible that you know her work, but not her name.
And yes, that was a clue: she’s a she.
Here’s a hint:
Got it?
Really, not yet?
Surely I would have thought that . . .
Okay, here’s another:
And one more:
That’s right. I’m feeling blessed.
The great Mary GrandPre.
My book is now our book.
Pinch me somebody.
More details, like the book itself, to come.
All Welcome Here, Macmillan, Spring 2019.
Congratulations. Really looking forward to this combination.
Thank you, John Coy. I wrote it more than a year ago, maybe two, and it will be another year at least before I see Mary’s work. It’s always a surprise and a wonder: what will this illustrator do? What will it look like? No idea.
But it’s nice to be absolutely sure that my manuscript is in great hands. I like that she is so thoughtful about her work — it’s all so well considered — and I’m just feeling flat-out lucky.
I’m saying, yes, I’m really looking forward to it, too!
JP
One of my faves! Good for you! Sounds like an intriguing book, too!