[Michael Sussman Posts: 184 Status: Offline WWW]

Interesting article by Pamela Paul--children's book editor of the Book Review-- about how Seuss, Sendak, and Silverstein changed the course of children's literature:
http://nyti.ms/qohdcc

[hazelnut Posts: 285 Status: Offline Write with faith, hope and clarity.]

  Delightful! Thanks for sharing!

(It reminds me of Sid Fleischman saying that he had trouble getting his books into print b/c he wanted to have lots of humor, and it took years for funny books to break in!)

[Betsy Posts: 2,123 Status: Offline PICKY EATERS WWW]

Interesting!  Thanks, Michael.

Note that all three of these authors are guys, in a field dominated by women.  I wonder what this means.

[jeffman]

It means the 3 writers each have a new book coming out soon and the article writer wanted a hook. All you have to do is think about somebody like Jan Brett to realize innovation is not exclusive to men.

[Betsy Posts: 2,123 Status: Offline PICKY EATERS WWW]

I certainly hope not. 

Still, I think that maybe a guy can get away with pushing the boundaries a bit more than women.  I've certainly been told that my manuscripts are over the edge...

Oh, and by the way, there's also Jon Scieszka.

[jeffman]

It's also worth noting that Seuss, Sendak, and Silverstein worked quite a while ago, especially Seuss.

And you always have to wonder who exactly changed kid lit. Since every book does not get accepted, the editor who took a chance on something new should also get some credit. Maybe at the time, editors were more receptive to men doing something new than women?

There are a lot of variables at play here.I really don't take the article too seriously.

[Michael Sussman Posts: 184 Status: Offline WWW]

It means the 3 writers each have a new book coming out soon and the article writer wanted a hook. All you have to do is think about somebody like Jan Brett to realize innovation is not exclusive to men.

I agree with Jeff.
(Although I couldn't help noticing that all three authors' names begin with S . . .)   

[Betsy Posts: 2,123 Status: Offline PICKY EATERS WWW]

Four, counting Scieszka.



You've got it made, Michael!

[jeffman]

An addition or correction. Not that Jan Brett isn't awesome, but I suspect I was originally thinking of Tasha Tudor's wonderfully detailed drawings as being pretty unique, the sort of thing you can stare at for hours at a time.

[JennaWren Posts: 1,779 Status: Offline WWW]

Four, counting Scieszka.



You've got it made, Michael!

I was thinking the same thing!    :

[AmyD Posts: 148 Status: Offline WWW]

And you always have to wonder who exactly changed kid lit. Since every book does not get accepted, the editor who took a chance on something new should also get some credit.

I agree, Jeff. There had to be an editor who was willing to publish these rule-breakers. Ursula Nordstrom worked with both Silverstein and Sendak.  If you haven't read it yet, you should pick up Dear Genius: The Letters of Ursula Nordstrom. She was definitely considered a bit of a maverick!