Thanks, everyone.

Debbie, I wonder whether my library, which wins a lot of awards regionally and even nationally, might be an outlier.

Perhaps they are trying to stay a few steps ahead of the trends as they see them, and even try to help recast chapter books, knowing that many library systems might follow their lead.

I don't mean this to be a cynical inference about my libraries perceptions/motives. It really is an outstanding library. But it would help me make sense of this if I knew my library was sort of out there on its own.

Gatz

I agree, V. Just because kids can decode the words doesn't mean they are ready for the story. Another grandson of mine could read Harry Potter books quite young, but when he read them again later, he was amazed at what he hadn't understood the first time.

My daughter is in 4th grade, and she tells me that one of the most popular books in her class is "Land of Stories."  The books in this series each have close to 500 pages.  The Harry Potter series is what's "hot" with the 1st-3rd graders at her school.  The "chapter books" that were popular in years past (like "Magic Treehouse") are still read but largely by a very young crowd it seems.

My son is currently almost 17, so my experience is a little out-dated (apparently), but when he was reading chapter books, the big series was Magic Treehouse. This was in Kinder and 1st, and he read quite a few. However, at the end of 1st grade, he picked up Harry Potter, read the entire series in 6 months, and never looked back...so yeah, I can see how that's made a difference.

At the same time, my nephew, who is currently 9 and in 3rd grade, doesn't really love reading. He's still reading books like Magic Treehouse (and some kind of graphic novel series -- I can't recall the name, even though I'm apparently the one who first got him hooked, LOL). So I do think it depends a lot on the reading ability and interests of the kids. And my niece (other side of the family) who just turned 8 also just started Harry Potter a week or so ago...so some kids are waiting til they're older.

Picturing Your Next Picture Book, from Proposal through Publication
with Chronicle Books Senior Editor Naomi Kirsten

Registration ends 8:00 AM MST Sat. February 23rd
 
***
Saturday, February 23rd, 2019 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm Mountain Standard Time
$15 for Members, $30 for Non-members
***
This event will be recorded. A replay will be available to all those that register for one month after the event.
Naomi is also critiquing manuscripts and illustrator portfolios in conjunction with our region wide Great Critique event in April. More details on purchasing a critique here.
Webinar attendees will be able to submit to Naomi after the webinar. Submission instructions will be e-mailed to attendees after the event.

To register for the webinar:
— Register and pay on the bottom of this page with SCBWI.org
— Approx. one week before the webinar, you will receive an e-mail containing the link to the webinar.
— Approx. one hour before the webinar, you will receive a reminder e-mail containing another link to the webinar. (So don't worry if you misplace the first e-mail.)
— Click on the webinar link to sign on live.
— If you miss the live webinar, no worries, you will receive a link to the video replay after the event. The replay will be available for one month following the event.

Webinar Summary:
How do you increase your chances of getting published? It helps to have a strong manuscript, a compelling pitch, and, yes, a window into an editor’s thought process. This content-rich webinar will tackle all three of these considerations and more, guiding attendees through the development of a successful picture book pitch all the way through the development process en route to publication, giving illuminating glimpses into what a children’s book editor is thinking along the way. During this two-hour webinar, Naomi Kirsten will also walk webinar attendees through select picture books that she has developed with authors and illustrators at Chronicle Books.

Webinar objectives:
— Gain a deeper understanding of the acquisition process. What is Chronicle Books looking for when considering a picture book manuscript?
— Walk through the publication process once a picture book manuscript is acquired by a publisher like Chronicle Books.
— Undertake a deep dive of three published picture books, from the original pitch through the development process to publication.
— Unpack key Children’s book trends and themes that have endured for the past decade, while examining emerging trends.
— Explore the non-fiction picture book opportunities for first-time authors.

Questions? Please e-mail Annie Bailey at utahsouthidaho-ara@scbwi.org.

Naomi Kirsten, Senior Editor, Chronicle Books
Naomi Kirsten is a Senior Editor at Chronicle Books in San Francisco, California. She acquires approximately 20 titles each year, ranging from picture books to games, board books, and novelty formats with a focus on smart, art-driven projects. Naomi’s titles include I DIDN’T DO MY HOMEWORK BECAUSE…; THE TRUTH ABOUT MY UNBELIEVABLE SCHOOL…; New York Times Notable Book and Society of Illustrators Gold Medal Winner THE BEAR’S SONG; I HATE MY CATS (A LOVE STORY); WHEN AN ELEPHANT FALLS IN LOVE; the YOU AND ME, ME AND YOU series; and THE STAR WARS COOKBOOK: BB-ATE, WOOKIEE PIES, HAN SANDWICHES AND OTHER GALACTIC SNACKS, and ICE SABERS, projects she originated for the Star Wars franchise. She also develops publishing programs with Taro Gomi, Benjamin Chaud, Richard McGuire, and Marc Boutavant. On Instagram and Twitter: @naomi_kirsten