New Spanish Edition of Duckworth!
23 Jun 2020 Leave a Comment
in Books, Duckworth, Writing Tags: Atticus el Chico Dificil, Children's Literature, Dark Humor, Duckworth, Duckworth the Difficult Child, Editorial Impedimenta, Funny Picture Books, Julia Sarda, kidlit blog, Picture Book, Spanish, Spanish Literature
A Madrid-based publisher, Editorial Impedimenta, has released the Spanish edition of my recent 
picture book—Duckworth, the Difficult Child—illustrated by the illustrious Júlia Sardà of Barcelona. It arrives with a new title—Atticus, el Chico Difícil—but remains the darkly humorous story of a resourceful boy coping with neglectful parents who fail to listen or respond to his needs. I’m honored to be published by Editorial Impedimenta, an independent publisher that aspires to promote “modern classics.”
Duckworth Has Arrived!
18 Jun 2019 Leave a Comment
in Books, Duckworth, General, Writing Tags: book bloggers, Book Launch, Children's Literature, Duckworth, Duckworth the Difficult Child, Funny Picture Books, kidlit blog, Picture Book
At long last, my new picture book—Duckworth, the Difficult Child—hits the shelves today. With spectacular illustrations created by Júlia Sardà, I think both kids and parents will love this story.
Special thanks to Emma Ledbetter, my extraordinary editor, and to Stephanie Fretwell-Hill, my excellent agent. I’d also like to thank Harold Underdown and Karl Monger, who were invaluable as early editors of the manuscript.
From the Booklist review:
“What first appears to be a Goreyesque cautionary tale for troublesome children comically turns the tables to target inept parents instead. … Sardà plays up the story’s situational humor in her detailed, vintage-toned watercolors, ensuring that kids get the joke that the parents are the difficult ones, not Duckworth. A lightly macabre, utterly amusing read.” i
DUCKWORTH COVER REVEAL!
13 Oct 2018 Leave a Comment
in Books, Duckworth Tags: Book Cover, Children's Literature, Cover Reveal, Duckworth, Duckworth the Difficult Child, Funny Picture Books, Julia Sarda, Michael Sussman, Picture Book
Cover Reveal!
Here’s the brilliant cover for my new picture book–DUCKWORTH, THE DIFFICULT CHILD–to be published in June by Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster. My illustrator, Júlia Sardà Portabella, is based in Barcelona and has done an astounding job on the artwork. Thanks also to art director extraordinaire, Sonia Chaghatzbanian, and my fantabulous editor, Emma Ledbetter!
Duckworth’s parents think he is a difficult child, so when a snake slides right up and swallows him whole, his parents don’t believe him! What’s poor Duckworth to do?
DUCKWORTH, THE DIFFICULT CHILD is available for pre-order at Amazon.
Atheneum to Publish My New Picture Book: Duckworth, the Difficult Child
28 Feb 2017 2 Comments
in Books, General, Uncategorized, Writing Tags: Atheneum Books for Young Readers, Book Deal, Children's Literature, Duckworth, Edward Gorey, Emma Ledbetter, Florence Heide Parry, Funny Picture Books, Harold Underdown, Julia Sarda, Karl Monger, Michael Sussman, Otto Grows Down, Picture Book, Scott Magoon, Stephanie Fretwell-Hill, the Difficult Child, The Shrinking of Treehorn, The Treehorn Trilogy
I haven’t posted for quite some time, as I’ve been hard at work on a novel. But I’m back with three exciting announcements:
- I am now represented by Stephanie Fretwell-Hill of Red Fox Literary.
- Stephanie has sold my new picture book manuscript—Duckworth, The Difficult Child—to Emma Ledbetter, Editor at Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster.
- The book will be illustrated by Júlia Sardà , a fabulous illustrator based in Barcelona.
La Gran Cadena by Júlia Sardà
The story, my homage to Florence Parry Heide’s The Shrinking of Treehorn, is about a boy with misguided parents who remain untroubled when he gets eaten by a snake.
This is my first picture book to be published since my debut—Otto Grows Down—was released by Sterling with illustrations by Scott Magoon.
Special thanks to Harold Underdown and Karl Monger—as well as Emma Ledbetter at Atheneum—for their expertise in editing the manuscript.
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