Funny Business: Conversations with Writers of Comedy

In 12 entertaining interviews (and one equally entertaining e-mail from Daniel Pinkwater declining to participate), Marcus's compilation explores the childhoods, writing processes and senses of humor of well-known writers for children, including Judy Blume, Beverly Cleary, Daniel Handler, Norton Juster and Jon Scieszka. Marcus's evident knowledge of his subjects' writing makes for some intriguing questions and answers (“I used to crack jokes a lot, but they would always land kind of flat,” says Louis Sachar. “One of the nice things about being a writer is that you get to rewrite—and take back all the stupid things you said”). Photographs, manuscript pages and even e-mail chains between the writers and their editors add fascinating tidbits. Ages 10–up. (Oct.)