Spies Like Us
A highly engaged, multigenerational audience gathered at McNally Jackson on February 25 to celebrate the publication of the 50th anniversary edition of Louise Fitzhugh’s Harriet the Spy (Delacorte). Joining moderator Lizzie Skurnick (l.) to speak about the impact that the book has made on their personal and professional lives were authors Rebecca Stead (center) and Elizabeth Winthrop (r.), both of whom contributed essays to the anniversary edition. During the discussion, Winthrop explained her connection to the book this way: “I always equated spying with writing because of Harriet.”
A Storied History
Ilyasah Shabazz, writer, activist, and the daughter of slain civil rights activist Malcolm X, made a February 21 guest appearance on The Arsenio Hall Show. She spoke with the late-night host about her memories of her father, and shared her picture book based on his childhood, Malcolm Little: The Boy Who Grew Up to Be Malcolm X (S&S/Atheneum).
The Little Blue Truck That Could
HMH employees held a celebration on February 25 in honor of the Little Blue Truck books, which have sold more than one million copies. Close to 50 staff members were in attendance to meet the author and illustrator of the series, Alice Schertle and Jill McElmurry, who began their collaboration with 2008’s Little Blue Truck – and who were also meeting in person for the first time. From l. to r.: associate editor Alex Preziosi, Schertle, senior executive editor Jeanette Larson, and McElmurry.
Glitter Girls
There was no shortage of glitz on hand during a recent launch party for Jill Santopolo’s Sparkle Spa series (S&S/Aladdin) at Books of Wonder in New York City. Guests celebrated the release of the first two books in the series, All That Glitters and Purple Nails and Puppy Tails, with suitably sparkly crowns, headbands, cookies, cupcakes, and purple nail polish. Santopolo and a group of her friends also offered a “reader’s theater” performance of a chapter from All That Glitters. Here, a young partygoer cozies up to Santopolo.
