Dianne Hess, executive editor at Scholastic Press, where she has worked with a diverse roster of award-winning authors and illustrators and has been a champion of new children’s book talent, will retire at the end of December after 38 years with the company.
Hess began her publishing career at Clarion Books as assistant to esteemed editor James Cross Giblin, whose mentorship helped her hone her editing skills. In 1986, Hess joined Scholastic where she developed her eye for fresh creative voices and established a successful list. Across a spectrum of genre and format, from picture books to middle grade and YA fiction and nonfiction, Hess’s books have resonated with young readers, educators, and librarians and garnered numerous awards. Among the author-illustrators she discovered are Shonto Begay, Lulu Delacre, and Baba Wague Diakite. And the pool of talented creators she has worked with includes Henry Cole, Carmen Agra Deedy, Karen Hesse, Eric Kimmel, Barbara McClintock, Jim Murphy, Jon J Muth, Kadir Nelson, Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney, and Jacqueline Woodson.
“It’s hard to put into words how I’m feeling about leaving Scholastic,” Hess told PW. “It’s been a place of such tremendous growth and opportunity. And I’ve been so privileged to spend my life doing what I love, creating books, working with some of the greatest talents in our industry—the authors and artists, as well as the art directors, editors and people in-house who make everything possible. It’s been an immeasurably enriching and emotional experience.”
Going forward, Hess said she will still be editing select projects, and plans to focus on her own writing as well as doing some community work. “So many people I’ve worked with over the years have been my family, and happily our relationships will continue into the future,” she said. “And hopefully all of those books we’ve made will somehow contribute to making the world a better place!”
