Take Our Kids to Work Day 2001
Kids' Book Publishing Workshop Book List


  • SAMMY SOSA by Daniel Constantine:
    "DAN HITS A GRAND SLAM! . . . ALL YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE CUBS SLUGGER." --Richard Ben Cramer, author of Joe DiMaggio: The Hero's Life

    "WARTS AND ALL, THIS IS THE SAMMY IS KNOW." --Mark McGuire

    Baseball champ Sammy Sosa is known nationwide as the man who beat Roger Maris' home run record--and then was topped by Mark McGuire. Now Danny tells the whole story of the hitter who riveted America with his drive to be the best.

    Here, in thrilling detail, are Sammy's date and place of birth (1965 in The Dominican Republic) . . . the team he plays for and his position (Chicago Cubs, right field) . . . the club he played for in the minor leagues (the Texas Rangers) . . . and when he got his start (1984). Here, too, are comparisons between Sosa's age and hometown and the author's, as well as helpful illustrations of the Cubs' team symbol.

    Anyone interested in the life of this baseball great will want to "catch" Danny's big new biography, SAMMY SOSA.

  • A BALLERINA by Niki Constantine:
    THE SHOW MUST GO ON!

    When Sarah landed her dream role in a production of the Nutcracker Suite it was the happiest day of her life. Everyone in her family was very proud of her . . . and she was proud of herself. Years of hard work and practice had gone into earning this opportunity--and she knew she was ready to dance the part of the sugar plum fairy. But on the night of the big performance a bad case of stage fright almost keeps her from doing her best. Now it's up to her family to help Sarah to get over the one thing that could stand in her way.

    Niki Constantine's A Ballerina is more than a story about a young girl determined to be a great dancer. It is also a touching look at the family--a heartfelt tribute to the people who love and help us through all parts of life.

  • MUFFIN'S DAY by Ariel David:
    HOW MUCH IS THAT DOGGY IN THE WINDOW?

    Muffin the puppy lived in what she thought was an orphanage. But in reality it was a pet shop! For a year she waited . . . every time the bell jingled above the door announcing a new visitor to the store, Muffin wagged her tail eagerly. Then, at last, it happened. Muffin was adopted and brought to a loving home. But two weeks later, on one of her walks, she got so excited she broke the leash. In a flash, Muffin was off and running--and completely lost. Will she ever find the way home? Perhaps her good friend Blueberry will help. . . .

    In the tradition of such classics as Sheila Burnford's The Incredible Journey and Gabriel King's The Wild Road, Ariel David has written an enchanting story in which a curious puppy embarks upon the adventure of a lifetime. Here is a writer destined to top bestseller lists across the country.

  • MY TRIP TO MARTHA'S VINEYARD by Dylan Heingburg:
    "I liked Dylan's book better than Trains"
    --Jesse Kling, Author of Eggs in the Incubator

    "AS GOOD AS BEING THERE . . . MAKE MY TRIP TO MARTHA'S VINEYARD YOURS!"
    --PETER MAYLE

    It's the New England vacation spot where millions go for sun and fun. Whether it's the Kennedys, the Clintons, or Carly Simon, everyone who's anyone has sung the praises of "The Vineyard."

    But you've never really been there until you've gone with Dylan Heingburg.

    In this sparkling memoir, first-time author Heingburg truly captures his exciting journey. From waking up at nine o'clock (which left him really tired) to crossing the water on a big boat with his family to swimming on a beach and coming home again, his adventures are brilliantly brought to life--and beautifully illustrated by the author himself.

    So join Dylan Heingburg on this trip to the oasis off the Massachusetts coast. The only thing missing will be the sun screen.

  • EGGS IN THE INCUBATOR by Jesse Kling:
    "I liked Jesse's book better than color Gameboy"
    --Dylan Heingburg, author of My Trip to Martha's Vineyard

    THE SUNNY SIDE OF EGGS!

    We may never know the answer to the old riddle, "Which came first, the chicken or the egg?" But in this fascinating, informative book, readers are treated to a first-hand look at how chickens develop, hatch, and grow. EGGS IN THE INCUBATOR chronicles the experience of nineteen schoolchildren whose class project takes them from a farm--where they collect a group of freshly laid eggs--to their classroom, where they carefully monitor the hatching progress of their eggs in a properly heated incubator. We follow the progress of the children and their delicate charges as they carefully turn over each egg every day. And finally, we share in the wonder of the birth of Max, the first chick to emerge from his egg--brown, wet, and wobbly--and watch as he grows into a yellow, fluffy, healthy baby bird. . . .

    Both thoughtful and enlightening, Jesse Kling's EGGS IN THE INCUBATOR is an eye-opening and scientifically satisfying exploration into the wondrous way in which nature replenishes itself.

  • THE SECRET MANSION by Kristen Lange:
    "KRISTEN LANGE'S FANTASY ADVENTURE IS FILLED WITH THRILLS AND CHILLS . . . BY ALL MEANS, ENTER THIS ' MANSION.' "
    --J. K. ROWLING

    It's way back in the woods. And if you find it, you keep it.

    That's what Kira's grandmother told her about The Secret Mansion . . . and that's where Kira wants to live happily ever after. But the journey will turn out to be more dangerous than the young, blonde-haired girl has ever imagined. Armed with only water, a knife, and some food, she faces not just a brick wall but a giant tarantula and a fire-breathing dragon, never knowing which challenge will kill her and which will be her key to . . . The Secret Mansion.

    Filled with magic, wonder, and stunning suspense, THE SECRET MANSION marks the unforgettable debut of a new fantasy master, Kristen Lange.

  • A SENSE OF HOME by Katie Lannigan:
    "KATIE LANNIGAN IS A TRUE ARTIST, BUT INSTEAD OF PAINT ON A CANVASS, SHE USES INK ON THE PAGE. SHE'S A MARVEL!"
    --STEPHEN DUNN, 2001 Pulitzer Prize-winning poet of Different Hours

    In a searing, beautifully written collection of poems, Katie Lannigan opens her heart and cuts to the bone, creating verse that will move readers to tears and reflection. Who among us hasn't judged a person by his or her appearance? Or walked by the homeless without a care in the world? A tour-de-force--"One Night"--the final poem in this brilliant collection, will haunt you forever.

    Whether issuing a powerful call to help those most vulnerable in our society, or raging against economic injustice and the shallowness of humanity, Lannigan provides a important reminder that each one of us, like these poems, has a soul.

  • SWEET SOULS & KISSES by Chiara Morrison:
    "STUNNING . . . HEINGBURG WRITES FROM HER DEEP, TRUE HEART."
    --MAYA ANGELOU

    Deeply moving and provocative, Sweet Souls and Kisses is the work of a young poet with a fresh and exciting voice. Each poem is an exploration of love and loss, friendship and racism, hope and pain and resilience.

    Filled with a wisdom and feeling beyond her years, Chiara's words are deeply personal and completely universal. They offer us an opportunity to look into the eyes of a young woman and to see the truth and beauty within . . . and to see ourselves reflected there.

  • SNOWFLAKE by Elizabeth Mydlowski:
    "The characters in this light-hearted romp are charmed--and charming!"
    --JANET MASLIN, The New York Times

    What starts out as an ordinary day for Snowflake turns into lots of fun and big adventure when she meets up with a couple of funny bunnies, a sly fox, a cute raccoon, and a cheeky chipmunk! Follow the spunky brown and white puppy as she plays some of her favorite games--like HOP-BUNNY and HIDE AND SEEK--with her new-found friends!

    With the same insight into the secret lives of animals shown by such writers as Rita Mae Brown and Richard Adams, Elizabeth Mydlowski has written a delightful tale about the surprises that every day has the potential to bring.

  • MR. SMOKEY by Conor Reidy:
    "CONOR REIDY'S IMAGINATION IS AS PLAYFUL AS MINE. . . . Mike is a wonderful muggle, and Mr. Smokey a charming creation!"
    --J. K. ROWLING, Creator of Harry Potter

    Though Mike wins the game with a homerun in the bottom of the ninth, his triumph is short-lived. Looming on the horizon is a math test--and if he doesn't pass it, he will be kicked off the baseball team. Then, while pondering his predicament in the playground, a big red ball mysteriously blows towards him, despite the fact there is no wind. What follows is an adventure of a lifetime, as Mike becomes the student of an extraordinary teacher. . . .

    A novel to be read and re-read by children of all ages, Mr. Smokey hails the arrival of a dazzling new voice in fantasy fiction.

  • MYSTERIOUS CLOWNS by Julia Silverman:
    BEWARE! These clowns just might have the last laugh. . . .

    When Timmy's mother sets out to find an extra-special gift for her little boy's tenth birthday, she has no way of knowing she's about to get much more than she bargained for. And bargain she does, for an unusual clown doll that she discovers on her trip to the toy store. The storekeeper insists the clown is not for sale--at any price. But when Timmy's mother hands over a million dollars, the clerk eagerly hands over the clown . . . along with an ominous warning: "Don't leave anyone alone with it!" Timmy's mother thinks that's the silliest thing she's ever heard. But soon, she'll think differently. Soon, she'll realize that she should have listened. And soon, both she and Timmy will discover that this clown is nothing to laugh about. . . .

    THE MYSTERIOUS CLOWNS is just the beginning of a spine-tingling trilogy that takes Readers on a terrifying trip to the dark side of Toyland. You'll never look at big shoes or baggy pants the same way again, once you experience this suspenseful tale that gives chilling new meaning to the word "plaything."

  • MY TRIP TO NEW HAMPSHIRE by Dalia Toth:
    What--and who--will Dalia discover on a visit to the woods?

    A summer excursion to the woods of New England sets the stage for a series of adventures for one inquisitive young girl, who makes friends with a field mouse who is not what he seems to be . . . explores a curious collection of trees with her family . . . and even encounters a gang of spies snooping on visitors at a lake. Will the mouse become a member of the family? Will the spies be caught before they slip away? And will they welcome our narrator into their secret circle?

    The answers await in this mostly true and completely charming memoir by a write who makes a trip into the wilderness well worth taking.

  • BUNNY DREAMS by Lauren Volini:
    "Bright and full of light! Each poem is a celebration of the things that make living such a joy."
    --JANET MASLIN, The New York Times

    In this compelling, lyrically written new collection of poems, Lauren Volini writes about the things closest to her heart--from her unconditional love of animals to her best friend and her own secret wish to fly!

    With a nod to the beautiful simplicity of the work of Emily Dickinson, Lauren Volini invites us to experience her world--and to enrich our own with the wonder and beauty of these poems.

  • ACROSTIC by Matthew Volini:
    DISCOVER THE MAGIC OF LANGUAGE

    In a dazzling display of wit and candor, Matthew Volini takes simple words and conjures up entire worlds of wonder. Soccer, just a game for some, springs to life on the page--it is a cool sport both rough and excellent. Readers will see New York in a completely different light. Who could ever have imagined that yummy food would be so integral to the majestic metropolis; or that buildings could resemble dumb igloos; or that the streets are peopled with nut cases?

    Lyrical, spare, and profoundly poetic, Matthew Volini's masterpiece recalls the work of e.e. cummings, Shel Silverstein, and Walt Whitman. Acrostic is just as "magnificent," "wonderful," and "excellent" as the author.

    Kids' Book Publishing Workshop | Book Publishing Contract