http://emliterary.com/ Erin Murphy Literary Agency is a leading U.S. children's book agency headquartered in Flagstaff, Arizona. We focus on connections—between writer and editor, story and reader—as well as on helping our clients build their careers and grow as artists. Sun, 05 Feb 2012 17:31:00 -0700 Mon, 06 Feb 2012 01:50:21 -0700 en-us http://emliterary.com/news.php?select=1 http://emliterary.com/news.php?select=1 Sun, 05 Feb 2012 17:31:00 -0700 Reviews We are so thrilled for this wonderful news! Booklist chimes in with a third star for Cynthia Levinson's WE'VE GOT A JOB, due out this month from Peachtree: Even with the many fine books out there about the role of young people in the Civil Rights era, this highlyreadable photo-essay will hold YA readers with its focus on four young people who participated in theBirmingham Children’s March, set against the big picture of the fight against segregation and the roles ofadults. At nine, Audrey Hendricks was the youngest of nearly 4000 black children who marched,protested, and sang their way to jail, and she had the support of her church, teachers, and middle-classparents. Washington Booker lived in poverty in the projects; for him the police were the ultimate terror.Smart, academic James Stewart chose not to do sit-ins, but marching felt right. Arnetta Streeter went toyoung activists’ training. Important adult leaders on all sides are included in the story, from Martin LutherKing, Jr. and the Reverend Shuttlesworth to Bull Connor, and Levinson points out not just the individualswith extreme viewpoints, but also the “moderates” who kept quiet about the insulting “separate but equal”policies. The format will hook readers with spacious type, boxed quotes, and large black-and-white photoson almost every double-page spread, from the horrifying view of the Klan marching with children to theyoung protestors waiting to be arrested. A fascinating look at a rarely covered event for both curriculumand personal interest. Chapter notes, a timeline, and a bibliography conclude. —Erin http://emliterary.com/news.php?select=2 http://emliterary.com/news.php?select=2 Wed, 01 Feb 2012 11:23:00 -0700 New Releases Is the unusually balmy weather in the East soothing you into thinking spring is on the way? Has the record snowfall and ice in the West reminded you that it's still winter? Whatever the season, check out our new books for February! We've Got a Job by Cynthia Levinson tells the true story of the Birmingham Children's March in May 1963, where children, voluntarily arrested and put in jail, brought desegregation to an entire city, published by Peachtree. The Jade Notebook by Laura Resau wraps up her Notebook series (The Indigo Notebook, The Ruby Notebook), continuing the story of Zeeta searching for her father and learning a lot about herself along the way, published by Delacorte/Random House. Clorinda Plays Baseball! by Robert Kinerk (Steven Kellogg, illus.) continues the story of the amazing cow, Clorinda, and how she fares playing bovine baseball, published by Paula Wiseman Books/S&S. So You Want To Be a Rock Star by Audrey Vernick (Kirstie Edmunds, illus.) is the essential primer on everything rock ’n’ roll, published by Walker/Bloomsbury. We wish these book into readers' hearts! —Erin  http://emliterary.com/news.php?select=3 http://emliterary.com/news.php?select=3 Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:28:00 -0700 Awards & Recognition Tricia and I attended the ALA Midwinter Convention in Dallas, where we stuck around to attend the ALA Youth Media Awards announcements live on Monday morning. It's always fun and interesting to hear the announcements instead of having them filtered through Twitter or Facebook feeds--and this time it was especially fun, when my recently signed client Duncan Tonatiuh's name was read out as the recipient of the Pura Belpré Illustrator Award, for his book Diego Rivera! Duncan was also recognized by the Belpre committee with an illustrator honor designation last year for Dear Primo. Much of the focus at Midwinter is on the work of the awards committees. Some of them are open, and you can sit in and listen to discussions, and there is an awareness of them that hums through the exhibit hall and the events of the convention. That hum continues well into the week, as the committees' final choices are not all announced Monday morning. Now that the lists are up, we are so pleased to have even more books on even more lists! On the Notable Children's Books list: Stars, by Mary Lyn Ray (illustrated by Marla Frazee) Diego Rivera, written and illustrated by Duncan Tonatiuh On the Best Fiction for Young Adults list: Liar's Moon, by Elizabeth C. Bunce Words in the Dust, by Trent Reedy The Queen of Water, by Laura Resau and Maria Virginia Farinango On the Quick Picks for Reluctant Young Adult Readers list: Can I See Your I.D.?, by Chris Barton (illustrated by Paul Hoppe) And on the Amelia Bloomer list: Flutter, by Erin E. Moulton The Queen of Water, by Laura Resau and Maria Virginia Farinango Words in the Dust, by Trent Reedy Huge congratulations to all! —Erin