Tuesday, April 21, 2009

Watch for Grumpy Grandpa!


It's been a very busy season for me, with two books being published within a couple months of each other. Here's How I See It--Here's How It Is being published at the end of April, and Grumpy Grandpa, my latest picture book, comes out in July.

The beautiful and fun illustrations are by Ross McDonald, whose work has appeared in the New Yorker, Vanity Fair, and Time magazines, and whose children's books include Bad Baby, Another Perfect Day, and The Noisy Alphabet. It's a privilege to work with Ross. You can read all about him at his Web site, www.Ross-MacDonald.com.

Monday, April 20, 2009

Nice PW Review for Here's How I See It



My latest young adult novel, Here's How I See ItHere's How It Is, publishes this month (April 28), and I just got this very nice review from Publishers Weekly.
Here's How I See It—Here's How It Is Heather Henson. S&S/Atheneum, $16.99 (272p) ISBN 978-1-4169-4901-5

Throughout the school year, budding actress June “Junebug” Cantrell feels like a fish out of water. Summers, however, are different. Working as a stagehand at the Blue Moon Playhouse, a theater run by her actor/director father, Junebug usually basks in the company of grownups “who think I'm this funny, precocious, mature-for-my-age kid.” Unfortunately, the Blue Moon becomes less a refuge than a source of trauma the summer Junebug turns 13. Her father goes “totally gaga” over a pretty, young actress; her mother moves out; and Junebug is upstaged by intern Trace, whose odd behavior and soft stutter get on her nerves. Alternating Junebug's fantasies (“Here's how I see it: As a famous Broadway actress, there are so many demands on my time”) with her more mundane reality (“Here's how it is: Office Duty”), Henson (Making the Run) creates a funny, bittersweet story filled with colorful personalities and plenty of backstage detail and drama.
Readers will empathize with Junebug as she yearns for a place at center stage and for a happy ending for her broken family. Ages 10–14. (Apr.)

Pictures from the Christophers


I was honored to receive a prestigious Christopher Award (read all about them here) for That Book Woman. I traveled to New York City last week for the ceremony. It was exciting to meet all the other honorees, and to mingle with the recipients of the Special Christopher Award, the creators of Sesame Street.

Here I am with Oscar the Grouch!

Me with my wonderful editor Caitlyn Dlouhy.