According to Law, Egmont USA is still "gunning" toward fall '09 for its debut list, and the company is aiming for 15 titles for that list, with the goal of publishing around 50 per year. She was not able to disclose details about any book deals, but did note that she likely would be bringing another editor aboard "very quickly." Of her role as v-p and publisher, she says, "I'm really enjoying the challenge and seeing a lot of interesting things. It's an honor to have the chance to create a list and leave a footprint."

On the departure front, Dee Anne Grande (formerly with Little Simon Inspirations), Susan Burke (of Atheneum) and Renne Fountain (in subsidiary rights) have all been laid off. The layoffs are, according to Richter, a result of the creation of these "discrete units"—the trade group (which includes S&S Books for Young Readers, Atheneum Books for Young Readers and Margaret
K. McElderry Books), the media tie-in and novelty division, and a new unit that includes the Aladdin and Pulse imprints.

The restructuring, in addition to the layoffs, has created various title changes; in addition, there is one new hire: Stephanie Voros, who is joining the company as v-p, subsidiary rights; she is currently director of subsidiary rights at Little, Brown Books for Young Readers. Voros starts at S&S on March 10.   

Children at a refugee camp in Peshawar, Pakistan are intrigued by Four Feet, Two Sandals. Photo courtesy of Khadra Mohammed.

Mohammed, who is executive director of the Pittsburgh Refugee Center, arranged a tour of refugee camps and schools in several Pakistani cities facilitated by her colleagues at the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, a relief agency. Her two-week visit enabled her to share her book with children and to draw attention to the terrible conditions many refugees must endure. “The reaction of these girls was unbelievable—the best reward I could have,” Mohammed said of her reception. “This was the first book about refugee children they had ever seen and they were very proud. And to see girls on the cover, they were thrilled.”

Mohammed had her text translated into Pashton (the native language) so that the children could read it from sheets of paper while they looked at the book’s illustrations. She also donated 50 copies of the book (the most she could carry with her on the plane) to teachers, camp leaders and volunteers along her journey so it could be seen by as many children as possible.  

This compendium first appeared during an especially creative period for Silverstein, who in the same year also published The Giving Tree, A Giraffe and a Half and Who Wants a Cheap Rhinoceros? Asked about the decision to reissue Glump, Antonia Markiet, senior executive editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books, says, “It has been three years since the publication of Shel’s Runny Babbit and, as most people had never had the opportunity to own a copy of Glump, Shel’s family and HarperCollins felt it was a perfect time to bring this book back into print.” The publisher opted to change the book’s title since Silverstein eventually dropped his former “Uncle Shelby” moniker and removed it from other titles.