The Editors Panel!

top row: moderator Lin Oliver, sign language interpreter Brian Truitt, and Carol Hinz
middle row: Emily Feinberg, Kandace Coston, and Melissa Manlove
lower row: Sydnee Monday and Farrin Jacobs

Moderated by Lin Oliver, the panelists discuss what they're publishing and why, and then answer some audience questions.

Highlights include:

Kandace Coston, Assistant Editor, Lee & Low Books:

Kandace is looking for "strong female protagonists...unapologetic women who have been overlooked by history" but "whose contributions to society cannot be ignored."

Kandace speaks of POC and native creators and other underrepresented communities, and how Lee & Low's New Voices contest has for the last 20 years worked to create a path to publication for those creators and stories. (One of her responsibilities now is to read the hundreds of submissions that come in for the contest.)

She discusses the demand for greater diversity, and how "writing nonfiction can become a form of activism."

She recalls watching Hidden Figures in the movie theater, and the impact the true story of a brilliant group of Black women mathematicians might have had on her if she'd seen it as a young person.

Nonfiction is "an opportunity to break stereotypes... and the story of how our country is more multifaceted than we know."

Emily Feinberg, Editor, Roaring Brook Press

Emily shares about some of the books she's published, starting with picture books, and considers the through-line of many of the books she's worked on.

If Sharks Disappeared is a series that started as an infographic that Emily saw online, and then contacted the illustrator.

She cautions that she doesn't do a lot of picture book biographies as they can seem "wikipedia-ish," but then speaks of "Secret Engineer: How Emily Roebling Built the Brooklyn Bridge" as an example of how to do it right.

For older readers, she encourages playing with how a story is told, like the transcripts of sourced quotes in “Bringing Down a President: The Watergate Scandal.” 

Emily says her goal with nonfiction is 

"To give young readers the tools they need to be part of the conversation... To impart knowledge in way that sticks."

Carol Hinz, Editorial Director, Millbrook Press & CarolRhoda Books at Lerner

Carol is looking for “books that spark my curiosity, and that I think will spark the curiosity of parents, educators, and most of all, young people.” 

Carol shares categories and titles she publishes, including picture books that address science concepts in fresh ways, topics that may be be unexpected or "difficult," and middle grade nonfiction picture books on environmental themes (especially highlighting scientists of color and underrepresented backgrounds.)

She mentions science literacy, saying "the pandemic has made it clear what a poor job we've done with this in the US." She would love to see some novel approaches to help young people become more scientifically literate.

Overall, Carol says that about nonfiction, she loves "just how much is possible, in terms of topics and approaches," with Point of View and voice.

Farrin Jacobs, Editorial Director, Little Brown Books for Young Readers

Farrin discusses how Malala's story lent itself to spinning off to other formats, taking an anecdote from Malala's autobiography and making a picture book, and now even a chapter book. 

She speaks about how if its not a "big person with a big platform" then they're "looking for a story that will be picked up" for things like all-school reads and state lists and "have that long tail."

It's "all about stories and characters," and she talks about big idea books, and telling underserved stories.

Farrin says, "we're reaching readers when they're still developing" so she wants stories that help develop empathy, with "characters who feel and think."

Melissa Manlove, Senior Editor, Chronicle Books

With nonfiction, Melissa tells us that "you can do so many things."

And Melissa challenges us to ask ourselves, "What can I do that is new? What can I do that is surprising, and inspiring to kids?"

Sydnee Monday, Assistant Editor, Kokila/Penguin Random House

Sydnee explains that she's "Focused on publishing subversive, entertaining narratives" and especially the stories of Black, Indigenous and Queer people.

One example Sydnee mentions is the upcoming "Not Everyone Is Going To Like You" by Rinny Perkins

She speaks of self-sufficient marginalized communities, and using her list to celebrate underrepresented subjects and audiences. She's looking, in particular, for YA nonfiction.

Thanks to all the editors!

Carol Hinz - Elements of Excellent Nonfiction: From Picture Books to Young Adult

Carol Hinz

Carol Hinz is editorial director of Millbrook Press and Carolrhoda Books, divisions of Lerner Publishing Group. She acquires and edits picture books as well as photo-driven nonfiction. Recent books she’s edited include Can I Touch Your Hair? Poems of Race, Mistakes, and Friendship by Irene Latham, Charles Waters, Sean Qualls, and Selina Alko, Let ’Er Buck: George Fletcher, the People’s Champion by Vaunda Micheaux Nelson and Gordon C. James, and Sachiko, A Nagasaki Bomb Survivor’s Story by Caren Stelson.

Something Carol Hinz loves about her job is seeing how authors and illustrators use the power of their creativity within the confines of nonfiction standards. She also believes nonfiction for young readers plays an essential role in our society, because kids are passionately curious about everything, and nonfiction is a way to support their growth into our future doctors, teachers, scientists, scholars, and voters.

Carol is actively seeking submissions from Indigenous and PoC book creators, and not just those which focus on issues of identity or historical/current injustice. She wants to publish books by a diverse range of creators on a diverse range of subjects, including science and general history. She strongly urges white book creators to refrain from tacitly or overtly asking people of color for permission to write cross-culturally, because it's simply not possible to give permission for such a choice - if we want to write cross-culturally but don't know enough to do so accurately and respectfully, we need to either do the intense and deep research necessary to acquire that knowledge and insight, or choose to not write that book.

Follow Carol Hinz on Twitter.

Editors Panel: Carol Hinz

Ready to share
tips with attendees

Carol Hinz is the Editorial Director of Carolrhoda Books and Millbrook Press for Lerner Publishing. She edits picture books and middle grade nonfiction for these trade imprints.

Carol described herself as a bookish child. Although others tried to push her toward teaching, she knew she needed to find a job where she could work daily with people love books as much as she does. After some time working and studying in New York, she wanted to return home and accepted a job at Lerner—an independent family owned publishing company in Minneapolis.

When asked what moves her emotionally and intellectually to say "this" is the one? She responded, "So what? Why should I care about this? Why will others care about this? The topic has to be compelling, fit the curriculum, speak to children, engage educators and work within the imprint. Above all, it has to be a book we can sell. I receive some wonderful manuscripts, but we're not the publisher for every book. That's why we have so many different publishers because we do not all have the same focus and strengths.

Enjoying a moment with Carol Hinz

before the conference begins

Carol shared two definite turn offs in submissions:

• "I would be willing to revise." 
• "My neighbor did the illustrations."

Carol noted that revision is a given in this business. Similarly, unless the artwork has been done by someone with an art background, a poorly illustrated book will lose the message the book wants to convey.

For more information about Carol Hinz, follow her on Twitter.

















For more information about Carol, follow her on Twitter.