ABOUT ATHENEUM
Founded in 1961 by Jean Karl, Atheneum Books for Young Readers is known for publishing enduring literary middle grade, teen and picture book titles. The imprint has garnered over two dozen Newbery and Caldecott Medals and Honors throughout its celebrated history. It has also published a list of books that have won innumerable awards and accolades including: Coretta Scott King medals, National Book Award nominations, PEN USA Literary Awards, New York Times best-sellers and being named to countless state reading lists. Our commitment to publishing commercial books with outstanding literary merit is evident in every title we acquire as well as in our extensive backlist. Atheneum holds tight to this same publishing integrity as we look to ahead to new formats—high-end novelty properties, graphic novels, visual storytelling—for our esteemed list of authors and illustrators.
Justin Chanda, VP & Publisher
Justin joined editorial staff at Simon & Schuster in 2005 after an eight year stint at HarperCollins Children’s Books. A graduate of New York University, Justin was named publisher of the S&S Books for Young Readers imprint in 2007 and McElderry Books and Atheneum Books for Young Readers in 2009. He is keenly interested in publishing books that are equal parts commercial and literary, books that make a contribution to the tradition, while truly entertaining kids. Aside from having the honor of working with the best editorial staff in the industry, he also has the opportunity to edit some of its best talent including the likes of: Jon Scieszka, David Shannon, Loren Long, Kenneth Oppel, Patricia MacLachlan, Mac Barnett, Adam Rex and Michael Ian Black.
Caitlyn Dlouhy, Editorial Director
Give her a voice that startles or sings, spits or seduces, or just plain cracks her up, and Caitlyn Dlouhy will be interested. She publishes everything from middle grade and teen fiction to picturebooks, as well as a smattering of graphic novels, non-fiction and poetry, and most prefers the unusual and the unexpected—stories that stay with the reader long after the last page is turned. Her books have been awarded a Newbery Medal and Honor, Coretta Scott King Awards in both writing and illustration, Edgar Awards and Christopher Medals, PEN USA Literary Awards, and been chosen as a National Book Award finalist. They’ve topped the New York Times bestseller list (and also the top of the most banned books in America list). She works with Kathi Appelt, Jennifer Bradbury, Ashley Bryan, Andrew Clements, Laura Cornell, Doreen Cronin, Frances O’Roark Dowell, Sharon Draper, Richard Egielski, Heather Henson, Oscar Hijuelos, Cynthia Kadohata, Betsy Lewin, Alison McGhee, Phyllis Reynolds Naylor, Peter Reynolds, and David Small, just to name a few. Look for these up-coming publications to get a taste of what Caitlyn has been up to lately: Falling In, Out of My Mind, Dream of Night, Boom Boom Go Away, So Many Days, Zebrafish, Keeper, Gumption, All Things Bright and Beautiful, Nothing and We the Children.
RESOURCES
Namrata Tripathi, Executive Editor
Namrata Tripathi joined Atheneum Books for Young Readers in December 2008. She edits fiction and nonfiction picture books, middle grade, and YA (and the occasional extraordinary graphic novel). She has the pleasure of working with Ian Falconer, James Howe, Christopher Myers, Lane Smith, and Judith Viorst among others and has launched several author-illustrators such as Julian Hector, Lita Judge, and John Rocco. She is interested in finding young, bold picture books and older fiction with unique voices and unexpected characters. She strives to create a list at Atheneum full of literary voices with broad appeal, and illustrators with fresh eyes who will tell stories that are honest, humorous, and heartbreaking.
Ariel Colletti, Assistant Editor
Ariel assists Caitlyn Dlouhy and Richard Jackson on a wide variety of young adult, middle grade, and picture books. She is particularly enthusiastic about finding endearing and adventurous middle-grade novels and contemporary YA, but finds herself drawn to anything with an original, irresistible voice. Before coming to Simon & Schuster, Ariel worked at the independent publishing company Square One Publishers.
Michael L. Printz Award Winner
and William C. Morris YA Debut Award Winner
WHERE THINGS COME BACK
by John Corey Whaley
National Jewish Book Award Winner, Children and Young Adult Literature Category
DEADLY
by Julie Chibbaro
Michael L. Printz Honor Book,
Batchedler Honor Book, and
ALA 2011 Best Fiction for
Young Adults
NOTHING by Janne Teller
Schneider Family Book Award Winner, Picture Book
THE PIRATE OF KINDERGARTEN
by George Ella Lyon, illustrated by Lynne Avril
RED SLED by Lita Judge
received starred reviews from
Kirkus, SLJ and Publishers Weekly.
CRAFTY CHLOE by Kelly DiPucchio,
illustrated by Heather Ross, received
a starred review from Kirkus.
JAZZ AGE JOSEPHINE
by Jonah Winter,
illustrated by Marjorie Priceman,
received starred reviews from Booklist,
Publishers Weekly and Kirkus.
TRAPPED by Marc Aronson
received starred reviews from SLJ, PW,
Booklist and The Horn Book.
CITY OF ORPHANS by Avi
received starred reviews from PW,
Kirkus and Booklist and was named a
"Best Children's Books of 2011" by Kirkus.
THE MAN IN THE MOON
by William Joyce
received a starred review from
Publishers Weekly and was praised
in the New York Times Book Review.
I MUST HAVE BOBO!
by Eileen and Mark Rosenthal
was chosen as a New York Times
Notable Children's Book of 2011.
WITCHLANDERS by Lena Coakly
recieved starred reviews from
SLJ, Kirkus and Publishers Weekly.
John Corey Whaley, author of
WHERE THINGS COME BACK,
was selected as a National Book Foundation's
"5 Under 35" pick by National Book
Award Fiction winner Oscar Hijuelos.
NEW RELEASES
OUR EDITORIAL TEAM
Seasonal Catalog
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Backlist Catalog
See our titles from previous seasons ►
Activity and Colour Sheets
See all titles with activity sheets ►
Anne Zafian, VP & Deputy Publisher
As Deputy Publisher, Anne Zafian works closely with the Publisher on key aspects of our business. She oversees our marketing team and marketing plans and works closely with both the sales team and supply chain organization to maximize sales and manage inventory. Anne has been with Simon & Schuster for more than five years, previously as a VP in our sales department responsible for both adult and children’s book sales. Prior to that, she worked at what is now known as Hachette Book Group USA, including Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, where her love of children’s books was first fostered.
Richard Jackson, Editorial Director, Richard Jackson Books
Richard Jackson has discovered some of the most significant authors in the field of youth literature, including Judy Blume, Paula Fox, George Ella Lyon, Virginia Hamilton, Chris Raschka, Angela Johnson and Brian Floca. He has brought forth writers who have challenged and widened the range of acceptable topics for youth literature, as well as authors and illustrators who have broadened the reach of multicultural youth publishing.
Jackson co-founded Bradbury Press in 1968, Orchard in 1986, and DK Ink in 1996. He retired from publishing in June 2005, but continues to be the Editorial Director of Richard Jackson Books, an imprint of Atheneum Books for Young Readers. In his forty-eight year career, Jackson has published many award-winning authors and illustrators, and launched many young careers. Citations for works he has edited or published include: sixteen Newbery or Newbery Honors; five Caldecott or Caldecott Honors; one National Book Award, two Coretta Scott King Medals or honors; one Edgar Award, two Sibert Honors, seven Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards or honors; one Scott O’Dell Award; one Charlotte Zolotow Award and two Mildred Batchelder Awards.
He has served as the Chairman of the Children’s Book Council, gave the 2005 Arbuthnot Honor lecture and has been honored with a LMP Award for Editorial Excellence and in March, 2002, the Otter Award, given by the booksellers of Northern California.
Dani Young, Editorial Assistant
Dani joined Simon & Schuster in 2010 and assists Justin Chanda and Anne Zafian. She spends her time reading just a little too much, but managed to squeeze in an English degree and Classics minor at the University of California: Irvine, internships at Scholastic, Levine Greenberg Literary Agency, and Bloosmbury USA Children’s Books. She recently received an M.S. in Publishing at New York University. When she’s not busy, she still loves to get lost in a great story with strong, likeable characters, particularly YA fiction of the fantasy, dystopian, historical, and romance variety.
Click here to see our manuscript submission policy.
LATEST NEWS
AWARD WINNERS
Emma Ledbetter, Editorial Assistant
Ruta Rimas, Associate Editor
Ruta Rimas joined Simon & Schuster in July 2011. She edits and acquires picture books, middle-grade novels, and teen novels for both the Atheneum and Margaret K. McElderry imprints. Prior to S&S, Ruta worked for the Balzer + Bray imprint at HarperCollins. She’s had the honor and privilege of working with some of the most talented authors and illustrators in the industry, including Laura Numeroff, Felicia Bond, Kadir Nelson, Heidi Ayarbe, Dan Wells, Maryrose Wood, Elissa Brent Weissman, Melissa Wiley, Janet Ruth Young, and many others. Ruta loves characters that come to life on the pages, stories that resonate long after the last page is read, and fiction that challenges our preconceived notions of the world.
