June 2001

What Is The Correct Format For Submitting Crossword Puzzles?

What is the correct format for submitting crossword puzzles? Do I need to draw the puzzle on plain paper or on some sort of graph? Do I send a blank copy of what the puzzle would look like in the magazine and another one with the answers in it? Thanks for any information you could give me.

When I was an editor at Children's Magic Window magazine I created several crossword puzzles for publication and we also published a few puzzles submitted by freelancers. Our puzzle submission guidelines were as follows: Submit a hand drawn, camera ready copy of the crossword grid with the blank numbered squares, and black squares filled in, along with a camera ready copy of the puzzle solution. Include the numbered clues for Across and Down, typewritten on separate sheets.

While that was several years ago, the keywords are "camera ready." These days there are crossword puzzle software programs for creating professional submissions. Crossword Compiler seems to be the most popular. Puzzles with Dave Fisher at About.com is a good resource for puzzle info, including a special section on the many different puzzle software programs available. Xword Interactive Crossword Puzzles is a fun site, allowing visitors to submit a word list to the Puzzle Generator in order to create a puzzle.

Highlights, Spider, and Cricket do publish crossword puzzles. I checked their guidelines but they don't specify the format for puzzle submissions. However, submitting a computer generated, camera ready crossword puzzle will greatly enhance your chance for acceptance.

Where Do I Find Reviewers For My Children's Book?

I am the author of the newly published children's book, Miracle Max... Missing in Maryland! So far I have received numerous "reviews" from family and friends, which have all been very positive. However, I would also like the feedback and opinions of other "unbiased" reviewers. Do you know where I can find a comprehensive list of children's book reviewers?

Congratulations on the publication of your new book!

I have compiled a list of Children's Book Reviewers at Writing World. Web site editors prefer email queries. The submission guidelines usually specify what to put in the subject line of your email, if not use "Book Review Request" or the title of your book. Book reviewers want to know as much as possible about your book before they read it. Provide a brief synopsis and a link to your web site. If your book has been reviewed, include blurbs from those reviews in your query to pique the editor's interest.

Here's a good format to follow:

Dear Editor, [or editor's name, if known],

I am the author of a new mystery for kids 8-12 years old [insert your own one line book description here].

Would you be interested in reviewing [book title] for [name of web site]? I'd be happy to send you a review copy.

Thank you.

[Your name]

[http://www.your web site URL link]

Book Title
Author
Publisher
ISBN

Brief synopsis -- about 25-50 words.

Review blurbs -- up to 25 words each.

I wish you all the best with your new book.

Should children's stories be told from an animal POV?

Should children's stories be told from an animal POV?

Giving human characteristics to objects or animals is known as anthropomorphism. Joseph Schwarcz, author of The Picture Book Comes of Age and Ways of the Illustrator, and one of the foremost scholars of illustrated books for children, has remarked that using anthropomorphic animals in children's books is obsolete and expresses a humiliating view of children.

In his article, "Getting Out of the Slush Pile," Charlesbridge Editor Harold Underdown calls them AAAs, or Anthropomorphized Alliterated Animals. According to Underdown, "This includes Sally Squirrel, Carter Carp, and Billy the Bossy Beetle. Publishers get hundreds of stories that fall into this category each year, as if a story is only a story for children if it has a talking animal with a cute name. Often, simply using human children works better in a story, since the AAAs behave neither like real animals nor like real children."

The Children's Book Insider article, "What's In and What's (Often) Wrong," addresses the use of talking animals: "Editors are sick of Sammy Squirrel and Max Mosquito. The same goes for Claude the Cloud, Billy the Button or any other inanimate object. Follow this rule: if it doesn't talk in real life, don't have it talk in your story." However in recognition of the fact that many popular children's books contain talking animals, the article explains further, "Talking animals aren't completely taboo, it's just that most writers don't do them very well. What's important is that your animals have completely developed, unique personalities and characteristics. You need to develop these characters just as carefully as if you were creating human characters. Too many writers use their animal characters as stereotypes, thinking kids will be immediately drawn to them just because they're animals. Everything your animals say and do should be a logical extension of their individual personalities. And give your readers some surprises. For example, a rabbit might not be cute and cuddly; he may be absentminded, selfish, or cunning. We suggest you read some previously published 'talking animal' books to get a sense of what we're talking about."

Stephanie Owens Lurie, President of Dutton Children's Books, says "write a good story." She prefers the author leave out any reference to species, human or otherwise, which gives the illustrator more freedom to create animal characters from the human-like actions and feelings in the story.

It's definitely risky to create a story from an animal's POV, the competition is stiff, therefore the story and the character must be exceptional. Make it your goal to tell a story, not teach a lesson.

For More Information:

Crossword Compiler

http://www.x-word.com/puzzlemaker/

Puzzles with Dave Fisher at About.com

http://puzzles.about.com/games/puzzles/mbody.htm

XWord Interactive Crossword Puzzles

http://vlc.polyu.edu.hk/XWord/xword.htm

Highlights for Children Puzzle Guidelines

http://www.highlightsforchildren.com/about/contribPuzzles.html

Spider and Cricket Magazines

http://www.cricketmag.com/

Children's Book Reviewers

http://www.writing-world.com/children/reviewers.shtml

Getting Out of the Slush Pile by Harold Underdown

http://www.underdown.org/slush.htm

Children's Writing: What's In and What's (Often) Wrong

http://write4kids.com/whatshot.html

Dutton Children's Books

http://www.penguinputnam.com/static/packages/us/about/children/duttonc.htm

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