Kristin Daly

Kristin Daly began her career in children’s books as an editorial assistant on Golden Books’ Road to Reading line. She is now an Editor at HarperCollins Children’s Books, where she works on the I Can Read Books as well as on picture books. She is the editor of the recent I Can Read Books WHOSE HAT IS IT? by Valeri Gorbachev, I AM THE TURKEY by Michele Sobel Spirn, illustrated by Joy Allen, and HANUKKAH LIGHTS by Lee Bennett Hopkins, illustrated by Melanie Hall. Kristin lives in Bronx, NY.

Kristin is also one of the bravest souls I know -- she was willing to drive to Virginia with me.  That’s 6 hours, folks.  And I’m a terrible driver.

How are beginning readers different from picture books?

The major difference, to my mind, would be that picture books are generally read to a child, while beginning readers are usually read by a child who is just learning to read on his/her own. As such, easy-to-read books tend to be more structured than picture books, with a much simpler vocabulary and sentence structure, as well as a very literal connection between the text and the art.

How is the market for beginning readers different from other types of books? Who buys beginning readers -- kids or parents?

The market for beginning readers tends to be fairly constant, as there will always be children who are just learning how to read; however, as more and more publishing houses have gotten into the beginning reader market in recent years, the competition is becoming increasingly intense. Overall, as with picture books, it’s parents who tend to buy beginning readers, though perhaps with somewhat more input from their children.

What type of beginning reader do you consider to be in greatest demand?

Right now I would say that the books that seem to be in highest demand—at least in my recent experience—are those at the very youngest levels. For me, it’s the My First I Can Read level of books, which have extremely short sentences and simple, familiar words for children who are really just taking the first steps toward reading on their own. More generally speaking, strong, character-driven stories are always in demand!

How do beginning readers tie into school curriculum or how are they used in schools?

This differs quite a bit from publisher to publisher, and from school to school—even from teacher to teacher.

What is the average print run for a beginning reader? Are they published in hardcover and paperback always?

Print runs differ from publisher to publisher, as do the number/type of editions. Some beginning readers are published in paperback only. Others are published in simultaneous paperback and library editions. Harper is rare in that the I Can Read Books are published first in hardcover trade and library editions, followed by a paperback edition, usually about a year later.

What does an editor look for in an easy-to-read manuscript?

For the most part, the same things that we look for in any manuscript that we’d like to publish. Snappy dialogue. Strong, memorable characters. A compelling plot. The opportunity for a variety of illustrations, which is of course also important in picture books, but is even more so in the easy-to-reads—because the primary audience of easy-to-read books consists of children who are just learning to read on their own, it’s very important that there be a direct, literal relationship between the text and the art in order to help them better understand the story. And you can never underestimate the importance of good sense of rhythm and repetition in beginning readers.

What is the publishing process for beginning readers (i.e., is it very different from, say, a picture book?)?

I would say that the publishing process is roughly the same for both, since both easy-to-read books and picture books fall under the larger “picture book” umbrella. Because books in both genres are illustrated, once signed up, they tend to run on similar schedules.

How do illustrators get chosen for the easy-to-reads you work on?

Illustrators are chosen for easy-to-read books in much the same way they’re chosen for picture books. In general, editors and art directors are primarily looking for an artist who is going to respond to the manuscript in question, feel a connection to it, and really bring it to life for readers. There’s no real concrete process for doing this, however. Once I sign up a manuscript, I start at least thinking about possible illustrators right away. If I don’t already have someone in mind (most editors, I think, have a list of illustrators they’d like to work with), I’ll look through art samples, search my own bookshelves, and go to the bookstore. (I actually try to hit Barnes and Noble every few weeks, just to keep up with what’s out there.) Once I come up with a list of possible illustrators, I’ll meet with the Designer and Art Director—who have been compiling a list as well—and we’ll discuss our options. It’s really a collaborative process.