EDEN ROSS LIPSON Journalist, Editor & Book Reviewer BIOGRAPHY I BOOKS I PRESENTATIONS I BOOK ORDERING
Of course, I always explain that I became a journalist because I read Laura Ingalls Wilder's Little House books over and over as a child. I loved the stories of the Ingalls family and their westward migration, but even more I loved the clearly described details about everything from slaughtering a pig to hemming a shirt and making pies. I recognized the power and appeal of precise language.
As the Children's Books editor, I have a unique vantage point looking at the lists of all publishers without the constraints of a bookstore, which must think about what will sell, or a library, thinking about the shape of collections and special requirements. In looking for books to cover in our monthly pages and twice yearly special issues, I see new talent and developing careers. I notice themes that appear in a particular season when, unintentionally, books on the same, or thematically twined subjects, appear simultaneously from different publishers.
In speaking with schoolchildren, I've most enjoyed conversations, rather than lecturing. They love to tell a stranger what they like and dislike, especially a stranger who appreciates their values and judgments, and often has suggestions for the next book to read.
In speaking with parents, I've most enjoyed the question and answer periods which range over decades of children's books adults have loved or questioned.
In addition to journalism (New York Times, Vogue, Parents, The Nation, and others), I've worked in other media, giving talks on both radio and television programs.
I'm married, have four children and live in New York City. |
I
am not a children's book author or illustrator. Rather, I am a
journalist and for 20 years I have been the Children's Books editor
of The New York Times, editing the most comprehensive
coverage of children's books available to parents, grandparents,
teachers and the general public. My book, The New York Times
Parent's Guide to the Best Books for Children, is in its
third edition, and a standard introduction to the field.