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Middle Passage: Comments from the Editor
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From: Megan Schliesman <Schliesman>
Date: Thu, 24 Jun 1999 08:58:07 -0500
Phyllis Fogelman, who was Tom Feelings editor at Dial for many years, has asked us to post the following that she would like to share with the CCBC-Net community:
I have been Tom Feelings's editor since 1968 when I asked him to illustrate Julius Lester's TO BE A SLAVE. When Tom started working on THE MIDDLE PASSAGE in 1975, I knew that it would be a very important book. He (and therefore I) thought it would be a 32- or 40-page picture book for older children that I would publish in 1976. However, as Tom continued working on THE MIDDLE PASSAGE for twenty years, it seemed to me that it had the possibility of changing how people-especially the young-could learn about, and even more important, understand the depth of the tragedy of the Middle Passage and therefore, the underpinnings of our country. Early on I felt that it was likely to be the most important book I would edit/publish. Throughout my thirty-two years as publisher of Dial, from time to time, I published crossover books, and when my authors create such books, I expect to continue doing so in my new role as publisher of Phyllis Fogelman Books. So I worked out the myriad of details to publish THE MIDDLE PASSAGE as a crossover book. It had a full page in the Viking Adult catalog and in the Dial Books for Young Readers catalog as well. It was sold to the chains and general bookstores as an adult book and was also sold to children's bookstores. We promoted it to libraries for older children and young adults. I listed it in the Dial catalog for ages 10 and up, but personally I would show it to an 8-year-old. These are just a few of the details involved in getting this important and moving book to a broad spectrum of readers. We also sent Tom on tour, and he autographed in bookstores throughout the country-many of them African American bookstores. It was an ALA Notable Children's Book and winner of the Coretta Scott King Award.
The 50,000-copy first printing was $45; for the smaller second printing, the price had to be raised to $50. And we also did a Limited Edition for $250. I have always felt that Tom Feelings's book is incredibly important for Americans, young and old, to see and experience. Until all of us, white and black Americans alike, deal with our past, we will never be able to move on.
Phyllis Fogelman
Received on Thu 24 Jun 1999 08:58:07 AM CDT
Date: Thu, 24 Jun 1999 08:58:07 -0500
Phyllis Fogelman, who was Tom Feelings editor at Dial for many years, has asked us to post the following that she would like to share with the CCBC-Net community:
I have been Tom Feelings's editor since 1968 when I asked him to illustrate Julius Lester's TO BE A SLAVE. When Tom started working on THE MIDDLE PASSAGE in 1975, I knew that it would be a very important book. He (and therefore I) thought it would be a 32- or 40-page picture book for older children that I would publish in 1976. However, as Tom continued working on THE MIDDLE PASSAGE for twenty years, it seemed to me that it had the possibility of changing how people-especially the young-could learn about, and even more important, understand the depth of the tragedy of the Middle Passage and therefore, the underpinnings of our country. Early on I felt that it was likely to be the most important book I would edit/publish. Throughout my thirty-two years as publisher of Dial, from time to time, I published crossover books, and when my authors create such books, I expect to continue doing so in my new role as publisher of Phyllis Fogelman Books. So I worked out the myriad of details to publish THE MIDDLE PASSAGE as a crossover book. It had a full page in the Viking Adult catalog and in the Dial Books for Young Readers catalog as well. It was sold to the chains and general bookstores as an adult book and was also sold to children's bookstores. We promoted it to libraries for older children and young adults. I listed it in the Dial catalog for ages 10 and up, but personally I would show it to an 8-year-old. These are just a few of the details involved in getting this important and moving book to a broad spectrum of readers. We also sent Tom on tour, and he autographed in bookstores throughout the country-many of them African American bookstores. It was an ALA Notable Children's Book and winner of the Coretta Scott King Award.
The 50,000-copy first printing was $45; for the smaller second printing, the price had to be raised to $50. And we also did a Limited Edition for $250. I have always felt that Tom Feelings's book is incredibly important for Americans, young and old, to see and experience. Until all of us, white and black Americans alike, deal with our past, we will never be able to move on.
Phyllis Fogelman
Received on Thu 24 Jun 1999 08:58:07 AM CDT
