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MAX by Bob Graham
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From: Cynthia Platt <cynthia.platt>
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 2002 13:18:15 -0400
In response to the question about Bob Graham's books published by Candlewick and the extent to which they are Americanized, the answer is ever-so-slightly.
In MAX there were very minor spelling changes made (colour to color, etc.) and a few occasions where a word was replaced with something more familiar to young children in the U.S.
UK/Australia US cot crib budgie parakeet lampshade ceiling lamp finger marks fingerprints
And that's all for the whole book--still a pretty small number of actual changes other than those for spelling and punctuation! And this illustrates our primary motivation for changing anything -- to make certain that the story Bob is telling remains clear to his intended audience, young children.
Because Bob's settings and stories are quite universal (the small world of a child's back yard, a farm, adopting a new dog) there are not major changes between countries in the same way there may be Young Adult novels (a farm is a farm to a three year old but 10th grade is not the same in both countries to a fifteen year old). This allows for less "Americanizing." Moreover, Bob (who now lives in Australia again after several years in England) is writing books for an editor at Walker Books in London, knowing that they will be simultaneously published in the US (by Candlewick) and Australia (by Walker Books Australia) so he may be aware of keeping details that are very Australia-specific to a minimum. As Sonja Ackerman noted, the book that was published in Australia and the UK as BUFFY, used a name that children in the US would assume belonged to a girl, so it was changed to BENNY in the US with no disagreement from Bob.
Overall we try our utmost to keep the texts as Bob Graham wrote them. And his stories are magical!
Cynthia Platt Editor Candlewick Press 2067 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02140 www.candlewick.com
This message is intended solely for the use of the individual or organization to whom it is addressed and may contain confidential or copyrighted information. If you have received this message in error, please reply to the originator and delete it immediately. If you are not the intended recipient, you should not use, copy, alter, disseminate, print or disclose the contents of this message.
Information or opinions expressed in this message and/or any attachments are those of the author and are not necessarily those of Candlewick Press or its affiliates. Candlewick Press accepts no responsibility for loss or damage arising from its use, including damage from viruses. Note: Internet e-mails are not necessarily secure. Candlewick Press does not accept responsibility for changes made to this message after it was sent.
Received on Wed 17 Jul 2002 12:18:15 PM CDT
Date: Wed, 17 Jul 2002 13:18:15 -0400
In response to the question about Bob Graham's books published by Candlewick and the extent to which they are Americanized, the answer is ever-so-slightly.
In MAX there were very minor spelling changes made (colour to color, etc.) and a few occasions where a word was replaced with something more familiar to young children in the U.S.
UK/Australia US cot crib budgie parakeet lampshade ceiling lamp finger marks fingerprints
And that's all for the whole book--still a pretty small number of actual changes other than those for spelling and punctuation! And this illustrates our primary motivation for changing anything -- to make certain that the story Bob is telling remains clear to his intended audience, young children.
Because Bob's settings and stories are quite universal (the small world of a child's back yard, a farm, adopting a new dog) there are not major changes between countries in the same way there may be Young Adult novels (a farm is a farm to a three year old but 10th grade is not the same in both countries to a fifteen year old). This allows for less "Americanizing." Moreover, Bob (who now lives in Australia again after several years in England) is writing books for an editor at Walker Books in London, knowing that they will be simultaneously published in the US (by Candlewick) and Australia (by Walker Books Australia) so he may be aware of keeping details that are very Australia-specific to a minimum. As Sonja Ackerman noted, the book that was published in Australia and the UK as BUFFY, used a name that children in the US would assume belonged to a girl, so it was changed to BENNY in the US with no disagreement from Bob.
Overall we try our utmost to keep the texts as Bob Graham wrote them. And his stories are magical!
Cynthia Platt Editor Candlewick Press 2067 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA 02140 www.candlewick.com
This message is intended solely for the use of the individual or organization to whom it is addressed and may contain confidential or copyrighted information. If you have received this message in error, please reply to the originator and delete it immediately. If you are not the intended recipient, you should not use, copy, alter, disseminate, print or disclose the contents of this message.
Information or opinions expressed in this message and/or any attachments are those of the author and are not necessarily those of Candlewick Press or its affiliates. Candlewick Press accepts no responsibility for loss or damage arising from its use, including damage from viruses. Note: Internet e-mails are not necessarily secure. Candlewick Press does not accept responsibility for changes made to this message after it was sent.
Received on Wed 17 Jul 2002 12:18:15 PM CDT
