5 Things I Learned at TLA

By Mandi Janikowski, Editor, School/Library Planning & Partnerships

Earlier this month I had the pleasure of attending my first Texas Library Association (TLA) conference in Dallas. What an amazing experience! From wandering the exhibit hall to sitting in on sessions to talking with librarians from all over the state, I learned so much in the three days I was there. It was an excellent reminder of why I wanted to get into the publishing industry in the first place. Read More

3 Key Components of Middle-Grade Novels

By Amy Fitzgerald, Senior Editor

I’ve been in a flurry of middle-grade manuscript acquisitions lately, which means I’ve been reading a lot of middle-grade submissions and buying some of my favorites. You’ll see them hitting shelves in a year or two, after the Carolrhoda book-making process has worked its magic.

Maybe you’re wondering how I decide which manuscripts I want to buy and publish. The answer is always shifting to some extent, but here are some constants that draw me to a story. Read More