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ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: THE WORST MASCOT EVER
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE: 2/1/1961
WEBSITE: http://www.jamespreller.com/
CITY:
STATE:
COUNTRY:
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: SATA 293
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
ADDRESS
CAREER
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
School Library Journal Oct., 2018. Preller” Contemporary Authors Online, Gale, 2016. Literature Resource Center, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/H1000121129/LitRC?u=schlager&sid=LitRC&xid=38372595. Accessed 14 Nov. 2018. Persohn, Lindsay. “James, “PRELLER, James. The Worst Mascot Ever.”. p. 63.
School Library Journal Aug., 2017. Makoff, Erfeen. , “Preller, James. Better Off Undead.”. p. 91.
School Library Journal May, 2017. Petrie, Gina. , “Preller, James. The Case from Outer Space.”. p. 74.
School Library Journal Aug., 2016. Walters, Laurie Slagenwhite. , “Preller, James. The Courage Test.”. p. 94+.
Kirkus Reviews Oct. 1, 2018, , “Preller, James: THE WORST MASCOT EVER.”.
Booklist Oct. 15, 2017, John Peters, “Better Off Undead.”. p. 55+.
Publishers Weekly Sept. 18, 2017, review of Better Off Undead. p. 71+.
Booklist July 1, 2017, Carolyn Phelan, “The Case from Outer Space.”. p. 57.
Booklist Aug. 1, 2016, John Peters, “The Courage Test.”. p. 65.
Bio
35
That shirt, that hair, that light fixture, that wallpaper! That was me in the 1970’s.
Here I sit at age 55 — my birthday is 2/1/61 for you trivia buffs at home — and one of life’s surprises is that I never grew up. At least, not in the way I imagined I would. I’m bigger and older, sure. Not the skinny beanpole I used to be. Now I must carefully trim the hair that grows out of my nose and ears (no one had warned me about that!). But I still like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. I find that I still care — deeply, foolishly, insanely — about the score of professional baseball games. I mean to say: I care the same way that I cared when I was ten years old. I used to think that we were supposed to “grow out” of those childish things, discard our younger selves like an old pair of jeans. But now I know that people don’t grow that way. I’m still that kid. I am the youngest of seven children. I was born during a snowstorm. I grew up in Wantagh, Long Island. I had four older brothers, two older sisters, and a perfectly satisfactory pair of parents whom I called “Mom” and “Dad.” When I was quite young, with everyone else off to school, I used to draw pictures and make homemade comic books that I sold to friends and neighbors. Was I dreaming of becoming an author? No, absolutely not. I fully intended to play baseball for the New York Mets. But I did enjoy making up stories, creating my own little worlds. In a way, I had my own publishing company, complete with door-to-door product distribution. When you think about it, I pretty much do the same thing today. I’m still making up stories. It’s my job.
Here’s all seven kids in my family: Neal, Bill, Barbara, Al, John, Jean, and me, as my mother still says, “the baby.”
Those childhood years were important to me. And I bet they are pretty important to you, too. I don’t think of children as unfinished products, like minor league baseball players hoping to get to the “big leagues” of adulthood. Somehow we’re all the same, young and old alike; or, I guess, we’re just not nearly as different as some folks pretend. I still remember being a kid. I still feel those feelings. And it’s not like I’m looking back on fifty years on the planet and watching what happened to some other person. That was me, the same “me” that I am today. When I write books for children, I often call upon those childhood memories, those feelings, that person I (once) was. And what I discover is that he’s always there, whispering in my ear, that ten-year-old kid. Still me.
I think the greatest gift of my writing life for children has been that it’s forced me to reflect deeply on my own childhood, and the people who were important to me in those years. The older you get, the more memory fills you up; there’s more past than future; and now I look back with newfound appreciation and humility. I’ve been a lucky guy.
Anyway, the years rolled by and I went to college in Oneonta, New York. I graduated in 1983. I worked as a waiter for a year, then was hired as a copywriter for Scholastic publishers in New York. I worked on the SeeSaw Book Club, writing blurbs about literally thousands of children’s books. It was during this time when I first “met” authors (through their books) such as James Marshall, Arnold Lobel, Maurice Sendak, Bernard Waber, Eric Carle, Joanna Cole, William Steig, and many more. This experience inspired me to write books of my own. My first picture book was called MAXX TRAX: Avalanche Rescue, published 1986, and no longer in print. It was about super-powered trucks. But it was also about being the youngest, the smallest, the one who wasn’t included in the “big kid” games. You see, I knew those feelings from my own life. For this book, I gave those feelings to a truck named “Little Brother.”
Here’s a sample of my early work. Notice that I wrote the numbers backwards, and taped the book on the wrong side. I guess I’m just a lefty from Long Island after all!
Since then, I have been fortunate enough to publish a variety books, ranging from movie adaptations to Hello Readers, nonfiction books about sports and animals, even a book for teachers. I have written under various pen names, including Mitzy Kafka, James Patrick, and Izzy Bonkers. I have even been a ghost writer for other people who were too busy to write their own books!
I’m probably best known for writing the “Jigsaw Jones” mystery series. Or, at least, those are the books that brought me some recognition as an author. I love those characters, their kindness and decency, with and charm. Good tales, well told, I’d say. But I’ve also been busy with a number of other projects. Six Innings came out in March, 2008, and I’m proud of it. It’s published by Feiwel & Friends, in hardcover, and the whole process was a great experience for me. I was thrilled when it was named an ALA Notable Book; finally, after all these years, to see librarians and reviewers take notice of my work. I’ll never forget who my real readers are, but it’s always nice when an adult approved, too.
Along Came Spider (Scholastic) came out that same year and was named to the New York Public Library’s list of “100 Books for Reading and Sharing.” Like Six Innings, it deals with friendship under duress. And, hey, isn’t it always? The Spring of 2009 saw the publication of a hardcover picture book, Mighty Casey, again with Feiwel & Friends; it’s a twist on the classic poem, “Casey At the Bat,” featuring the hilarious artwork of Matthew Cordell. Both Spider and Casey have subsequently gone out of print. That’s the publishing world these days. If it doesn’t sell big right away, it goes away. These truths are hard for an author. But like everyone, we have to face that rejection and move forward, still believing in ourselves. Not always easy!
41m-cvcfcxl-_sx337_bo1204203200_Bystander (Feiwel and Friends) came out in Fall, 2009. It’s an important book for me, as it deals with bullying in a Middle School. Hopefully readers will find it tense and exciting and see their world realistically conveyed. It was named a 2009 Junior Library Guild Selection and earned many favorable reviews, including this starred review from School Library Journal: “Preller has perfectly nailed the middle school milieu, and his characters are well developed with authentic voices. The novel has a parablelike quality, steeped in a moral lesson, yet not ploddingly didactic. The action moves quickly, keeping readers engaged. The ending is realistic: there’s no strong resolution, no punishment or forgiveness. Focusing on the large majority of young people who stand by mutely and complicitly, ithis must-read book is a great discussion starter.” This book has brought me into many middle schools across the country, and it’s been a profound honor (and responsibility) to talk to sophisticated students not only about my life as a writer, but also about issues of compassion, and empathy, and kindness.
In 2010, we saw the publication of two new hardcover books. First out, there’s A Pirate’s Guide to First Grade, a picture book. The illustrations are by Greg Ruth and he is a big-time talent. Kirkus Reviews called it “good fun, me hearties!” and I agree. I had to study up on talking like a pirate to write that one. In August, Scholastic published Justin Fisher Declares War!, a middle-grade book (ages 8-12) that is set in the same school as Along Came Spider. It brought back some of the same characters in minor roles, while shifting the focus to entirely new ones. It’s the same world, it’s just gotten a little bigger. This light-hearted, humorous tale should be an easy, breezy read. It was my first book after Bystander, so I was looking for something gentler, simpler, and funnier.
My first true Young Adult novel, Before You Go, was published in July, 2012. (Be careful, it might set the world on fire — or not! It’s hard to say.) The book is set on Long Island — with many scenes at Jones Beach — and features 16-year-old characters. It’s been a very happy, rewarding writing experience. I took my time on it, because sometimes you simply need to write the book you need to write.
On July, 2012, I published the first book in my SCARY TALES Series. My inspiration was the old “Twilight Zone” TV series. Different settings, characters, even genre, all somehow unified by a tone and the delivery of the promise: You’ll get something a little weird, with varying degrees of creepy, and always with a twist. I love these books. The first book in the series, Home Sweet Horror, won a 2013 Cybil Award in the category of early chapter books. There are six titles in all.
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What else? In the summer of ’13 came A Pirates Guide to Recess, the sequel to A Pirate’s Guide to First Grade, both illustrated by the incredible, spectacular Greg Ruth. Early in 2014, I handed in a manuscript to The Fall, a book which I consider to be a companion to Bystander. It deals with many of the same issues. The concept for the book is that it’s written in the first-person, a boy who has been engaged in some cyber-bullying is writing in his journal, recounting the traumatic events of the past year or so. If you liked Bystander, this is the book for you.
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2016 saw the publication of The Courage Test. It was named a 2016 Junior Library Guild Selection, ties directly into the Lewis & Clark Trail, and has earned many favorable reviews, including this starred review from Booklist.
Last in 2016, I handed in a revised manuscript for a wild, environmentally-concerned book (set in the near future!) that I first started writing in 2010, titled Better Off Undead. It begins with a 13-year-old boy, Adrian Lazarus, who becomes a zombie and, there being not much else to do, goes off to middle school. I see him as the ultimate misfit. And from there, the book slowly gets weirder, with tons of social commentary and satire. This book should see the light of day in 2017.
img_2054Perhaps most exciting of all, 2017 will see the publication of a brand-new Jigsaw Jones book, The Case from Outer Space, and the reprinting of four previously out-of-print titles, now with Macmillan: The Case of the Mummy Mystery, The Case of the Bicycle Bandit, The Case of the Smelly Sneaker, and The Case of the Glow-in-the-Dark Ghost. I’m so pleased to see these books back in print — and hopefully in the hands of a new generation of readers.
In the meantime, I still live in good old Delmar, New York (near Albany), with my wife, Lisa, and two children: Gavin and Maggie. Our oldest, Nick, now lives and works in downtown Albany. We have two cats and a golden doodle named Daisy. And that, dear readers, is entirely far too much about me!
Q & A
3
I was asked to answer questions to be included in the back matter of the paperback edition of The Fall (October, 2016). You’ll find those answers below. At the bottom, “Part 2,” I’ve included a few old answers from previous questions.
Thanks for your interest.
PART 1
What did you want to be when you grew up?
As a southpaw from Long Island, I dreamed of pitching for the New York Mets. However, the Mets did not share that dream.
When did you realize you wanted to be a writer?
As a young kid, ages 8-10, I used to invent these elaborate dice games that revolved around baseball. Roll a seven, the batter strikes out; roll a three, he hits a double. I filled entire notebooks with the box scores of these imaginary games. Looking back across the decades I realize that: 1) Dice games? OMG, I’m getting old; and 2) I was experiencing, and passionately seeking out, the core experience of being a writer. I was alone with an empty notebook and a pen in my hand. Later in life, those fictional baseball statistics became words and stories. Sometime in college, around my sophomore year, I began to dream about becoming a writer.
What’s your favorite childhood memory?
There are so many and they come in such a disordered jumble, like the splatters of an action painting by Jackson Pollack. I have snippets and impressions. Overall, the feeling is of being small in a crowded household. Being safe, being loved, being entertained. One story: I shared a room with two older brothers, John and Al, when I was quite young. John had an electric guitar and at night, he would turn off the lights and scare me with it. He’d hit a low note, make creepy noises in a deep voice, and I would hide in the darkness under the bed – shivering with fear and loving it.
As a young person, who did you look up to most?
I looked up to my brothers and sisters. I was the seventh and last child, at last eight years younger than the five oldest. So we weren’t exactly peers. I was a kid and they were teenagers, buying cars and surfboards, going out on dates and getting into fights. It was like living with aliens from another planet. Each brother and sister was remarkable and mysterious in his own way. Neil was the resident moody genius, who passed on to me his love of NYC and Bob Dylan; Bill was the motorhead, working at gas stations and going off to war in Vietnam. John had “Popeye” muscles; Al was, and still is, the stable, reliable one. Barbara was the oldest girl, off and married at a very young age; Jean was the nearest to my age, just three and a half years older, and therefore probably my clearest rival.
What was your favorite thing about school?
PE and recess, of course. This is a question that depends so much on age. But I think friendship was the biggest thing for me, moving beyond the world of family into the larger realm of classmates and neighbors. By high school, my friends were my world, and school brought us all together.
What were your hobbies as a kid? What are your hobbies now?
Do kids have hobbies? It seems like the wrong word for it. I’m sure I was pretty sports obsessed; I was active and athletic. Music has always been a presence in my life. The accumulated family record collection was pretty incredible, and for some reason I really connected to those records at a young age. The thing I wish for every young reader is to have passions, interests, things that get your blood pumping. In general, for me, that’s usually connected to the arts in some way. Books, movies, music, paintings, etc. But I have to admit, thinking about my teenage years, we spent a lot of time hanging out. Getting together with a few friends and doing a lot of nothing much. When I look at the lives of my own children, that’s a part that seems missing in today’s world. There’s just not enough free time. I loved hanging out! Is that a hobby?
Did you play sports as a kid?
Socially, I played a ton of football and basketball and baseball with friends. On an organized level, I wrestled a little bit, and I played baseball in school. As I got older, I stopped identifying with the so-called “jocks” in my school. We were awfully stratified by grades 7-8, everyone in his or her “group,” so sports faded away as a powerful presence in my life, only to reaffirm itself once again as I became a father of three active children.
What was your first job, and what was your “worst” job?
I was a busboy in a restaurant during high school, working Tuesday and Wednesday nights at the Circle M Diner on Wantagh Avenue. Most fabulously, I worked in a record store at a “mini mall” in Levittown, on Long Island. I used to hitchhike to work after school. It was a different world at that time. I was crazy about music –- still am! –- and this job just felt like the coolest thing ever. In the summer, I worked at various Jones Beach concessions. I gave that job to the main character in the book Before You Go. We had a lot of fun. I also washed dishes in a couple of restaurants, and that’s a job that eventually gets old.
What book is on your nightstand now?
I mostly read adult books. I just finished with Norwegian Wood by Haruk Murakami, who is a beautiful writer; the book before that was Intruder in the Dust by William Faulkner. Now I’m reading a nonfiction book about the civil rights movement in Birmingham, Alabama, 1963, Carry Me Home, by Diane McWhorter. On the children’s front, I just reread every “George & Martha” book by James Marshall. They are hilarious and perfect.
How do you celebrate publishing a book?
I don’t, actually. I guess it’s a private feeling, that day the first book actually comes in the mail, and I hold it in my hands. If I sign a contract, if I get a check in the mail, going out to dinner with my wife and children is a nice treat.
Where do you write your books?
I have a windowless basement office that contains some books, a desk, and my computer. Sometimes I’ll go to my local library in Delmar, New York, just to be among people and all those books. One danger of this job is that I tend to get stuck indoors too much. I often dream, like the rat in The Tale of Despereaux, of reaching the light, the light! These days I tend to write much of my first draft in longhand in a composition notebook
What sparked your imagination for The Fall?
After I wrote Bystander, I received many requests for a sequel. And I always thought, well, no. I felt satisfied with that book, finished with those characters. But I realized that I was still interested in the subject matter, the social dynamics of young people at that age. I began to feel a degree of sympathy for the so-called bully. I wanted to try to write something from the bully’s point of view, perhaps to show a fuller picture than I was seeing in other books and articles. When I read in the newspaper about a girl who had killed herself because of being “terrorized on social media,” I set down the newspaper and immediately started writing in my notebook. It was that direct. I knew I wanted to tell the story of a boy who wrote some terrible things on her social media page. I kept wondering, “Can we be defined by the worst thing we do?”
What challenges do you face in the writing process, and how do you overcome them?
I’ve published more than eighty books in my life. The gift that comes with that is an awareness that sooner or later, eventually, I do get around to putting words on the page. In the words of a writer friend, “I know I can land the plane.” Even so, part of my “process” is that I go through unproductive periods. I’m lazy, unfocused, distracted, a mess. A period of self-loathing eventually sets in. It happens every year, these creative lulls, and every time I grow to hate myself for it. And yet, every time, I fight my way out of it. I recently learned something from cooking (and I hate to cook). It’s the idea of marinating. The chicken tastes so much more flavorful after we marinate it for a period of time. Now I see those quiet, supposedly “unproductive” times as perfectly necessary and valid; it makes for a better, richer book at the end. Even when it looks like I’m not productive, hey, check it out: I’m marinating!
If you could live in any fictional world, what would it be?
I’m not really a “fictional world” kind of guy. The real world is quite enough for me. I am curious about the past, however, so if I could have a magical tardis like Doctor Who, and travel from place to place, and time to time, that would be great. The thing is, I believe that books do that for us. Books are the tardis, the magic portal into other worlds. I just finished a manuscript titled The Courage Test, and in order to write it I had to read in depth about the Lewis and Clark expedition of 1804-06. What an amazing time, when America was new and wide-open and little known. When I want a fictional world, I read a book.
Who is your favorite fictional character?
I don’t make lists of favorites. First place, second place, third place, and so on. I’m just not built that way. Instead, they all sort of co-exist swimmingly in the gumbo of my mind. I love Gandolph and Hermione, Wilbur and Atticus Finch, the character in Hemingway’s Old Man in the Sea (did we ever learn his name?), that fabulous fat-bellied father in Hop on Pop. As a writer, I really enjoy slipping into the fictional world of Jigsaw Jones. He’s always a good time.
What was your favorite book when you were a kid? Do you have a favorite book now?
I distinctly remember the experience of looking at the same book over and over again, yet I cannot for the life of me remember the title. I don’t even think I knew how to read yet. It was a thick, richly illustrated collection of stories from, I believe, the “Arabian Nights” or some such thing. It was filled with fearsome genies, wicked sea monsters dragging ships to the dark ocean floor, an enormous Cyclops, and other wild sights to incite my imagination. I endlessly pored over those illustrations. They were frightening and fascinating. I can close my eyes and still picture them. That’s the thing I’ve learned about “scary” in books and movies. It jars you. It upsets you. It disturbs your universe. And for that reason, it sticks to you.
If you could travel in time, where would you go and what would you do?
Gosh, there are so many answers to this, because it would all be fascinating. Born in 1961, I grew up in the ‘60s, so of course I have a sense of that remarkable time in America, but I’d love the chance to see it from an adult perspective. Recently, as I said above, I became captivated by the exploration of this country by Lewis and Clark. They saw sights that no other white person had ever seen before, they were the first ones to encounter a coyote, a grizzly bear, a pronghorn sheep. Native people had seen those creatures, of course, but for that group of explorers it was all new. Imagine it: to climb a hill and see, for the first time, the Rocky Mountains looming in the distance, white-capped and massive and so formidable. Or the experience of encountering a band of natives, the Shoshones or Nez Perce, and trying to find a way to communicate peacefully. It’s a world that is long gone. So, yeah, that’s the appeal of traveling back in time. Then there’s the Middle Ages, and the height of the Roman Empire, or to be in the crowd at the Sermon on the Mount, listening to the words of Jesus Christ. The mind reels at the possibilities.
What’s the best advice you have ever received about writing?
Jane Yolen talks about “BIC.” Butt in chair! If you want to write, you have to sit down and do it. Talking about it won’t get the work done. Also, from other sources, write from the heart. And . . . the day you send out a book submission, start a new one. The worst thing you can do is sit around and wait for someone else’s approval. Be true to yourself, that’s another one. Trust that good work will find its way into the world. And lastly, you don’t have to write your book in order! You can bounce around. Write the scene that feels most urgent at that moment. You can always go back and fill in the empty spaces at a later time. Every book is different, and requires different things from me as a writer. For The Fall, that was a book I very much wrote out of sequence. I think this was because of the journal format. By the end, I had a lot of separate piece I had to weave together, like sewing a patchwork quilt. The challenge was that Sam’s mind -– like any mind -– would bounce freely from the present to the past and back again in an instant. One minute he’s remembering something that happened a year ago, then he’s back in the present moment looking at the rain outside the window. Writing a book that offered up that time-traveling experience was a real challenge, since I didn’t want to confuse the reader in the process. Um, er, what was the question?
What advice do you wish someone had given you when you were younger?
I don’t know, I think life has to teach you through experiences as you go along. I’m not convinced that anyone can tell us the secrets, you know? We have to stumble along and fall and learn and grow. When I look at my own children, I wish for them to be open to new people, new experiences. Not be too judgmental. To greet the world with open arms and an open mind. But part of growing up, developing into your own unique self, is to look at aspects of the world and think: “Not me, not me, not me.” In a sense, we need those walls to build a sense of our own home place. So do I have any advice? Be kind, be kind, be kind.
Do you ever get writer’s block? What do you do to get back on track?
I don’t believe in it. I think it’s one more of those mystical things that writers are supposed to endure, as a way of making us seem rarified and special. I bring a lunch-pail attitude to my job, since I don’t have the luxury –- in time or money -– to sit around waiting for the muse to whisper in my ear. I’m trying to pay the bills. I’m a professional writer; it’s what I do. So I make things up. What I have learned –- and what I will concede -– is that there are times when the energy fails. (Writing, to me, requires great enthusiasm and energy.) I realized a while back that it was usually a sign that was boring myself silly: That the story I was writing, or the specific scene, was flawed somehow. I had veered down the wrong path and was now boring myself to tears. If I was “blocked,” it was because I wandered down a dead end. When the writing is strong, I am fully engaged, alert to the possibilities. When bored by my own words and thoughts, I need to walk away and rethink things. Exercise is very important. It’s strange, but there is a body/mind connection. So when the mind needs a break, working on the body can be a very productive response. Hanging out with the dog is also good!
What do you want readers to remember about your books?
Every book is different, so is every reader. Simply to be remembered at all is the goal. To have somehow made a lasting impression, whatever it might be, is a huge accomplishment for any writer. I hope that my books are open enough –- porous, in a way -– that each reader is free to respond in his or her own way. It’s not a case of, “Here, this is the message.” It’s more like, let’s take this trip down the path. Keep your eyes and ears open, keep your heart open. The thoughts you have along the way are entirely your own.
What would you do if you ever stopped writing?
I believe that I will always write. Though I guess it’s very possible that I wouldn’t do it for a living, or might fail in my attempt. Teaching has always seemed appealing to me, but awfully hard. Can I just travel the world? The truth is that no matter where I go, what I do, I’ll always bring a notebook with me. And a pen! It’s how a writer exists in the world. We write.
If you were a superhero, what would your superpower be?
Flawless grammar. Yes, I’d be the dullest superhero in the world (not the most dullest).
Do you have any strange or funny habits? Did you when you were a kid?
I wish I had a hysterical story to tell right here, that oddball thing I always do, but I’m so freaking normal. It’s very sad, actually.
What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment?
My family. My marriage. That’s the real stuff in my life. The Prellers. It is also, at times, the most difficult. That’s the great truth. We derive the most joy from life’s greatest challenges. The things that come easily never quite give us the same satisfaction. The harder the task, the greater the reward. I am such a flawed human being. I make so many mistakes. In fact, I recently taped a message to my computer: “Become a better man.” On my best days, I am trying. And yet on so many days, I fall short. That’s the struggle. And hopefully, at the end of this whole life, it will be my accomplishment: a good father, a good husband, a good man. If I can become a great writer in the process, if my books can touch lives, that would be incredible. But family comes first.
What would your readers be most surprised to learn about you?
I can juggle a chainsaw, a bowling pin, and a live chicken. Also, I didn’t know that I’d be a writer at an early age. I wasn’t even much of a reader. It came later. In my teens, as I said early, my main focus was on hanging out. I’m pretty good at it, by the way! So that’s what I’d say to you, dear reader: Hey, you never
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PART 2
Where do you find inspiration for your writing?
Since I usually write realistic fiction, I try to begin with an accurate understanding of a child’s world, often by sitting in on various classrooms in my community. I don’t think you can examine something like “childhood” under a microscope, like a lab technician in a cold, white room. For a writer, you’ve got to feel it, and for whatever reason, I still remember.
When you finish a book, who reads it first?
It depends on the book. My editor, usually.
What do you value most in your friends?
Tolerance, kindness.
What makes you laugh out loud?
Will Ferrell in “Old School.”
What’s your favorite song?
This changes over time. I’m a huge fan of all things Dylan, constantly rediscovering songs I thought I knew. But to name one song, this moment? Townes Van Zant’s, “To Live Is to Fly.” Thus the character in Six Innings, Dylan Van Zant.
What are you most afraid of?
Not being able to pay my bills.
What time of year do you like best?
Spring and autumn, the transitional seasons.
What’s your favorite TV show?
New York Mets baseball.
If you were stranded on a desert island, who would you want for company?
My wife and children. And maybe Patti Smith, just for the cool factor.
What do you like best about yourself?
Oh, dear, please, no. I guess I like it when I’m describe as “down to earth.” I certainly dislike pretentiousness in other people. Anyone with a superior attitude turns me off completely.
What is your worst habit?
Does insomnia count? I think concentration is critical to performing well in just about anything. It’s why I think all of today’s talk about “multi-tasking” is malarkey. I often lack a laser-like focus that is so essential to my job.
What is your best habit?
I read a lot.
What do you consider to be your greatest accomplishment?
My life as a father. I am proud of my children.
Where in the world do you feel most at home?
Is this a trick question? At home! But outside of that, I’m always happy on a hiking trail, somewhere in nature. On trips to Ireland I’ve felt connected in ways I can’t fathom or explain. And I love –- even to this day –- sitting out in centerfield during a ballgame (note: I play in a men’s hardball league), searching the sky for high-flying baseballs. I think it connects me to something innocent and pure, chasing a round white ball under a blue sky.
What do you wish you could do better?
I wish I could throw a real good fastball.
Why did you write Six Innings?
I had to write a book about baseball; it was inevitable. Baseball has touched my life in every way that it can be touched, it’s an invisible thread that connects all the corners of my life. Most vividly in my childhood memories, most profoundly with my mother – watching games, having catch, connecting through the game. As a father, I’ve spent a lot of time around Little League fields. I’ve coached and managed many teams. I’ve watched those kids, tried to help the best I could, and always came away convinced that I learned more than they did. It’s a world I know. But more than that, it’s a world where many boys live – passionately. Serious business. We remember those games, those times, forever. For the book, I wanted to use baseball as a way to explore character. The friendships, the struggles, the inner lives as they are revealed in thought and action during a six-inning baseball game.
Do you use real life in your books?
Yes, all the time. My experiences, thoughts, feelings, dreams – my life is the primary source for everything I write. Could it be any other way? I can’t imagine it. For Six Innings, I drew upon a lifetime of experiences. Yet surprises still came in the process of putting words on paper. One by one, different characters stepped forward. One boy, who soon served as the book’s play-by-play announcer, was very sick. To be honest, it was territory I resisted visiting. A place I didn’t want to go. Because it was personal, something we experienced in our own family, something still raw and heartfelt, something that was not mine to own. It was my son Nick’s journey, reinvented and relocated, yes, but in every meaningful way true to the core. You learn surprising things during a time of serious illness, unexpected “gifts” arrive in many forms. Oddly, you come away enriched, the heart bursting. And when you feel something that powerfully, well, that’s always a good time to write.
Why children’s books?
Good question. I guess, like much in life, accident played a significant role. Out of college, knowing that I wanted to write . . . I became a waiter at Beefsteak Charlie’s. A year later, I moved to Brooklyn and got a job as a junior copywriter at Scholastic, pulling down $12,500 a year, writing for the K-1 SeeSaw Book Club. My job was basically to read a ton of books and describe them to teachers and kids. It required two different voices. For teachers: “In this classic tale, H.A. Rey’s mischievous monkey . . .” For students: “YIKES! That crazy monkey is in trouble again!” I met a lot of great books in that job, and the dream took hold. Anyone who works with children – or, for that matter, any parent, or anyone who has ever spent time with children – knows that kids give back. They respond, purely and directly. You get an immediate response from children that is so satisfying. Today I get fan letters that amaze me. At some point kids figure out that the book in their hands was written by a real person (not, as I once imagined, beamed down from another planet). Sometimes I’ll walk into a classroom and can see it in a few sets of eyes: A reverence. I am not foolish enough to believe that they are in awe of me — I’m just a guy – but they love and respect books, and the thought of actually writing one seems like such an impossible, miraculous thing. My goal is to de-mystify the process. And in short order, after spending only a few minutes in my presence, the awe fades away. To be clear: I don’t believe in the cult of celebrity, but I am still awed by books, still feel the wonder of stories, the life-changing power of words. I am grateful to have played a small role in that Great Conversation between reader and book.
Nationality: American
Occupation: Children's writer
Contemporary Authors Online. Detroit, MI: Gale, 2016. From Literature Resource Center.
Full Text: COPYRIGHT 2018 Gale, a Cengage Company
Updated:Dec. 30, 2016
Table of Contents
PERSONAL INFORMATION:
Born February 1, 1961, in Oceanside, NY; son of Alan Jay (in insurance) and Ann Theresa (a homemaker) Preller; married Maria Buhl (a writer and editor), September 3, 1988 (divorced); married second wife, Lisa (a certified nurse midwife); children: Nichola, Gavin, Maggie. Education: State University of New York College at Oneonta, B.A., 1983. Politics: "Frustrated Democrat." Avocational Interests: Music, basketball, racquetball, running, hanging out. Addresses: Home: Delmar, NY. Agent: Sue Cohen, The Writer's House, 21 W. 26th St., New York, NY. E-mail: jamespreller@aol.com.
CAREER:
Writer, editor. Scholastic Inc., New York, NY, copywriter and promotion manager, 1985-90; freelance writer and editor, 1990--.
AWARDS:
Wake Me in Spring listed in the annual "Children's Books of the Year," Child Study Children's Book Committee of Bank Street College, 1994; ALA Notable Books citation, 2008, for Six Innings; 100 Books for Reading and Sharing list, New York Public Library, 2008, for Along Came a Spider; Cybil Award, 2013, for Home Sweet Horror.
WORKS:
WRITINGS:
Before You Go: A Novel, Feiwel and Friends (New York, NY), 2012.
FOR CHILDREN
(With Deborah Kovacs) Meet the Authors and Illustrators, Scholastic (New York, NY), Volume 1, 1991, Volume 2, 1993.
Wake Me in Spring, illustrated by Jeffrey Scherer, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1994.
Hiccups for Elephant, illustrated by Hans Wilhelm, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1995.
Kratts' Creatures: In Search of the Real Tasmanian Devil, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
Kratts' Creatures: Off to Elephant School, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
Space Jam (adapted from the movie screenplay), Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
In Search of the Real Tasmanian Devil, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.
(With Molly Jackel and Marilyn McCabe) The Lost World, Jurassic Park: The Complete Dinosaur Scrapbook, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
(With Joe Layden) NBA Game Day, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
Kratts' Creatures: Amazing Insects, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1997.
Cardinal and Sunflower, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1997.
McGwire and Sosa: A Season to Remember, Aladdin (New York, NY), 1998.
(Adapter) Godzilla, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
(With Joe Layden) Inside the WNBA: A Behind the Scenes Photo Scrapbook, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
Rain, Rain, Go Away!, illustrated by Duendes Del Sur, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2000.
Rock Solid, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2000.
The NBA Book of Opposites, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2000.
The Major League Baseball Guide to Card Collecting, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2003.
3-in-1 Table Top Sports, Tangerine Press (New York, NY), 2003.
The National Football League Team Tracker: An Insider's Guide to All the Team's in the NFL!, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2003.
National Football League Megastars, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2004.
Six Innings: A Game in the Life, Feiwel and Friends (New York, NY), 2008.
Along Came Spider, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2008.
Bystander, Feiwel and Friends (New York, NY), 2009.
Mighty Casey, illustrated by Matthew Cordell, Feiwel and Friends (New York, NY), 2009.
Justin Fisher Declares War!, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2010.
A Pirate's Guide to First Grade, illustrated by Greg Ruth, Feiwel and Friends (New York, NY), 2010.
A Pirate's Guide to Recess, illustrated by Greg Ruth, Feiwel and Friends (New York, NY), 2013.
The Fall, Feiwel and Friends (New York, NY), 2015.
The Courage Test, Feiwel and Friends (New York, NY), 2016.
"JIGSAW JONES MYSTERIES" SERIES
The Case of Hermie the Missing Hamster, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
The Case of the Christmas Snowman, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.
The Case of the Secret Valentine, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
The Case of the Spooky Sleepover, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
The Case of the Stolen Baseball Cards, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
The Case of the Mummy Mystery, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
The Case of the Runaway Dog, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
The Case of the Great Sled Race, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1999.
The Case of the Ghostwriter, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2000.
The Case of the Stinky Science Project, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2000.
The Case of the Detective in Disguise, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2001.
The Case of the Sneaker Sneak, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2001.
The Case of the Haunted Scarecrow, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2001.
The Case of the Golden Key, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2002.
The Case of the Disappearing Dinosaur, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2002.
The Case of the Million-Dollar Mystery, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2002.
The Case of the Buried Treasure, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2002.
The Case of the Bear Scare, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2002.
The Case of the Rainy Day Mystery, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2003.
The Case of the Race against Time, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2003.
The Case of the Perfect Prank, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2004.
The Case of the Glow-in-the-Dark Ghost, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2004.
The Case of the Double Trouble Detectives, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2005.
The Case of the Food Fight, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2005.
The Case of the Frog-Jumping Contest, illustrated by Jamie Smith, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2005.
World Series Scrapbook, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2005.
The Case of the Santa Claus Mystery, illustrated by Jamie Smith, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2006.
The Case of the Groaning Ghost, illustrated by Jamie Smith, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2006.
The Case of the Snowboarding Superstar, illustrated by Jamie Smith, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2006.
Ghost Cat and Other Spooky Tales, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2006.
Jigsaw Jones' Detective Tips, illustrated by Jamie Smith, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2006.
The Case of the Kidnapped Candy, illustrated by Jamie Smith, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2007.
The Case of the Spoiled Rotten Spy, illustrated by Jamie Smith, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2007.
The Case of the Four-Leaf Clover, illustrated by Jamie Smith, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2008.
"SCARY TALES" SERIES
Home Sweet Horror, illustrated by Iacopo Bruno, Feiwel and Friends (New York, NY), 2013.
I Scream, You Scream!, illustrated by Iacopo Bruno, Feiwel and Friends (New York, NY), 2013.
Good Night, Zombie, illustrated by Iacopo Bruno, Feiwel and Friends (New York, NY), 2013.
Nightmareland, illustrated by Iacopo Bruno, Feiwel and Friends (New York, NY), 2014.
One-Eyed Doll, illustrated by Iacopo Bruno, Feiwel and Friends (New York, NY), 2014.
Swamp Monster, illustrated by Iacopo Bruno, Feiwel and Friends (New York, NY), 2015.
Sidelights
James Preller is a children's author who writes mainly for a middle-grade audience in fiction works such as the "Jigsaw Jones Mysteries" series and the "Scary Tales" series. Preller is also the author of a number of acclaimed stand-alone novels for middle graders and teens, as well as picture books and nonfiction books that largely focus on professional sports.
In Six Innings: A Game in the Life, Preller takes young readers into the excitement of a Little League championship playoff game, and also into the lives of individual players on the field. The game is being called by Sam, who was a baseball player until a diagnosis of osteosarcoma sidelined him. As the game progresses, readers learn more about the players, their lives, backgrounds, problems, and joys. "A tale of baseball, friendship, growth, and coming to terms with hardships, this fast read will grasp any reader who enjoys sports," noted Sara Rofofsky Marcus in School Library Journal. A Publishers Weekly reviewer was also impressed by this novel, noting: "Kids will be nodding in agreement at the truths laid bare ... [in] this perceptive group portrait of boys who play Little League baseball." Similarly, Booklist reviewer John Peters termed this a "character-driven tale that is also suspenseful and exciting," as well as an "absorbing sports novel."
Along Came Spider is an investigation of friendship and differences. Spider and Trey, next-door neighbors since birth, have been friends all their young lives. Reaching fifth grade, however, the friendship is put to the test. Trey, who has a mild form of autism, has poor social skills and self-control. These traits suddenly become a liability in middle school, and now Spider must choose between his old friend and making friends with the popular kids at school. "Preller adeptly portrays the psychological and social dynamics of this age group," noted a Kirkus Reviews critic. School Library Journal contributor Elizabeth Swistock similarly observed that Along Came Spider is basically a story of "doing what is right instead of what peer pressure dictates and accepting people as they are."
Preller addresses the issue of bullying in Bystander, which features Erie Hayes, newly moved to Long Island, New York, from Ohio. At school he meets Griffin, who is charismatic but also a bully. His favorite target is David, and at first Eric is a mere bystander to the incidents of bullying. Finally, however, he is forced to take a stand when Griffin not only steals from him, but also tells the secret Eric entrusted him with about his schizophrenic father. School Library Journal reviewer Connie Tyrrell Burns noted: "Focusing on the large majority of young people who stand by mutely and therefore complicity, this [is a] must-read book." A Kirkus Reviews critic similarly commented: "Eminently discussable as a middle-school read-aloud, the narrative offers minimal subplots to detract from the theme." Likewise, Booklist writer Ian Chipman thought that Preller "strikes an unusually complex chord of the various sides of the abuse of power and the strong manipulating the weak."
In his picture book Mighty Casey, Preller takes inspiration from the poem "Casey at the Bat," by Ernest Thayer, for a story about a little league team with little hope of winning. One of its worst players, Casey Jenkins, however, eventually saves the day in this book with "engaging read-aloud rhythms and a misfit cast young children will cheer for," according to Ernie Cox in Booklist. In a similar vein, a Publishers Weekly reviewer noted: "It's hard to envision a reader who won't take to these underdogs." School Library Journal contributor Ieva Bates also had praise for Mighty Casey, concluding: "This is a great baseball book for all those T-ball and Little League players out there."
Further picture books from Preller include A Pirate's Guide to First Grade and its sequel, A Pirate's Guide to Recess, both illustrated by Greg Ruth. In the former title, a little boy fantasizes about pirates as he learns to deal with the first day of school. Narrated in salty pirate argot, this book is "good fun, me hearties," according to a Kirkus Reviews critic. School Library Journal writer Jasmine L. Precopio advised that the book "can serve as a tremendous read-aloud."
In A Pirate's Guide to Recess, the school playground is suddenly turned into a pirate adventure with two pirate crews battling it out. A Publishers Weekly reviewer felt that the author and illustrator put the kids in charge as they "communicate the joy of escaping into a world of pretend."
Preller's first young-adult novel, Before You Go: A Novel, focuses on first love and redemption. Jude is sixteen and has a summer job at a hamburger joint at a Long Island beach. Life has been hard for Jude since the drowning death of his little sister a number of years ago when he was supposed to be watching her. But this summer before his senior year, things seem to be taking a turn for the better. A coworker, Becka, steals his heart, and he has time to hang out with his best friend, Corey. But then another tragedy strikes, and Jude finds himself turning on Becka. Booklist reviewer Hazel Rochman felt that the "realistic workplace scenes and the fast, wry, contemporary dialogue will hook readers," while a Kirkus Reviews critic commented that Preller "strikes the right tone in capturing Jude's inner struggles with grief, angst and love."
The Fall is a book for middle-grade and older readers, again about bullying. This time it is told from one the bully's perspectives, and it deals with cyber bullying. The summer before school begins, Sam Proctor's friend Morgan Mallen kills herself after being bullied and terrorized on social media. The problem for Sam is that he was part of an anonymous game in which other students made secret, hurtful, and damaging comments on Morgan's social media page. Even when he and Morgan grew close, he never stood up for her against the other bullies. Now in journal entries to himself he tries to face his guilt, acknowledge his true feelings for Morgan, and look for ways to ensure that such a tragedy does not happen again. "With its timely, important message and engaging prose style, Sam's journal ought to find a large readership," commented a Kirkus Reviews contributor. School Library Journal writer Kimberly Ventrella also had praise for The Fall, terming it a "compelling look at the aftermath of bullying, from the bully's perspective."
"I stumbled into my career in children's books fresh out of college and after an unforgettable ten-month stint as a waiter for Beefsteak Charlie's (unforgettable, that is, despite every attempt to blot it from my memory). Finally coming to my senses, I took a job with a children's publisher, Scholastic, Inc., as a junior copywriter. I worked on the SeeSaw Club for children in kindergarten through first grade, writing the little promotional blurbs about each book, in addition to other writing assignments (ads, brochures, author bios, and such).
"While working at Scholastic, I came into contact with some of the most wonderful books in the world and reduced them to fifteen word blurbs: 'In this story, Max goes to the land where the wild things are ... and tames them with a magic trick!' (I wish I had a penny for every exclamation point I used back then!) Gradually, I began to develop strong interests, likes, and dislikes. I grew to love many, many books and authors (Arnold Lobel, James Marshall, Bernard Waber, Margaret Wise Brown, and more). I also grew to dislike the depressing number of books that didn't seem to be for children at all. These are what I consider the 'art books.' Many of them have weak stories--or stories that don't seem intended for children at all--but feature elaborate illustrations completed by today's coolest technicians. I knew then, as I do now, that I wanted to write books that children will genuinely enjoy. I'm not worried about earning the approval of adults (frightening creatures, many of 'em); I want kids to like my stories. And, of course, I've got to like them too. So at least I'll have one adult on board.
"During this apprenticeship of sorts, I had the opportunity to interview and profile almost one hundred leading children's authors and illustrators. I've liked just about all of them--and learned from every one. In short: work on more than one story at a time, don't dwell on rejection, write from the heart, and always remember, it's a bunny eat bunny world out there.
"I wrote Wake Me in Spring with the intention of collaborating with my friend, illustrator Jeffrey Scherer. At the time, Jeffrey was unpublished, but I had seen his lighthearted illustrative style and knew it was perfect for children's books. I wrote Wake Me in Spring very quickly, once the basic idea came to me. It's a story of friendship--a favorite theme of mine--and, I hope, it's told in such a way that young people can soon read the book by themselves. The predictable patterns and recurring phrases are there to support the young reader's efforts. At the same time, a children's book isn't a textbook; there must be a good story to pull in readers. The struggle is always to compel them to turn the page. Hopefully kids enjoy the story of Bear and Mouse and can relate to their friendship, which has to endure the trials of a long winter's nap.
"Hiccups for Elephant was inspired by, not so strangely, hiccups. My infant son, Nicholas (now two years old), was enduring a typical rite-of-passage for many newborns: daily cases of convulsive hiccups. His head would bob; his shoulders would sway; each hiccup seemed to ripple through his spine, shaking his very foundations. I realized, clearly, that the world needed--desperately--a book on hiccups. Hopefully, a funny one. So I wrote it. I was delighted with Hans Wilhelm's illustrations--loose and flowing, funny, inviting. Just right. It's an honor to have your words put into pictures by a gifted illustrator.
"I've also been working on a set of books that are loosely based on the Public Broadcasting System series Kratts' Creatures. The show, conceived by Martin and Chris Kratt, takes a wild, wacky, and sometimes irreverent look at nature. It dares to be funny. In the books, I'm trying to do the same thing--deliver up-to-date scientific information, but in a fun-filled format that leaves room for humor and silliness. On the other hand, I'm also eager to write more easy-to-read books. Charlotte Zolotow told me once in an interview that ideas come 'when you are thinking that you're not thinking.' So I've been trying really hard not to think these days. Great work, if you can get it."
FURTHER READINGS:
FURTHER READINGS ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
PERIODICALS
Booklist, April 1, 2008, John Peters, review of Six Innings: A Game in the Life, p. 49; December 1, 2008, John Peters, review of Along Came Spider, p. 47; April 1, 2009, Ernie Cox, review of Mighty Casey, p. 43; October 1, 2009, Ian Chipman, review of Bystander, p. 41; July 1, 2012, Hazel Rochman, review of Before You Go: A Novel, p. 58; July 1, 2015, Teri Lesesne, review of The Fall, p. 72.
Kirkus Reviews, March 1, 2008, review of Six Innings; August 1, 2008, review of Along Came Spider; January 15, 2009, review of Mighty Casey; September 1, 2009, review of Bystander; June 1, 2010, review of A Pirate's Guide to First Grade; May 15, 2012, review of Before You Go; July 1, 2015, review of The Fall.
Publishers Weekly, March 24, 2008, review of Six Innings, p. 71; March 2, 2009, review of Mighty Casey, p. 61; August 2, 2010, review of Justin Fisher Declares War!, p. 45; June 4, 2012, review of Before You Go, p. 52; May 20, 2013, review of Home Sweet Horror, p. 58; May 27, 2013, review of A Pirate's Guide to Recess, p. 60; annual, 2013, review of A Pirate's Guide to Recess, p. 48; spring, 2014, review of A Pirate's Guide to Recess, p. 48.
School Library Journal, April, 2008, Sara Rofofsky, review of Six Innings, p. 147; October, 2008, review of Six Innings, p. 48; December, 2008, Elizabeth Swistock, review of Along Came Spider, p. 100; March, 2009, Ieva Bates, review of Mighty Casey, p. 126; January, 2010, Connie Tyrrell Burns, review of Bystander, p. 111; August, 2010, Jasmine L. Precopio, review of A Pirate's Guide to First Grade, p. 84; December, 2010, Terry Ann Lawler, review of Justin Fisher Declares War!, p. 123; October, 2012, Melyssa Kenney, review of Before You Go, p. 148; June, 2013, Jenna Boles, review of A Pirate's Guide to Recess, p. 96; August, 2013, Carol Hirsche, review of Home Sweet Horror, p. 87; August, 2014, review of Nightmareland, p. 109; July, 2015, Kimberly Ventrella, review of The Fall, p. 88.
ONLINE
James Preller Home Page, http://www.jamespreller.com (April 18, 2016).
Literally Jen, http://www.literallyjen.com/ (July, 2012), review of Before You Go.
Macmillan Web site, http://us.macmillan.com/ (April 18, 2016), "James Preller."*
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
"James Preller." Contemporary Authors Online, Gale, 2016. Literature Resource Center, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/H1000121129/LitRC?u=schlager&sid=LitRC&xid=38372595. Accessed 14 Nov. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|H1000121129
QUOTED: "This beginning chapter book showcases logic, problem solving, and collective action."
PRELLER, James. The Worst Mascot Ever
Lindsay Persohn
School Library Journal. 64.10 (Oct. 2018): p63.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2018 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
PRELLER, James. The Worst Mascot Ever, illus. by James Preller. 96p. (Big Idea Gang). HMH. Jan. 2019. Tr $15.99. ISBN 9781328857187.
Gr 2-4--After their mascot's costume loses its tail, some Clay Elementary students are ready for a change to their school's image. When Lizzy O'Malley learns Connecticut is not a natural home for armadillos, she and her twin brother, Connor, and their friends Kym and Deon make a plan to present new options to their school principal. With the help of their cheerful and helpful teacher, Miss "Wow Me" Zipsokowski, the Big Idea Gang first pitches a new mascot to their class. Suri Brewster has an objection; she likes Arnold the Armadillo and she likes traditions. After a campaign, a school-wide assembly, and a school-wide vote, Clay Elementary's new mascot, Drake the Dragon, is born. This beginning chapter book showcases logic, problem solving, and collective action. Black ink illustrations offer visual representations of the characters and situations, while breaking up long passages for young readers building stamina. VERDICT Fans of James Preller's "Jigsaw Jones" and David Adler's "Cam Jansen" series will enjoy the camaraderie and ingenuity of the Big Idea Gang.--Lindsay Persohn, University of South Florida, Tampa and Polk County Public Schools.
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Persohn, Lindsay. "PRELLER, James. The Worst Mascot Ever." School Library Journal, Oct. 2018, p. 63. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A556838419/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=98e17d2e. Accessed 14 Nov. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A556838419
QUOTED: "This uproarious middle grade call to action has considerable kid appeal and a timely message."
Preller, James. Better Off Undead
Erfeen Makoff
School Library Journal. 63.8 (Aug. 2017): p91.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
PRELLER, James. Better Off Undead. 288p. Farrar. Oct. 2017. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781250066480. POP
Gr 4-7-Adrian Lazarus is a middle school zombie, the result of an accident that left him "as undead as a toenail and not really thrilled about it." The book is similar to Paolo Bacigalupi's Zombie Baseball Beat-down-, however, this cautionary tale is more than just a brain-eating gross-out. Set in the not-too-distant future when humanity is suffering from numerous self-inflicted woes, this story's villains are the Bork Brothers, owners of K & K Industries, "the richest, most powerful corporation on the planet" and also the source of much of the planet's environmental troubles. Like The Wizard of Oz, to which this book makes frequent allusions, the Bork Brothers control the world behind a curtain of extreme privacy, "pour[ing] their millions of dollars into helping certain politicians win elections." With one of the brothers dying, they attempt to kidnap Adrian, hoping to glean the secret of cheating death. Adrian foils this plot with the help of his friends, one of whom is a thinly disguised Demeter-like creature. While following these fantastic adventures, readers learn about real environmental issues, such as the vanishing of bees, with the clear message to not be a "zombie," but to instead take action to protect the planet before it is too late. VERDICT This uproarious middle grade call to action has considerable kid appeal and a timely message. A strong addition to school and public library collections.--Erfeen Makoff, P.S. 90 Edna Cohen School, NY
KEY: * Excellent in relation to other titles on the same subject or In the same genre | Tr Hardcover trade binding | lib. ed. Publisher's library binding | Board Board book | pap. Paperback | e eBook original | BL Bilingual | POP Popular Picks
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Makoff, Erfeen. "Preller, James. Better Off Undead." School Library Journal, Aug. 2017, p. 91. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A499597850/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=5f987fa0. Accessed 14 Nov. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A499597850
QUOTED: "Those who enjoy Preller's works for younger readers will welcome the return of Jigsaw Jones. Highly recommended."
Preller, James. The Case from Outer Space
Gina Petrie
School Library Journal. 63.5 (May 2017): p74.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2017 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
PRELLER, James. The Case from Outer Space. illus. by R.W. Alley. 96p. (Jigsaw Jones). Feiwel & Friends. Aug. 2017. Tr $15.99. ISBN 9781250110183; pap. $4.99. ISBN 9781250110176.
Gr 1-4--Jigsaw Jones is back! Preller's puzzle-solving second grader returns for his first mystery in 10 years, coinciding with the republication of four original "Jigsaw Jones" mysteries. Fans of the 32-book series will be happy to once more see Jigsaw, fellow detective Mila Yeh, teacher Mrs. Glea son, and other familiar friends. Here, classmates Joey and Danika find a mysterious note in a book they borrowed from a neighbor's Little Free Library. They are convinced it means that aliens are coming. Jigsaw and his friends spend afternoons investigating the mystery, while during the school day, they learn about the solar system. Then they catch the bus home, where they are involved in stakeouts, neighborhood canvasses, and code-breaking. As usual, Preller brings the threads together in the end. He references other real-world titles (Marjorie Weinman Sharmat's "Nate the Great"; David A. Kelly's "Ballpark Mysteries"; Richard and Florence Atwater's Mr. Popper's Penguins), includes a secret code (a "Substitution Code" this time), and incorporates deductive reasoning, allusions, and similes. Jigsaw has the same droll sense of humor longtime fans will remember ("As a cook, I'm pretty good with a toaster."). VERDICT Those who enjoy Preller's works for younger readers will welcome the return of Jigsaw Jones. Highly recommended, especially for devotees of series such as David A. Adler's "Cam Jansen," Ron Roy's "A to Z Mysteries" and "Calendar Mysteries," and, of course, Marjorie Weinman Sharmat's "Nate the Great."--Gina Petrie, Catawba College Library, NC
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Petrie, Gina. "Preller, James. The Case from Outer Space." School Library Journal, May 2017, p. 74. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A491032043/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=342a8bf1. Accessed 14 Nov. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A491032043
QUOTED: "Despite the emotional heft, there is plenty of action."
"winner."
Preller, James. The Courage Test
Laurie Slagenwhite Walters
School Library Journal. 62.8 (Aug. 2016): p94+.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Full Text:
PRELLER, James. The Courage Test. 224p. Feiwel & Friends. Sept. 2016. Tr $16.99. ISBN 9781250093912.
Gr 4-7--William Meriwether Miller--named after Lewis and Clark--is not happy about embarking on a wilderness adventure with the father who walked out on him and his mother. It's not what he had in mind for his summer (he's missing the chance to play on the All-Stars baseball team), but his mother insists. So he and his father, a history professor working on a book about the famous explorers, set off from Minnesota to North Dakota, driving, camping, rafting, and hiking along the Lewis and Clark Trail. As they work together to overcome obstacles and help a pregnant 15-year-old runaway, Will slowly gains a better understanding of his father. When he finally learns the reason behind the trip--his mother has been diagnosed with breast cancer and is starting treatment--he comes to appreciate his family as they are and not as he wishes they could be. The lively narrative is interspersed with Will's entries for a school writing assignment, which contain lots of facts about the original journey, as well as postcards to his mother. Despite the emotional heft, there is plenty of action, including white-water rafting and a close encounter with a bear. VERDICT A middle grade winner to hand to fans of history, adventure, and family drama.--Laurie Slagenwhite Walters, Brighton District Library, Brighton, MI
Source Citation (MLA 8th Edition)
Walters, Laurie Slagenwhite. "Preller, James. The Courage Test." School Library Journal, Aug. 2016, p. 94+. General OneFile, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A459888349/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=bfbc1452. Accessed 14 Nov. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A459888349
QUOTED: "an upbeat and empowering series opener."
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Print Marked Items
Preller, James: THE WORST MASCOT
EVER
Kirkus Reviews.
(Oct. 1, 2018):
COPYRIGHT 2018 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
Full Text:
Preller, James THE WORST MASCOT EVER HMH Books (Children's Fiction) $15.99 1, 29 ISBN: 978-1-
328-85718-7
A group of friends campaigns to change their school's mascot.
After a comedic mishap with the worn-out costume for Clay Elementary School's longtime mascot--Arnold
the Armadillo--friends Lizzy and Connor O'Malley (twins), Kym Park, and Deon Gibson see an opportunity
to get the school a more compelling mascot: the bulldog. They propose it to their teacher (Isadora
Zipsokowski, called Miss Zips), who insists they take their idea to the principal themselves. But not all of
their classmates are in favor--domineering Suri Brewster opposes them, arguing against the bulldog and
organizing a pro-armadillo contingent. The friends work on a new mascot idea--a dragon--and present their
case to the principal, who puts their idea against the status quo, represented by Suri, to a schoolwide vote.
The job of speaking for their side falls on Lizzy. In the face of her anxiety, her friends rally together to help
her support her arguments. When the time comes, Suri speaks well, but Lizzy's humor and sound logic carry
the day. In a delightful twist, Suri is a story antagonist who isn't antagonistic--she and Lizzy are mutually
supportive as they face public speaking. A final segment provides tips on how to structure persuasive
arguments. Publishing simultaneously is a sequel, Everybody Needs a Buddy. Lizzy, Connor, and Suri
present white, while Kym is Asian and Deon is black.
An upbeat and empowering series opener. (Fiction. 6-9)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Preller, James: THE WORST MASCOT EVER." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Oct. 2018. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A556118949/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=c76437d4.
Accessed 14 Nov. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A556118949
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Better Off Undead
John Peters
Booklist.
114.4 (Oct. 15, 2017): p55+.
COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
* Better Off Undead. By James Preller. Oct. 2017. 288p. Feiwel and Friends, $16.99 (9781250066480). Gr.
5-8.
Preller takes the black-kid-in-a-white-school premise to the next level with Adrian, who is not only African
American but also a zombie. The author sets his tale in a near-future world in which climate change and
pandemics are wreaking odd paranormal phenomena as well as predictable havoc. Having inexplicably
survived a fatal hit-and-run accident over the summer, aptly named Adrian Lazarus is off to seventh grade,
sporting a hoodie to hide his increasing facial disfigurement and lunching on formaldehyde smoothies to
keep himself together. Simultaneously resenting and yet understanding the varied reactions of his
schoolmates--which range from shunning to all-too-close attention from a particularly persistent bully--
Adrian is also surprised and pleased to discover that he has allies, notably Gia Demeter, a new girl with a
peculiar ability to foretell certain events. Preller might have played this as a light comedy (and there are
some hilarious bits), but he goes instead for darker inflections. Even as Adrian sees himself becoming
ominously aggressive (while developing tastes for roadkill and raw meat), his discovery that fabulously
powerful data miners Kalvin and Kristoff Bork are ruthlessly scheming to put him under the knife in search
of his secrets cranks the suspense up another notch. Nonetheless, in a series of splendidly lurid exploits,
Adrian beats the odds as he fights for a well-earned happy ending.--John Peters
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Peters, John. "Better Off Undead." Booklist, 15 Oct. 2017, p. 55+. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A512776235/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=4c110072.
Accessed 14 Nov. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A512776235
QUOTED: "Against a near-future backdrop, Preller thoughtfully chronicles the anxieties of middle school."
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Better Off Undead
Publishers Weekly.
264.38 (Sept. 18, 2017): p71+.
COPYRIGHT 2017 PWxyz, LLC
http://www.publishersweekly.com/
Full Text:
Better Off Undead
James Preller. Feiwel and Friends, $16.99 (288p) ISBN 978-1-250-06648-0
After a skateboarding accident leads to his death and inexplicable reanimation, Adrian Lazarus is forced to
start seventh grade as a decomposing and slightly smelly zombie. In addition enduring bullying, Adrian is
being watched, but he's not sure by whom or why. Teaming up with his loyal friend Zander, no-nonsense
Gia, and budding detective Talal, Adrian sets out to fend off the bullies and figure out who's behind the
surveillance. Preller (The Courage Test) takes the physical and emotional awkwardness of middle school to
grisly levels as Adrian worries not about acne or voice changes, but about his nose falling off in class and
his desire to "scarf up a dead squirrel from the street." Readers will empathize with Adrian's discomfort in
his own rotting skin: "I felt ... almost normal. But every time I caught a glimpse of my reflection, I instantly
understood the physical revulsion that people experienced when they saw me." Against a near-future
backdrop, Preller thoughtfully chronicles the anxieties of middle school, using a blend of comedy and
horror to send a message of empowerment and self-acceptance. Ages 9-13. Agent: Rosemary Stimola,
Stimola Literary Studio. (Oct.)
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
"Better Off Undead." Publishers Weekly, 18 Sept. 2017, p. 71+. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A523623409/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=af33f92e.
Accessed 14 Nov. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A523623409
QUOTED: "has plenty of appeal for young independent readers."
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The Case from Outer Space
Carolyn Phelan
Booklist.
113.21 (July 1, 2017): p57.
COPYRIGHT 2017 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
The Case from Outer Space.
By James Preller. Illus. by R. W. Alley.
Aug. 2017. 96p. Feiwel and Friends, $15.99 (9781250110183); paper, $4.99 (9781250110176). Gr. 2-4.
Junior detectives Jigsaw Jones and his friend Mila take on a new case after two classmates discover spacealien-related
clues in their neighbor's Little Free Library. When their teacher starts dropping hints about a
"special visitor from far, far away," the stage is set for the big reveal at the book's end. The story rambles a
bit in a completely amiable manner, but this isn't the sort of mystery that readers are expected to solve by
examining the clues and deducing the improbable but inevitable solution. Fortunately, it is the sort of
mystery that will please Jigsaw Jones fans, who know they can count on the series for likable characters and
a bit of a challenge here and there. For example, when Mila passes an encoded note to Jigsaw, he explains
the substitution cipher she used, and then lets readers decode it on their own. With short sentences, bits of
humor, and engaging illustrations, the latest early chapter book in Preller's long-running Jigsaw Jones
Mystery series has plenty of appeal for young independent readers.--Carolyn Phelan
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Phelan, Carolyn. "The Case from Outer Space." Booklist, 1 July 2017, p. 57. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A499862830/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=e0ae363e.
Accessed 14 Nov. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A499862830
QUOTED: "Preller stirs doses of American history into a first-rate road trip that does traditional double duty as plot device and coming-of-age metaphor."
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The Courage Test
John Peters
Booklist.
112.22 (Aug. 1, 2016): p65.
COPYRIGHT 2016 American Library Association
http://www.ala.org/aboutala/offices/publishing/booklist/
Full Text:
* The Courage Test. By James Preller. Sept. 2016.224p. Feiwel and Friends, $16.99 (9781250093912). Gr.
4-7.
Preller stirs doses of American history into a first-rate road trip that does traditional double duty as plot
device and coming-of-age metaphor. Will is initially baffled and furious at being abruptly forced to
accompany his divorced father, a history professor, on a long journey retracing much of the trail of Lewis
and Clark. The trip soon becomes an adventure, though, because as the wonders of the great outdoors work
their old magic on Will's disposition, his father and a Nez Perce friend (who turns out to be a Brooklyn
banker) fill him in on the Corps of Discovery's encounters with nature and native peoples. Also, along with
helping a young runaway find a new home, Will survives a meeting with a bear and a spill into dangerous
rapids--tests of courage that will help him weather the bad news that awaits him at home. Despite the many
plot threads, the story never seems overstuffed or weighed down by agendas. Leading a cast of appealing
characters, Will and his father are both vulnerable sorts who share a damaged, uneasy bond that firms up
with realistic slowness and occasional backsliding. Additionally, not only does the author slip cogent
historical facts and insights into his simply told narrative without disturbing its flow, he offers more detail,
plus sources of information, in an afterword. --John Peters
Source Citation (MLA 8th
Edition)
Peters, John. "The Courage Test." Booklist, 1 Aug. 2016, p. 65. General OneFile,
http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/A460761815/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=ddbacdb4.
Accessed 14 Nov. 2018.
Gale Document Number: GALE|A460761815