Lucy Ruth Cummins: Now/New/Next

Lucy Ruth Cummins is an art director at Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. She gave us a look at what she is seeing a lot of in terms of illustrated books and what she sees as trending. This was an opportunity to see books she admires and has worked on, in many styles, from picture books to MG and YA.

Short books--500 words or less seem to be selling. There is a place for picture books without words. Publishers are looking for books that reluctant boy readers will pick up and there is a career to be had working in non-fiction for young people.

More books are being illustrated in the middle grade and even young adult market. Books with characters in peril, where the stakes are high have been successful, so there seems to be a little bit more of an edge coming into the younger market.

Lucy talked about Pinterest and Tumblr as workspace and inspiration for developing ideas and collecting images. She was generous with her Q&A, encouraging illustrators to send her post cards.

Notes by Tina Hoggatt