Favorite Reads, Penguin Young Readers, Sleeping Bear Press, Tilbury House, and Runaway Bunny: Editor Sarah Rockett
Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI-MI. In this piece, meet editor Sarah Rockett. Sarah is also part of the cast of distinguished faculty at the SCBWI-MI spring conference.
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Where did you grow up? What was life like for young Sarah? What were some of your favorite childhood reads?
I grew up in the Detroit suburbs and traveled up north to Torch Lake as often as my parents could manage. I’m an only child, but always had a dog by my side and a gaggle of cousins (twelve of them) lived within a five-mile drive—with four of them right down the street and even more of us at the same school. I was always a voracious reader. I loved Miss Rumphius and King Bidgood’s in the Bathtub, Miss Nelson is Missing and Runaway Bunny. I loved Shel Silverstein. As I got older, I devoured R.L. Stine, Tamora Pierce, and Judy Blume.
Were there influential teachers and adults who helped shape your love of books?
My mom was a teacher and attended lots of reading and education conferences like MRA and ALA. She always brought gorgeous picture books (often signed) home for me. These always felt like little treasures. Both my parents loved reading novels as well. So books, trips to the local Borders, and TBR stacks on the bedside table were a big part of my childhood.
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| Sarah in the wild |
A journalism major from Boston University’s College of Communications, you started writing for magazines How and why did you make the transition to book publishing?
Growing up I definitely wanted to work with books. I had no idea what that might mean though—except to be an author, which I knew wasn’t for me. So journalism felt like the right choice. It wasn’t until I got through college and then into my first magazine job that I realized book publishing, specifically editorial, was where I was really meant to be. I was in NYC at the time and was lucky enough to get my foot in the door at Penguin.
You were a writer for magazines. Do you still write? Do you have any ambitions to have one of your own books published?
I’ve come to terms with the fact that I don’t have great ideas. I know how to turn a great idea into a great book. So editor is where I’m meant to be!
You started in magazine journalism, moved to academic book publishing, then to production for a Penguin adult imprint. What was life like for young woman Sarah Rockett, entering the publication biz, and navigating New York City?
My mom jokes that I had two dream jobs before I turned 30—the travel magazine and working at Penguin Young Readers. I was really lucky in both cases and was willing to start at whatever position I could be put into that moved me a little closer to my goals.
NYC was great because there were a lot of options and opportunities available. I usually had two jobs and spent most of my evenings out with friends.
There was always something really wild going on in NYC—like ending up at a movie premiere after party or dancing under the Brooklyn Bridge with a bunch of circus performers. It was wonderful—but everyone has an NYC expiration date and I hit mine in 2012.
You moved from NYC to Ann Arbor. Sleeping Bear Press was the only publisher within a 500-mile radius. What was so attractive to you about Ann Arbor?
I was eager to move back to Michigan and my boyfriend (now husband) got into U of M grad school. So we were moving to Ann Arbor and I was thrilled. It wasn’t until I got here that I realized the Sleeping Bear offices would just be a few miles away.
You moved from NYC to Ann Arbor. Sleeping Bear Press was the only publisher within a 500-mile radius. What was so attractive to you about Ann Arbor?
I was eager to move back to Michigan and my boyfriend (now husband) got into U of M grad school. So we were moving to Ann Arbor and I was thrilled. It wasn’t until I got here that I realized the Sleeping Bear offices would just be a few miles away.
At the time, Sleeping Bear Press wasn’t hiring but I was able to convince them eventually to bring me on as an intern. We love Ann Arbor for the culture and restaurants and proximity to Detroit. If you’re used to NYC and moving to Michigan, Ann Arbor is a great option.
“Sarah Rockett is senior editor with Sleeping Bear Press and editorial director for Tilbury House Publishing, both imprints of Cherry Lake Publishing Group.” How do your duties as Editorial Director at Tilbury House differ from your role as senior editor at Sleeping Bear Press? Both are imprints of Cherry Lake Publishing. What distinguishes a Tilbury book from a book published by Sleeping Bear Press?
For both Sleeping Bear Press and Tilbury House I acquire and edit projects. With Tilbury House, I also manage the direction of the list and work more closely with the sales and marketing teams regarding the imprint.
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| Author Devin Scillian, illustrator Tim Bower, and our CEO Ben Mondloch |
“Sarah Rockett is senior editor with Sleeping Bear Press and editorial director for Tilbury House Publishing, both imprints of Cherry Lake Publishing Group.” How do your duties as Editorial Director at Tilbury House differ from your role as senior editor at Sleeping Bear Press? Both are imprints of Cherry Lake Publishing. What distinguishes a Tilbury book from a book published by Sleeping Bear Press?
For both Sleeping Bear Press and Tilbury House I acquire and edit projects. With Tilbury House, I also manage the direction of the list and work more closely with the sales and marketing teams regarding the imprint.
Both Sleeping Bear and Tilbury House publish gorgeous, engaging, and important stories but Sleeping Bear titles are bit softer, have more humor and tenderness, and feel really friendly. Tilbury titles tend to be a little heavier, trust readers with bigger ideas—from science to social justice, and encourage conversations.
In the years you’ve been in children’s book publishing, the industry has changed and evolved. What’s different now? What new realities do book writers and illustrators face?
When I started in children’s publishing, ebooks were a big deal. Penguin had a whole division that was exploring ways to make ebooks more exciting for buyers—adding music and animations and game elements—and wading through all of the rights questions that came with the new format.
In the years you’ve been in children’s book publishing, the industry has changed and evolved. What’s different now? What new realities do book writers and illustrators face?
When I started in children’s publishing, ebooks were a big deal. Penguin had a whole division that was exploring ways to make ebooks more exciting for buyers—adding music and animations and game elements—and wading through all of the rights questions that came with the new format.
The preoccupation with ebooks seems to have plateaued for children’s books, until the next new thing is available, but now everyone is contending with the realities of AI.
The children’s book world is also now more susceptible to fluctuations in the social and cultural fabric of our world. I think children should see the world they live in reflected in the pages of picture books and that means more opportunities, risks, and responsibilities for authors, illustrators, and publishers.
“Sarah is interested in stories that will engage and inspire young readers. She has a soft spot for science/nature and environment, joyful stories, lyrical read alouds, and quirky humor.” Give some examples of books that check off some of these boxes.
Some—not all!—of the recent titles that have really made my PB-loving heart soar are: Inside the Compost Bin, Pine Cone Regrown, Winged Wonders, Courage Every Day, Too Many Pigs in the Pool, Just Flowers, Wild at Heart, The Littlest Grito, and The Bakers Dozen.
What’s in your TBR pile right now?
Witchy fantasies and multi-perspective murder mysteries!
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Runaway bunny? (Her Instagram account is a runaway bunny: https://www.instagram.com/a_runaway_bunny/?hl=en)
The Runaway Bunny was always one of my favorite books as a kid and, as I grew up, my parents joked I was a runaway bunny myself, always hopping further away—until I eventually hopped back home.
“Sarah is interested in stories that will engage and inspire young readers. She has a soft spot for science/nature and environment, joyful stories, lyrical read alouds, and quirky humor.” Give some examples of books that check off some of these boxes.
Some—not all!—of the recent titles that have really made my PB-loving heart soar are: Inside the Compost Bin, Pine Cone Regrown, Winged Wonders, Courage Every Day, Too Many Pigs in the Pool, Just Flowers, Wild at Heart, The Littlest Grito, and The Bakers Dozen.
What’s in your TBR pile right now?
Witchy fantasies and multi-perspective murder mysteries!
.jpg)
Runaway bunny? (Her Instagram account is a runaway bunny: https://www.instagram.com/a_runaway_bunny/?hl=en)
The Runaway Bunny was always one of my favorite books as a kid and, as I grew up, my parents joked I was a runaway bunny myself, always hopping further away—until I eventually hopped back home.
