#1 New York Times Bestselling Author Kitty Kelley to Publish Her First Children’s Book with Simon & Schuster
New York, NY — Atheneum Books for Young Readers, an imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing, announced today that it will publish Martin’s Dream Day, the first picture book for children by acclaimed author and journalist Kitty Kelley. The book will be illustrated with photographs by Kelley’s friend, the late photojournalist Stanley Tretick, and will be published on January 3, 2017.
In Martin’s Dream Day, Kelley combines elegant storytelling with Tretick’s iconic photographs to transport readers to the 1963 March on Washington, bringing that historic day vividly to life in both words and pictures.
“Martin Luther King dreamed of making justice a reality for all God’s children,” said Kelley, “so it seemed right to share the images of his dream day with children.”
“Ms. Kelley has found the perfect way to share Mr. Tretick’s breathtaking photography with a whole new generation,” said Justin Chanda, Vice President and Publisher of Atheneum Books for Young Readers. “This is a truly intimate portrait of Martin Luther King Jr. and the story of a pivotal moment in our nation’s history.”
Emma Ledbetter, who will edit, acquired world rights from Wayne S. Kabak, WSK Management, LLC.
Kitty Kelley is an internationally acclaimed writer whose bestselling biographies focus on some of the most influential and powerful personalities of the past fifty years. Kelley’s last five biographies have been #1 New York Times bestsellers. Kelley lives in Washington, DC. For more information visit www.KittyKelleyWriter.com. Kelley will be donating all of Tretick’s photos from this historic day to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. She will also be donating her proceeds from this book to Reading Is Fundamental, the largest nonprofit children’s literacy organization in the United States.
Stanley Tretick (1921–1999) was one of the preeminent photojournalists of his era. Trained as a photographer in the Marine Corps during World War II, Tretick’s first civilian job was covering Congress for United Press International. He later covered John F. Kennedy’s 1960 presidential campaign and then worked for Look magazine covering President Kennedy and his family in the White House. Tretick received special credentials to cover the March on Washington, which led to the historic photos published in Martin’s Dream Day.
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