• The ECC Questionnaire

Kristin Ostby, Editor, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers | February 9, 2015

What was your first job in publishing? And did you always know that you wanted to be an editor?
My first job in publishing was a summer editorial internship at Grosset & Dunlap/Price Stern Sloan, at Penguin Young Readers Group. (The following year, they hired me as an editorial assistant!) I always knew I wanted to work with words. In college, I was an English major, worked for the school newspaper, and had internships at a fashion magazine and a TV news station. I thought I might be a journalist, but when I figured out I could edit kid’s books for a living, I didn’t look back!   

Your current list at S&S BFYR is mostly comprised of middle grade books. Would you say that middle grade is your editorial specialty? What is it about the genre that interests you?
I like to think of middle grade books as my specialty, but it also just comes most naturally to me. I was an especially voracious reader from age 7 into middle school, and maybe that’s why I find it so instinctual. I also love that the classic themes of middle grade — family, friendship, finding your place in the world around you — are so universal. The best middle grade transcends its category and can be read and appreciated by children and adults alike.

What was the first book you ever acquired? Did you learn anything from that first project that has stayed with you throughout your career?
In my first job, since I was working in licenses and brands, I wasn’t in a traditional acquiring role. The first project I had true ownership over, however, was Mad Libs® — the fill-in-the-blanks word game. I came up with the concepts for 6-9 new Mad Libs® books each year, hired authors to write them, and edited them. I worked alongside one of the two original creators of Mad Libs®, Leonard Stern, who was a longtime comedy TV writer, too, and he taught me a lot about jokes and the craft of writing something funny. I love humor, especially funny middle grade, and I lean on those lessons all the time.

What books did you like to read as a kid?
My favorite picture book was Corduroy by Don Freeman. I made my parents read that to me all the time — long after I could read on my own. My favorite novel was Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech. I read it at just the right time in my life, and it’s the best combination of funny, heartwarming, and heartbreaking. I come back and reread it every few years.

What advice would you give to a young professional in the industry?
Make lots of publishing friends. You’ll need them throughout your career! On the flip side, help your publishing friends and contacts out whenever you can — if you see a job that might be a good fit for someone, pass it along, and don’t be shy about sending resumes along to hiring managers. That whole pay-it-forward thing reaps major benefits in this industry.