Fresh Approaches: New Editions and Reissues

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Joy Fleishhacker -- School Library Journal, 10/20/2008

Consider purchasing these anniversary editions for their new content or as handsome refreshers for faded and worn-out copies.

Holes

First published in 1998 (Farrar), Louis Sachar’s novel about the unforgettable Stanley Yelnats, his tall-tale-inspired family history, and the infamous detention center where he digs (literally and figuratively) into his past, won both the Newbery and National Book Awards. Transformed into a big-screen hit in 2003 (starring Shia LaBeouf), Holes has become a word-of-mouth favorite and a popular choice with teachers for classroom read-alouds and discussion.

Vladimir Radunsky created the artwork for the 1998 hardcover, and another of his striking paintings adorns Farrar, Straus and Giroux’s 10th-anniversary edition. With a close-up of the protagonist in profile—sporting his familiar worn-backwards red cap—the new cover references the style and specifics of the original while providing a fresh perspective. Wrapped in an acetate jacket, the whole package has a crisp, sparkling appeal. Kid-friendly bonus materials include lighthearted personal perspectives written by Sachar’s older brother, daughter, and wife; his Newbery acceptance speech; and several black-and-white photos, mostly taken on the movie set.

Free to Be…You and Me

It’s been 35 years since Marlo Thomas conceived and created a book version of the Free to Be…You and Me album (1972), compiling songs, stories, poems, and visual images that touched upon themes of individuality, dispelling stereotypes, friendship, self-worth, and dreaming big. This New York Times best seller inspired a TV special (starring a cast of 1970s celebrities) and a stage play.

Running Press has published a 35th-anniversary edition of this inspirational classic with an updated design, colorful new artwork, and a CD of songs from the album. While much of the content—penned by the likes of Judy Blume, Lucille Clifton, and Shel Silverstein—remains the same, fresh visual images bring the book into the 21st century, showcasing the innovative artistic styles of contributors such as Peter H. Reynolds, David Catrow, Christopher Myers, and Peter Sís. This upbeat volume’s message remains valid, and it will be enthusiastically greeted by fans of the original (many of whom are now parents themselves) and those interested in anthologies about empowerment.

A Bear Called Paddington

The bear from Darkest Peru celebrates his 50th birthday. First published in 1958, Michael Bond’s inaugural book about this beloved individual has been reissued by Houghton Mifflin in an attractive anniversary edition illustrated with Peggy Fortnum’s original full-color art. The author’s amiable introduction muses about his inspiration for the character, the value of Paddington’s two-feet-firmly-on-the-ground wisdom, and the fictional bear’s literary longevity.

This charming book remains a core-collection mainstay; display it along with Bond’s Paddington Here and Now (HarperCollins, 2008), an all-new adventure delightfully illustrated by R. W. Alley.

More Fan Favorites

Random House presents an elegant, cloth-bound 60th-anniversary edition of Ruth Stiles Gannett’s Newbery Honor Book, My Father’s Dragon (1948), with Ruth Chrisman Gannett’s original illustrations and a brief note from the now 85-year-old author.

Scholastic’s recently released anniversary edition of J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone (1997) features original illustrator Mary GrandPré’s new jacket art (a young Harry gazing into the Mirror of Erised) and an atmospheric four-color frontispiece depicting Hogwarts, as well as a black-and-white sketch of Snape by the author.

Also available from Scholastic is a 10th-anniversary reissue of Walter Wick’s Optical Tricks (1998), an eye-absorbing photographic exploration of optical illusions, with a flashy new infused-with-foil cover.

Pub Info

SACHAR, Louis. Holes, The 10th Anniversary Edition. Farrar. 2008. Tr $18.00.
ISBN 978-0-374-33266-2.

THOMAS, Marlo, ed., et al. Free to Be…You and Me. Running Press. October 2008. Tr $19.95. ISBN 978-0-7624-3060-4.

BOND, Michael. A Bear Called Paddington: 50th-Anniversary Edition. illus. by Peggy Fortnum. Houghton. 2008. RTE $20. ISBN 978-0-547-13351-5.

_____. Paddington Here and Now. illus. by R. W. Alley. HarperCollins. 2008. Tr $15.99. ISBN 978-0-06-147364-7; PLB $16.89. ISBN 978-0-06-147365-4.

GANNETT, Ruth Stiles. My Father’s Dragon: 60th-Anniversary Edition. illus. by Ruth Chrisman Gannett. Random. 2008. Tr $16.99. ISBN 978-0-375-85610-5; PLB $19.99. ISBN 978-0-375-95610-2.

ROWLING, J. K. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone: Special Anniversary Edition. Scholastic. 2008. Tr $30. ISBN 978-0-545-06967-0.

WICK, Walter. Walter Wick’s Optical Tricks: Anniversary Edition. Scholastic/Cartwheel. 2008. Tr $14.99. ISBN 978-0-439-85520-4.