Lee & Low Books

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Lee & Low Books
Leeandlowbookslogo.jpg
Founded1991
FounderPhilip Lee and Tom Low
Country of origin Flag of the United States.svg United States
Headquarters location New York City
Distributionself-distributed (US)
Fitzhenry & Whiteside (Canada) [1]
Key peopleTom Low (President)
Jason Low (Vice President, Publisher)
Craig Low (Vice President, Publisher of Bebop Books)
Publication types Books, Games
Imprints Tu Books
Bebop Books
Children's Book Press
Shen's Books
Lee & Low Games
Dive Into Reading
Cinco Puntos Press
Official website www.leeandlow.com

Lee & Low Books is an independent children's book publisher focusing on diversity.

Contents

History

Lee & Low was founded in 1991 by Chinese Americans Tom Low and Philip Lee as a children's book publisher specializing in books featuring people of color and one of the few minority-owned publishing companies in the United States. [2] Low says, "There was a void in children's books. Most of the books were targeted to Caucasians or contained animals or fairy tales. There was nothing dealing with contemporary issues and people of color.". [3] Lee & Low published its first list in 1993 and immediately gained attention when its first book, Baseball Saved Us was given a full-page review in The New York Times Book Review. [4]

In 1997, founder Tom Low's sons, Jason Low and Craig Low, joined Lee & Low, and in 2004, founder Philip Lee retired. [5]

Lee & Low Books publishes primarily picture books, but in recent years has also published a small number of middle grade and young adult titles.

In January 2012, Lee & Low Books acquired the backlist titles of the now-defunct non-profit publisher, Children's Book Press, as well as the latter's existing contracts with authors and illustrators, with the name itself being revived as an imprint of Lee & Low Books. [6]

In 2021, Lee & Low acquired Cinco Puntos Press. [7]

Research

In 2015, Lee & Low Books partnered with St. Catherine University and Assistant Professor Sarah Park Dahlen [8] to conduct the Diversity Baseline Survey (DBS). The objectives were to look at 1) Gender 2) Race/ethnicity 3) Sexual Orientation 4) Disability in the publishing industry. [9]

The Diversity Baseline Survey (DBS) was sent to 1,524 reviewer employees and 11,713 publishing employees for a total of 13,237 surveys deployed. The DBS survey results confirmed that the publishing industry is overwhelmingly white, at 79%, [10] which corresponded with the numbers from Publishers Weekly 's annual salary survey. [11]

Arcoiris: books in Spanish

In 1994, Lee & Low began to publish Spanish/English bilingual books and Spanish translations of many of their English titles. [2] The name Arcoiris, Spanish for rainbow, was chosen to reflect the diversity of the books and subject matter. [12]

Bebop Books

Founded in 2000, Bebop Books is an educational imprint of Lee & Low. Bebop Books prints leveled books for early readers in English and Spanish. [13]

Tu Books

Tu Books is an imprint of Lee & Low. Tu Books publishes middle grade and young adult science fiction, fantasy, and mystery featuring people of color or set in worlds inspired by non-Western folklore or culture. [14]

Tu Books was founded as Tu Publishing in 2009 by Stacy Whitman, a freelance children's book editor. In March 2010, Whitman joined Lee & Low as editorial director of the new imprint. [15]

New Voices Award

In 2000, Lee & Low Books established the New Voices Award to encourage writers of color. The award is open to any United States resident of color who has not had a children's picture book published previously. A winner receives $1000 and a standard publication contract, while an Honor Award winner receives $500. While Honor Award winners are not guaranteed publication, several honor books have been published. [16]

New Voices Award recipients

YearAuthorBookCitationPublished
2010Jane Bahk Juna's Jar Winner2015
2010Muon VanVillage by the SeaHonor
2009Tiare Williams SolorzanoLittle FishHonor
2008Hayan ChararaThe Three LucysHonor
2007Pamela M. TuckA Fly in a Bowl of MilkWinner2012
2007Katie YamasakiEdwin's Lucky ThirteenHonor
2006Gloria Armand SheppardLove Twelve Miles LongWinner2011
2006Janet Costa BatesSeaside DreamHonor2010
2005 Don Tate It Jes' Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to DrawHonor2012
2005 Zetta Elliott Bird Honor2008
2004Carmen BoganFit Like FrankieHonor
2003 Paula Yoo Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee StoryWinner2005
2003Lisette NormanMy Feet are LaughingHonor2006 (Farrar, Straus and Giroux)
2002Adrienne Lorraine BaytonDance, Nishi, DanceHonor
2001 Patricia Smith Janna and the KingsWinner2003
2001 Denise Vega SuperhombreHonor
2000Linda BoydenThe Blue RosesWinner2002
2000Stanley Todd TerasakiGhosts for BreakfastHonor2002
2000Therese On LouieRaymond's Perfect PresentHonor2002

Major awards

Books published by Lee & Low have received several major awards, including some given by the American Library Association, [17] [18] [19] the International Reading Association (IRA), [20] and the New York Public Library. [21]

Major awards won by Lee & Low Books

AwardCitationYearCreatorBook
Coretta Scott King Author Honor Award Winner2011 G. Neri Yummy: the Last Days of a Southside Shorty
Coretta Scott King Author Award Winner1974Sharon Bell MathisRay Charles
Coretta Scott King Author Award Honor1976 Eloise Greenfield Paul Robeson
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner1998Javaka SteptoeIn Daddy's Arms I Am Tall: African Americans Celebrating Fathers
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner1974George Ford (illustrator)Ray Charles
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Honor1997R. Gregory ChristieThe Palm of my Heart: Poetry by African American Children
Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Honor2006R. Gregory ChristieBrothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan
Coretta Scott King/John Steptoe New Illustrator Award Winner2009Shadra Strickland Bird
Ezra Jack Keats New Illustrator AwardWinner2009Shadra Strickland Bird
Ezra Jack Keats New Writer AwardWinner1999Stephanie Stuve-BodeenElizabeti's Doll
Ezra Jack Keats New Writer AwardWinner1999Stephanie Stuve-BodeenElizabeti's Doll
Ezra Jack Keats New Writer AwardHonor2013 Don Tate It Jes' Happened: When Bill Traylor Started to Draw
IRA Children's Book AwardWinner2003Nancy Andrews-GoebelThe Pot that Juan Built
IRA Children's Book AwardNotable2006Mary WilliamsBrothers in Hope: The Story of the Lost Boys of Sudan
IRA Children's Book AwardNotable2006Paula YooSixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story
IRA Children's Book AwardNotable2005EdNah New Rider WeberRattlesnake Mesa
IRA Children's Book AwardNotable2005Debbie A. TaylorSweet Music in Harlem
IRA Children's Book AwardNotable2004 Patricia Smith Janna and the Kings
Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Honor2010John ParraGracias • Thanks
Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Honor2006 Lulu Delacre Arrorró, mi niño: Latino Lullabies and Gentle Games
Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Honor2004Robert CasillaFirst Day in Grapes
Pura Belpré Illustrator Award Honor2004 David Diaz The Pot that Juan Built

Notable authors and illustrators

Authors and illustrators with work published by Lee & Low Books include:

See also

References

  1. Publishers We Distribute
  2. 1 2 "Descubriendo el sabor: Spanish Bilingual Book Publishing and Cultural Authenticity," Multicultural Review, Winter 2007
  3. "Trailblazers: A Storybook Tale," Audrey / The Asian American Women's Lifestyle Magazine, June/July 2007.
  4. Children's Books: Baseball Saved Us, The New York Times Book Review Accessed April 2, 2009
  5. About Us Archived 2009-04-15 at the Wayback Machine Accessed April 1, 2009
  6. "Lee & Low Acquires Children's Book Press". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved March 2, 2012.
  7. Nawotka, Ed. "The Byrds of Cinco Puntos Press Say Goodbye". Publishers Weekly. PWxyz, LLC. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  8. Assistant Professor Sarah Park Dahlen Accessed December 1, 2016
  9. Lee & Low Books, About the Diversity Baseline Survey Accessed December 1, 2016
  10. Lee & Low Books, Where is the Diversity in Publishing? The 2015 Diversity Baseline Results< Accessed December 1, 2016
  11. Publishers Weekly The PW Publishing Industry Salary Survey 2015: A Younger Workforce, Still Predominantly White Accessed December 1, 2016
  12. Arcoiris: Books in Spanish Archived 2009-02-25 at the Wayback Machine , accessed March 19, 2009
  13. Bebop Books, accessed March 19, 2009
  14. Tu Books Submission Guidelines, accessed October 27, 2010
  15. Press Release: Lee & Low Books Acquires Tu Publishing, Brings Diversity to Fantasy and Science Fiction, accessed March 15, 2010
  16. New Voices Award, accessed April 1, 2009
  17. Coretta Scott King Book Award Recipients: Current and Past Archived 2011-04-06 at the Wayback Machine , Accessed April 7, 2009
  18. John Steptoe New Talent Award, Accessed April 7, 2009
  19. The Pura Belpré Winners, Accessed April 7, 2009
  20. IRA Children's and Young Adult's Book Awards Archived 2013-08-04 at the Wayback Machine , Accessed April 7, 2009
  21. The Ezra Jack Keats and New York Public Library New Writer and New Illustrator Award for Children's Books Archived 2008-06-22 at the Wayback Machine , Accessed April 7, 2009