Michael Winerip
Q&A with Michael Winerip
Author of ADAM CANFIELD OF THE SLASH
Hot off the press from Pulitzer Prize-winning New York Times columnist Michael Winerip-it's his debut novel for young readers!
Meet Adam Canfield: He's the star reporter for the Harris Elementary-Middle school newspaper, the Slash, and he's involved in just about every other extracurricular activity, too-Gladiator quiz bowl, jazz band, statewide test prep class, you name it. And he's just been named coeditor of the Slash alongside his friend Jennifer. He wants to "live life on the edge, dig up the dirt, take dangerous risks for the public good." Somehow, he always finds himself just a few minutes late. But when a third grader delivers a scoop bigger than any the Slash has ever seen, only Adam can dig deep enough to crack through a cover-up that will rock the very foundations of Harris.
Q: Many ideas for the plot lines in Adam Canfield of the Slash came from your newspaper columns. Can you fill us in?
A: Without giving away too much of the plot, I really did cover a smile contest in Louisville, Kentucky, and I really did write about a rich suburb on Long Island, New York, that tried to tear down everyone's basketball hoops. I also lived through a gold plumbing scandal that forced the resignation of a top school official in Miami, Florida. And I knew a man who made a living finding homes for ornery dogs and a lady who lived like a pauper but left a ton of money to her New Jersey town.
Q: It seems as if there would be a big difference between writing for the New York Times and writing a children's novel. Did you have any difficulties composing your first young adult book?
A: When you write for a newspaper, even the New York Times, you learn to write as simply as possible and to use the clearest words. It's natural for me to use language that will suit kids.
Q: Adam Canfield is a very funny, kid-friendly page turner, but it's also a vehicle for you, as a national education columnist for the New York Times, to express your views on current educational and social issues. How do you so seamlessly weave these into the text to convey a message?
A: I've spent more than thirty years as a reporter. Every bit of that has gone into writing Adam Canfield of the Slash, although my hope is that kids reading the book will barely notice. They need to be spending their time laughing a lot and worrying whether the Slash's star reporters can wipe out evil before it wipes them out. The social policy is quietly nestled in the background; it makes up the trappings that I hope will make the book feel different and fresh to kids.
Q: When writing Adam Canfield of the Slash, did you look to any children's book authors for inspiration? Who are a few of your favorites?
A: My favorite children's writers are Jerry Spinelli, Katherine Paterson, E. B. White, Roald Dahl. And two of my favorite books are The Tale of Despereaux and Because of Winn-Dixie.
Q: In your view, how important are trade books, like your own Adam Canfield of the Slash, in turning children into readers?
A: Part of the joy of reading is starting at the front cover and when you finally get to the back cover, closing that book and putting it away with a feeling of accomplishment and a tinge of sadness; the good ones always end too soon. Adam Canfield of the Slash is meant to be a fun read, but at the same time it's filled with all kinds of tough ethical problems that kids-and adults-try to puzzle through daily. I hope a young reader will see that you don't have to fly away to a faraway kingdom or ride on a magic train to find battles of epic proportion.
Contributor: Candlewick PressReviews
Adam Canfield of the Slash
Michael Winerip
Over-programmed middle schooler, Adam Canfield, runs constantly and still runs late for all his activities. But he could not refuse his friend and love interest when she talked him into co-editorship of the school newspaper with her. With the help of a smart, assertive third-grader, they stumble upon the story of the century that involves everyone from the friendly janitor to the devious principal. They also break open a community story and Winerip reveals that even zoning issues can be hysterical and exciting when handled with his talent and wit. The snappy pace and great humor result in an appealing read for all ages. The characters are beautifully crafted, making them instantly likable or villainous or comic. The author captures a realistic middle school perspective on friendships with adults and peers. The searing eyes of the middle schooler will not respect adults who don't deserve it, but their enduring fairness will loyally support those who teach and treat them with dignity. This first novel for young people from a Pulitzer Prize winning journalist is an absolute laugh-riot, with plenty of serious things to say about people and American society. Even at over 300 pages, the story flies past, a definite must read. 2005, Candlewick Press, $15.99. Ages 9 to 12. Reviewer: Kathryn Erskine (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Children's Catalog, Nineteenth Edition, 2006; H.W. Wilson; United States
Choices, 2006; Cooperative Children's Book Center; United States
Middle and Junior High School Library Catalog, Ninth Edition, 2005 ; H.W. Wilson; United States
Notable Book, 2006; International Reading Association; United States
Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, April 18, 2005; Cahners; United States
State and Provincial Reading Lists:
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award, 2006-2007; Book List; Grades 6-9; Maryland
William Allen White Children's Book Award, 2007-2008; Nominee; Grades 6-8; Kansas
ISBN: 978-0-7636-2340-1
Adam Canfield, Watch Your Back!
Michael Winerip
Adam Canfield, co-editor and topnotch investigative reporter for The Slash, the official newspaper of Harris Elementary/Middle School, becomes the news when he is mugged by a carload of high school students while he is shoveling snow. In this sequel to the equally delightful Adam Canfield of The Slash (Candlewick, 2005), Adam and his fellow co-editor (and best friend), the lovely Jennifer, decide to focus on bullying in their school, as one of the lead stories for their next issue. Guided by the kind of ethical journalism that is in short supply in real life, Jennifer and Adam and their crack team of Slash staffers, which includes students from all the grades, also dig into rigged science-fair projects that are done by the parents and the underlying evil intent behind the effort to name a street after Martin Luther King Junior in a nearby African American neighborhood that is being targeted by wealthy white developers. Winerip, who won a Pulitzer Prize for his reporting for the New York Times, writes a terrifically current tale of overextended, high-achieving middle schoolers who are driven by very high standards to get to the truth and who are undeterred by condescending adults with nefarious agendas. His sensitive portrayals of a high-maintenance, genius third grader, a staffer with autism, and Adam and Jennifer's refreshingly respectful relationship add depth to this irresistible, often very funny, and highly recommended series. VOYA CODES: 5Q 4P M J (Hard to imagine it being any better written; Broad general YA appeal; Middle School, defined as grades 6 to 8; Junior High, defined as grades 7 to 9). Reviewer: Beth E. Andersen (VOYA, December 2007 (Vol. 30, No. 5)).
2007, Candlewick, 329p., $15.99. Ages 11 to 15.
Adam Canfield is the co-editor of Harris Elementary/Middle School's paper, the Slash. In this sequel to Adam Canfield of the Slash, Adam is mugged for money he earned shoveling snow. The suspects are quickly apprehended and a trial is scheduled. Due to the mugging incident, Jennifer, Adam's friend and Slash's other co-editor, brings up the topic of bullies for an article; this idea immediately excites the staff but not Adam who is tackling personal problems. While keeping up on his multiple extracurricular activities, Adam works on his own news article research revealing the truth about the science fair projects. Unfortunately, he receives low marks for his science project which completely surprises him. During their research for upcoming articles in the Slash, Adam and Jennifer find some sensitive issues that they must handle, along with the threat abolish the Slash if they pursue one of the stories that they are covering. As he digs for the truth, Adam discovers that whether it is a story or a person, sometimes you have to dig deep to find the truth behind the facade. 2007, Candlewick Press, $15.99. Ages 10 to 14. Reviewer: Carrie Hane Hung (Children's Literature).
ISBN: 978-0-7636-2341-8
Added 12/21/07
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