From Hoops to Hippos

Earlier this year I had the pleasure of working with Boris Diaw, NBA Champion forward for the San Antonio Spurs, as the photo editor on a book that he pitched. Boris had contacted National Geographic to inform them that he has a serious passion for animal photography and with that the idea was born that we should collaborate on a children's book. Filled with Boris' photography from numerous safaris around Africa, the book tells of tales from his trips far and wide to capture elusive animals and some harrowing scenarios in between. The best part is that the book has been receiving lots of press and some great reviews! 

It was a first for me working on a book with a professional athlete who happened to be a photographer and, although at first I was a bit trepidatious, Boris' photography turned out to be fantastic and I foresee some more contributions from him to Nat Geo in the future! He certainly has another calling besides basketball and I wouldn't be surprised when his basketball days are over if photography becomes his full-time career. 

Check out this article from Sports Illustrated for more info on the book.

Washington Post gives Untamed Two Thumbs Up

Today the Washington Post featured a wonderful review of Untamed: The Wild Life of Jane Goodall which as mentioned, I recently photo edited. Here's to more recognition and accolades to come for this title!

The review can be found HERE

"The book’s wonderful photographs, including four pages of a chimpanzee “family scrapbook,” provide a sense of the animals’ distinct personalities and also reveal the trusting relationships Goodall developed with many of the chimps she studied.

Silvey makes it clear that Goodall faced many difficulties: 'It wasn’t easy for her, but she is somebody who overcomes the next obstacle. Whatever it is, she finds a solution.' "

Starred Review for Untamed: The Wildlife of Jane Goodall

My first week working at National Geographic Society I stepped into the elevator one morning and Jane Goodall was standing there with several other people. My jaw dropped. I regretted not having had the courage to introduce myself, tell her what an inspiration she was to me. Kicked myself for not having thought of something clever or witty to say. Four years late I was the photo editor on a book that has been one of the most rewarding projects I have worked on. Jane Goodall is a force to be reckoned with, a tornado of energy and drive working to make a difference in the lives of people and animals around the globe. Having access to her personal archive of photos and working with her archivist was an experience I will never forget. This book has been out for just a short time but the star reviews are already coming in, this one from the School Library Journal:

"Featuring gorgeous, full-color photographs; primary sources; and fun nature facts, this biography of Jane Goodall will easily entice children. Goodall is presented as inspiring and intelligent as well as down-to-earth in her personality and methods. Silvey focuses on the scientist’s relationship to the chimpanzees she studied, and also discusses the anthropologist’s trajectory from curious young girl to respected scientist (black-and-white childhood photos and anecdotes add to the appeal). Sidebars provide additional material, such as brief profiles of her mentor, Louis Leakey, and her mother. The photographs of Goodall and her primate friends are beautiful, and the book is well designed and laid out with care. The writing is clear and concise, and learning about the subject’s work in such an accessible manner will boost children’s self-confidence, especially girls with an interest in science. VERDICT An ideal purchase for science or biography collections,"–Shalini Miskelly, St. Benedict Catholic School, Seattle, WA

Temple Run is Up for Children's Book Choice of the Year!

I'm am THRILLED that readers are coming out in droves to vote for Temple Run as one of the best children's books of the year! This book was so interesting to work on because it encompassed so much of what I love to research: temples, artifacts, archeology, ancient civilizations, adventure and faraway destinations. Cast your vote HERE! The book takes kids on an adventure around the globe and makes them all National Geographic explorers, nurturing knowledge of places many of them have never known about and sending them off on an expedition through the photos that I found for this book. 

The Love Just Keeps Coming

I am beyond flattered to see all of these rave reviews for Why'd They Wear That?. We worked so hard and diligently on this book. It is wonderful to receive praise where praise is due. This review from The Book List was sent to me this morning:

Another Rave Review

Why'd They Wear That receives another stellar review, this time from the Washington Post!!

“Why'd They Wear That?: Fashion as the Mirror of History” by Sarah Albee. (National Geographic)

Opening with a foreword by style guru Tim Gunn, this lavishly illustrated book presents history as a long and winding runway of fashion. In its brightly adorned pages, readers can gaze and gawk at the strange outfits humans have dreamed up since “casting off their smelly bear-skins” 10,000 years ago. Author Sarah Albee not only discusses the materials, colors and designs of the past, but also shows how people have suffered from wearing and making some of these garments. With a light hand but vivid details, Albee makes clear that fashion’s victims are legion, from the slaves who labored on cotton plantations and the workers in sweatshops the world over, to tightly corseted women and girls whose feet were bound for years at a time. The lively book covers an impressive variety of topics and themes, including battle garb, functional clothing and passing fads, including 14th-century cone-shaped headdresses and early-20th-century hobble skirts. Such examples should help alert young readers to think skeptically about the vagaries of fashion trends.

— Abby McGanney Nolan

A New Dr. Seuss on the Loose!

Come July we will all be able to add yet another Dr. Seuss book to our collections (if we can get our hands on one). A manuscript by the beloved author and illustrator was found by his widow and long-time friend and secretary nearly complete and will be published by Random House Children's Books this July. Find out more here. 

Grand Budapest

I stumbled across The Grand Budapest Hotel as an inflight movie option on my way back from Italy this past July. I would hope that the passengers sitting around me were amused by the copious amount of laughter coming from my seat. I couldn't help myself. A month or so ago I asked my husband to watch the movie on Netflix and he was asleep within the first thirty minutes. I suppose Wes Anderson's humor isn't for everyone but he is one of my absolute favorite directors. More on a book about The Grand Budapest Hotel written by film critic Matt Zoller Seitz can be found here from the New York Times. Anderson's The Royal Tenenbaums and The Life Aquatic should also be at the top of your "to watch" list (if you've been living under a rock). 

Out Damn Spot...

I'm the first to admit that I don't know a thing about graphic novels, but this article in the NY Times got me a little more interested this morning. 'Macbeth' has been adapted by Gareth Hinds and my first thought was what a fantastic opportunity for reluctant readers to have a way to learn the classics! A snippet of Maria Russo's article, Sketching Shakespeare is below:

"Macbeth” — unlike, say, “Hamlet” or “Romeo and Juliet” — doesn’t feature classically adolescent themes, and its main characters are grown-ups. Yet with its simple, linear plot, its witches and its ghosts, its clear-cut moral questions about the lure of evil and whether and how we control our own fates, it is well suited for teenagers. Gareth Hinds’s stellar new graphic-novel adaptation, aimed at a young adult audience, makes that abundantly clear. The play also, of course, features some epic fight scenes and lots and lots of blood, and Hinds makes the most of these opportunities to show how naturally Shakespeare takes to the comics form.

I know that the graphic novel genre is a very popular one, one that I need to learn more about. Perhaps there are some other classics covered in this genre that I am unfamiliar with, but I'm thankful to the NYT for drawing it to my attention-

Pretty Proud

I have worked on dozens of titles for National Geographic but one that I have been the most proud of received a stellar review last week by the New York Journal of Books. The review for Why'd They Wear That? can be found here. A few noteworthy quotes:

"...this is truly an ageless piece of work that does everything a book should do. This book educates, elucidates, and entertains and should be deemed required reading for anyone who is interested in fashion on any level."

"Seasoned followers of and participants in the world of fashion will be endlessly amused and enlightened after reading each chapter."

"If this is a book meant for kids then caviar needs to be on their everyday menu!"

Jeffrey Felner, the reviewer, is described as "a dedicated participant and nimble historian in the business of fashion and style. Decades of experience allow him to pursue almost any topic relating to fashion and style with unique insight and unrivaled acumen". 

I will certainly take it! This book was one of the most challenging photo research assignments I have been given. The specificity of the images we were looking for drove me to near madness but in the end we hit the nail on the head. Each image is a true depiction, with great historical accuracy, of the items of clothing and accessories discussed in the text. My fellow photo editor, Lori Epstein, and our amazing designer, Jim Hiscott, could not have been a better team to take this project on with.