The Creative Company is seeking a full-time editor to join our fast-paced, challenging, and creative team. We offer a work environment with on-the-job training, casual work attire, and a commitment to quality.
The Editor position is an integral part of The Creative Company’s book development team. From popular topics like sports and animals to in-depth looks at technology and social issues, our editors are versatile enough to work on a wide variety of subjects and comfortable working with authors to ensure accurate, understandable text. This position requires great attention to detail and project management skills. It also requires a keen ability to edit text to various reading levels; copy edit for grammar, punctuation, and organization; and fact-check for accuracy.
The editor’s tasks will include:
Essential Job Functions
Requirements
Preferred Qualifications
Application Process
Please apply through the job listing on Indeed. Submit a cover letter summarizing your relevant education, experience, and interest for this job, as well as your resume and writing or editorial samples.
Qualified candidates will be sent a short editing test. Top scorers on the editing test will be invited to interview.
Posted 3/6/24
]]>Since its release, Banned Book has drawn attention from the media. View the links below to learn more.
Read an author interview the Worlds of Words Blog
Read an author Q&A with Deborah Kalb
Listen to a radio interview with Project Censored
Featured on NPR News Station WESA
Featured on Publishers Weekly Books for Young Readers Addressing Book Banning
Children's Books: Judgement Calls - WSJ
]]>Enjoy video documentation of Timothy Musso's exhibit of the original artwork from picture book Chasing the Sun.
CLICK HERE to watch the video.
Artist: Timothy Musso, timmusso.com @timmusso
Cinematography & Editing: Jared Gonzales @jared_gonzalez__
Music: Cody Fry, 'Photograph'
"A visually stunning picture book that blends accuracy and a sense of wonder." —Publishers Weekly, STARRED REVIEW
"The combination of storytelling, fact presentation, and exquisite illustrations will leave readers in anticipation for upcoming nature picture books from Musso." —Children’s Literature
"Musso’s woodcut illustrations wonderfully evoke the power of this species during their migrations that span the globe." —American Birding Association
"A first purchase; joyful, economical, and exhilarating." —School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW
"The quality of the writing paired with the complementary skillful illustrations make this worthy of readers’ bookshelves." —Kirkus Reviews
" Is written with a simplicity that mimics the kind of simplicity that's often lost in childhoods of today." —Where the Board Books Are
"Graphic art in a dark somber palette complements the text to tell the story of Blind Willie Johnson and the Golden Record sent on NASA’s 1977 Voyager spacecrafts. Back matter. " —Bank Street College of Education
"Colorful, whimsical, easy-on-the-eyes illustrations, rendered in watercolors and colored pencils, bring to life the limerick ..." —Kirkus Reviews
"Accessible and engaging for the next generation of poetry enthusiasts and curious toddlers alike." —Where the Board Books Are
"Joyful and lyrical; a lovely way to represent spring." —Kirkus Reviews
"Readers will find the outlines of some familiar forms from nature here—mice, birds, flowers, trees—and positive vibes of wonder, growth, and beauty permeating each page." —Publishers Weekly
"The story is a love letter to both creativity and the childhood exuberance of imaginative play." —Kirkus Reviews
"What to Do with a Stick is a book your children will enjoy looking through even when they can’t read. This will only make it more enjoyable when they start putting the rhyming words together themselves." —New York Journal of Books
"Finely detailed lines of early scientific sketches of flora and fauna, echo the old-fashioned language and style of the text..." —Kirkus Reviews
"With elements reminiscent of Huck Finn’s adventures and the velveteen rabbit’s love, The Red Canoe’s classic storytelling will keep kids and adults returning to this story ..." —World Magazine
"A zookeeper finds all of his animal friends during a preposition-rich game of hide-and-seek. Rhymed text. Richly colored mixed-media illustrations." —Bank Street College of Education
"A simple reflective appreciation of nature." —Children’s Literature
"It’s a dazzling combination of text and illustrations with an indirect call to arms to protect the natural world around us." —Simply 7 with Jena Benton
"Informational fiction at its best." —Unpacking the Power of Picture Books
Creative Sports: A History of Hoops
"Illustrations, usually high-quality color shots showing players in action, add color and drama to every spread in this attractive book." —Booklist
"Add individual titles to cover subject holes or consider the complete set as a strong, wide-ranging update to the animal shelves in your collection." —School Library Journal
"A worthwhile and timely selection..." —Booklist
"This is excellent research material for current events." —School Library Journal
"This book and others in the series would be useful in science classes for Spanish-speaking elementary students or in classroom libraries where students are learning Spanish." —Children’s Literature
"Well-suited for preschool or kindergarten social studies units on community helpers or for young children interested in a particular profession." —Booklist
"A solid addition to early learning libraries and small- to medium-sized public library collections." —School Library Journal
"Attractively designed, the volumes feature pleasing digital artwork, photos of fossils, playful text placement, and ample white space to help young learners stay focused." —Booklist
"Highlighting some of the most popular prehistoric creatures, these titles are perfect for libraries looking to build their dinosaur collections for emerging readers." —School Library Journal
"Excellent translations are matched by broad appeal, making this series perfect for any upper elementary or middle school collection." —School Library Journal
WNBA: A History of Women's Hoops
"Action-filled photos add to the book’s energetic tone." —Booklist
"You could cherry pick for your local team if your budget is tight, but the whole set is worthy of first purchase." —School Library Journal
Posted 12/05/2023
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Seymour Chwast has illustrated and/or authored around 40 children’s books during the course of his seven-decade career. Incredibly, Kid in a Candy Store: The Picture Book Art of Seymour is the first solo exhibition of these books. Curated by kid’s book historian Leonard Marcus, it opened on Nov. 18 and will run through April 14 at the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. It is filled with old and new works that excite and inspire—especially those he’s made using unconventional shapes and folds and bindings.
Shop Seymour Chwast's collection here.
]]>Watch a video interview featuring Creative Editions author Michael Rosen.
Shop books by Michael Rosen here.
]]>Shop Creative Editions titles by Seymour Chwast.
]]>Registration is available for in-person or virtual attendance. Don't miss this opportunity to learn more about Jill's journey and experiences as both an Author and Editor.
She will also giving a sneak peak of Creative Education's Fall 2023 New Releases.
To learn more or to register for the program, click here.
Our Spanish collection is available on our website, Edelweiss, and Bookshop, and many are also available in paperback format. Here are the new and recent additions to our continuously growing Spanish collection:
Crafted for young readers this series now includes more than 60 titles! From holidays and transportation to planets and dinosaurs, there is something for everyone to enjoy. Labeled image guides and glossaries enhance this introduction to nonfiction reading.
Get to know the furry, feathery, scaly wild animals with whom we share our planet! Readers will learn all about their favorite animals, explore their life cycles, diets and habitats. A folk tale in each title adds a cross-curricular cultural layer to the text.
Creative Education’s popular Amazing Animals series is now translated for your Spanish-language readers! With bold photography, readers get up close with their favorite animals to learn about their appearance, behaviors, and life cycle.
Creative Sports: Campeones del Super Bowl
Score touchdowns with readers in this engaging football series. Each volume introduces the history of the club, where it plays home games, star players and coaches, and memorable championships.
Shop our Spanish collection here.
Posted July 2023
]]>Shop books by Etienne Delessert here.
]]>Visit your local libraries to learn more about summer reading programs and how you can participate.
Posted May 2023
]]>Ready or Not, Here I Come! Named on the Under 5 Concepts Books list. See page 10.
Sashiko Named on the 9–12 Historical Fiction list. See page 37.
A Song for the Cosmos Named on the 9–12 Informational Books list. See page 43.
]]>A documentary celebrating the successful, prolific career of Gary Kelley is set to premiere October 28, 2023 at the Gallagher Bluedorn Performing Arts Center on the University of Northern Iowa campus. Register for the event here.
Read more about Kelley and the upcoming documentary from The Courier.
Shop Gary Kelley's Creative Editions picture book collection here.
]]>Upcoming Creative Editions picture book, Banned Book, is featured in PRINT Magazine. Steven Heller discusses the intent of creating the book with author Jonah Winter, illustrator Gary Kelley, and publisher Tom Peterson. Read the full article here.
]]>What started as a handful of titles has morphed into a collection of 76 fascinating mammals, birds, reptiles, fish, and invertebrates. As a hot topic among readers, this animal series takes them on an adventure to explore the world’s diverse creatures, examine their appearance, habitat, behaviors, and life cycles.
Amazing Animals made its way into the Creative Education publishing list in 2010. It has since become one of Creative’s best-selling series. With the long history of the series, it was time to update and refresh. 2019 marked the initial round of updated versions with the last of the revisions releasing in Spring 2023. The sought-after series has also evolved to include Spanish translations, making for a popular choice among Spanish-fluent readers and those learning the language.
What makes this popular series so intriguing? Bold photography, folktales, and of course the abundance of animals to choose from! Finding the right photos can be a painstaking process, but the showpieces contained in Amazing Animals are some of Creative’s best (peek into the books here). The folktales included in the titles offer a poetic and narrative feature. The storytelling form can be recast for centuries and serve as a way for us to signal the long-lasting relationships humans have developed with these animals. Readers of all kinds will find their favorite animal or perhaps find love for a new one.
Whether you're an Amazing Animals superfan or a newcomer, there’s something for everyone.
Shop the Amazing Animals collection here.
Shop the Planeta animal collection here.
Posted April 2023
]]>Shop books by James Christopher Carroll.
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Join Amicus, Black Rabbit Books, and Creative for a live webcast Thursday, February 23, 2023 at 1:00 p.m. (CST). We’ll be featuring the new books we have for you this spring.
Attend live for your chance to win free books! Can’t make it live? Register and we’ll send out a recording following the event.
Register for the free webinar here.
Posted February 1, 2023
]]>Q: If you could tell your younger professional self anything, what would it be?
A: Maintain your passion for handmade, not digital, artwork.
Q: What was your favorite thing about school as a kid?
A: Studying history. And art styles.
Q: When you’re not making art, what are your favorite things to do?
A: Family, friends, inspirational art. Connections.
Q: What do you do to overcome a creative block?
A: Hope to find a way to make it creative.
Q: What sparked your interest or inspired you to illustrate children’s books?
A: Variety. Visual, classic storytelling.
Q: Who or what has been a major influence on your illustrating style?
A: Fine art history inspiring illustration.
Q: What would you have been if not an illustrator?
A: Graphic designer, writer maybe.
Q: Why does reading excite you?
A: Interpreting words that may inspire visuals.
Q: What piece of advice would you give to aspiring children’s book illustrators?
A: Handmade art. Storytelling visually.
Q: What do you find most appealing about your career in illustrating children’s books?
A: Creative Editions!
Q: What are the biggest challenges about a career in illustrating children’s books?
A: The digital world. Fading art history.
Q: In terms of your career, where do you see yourself in 5-10 years?
A: Hopefully still motivated.
Recent Picture Books by Gary Kelley
Shop Kelley’s Collection here.
Posted January 2023
]]>View the complete list here.
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"Kelley matches Blind Willie Johnson’s tone and the space subject matter with softly colored scenes of the musician and Voyager set against indigo blues and occasional orbs, planets, and records." —Booklist, 07/01/2022
"...is appropriately touching and uplifting, leaving readers with a sense of bittersweet vindication for the triumph that posthumously crowned Johnson’s hard life." —The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, 09/01/2022
"More than just a biography of Johnson, a musical legend many may not have heard of, this picture book also provides information and context for his special place in history: as creator of a beautiful message about what it means to be human." —Booksource, 10/22/2022
"This lyrical, luminous winter solstice book exhorts readers to go outside and experience the season's natural wonders." —The Horn Book, 10/04/2022
"This intensely artistic picture book stands apart from others in its genre both because of the rich poetry found in the text and because of the deep, nighttime hues of the illustrations." —Children's Literature, 11/19/2022
"Sashiko is an unusual title not only in its subject ... but also in its beauty." —Wall Street Journal, 07/29/2022
"Pritelli’s traditional-leaning visuals glow with luminous tones..." —Publisher’s Weekly, 07/21/2022
"Double-page spreads feature landscapes dotted with endearing animals ... and two short sentences that form a rhyming couplet." —Booklist, 09/01/2022
"...Gary Kelley’s pastel illustrations are exceptional as always, not only for their realism but for their beauty and ability to engage the emotions of the viewer." —Rhapsody in Books Blog, 08/18/2022
"Teachers will find the book (and series) to be a wonderful addition for a science unit on animals or birds. Younger children may enjoy listening to the text read aloud and examining the photos." —Children's Literature, 10/09/2022
"Teachers will want to include this book (and the series) in their science unit on animals and use the folktale to initiate a cross-curricular lesson." —Children's Literature, 10/09/2022
"Teachers will want to supplement their science unit on animal study with this book (or collection)." —Children's Literature, 10/09/2022
"An intriguing introduction to topics of mythology." —Children’s Literature, 07/27/2022
"Additional resources and websites offering fun facts and games delivers a satisfying conclusion…” —Children’s Literature, 08/05/2022
"Appealing to fans of the paranormal and unexplained, the “Amazing Mysteries” series offers age-appropriate information, vocabulary, and key facts relating to history’s most intriguing mythical creatures." —Children’s Literature, 08/30/2022
Creative Sports: Super Bowl Champions
"The story of this great team is well told in this introductory book. Young readers who enjoy sports will find this book both appealing and educational." —Children's Literature, 10/09/2022
"The story of the New York Giants is well represented in this introductory sports history book. Readers who enjoy sports, and NFL football in particular, will be both entertained and informed by this book." —Children's Literature, 10/09/2022
"The story of the Washington Commanders is well told in this colorfully illustrated book. Young readers of this book with an interest in the NFL should find enough content to whet their appetite and capture their interest." —Children's Literature, 10/09/2022
"This book, which states the necessity for water for all, is a must read. Everyone should have a copy of this, and continue to read it as a reminder of how important the world needs to conserve water, and keep it fresh for all." —Children's Literature, 09/09/2022
"All of the books in the "Odysseys" series are written to open your eyes about the plight of our planet ... There are many people on both sides of this problem ... Which side is correct? Is there a middle ground? Read this book, and decide for yourself." —Children's Literature, 10/06/2022
Posted 12/16/2022
]]>Watch the interview here.
Video interview by WMHT Public Media.
Shop picture books by Carroll.
]]>
Q: If you could tell your younger professional self anything, what would it be?
A: Find your voice, and then find others that want to listen.
Q: What was the first piece of art that made a lasting impression on you?
A: Paper that I held, folded and shaped with wings.
Q: What was your favorite thing about school as a kid?
A: The paints and clay and cardboard and wire and glue and pencils and knives and plaster; and the odd teacher that shared these with us.
Q: What inspired you to write and illustrate children’s books?
A: I make these books for us, and not specifically for children. I try to touch on the dance of light and shadow that fill our days. To balance this reality is a pleasure, and there is a wonderful tension in the making.
Q: When you’re not making art, what are your favorite things to do?
A: I’m somewhere in the woods, riding a bike through the shadows.
Posted October 25, 2022
]]>Stories help with the development of emotional intelligence and have the power to promote emotional and moral development, too. The skill of making moral decisions and the reasoning for those decisions is an important skill for children to see modeled. In Erika’s Story, the reader is taken on a journey to understand the choice her parents made when sparing her from the horrors of the Holocaust.
Encourage creativity and imagination with Pirates at the Plate, a story of pirates and cowboys and the imagination of youth. In Taste the Clouds, sensory experiences are swapped in imaginative ways that encourage readers to consider different ways of thinking about the world.
Support language development and vocabulary with rhythmic text as readers and listeners are prompted to act out the command in Simon Says, Open the Book. Companion titles include I Spy with My Curious Eye and Ready or Not, Here I Come!
Related articles:
https://www.luther.edu/oneota-reading-journal/archive/2012/the-value-of-childrens-literature/
https://www.amatterofstyle.eu/inspire-me/books-important-childs-development
Posted September 26, 2022
]]>Creative Editions
The fall season marks the beginning of a new adventure for many. Celebrate the season with these beautifully illustrated picture books from Creative Editions.
With colors associated with images indicative of the seasons of the year, readers will explore a colorful landscape in this illustrated board book. Ages 2–5.
Confronted by the beauty and innocence of nature one perfect fall day, a hunter makes an unexpected choice to honor living things in a different way. Readers will journey along to see how the hunter discovers something about his place in the natural world all while taking in the beauty of nature. Ages 6 and up.
A girl new to the city befriends an old tree at the playground. In sharing their stories and revealing their joys and sorrows, they see into each other’s lives, discovering, as all true friends do, that being seen and understood for oneself is one of the purest expressions of love. Ages 6 and up.
Creative Education
Seedlings
Get your early readers on the right track with the right introduction to reading. Our Seedlings series are written in a friendly voice, filled with dynamic photos, and feature text crafted for the youngest of readers. As introductions to informational text, these titles will plant the seeds of knowledge! Many of our Seedlings titles are also available in Spanish.
Reading Suggestions:
Odysseys
Aimed toward advanced readers, our Odysseys series feature a sophisticated design with side panels and colored callouts making the text accessible to a wide range of learners. With topics ranging from art to history to outdoor adventures, older readers will find these series engaging, interesting, and informational.
Reading Suggestions:
The 9/11 Terrorist Attacks (Odysseys in History)
Camping (Odysseys in Outdoor Adventures)
Explore all of our titles and series here.
Posted August 25, 2022
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