Dear friends:

The lights are up, the tree is up, the other lights are up, and the election is over. (Again.) It’s the holidays!

This my last missive to you until after the New Year, but I wanted to make sure you had the opportunity to read the new articles posted this week, such as Jason Low’s extension of his diversity research to include literary agents and Grace Maccarone’s survey of what an editor looks for in a book for new readers (I wonder if I’m among the last generation who will add “you know, like I Can Read books” to any contemporary parsing of the category?). Next week we’ll be bringing you K. T. Horning’s conversation with Leslie Brody about her new Louise Fitzhugh biography, and Calling Caldecott continues to ramp up its appreciations/speculations in advance of the Big Day, which will be [checks notes] January 25th.

I hope you all have safe and enjoyable holidays, whatever their stripe. We’ll be going to P-town per usual, renting a house that sits high on a hill overlooking the water, with resident foxes to keep the dogs entertained. There will be Chex Mix, movies, Mariah Carey’s Christmas special, and lots of books, although I still haven’t landed on a “main one” yet. Have you?

Love,

Roger