Rodeen Literary Management - Services and Publishers

Paul Rodeen discovered his love of writing, editing and publishing at Knox College where he was the fiction editor and a contributor to the award winning college literary journal Catch. Paul was graduated from Knox College with a Creative Writing major in 2001. Later that summer, he attended the Denver Publishing Institute where he was encouraged to move to New York City to officially start his publishing career.

In late 2001, Paul received his first job with the highly respected literary agency Sterling Lord Literistic, Incorporated. He began his career as an assistant to Jody Hotchkiss, a film agent with Sterling Lord Literistic, Inc. at the time. After a few months of reading and evaluating scripts, Paul was informed that a position was available in the children’s book division of Sterling Lord Literistic, Inc. as an assistant to George Nicholson, the legendary children’s book publisher turned literary agent. Paul welcomed the opportunity to work for such a respected figure in the publishing business and he quickly found that he still loved many of the genres he had enjoyed when he was a child and a teenager. During his three years working as an assistant to George Nicholson, Paul Rodeen signed his first client (the writer/illustrator Peter Brown) and he also closed his first book deal FLIGHT OF THE DODO.

In 2004, Paul Rodeen moved back to his home state of Illinois where he opened up a small satellite office in Chicago for Sterling Lord Literistic, Incorporated. Between 2004 and 2008, Paul expanded his list of clients to include over a dozen talented writers and illustrators of picture books, middle grade novels and young adult fiction. This group of talented artists became the backbone of what would become Rodeen Literary Management.

In late 2008, with much encouragement from his clients, editors, publishers and other agents, Paul Rodeen established Rodeen Literary Agency an agency devoted to supporting the careers of children’s book writers and illustrators.

Abrams Books for Young Readers

Bloomsbury Children’s USA

Candlewick Press

Chronicle Books

Hachette Book Group

Houghton Mifflin

HarperCollins Children’s Books

Harcourt

Holiday House

Hyperion Books for Children

Lerner Publishing Group

MacMillan

Penguin Group

Random House Children’s Books

Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Scholastic

2009

Peter Brown’s CURIOUS GARDEN debut at #7 on the New York Times Bestseller List for picture books. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers will publish and distribute.

Melissa Wyatt’s FUNNY HOW THINGS CHANGE will hit the shelves in May of 2009. Farrar Straus & Giroux will publish and distribute.

Rebecca Hogue Wojahn and Donald Wojahn’s first six books in a twelve book educational series titled FOLLOW THE FOOD CHAIN will debut in 2009. Lerner Publications will publish and distribute.

A two book deal with Little Brown Books for Young Readers for two new picture books written and illustrated by Peter Brown has been closed. The books are tentatively titled GERTIE AND SQUEAKERS and OSCAR’S SKETCHBOOK. Alvina Ling of Little Brown Books will edit.

A two book deal with Aladdin Books (an imprint of Simon & Schuster) for a series of picture books written and illustrated by Frans Vischer has been closed. The series is currently titled FUDDLES and it will be about a fat, lazy house cat that decides to venture outside for a little adventure. The series is scheduled to be the first original fiction hardcover picture book published by Aladdin (the long time paperback publisher). Emily Lawrence of Aladdin will edit.

A deal with Playhouse Disney for the television and film rights to Peter Brown’s CHOWDER picture book series published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers has been closed. Eddie Gamarra of The Gotham Group handled the sale of the film and television rights to Disney. Lin Oliver has signed on as producer and screenwriter.

2008 deals under Sterling Lord Literistic, Inc.

A book deal with G.P. Putnam & Sons (an imprint of Penguin) for a young adult novel written by David Wright and Luc Bouchard has been closed. The novel is tentatively titled HOME FIELD PARIS and is based on the authors’ experience playing professional (American) football in Paris, France. John Rudolph of G.P. Putnam & Sons will edit.

A book deal with Knopf (an imprint of Random House Children’s Books) for writer Aaron Reynolds and illustrator David Barneda has been closed. The first book in the deal is tentatively titled SNOWBOTS and is a robotic variation on a snow day that lyrically combines the trappings of childhood and an auto body shop. Cecile Goyette of Knopf will edit.

A book deal with Chronicle Books for writer Aaron Reynolds and illustrator Jeff Newman has been closed. The book is titled CARNIVORE CLUB and is about a group of carnivores (shark, timber wolf, lion) that are ousted from their normal habitat because of their tendency to eat other cute animals. Julie Romeis of Chronicle Books will edit.

A three book deal with Knopf (an imprint of Random House Children’s Books) for Julia Sarcone-Roach has been closed. The first book will be titled THE SECRET PLAN and will be about a young elephant and three kittens that share a duplex with their parents and are constantly having their fun ruined by the intrusion of lunch, dinner and worst of all bedtime. The group devises a secret plan to avoid the distractions. The book was sold in auction. Cecile Goyette at Knopf will edit.

THE TICKLE MONSTER IS COMING a picture book illustrated by David Barneda will be published by Bloomsbury USA in Spring 2008.

An illustration job for Peter Brown has been closed. He will illustrate PURPLE KANGAROO a picture book written by actor Michael Ian Black. Simon & Schuster will publish. Justin Chanda will edit.

A deal for two picture books with Knopf has been closed for writer/illustrator Michael Townsend. The first book is tentatively titled MONKEY AND ELEPHANT and is about two best of friends that turn into the worst of enemies. The feud becomes so volatile that the other animals that inhabit the island have to go to extreme and hilarious measures in order to repair the relationship. Cecile Goyette at Knopf will edit.