Who Done It?

January 14, 2013
In Scieszka’s anthology, which benefits Dave Eggers’s literary nonprofit 826NYC, 83 authors provide their alibis for the murder of editor Herman Q. Mildew (“the most hated man in ALL publishing,” as Peter Brown puts it). Most of the backhanded eulogies and professions of innocence that follow—from Libba Bray, John Green, Maureen Johnson, Lemony Snicket, Mo Willems, and many others—are two- to three-page essays. “Of course I wanted to murder Herman Mildew. Please understand, I want to murder people all the time, and I never do it,” writes Mac Barnett, who then lists other hateful people he hasn’t killed. Elsewhere, a murderous tweet comes back to haunt #gayleformanicepickkiller; an annotated illustration shows a suspicious looking Adele Griffin and Lisa Brown with straitjackets and voodoo dolls; and David Levithan riffs on William Carlos Williams (“herman mildew ate/ the plums/ that were in/ the icebox/ and I was pissed”). Jokes about royalty statements, missed deadlines, and editorial cruelty may be a bit inside-baseball for the average reader, but teens should be entertained by the range of imagination and humor on display, while seeing favorite authors in a mischievous new light. Ages 12–up.

January 15, 2013
A routine writing exercise filled with in-jokes and carried to ridiculous extremes by a mammoth stable of YA and children's authors. Produced to benefit the creative writing program 826NYC, the anthology consists of alibis of various length offered by 83 (!) alphabetically ordered contributors accused of killing evil editor Herman Q. Mildew. Along with making frequent reference to cheese (the stinky sort, natch), pickles and frozen legs of lamb, some "suspects" protest their inability to meet any deadline (Libba Bray) or map out a scheme ("Plotting has never been my strong point. Just read any of my books," writes Sarah Darer Littman). Others protest that they adored the victim despite his habit of callously rejecting their story ideas, mistreating their manuscripts, insulting their pets, calling them at odd hours and bilking them of royalties. Dave Eggers and Greg Neri provide lists of explicitly described ways in which they did not kill Mildew, Mo Willems and Michael Northrup claim to have been off killing someone else at the time, and Elizabeth Eulberg, Mandy Hubbard, John Green, Lauren Myracle and several others shift the blame to fellow writers. Young readers, even the sort who worship authors, will find their eyes soon glazing over. Clever in small doses--tedious after the first few dozen entries. (author bios) (Belles lettres. 10-12)

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February 1, 2013
Grades 8-12 This quirky mystery anthology is jam-packed with some of the most celebrated, award-winningest YA and children's authors ever to be accused of . . . murder. The victim is boss/superior/editor Herman Q. Mildew, a man so despised, the list of suspects includes 83 authors. With the alibis curated (in alphabetical order, naturally) by Scieszka, the finger-pointing and self-incrimination begin in every form imaginable: some are illustrated, others use text/Twitter/IM-speak, and David Levithan even offers his alibi in verse and questions the benefits of bloodily murdering someone while the pen is mightier than the sword. The short bursts of writing create a sizable sampler for readers to choose from, gleaning from each entry the style and voice of everyone from Lemony Snicket and Libba Bray to Barry Lyga and Rita Williams-Garcia. Indeed, the pen is being used mightily to drum up support for creative writing; proceeds from sales will benefit Dave Eggers' (another among the accused) 826 writing program in New York.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2013, American Library Association.)