The Children’s Book Review | June 18, 2014
Sarah Mlynowski is the New York Times bestselling author of the Whatever After series as well as Gimme a Call, Don’t Even Think About It, Ten Things We Did (and Probably Shouldn’t Have), How to Be Bad (along with E. Lockhart and Lauren Myracle) and the Magic in Manhattan series. Originally from Montreal, Sarah now lives in the kingdom of Manhattan with her very own prince charming and their fairy-tale-loving daughters.
Latest published book…
Ages 8-12 | 978-0545627283
You wrote it because…
I love fairy tales, but I’ve always disliked the damsel-in-distress endings.
In the Whatever After series, Abby and her little brother Jonah fall into fairy tales and accidentally mess them up. In book 1, Fairest of All, they stop Snow White from eating the poisoned apple. But if Snow White doesn’t get poisoned, she’ll never get saved by the prince. In book 2, If the Shoe Fits, they break Cinderella’s glass slipper; in book 5, Bad Hair Day they chop off Rapunzel’s hair. After they unintentionally derail the fairy tales, Abby and Jonah have to help the characters find new happy endings. Ones that involve careers…and not just marrying princes they met two seconds ago. Whatever After is my chance to inject my favorite fairy tales with a little humor and some girl-power.
Best moment…
In life? I have two. Five years ago when my first daughter was born, and two years ago when my second daughter was. My sweeties.
Your special place to write…
In my bed with the TV on in the background. For some reason when the TV is on, it tricks my brain into thinking I’m not really working and the words flow faster.
Necessary writing/creativity tool …
Coffee.
Favorite bookshop …
My local indie—Books of Wonder.
Currently reading …
Grasshopper Jungle, by Andrew Smith
All-time favorite children’s book you didn’t write …
An author you idolize …
Favorite illustrator …
I’d have to say Helen Huang, the artist who does the Whatever After jackets. I love them!
A literary character to vacation with …
I have a one-year-old and a five-year-old so…Mary Poppins.
Connect with Sarah Mlynowski …
sarahm.com | Twitter | Instagram | Scholastic
Visit more pages and articles on The Children’s Book Review and be sure to follow along with our Writing and Reading Life series.