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| Kristine Enderle | |
The American Psychological Association (APA) will be celebrating the 20th anniversary of the bestselling What to Do Guides in 2025. In advance of that milestone, the series is getting a new look. Starting this fall, original books will be put into second editions and new books will explore fresh topics, including climate change anxiety.
Kristine Enderle is the editorial director of Magination Press, the children's book imprint of the APA. She has been an editor for more than 30 years, and a science nerd her whole life. Enderle's work aligns with APA's mission--to promote the advancement, communication, and application of psychological science and knowledge to benefit society and improve lives.
Here, Enderle chats with Shelf Awareness about the flagship title in the What to Do Guides series, What to Do When You Worry Too Much, the longevity of the series, and the exciting new packaging for the books.
Can you tell us about Magination Press?
It is incredibly fulfilling to publish books that help kids and teens navigate challenges, flourish, and grow. But what really makes my work special and what makes a Magination Press book an APA book is that our books share evidence-based information on mental health, social-emotional learning, and psychological science. Our books champion inclusion and belonging for all children and teens and we are focused on being a progressive, proactive force for social change. Together, our incredible team--editors Katie ten Hagen, Kristin Zelasko, and Julie Spalding, plus fabulous art director/designer Chris Gaugler--we have nearly 100 years of experience with kids' books! My team is truly committed to what Magination Press does and why we do it.
You've been working with the What to Do series since it was first published?
I received the original proposal for What to Do When You Worry Too Much in 2004. Thirteen books have now been published and translated into 25 languages around the world. We have an amazing team of trained professionals who have followed author Dawn Huebner's lead to create books that can help children.
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How do you think What to Do When You Worry Too Much has managed to remain relevant and speak to children and caretakers for 20 years?
Anxiety and worry are a very common childhood concern, and for a good long while, Magination Press was the only one publishing on this topic. But really, What to Do When You Worry Too Much's longevity rests on the fact that it is just an excellent book written by an expert author. The strategies are based on cognitive-behavioral therapy, the gold-standard approach for treating anxiety. And maybe it helps that the book established itself in the marketplace from the jump and at the top of online searches thanks to a brilliant keyword-loaded titling strategy!
What about the repackaging? What is the plan for existing books and new books in the series?
We aimed for a fresh, modern design that should appeal to parents browsing bookstores or parenting sections of libraries. This means fresh bold colors, new art, and inclusive representation. Eventually we will update each title in the series under this new format. Each book will have its own color scheme while looking consistent across the series. This initial relaunch will include two books from the original five published (What to Do When You Worry Too Much and What to Do When Your Temper Flares), two popular books from the past few years (What to Do When Mistakes Make You Quake and What to Do When the News Scares You), plus two brand new books (What to Do When You Panic and What to Do When Climate Change Scares You).
Is there anything else you'd like to tell Shelf Awareness readers?
We want our readers to know that we hear you and support you, 100%! We at Magination Press really love our work and hope we are doing right by our readers. Please have a peek at our work and let us know what you think!