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| Jane O'Connor | |
Jane O'Connor, v-p and editor-at-large at Grosset & Dunlap and an author, is retiring in April after 33 years at Penguin.
In a message to staff, Francesco Sedita, president, Penguin Young Readers, wrote in part that O'Connor has had "a long and impactful career in children's publishing. A true visionary, over the course of her career she has launched careers and built trendsetting brands that have shaped the landscape of kids' books....
"We will miss Jane, and her incredible work. But what we will most miss is her generosity of spirit, her sharp sense of humor--and her commitment to getting children to read. As she said to me, 'Really my whole career in and outside of the office has been aimed at getting children to love books. It's as simple as that.' "
O'Connor began her career as an editor at Scholastic's K-1 Book Club and in 1984 joined Random House Children's Books, where she became editor-in-chief. She moved to Penguin, where she was v-p and publisher of Grosset & Dunlap. When Price Stern Sloan was purchased by Putnam in the 1990s, she became president of mass market publishing.
O'Connor is the author of more than 30 books for children, including the Fancy Nancy series and the Nina, Nina Ballerina stories, as well as two adult books. (A third is on the way.)