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Summaries of chats and announcements are posted to the right. Use them to add to your own TBR piles and for collection development.
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GalleyChatters
Director Thor Freudenthal (Diary of a Wimpy Kid) replaces Chris Columbus (the first two Harry Potter movies) for the second Percy Jackson movie, which opens on August 7.
Official Web Site: PercyJacksonTheMovie.com
The tie-in edition arrives in July:
Percy Jackson and the Olympians, Book Two The Sea of Monsters (Movie Tie-In Edition), Rick Riordan
Disney/Hyperion, 9781423160076, 142316007X $7.99 US / $8.99 Can
Several Y.A. titles arrive next week with advance buzz about their new takes on the subjects of gay identity, bullying and coming-of-age (with a female protagonist called one of the “most memorable since Holden Caufield”). In picture books, a Sesame Street favorite gets renewed life and Amelia Bedelia experiences a significant first.
All the titles highlighted here, plus many more arriving next week, are listed with ordering information, on our downloadable spreadsheet, Kids New Title Radar, Week of May 27.
Sing, Joe Raposo, Tom Lichtenheld, (Macmillan/Henry Holt, CD included)
EarlyWord Kids Correspondent, Lisa Von Drasek writes:
If I had to put my money on one spring title this would be it. Raposo’s song, originally written for Sesame Street, strikes a chord in memory but is as timely now as when it debuted 40 years ago. The lyrics build confidence by urging kids to be themselves — trying, failing, then doing it anyway — and are put to a hypnotically cheerful tune. No wonder it’s been beloved ever since its debut in 1971.
Tom Lichtenheld’s pictures do more than illustrate, they illuminate. He tells a story without words of a bird without song. The reader finds herself as an accompanist, singing the song as though it were a soundtrack to the ‘real’ story in pictures. What could have been a saccharine greeting card of a picture book is anything but. This edition contains the original bilingual, Spanish and English lyrics as well as a CD. Not a false note.
WARNING: If songs tend to stick in your head, do NOT press the play button below.
Amelia Bedelia’s First Library Card, (HarperCollins/Greenwillow)
What took her so long? Amelia Bedelia gets her first library card in the sixth title of this new series by Herman Parish, nephew of the character’s originator, Peggy Parish, in which he portrays the literal-minded Amelia Bedelia as an energetic child experiencing important firsts.
Wild Awake, Hilary T. Smith, (HarperCollins/Tegen Books)
Arriving with buzz from YA GalleyChat, this debut is also a top ten Summer ’13 Kids’ Indie Next pick. Featuring 17-year-old Kiri Byrd, called “one of the most memorable characters in young adult literature since Holden Caulfield.” As Kiri begins to realize that her sister’s recent death was not accidental, her own mental health deteriorates. Horn Book says, “Most fascinating in this stirring coming-of-age novel are the blurred lines between perception and reality, genius and madness, peace and turmoil. Debut author Smith embraces the complexities of grief, family dynamics, creativity, mental illness, and love.”
Openly Straight, Bill Konigsberg, (Scholastic; Scholastic Audio)
As the title suggests, this novel from the author of the Lambda Literary Award for Young Adult fiction, Out Of The Pocket (Dutton, 2008) takes a new approach to gay issues. Teen Rafe is tired of being the gay poster child in his school, so when he transfers to a new one, he decides to take on a new persona. Horn Book notes, “For a thought-provoking, creative, twenty-first-century take on the coming-out story, look no further.” Readers on GalleyChat called it, “Truthful, sweet, heartbreaking, funny,” with “broad appeal, like Will Grayson, Will Grayson.”
Twerp, Mark Goldblatt, (RH BYR; Listening Library)
On the top ten Summer ’13 Kids’ Indie Next list, this YA debut by an adult authors gets a strong recommendation, “In 1960s New York, sixth-grader Julian ‘Twerp’ Twerski has just returned to school after a weeklong suspension, when his English teacher offers him a deal. If he writes a journal about the incident that got him suspended, Julian can get out of writing a report on Shakespeare. At the beginning of the book it’s unclear why Julian and his friends were suspended, but more details come to light as the journal entries progress. The book’s greatest strength is that it calls attention to the important issues of friendship, peer pressure, and bullying without preaching or talking down to the reader. Julian is a flawed character, but he’s someone you can’t help but root for.” —Caitlin Ayer, Books Inc., San Francisco, CA
During this week’s YA GalleyChat, our EarlyWord Kids Correspondent, Lisa Von Drasek raved about Elizabeth Wein’s forthcoming Rose Under Fire, (Disney/Hyperion, 9/10/13) a companion novel to last year’s Code Name Verity.
We’ve just learned that it is now available on NetGalley — perfect timing for Memorial Day reading. Click here to link directly.
Both books are about a little-know subject, the women who ferried planes in WW II. On Memorial Day, I will be reading Rose Under Fire in honor one of the first of those pilots who was killed, my aunt, Mabel Rawlinson. I never knew her, but, having grown up with her legend, I feel sure she would have loved these books.
She would have also loved that they’re published by Disney/Hyperion; Disney studios designed Fifinella, who became the mascot for the Women’s Airforce Service Pilots.
Olympic gold medal soccer player Alex Morgan, currently playing for the Portland Thorns, scores with the first book in a planned middle grade series, The Kicks. Book one, Saving the Team (S&S Young Readers), debuts on the NYT Middle Grade Best Seller list at #7 during its in its first week on sale.
The second book in the series, Sabotage Season will be published in September. A third one is in the works.
The “New Adult” genre has been labeled as the hot new category by the media (see USA Today and the NYT). Many of the titles had their success as self-published e-books, showing up on combined best seller lists, such as USA Today‘s and the NYT‘s combined adult lists.
One of the first “New Adult” titles to hit the NYT Young Adult list appeared last week, due to a change in the way the Times calculates the lists. Back in December, YA and Middle Grade lists, formerly lumped together under “Chapter Books,” were separated out, but more importantly for the “New Adult” category, the sales of e-books and print were combined.
On the YA list at #6, after two weeks is a title that won’t be released in print until August, While it Lasts, by Abbi Glines. A self-published success as an e-book, it was acquired by S&S’s Simon Pulse imprint last fall. A recent $1.99 offer for the e-book edition helped to propel sales, landing it on the list.
Glines’ earlier “New Adult” series, The Vincent Brothers was released by Simon Pulse in December, with an “Extended and Uncut” steamier version released as e-book only. A print boxed set (with “double the sexiness and seduction”) arrives in October.
While It Lasts is the third in the Sea Breeze series; Breathe will be published by Simon Pulse on June 4. Because of Low follows in July and Just for Now in late August.
Landing next week are several titles from big names who need no introductions. John Grisham continues his series featuring 13-year-old legal prodigy, Theodore Boone (you may have to squint to see the title on the cover; it’s The Activist) … Friends Elephant & Piggie return in their 19th adventure in Mo Willems’ A Big Guy Took My Ball! … Jennifer Brown again keys in to a hot teen subject, with a book on sexting, about a girl who sends her bodyfriend a picture that even a Thousand Words can’t take back.
The titles highlighted here and more arriving next week are on our downloadable spreadsheet, Kids New Title Radar, Week of May 20.
Ben Rides On, Matt Davies, (Macmillan/Roaring Brook Press)
Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Matt Davies ventures into the world of children’s books with his first title. While it addresses the familiar theme of facing a bully, the subject is made fresh with illustrations that recall David Catrow crossed with Ralph Steadman and capture Ben’s big feelings as he faces his nemesis.
How to Negotiate Everything Lisa Lutz, Illus. Jaime Temairik, (S & S BYR)
Not familiar with co-author David Spellman, (featured on the cover)? As a fan of Lisa Lutz’s Spellman Files mystery series, I am pleased to report that her first picture book exhibits her dry sense of humor and appreciation of the absurd, beginning with her faux co-author, the lawyer/older brother/ “good child” from her adult books. Sammy, the protagonist dispenses advice on how to get to “yes” whether making a deal for an ice cream or negotiating for a pet. Illustrator Jaime Temairik wows in her picture book debut with an animated cartoon style and judicious use of infographics.
P.S. Be Eleven, Rita Williams-Garcia, (HarperCollins/Amisted)
The sequel to the Coretta Scott King Award winner (and Newbery honor title), One Crazy Summer has received starred reviews from all the prepub sources. In this story, the three sisters return to Brooklyn from their summer in California with their mother and the Black Panthers, portrayed in the previous book. The title, P.S. Be Eleven comes from their mother’s letters to her oldest daughter, Delphine; a caution to not grow up too fast.
On Saturday, news emerged that Ansel Elgort had been cast to play Gus, the love interest of Shailene Woodley’s Hazel in the upcoming adaptation of John Green’s The Fault in Our Stars, (Penguin/Dutton). Within hours, Green posted a spirited defense of the choice on his Tumblr page.
Green noted, “There seems to be some concern that Ansel and Shailene are playing siblings in a different movie [they are currently filming Divergent, based on the book by Veronica Roth, in Chicago]. I guess I can understand that, but they’re actors … I mean, no one watched Silver Linings Playbook and thought, ‘When did Katniss move to the suburbs of Philadelphia?’”
A reminder: there was considerable consternation when it was announced that blonde Jennifer Lawrence would star as the dark-haired, olive-skinned Katniss Everdeen in The Hunger Games, causing Suzanne Collins to issue a statement in support of the choice. Now it’s hard to imagine anyone else in that role.
Production on The Fault In Our Stars is set to begin in August.
Set to begin shooting in London at the end of the month, Vampire Academy: Blood Sisters, the adaptation of the first in a series by Richelle Mead (Penguin/Razorbill), is busily adding new cast members.
The leads were cast in February. Zoey Deutch, who had a supporting role in Beautiful Creatures, will star as Rose Hathaway, newcomer Lucy Fry as Rose’s best friend Lissa, and Russian actor Danila Kozlovsky as Rose’s mentor, Dimitri Belikov.
The latest additions are Sami Gayle, (Blue Bloods, CBS), Cameron Monaghan (Shameless), Ashley Charles (White Buffalo) and Claire Foy (White Heat).
Penguin Teen Australia has created a handy “Vampire Academy Cheat Sheet,” for those who are trying to keep track (link to the site for a larger version).
Next week continues the picture book palooza we’ve experienced this apring, so we’re devoting most of this column to a few of the notables, and just one of the dozens of YA titles that will also arrive.
Our downloadable spreadsheet lists the titles mentioned here as well as dozens more, Kids New Title Radar, Week of May 13. Also listed are the tie-ins to two animated summer blockbusters, Monster’s University (Disney/Pixar, June 21) and Despicable Me 2 (July 3).
Cowpoke Clyde and Dirty Dawg, Lori Mortensen, illus. Michael Allen Austin, (HMH/Clarion)
This cumulative tale larded with old West vernacular is a soon-to be story time favorite. I agree with the Kirkus assessment, “Pitch-perfect rhyming text bounces along with peppy phrases telling the tale of a cowboy who likes to keep things clean and tidy. Clyde tries tactic after tactic to catch his dog for a scrub down, each new method adding another layer of mayhem to the scene, with a lassoed hog, wet chickens and a kicking mule adding to the hilarious hijinks.”
Octopus Alone, Divya Srinivasan, (Penguin/Viking Childrens)
Srinivasan struck gold with her stunning debut Little Owl’s Night (2011) mines similar early childhood territory with a lovely quiet story about the joys of companionship and solitude.
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Water in the Park, Emily Jenkinss, Stephanie Graegin, (RH/Schwartz & Wade)
Emily Jenkin has quietly created a shelf of read alouds, each one a jewel and an essential purchase. That New Animal was a completely new take on how kids feel about the arrival of a younger sibling. I was blown away by Five Creatures, a very clever exercise in critical thinking skills with a subtle nod to the Venn diagram. Last year’s Lemonade in Winter was a gift to teachers who wants to incorporate math into their literature program. And now, proving once again that she can not be pigeon holed, Water in the Park is a fresh reflection of the everyday lives of children in a neighborhood park. Jenkin’s rhythmic language ensures that this new classic will be read aloud again and again.
Toys in Space, Mini Grey, (RH/Knopf)
Mini Grey’s Traction Man series is my go-to for preschoolers who are obsessed by superheroes. In this new book, Grey puts her own unique comic spin on this familiar storybook theme of talking toys that have their own secret life.
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The Mighty Lalouche, Mathew Olshan, illus. Sophie Blackall, (RH/Schwartz & Wade)
“One hundred and a few-odd years ago, in Paris, France, there lived a humble postman named Lalouche.
He was small, Lalouche, and rather bony, but his hands were nimble, his legs were fast, and his arms were strong”
And so begins this story of an underdog who became a champion.
Blackall’s paintings of the characters, boxers with nom de plumes like “Bleriot” (lighter than air, unafraid of heights) and “The Pointillist” (pinpoint accuracy, confuses the colorblind) support Olshan’s humor and wit. The illustrations are painted on paper then cutout, layered in dioramas and photographed to create a fantastical world.
Firecracker, David Iserson, (Penguin/Razorbill)
Highly recommended by librarians on YA GalleyChat, this debut by screenwriter Iserson (Fox’s New Girl, NBC’s Up All Night and SNL) features an entitled rich girl forced to face real life after being expelled from private school, it called “Quirky, fun.” Kirkus notes that part of the quirkiness is and occasional “surfeit of swearing.”
Last year’s word-of-mouth debut phenomenon
Wonder, R.J. Palacio, (RH/ Knopf Young Readers; Brilliance Audio), which is still a #1 NYT best seller after 23 weeks, is being adapted by Lionsgate, reports Deadline.
Hired as the screenwriter is Jack Thorne, whose credits include How I Live Now, based on the novel by Meg Rosoff, currently in pre-production and an episode of the MTV series, Skins.
The cover for the third and final book in the YA Divergent trilogy, Allegiant (HarperCollins/Tegen; Dreamscape audio; both, 10/22/13), by Veronica Roth is revealed today on Entertainment Weekly‘s YA-obsessed blog, “Shelf Life.”
In Divergent movie news, the film adaptation only began shooting recently, with a plan to open on March 21 of next year, but the producers are clearly the feeling confident. Summit Entertainment has signed up a screenwriter for the sequel,
Somebody must like it. The movie adaptation of The Mortal Instruments: City Of Bones doesn’t arrive in theaters until August 23, but the team behind it is planning on a rematch of stars Lily Collins and Jamie Campbell Bower in the sequel, The Mortal Instruments: City Of Ashes, with production set to begin this fall.
There’s plenty more material. Cassandra Clare’s series consists of six books (the final one arrives next March), as well as a 3-part prequel series, Infernal Devices, which just concluded with Clockwork Princess, (S&S/ Margaret K. McElderry, 3/19/3). That’s not all, the author has announced a new series of sequels, called The Dark Artifices, to begin in 2015.
Rick Riordan’s next publication is a short story, “The Son of Sobek,” included in the paperback edition of The Kane Chronicles, Book Three: The Serpent’s Shadow (Disney/Hyperion, releasing today; also to be released as an e-book, with audio read by the author, on June 19). The cover and an interview with Riordan are featured in today’s issue of USA Today.
In “The Son of Sobek,” Percy Jackson (of Percy Jackson and the Olympians, which features Greek mythology) and Carter Kane (of The Kane Chronicles, featuring Egyptian) come together for the first time. Riordian tells USA Today, “It was definitely reader driven. The fans wanted to see a crossover, and I thought, ‘Let’s see what happens!'”
He also notes, “Sobek is the crocodile god from Egypt, and the son of Sobek would be one of this followers. So … you can expect some major crocodile action in this book. The cover captures Carter and Percy at their first meeting … The two don’t really start on the best terms.”
Book four in the Heroes of Olympus series, The House of Hades (Disney/Hyperion; Listening Library) arrives Oct. 8.
Get ready for Rick Yancey‘s The 5th Wave to fulfill heavy expectations when it arrives next week. The first in a new series, it is one of many debuting from both well-known and first time authors with the arrival of the summer publishing season. Also look for the first collaboration between two bestselling YA authors, Andrea Cremer and David Levithan in a book young people in love, somewhat complicated by the fact that one of them is invisible.
All the titles highlighted here and more, are available on our downloadable spreadsheet, Kids New Title Radar, Week of 5.6.13
Yoo-Hoo, Ladybug! Mem Fox, Laura Ljungkvist, (S&S/ Beach Lane Books)
Mem Fox is the master of the early childhood read aloud (Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes). Her rhythmic rhyming text is just right for the seek-and –find pictures. (Hint: to find her in the spread below, consider which vehicle a ladybug would drive).
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If You Want to See a Whale Julie Fogliano, Erin Stead (Roaring Brook Press )
A quiet, playful and imaginative take from the award-winning team that brought us the 2012, And Then It’s Spring.
The Great Lollipop Caper, Dan Krall, (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers)
The whole family will enjoy this edgy silly fun with its cartoon-y graphic illustrations. The book trailer reflects the book’s spirit:
Pancakes, Pancakes, Eric Carle, (Simon Spotlight )
Rooster Is Off to See the World, Eric Carle, (Simon Spotlight)
Classic Carle titles return in their original format (we know and love them as picture books, but they were originally easy-to-read books). These are particularly welcome as interesting low-level readers are the most difficult to find. Newly fluent kids eat them up like popcorn.
Sugar, Jewell Parker Rhodes, (Hachette/Little, Brown BYR)
A gripping historic fiction tale of friendship set on a Southern sugar plantation from the author of the Coretta Scott King honor, Ninth Ward,
Doll Bones, Holly Black, Eliza Wheeler (S&S/McElderry;Listening Library:
Black returns to her Spiderwick audience with this gripping creepy middle grade horror tale. Do not read before bedtime. You have been warned.
The Lucy Variations , Sara Zarr (Hachette/Little, Brown BYR)
Zarr’s is always the first galley I read from the Little, Brown galley pile. I can’t say it better than Kirkus, in a starred review, “What makes Lucy’s story especially appealing is the very realistic way this ‘entitled brat’ (as grandfather called her) acts out as she experiments with new identities. … The combination of sympathetic main character and unusual social and cultural world makes this satisfying coming-of-age story stand out.”
The 5th Wave, Rick Yancey, (Penguin/Putnam)
Arriving with a major promotional campaign from Penguin, this cross between King’s The Stand and Hunger Games is s a roller coaster ride. My heart was in my throat the entire read. Entertainment Weekly featured the book trailer, with the headline, “Is this the Next Big Thing?” The answer is “Yes.”
Reboot, Amy Tintera, (HarperTeen)
There’s been enthusiasm on YA GalleyChat for this new addition to the dystopian genre, readers calling it “Dark and twist-y, with well rounded characters.” The only prepub review, from Kirkus, is equally enthusiastic, characterizing it as a “compulsively readable science-fiction debut [that] will appeal widely… Superb concepts and plotting will hook readers from the start… [with] plenty [for] those who appreciate romance.”
Disney’s live-action movie based on Judith Viorst’s 1972 hit children’s Alexander And The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day (Atheneum) is making baby steps closer to the screen. Lisa Cholodenko (The Kids Are All Right) is directing, Steve Carrell is set to star as Alexander’s father, and The Hollywood Reporter writes that Jennifer Garner is in talks to join the cast as the mother.
Production is set to begin this fall.