"The time has come, the Walrus said, "To talk of many things: Of shoes--and ships-- and sealing wax--Of cabbages--and kings--And why the sea is boiling hot--And whether pigs have wings." from Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll
Robot Galaxy! What a cool concept!
Finally, here's one for the boys! After all the years and dollars I have spent on American Girl and Build-a-Bear toys for kids, some really smart people have figured out that boys deserve their own line of books and toys. This line is simply brilliant! Boys can create their own custom robots and read a wonderful line of comics. The books are interesting, funny, and fun to read. Check out the line of toys and forthcoming books on the Robot Galaxy website. My grandsons are coming to visit next week, and guess where I have already promised to take them? They are lucky boys because they will get to read the soon-to be published Robot Galaxy title: The Brotherhood Returns. Publication is set for this spring, so check MyWorthwhileBooks for information. If you can't wait, I do have an extra copy of the book.
ALAN Workshop 2008
The ALAN 2009 Workshop: Negotiations and Love Songs was a feast for lovers of adolescent literature. Two days were filled with presentations by fantastic authors such as Laurie Halse Anderson, M. T. Anderson, Joan Bauer, Matt de la Pena, John Green, E. Lockhart, David Lubar, Melissa Marr, Rick Riodan, Cynthia Leitich Smith, Paul Volponi, and Virginia Euwer Wolff. I walked away with armloads of 2008 teen books and a head filled with great ideas.
David Gill did an absolutely fantastic job of assembling a program that was THE BEST. Next year the ALAN workshop will be in Philadelphia. If you have the opportunity, try to attend. You won't be sorry.
Little, Brown Spring 2009
There are lots of reasons to look forward to books from Little Brown this spring. Here are a few titles that I am looking forward to reading:
Radioactive Love Song by Sherman Alexie is a darker story about an Indian who leaves the city and returns to the reservation.
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin has "moon" in the title, so that has my interest. It looks like a charming story for young girls.
Confetti Girl by Diana Lopez has captured my interest. The author is from San Antonio and the title refers to cascarones, one of the Texas traditions I miss.
This spring there will also be some interesting manga tie-ins: The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, as well as a manga version of Cirque Du Freak that has captured my interest.
HarperCollins: Spring 2009
Spring at HarperCollins is filled with lots of new titles from favorite series. Here are a few to note: Princess Diaries, Volume X: Forever Princess is the LAST one in the series; Stargazer continues the Vampire Hunter series; Ray & Me is a new Dan Gutman baseball card adventure; This Full House completes the Make Lemonade series, and Envy, the next Luxe novel. Yes, its' a great dress!
The non-series titles that have made it to my "must read shelf are: Reality Check by Peter Abrahams, Emily the Strange: The Lost Days; Soul Enchilada by David Macinnis Gill, and Radiant Darkness by Emily Whitman.
Then there are new titles from Alex Flinn, Elizabeth Scott, Walter Dean Myers, and Daniel Ehrenhaft.
Random House: Spring 2009
Several titles at Random House caught my eye and are now on my "got to check it out" list:
Alligator Bayou by Donna Jo Napoli is at the top of my list. It tells the story of lynchings, yes familiar topic. However the story is set in Louisiana and concerns the lynching of Italian immigrants.
The Forest of Hands and Teeth by debut author Carrie Ryan is a new twist on zombies
Scat by Carl Hiaasen. Set is the Black Vine Swamp, this looks like another winner from a favorite author.
Calvin Coconut by Graham Salisbury is for younger readers. But hey, if its by Salisbury, I have to check it out.
Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez looks promising.
There, that should keep me busy!
Next time I am in NYC
I want to go to Barefoot Books located in FAO Schwarz on 5th Avenue. This looks like an exciting new bookstore venture. Fortunately for me, I have grandchildren and a good excuse to spend some time browsing. I can't wait to visit!
