Title: BREAKOUT
Author: Kevin Emerson
Publisher: Crown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: February 24, 2014
Number of Pages: 304
Source of Book: ARC from author in exchange for honest opinion

        When Anthony’s angst-ridden rock ‘n’ roll lyrics go viral, he’s unwittingly cast as the school rebel. The truth is, he’s not trying to be anyone’s hero. 
        Anthony Castillo needs a new life. His teachers are clueless autocrats except for Mr. Darren, who’s in charge of the rock band program. The girls at school are either shallow cutebots or out of his league. And his parents mean well, but they just make things worse. It’s as if Anthony is stuck on the bottom level of his favorite video game, Liberation Force 4.5. Except there is no secret escape tunnel and definitely no cheat code. 
        Fed up, pissed off, and feeling trapped, Anthony writes his first song for his rock band, the Rusty Soles. His only problem: Arts Night. If he exercises his right to free speech and sings his original lyrics—where his own bombs will drop—he and his band will be through. 
       The clock is ticking. Time for Anthony to pick his battles and decide what’s really worth fighting for.

There is something about this book that struck a chord with me as a middle school teacher. Anthony reminded me of students I have currently and had in the past who feel misunderstood by their teachers…and seeing events from his perspective makes me want to do better by them. For this reason, I think Breakout is a book that teachers should read (especially Emerson‘s author’s note about the inspiration for this character).

Breakout will appeal to the boys in my classroom, but also some of the girls who want to get into the head of the boys and figure out what they’re really thinking. But the best audience for this book will be the musicians or kids who feel misunderstood. They will relate to the main character and root for him as they go along on this twelve day journey with Anthony, to Arts Night when his band will play for the school, to figure out how to stand up for what he believes and be true to himself.

At it’s heart, this is a book about perspectives and words and choices and wanting to be heard and being true to our feelings. That f-bomb word is a major factor in this book (although the actual word is never written out), but it’s about so much more than just one polarizing word and a choice about whether to use it during a performance or not. The power of one word comes more from the intent behind it and the purpose for using it – it’s about the emotion that caused that word to come out, as Anthony figures out and defends.

All of that being said, there were some specific references to things woven throughout that at times felt a little overused to me, but they did all end up connecting together at the end in a way that made sense. This could be more because I do not play video games, and so these references throughout would connect more with the intended teen audience who have more familiarity with them.

Kevin Emerson has again written a novel that is an ode to the music-loving teen, a call to action for teachers to understand their students, a story with universal themes of acceptance and finding one’s own strength and figuring out what’s right that will resonate with many readers, and rocking good writing that teens will relate to and devour. 

Although Breakout is a different tone (and gender of main character) from Emerson’s Exile, it is one to hand to students who enjoyed his writing and the music-centric elements.

I’ve been lucky to get an early read of some amazing books (PB, MG, & YA) in the last few months that are releasing this fall that I would recommend without a doubt. I’m sharing the list here in hope that they will be on your radar. Some of these are making my favorites-of-the-year list for sure. Happy reading!

Title: GHOST HAWK

Author: Susan Cooper

Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books
Release Date: August 27, 2013
Number of Pages: 336
Middle Grades
My Recommendation Post

From Newbery Medalist Susan Cooper, a story of adventure and friendship between a young Native American and a colonial New England settler.
     On the winter day Little Hawk is sent into the woods alone, he can take only a bow and arrows, his handcrafted tomahawk, and the amazing metal knife his father traded for with the new white settlers. If Little Hawk survives three moons by himself, he will be a man.
     John Wakely is only ten when his father dies, but he has already experienced the warmth and friendship of the nearby tribes. Yet his fellow colonists aren’t as accepting of the native people. When he is apprenticed to a barrel-maker, John sees how quickly the relationships between settlers and natives are deteriorating. His friendship with Little Hawk will put both boys in grave danger.
     The intertwining stories of Little Hawk and John Wakely are a fascinating tale of friendship and an eye-opening look at the history of our nation. Newbery Medalist Susan Cooper also includes a timeline and an author’s note that discusses the historical context of this important and moving novel.

Title: HELLO, MY NAME IS RUBY

Author: Philip C. Stead

Publisher: Roaring Brook Press
Release Date: September 3, 2013
Number of Pages: 40
Picture Book

Join Ruby, a plucky little bird, as she ventures through life, making new friends, learning new skills and asking questions which may have some very surprising results.  Fearless Ruby’s search for adventure, friendship and her place in the world comes to life through acclaimed author/illustrator Philip C. Stead’s whimsical illustrations and succinct, charming text.

Title: THE COLDEST GIRL IN COLDTOWN

Author: Holly Black

Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers
Release Date: September 3, 2013
Number of Pages: 432
Young Adult

Tana lives in a world where walled cities called Coldtowns exist. In them, quarantined monsters and humans mingle in a decadently bloody mix of predator and prey. The only problem is, once you pass through Coldtown’s gates, you can never leave.
     One morning, after a perfectly ordinary party, Tana wakes up surrounded by corpses. The only other survivors of this massacre are her exasperatingly endearing ex-boyfriend, infected and on the edge, and a mysterious boy burdened with a terrible secret. Shaken and determined, Tana enters a race against the clock to save the three of them the only way she knows how: by going straight to the wicked, opulent heart of Coldtown itself.
     The Coldest Girl in Coldtown is a wholly original story of rage and revenge, of guilt and horror, and of love and loathing from bestselling and acclaimed author Holly Black

Title: LIVING WITH JACKIE CHAN

Follow-up to JUMPING OFF SWINGS
Author: Jo Knowles

Publisher: Candlewick
Release Date: September 10, 2013
Number of Pages: 384
Young Adult

After fathering a baby, a teenager moves in with his karate-loving uncle and tries to come to terms with his guilt — and find a way to forgive.
     This isn’t how Josh expected to spend senior year. He thought he’d be hanging out with his best friends, Dave and Caleb, driving around, partying, just like always. But here he is, miles from home — new school, new life, living with his Jackie-Chan-obsessed uncle, Larry, and trying to forget. But Josh can’t forget. So many things bring back memories of last year and the night that changed everything. Every day the pain, the shame, and the just not knowing are never far from his thoughts. Why is he such a loser? How could he have done what he did? He finds some moments of peace when he practices karate with Stella, the girl upstairs and his one real friend. As they move together through the katas, Josh feels connected in a way he has never felt before. He wonders if they could be more than friends, but Stella’s jealous boyfriend will make sure that doesn’t happen. And maybe it doesn’t matter. If Stella knew the truth, would she still think he was a True Karate Man? Readers first met Josh in Jumping Off Swings which told the story of four high school students and how one pregnancy changed all of their lives. In this companion book, they follow Josh as he tries to come to terms with what happened, and find a way to forgive.

Title: THE CHAOS OF STARS

Author: Kiersten White

Publisher: HarperTeen
Release Date: September 10, 2013
Number of Pages: 288
Young Adult

Isadora’s family is seriously screwed up.
     Of course, as the human daughter of Egyptian gods, that pretty much comes with the territory. She’s also stuck with parents who barely notice her, and a house full of relatives who can’t be bothered to remember her name. After all, they are going to be around forever—and she’s a mere mortal.
     Isadora’s sick of living a life where she’s only worthy of a passing glance, and when she has the chance to move to San Diego with her brother, she jumps on it. But Isadora’s quickly finding that a “normal” life comes with plenty of its own epic complications—and that there’s no such thing as a clean break when it comes to family. Much as she wants to leave her past behind, she can’t shake the ominous dreams that foretell destruction for her entire family. When it turns out there may be truth in her nightmares, Isadora has to decide whether she can abandon her divine heritage after all.

Title: THE REAL BOY

Author: Anne Ursu

Publisher: Walden Pond Press
Release Date: September 24, 2013
Number of Pages: 343
Middle Grades

From Anne Ursu, the author of one of the most widely acclaimed middle-grade novels in recent memory, comes a new fairy-tale adventure of magic and friendship. 
     On an island at the edge of an immense sea there is a city, a forest, and a boy. The city is called Asteri, a perfect city that was saved by the magic woven into its walls from a devastating plague that swept through the world over a hundred years before. The forest is called the Barrow, a vast wood of ancient trees that encircles the city and feeds the earth with magic. And the boy is called Oscar, a shop boy for the most powerful magician in the Barrow. Oscar spends his days in a small room in the dark cellar of his master’s shop grinding herbs and dreaming of the wizards who once lived on the island generations ago. Oscar’s world is small, but he likes it that way. The real world is vast, strange, and unpredictable. And Oscar does not quite fit in. 
     But it’s been a long time since anyone who could call himself a wizard walked the world, and now that world is changing. Children in the city are falling ill and something sinister lurks in the forest. Oscar has been content to stay in his small room in the cellar, comforted in the knowledge that the magic that flows from the trees will keep his island safe. Now, even magic may not be enough to save it…

Title: WHERE THE STARS STILL SHINE

Author: Trish Doller

Publisher: Bloomsbury
Release Date: September 25, 2013
Number of Pages: 352
Young Adult

Stolen as a child from her large and loving family, and on the run with her mom for more than ten years, Callie has only the barest idea of what normal life might be like. She’s never had a home, never gone to school, and has gotten most of her meals from laundromat vending machines. Her dreams are haunted by memories she’d like to forget completely. But when Callie’s mom is finally arrested for kidnapping her, and Callie’s real dad whisks her back to what would have been her life, in a small town in Florida, Callie must find a way to leave the past behind. She must learn to be part of a family. And she must believe that love–even with someone who seems an improbable choice–is more than just a possibility.
     Trish Doller writes incredibly real teens, and this searing story of love, betrayal, and how not to lose your mind will resonate with readers who want their stories gritty and utterly true.

Title: BANG (Visions book 2)

Author: Lisa McMann

Publisher: SimonPulse
Release Date: October 8, 2013
Number of Pages: 256
Young Adult

Jules should be happy. She saved a lot of people’s lives and she’s finally with Sawyer, pretty much the guy of her dreams. But the nightmare’s not over, because she somehow managed to pass the psycho vision stuff to Sawyer. Excellent.
     Feeling responsible for what he’s going through and knowing that people’s lives are at stake, Jules is determined to help him figure it all out. But Sawyer’s vision is so awful he can barely describe it, much less make sense of it. All he can tell her is there’s a gun, and eleven ear-splitting shots. Bang.
     Jules and Sawyer have to work out the details fast, because the visions are getting worse and that means only one thing: time is running out. But every clue they see takes them down the wrong path. If they can’t prevent the vision from happening, lives will be lost. And they may be among the casualties…

Title: THE LIVING

Author: Matt de la Pena

Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Release Date: November 12, 2013
Number of Pages: 336
Young Adult

Shy took the summer job to make some money. In a few months on a luxury cruise liner, he’ll rake in the tips and be able to help his mom and sister out with the bills. And how bad can it be? Bikinis, free food, maybe even a girl or two—every cruise has different passengers, after all.
     But everything changes when the Big One hits. Shy’s only weeks out at sea when an earthquake more massive than ever before recorded hits California, and his life is forever changed.
     The earthquake is only the first disaster. Suddenly it’s a fight to survive for those left living.

Remember three months ago when I posted that early recommendation for KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES by Shannon Messenger? No, you missed that one? Well, that’s OK, since it releases today, I thought I’d remind you, so you can see why I think it’s so great and you should go buy it today!

Title: KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES
Author: Shannon Messenger
Publisher: Aladdin (a Simon & Schuster imprint)
Release Date: October 2, 2012
Number of Pages: 488
Source of Book: ARC from publisher at ALA

In this riveting debut,
a telepathic girl must figure out why she is the key to her brand-new
world–before the wrong person finds the answer first.

Twelve-year-old
Sophie has never quite fit into her life. She’s skipped multiple grades
and doesn’t really connect with the older kids at school, but she’s not
comfortable with her family, either. And Sophie has a secret–she’s a
Telepath, someone who can read minds. But the day Sophie meets Fitz, a
mysterious (and adorable) boy, she learns she’s not alone. He’s a
Telepath too, and it turns out the reason she has never felt at home is
that, well…she isn’t. Fitz opens Sophie’s eyes to a shocking truth,
and almost instantly she is forced to leave behind her family for a new
life in a place that is vastly different from what she has ever known.

But
Sophie still has secrets, and they’re buried deep in her memory for
good reason: The answers are dangerous and in high-demand. What is her
true identity, and why was she hidden among humans? The truth could mean
life or death–and time is running out.

Today you’ll be able to get this book, and you should
(especially if you live or work with middle schoolers in any capacity)!
KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES blew me away. I knew I really liked Shannon
Messenger from following her on twitter and on her blog, and then when I
heard she had a middle grades and a young adult book coming out as her
debut, I was really looking forward to reading them-especially when I
read the summary of each. As a middle school teacher, I was hoping I
would like KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES, and I am happy to say that I loved
it! I would definitely recommend this middle grades magical fantasy to
fans of HARRY POTTER and THE UNWANTEDS. It is a long book, but as it is
written so well for the middle grades level, it isn’t overwhelming.
There is something just so engaging and fun and entertaining in Shannon
Messenger’s third person, descriptive, writing style, and I devoured
this book in two days and didn’t want to stop reading until I knew what
would happen to these characters and world I wanted to be a part of.

Let’s
talk about Setting: Shannon Messenger has created an astoundingly
creative fantasy world within KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES. I wasn’t sure
exactly what to expect from the summary alone, and I never expected the
“place that is vastly different form what she has ever known” to be so
well-developed and thought out. As I was reading an advance reader copy,
it was missing the map artwork, so I look forward to getting a finished
copy to enhance the reading experience even more. The world of the
elves (and not what you ever pictured elves to be) is filled with
fantastical creatures (especially love Iggy!), magically evolved
elements, and cities built with beyond-this-world materials. This
parallel world is such a discovery, not only for Sophie, but for the
reader as well. The way it is described made me want to go live there as
well. Beyond the Lost Cities within the elven world themselves, there
is also Foxfire, which is the school for the nobility that Sophie ends
up in. It is a school where she will be trained in her special ability
and where she discovers people, places, things, strength, and
friendships beyond what she ever would have imagined, and what I would
have imagined as well.

We have to talk about
Characters: KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES is full of interesting,
multidimensional characters. The only thing that threw me a little bit
as I read this book was the
number of characters because their names are not ones we’re used to
hearing, so it did take awhile to keep track of who was who in the
beginning. Not only do we get Sophie who has to make some tough
decisions and look for people to support her, but we also get Fitz and
his family, along with a multitude of other characters throughout the
elf world. We see some of the most interesting jobs as Sophie meets
these characters which adds to our understanding of how this world
works. As she goes to school, we also meet Dex and Keefe among other
classmates, and these two become some of the most entertaining
characters to interact with Sophie. I kind of adore Keefe myself. He is
the snarky guy who brings the humor that Sophie so desperately needs as
she adjusts to her new life, and deep down, he is a really good, caring
boy. We get some hints as to deeper things going on with Keefe, and I
hope we get more of him in the next book. I also really adore Sophie.
She has core values that I admire and fights for what she believes and
knows is the right thing, even if it means she might get into trouble. I
rooted for her as she is a young girl with so much strength and
determination to do the right thing and help those she cares about. She
is a strong character for the audience of this book.

Talking
about Family is important: Sophie has to leave her family to join this
hidden world where she actually belongs, and that means she is in a new
place, realizing everything she thought she knew is not the way the
world actually works, and has no family to rely on and call her own.
When she gets placed with guardians to take responsibility for her, she
has a whole new set of relationship dynamics to work on. In the end, the
storyline with Sophie searching for family and her understanding of
loss, adds such depth to the character and the overall book, and adds a
dimension that I think many kids will relate to. I know these elements
of searching for family to love her and support her and call her own
brought some of the most poignant moments of the story for me. Because
what child doesn’t want a family to feel safe with and loved by? There
was much more of an emotional element to this book than I expected going
into it, and that’s a great thing.

Now let’s talk
about Plot: While all of the subplots going on in this book add depth
and interest to the story, the overall conflict at hand is a mystery as
to why Sophie was living in the human world. Unfortunately, as Sophie is
so young, the adults looking into things don’t want to include her in
the search, but as the clues build up, Sophie has to take it upon
herself to try to find out what’s happening and why and who is behind
it. Messenger has written a novel with a tightly woven plot strongly
balancing small elements, character development, descriptive details,
world-building information, and enough action to keep things moving at
an engaging pace.

I want to talk Sequel: I know a
sequel is coming, and I can’t wait to read it! Although I knew there
would be a book following this one, I still feel that this book wrapped
up its storyline in a satisfying way. There are no major cliffhangers
here, but it still sets up where the second book will go for the next
school year. I appreciate this so much because I don’t feel like I’ve
been left hanging, but I’m left with enough of a love for this
book/world/characters that I definitely want to get my hands on the next
book asap, and I hope you’ll feel that way about this one, too!

I
think this book will be a big middle grades hit for those who like
fantasy and mystery books. From the Preface at the very start, I was
hooked on the story as I was instantly pulled into what would have
happened to get Sophie to this point. As the story wound it’s way toward
that time near the end, it became even more engaging. I think if you
are a teacher or librarian or parent of middle school age kids, you and
they will feel the same. I absolutely recommend you get KEEPER OF THE
LOST CITIES in October.

I first posted this review in November after I read INSIGNIA. I’m reposting now because it comes out in one week and I don’t want you to miss it!

Title: INSIGNIA

IT’S WORLD WAR III.

THE ENEMY IS WINNING.

WHAT IF THE GOVERNMENT’S SECRET WEAPON IS YOU?

More than anything, Tom Raines wants to be important, though his
shadowy life is anything but that. For years, Tom’s drifted from casino
to casino with his unlucky gambler of a dad, gaming for their survival.
Keeping a roof over their heads depends on a careful combination of
skill, luck, con artistry, and staying invisible.

Then one day, Tom stops being invisible. Someone’s been watching his
virtual-reality prowess, and he’s offered the incredible—a place at the
Pentagonal Spire, an elite military academy. There, Tom’s instincts for
combat will be put to the test, and if he passes, he’ll become a member
of the Intrasolar Forces, helping to lead his country to victory in
World War Three. Finally, he’ll be someone important: a superhuman war
machine with the tech skills that every virtual-reality warrior dreams
of. Life at the Spire holds everything that Tom’s always wanted—friends,
the possibility of a girlfriend, and a life where his every action
matters—but what will it cost him?

Gripping and provocative, S. J. Kincaid’s futuristic thrill ride of a
debut crackles with memorable characters, tremendous wit, and a vision
of the future that asks startling, timely questions about the melding of
humanity and technology.

Being a teacher, one of the valuable benefits of being a member of a professional organization and being able to attend teacher/librarian professional association conferences/conventions, beyond attending sessions to learn more about aspects of my profession, is visiting the exhibit hall and talking to publishers about what books they have coming out that might work for my students to bring into my classroom. Sometimes I go in with specific genres/topics in mind where I’m trying to find titles to fit certain units we’re planning. Sometimes there are some titles I’m just really looking forward to reading and want to be able to read and share with my students, other teachers and librarians, and on the blog. Sometimes I come across titles I hadn’t heard of yet, but by seeing it/hearing about it from the publisher reps, I learn about books that could be great for others to know about too that I might not have found any other way. All times I feel very lucky if they’re offered to me at no extra cost (usually the ARCs), but many times they’re books for purchase (especially if it’s an author signing) at a discounted cost from other ways of purchasing (I still easily spent a couple hundred dollars on books over the course of 2 1/2 days). This was an excellent chance to increase my knowledge of what the current titles for fall/winter are as well as a way to help enhance my teaching through getting books I can share with my students. There were also lots of authors there that I was able to get signed books from and talk to about what my students think of their books and how I use them in the classroom, which always seems to be something they enjoy hearing about. And, extra bonus, I bought books to get personally signed by the authors for my nieces and nephew for their Christmas presents, too (part of the reason my picture book list is so long).

In light of all of that, I like to do a post after attending a conference so others, who weren’t able to attend, can see what books are new or upcoming that may be ones they’d want to know about also. At this conference, I got a bunch of young adult titles, lots of middle grades titles (fantasy seems to be the big genre trend right now!), and some awesome picture books that I can’t wait to use with my students! I didn’t pick up everything I saw (there was so much and it doesn’t all fit what I’m looking for), but if it was a title I’d heard of that was already on my to-read list, or the summary sounded good or like it would interest my students, I would decide if I wanted to carry it. If you want to know any more about a particular title that sounds interesting to you, just let me know!
*I’m not doing pictures this time because many of the titles were already sent out on loan to my twitter teacher and librarian friends who weren’t able to make it this year. The whole list is here on goodreads if you’d rather (you can also see which ones I’ve already read and rated).

Picture Books
I WANT MY HAT BACK by Jon Klassen
BLACKOUT by John Rocco
ME…JANE by Patrick McDonnell
THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE by William Joyce, ilus. Joe Bluhm
WAG! by Patrick McDonnell
INTERRUPTING CHICKEN by David Ezra Stein
A HOME FOR BIRD by Philip C. Stead
BEAR HAS A STORY TO TELL by Philip C. Stead, ilus. Erin Stead
BULLY by Patricia Polacco
TOO TALL HOUSES by Gianna Marino
THE INSOMNIACS by Karina Wolf, ilus. Brothers Hilts
TALLULAH’S TUTU by Marilyn Singer, ilus. Alexandra Boiger
TALLULAH’S SOLO by Marilyn Singer, ilus. Alexandra Boiger
THE LIBRARY by Sarah Stweart, ilus. David Small
THE QUIET PLACE by Sarah Stweart, ilus. David Small
A FLOWER IN THE SNOW by Tracey Corderoy, ilus. Sophie Allsopp
UNSPOKEN: A STORY FROM THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD by Henry Cole (a beautifully powerful wordless picture book)
EACH KINDNESS by Jacqueline Woodson, ilus. E.B. Lewis
HELEN’S BIG WORLD: THE LIFE OF HELEN KELLER by Doreen Rappaport, ilus. Matt Tavares
ANDREW DREW AND DREW by Barney Saltzberg
ISABELLA: GIRL ON THE GO by Jennifer Fosberry, ilus. Mike Litwin
THE BOY WHO CRIED ALIEN by Marilyn Singer, ilus. Brian Biggs

Graphic Novels
SMILE by Raina Telgemeier
DRAMA by Raina Telgemeier
ICHIRO by Ryan Inzana
CARDBOARD by Doug TenNapel

Middle Grades
IF YOU WERE A CHOCOLATE MUSTACHE (poetry book) by J. Patrick Lewis, ilus. Matthew Cordell
KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES by Shannon Messenger
WONDER by R.J. Palacio
THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ME by Karen Rivers
THE SPINDLERS by Lauren Oliver
STARRY RIVER OF THE SKY by Grace Lin
ALMOST HOME by Joan Bauer
THE FIRE CHRONICLE (sequel to THE EMERALD ATLAS) by John Stephen
PRAIRIE EVERS by Ellen Airgood
THE CAVENDISH HOME FOR BOYS AND GIRLS by Claire Legrand
THE VOYAGE OF LUCY P. SIMMONS by Barbara Mariconda
FREAKLING by Lana Krumwiede
BECAUSE OF SHOE AND OTHER DOG STORIES ed. Ann M. Martin
THREE TIMES LUCKY by Shelia Turnage
MIRA’S DIARY: LOST IN PARIS by Marissa Moss
IRON HEARTED VIOLET by Kelly Barnhill
GEEKS, GIRLS, AND SECRET IDENTITIES by Mike Jung
JUMP INTO THE SKY by Shelley Pearsall
THE CLOAK SOCIETY by Jeramey Kraatz
THE TEMPLETON TWINS HAVE AN IDEA by Ellis Weiner
THE VENGEKEEP PROPHECIES by Brian Farrey
IN A GLASS GRIMMLY (A TALE DARK & GRIMM #2) by Adam Gidwitz
KEEPING SAFE THE STARS by Shelia O’Connor
ZEUS AND THE THUNDERBOLT OF DOOM by Joan Holub
THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN by Katherine Applegate

Young Adult
THE LETTER Q: Queer Writers’ Notes to their Younger Selves
PRODIGY (sequel to LEGEND) by Marie Lu
THE RAVEN BOYS by Maggie Stiefvater
ENDANGERED by Eliot Schrefer
THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN by Sherman Alexie
EVERY DAY by David Levithan
THE DIVINERS by Libba Bray
DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE by Laini Taylor
HOLLYWEIRD by Terri Clark
SAFEKEEPING by Karen Hesse
MAGISTERIUM by Jeff Hirsch
WHO I KISSED by Janet Gurtler
THE LOST GIRL by Sangu Mandanna (came highly recommended as an overlooked midlist)
BREATHE by Sarah Crossan
SKINNY by Donna Cooner
THE FORSAKEN by Lisa M. Stasse
WHAT’S LEFT OF ME by Kat Zhan
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT by Colleen Clayton
STEALING PARKER by Miranda Kenneally
SWEET SHADOWS (sequel to SWEET VENOM) by Tera Lynn Childs
THE DARK UNWINDING by Sharon Cameron
QUARANTINE: THE LONERS by Lex Thomas
STARLING by Lesley Livingston
MONSTROUS BEAUTY by Elizabeth Fama
HEAVEN (HALO #3) by Alexandra Adornetto
THE RUNNING DREAM by Wendelin van Draanen
CHOKE by Diana Lopez
THE PREGNANCY PROJECT by Gaby Rodriguez
CALL THE SHOTS (SWIM THE FLY #3) by Don Calame
BECAUSE IT IS MY BLOOD (sequel to ALL THESE THINGS I’VE DONE) by Gabrielle Zevin
SCARLET (sequel to CINDER) by Marissa Meyer
THE CROWN OF EMBERS (sequel to THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS) by Rae Carson
THE LOST CODE (The Atlanteans #1) by Kevin Emerson
CREWEL by Gennifer Albin
UNRAVEL ME (sequel to SHATTER ME) by Tahereh Mafi [Since I knew this was a much-coveted title, I put it out on twitter to see if anyone was interested in a mini-tour. So, it’s going on a 13 city “Sisterhood of the Traveling ARC” mini-tour to teachers and librarians I talk with on twitter who weren’t able to attend. Each will read it, jot their thoughts inside, and then send it on. I’ll be posting a follow-up on the whole thing in a few months when I get it back.]

Many, many, many thanks to the awesomeness that is the reps at HarperCollins (&Walden Pond Press), Little Brown & Co, Penguin, Simon & Schuster, Sourcebooks, Disney Hyperion, Scholastic, Random House, Candlewick, and Macmillan!!!

Where Is Davis Morgenstein?

A Q&A with author Michael Grant:

What is “Go BZRK”? Is this a book or some kind of interactive story?
Both. The book comes out this winter, but the interactive part starts now.  One leads up to the other, but they’re part of a complete package.

Why “transmedia”?
There are different approaches to transmedia.  Most people take a single story and reproduce it on various platforms.  My philosophy has been to make each element – ARG, app, web, book – a thing unto itself, each revealing some aspect of the world of BZRK.  I’ve been fascinated with this is as a new way to tell stories.  The book remains central, but now I can reach beyond the book and create a much more complete world.  I can tell stories that enhance the book, and stories that parallel the book, and stories that are offshoots of backstory.  I guess the answer to “why” is “because it’s fun.”

Is this the future of publishing?
I began a few years ago reaching out to publishers and saying we collectively needed to understand that the old models were dead or dying.  I want publishing to survive, and of course I’d like my own career to thrive.  So Egmont Publishing and my partners and I certainly hope this is a part of the future of publishing. 

How long is this running? Is this part of a larger picture?
We’ll be running this in several chunks between now and the book release this winter. Because these things have a hard start/stop point, August is a ramp-up phase. There’ll be a lot of content coming out, but the experience really gets underway at the end of the month… just in time to distract the kids from their schoolwork.

What if someone wants to follow the story but doesn’t want to participate?
You don’t have to do anything.  You can do one thing and not another.  But the deeper you plunge the wetter you get.  I think every part of this is fun, I think people will enjoy the ARG, the app, the site and the books. 

App? You’ve mentioned that a couple times now.
Just wait and see.

What can you tell us about the story? What is “BZRK”?
It’s a battle for the soul and freedom of the human race carried out simultaneously in the world we know, and in a world that you’re not going to expect. It’s a world where if you make a false move, you’re going to lose your mind.

Insanity… is this something you have a personal familiarity with?
The line between writer and crazy person is very thin.  Both go around holding long, involved conversations with people who aren’t there.

What’s this other world thing all about?
Do you really want spoilers? I’ll tell you this. We’ll be going “down in the meat.” It’s going to be vast, bloody, and beautiful.

Wait… isn’t this supposed to be for kids?
Adults like to flatter themselves that kids won’t get, won’t understand, won’t be able to handle, more intense, more complex stories. That’s nonsense.  It’s the adults who are easy to creep out or scare.  Say the word “biopsy” in a room full of adults. Or “audit.”  See?  Easy to scare.  Kids are a tougher audience because kids think they’re immortal.

This is a fabulous new middle grades fantasy series, THE BOOKS OF BEGINNING, for those who love an epic series with great characters, magical elements, and entertaining writing (this is one for both boys and girls) with a touch of sibling relationships thrown in. In case you missed my 4 star review, you can read it here. And go celebrate this great book’s birthday tomorrow by getting a copy for yourself or a young reader you know.

Wolfsbane (Nightshade sequel) by Andrea Cremer 

Forever (The Wolves of Mercy Falls #3) by Maggie Stiefvater 

Where She Went (If I Stay sequel) by Gayle Forman 

Delirium by Lauren Oliver (new dystopian series by the author of Before I Fall)

City of Fallen Angels (The Mortal Instruments #4) by Cassandra Clare

Unearthly by Cynthia Hand

What Happened to Goodbye by Sarah Dessen

Chain Reaction (Perfect Chemistry #3) by Simone Elkeles

Divergent by Veronica Ross

No cover images released yet for the following books, so I’m showing the preceding book’s cover.

The Mockingbirds #2 by Daisy Whitney

Uncommon Criminals (A Heist Society novel) by Ally Carter 

Son of Neptune (Heroes of Olympus #2) by Rick Riordan

Crossed (Matched sequel) by Ally Condie

Supernaturally (Paranormalcy #2) by Kiersten White

Caster Chronicles #3 (sequel to Beautiful Creatures & Beautiful Darkness) by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl

Edited on 1/5 to add 

Lola and the Boy Next Story (follow up to Anna and the French Kiss) by Stephanie Perkins

Can’t believe I forgot it the first time – there are just so many good books coming out in 2011!

BEAUTIFUL DARKNESS by Kami Garcia & Margaret Stohl 
(sequel to BEAUTIFUL CREATURES)

THE HEROES OF OLYMPUS, Book One: THE LOST HERO by Rick Riordan
(follows the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series)

THE SCORCH TRIALS by James Dashner
(sequel to THE MAZE RUNNER)

CRESCENDO by Becca Fitzpatrick
(sequel to HUSH, HUSH)

TORMENT by Lauren Kate
(sequel to FALLEN – comes out tomorrow)