Kids and Teen Blog
Category: YA Fiction
New Releases: Kids and Teen Highlights March 2015
by Dan
Kids + Picture Books + YA Fiction / March 06, 2015
Here's a look at just a few of the novels, picture books and poetry out this month for kids and teens:
TEEN
FANTASY
Marie Rutkoski
ISBN 9780374384708 | $20.50 cl
Book two of the dazzling Winner's Trilogy is a fight to the death as Kestrel risks betrayal of country for love.
A royal wedding is what most girls can only dream about. It means one celebration after another: balls, fireworks, and revelry until dawn. But to Kestrel it means living in a cage of her own making. As the wedding approaches, she aches to tell Arin the truth about her engagement—that she agreed to marry the crown prince just to guarantee Arin's freedom—if she could only trust him. Yet can she even trust herself?
Ages 12+
Available Now
Chronicles of Nick #6
Sherrilyn Kenyon
ISBN 9781250063861 | $22.99 cl
The next novel in the bestselling Chronicles of Nick series from #1 New York Times bestselling author Sherrilyn Kenyon.
Zombies, demons, vampires, shapeshifters—another day in the life of Nick Gautier—and those are just his friends. But now that he's accepted the demon that lives inside him, he must learn to control it and temper the very emotions that threaten the lives of everyone he cares for. Something that's hard to do while trying to stay off the menus of those who want his head on a platter.
Ages 12-18
Available March 31
CONTEMPORARY
Stephen Metcalfe
ISBN 9781250054418 | $21.99 cl
A brilliant, debut coming-of-age novel about a misanthropic young man learning to love, trust and truly be alive in an absurd world.
This is the story of Billy Kinsey, heir to a lottery fortune, part genius, part philosopher and social critic, full time insomniac and closeted rock drummer. Billy has decided that the best way to deal with an absurd world is to stay away from it. Do not volunteer. Do not join in. But Billy's life changes when two people enter his life. Twom Twomey, a charismatic renegade who believes that truly living means going a little outlaw, and Gretchen Quinn, who suggests to Billy that the world can be transformed by creative acts of the soul. Billy knows that one is leading him toward disaster and the other toward happiness. The problem is—Billy doesn't trust happiness. It's the age he's at. The tragic age.
Ages 14-18
Available Now
MIDDLE-GRADE
Poems About Just About Everything
Calef Brown
ISBN 9780805099287 | $20.50 cl
This is the first longer-format, middle-grade poetry collection from #1 New York Times bestselling author-illustrator Calef Brown. Moving away from the picture book format offers Calef the opportunity to tackle a variety of themes and poetry styles as well as reach a slightly older audience along the lines of Doug Florian and Shel Silverstein.
Ages 8-12
Available Now
Catherynne M. Valente; illustrated by Ana Juan
ISBN 9781250023490 | $19.50 cl
Here is Book 4 of the 5-book New York Times-bestselling Fairyland series, which TIME Magazine calls "one of the most extraordinary works of fantasy published so far this century."
A young troll named Hawthorn is stolen from Fairyland by the Golden Wind, and becomes a changeling in our world, a place no less bizarre than Fairyland in his eyes. Left with a human family in Chicago, Hawthorn struggles with his troll nature and his changeling fate.
When he turns twelve, he stumbles upon a way back home, to a Fairyland changed and Hawthorn finds himself at the centre of a changeling revolution.
Ages 10+
Available Now
The Riverman Trilogy #2
Aaron Starmer
ISBN 9780374363116 | $19.50 cl
The second book in the Riverman Trilogy is a twisting, turning, riveting roller coaster of a ride through a magical land where nothing is as it seems, and no one is to be trusted.
At the end of The Riverman, the first book in the Riverman Trilogy, twelve-year-old Alistair learns that his friend Fiona has been telling the truth about traveling to a magical land called Aquavania when she goes missing from their hometown of Thessaly, New York. Alistair knows her absence means that her soul has been stolen by a merciless stalker called the Riverman. Unless Alistair can travel to Aquavania to save her, Fiona may never return home.
Ages 10+
Available Now
PICTURE BOOKS
Benjamin Chaud
ISBN 9781452137346 | $21.99 cl
It was the perfect plan: abandon pet rabbit Floppy in the woods and take a giant leap toward adulthood. Having a bunny that moonlights as a best friend is for babies, right? It's better to cut a pet loose, make new human friends, and not be so dependent on a floppy-eared fur ball bent on chewing electrical cords, right? If saying good-bye to Floppy is required to grow up, why does life without Floppy seem so wrong? From Benjamin Chaud, the critically acclaimed author/illustrator of The Bear's Song and The Bear's Sea Escape, comes this unforgettable, thought-provoking picture book about the power of unlikely friendships.
Ages 3-5
Available Now
Up in the Garden and Down in the Dirt
Kate Messner; illustrated by Christopher Silas Neal
ISBN 9781452119366 | $22.50 cl
In this exuberant and lyrical follow-up to the award-winning Over and Under the Snow, discover the wonders that lie hidden between stalks, under the shade of leaves... and down in the dirt. Explore the hidden world and many lives of a garden through the course of a year! Up in the garden, the world is full of green-leaves and sprouts, growing vegetables, ripening fruit. But down in the dirt exists a busy world-earthworms dig, snakes hunt, skunks burrow-populated by all the animals that make a garden their home.
Ages 5-8
Available Now
A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to School...
Davide Cali; illustrated by Benjamin Chaud
ISBN 9781452131689 | $15.99 cl
First, some giant ants steal breakfast. Then there are the evil ninjas, massive ape, mysterious mole people, giant blob, and countless other daunting (and astonishing) detours along the way to school. Are these excuses really why this student is late? Or is there another explanation that is even more outrageous than the rest? From Davide Cali and Benjamin Chaud, the critically acclaimed author/illustrator team behind I Didn't Do My Homework Because... comes a fast-paced, actionpacked, laugh-out-loud story about finding the way to school despite the odds-and the unbelievable oddness!
Ages 6-9
Available Now
Amy Krouse Rosenthal; illustrated by Tom Lichtenheld
ISBN 9781452126999 | $19.99 cl
Some books are about a single wish. Some books are about three wishes. The infallible team of Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Tom Lichtenheld have combined their extraordinary talents to create this exuberant book of endless good wishes. Wishes for curiosity and wonder, for friendship and strength, laughter and peace. Whether celebrating life's joyous milestones, sharing words of encouragement, or observing the wonder of everyday moments, this sweet and uplifting book is perfect for wishers of every age.
Ages 5-8
Available March 31
The Winner’s Crime: An Interview with Marie Rutkoski
by Melissa
Author Q & A + YA Fiction / March 03, 2015
Today’s the day! To celebrate the release of The Winner’s Crime—the second book in Marie Rutkoski’s The Winner’s Trilogy—the fabulous Jenn from Lost in a Great Book has shared her interview with the lovely Marie Rutkoski. Read on for fun secrets behind The Winner’s Curse and The Winner’s Crime. (Caution! There are spoilers for The Winner's Curse, and possible vague spoilers for The Winner's Crime. You've been warned!)
In January I had the distinct pleasure of chatting via Skype with the ever-charming Marie Rutkoski, author of The Winner’s Curse and The Winner’s Crime books. After we had both settled in with our respective cups of tea (Marie’s was an intriguing blue tea from Mariage Frères that I have since attempted to order online), we focused our discussion on all things Kestrel and Arin. Be warned: there are definitely spoilers for book one in this discussion, although I’ve tried to edit out the spoilers for book two.
J: So, I’ve finished book two, and I just have to ask … Are you trying to kill us with this book? I’ll bet you wrote that last chapter with an evil laugh!
M: Ha! I mean… Okay, is this going to be public?
J: It will, but I will edit for book two spoilers, don’t you worry!
M: Oh good, that makes things easier. Well, after I wrote the first book, and I ended it the way that I did, which felt like a true ending to me, it felt like the characters were true to who they are and how I had made them into, and this is what would happen to them. After I wrote that, however, I wondered what might happen to them and how the story would continue. One of the things I felt pretty strongly about was that the tension between Kestrel and her father, for example, could break things eventually, just because they are both so similar, but their goals are so extremely different. I knew that they loved each other but …
J: They really don’t know how to love each other, really.
M: Yes, that’s it. It’s very true.
J: There are events in this book that broke my heart, especially between Kestrel and her father.
M: He would definitely see her actions as a personal betrayal. Part of the reason he has been at war for so long is because he felt that he was building this great world, this empire for her, and in his mind, he knew she was capable of making it all hers. In book one, she tells him that she doesn’t want his life, and all of her actions, even if she doesn’t mean them to be against him, he could take it that way.
J: She is very much her father’s daughter in her analytical thought processes.
M: She is, that’s true. I guess what I’m trying to say is that I didn’t set out to break reader’s hearts with the endings of the books, but rather that I see each book as an inevitable conclusion. I did think that it would be interesting to write a book where readers feel that the books is about a certain romantic relationship, but that they also realize that there are so many other relationships that happen that are just as crucial, and end up having as much, if not more, of an emotional impact.
J: Your characters are not one-dimensional; Kestrel is genuinely hurt and abandoned in this book because she has lost everyone close to her in book one. Jess, Ronan, her father … there is so much more to her than just her relationship with Arin, and I found she really came into her own in book two. Book one was so much about figuring out the world, and I found book two was very much a character book. There is still lots of action, but so much of what happens is internal.
I also found it interesting to see how Kestrel and Arin developed and have almost changed roles. In book one, Arin is the enigma as we don’t have much from his point of view because he is hiding his role in the rebellion, while Kestrel is the more open of the pair.
M: That’s a really interesting comment. I was definitely aware that Arin was not a very outgoing character; even in his point of view, we don’t get a lot from him in the first book and that’s very deliberate. I thought of him as a character that does not want to share, so anything he does share is done so grudgingly, but in the second book he does open up more. I hadn’t really thought about the fact that Kestrel would have to keep things much more close to her chest with everyone around her, but I guess she is much more secretive than she was before.
J: In book two, there are some interesting scenes involving a particular moth. Do those chameleon moths exist?
M: Oh, thanks! Well the book is technically fantasy, because of the different world, but I didn’t want it to be fantastical. I love fantasy, but for this book I really wanted to focus on the human – relationship, scenery, etc. I did want to lend little touches to remind the reader that this was not our world. The moths were convenient to me, for various reasons – plot-wise, events…
J: For ….. reasons that will become apparent after release!
M: Yes, exactly! So those, and the dragonflies that appear in the East … when I tend to try to remind the reader that this is a new and different world, it usually comes out in nature somehow. There may be something different, like green storms in the first book, and the crops in the second book.
J: Let’s talk a little about some of the non-story aspects of the book.The Winner’s Curse is so named because the economic theory of, essentially, paying more for something than it’s actually worth at auction. Is there a similar meaning for The Winner’s Crime?
M: The Winner’s Crime doesn’t have as serious a meaning; when you write a trilogy you want the names to go together and have some fluidity to them (example: Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Dreams of Gods and Monsters). I wanted to have some kind of cohesion with the first book, and I knew what the second book would be about.
J: What are you hoping people will get from book two?
M: Well, I have had to make a lot of apologies to people on Twitter – “You broke my heart!” “I’m sorry!”
In book one, Kestrel seems kind of unassailable, she’s the girl with all the answers, so I’m hoping in book two you see her much more vulnerable than before. I also think, as a writer, it was really satisfying to write more from Arin’s point of view. That happens a lot in book three as well.
They both grow a lot in these books.
If you’re interested in reading the rest of Jenn’s interview with Marie (or if you want more information on torture and book 3) click here!
I want to extend a huge thank you to Jenn for sharing her interview with us, and to the wonderful Marie Rutkoski for an intriguing behind-the-scenes look into The Winner’s Crime. Be sure to purchase your copy of The Winner’s Crime, in stores today!
New Releases: Kids and Teen Highlights February 2015
by Dan
Kids + YA Fiction / January 22, 2015
February brings science fiction from Kristen Simmons, Cecil Castellucci and Jessica Brody, as well as a new colouring book from Johanna Basford, and a Baby-Lit Spanish Primer! Here are some of next month's new releases available from Raincoast Books:
TEEN
SCIENCE FICTION
Kristen Simmons
In the vein of The Handmaid’s Tale, a haunting, yet hopeful, stand-alone novel from the author of the Article 5 trilogy.
Once there was a time when men and women lived as equals, when girl babies were valued, and women could belong only to themselves. But that was ten generations ago. Now women are property, to be sold and owned and bred, while a strict census keeps their numbers manageable and under control. The best any girl can hope for is to end up as some man's forever wife, but most are simply sold and resold until they're all used up.
Only in the wilderness, away from the city, can true freedom be found. Aya has spent her whole life in the mountains, looking out for her family and hiding from the world, until the day the Trackers finally catch her...
Ages 13-18
Available February 10
Tin Star #
Cecil Castellucci
In this thrilling follow-up to Tin Star, Tula will need to rely on more than just her wits to save her only home in the sky.
After escaping death a second time, Tula Bane is now even thirstier for revenge. She spends much of her time in the Tin Star Café on the Yertina Feray—the space station she calls home. But when it's discovered that the desolate and abandoned planet near the station has high quantities of a precious resource, the once sleepy space station becomes a major player in intergalactic politics. In the spirit of the Gold Rush, aliens from all over the galaxy race to cash in—including Tula's worst enemy.
Ages 12-18
Available February 24
The Unremembered Trilogy #3
Jessica Brody
In this mesmerizing conclusion to the Unremembered trilogy, Sera will fight those who have broken her.
After returning to the Diotech compound and undergoing an experimental new memory alteration, Seraphina is now a loyal, obedient servant to Dr. Alixter and the powerful company that created her. Happy and in love with Kaelen, another scientifically-enhanced human designed to be her perfect match, Sera's history with a boy named Zen is just a distant memory from a rebellious past she longs to forget.
But as Sera and Kaelen embark on a nationwide tour to promote Diotech's new product line-a collection of controversial genetic modifications available to the public-Sera's mind starts to rebel. She can't stop the memories of Zen from creeping back in.
Ages 12-18
Available February 24
COMICS
Princess Decomposia and Count Spatula
Andi Watson
Princess Decomposia is overworked and underappreciated. This princess of the underworld is always running behind and always buried under a ton of paperwork. Oh, and her father (the king) just fired the chef, so now she has to hire a new cook as well. Luckily for Princess Decomposia, she makes a good hire in Count Spatula, the vampire chef with a sweet tooth. He's a charming go-getter of a blood-sucker, and pretty soon the two young ghouls become friends.
Princess Decomposia has to sort out her life, and with Count Spatula at her side, you can be sure she'll succeed. Andi Watson (Glister, Gum Girl) brings his signature gothy-cute sensibility to this very sweet and mildly spooky tale of friendship, family, and management training for the undead.
Ages 13-18
Available January 13
KIDS
NONFICTION
Johanna Basford
This stunning new colouring book by Johanna Basford (Secret Garden) takes readers on a inky quest through an enchanted forest to discover what lies in the castle at its heart. As well as drawings to complete, colour and embellish, there are hidden objects to be found along the way including wild flowers, animals and birds, maps, lanterns, keys and treasure chests. Beginning at the entrance to the forest, the journey progresses through woodland, rocky caves and tree-lined mazes, over streams and a waterfall, across the trees tops, to finally reach the castle.
Available February 17
PICTURE BOOKS
Virginia Brimhall Snow
After a long winter's sleep, the soil is springing to life. Spring flowers break through the ground to welcome warmer days. Come with Grammy and her grandchildren as they explore and learn all about 24 different flowers. Once home, she teaches them how to plant their own flowers from seeds and make beautiful bouquets.
Ages 4-8
Available February 15
A BabyLit Spanish Primer
Jennifer Adams; illustrated by Alison Oliver
BabyLit® is a fashionable way to introduce your toddler to the world of classic literature. With clever, simple text by Jennifer Adams, paired with stylish design and illustrations by Sugar's Alison Oliver, these books are a must for every savvy parent's nursery library.
Ages Infant-3
Available February 15
New Releases: Kids and Teen Highlights January 2015
by Dan
Kids + YA Fiction / January 08, 2015
Happy New Year! Here's sneak peek at some of the new kids and teen books coming from Raincoast Books this month...
TEEN
THRILLERS
Natalie D. Richards
Keeping secrets ruined her life. But the truth might just kill her.
Piper Woods can't wait for the purgatory of senior year to end. She skirts the fringes of high school like a pro until the morning she finds a notebook with mutilated photographs and a list of student sins. She's sure the book is too gruesome to be true, until pretty, popular Stella dies after a sex-tape goes viral. Everyone's sure it's suicide, but Piper remembers Stella's name from the book and begins to suspect something much worse...
Ages 13+
Available Now
FANTASY
The Kanin Chronicles #1
Amanda Hocking
The first book in a magical new YA series from New York Times bestselling author Amanda Hocking that invites readers back to the beloved world of the Trylle.
Bryn Aven is an outcast among the Kanin, the most powerful of the troll tribes. Set apart by her heritage and her past, Bryn is a tracker who's determined to become a respected part of her world. She has just one goal: become a member of the elite King’s Guard to protect the royalty. But all her plans for the future are put on hold when Konstantin—a fallen hero who she once loved —appears to be up to something dangerous, kidnapping changelings. Bryn is sent in to help stop him, but will she lose her heart in the process?
Ages 12-17
Available Now
The Lunar Chronicles
Marissa Meyer
In this stunning bridge book between Cress and the forthcoming Winter, Queen Levana’s story is finally told.
Fans of the Lunar Chronicles know Queen Levana as a ruler who uses her “glamour” to gain power. But long before she crossed paths with Cinder, Scarlet, and Cress, Levana lived a very different story—a story that has never been told... until now.
Ages 12+
Available January 27
KIDS
FICTION
Nick Bruel
Bad Kitty's in a bad mood . . . a very bad mood, and Puppy is not helping.
Enter Uncle Murray, who's tasked with taking care of Puppy for the day, but that's when the trouble begins. When they go on a walk through the park, Uncle Murray almost gets himself arrested while Puppy ends up in the pound, where he meets some very peculiar new pals.
Ages 7-10
Available Now
40th Anniversary Edition
Natalie Babbitt; foreword by Gregory Maguire
Doomed to-or blessed with-eternal life after drinking from a magic spring, the Tuck family wanders about trying to live as inconspicuously and comfortably as they can. When ten-year-old Winnie Foster stumbles on their secret, the Tucks take her home and explain why living forever at one age is less a blessing that it might seem. Complications arise when Winnie is followed by a stranger who wants to market the spring water for a fortune.
Ages 10-14
Available January 20
PICTURE BOOKS
The True Story of the Bear Who Inspired Winnie-the-Pooh
Sally M Walker; illustrated by Jonathan D. Voss
When Harry Colebourn saw a baby bear at a train station, he knew he could care for it. Harry was a veterinarian. But he was also a soldier in training during World War I.
Harry named the bear Winnie, short for Winnipeg, his company's home town, and he brought her along to the military camp in England. Winnie followed Harry everywhere and slept under his cot every night. Before long, she became the regiment’s much-loved mascot.
But who could care for the bear when Harry went to battle? Harry found just the right place for Winnie—the London Zoo. There a boy named Christopher Robin played with Winnie—he could care for this bear too!
Ages 4-8
January 20
Stephen Savage
When the city is hit by a colossal snowstorm, only one superhero can save the day. But who is this mysterious hero, and why does he disappear once his job is done?
Find out in this snowy tale about a little truck with a very big job, the second of Steve Savage's vehicle-based picture books.
Ages 2-6
Available Now
Deborah Diesen; illustrated by Dan Hanna
Feeling sleepy? It's time for bed! Toddlers will love swimming along with the Pout-Pout Fish as he turns little frowns into sleepy smiles.
Debbie Diesen and Dan Hanna's best-selling Pout-Pout Fish comes flippering and swishing into the hearts and minds of very young children with this compact and fun new tale sure to delight the sleepiest of guppies.
Ages 1-4
Available January 15
A BabyLit Flower Primer
Jennifer Adams; illustrated by Alison Oliver
BabyLit® is a fashionable way to introduce your toddler to the world of classic literature. With clever, simple text by Jennifer Adams, paired with stylish design and illustrations by Sugar's Alison Oliver, these books are a must for every savvy parent's nursery library.
Ages Infant-3
Available January 15
COMICS
All For Stilton, Stilton For All!
Geronimo Stilton Graphic Novels #15
Geronimo, Trap, Pandora, Benjamin and Patti return to the era of Louis XIII on the trail of the Pirate Cats. At Fontainebleu Castle they enroll in Richelieu's army of mousketeers and are commanded by the cardinal to oppose two brigands in the area. The mice discover that the brigands are no other than Cattardone and Tersilla who have replaced Louis XIII with Bonzo! Our heroes must find the real Louis XIII and and put him back on the throne.
Ages 7-11
Available January 13
Olympians #7
The myth continues in the tenth year of the fabled Trojan War where two infamous gods of war go to battle. The spotlight is thrown on Ares, god of war, and primarily focuses on his battle with the clever and powerful Athena. As the battle culminates and the gods try to one-up each other to win, the human death toll mounts. Who will win this epic clash of power? And how many will have to die first?
Ages 9-14
Available January 27
The Mother-Daughter Duo behind the House of Night Series
by Alisha
Fiction + Science Fiction and Fantasy + YA Fiction / October 29, 2014
Jennifer Tammy is a Canadian psychologist and Montessori educator who blogs at Study at Home Mama and In the Kids' Kitchen. In the following interview she speaks with P.C. Cast and Kristin Cast, the dynamic mother-daughter duo behind the internationally bestselling House of Night series.
Everyone must be curious how a mother-daughter team makes it work. Can you describe your working and creative dynamic together?
PC Cast: Writing is usually such a solitary job that it's nice to have someone in it with me. I write the entire first draft, and then send it to Kristin for her to go through. It makes me feel like I can relax and write, knowing she has my back. Believe me, she'll let me know if I've messed up and made Zoey sound 40-something! I guess the down side would be that she's the only person in the world who can tell me (and has), "No, Mom. You have to change it 'cause that sucks."
KC Cast: Writing with Mom is great because for once in my life I get to tell her she's wrong! I serve mainly as her teen voice editor. During the first couple books, we tried to split up the chapters but realized very quickly that it wasn't working. So, she will write the first draft of the whole book and then I go through and fill in gaps she's left for me, edit, and I also cut parts out—but don't tell her I said that.
PC: We do some brainstorming, and then I write the first draft. It's hard for me. I want to call her and talk to her about it sometimes, but she hasn't read up to where I am. I used to send her pieces of it, but I revise constantly. So what I will have sent her before might have completely changed. So that didn't work. When I get done, I'll send it to her. I'll talk to her in the manuscript sometimes. Then she goes through it and fills in the blanks and answers the questions. She makes sure I'm being succinct enough because I tend to do too much description. So she'll write these little bubbles to me. Then she sends the manuscript to me and I see what changes she's made. I re-read it carefully to make sure she's not messing up any of my dominoes, because I have a much better idea of where I'm going than she does. When I'm done, we send it off.
When did you start creatively collaborating together?
PC: I brought Kristin in while I was writing the first three chapters of Marked. I kept stumbling over silly little things, like specific slang that I thought I knew, but found out once I started writing about teenagers that MY deeply buried inner teen from the 70s kept trying to resurface and butt in with her slang! Kristin keeps me straight about that. She also says she keeps Zoey from "sounding like a 40-something disgruntled school teacher."
The "House of Night" series is incredibly prolific, how did you stay inspired? Did you know ahead of time that you'd end up writing twelve titles in this series?
PC: No! When I began writing Marked I envisioned a trilogy, but by the time I was in the middle of Betrayed (book 2 of the series) I knew I had something much larger. Thankfully, book 3, Chosen, debuted #2 on the New York Times best seller list, and at that time my publisher gave me the go-ahead to expand the world and follow the plot wherever it might lead me.
Your books have a really unique premise when it comes to vampyre literature; how do you view your series alongside (or in comparison to) the other books in this genre?
PC: My world is the only one that is based around a matriarchal belief system. The message of empowering young women really resonates with teenagers. Also, I try hard to keep the kids real, which means that quite often I push the envelope with the themes I tackle in the books, and while that can be difficult it also reaches my audience and means a lot to them.
When I decided to write a vampire series I focused on creating a new mythos for my world. Right away I knew I would make it matriarchal, and that automatically was a shift in the traditional vamp lore. I'm from a family of teachers and they are mostly science teachers. My father is one of the most knowledgeable biologists I know. In my fantasy books he has always kept my ecosystems in check and made sure I didn't create a world that wouldn't really work ecologically. So I turned to him for brainstorming help with my vamps. As the daughter of a biologist, I was always strong in the sciences myself, and took lots of biology electives in college where I was a literature major. I already had an idea about using what science slang calls junk DNA—Dad loved the idea—and we brainstormed from there! The red vampyres developed naturally. Dad and I talked about what would happen if someone tried to bring back a kid who had died when his body rejected the Change. Of course dying and then un-dying would cause a large amount of physiological injury, and many of the more bestial characteristics of the red vamps grew out of that. I then add the paranormal element of Nyx's influence, as well as the earth magic that is alive and well in the HoN world, and I have a whole new depth to my vampyre mythos!
Are there any other projects you'd like to try?
KC: I am just a couple days from being finished with my first solo novel! I like to think of it as a fairy tale because it's written as poetry rather than prose. Hopefully, I will have news about dates, etc. for it soon. Mom and I have been discussing a new series. I'm not going to say anything too specific, but we should have more info within the next year or so.
Who do you write your books for? Is there anyone you would not recommend your books to?
P.C.: Kristin and I do feel a definite sense of responsibility writing for teens. I've been teaching high school since 1993, and as I’ve said before, I'm from a family of teachers. We know the impact words can have on young adults. Yes, there is bad language in the books. Yes, there is sex in the books. Yes, hard things happen to teens—some even die—in the books. All of those things are going on today with teens, minus the vampyre element. Kristin and I feel it is essential that Zoey and the other characters deal with real issues. Zoey has an excellent sense of honor and integrity, but she's a teenager and she messes up. Basically, the "message" in the House of Night series is one of acceptance and tolerance, as well as the fact that just because a kid makes mistakes it doesn't mean his/her life is over.
Vampyre literature comes with its fair share of controversy, how do you deal with that?
PC: I've never been of the mind that I must please everyone, so I don't read reviews and pay little attention to genre-based controversies. I focus on writing the story I would most want to read and keep moving ahead in a positive manner.
Meet mother and daughter PC & Kristin Cast at our special event to celebrate the release of Redeemed, the final electrifying installment in the House of Night series!
Tonight, Oct 29 at 7 pm at Chapters Metrotown
Metropolis, Metrotown 4700 Kingsway
Burnaby, British Columbia
(604) 431-0463
Click here for event details
New Releases: Kids and Teen Highlights October 2014
by Dan
Kids + YA Fiction / October 03, 2014
Here's a quick look at a few of our new books available in October:
TEEN
FANTASY
Crewel World #3
Gennifer Albin
In the breathtaking conclusion to the Crewel World trilogy, the threads of rule and order start to unravel.
Things have changed behind the walls of the Coventry, and new threats lurk in its twisted corridors. When Adelice returns to Arras, she quickly learns that something rotten has taken hold of the world, and now Cormac Patton needs her to help him reestablish order. However, peace comes at a terrible price. As the Guild manipulates the citizens of Arras, Adelice discovers that she's not alone, and she must let go of her past to fight for mankind's future. She will have to choose between an unimaginable alliance and a deadly war that could destroy everyone she loves.
Ages 12-17
Available October 7
A Stoker & Holmes Novel
Colleen Gleason
After the Affair of the Clockwork Scarab, Evaline Stoker and Mina Holmes are eager to help Princess Alix with a new case. Seventeen-year-old Willa Aston is obsessed with spiritual mediums, convinced she is speaking with her mother from beyond the grave. What seems like a case of spiritualist fraud quickly devolves into something far more menacing: someone is trying to make Willa "appear lunatic," using an innocent-looking spiritglass to control her. The list of clues piles up: an unexpected murder, a gang of pickpockets, and the return of vampires to London. But are these events connected? As Uncle Sherlock would say, "there are no coincidences." It will take all of Mina's wit and Evaline's muscle to keep London's sinister underground at bay.
Ages 12+
Available October 7
A House of Night Novel
P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast
The final electrifying installment in the #1 New York Times bestselling vampyre series.
Zoey Redbird is in trouble. Having released the Seer Stone to Aphrodite, and surrendered herself to the Tulsa Police, she has isolated herself from her friends and mentors, determined to face the punishment she deserves—even if that means her body will reject the change, and begin to die. Only the love of those closest to her can save her from the Darkness in her spirit; but a terrible evil has emerged from the shadows, more powerful than ever…
Ages 12-17
Available October 14
The Goddess of War #2
Kendare Blake
As ancient immortals are left reeling, a modern Athena and Hermes search the world for answers in the second Goddess War novel by the acclaimed author of Anna Dressed in Blood.
Old gods never die…. Or so Athena thought.
As horrific afflictions bring the ancient immortals to their knees, a thoroughly modern Athena and Hermes travel the world searching for answers. What they find is Cassandra, the ordinary girl who can’t remember her extraordinary past life.
This second installment of the series that started with Antigoddess takes the developing war of the gods and goddesses to a whole new level.
Ages 14+
Available October 14
Being the Tale of Kit Bristol, His Horse Midnight, a Mysterious Princess, and Sundry Magical Persons Besides
Ben Tripp
The first book of a trilogy, The Accidental Highwayman is a swashbuckling tale of high adventure, otherworldly magic, and true love that you won’t soon forget. Fans of classic fairy-tale fantasies such as Stardust by Neil Gaiman and The Princess Bride by William Goldman will find much to love in this irresistible YA debut by Ben Tripp, the son of one of America’s most beloved illustrators, Wallace Tripp (Amelia Bedelia). Following in his father’s footsteps, Ben has woven illustrations throughout the story.
Ages 12-18
Available October 14
COMICS
Cory Doctorow & illustrated by Jen Wang
From New York Times bestselling author Cory Doctorow, the story of a girl who gets into gaming—and ends up on a globe-spanning crusade to stop exploitation online.
Anda loves Coarsegold Online. The massively-multiplayer role playing game is a place where she can be a leader, a fighter, and a hero. But things become a lot more complicated when Anda befriends a gold farmer—a poor Chinese kid whose job is to collect valuable objects and sell them to other players for real money. This behavior is strictly against the rules in Coarsegold, but Anda soon comes to realize that questions of right and wrong are a lot less straightforward when a real person's real livelihood is at stake...
Ages 12-17
Available October 14
KIDS
Brandon Stanton
Street photographer and storyteller extraordinaire Brandon Stanton is the creator of the wildly popular blog "Humans of New York." He is also the author of the #1 New York Times bestseller Humans of New York. To create Little Humans, he's combined an original narrative with some of his favorite children's photos from the blog, in addition to all-new exclusive portraits. The result is a hip, heartwarming ode to little humans everywhere.
Ages 4-8
Available October 7
Kid Sheriff and the Terrible Toads
Bob Shea & illustrated by Lane Smith
Drywater Gulch has a toad problem. Not the hop-down-your-britches, croaking-all-night toad kind of problem. The thievin', hootin' and hollerin', steal-your-gold never-say-thank-you outlaw toad kind of problem.
Then hope rides into town. Sheriff Ryan might only be seven years old, and he might not know much about shooting and roping. But he knows a lot about dinosaurs. Yes, dinosaurs. And it turns out that knowing a thing or two about paleontology can come in handy when it comes to hoodwinking and rounding up a few no-good bandits.
Ages 4-8
Available October 7
The Robbie Robertson Story
Sebastian Robertson & illustrated by Adam Gustavson
Canadian guitarist and songwriter Robbie Robertson is known mainly for his central role in the musical group the Band. But how did he become one of Rolling Stone's top 100 guitarists of all time? Written by his son, Sebastian, this is the story of a rock-and-roll legend's journey through music, beginning when he was taught to play guitar at nine years old on a Native American reservation. Rock and Roll Highway is the story of a young person's passion, drive, and determination to follow his dream.
Ages 6-9
Available October 21
New Releases: Kids and Teen Highlights September 2014
by Dan
Kids + YA Fiction / September 15, 2014
Good grief! It's September already! Back to school! Time to wrap up in a nice scarf, and read books with hot drinks!
Here we are again with another look at a few of our new releases for Kids, Middle Grade, and Teen:
TEEN
FANTASY
Scorched #2
Mari Mancusi
A fiery, action-packed installment in Mari Mancusi's heart-pounding Scorched trilogy
Trinity, Connor, and Caleb are trying to stay under the radar, holed up in an abandoned West Texas farmhouse. Their only problem is Emmy: a baby dragon that's growing like crazy. When Emmy is caught on tape and the video goes viral, they find themselves on the run again. Their only hope comes from an old map leading to a man who has come from the future to help them. But with the government hot on their heels and Caleb's growing addiction to spending time in the Nether world, will they be able to reach him in time?
Ages 12+
Available Now
HORROR
A Fear Street Novel
R. L Stines
R.L. Stine's hugely successful young adult horror series Fear Street is back with the first new book in almost two decades. With more than 80 million copies sold around the world, Fear Street is one of the bestselling young adult series of all time. Now, R.L. Stine makes his triumphant return to Shadyside, a town of nightmares, shadows, and genuine terror, and to the bestselling series that began his career writing horror for the juvenile market, in the new Fear Street book Party Games.
Ages 12-18
Available September 30
CONTEMPORARY
Mitchell Kriegman
Clarissa Explains It All creator Mitchell Kriegman tells the story of a 19-year-old girl who finds herself thrust into the world of socialites after being seen in Audrey Hepburn's dress from the film Breakfast at Tiffany's.
Lisbeth comes from a broken home in the land of tube tops, heavy eyeliner, frosted lip-gloss, juiceheads, hoop earrings and “the shore.”
Obsessed with everything Audrey Hepburn, Lisbeth is transformed when she secretly tries on Audrey’s iconic Givenchy. She becomes who she wants to be by pretending to be somebody she’s not and living among the young and privileged Manhattan elite. Soon she’s faced with choices that she would never imagine making – between who she’s become and who she once was.
Ages 14+
Available Now
COMICS
Paul Pope and J. T. Petty; illustrated by David Rubin
The extraordinary world introduced in Paul Pope's Battling Boy is rife with monsters and short on heroes… but in this action-driven extension of the Battling Boy universe, we see it through a new pair of eyes: Aurora West, daughter of Arcopolis's last great hero, Haggard West.
A prequel to Battling Boy, The Rise of Aurora West follows the young hero as she seeks to uncover the mystery of her mother's death, and to find her place in a world overrun with supernatural monsters and all-too-human corruption.
Ages 10+
Available September 30
MIDDLE GRADE
An Introduction to Skyscrapers and Their Architects
Didier Cornille
Nothing in the built world captures the imagination like the skyscraper. Behind every soaring tower stands a designer with courageous vision and enough engineering know-how to pull off incredible feats of architectural derring-do. Who Built That? Skyscrapers is a colourful tour of the world's tallest buildings and the larger-than-life personalities who built them. Beginning with a brief biographical sketch of each architect, illustrator Didier Cornille imaginatively depicts the construction of eight of the world's most impressive skyscrapers.
Ages 7-12
Available Now
Draw, Paint and Print Like the Great Artists
Marion Deuchars
In this imaginative new activity book, Marion Deuchars makes learning about art fun. Young readers are introduced to more than thirty great artists, then encouraged to try out the techniques that lie behind their greatest works.
Short and accessible facts about each artist's life and works are followed by creative projects that Marion has devised based on the artist's particular techniques.
Ages 8-12
Available September 23
KIDS
Kate Coombs & illustrated by Alli Arnold
The adored children's classic Goodnight Moon gets a classic lit makeover in this charming parody of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice novel. All of Austen's much-loved characters are at the Netherfield Ball.
Ages 4+
Available Now
Edgar and the Tattle-Tale Heart
Jennifer Adams & illustrated by Ron Stucki
The plucky, mischievous toddler Edgar the Raven (Edgar Gets Ready for Bed) is at it again in this spirited story with some important lessons. What will Edgar do when he accidentally breaks a statue sitting on a dresser? Will his sister, Lenore, tattle on him? Will Edgar tell his mother the truth? Inspired by Edgar Allan Poe's The Tell-Tale Heart, little lit lovers will delight in this new adventure with characters illustrated in a most "poe-etic" way.
Ages 4+
Available Now
Lorena Siminovich
A new title in this series of charming and inventive board books! Readers will find a little book nestled inside a bigger one. Turn the pages to match the baby animals to their parents, and learn early concepts along the way. In this new entry to the series, young ones will discover animal habits in the forest.
Ages Infant-2
Available September 9
Hervé Tullet
Accept Hervé Tullet's irresistible invitation to mix it up in a dazzling adventure of whimsy and wonder. Follow the artist's simple instructions, and suddenly colours appear, mix, splatter, and vanish in a world powered only by the reader's imagination. Tullet—who joins such greats as Eric Carle and Leo Lionni as a master of his craft—sets readers on an extraordinary interactive journey all within the printed page. Tullet prompts plenty of giggles in addition to a profound understanding of colors, and once again displays his unique genius and vision in a work that is a glorious and richly satisfying companion to Press Here.
Ages 3-5
Available September 16
Hervé Tullet
The magic of the New York Times bestseller Press Here is now available in game form! Hervé Tullet has reimagined his groundbreaking book in an entirely new dimension. Players take turns completing color sequences by placing red, blue, and yellow playing pieces on one of twenty-five fabulously designed game boards. What seems like a simple choice is likely to lead to animated discussion as players come to understand the visual logic at the heart of the game.
Ages 3+
Available September 16
Molly Idle
Having mastered ballet in Flora and the Flamingo, Flora takes to the ice and forms an unexpected friendship with a penguin. Twirling, leaping, spinning, and gliding, on skates and flippers, the duo mirror each other's graceful dance above and below the ice. But when Flora gives the penguin the cold shoulder, the pair must figure out a way to work together for uplifting results. Artist Molly Idle creates an innovative, wordless picture book with clever flaps that reveal Flora and the penguin coming together, spiraling apart, and coming back together as only true friends do.
Ages 3-5
Available September 16
New Releases: Kids & Teen Highlights August 2014
by Dan
Board Books + Kids + Picture Books + YA Fiction / July 29, 2014
Is it really almost August? Oh my, summer is really flying by! Fortunately we still have lots of great books for you to read before school starts again. Here's a sneak peek at just a few of the books we have coming out next month for Kids, Middle Grade, and Teen:
TEEN
CONTEMPORARY
Patty Blount
A gut-wrenching, powerful love story told from alternating points of view by the acclaimed author of Send.
When Grace meets Ian, she's afraid. Afraid he'll reject her like the rest of the school, like her own family. After she accuses Zac, the town golden boy, of rape, everyone turns against her. Ian wouldn't be the first to call her a slut and a liar.
Except Ian doesn't reject her. He's the one person who looks past the taunts and the names and the tough-girl act to see the real Grace. He's the one who gives her the courage to fight back.
He's also Zac's best friend.
Ages 13-17
Available August 5
Sandy Hall
Swoon Reads proudly presents its first novel—an irresistible and original romance between two college students told from 14 different viewpoints.
The creative writing teacher, the delivery guy, the local Starbucks baristas, his best friend, her roommate, and the squirrel in the park all have one thing in common—they believe that Gabe and Lea should get together.
Lea and Gabe are in the same creative writing class. They get the same pop culture references, order the same Chinese food, and hang out in the same places. Unfortunately, Lea is reserved, Gabe has issues, and despite their initial mutual crush, it looks like they are never going to work things out. But somehow even when nothing is going on, something is happening between them, and everyone can see it.
Ages 12-17
Available August 26
FANTASY
Francesca Lia Block
Pen has lost her parents. She’s lost her eye. But she has fought Kronen; she has won back her fragile friends and her beloved brother. When a foreboding ship appears in the harbour across from their home, they all start having strange visions of destruction and violence. In a trance, they head for the ship, and their new battles begin—battles that will test their love for one another.
This companion to Love in the Time of Global Warming follows Pen as she searches for love among the ruins, this time using Virgil’s epic Aeneid as her guide. A powerful and stunning book filled with Francesca Lia Block’s beautiful language and inspiring characters.
Ages 14+
Available August 26
MIDDLE GRADE
Alan Gratz & illustrated by Brett Helquist
The League of Seven is the first book in an action-packed, steampunk series by the acclaimed author of Samurai Shortstop, Alan Gratz.
Young Archie Dent knows there really are monsters in the world. His parents are members of the Septemberist Society, whose job it is to protect humanity from hideous giants called the Mangleborn. Trapped in underground prisons for a thousand years, the giant monsters have been all but forgotten-but now they are rising again as the steam-driven America of 1875 rediscovers electricity, the lifeblood of the Mangleborn. When his parents and the rest of the Septemberists are brainwashed by one of the evil creatures, Archie must assemble a team of seven young heroes to save the world.
Ages 10-15
Available August 19
"Action, banter and steampunk-style tech aplenty—plus truly icky foes inspired, the author acknowledges, by the creations of H.P. Lovecraft—make this an appealingly fast-paced trilogy opener."—Kirkus Reviews
KIDS
The Wonderful Wizard of OZ: A BabyLit Colors Primer
Jennifer Adams & illustrated by Alison Oliver
BabyLit® is a fashionable way to introduce your toddler to the world of classic literature. With clever, simple text by Jennifer Adams, paired with stylish design and illustrations by Sugar's Alison Oliver, these books are a must for every savvy parent's nursery library.
Frankenstein: A BabyLit Anatomy Primer
Jennifer Adams & illustrated by Alison Oliver
"Will delight bookish babes of all ages."—Cool Mom Picks
"The simplicity of these books is its genius."—Kid Lit Review
Ages infant-4
Available Now
Jennifer Adams & illustrated by Alison Oliver
Now kids can celebrate classic literature in doodle form! With Doodle Lit, artists can use their imaginations to complement favorites such as Pride and Prejudice, Romeo and Juliet, Jane Eyre, Alice in Wonderland, and many more.
Sprinkled throughout are also designs with perforated edges, perfect for popping out and crafting! Illustrated in the same colourful and playful style as the acclaimed BabyLit board book series.
Ages 8+
Available August 1
Benjamin Chaud
More adventures await The Bear's Song's Little Bear and Papa Bear. When the bears seek warmth from their chilly perch atop the Paris Opera House, Little Bear is mistaken for a toy bear and whisked away... to a tropical island! Papa Bear sets out on a frenzied journey to find Little Bear, travelling to a bustling wharf, beneath a sea brimming with coral and mermaids, onto a busy beach, and all the way to a sun-drenched island. As in The Bear's Song, Little Bear is featured in every spread. Will Papa Bear—and the reader—find him? Children and parents alike will savor Chaud's lush, detail-rich illustrations and the sweet story as well as the book's bonus seek-and-find elements.
Ages 3-5
Available August 5
"As charming as two bears can be."—Kirkus Reviews
"It’s like a wonderfully Gallic cousin to Where’s Waldo?, and don’t think that Chaud doesn’t know it—there’s a familiar-looking fellow in a striped hat and glasses tucked away in a crowded traffic scene"—Publishers Weekly (starre
Lizi Boyd
Inside a tent it's cozy. But what is going on outside? Is it dark? Is it scary? Not if you have your trusty flashlight! Told solely through images and using a spare yet dramatic palette, artist Lizi Boyd has crafted a masterful exploration of night, nature, and art. Both lyrical and humorous, this visual poem-like the flashlight beam itself-reveals that there is magic in the darkness. We just have to look for it.
Ages 2-6
Available August 12
"Contemplative children will spend hours on each page, noticing such subtleties as reappearing animals and the slowly rising moon over the course of one night in the forest."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Homer Henry Hudson's Curio Museum
Zack Rock
With a nose for adventure and an eye on history, Homer Henry Hudson travels the world for pieces to add to his exhibits at the Curio Museum. Author and illustrator Zack Rock crafts a tale brimming with curiosities, not the least of which is the true identity of the museum's canine caretaker, who, as he reflects on the exotic collection at his paws, becomes inspired to venture out into the unknown once again.
Ages 6-8
Available August 19
New Releases: Kids + Teen Highlights July 2014
by Dan
Kids + YA Fiction / June 20, 2014
School's nearly out and what better excuse do you need to grab a new book? Here's a look at some of the new books we're particularly excited about...
TEEN
CONTEMPORARY
Miranda Kenneally
From the bestselling author of Catching Jordan comes a brand new contemporary YA you won't forget.
Annie hates running. No matter how far she jogs, she can't escape the guilt that if she hadn't broken up with Kyle, he might still be alive. So to honour his memory, she starts preparing for the marathon he intended to race.
But the training is even more gruelling than Annie could have imagined. Despite her coaching, she's at war with her body, her mind-and her heart. With every mile that athletic Jeremiah cheers her on, she grows more conflicted.
Ages 13-17
Available July 15
FANTASY
Mary E. Pearson
In this timeless new trilogy about love and sacrifice, a princess must find her place in a reborn world.
In a society steeped in tradition, Princess Lia's life follows a preordained course. As First Daughter, she is expected to have the revered gift of sight—but she doesn't—and she knows her parents are perpetrating a sham when they arrange her marriage to a prince she has never met.
On the morning of her wedding, Lia flees to a distant village. When two mysterious and handsome strangers arrive, she is unaware that one is the jilted prince and the other an assassin sent to kill her.
Ages 14+
Available July 15
"Pearson (the Jenna Fox Chronicles) is off to an extraordinary start with her fantasy series, the Remnant Chronicles, creating an alluring world and romance that’s ideal for fans of Kristin Cashore and Megan Whalen Turner."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
P. C. Cast and Kristin Cast
From warrior and lover to enemy and betrayer, the terrible secrets of Kalona's past are revealed!
With more than 12 million books in print and more than three years on The New York Times bestseller list, the House of Night series is an international publishing sensation. Now, the excitement continues as the Cast mother-daughter duo shares the back stories of a few of the House of Night's most important—and mysterious—characters. In Kalona's Fall, the shadows in Kalona’s past will finally come to light.
Ages 12+
Available July 29
COMICS
Gene Luen Yang & illustrated by Sonny Liew
It's hard to live up to your mom's expectations... especially when she expects you to be a superhero!
Hank just wants to enjoy his quiet life running the family grocery store with his father, but his mother wants him to become a superhero, and to clean up their Chinatown neighbourhood! With artwork by Sonny Liew, this dazzling, funny comics adventure for teens is a new spin on the long, rich tradition of American comics lore.
Ages 12+
Available July 15
"Yang further establishes himself as one of YA’s leading voices on the Chinese-American experience by inventing a backstory for a forgotten comic-book character who was arguably the first Asian superhero."—Publishers Weekly (starred review)
MIDDLE GRADE
Julia Mary Gibson
Can an unearthed talisman found on the shores of Lake Michigan save 12-year-old Violet Blake’s fractured family? Exploring themes of Native American culture, ecology, and conservation, this historical fiction novel comes brilliantly to life.
In Copper Magic, land and waters are alive with memories, intentions, and impulses. Magic alters Violet and brings her gifts—but not always the kind she thinks she needs. First-time author Julia Mary Gibson brings Violet and her community to life in this impressive and assured debut.
Ages 10-14
Available July 1
"An impressive debut that’s both historical fiction and enchanted realism... Fresh, subtle, daring: well done indeed."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
KIDS
A Slide and Find ABC
Nick Bruel
Bad Kitty doesn't mean to be bad. Whether she's trying to be a good little kitty and eat her vegetables, or a quiet little kitty and behave, trouble just always find its way to her… Nick Bruel's loveable Bad Kitty gets up to her hilarious antics in this classic Priddy Slide and Find board book.
Ages 2-5
Available July 22
New Releases: Kids + Teen Highlights June 2014
by Dan
Kids + YA Fiction / May 29, 2014
The wait for the final book in the Leigh Bardugo's Grisha Trilogy is finally over next month!
Here's a look at Ruin & Rising and some of the other awesome new books for kids, middle grade, and teens available in June!
TEEN
CONTEMPORARY
Jennifer Mathieu
When Healy High star quarterback, Brandon Fitzsimmons, dies in a car crash, it was because he was sexting with Alice. Ask anybody.
In this remarkable debut novel, four Healy High students tell all they "know" about Alice—and in doing so reveal their own secrets and motivations, painting a raw look at the realities of teen life. But exactly what is the truth about Alice? In the end there's only one person to ask: Alice herself.
Ages 12+
Available June 3
Leigh Bardugo
The much-anticipated conclusion to the Grisha Trilogy!
The capital has fallen. The Darkling rules Ravka from his shadow throne. Now the nation's fate rests with a broken Sun Summoner, a disgraced tracker, and the shattered remnants of a once-great magical army...
Ages 12+
"Every time readers may think she’s written herself into a corner, Bardugo pulls off a twist that, while surprising, will keep them turning pages furiously."—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Available June 17
MIDDLE GRADE
James Preller & illustrated by Iacopo Bruno
Welcome. Have a seat. The wolves will wait. Let us tell you a story. But be warned. Nightmareland isn’t just any tale. This is a Scary Tale.
Prepare yourself for the next installment of James Preller’s heart-poundingly scary chapter book series filled with dark and creepy illustrations from acclaimed artist Iacopo Bruno.
Ages 7-10
Available June 10
KIDS
Arree Chung & illustrated by Arree Chung
A ninja must be strong, courageous, and silent! He creeps through the house on a secret mission. There may be obstacles! But have no fear-a true ninja can overcome all challenges.
Ages 4-7
Available June 3
The Pout-Pout Fish Goes to School
Deborah Diesen & illustrated by Daniel X. Hanna
Turn little pouts into big smiles!
Mr. Fish is nervously awaiting his first day of school, and he frets about not knowing how to write his name, how to draw shapes, and how to do math—until he's reassured that school is the perfect place to learn how to master all of these new skills.
Ages 2-5
Available June 24
A Little Valkyrie's First Day of School
Adam Auerbach
Edda is a Valkyrie (an ancient Norse goddess who guides and protects heroes). She lives in a magical land called Asgard, where she has everything she wants. Well... almost everything. Edda wants to find a friend her own age. Edda's wise papa knows of a place where she can make friends: a place on Earth called "school."
Ages 4-8
Available June 24