ABA’s Seventh Annual Winter Institute in New Orleans is next week! S&S Children’s Publishing will be attending and we look forward to seeing you there!

This year, T. R. Burns, author of Merits of Mischief, and Lisa M. Stasse, author of The Forsaken, will be at the Author Reception! We also have quite a number of galleys available for you in the Galley Room, so make sure you stop by to pick one up.

If you aren’t able to attend, you can read more about the books by clicking the links below or by clicking to get a copy of the eGalley!

Enjoy!

When You Were Mine

By: Rebecca Serle

On Sale: 5/1/12

9781442433137

A modern retelling of Shakespeare’s classic Romeo and Juliet. This intensely romantic, tragic teen debut is narrated by Rosaline, the girl Romeo was supposed to love.

To read this eGalley click here

The Forsaken

By: Lisa M. Stasse

On Sale: 7/10/12

9781442432659

Combining elements of The Hunger Games, Lord of the Flies and Minority Report, The Forsaken imagines a world where criminals can be jailed without committing a crime. The first book in a riveting new dystopian trilogy.

To read this eGalley click here

Merits of Mischief: Bad Apple

By: T.R. Burns

On Sale: 4/24/12

9781442440296

An irreverent new middle grade series about a group of kids sent to a school to be trained as professional troublemakers!

Anyway*

By: Arthur Salm

On Sale: 5/1/12

9781442429307

Similar in tone to the Wimpy Kid series, Anyway* is peppered with humorous handwritten footnotes and doodles throughout and perfectly captures the viewpoint of a young boy doing his best to find his place in the world.

The Search for WondLa: A Hero for WondLa

By: Tony DiTerlizzi

On Sale: 5/8/12

9781416983125

The highly anticipated second novel in the New York Times bestselling The Search for WondLa series.

“An irresistible adventure. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series.”

­-Rick Riordan, author of the Percy Jackson and the Olympians series

Heidi Heckelbeck Has a Secret

By: Wanda Coven

Available Now

9781442435650

A brand-new young chapter-book series with witchy whimsy for readers between the ages of 5 and 7! Heidi Heckelbeck tells the story of a young girl with a bewitching secret!

To read this eGalley click here

Captain Awesome to the Rescue

By: Stan Kirby

On Sale: 4/3/12

9781442435612

With illustrations throughout, this series follows the adventures of eight-year-old Eugene McGillicudy¹s supersecret superhero alter ego: Captain Awesome.

To read this eGalley click here

1-2-3 Peas

By: Keith Baker

On Sale: 7/24/12

9781442445512

The peas are back in this new counting-themed book from Keith Baker, author of the Indie favorite and New York Times bestselling LMNO Peas!

Crafty Chloe

By: Kelly DiPucchio

On Sale: 2/21/12

9781442421233

Meet Chloe: a not-so-ordinary girl with extraordinary crafty talents! Fancy Nancy meets Martha Stewart in Crafty Chloe, the adorable DIY star of a new picture book series!

It’s finally here! The last installment of the LEVIATHAN trilogy, GOLIATH, is now available on CD and for download. Check out our exclusive interview with author Scott Westerfeld and narrator (and Emmy Award-nominee) Alan Cumming HERE!

Jodi Picoult, the internationally bestselling and award-winning author of numerous books, and her daughter Samantha Van Leer, have teamed up to write a new teen novel: Between the Lines, planned for release in the Summer 2012 season.

Picoult is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of several adult novels, including My Sister’s Keeper, House Rules, Handle With Care, Change of Heart and Nineteen Minutes. Her daughter, Samantha Van Leer, is a junior in high school and pitched the idea of the book to Picoult, while she was in the middle of a book tour.

Between the Lines will be published jointly by Simon Pulse and Emily Bestler Books, and will be released on June 2012. This will be Van Leer’s debut book, while it will serve as Picoult’s debut teen book.

And another internationally bestselling adult author, Philippa Gregory, will also publish a series of young adult historical romance titles with Simon Pulse! Her first title is scheduled to release in Summer 2012.

Gregory is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Other Boleyn Girl and The Red Queen, with her Tudor series being adapted as a TV drama and The Other Boleyn Girl as a major film in 2008.

With this new deal, Gregory, and her historical and storytelling expertise, will be exposed to a new generation of young adult readers around the world.

Perfect by New York Times bestselling author Ellen Hopkins is on sale now! A companion novel to the bestselling book Impulse, Perfect is a deeply empathetic and riveting portrait of teens striving past the possible to be perfect—and their quest to let perfection go and follow their hearts.

Ellen’s new revamped site has a bunch of online assets include the video trailer, a video interview, an excerpt of the book, as well as video excerpts of the audiobook. Click to get to Ellen’s new YA focused site: http://ellenhopkins.com/YoungAdult/perfect/

Also, Banned Books Week is coming up on 9/25! Visit our Banned Book Weeks site for PDFs of Ellen’s manifesto and more! Visit: http://pages.simonandschuster.com/bannedbooksweek

William Joyce is a true luminary and creative spirit whose picture books are modern-day classics. More than a decade after his last picture book, Joyce returns with an amazing new book series: The Guardians of Childhood. The series will consist of 7 picture books and 7 chapter books, each focusing on an icon of childhood—the Man in the Moon, the Easter Bunny, Jack Frost, the Tooth Fairy, the Sandman and Santa Claus. In his first picture book adventure Joyce takes us to the moon with The Man in the Moon (Atheneum, 9781442430419) – on sale today!

The first chapter book in the series, Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King (Atheneum, 9781442430488), is on sale in October of this year.

The Man in the Moon has already received tons of praise. Publisher’s Weekly gave it a starred review, calling it “a tale that’s warm and fuzzy, swashbuckling, and dazzlingly inventive all at the same time” and Maurice Sendak calls it “a fabulous recapturing of an old, real fairy-tale world. Dark. Mysterious. Stunning!”

Joyce will also be all over national media this month – a list of when & where are all below!

XM Kids/ “Absolutely Mindy,” 9/6
Westwood One Radio/ “First Light,” 9/7
TV & Radio Satellite Tour, 9/7
CBS Radio/ “CBS Weekend Round-up,” 9/19
FOX News Channel/ “FOX News Live,” 9/25

We have a brand new website for the series which includes videos, introductions to the Guardians, a how-to guide for drawing a Moonbot and lots of downloadables including The Guardians Oath, trading cards, wallpapers, avatars, activities, and more! Click here for the website: http://theguardiansofchildhoodbooks.com/

Lisa McMann, the New York Times bestselling author of the Wake Trilogy, has released her first middle-grade book, The Unwanteds. With a combination of middle-grade fantasy and dystopian themes, The Unwanteds is sure to appeal to many tween readers.

Every year in Quill, thirteen-year-olds are sorted into categories: the strong, intelligent Wanteds go to university, and the artistic Unwanteds are sent to their deaths.
Thirteen-year-old Alex tries his hardest to be stoic when his fate is announced as Unwanted, even while leaving behind his twin, Aaron, a Wanted. But, as secrets are revealed and transformations are made, Alex and Aaron’s bond stretches and a threat arises that will pit brother against brother in an ultimate, magical battle.

The Unwanteds, 9781442407688, Aladdin, Hardcover

In Moo by Matthew Van Fleet, author of New York Times bestsellers Heads and Dog, the audience experiences interactive fun with his introduction to the habits and distinctive voices of seven species of barnyard residents.  Toddlers will be delighted to try to identify and imitate every critter they see.

Visit http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Matthew-Van-Fleet/34583444 to learn more about Moo and more of Matthew Van Fleet’s books.

Moo, 9781442435032, Paula Wiseman Books, Novelty

In the jazzy picture book Hootenanny! by Kimberly Ainsworth, sure to excite young readers, a hilarious group of owls sing and boogie their way up to the top of the Old Oak Tree for a party on Saturday night.

Visit http://books.simonandschuster.ca/Hootenanny!/Kimberly-Ainsworth/9781442422735 to read more about Hootenanny! and watch a video on the Hootenanny! Hop!

Hootenanny!, 9781442422735, Little Simon, Hardcover

Bill Martin Jr. and Lois Ehlert, the masterminds behind Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, have collaborated to make Ten Little Caterpillars. In this book young children will be able to explore this big world with the help of caterpillars, and who knows what they will find…maybe a butterfly?

Visit http://books.simonandschuster.com/Ten-Little-Caterpillars/Bill-Martin-Jr/9781442433854 to learn more about Ten Little Caterpillars and to read an excerpt.

Ten Little Caterpillars, 9781442433854, Beach Lane Books, Hardcover

Elizabeth Miles’ big teen debut, Fury, shows why sometimes sorry isn’t enough…In Ascension, Maine, mistakes can be deadly. And three girls—three beautiful, mysterious girls—are here to choose who will pay.

Visit The Fury Series website at http://thefuryseries.com/ to learn more about the series and Elizabeth Miles.

Fury, 9781442422247, Simon Pulse, Hardcover

Dust & Decay by Jonathan Maberry, the exciting sequel to Rot & Ruin, brings Tom, Benny and Nix together and ready to leave their home forever in search for a better future. While it may seem easy, in the great Rot & Ruin everything wants to kill you.

Visit http://books.simonandschuster.com/Dust-Decay/Jonathan-Maberry/9781442402355 to read more about Dust & Decay and Rot & Ruin.

Dust & Decay, 9781442402355, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Hardcover

In Vengeance, Kate Brian brings her bestselling Private series to a shocking conclusion.  For the many fans of the Private series, they will be sure to recognize what it means to go out with a bang.

Visit The Private Series Website at http://www.privatetheseries.com/ to learn more!

Vengeance 9781416984733, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, Paperback

THE SECRET WAR second installment in author Matt Myklusch’s fast-paced, action-adventure  Jack Blank series. Like JACK BLANK AND THE IMAGINE NATION, this audiobook is narrated by Tony Award-winner Norbert Leo Butz. Check out our video interview with Norbert about narrating audiobooks HERE.

Banned Books Week, set for September 24-October 1 this year, is soon approaching. Join Simon & Schuster as we celebrate people’s freedom to read and enjoy books of all subjects, and spread the importance of the First Amendment.

Check out our web page http://pages.simonandschuster.com/bannedbooksweek where our favorite authors of challenged books, such as Lisa McMann and Ellen Hopkins, speak out against the banning of books.

You can also check out some of Simon & Schuster’s challenged books like Wake by Lisa McMann, The Misfits by James Howe, Crank by Ellen Hopkins, and And Tango Makes Three by Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson.

“Censorship comes from a place of fear. We fear that which is different, what we cannot comprehend. Books gift us with understanding, empower us with knowledge. So, obviously, would-be censors have it all wrong.”—Ellen Hopkins, author of frequently challenged book Crank

Michael Vey, the new teen novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Richard Paul Evans is on sale today!

Richard is kicking off his tour with some major media, all happening today:

Glenn Beck’s Nationally Syndicated Radio program—live in-studio
GBTV (Glenn Beck’s syndicated internet show)—live in-studio
Radio Satellite Tour

Watch the trailer here: http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=10150260801012129

Read the first 100 pages and get more assets here: http://pages.simonandschuster.com/michaelvey/

MICHAEL VEY
Written by Richard Paul Evans
Publication Date: 8/9/11 (laydown)
Simon Pulse/Mercury Ink
ISBN: 9781451656503
Ebook ISBN: 9781451658224
$17.99, Ages 12 up

They’ve been on television and in books, but on Friday, July 29^th The Smurfs will be opening in movie theaters in 3D.  They—and of course Gargamel too—will be coming to keep the audience laughing and on their toes as they are forced out of their village and find themselves in New York City.

But, for the audience that just can’t keep themselves away from these little blue creatures, Simon & Schuster offers two lines of Smurfs book.  The movie tie-ins include A Smurfin’ Big Adventure!, Behold the Power of Gargamel!, and The Smurfs Movie Novelization. However, there is also the line of classic Smurf tales, which includes Meet Smurfette, Off to School!, and The Snow Giant, just to name a few.

The adventures of The Smurfs do not end in the movie theaters as families everywhere can sit back and enjoy classic and new tales.

Dreams of Significant Girls by Christina Garcia (9781416979203), has just received this stellar review from The New York Times Book Review in the July 17th edition!

“Let’s call them the original Gossip Girls. In Cristina Garcia’s first young adult novel, three wealthy and adventurous ninth-grade girls from different worlds converge upon a Swiss boarding school for a summer of discovery…(DREAMS OF SIGNIFICANT GIRLS) takes you breathlessly and painfully back to the time when womanhood shimmered before you, always just out of reach, and you lunged for it, stupidly and bravely, with your first cigarette, your first kiss, your first swill of liquor, your first boy crush and your first girl crush.”

Breaking News!

The first teen novel from bestselling author Richard Paul Evans, Michael Vey: The Prisoner of Cell 25 (9781451656503), is on sale 8/9/11!

There is a lot to say about this fantastic novel, but instead of hearing from me, I thought it would be better to let the author do the honors.

From Richard Paul Evans:

Four years ago, I wrote a novel called The Gift, the story of a young boy with the power to heal. A superhero. It was the most fun I’d had writing in years. About a year later an idea for a book began forming in my mind. The novel had everything I wanted to read when I was a boy. The main character, Michael Vey, was shy, small for his age, and moved around a lot, and he had Tourette’s syndrome—all of which pretty much describes my childhood.

But Michael also had a special gift: He was born with electric powers.

I have already shared Michael Vey with over five hundred middle school students from three different schools, in three different cities. The response has been, pardon the pun, electric. Not since the The Christmas Box have I seen such an overwhelmingly positive reaction to one of my books.

On a personal level, I’m very pleased to have created a protagonist with Tourette’s syndrome. I have TS. So does my son. In our test schools, the teachers reported that Michael Vey had helped students suffering with disabilities, from Tourette’s to Asperger’s, feel more accepted.

Like all my novels, Michael Vey, ultimately, is about hope. It’s about the power and beauty each of us has inside, even when our outsides tell us different. It’s a story, not about darkness, dysfunction, or dystopian worlds, but about light, loyalty, and friendship. In short, Michael Vey is the kind of message I want to deliver to today’s youth.

You can read the eGalley by clicking this link: http://www.galleygrab.com/?asset_url=9781451661835

Happy Dork Day!!!!!!!!

Dork Diaries #3: Tales From a Not-So-Talented Pop Star is on-sale today.

Be sure to celebrate and— Let Your Inner Dork Shine Through!

SUMMER BEFORE BOYS (Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, 9781416986737) by award-winning author Nora Raleigh Baskin is now available!

Julia and Eliza are best friends, spending the summer together. Julia’s mother is serving in the National Guard and Julia spends all of her time trying not to think about what could happen. So the girls lose themselves in their summer, hanging out at the resort where Eliza’s father works. But when they meet a new boy, neither one of them is prepared for what it does to their friendship.

Nora Raleigh Baskin delivers a poignant look at the way a first crush can come between best friends and the importance of hanging on to the time you have as a kid before rushing into growing up.

Kirkus gave it a starred review, calling it “an extraordinary novel [that] explores the challenges faced by children whose parents have gone off to war  … Baskin adeptly portrays Julia’s ambivalence and anxiety in this thoughtful tale that artfully brings the war to the homefront.”

Summer of Firsts: Tween First in Series

Three books from our Summer of Firsts lists are on sale today!

KATIE AND THE CUPCAKE CURE and MIA IN THE MIX are the first & second book of a brand new tween series from Simon Spotlight! The Cupcake Diaries series is just the right dose of sweet for any tween!

Katie and the Cupcake Cure by Coco Simon

9781442422759, Simon Spotlight, Paperback

Mia in the Mix by Coco Simon

9781442422773, Simon Spotlight, Paperback

SEVEN SORCERERS by Caro King from Aladdin is  the perfect fantasy read for any tween!

Seven Sorcerers by Caro King

9781442420427, Aladdin, Hardcover

And . . . THE GREAT HAMSTER MASSACRE by Katie Davies is an irresistibly funny mystery and Hanna Shaw’s spot-on illustrations combine for a quirky, delightful read that is part detective tale, part diary, and altogether hilarious.

The Great Hamster Massacre by Katie Davies

9781442420625, Beach Lane Books, Hardcover

Wither (9781442409057) by Lauren DeStefano went on-sale on Tuesday and is blowing off the shelfs. We knew this book would be big from the start and so excited it is off to a great start.

And our video trailer is getting as much buzz as the book. Check it out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JJD_C0eh_K8

Congratulations to our 2011 Children’s Choice Book Award Finalists!
Online voting for the awards is now open to the public.

Visit http://www.bookweekonline.com for your opportunity to vote and support our Finalists!

Author of the Year Category:
Clockwork Angel by Cassandra Clare
(McElderry; ISBN: 9781416975861; August 2010)

Fifth Grade to Sixth Grade Book of the Year Category:
Zebrafish presented by Peter H. Reynolds and Fablevision
(Atheneum; ISBN: 9781416995258; May 2010)

DORK DIARIES, BY RACHEL RENEE RUSSELL, has been nominated for a NICKELODEON KIDS’ CHOICE AWARD, in the category of favorite book.

BE SURE TO GO TO NICK.COM TO VOTE FOR DORK DIARIES AT:

http://www.nick.com/kids-choice-awards/vote/

Dork Diaries: Tales from a Not-So-Fabulous Life

Written and illustrated by Rachel Renee Russell

(Aladdin; ISBN: 9781416980063; June 2009)

This Summer’s Atheneum novel, Where Things Come Back (9781442413337, Atheneum, May 2011), by debut author John Corey Whaley, has won a lot of fans in-house and started to get a lot of buzz within the industry. I think this will be a bookseller favorite and is a perfect hand sell.

Where Things Come Back is a stunning debut novel about a boy in Arkansas dealing with the disappearance of his younger brother. At the same time when his town is going through woodpecker fever at the prospect that an extinct bird has come back to their crappy little town. There is also a secondary storyline of a young American missionary in Ethiopia who loses his faith. The two stories collide in a stunning and shocking and moving way. I love this book, but you don’t have to take only my word for it. . .

Sara Gundell, the YA/Children’s Author Coordinator for Wordstock Festival, says, “I was blown away by how great it was . . . it’s a fantastic blend of contemporary YA and the more traditional “literary” work.”

Cindy Raible of Family Bookshop in DeLand, Florida said, “WOW!!! What an unusual story. I read it in two nights.”

You can read the eGalley by clicking here: http://www.galleygrab.com/?asset_url=9781442417786.

Jenny Han’s bestselling Summer series comes to an end today! The final book, We’ll Always Have Summer, is on sale today! Belly will have to confront her feelings for Jeremiah and Conrad and face a truth she has possibly always known: she will have to break one of their hearts.

Plus, find out which boy is perfect for you with the Summer quiz: http://dearjennyhan.com/always-summer/

Summer I Turned Pretty, 9781416968290, Paperback, $9.99
It’s Not Summer Without You, 9781416968290, Paperback, $9.99
We’ll Always Have Summer, 9781416995586, Hardcover, $17.99

MOONGLASS is the debut novel for Jessi Kirby!

Don’t miss what Sarah Dessen calls “an incredible first novel.”

Moonglass by Jessi Kirby

9781442416949, S&S BFYR, Hardcover

Also out today is WHERE THINGS COME BACK by debut author John Corey-Whaley.

Kirkus Reviews calls it a “multilayered debut for sophisticated readers. Unexpected, thought-provoking storytelling.”

Where Things Come Back by John Corey-Whaley

9781442413337, Atheneum, Hardcover

Heather Lind, who appeared in The Merchant of Venice with Al Pacino on Broadway, The Winter’s Tale in the Public Theater’s Shakespeare in the Park, and will soon be seen in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, was in our studio recently recording Moira Young’s BLOOD RED ROAD, on sale June 7.

Stay tuned for an exclusive interview with Heather about her recording experience!