Last month I had the thrilling opportunity to attend the Fall/Winter preview of upcoming Books for Young Readers at the offices of Little, Brown and Company. The invitation was extended because of my work with Broadway Books First Class but the event is generally held for school librarians.
I was so excited to step into the halls of this publishing company and spend time discussing new books with the editors. On top of that (as if this weren't enough) they had a table set up with copies of each book, free and available for the taking.
What?!
I had stepped into children's book heaven and could barely contain my happiness. And happiness is meant to be shared, so here are some of the books previewed that afternoon. I selected a few of them for Broadway Books First Class so they will pop up again in the coming school year.
Hey Black Child is based on a poem by Useni Eugene Perkins and illustrated by six-time Coretta Scott King Award winner and four-time Caldecott Honor recipient Bryan Collier. "This lyrical, empowering poem celebrates black children and seeks to inspire all young people to dream big and achieve their goals." Bryan Collier brings this classic, inspirational poem to life with his colorful illustrations that depict the roots and history of African americans. Available 11/14/2017
Malala's Magic Pencil is the first picture book written by Nobel Peace Prize winner and New York Times bestselling author Malala Yousafzai. The story is inspired by her childhood in Pakistan where she wished for a magic pencil to change the world around her. As she grew the wishes changed with the conflicted world. "Her right to attend school was threatened - just because she's a girl. Instead of a magic pencil, Malala now picked up a real one. She wrote alone in her room about the challenges she faces, but people from all over read her words. And her wishes started to come true." Available 10/17/2017
The Bad Mood and the Stick comes from New York Times bestselling author Lemony Snicket. "It is a witty, deadpan tale of the mysterious and unexpected ways that bad moods move through the world." Available 10/03/2017
Brave by Stacy McAnulty with illustrations by Joanne Lew-Vriethoff is about the unique challenges, fears and pressures every kid faces and how each child can meet them with a courageous heart. Available 10/03/2017
Read the Book, Lemmings! is from the New York Times bestselling team behind Wolfie the Bunny. It is a hilarious and fresh story about the importance of learning to actually read the facts. I am a big fan of Zachariah OHora because his artwork reminds me of Curious George illustrator H. A. Rey. Available 11/07/2017
All in all I left there with about 11 children's books and 12 young adult titles. I didn't want to be so greedy but the editors encouraged it. They even provided us with a handy-dandy tote bag. I brought these books along to my course on Children's Literature that I teach at Fordham University. So, that along with this post and the inclusion of several titles for Broadway Books First Class constitutes a bit of paying it forward.
Also, the young adult novel The Magic Misfits by Neil Patrick Harris.
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