Psssst… A sneak peak at what is new in the world of Children’s Literature By Dustin R. Brackbill A sneak peak at what is new in the world of Children’s Literature By Dustin R. Brackbill

First Read: Pssst… by Adam Rex. Harcourt,  Here are some trends, topics, and titles that I have observed, using my experience as a librarian, teacher, and former bookseller.  Please add to these ideas, take notes and enjoy!  Here are some trends, topics, and titles that I have observed, using my experience as a librarian, teacher, and former bookseller.  Please add to these ideas, take notes and enjoy!

Best Sellers - Jan. ‘08 (from B&N in State College - excluding holiday titles) Juvenile Books: His Dark Materials Trilogy - Philip Pullman Sea of Monsters - Rick Riordan Gallop! - Rufus Butler Seder Harry Potter series - J.K. Rowling A Wrinkle in Time - Madeleine L’Engle Warriors series - Erin Hunter Teen Books: Twilight - Stephanie Meyer Shug - Jenny Han Sweet Far Thing - Libba Bray

Best Sellers - April ‘08 (from B&N in State College) Juvenile Books: Septimus Heap series - Angie Sage Nim’s Island - Wendy Orr Diary of a Wimpy Kid series - Jeff Kinney Eleven, Twelve, Thirteen - Lauren Myracle Percy Jackson & the Olympians series - Rick Riordan Pigeon books - Mo Willems Teen Books: Eclipse & others - Stephanie Meyer Wicked Lovely - Melissa Marr It Girl series - Cecily von Ziegesar

Hot Authors  Mo Willems  Great characters, humor, & beginning readers  Kate DiCamillo  Mice to pigs to a toy rabbit- nice genre blends  Steve Jenkins  Visual and engaging non-fiction  Christopher Paul Curtis  Winner of almost every award - realistic & historic  Others: Cornelia Funke, Rick Riordan, Erin Hunter  Mo Willems  Great characters, humor, & beginning readers  Kate DiCamillo  Mice to pigs to a toy rabbit- nice genre blends  Steve Jenkins  Visual and engaging non-fiction  Christopher Paul Curtis  Winner of almost every award - realistic & historic  Others: Cornelia Funke, Rick Riordan, Erin Hunter

Hot Trends No secret surprises here!  Arctic subjects  Animals, exploration, climate change  Election stuff - more coming soon!  Larue for Mayor, Grace for President, etc.  Baseball books  We Are the Ship, Barnstormers series, Keeping Score  Wordless Books  Flotsam, Robot Dreams, The Boy, the Bear…  Also: movie tie-ins, gadget books, new travel options No secret surprises here!  Arctic subjects  Animals, exploration, climate change  Election stuff - more coming soon!  Larue for Mayor, Grace for President, etc.  Baseball books  We Are the Ship, Barnstormers series, Keeping Score  Wordless Books  Flotsam, Robot Dreams, The Boy, the Bear…  Also: movie tie-ins, gadget books, new travel options

Hot Topics  Fantasy Set  Puff the Magic Dragon Yarrow & Lipton. Sterling Press,  The Wizard Prelutsky, Jack. Greenwillow Books,  The Lightning Thief (& series) Riordan, Rick. Hyperion,  Fairy Tale Retakes  Wolf’s Coming (& others) Kulka, Joe. CarolRhoda Books,  The Cheese Palatini, Margie. HarperCollins,  Fantasy Set  Puff the Magic Dragon Yarrow & Lipton. Sterling Press,  The Wizard Prelutsky, Jack. Greenwillow Books,  The Lightning Thief (& series) Riordan, Rick. Hyperion,  Fairy Tale Retakes  Wolf’s Coming (& others) Kulka, Joe. CarolRhoda Books,  The Cheese Palatini, Margie. HarperCollins, 2007.

Hot Topics, cont.  Books for Adventurous Girls  The Daring Book for Girls Buchanan & Peskowitz. HarperCollins,  The Princess Academy Hale, Shannon. Bloomsbury,  New American Girls: Julie & Mia  Books for Adventurous Boys  The Dangerous Book for Boys Iggulden. Harpercollins,  Smash! Crash! Scieszka, Jon. Simon & Shuster,  The Incredible Book Eating Boy Jeffers, Oliver. Philomel Books,  Books for Adventurous Girls  The Daring Book for Girls Buchanan & Peskowitz. HarperCollins,  The Princess Academy Hale, Shannon. Bloomsbury,  New American Girls: Julie & Mia  Books for Adventurous Boys  The Dangerous Book for Boys Iggulden. Harpercollins,  Smash! Crash! Scieszka, Jon. Simon & Shuster,  The Incredible Book Eating Boy Jeffers, Oliver. Philomel Books, 2006.

Hot Topics, cont.  Imagination set  Imagine a Day/ Night Thomson, Sarah. Atheneum Books,  Not a Box/ Stick Portis, Antoinette. HarperCollins,  Manners  Do Unto Otters Keller, Laurie. Holt,  Mind Your Manners, B.B. Wolf Sierra, Judy. - Knopf,  Picture Book Biographies  Muhammed Ali Winter, Jonah Schwartz & Wade,  Moses Weatherford, C. B. Hyperion Books for Children,  Imagination set  Imagine a Day/ Night Thomson, Sarah. Atheneum Books,  Not a Box/ Stick Portis, Antoinette. HarperCollins,  Manners  Do Unto Otters Keller, Laurie. Holt,  Mind Your Manners, B.B. Wolf Sierra, Judy. - Knopf,  Picture Book Biographies  Muhammed Ali Winter, Jonah Schwartz & Wade,  Moses Weatherford, C. B. Hyperion Books for Children, 2006.

Other not-so-secrets: Graphic novels still growing Middle school hot authors: Lubar, Horowitz, Hunter (Warrior Series) Lupica (great sports stories), Haddix More adult authors writing for youth. Patterson, Hiassen, Feinstein Less celebrity authors :*) Graphic novels still growing Middle school hot authors: Lubar, Horowitz, Hunter (Warrior Series) Lupica (great sports stories), Haddix More adult authors writing for youth. Patterson, Hiassen, Feinstein Less celebrity authors :*)

News and events to mention: 2008 Caldecott: Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick 2008 Newbery: Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz 2008 C.S. King: Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis Jon Scieska appointed First National Ambassador for Children’s Literature by LoC & CBC 2008 Caldecott: Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick 2008 Newbery: Good Masters! Sweet Ladies! Voices from a Medieval Village by Laura Amy Schlitz 2008 C.S. King: Elijah of Buxton by Christopher Paul Curtis Jon Scieska appointed First National Ambassador for Children’s Literature by LoC & CBC

Pssst… check these out: Events to Share: FREE Comic Book Day - May 3! PA One Book, Every Young Child Up, Down and Around - Katherine Ayers More?? Pssst… take your notes on the back, or see other handouts! THANKS! Events to Share: FREE Comic Book Day - May 3! PA One Book, Every Young Child Up, Down and Around - Katherine Ayers More?? Pssst… take your notes on the back, or see other handouts! THANKS!