Continuing in the tradition of The Millions, I received the Fall catalog for Farrar Straus & Giroux Young Readers today and here are my picks for books that sound wicked cool (and I hope to review down the line):
Max's Words by Kate Banks, Pics by Boris Kulikov. This is a picture book about a little boy with one older brother who collects stamps and another who collects coins. Max decides to collect words, which when put together can make a story. Kulikov's illustrations look big and bold and even a little surreal in their perspective and I like the idea of a kid collecting words. It sounds like something different and fun.
Adele & Simon by Barbara McClintock. One of my favorite picture books is McClintock's The Fantastic Drawings of Danielle, so it didn't take much for this book to grab my attention. It takes place in turn of the century Paris and is about a brother and sister on their way home from school. McClintock's drawings are so detailed and fascinating - they pull the reader in immediately. I also love her tender stories, and I think this would work great in a column I'm planning down the line for stories set in other countries (even though it's historical). I received Shadows of Ghadames today, which is set in Libya's past and I think it would be cool to gather 4 or 5 books that give young adults (and children) a different perspective. (And really, McClintock is for any age that appreciates beauty).
Standing Against the Wind by Traci Jones. This one is about Patrice Williams who goes to live with her mother in Chicago and winds up with an aunt and feels very out of place. I love that it's about a strong African American teenager who is trying to make her way in an unfamiliar place and clinging to a dream. I also like that there are boys in the story as well and it sounds like one in particular is also portrayed as a deep thinker and big dreamer. I am always looking for good stories (not cliches) with minority characters. It's not easy, but FSG usually comes through for me.
Danger in the Dark by Tom Lalicki. This is also a historical book but it's a mystery featuring a young boy and Harry Houdini. Houdini helps Nate get a bad guy who is trying to steal his great aunt's fortune and ruin all of their lives. I'm obviously attracted to the Houdini angle (who wouldn't be?!) but I love the idea that it's a mystery series about a young boy that sounds smart and exciting. I hope this one doesn't let me down - good boy books are so hard to find.
The Adventures of Michael Macinnes by Jeff Carney. Ditto what I wrote above although this title takes place in the 1920s and is written for teens. It's about two teenagers and includes this tagline "he, too, quickly finds himself on the wrong side of authority - whether that means publishing an underground literary magazine, performing an aerial rescue mission at a local girl's school or taking on the brutish school bootlegger." Okay, I'm sold - hope it lives up to the cool period cover design!
Sorry I couldn't link to more info on the books - FSG doesn't have much up at their site for Fall books yet. I'd just like to say to all the authors in this list - GET WEBSITES! It would be so great to send readers in your direction so they could learn more about you and your work, but except for Jeff Carney, none of you have websites - not even blogs - nothing! It makes a difference people; join the 21st century!
