I am a huge fan of Little, Brown Books and am so lucky to get regular invitations to previews both at conferences and in New York.
Aack! I can't find the handout with the book titles! There were so many great looking titles! These are the arcs I took with me:
Allies & Assassins by Justin Somper. 482 p. 9780316253932. May 27, 2014.
Synopsis: Prince Anders, the ruler of Archenfield, has been murdered, leaving his younger brother, Jared, to ascend the throne. Sixteen-year-old Jared feels unprepared to rule the kingdom and its powerful and dangerous court, yet he knows he can rely on the twelve officers of the court to advise him. He also knows he can just as easily be at their mercy-especially when it appears that one of them may be responsible for his brother's death. Unable to trust anyone, Jared takes it upon himself to hunt down his brother's killer-but the killer may be hunting him, as well.
Murder, betrayal, and intrigue abound in Justin Somper's thrilling YA series debut. Exploring the political machinations of the medieval court and the lives that hang in the balance, Allies & Assassins is a gripping tale of a teen torn between duty and revenge.
Prince of Venice Beach by Blake Nelson. 232 p. 9780316230483. June 3, 2013.
Synopsis: Robert "'Cali" Callahan is a teen runaway, living on the streets of Venice Beach, California. He's got a pretty sweet life: a treehouse to sleep in, a gang of surf bros, a regular basketball game...even a girl who's maybe-sorta interested in him.
What he doesn't have is a plan.
All that changes when a local cop refers Cali to a private investigator who is looking for a missing teenager. After all, Cali knows everyone in Venice. But the streets are filled with people who don't want to be found, and when he's hired to find the beautiful Reese Abernathy, who would do anything to stay hidden, Cali must decide where his loyalties truly lie.
Just Call My Name by Holly Goldberg Sloan. 328 p. 9780316122818.
Synopsis: The happily-ever-after of Holly Goldberg Sloan's acclaimed debut, I'll Be There, is turned on its head in this riveting, emotional sequel about friends, enemies, and how those roles can shift in a matter of moments.
Emily Bell has it all. She's in love with a boy named Sam Border, and his little brother has become part of her family. This summer is destined to be the best time of their lives--until a charismatic new girl in town sets her sights on Sam. Now Emily finds herself questioning the loyalty of the person she thought she could trust most.
But the biggest threat to her happiness is someone she never saw coming. Sam's criminally insane father, whom everyone thought they'd finally left behind, is planning a jailbreak. And he knows exactly where to find Emily and his sons when he escapes...and takes his revenge.
Wildflower by Alecia Whitaker. 307 p. 978036251389. July 1, 2014.
Synopsis: The best songs come from broken hearts.
Sixteen-year-old Bird Barrett has grown up on the road, singing backup in her family's bluegrass band, and playing everywhere from Nashville, Tennessee to Nowhere, Oklahoma. One fateful night, Bird fills in for her dad by singing lead, and a scout in the audience offers her a spotlight all her own.
Soon Bird is caught up in a whirlwind of songwriting meetings, recording sessions, and music video shoots. Her first single hits the top twenty, and suddenly fans and paparazzi are around every corner. She's even caught the eye of her longtime crush, fellow roving musician Adam Dean. With Bird's star on the rise, though, tradition and ambition collide. Can Bird break out while staying true to her roots?
In a world of glamour and gold records, a young country music star finds her voice.
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The special secret guest was Eric Litwin. He's the author of the beloved Pete the Cat books. He is launching a new series with Little Brown centered around the Nut family. I've forgotten Mama Nut' name, but her son is called Wally Nut and her daughter is Hazel Nut.
He sang the lyrics to Bedtime at the Nuthouse, illustrated by Scott Magoon and due out in September. He was so entertaining and there was much audience participation. Art from the book was projected. It was filled with lots of visual humor, such as a poster of Nutvana on a wall.
Eric also signed posters. Much as I was tempted to have it signed to the students of TMS, I opted instead to have it autographed to the students of HES and I'll send it over to my colleague in the elementary school. (ETA: my photo does not do the poster justice. The colors are vibrant. When I used a flash, the photo washed out.)
Thank you Victoria Stapleton and all the fine folks at Little, Brown for a wonderful start to my experience at MW.
"We're Nuts! We're Nuts! We're Nuts! We're Nuts!"
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