Winter/Spring 2014 Publisher Previews, Part II

I'm in the midst of recapping a Winter/Spring 2014 Publisher Preview event I attended in mid-November; I'm sharing one book or series from each of the publishers who presented that I'm looking forward to sharing with readers. See also: Part I.

From Chronicle Books: Here Comes Destructosaurus! by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by Jeremy Tankard, April 2014
     I cannot wait to share this picture book in my outreach story times. It combines two of my favorite children's lit people: Aaron Reynolds and his terrific storytelling, and Jeremy Tankard and his bright, energetic illustrations. My guess is that this story about losing your temper will be a huge hit with young readers.

From Macmillan: The Pout-Pout Fish Goes to School by Deborah Diesen, illustrated by Dan Hanna, June 2014
     My preschoolers love the Pout-Pout Fish, and I have every reason to believe they will clamor for this newest addition to the series. The best part: it's premise of sea creatures going to school makes it a perfect hand-sell for all those kids who only ever check out Finding Nemo.

From Abrams: Pure Grit: How American World War II Nurses Survived Battle and Prison Camp in the Pacific by Mary Cronk Farrell, March 2014
     Just yesterday I had two different kids ask me for "good books about World War II," and while there are plenty of great titles available now, two aspects of the war still trail a bit behind: the Pacific theater and women overseas. This middle grade nonfiction text looks to do a lot to rectify that deficiency, and I anticipate that its combination of a captivating historical story--nurses who not only see battle but are captured--and archival photographs will entice readers.

From Sourcebooks: When Audrey Met Alice by Rebecca Behrens, February 2014
     Audrey is the first daughter, and she finds the security restrictive and the entire experience isolating. Until, that is, she discovers the diary of Alice Roosevelt, another first daughter who had a knack for mischief and a good time despite the expectations of her family. This middle grade novel looks to combine great hijinks with a premise of figuring out how to be yourself--even when you happen to live in the White House.

From HarperCollins: Panic by Lauren Oliver, March 2014
     This new standalone novel from YA favorite Lauren Oliver will have a substantial holds list, of that I'm sure. Its author isn't the only point of appeal; the thriller plot with strong storytelling would also do the trick, as would the fact that the rights to the movie have already been optioned by a major studio.

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Look for Parts III and IV over the next few weeks!