Please join us at 4 p.m., EDT, tomorrow, to talk about galleys of forthcoming books (if you haven’t joined a GalleyChat before, click here for details).

Many of you have unpacked your ALA boxes, so there will be lots to talk about.

Here’s some titles that may come up:

Stiltsville: A Novel Susanna Daniel Retail Price: $24.99 Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: Harper – (2010-08-01) ISBN / EAN: 0061963070 / 9780061963070

This title has come up at every one of our previous GalleyChats. I read it during the recent NYC heat wave and it was the perfect antidote. There’s plenty of heat because it’s set in South Florida, but there is also plenty of swimming, boating and a community of summer homes built on stilts. No high drama or madness here, thank heaven; just an engrossing story of an “ordinary” woman as she meets the man she will marry, forms lasting friendships, and raises a family. It’s refreshing to read about good, caring people who struggle with many of the same issues we all do, but who bring an extra ounce of wisdom to it.
————————–

I’d Know You Anywhere: A Novel Laura Lippman Retail Price: $25.99 Hardcover: 384 pages Publisher: William Morrow – (2010-09-01) ISBN / EAN: 0061706558 / 9780061706554

Of course, Laura Lippman already has a following, but this standalone is poised to bring her to a whole new audience.

————————–

Running the Books: The Adventures of an Accidental Prison Librarian Avi Steinberg Retail Price: $24.95 Hardcover: 416 pages Publisher: Nan A. Talese – (2010-10-19) ISBN / EAN: 0385529090 / 9780385529099

This book had me at the opening line, “Pimps make the best librarians.” The author knows;  he had to draw on prison inmates to help run his library.

————————–

The Watchman’s Rattle: Thinking Our Way Out of Extinction Rebecca Costa Retail Price: $26.95 Hardcover: 368 pages Publisher: Vanguard Press – (2010-10-05) ISBN / EAN: 1593156057 / 9781593156053

I met author Rebecca Costa during her signing at ALA. She’s a real force and I wouldn’t be surprised to see her on the talk shows this fall.  The book’s scary subtitle addresses her central question; “Why can’t we think our way out of our problems any more?”

——————

Russian Winter: A Novel Daphne Kalotay Retail Price: $25.99 Hardcover: 480 pages Publisher: Harper – (2010-09-01) ISBN / EAN: 0061962163 / 9780061962165

This debut sounds like a good, old-fashioned saga about a 76-year old former Russian ballerina who reviews her past as she puts together an auction catalog of her jewels.

———————

The Warmth of Other Suns: The Epic Story of America’s Great Migration Isabel Wilkerson Retail Price: $30.00 Hardcover: 640 pages Publisher: Random House – (2010-09-07) ISBN / EAN: 0679444327 / 9780679444329

Isabel was the last speaker on the First Author panel at ALA and she had us hanging on her every word as she spoke passionately about the migration of African Americans to the North, told through the stories of ordinary people who made the trek.

—————–

The Sound of a Wild Snail Eating Elisabeth Tova Bailey Retail Price: $18.95 Hardcover: 208 pages Publisher: Algonquin Books – (2010-08-24) ISBN / EAN: 1565126068 / 9781565126060

The true story of a woman recovering from an illness. Her friend gives her a very strange gift; a snail in a terrarium

—————————

Exley Brock Clarke Retail Price: $24.95 Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: Algonquin Books – (2010-10-05) ISBN / EAN: 1565126084 / 9781565126084

By the author of An Arsonist’s Guide to Writer’s Home in New England; it was a librarians’ Shout & Share pick at BEA and was featured at Algonquin’s booth at ALA.

…to Carol Fitzgerald, co-founder and President of the Book Report Network. She’s a strong believer in libraries and has written an impassioned letter urging authors and readers to join her in advocating for library funding by participating in the Library Advocacy Day Rally on June 29th from 11AM-12PM at Upper Senate Park, in Washington, D.C., writing to legislators, sending Op-Ed pieces to local newspapers and finding out what support local libraries need.

Join us for Galley chat on Tuesday, June 15, at 4 p.m., EDT (see instructions here).

We’ve got lots to talk about, as the fall galleys are arriving. Here’s some favorites of mine:

Up from the Blue: A Novel Susan Henderson Retail Price: $13.99 Paperback: 336 pages Publisher: Harper Paperbacks – (2010-10-01) ISBN / EAN: 0061984035 / 9780061984037

I was mesmerized by this story about a girl yearning for her bipolar mother who suddenly and mysteriously disappears.  I’m not the only one; author Jamie Ford (Hotel on the Corner of Bitter and Sweet) tweeted in March, “Just finished reading a galley of Susan Henderson’s UP FROM THE BLUE. I’m awestruck.”

————

The Wake of Forgiveness Bruce Machart Retail Price: $26.00 Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Trade – (2010-10-21) ISBN / EAN: 0151014434 / 9780151014439

Cormac McCarthy territory, but plot-driven.

———————-

Salon.com author Rebecca Traister spoke at the recent S&S Fall books presentation for librarians, held here in New York. She’s thoughtful, dynamic and passionate; sure to be on many talk shows. In fact, she was on NPR recently, commenting on the Gore split.

We enjoyed the last one so much, that we’re doing it again, tomorrow at 4 p.m., Eastern.

Here’s your opportunity to let your fellow librarians know what galleys to move to the top (or bottom) of their To Be Read piles. Log on to Twitter at 4 p.m.; hashtag is #ewgc (for more explicit directions, click here).

Some of you may have more to add about the titles that came up last time (see Galley Chat!). Here’s a few others you may have received lately:

Wanna Get Lucky? Deborah Coonts Retail Price: $24.99 Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: Forge Books – (2010-05-11) ISBN / EAN: 0765325438 / 9780765325433

One of the authors who will be featured at the AAP’s Librarian Lunch coming up at BEA.

————————-

The Dead Lie Down: A Novel Sophie Hannah Retail Price: $15.00 Paperback: 480 pages Publisher: Penguin (Non-Classics) – (2010-06-01) ISBN / EAN: 0143117491 / 9780143117490

Author is appearing at the ALTAFF Tea at ALA next month.

————————-

Broken: A Novel (Grant County) Karin Slaughter Retail Price: $26.00 Hardcover: 416 pages Publisher: Delacorte Press – (2010-06-22) ISBN / EAN: 0385341970 / 9780385341974

————————-

The Liar’s Lullaby (Jo Beckett) Meg Gardiner Retail Price: $25.95 Hardcover: 368 pages Publisher: Dutton Adult – (2010-06-24) ISBN / EAN: 0525951725 / 9780525951728

————————-

32 Candles: A Novel Ernessa T. Carter Retail Price: $24.99 Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: Amistad – (2010-07-01) ISBN / EAN: 0061957844 / 9780061957840

One of the Harper Buzz titles (check it out here). It sounded great even before we got to see this terrific cover.

————————-

Packing for Mars: The Curious Science of Life in the Void Mary Roach Retail Price: $25.95 Hardcover: 288 pages Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company – (2010-08-02) ISBN / EAN: 0393068471 / 9780393068474

She was a riot grossing us out at the AAP Breakfast at PLA (everything floats at zero gravity, including dead skin — like being in a snow globe). Let’s see how she handles Jon Stewart, who is the MC of BEA’s Author Breakfast on Thurs, May 27th.

After weeks of waiting for the results to be e-mailed and phoned in, I am thrilled to announce that Robot Zot! by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by David Shannon, has won the 2010 Irma Simonton Black and James H. Black Award for Excellence in Children’s Literature.

Robot Zot! Jon Scieszka Retail Price: $17.99 Hardcover: 40 pages Publisher: Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing – (2009-09-22) ISBN / EAN: 1416963944 / 9781416963943

Three books received honors:

A Penguin Story Antoinette Portis Retail Price: $17.99 Hardcover: 40 pages Publisher: HarperCollins – (2009-01-01) ISBN / EAN: 0061456888 / 9780061456886

-

Billy Twitters and His Blue Whale Problem Mac Barnett Retail Price: $16.99 Hardcover: 48 pages Publisher: Hyperion Book CH – (2009-06-23) ISBN / EAN: 0786849584 / 9780786849581

-

Sergio Saves the Game Edel Rodriguez Retail Price: $15.99 Hardcover: 40 pages Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers – (2009-05-01) ISBN / EAN: 0316066176 / 9780316066174

The Black Award will be presented on Thursday, May 13th at 8:30 am at the Bank Street College of Education. NY. The keynote speaker will be Carmen Deedy, who won a Black Honor in 2007 for Martina The Beautiful Cockroach, Peachtree Press.

Martina the Beautiful Cockroach Carmen Agra Deedy Retail Price: $19.95 Hardcover: 32 pages Publisher: Peachtree Publishers – (2008-09-01) ISBN / EAN: 1561454680 / 9781561454686

Librarians who want to attend may RSVP by email to Linda Reing or by phone, 212.961.3332.

Irma Simonton Black was a writer and editor of children’s books and a founding member (in the 1930s) of the Bank Street Writers Laboratory, which included such stars of children’s literature as Margaret Wise Brown and Maurice Sendak.

The Black Award (for short), which commemorates Irma’s achievements, has been presented annually since 1973 by Bank Street College of Education. (The Award was presented in Irma’s name only until 1992, when James Black’s name was added in recognition of his ardent support of the Award.) The Award goes to an outstanding book for young children — a book in which text and illustrations are inseparable, each enhancing and enlarging on the other to produce a singular whole.

The Award is unusual in that children are the final judges of the winning book. The process is as follows:

Your fearless, tireless librarian/ friend, Lisa Von Drasek reads all of the picture books published in the year. We develop a short list of about 75 titles that meet our criteria of what is an excellent children’s picture book (my personal criteria is a little more basic; can I stand reading aloud this title over and over and over again? Will I hang my head in shame if the kids pick it as best of the year?)

Then a group of librarians and educators choose approximately twenty to twenty-five books that they consider the best candidates for the Award. These books are then sent (in four sets) to the four 8-9’s and 9-10’s classrooms at the Bank Street School for Children. Over the course of five weeks the children read and discuss all of the books before selecting four finalists. These four–called the Black Honor Books–are placed in classrooms or libraries in schools, in New York and elsewhere.

Over 2,000 children voted this year.

For collection development librarians who are looking for a list of great read aloud, The Black winners are surefire hits. More information and a list of previous winners is available at the Bank Street College Children’s Library site.

Thanks to all of you who joined in on Galley Chat on Friday. Twenty-five contributed to the discussion and we’re guessing many others were lurking. Thanks, also, to the library marketing folks from Penguin and Random House, who jumped in and offered galleys to those who wanted them.

This was our first attempt, so we didn’t know what would happen. It turned out to be very lively; like doing RA with a bunch of colleagues (in 140 characters, which, although limiting, isn’t as difficult as I expected).

So, we’re going to try it again. While Fridays at 4 EDT seems like a good time, at least for those who showed up at this one, it conflicts with Follow The Reader’s weekly librarian/bookseller chat (we had complaints from several, who were bouncing back and forth between the two). So, for our next Galley Chat, we are going to try Wednesday, May 12, at 4 p.m. EDT. Info on how to join here.

Below are the titles that elicited the most comments during Friday’s chat, in reverse order by pub month.

AUGUST TITLES

Stiltsville: A Novel Susanna Daniel Retail Price: $24.99 Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: Harper – (2010-08-01) ISBN / EAN: 0061963070 / 9780061963070

Virginia Stanley, HarperCollins library marketing, made an impression when she talked about this first novel at PLA (she also presented it at MidWinter, listen here). Robin Beerbower of Salem, OR sent a comment in advance, saying it’s a “terrific first novel about a long marriage” and was particularly taken with the setting, a community of homes on pilings in Biscayne Bay, FL.

JULY TITLES

Still Missing Chevy Stevens Retail Price: $24.99 Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: St. Martin’s Press – (2010-07-06) ISBN / EAN: 0312595670 / 9780312595678

Still Missing, St. Martin’s big thriller debut, was the most-discussed of the Galley Chat titles. One library had just added it and is already getting holds, so is planning to buy more.

JUNE TITLES

The One That I Want: A Novel Allison Winn Scotch Retail Price: $24.00 Hardcover: 288 pages Publisher: Shaye Areheart Books – (2010-06-01) ISBN / EAN: 0307464504 / 9780307464507

Rebecca Vnuk particularly loves The One That I Want and is planning to write about this for her women’s fiction blog.

The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake: A Novel Aimee Bender Retail Price: $25.95 Hardcover: 304 pages Publisher: Doubleday – (2010-06-01) ISBN / EAN: 0385501129 / 9780385501125

RH’s Marcie Purcell presented Lemon Cake movingly at PLA; about a young girl who discovers she can taste her mother’s despair in the cake she baked for her daughter’s birthday. Many said it’s on their list to read next.

The Passage Justin Cronin Retail Price: $27.00 Hardcover: 784 pages Publisher: Ballantine Books – (2010-06-08) ISBN / EAN: 0345504968 / 9780345504968

Those who have read it say it’s tough to talk about The Passage without introducing spoilers, but they were clearly dying to talk about specific sections. We may need a to feature this in a discussion that is only open to those that have read it.

Crashers Dana Haynes Retail Price: $24.99 Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: Minotaur Books – (2010-06-22) ISBN / EAN: 0312599889 / 9780312599881

Audio; UNABR; 978-1-4272-1215-3; $39.99

Lots of  excitement about Crashers; a sabotaged jet crashes and investigators have a race against the clock to prevent another. Said one person, “Page-burning suspense. Keep the Dramamine handy.”

MAY TITLES

Ship Breaker Paolo Bacigalupi Retail Price: $17.99 Hardcover: 336 pages Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers – (2010-05-01) ISBN / EAN: 0316056219 / 9780316056212

Ship Breaker is a YA title (one person says it’s perfect for those who love Hunger Games), but with potential cross over to adult. The author’s first book, The Wind-up Girl was on many end-of-the-year best lists and is nominated for a Hugo Award.

The Lonely Polygamist: A Novel Brady Udall Retail Price: $26.95 Hardcover: 602 pages Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company – (2010-05-03) ISBN / EAN: 0393062627 / 9780393062625

The Lonely Polygamist is long, but readers say it’s engrossing and the writing is beautiful. Daniel Golden, the owner of Boswell and Books in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, is a big fan and has been blogging about it and about “hating, then loving big, fat books.”

The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull, and the Battle of the Little Bighorn Nathaniel Philbrick Retail Price: $30.00 Hardcover: 496 pages Publisher: Viking Adult – (2010-05-04) ISBN / EAN: 0670021725 / 9780670021727

Audio; Penguin Audio; UNABR; 9780142427699; $39.95

The only nonfiction title that came up. Nobody in the group had read it yet, but is definitely high up on TBR lists. At PLA Book Buzz, Nancy Pearl gave it kudos, saying it shows Custer as you never imagined him.

The Frozen Rabbi Steve Stern Retail Price: $24.95 Hardcover: 384 pages Publisher: Algonquin Books – (2010-05-11) ISBN / EAN: 156512619X / 9781565126190

Many said they thought it sounded wonderful. If you want a copy, go here,. For just a taste, you can to Tablet Magazine, where it is being serialized.

APRIL TITLES

Girl in Translation Jean Kwok Retail Price: $25.95 Hardcover: 304 pages Publisher: Riverhead Hardcover – (2010-04-29) ISBN / EAN: 1594487561 / 9781594487569

Audio; Penguin Audio; 9780142427996; $39.95

A “non-cliched”  Chinese immigrant coming-of-age tale, with potential YA crossover.

We’re hearing from librarians about the galleys they want to talk about during our first Galley Chat this Friday at 4 p.m., EDT  (info on how to join here).

Of course, there’s Justin Cronin’s The Passage (if you think you don’t have the galley, check again; Random House has been papering the earth with it).

The Passage Justin Cronin Retail Price: $27.00 Hardcover: 784 pages Publisher: Ballantine Books – (2010-06-08) ISBN / EAN: 0345504968 / 9780345504968

There’s also growing interest in St. Martin’s big debut thriller, Still Missing.

Still Missing Chevy Stevens Retail Price: $24.99 Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: St. Martin’s Press – (2010-07-06) ISBN / EAN: 0312595670 / 9780312595678

Also on people’s lips is Workman library marketer Mike Rockliff’s favorite, The Frozen Rabbi (which is tied for “Most Memorable Title of the Season” with Norton’s The Lonely Polygamist).

The Frozen Rabbi Steve Stern Retail Price: $24.95 Hardcover: 384 pages Publisher: Algonquin Books – (2010-05-11) ISBN / EAN: 156512619X / 9781565126190

.

The Lonely Polygamist Brady Udall Retail Price: $26.95 Hardcover: 602 pages Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company – (2010-05-03) ISBN / EAN: 0393062627 / 9780393062625

Others are excited about Stiltville, which HarperCollins’ Virginia Stanley presented succinctly at PLA; “An ordinary tale made extraordinary by the writing. It’s my story, it’s your story.”

Talk with other librarians about your favorite new galleys.

To learn more, click here.

This is what greeted us when we ducked in to Burgerville across from the Portland Convention Center; a local family expressing their appreciation for librarians.

Nancy Pearl’s PLA Book Buzz session attracted a huge audience, as predicted, only slightly dwarfed by an enormous room (PLA president Sari Feldman noted in her intro. that PLA gets a bigger room for this session each time).

Nancy began this program at PLA 2006 in Boston. She invites library marketers to talk about the titles they are particularly excited about (I’m pleased to say I was part of the inaugural group; I was head of library marketing at Hachette at the time). This is an opportunity to tap in to that legendary source of word of mouth, “in-house buzz.” It also gives librarians a great way to create their own “galleys to grab” lists prior to the opening of the show floor (indeed, that appeared to work, as publishers’ booths were inundated shortly after the doors opened).

Our heroine, Barbara Hoffert, LJ’s Book Review Editor, managed to post an amazing roundup of titles mentioned at 2:30 the next morning. We will post links to each publisher’s roundup as they become available (Macmillan’s is up  now).

Do you remember the bad old days when publishers didn’t bring adult galleys to the library shows?

Those days are long over. Today, the challenge is to figure out which galleys to grab and which ones to lug (or ship) back home.

Of course, you’ll be seeking out new books from long-time favorite authors, like Isabel Allende’s Island Beneath the Seas (HarperCollins, 4/27; booth #1232) and Alexander McCall Smith’s Corduroy Mansions (Pantheon/Random House, 7/13; booth #2570).

Not only are galleys available at the booths, there will also be author signings, including some big names — check out the ads in the PLA program (a preview of Penguin’s is here — hint – SUE GRAFTON!)

You’ll also be looking for galleys that have already been getting advance buzz, like Norton’s wonderfully-titled The Lonely Polygamist, by Brady Udall, which many considered the “Book of the Show” at the American Booksellers Assoc’s Winter Institute last month (it just received the ultimate New Yorker accolade; I was so absorbed in it the other day that I missed my subway stop. And, yes, I caught people staring at the title).

The Lonely Polygamist: A Novel Brady Udall Retail Price: $26.95 Hardcover: 608 pages Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company – (2010-05-03) ISBN / EAN: 0393062627 / 9780393062625

The buzz on Ballantine’s apocolyptic vampire novel, The Passage, coming in June, has been building for months (see our January story). The publisher seems determined to blanket the earth with copies of the 700-page behemoth and Portland will be no exception (get it at the Random House booth, #2570).

But, the real “gets” of the show floor are the titles you didn’t know you were looking for. We talked to publisher’s library marketing folks to find out what you shouldn’t overlook. Their responses are below.

We want to hear about your finds at the show. On Friday, April 16th, after you’ve had some time to sort through your treasures, we will host a “Galley Chat” Tweetup. More details coming soon shortly.

Macmillan, booth #1058

Macmillan’s library marketing guru, Talia Sherer (recently named a “Mover & Shaker” by Library Journal; be sure to congratulate her!) says that Still Missing by Chevy Stevens is the BIG thriller debut from St. Martins Press.

Still Missing Chevy Stevens Retail Price: $24.99 Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: St. Martin’s Press – (2010-07-06) ISBN / EAN: 0312595670 / 9780312595678

HarperCollins, booth #1232

Virginia Stanley wants you to look out for A Fierce Radiance by Lauren Belfer (you can listen here to her excitement when she presented it at the HarperCollins Book Buzz session during MidWinter). She says it’s a perfect book club book.

A Fierce Radiance Lauren Belfer Retail Price: $25.99 Hardcover: 544 pages Publisher: Harper – (2010-06-01) ISBN / EAN: 0061252514 / 9780061252518

Workman, booth #2477

Mike Rockliff is enthusiastic about Mrs. Darcy and the Blue-Eyed Stranger, by Lee Smith, which just got 4 of a possible 4 stars in People (3/29) and also:

The Boy Who Loved Tornadoes Randi Davenport Retail Price: $23.95 Hardcover: 384 pages Publisher: Algonquin Books – (2010-03-30) ISBN / EAN: 1565126114 / 9781565126114

Random House, booth #2570

In the welter of galleys at the RH booth (they DO represent a lot of imprints), including The Passage, and Lisa Unger’s forthcoming Fragile (Shaye Areheart; August), Jen Childs says not to overlook a debut historical novel set in fifteenth-century Spain.

By Fire, By Water Mitchell Kaplan Retail Price: $15.95 Paperback: 320 pages Publisher: Other Press – (2010-05-18) ISBN / EAN: 1590513525 / 9781590513521

W.W. Norton, booth #1302

We already mentioned The Lonely Polygamist, by Brady Udall. Golda Rademacher tells us that The Red Thread by Ann Hood, the author of The Knitting Circle, has been getting great response. Hood will go on an extensive national tour this spring/summer and is scheduled for the Diane Rehm Show (NPR) on 5/3.  PW ’s and LJ’s reviews are in and are enthusiastic (LJ; “Hood offers a thoughtful novel about the yearning for a child that’s primed to be a book club pick”).

The Red Thread: A Novel Ann Hood Retail Price: $23.95 Hardcover: 320 pages Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company – (2010-05-03) ISBN / EAN: 0393070204 / 9780393070200

Penguin, booth #1206

Penguin will be hosting some big names at their booth. In addition, Alan Walker points to galleys of the next big book by editor Amy Einhorn at Putnam (the first title under her recently-created imprint was The Help. She also published this season’s hit, The Postmistress). Called The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott, it “imagines a love affair that would threaten Louisa’s writing career.”

The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott Kelly O’Connor McNees Retail Price: $24.95 Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: Amy Einhorn Books/Putnam – (2010-04-01) ISBN / EAN: 0399156526 / 9780399156526

Wiley, booth #933

Howell has a book that to combines two subjects that appeal to librarians; earth friendliness and pets. The author will be signing in the booth on Thurs. at 3 p.m.

And, if you can tear yourself away from the goodies in the conference center to check out the city, be sure to check out Frommer’s online guide to Portland (published by Wiley).

Pets and the Planet: A Practical Guide to Sustainable Pet Care Carol Frischmann Retail Price: $16.99 Paperback: 312 pages Publisher: Howell Book House – (2009-02-24) ISBN / EAN: 0470275731 / 9780470275733

Behind on putting together your PLA schedule? Here’s how to do it in just two steps. After all, you’re not really a procrastinator, you’ve just got too damned much to do, so you need all the help you can get.

[We're sorry that budget issues means many of our colleagues won't be there. Here's hoping for better times in 2012 when PLA will be in Philly.]

1) Use the Programming Schedule, Not the Preliminary Guide

You might be tempted to go to the snazzy-looking Preliminary Guide, but one advantage of being a procrastinator is that you don’t have to deal with no stinkin’ incomplete information. What you want is the more prosaic Programming Schedule. It includes a helpful drop-down menu so you can sort by session track. You can also sort by speaker. Lurking on that list are some big-name authors, like Kim Harrison, on the Cross-Over Readers Advisory panel with Kaite Stover from Kansas City Library.

DON’T overlook the AAP’s mystery author panel:

Friday, March 26
10:30 – 11:45 a.m.
Oregon Convention Center
Portland Ballroom #253-254

Karin Slaughter, Broken (Delacorte Press/Random House Inc., June 2010)
Ted Dekker, The Bride Collector (Center Street/Hachette Book Group, April 2010)
Cara Black, Murder in the Palais Royal: An Aimée Leduc Investigation (Soho Press, March 2010)
Meg Gardiner, The Liar’s Lullaby (Dutton/Penguin, June 2010)
Dana Haynes, Crashers (Minotaur Books/Macmillan, July 2010)
Jo Nesbo, The Devil’s Star (HarperCollins, February 2010)

Unfortunately, you’ve probably missed out on the AAP’s author breakfast on Thursday morning, which includes Leila Meacham (Roses) and Kristin Hannah (Winter Garden). It’s always a great event. You can try sending an RSVP to Marlene Scheuermann, but we hear they are almost full.

2) Go to the Special Events listings.

Inexplicably, the Programming Schedule does NOT include major events like Nancy Pearl’s SRO “Book Buzz” program on Wed., 10:30 to noon, Convention Center, Oregon Ballroom (tip to procrastinators; get there EARLY).

There’s also a CHILDRENS BOOK BUZZ panel, which is NOT listed under Special Events. It’s on the Programming Schedule (see why you need this guide?). It runs 10:30 to 11:45 on Friday in the Convention Center — Portland Ballroom #256.

At this point, you can’t worry about the MEAL EVENTS until the show. These require advance registration, which was due Feb. 10, so us procrastinators  just have to hope that there will still be tickets at registration.

If you are in New York City on Thursday March 18th, please join us.

The Children’s Book Committee at Bank Street is being dragged kicking and screaming into the age of technology. For the first time in its 101 years of reviewing, selecting and annotating children’s books, the Best Books of the Year list will be available electronically.

The Children’s Book Committee
Bank Street College of Education

Cordially invites you to attend a breakfast celebrating the presentation of

The 2010 Children’s Book Awards to the authors and illustrators

Thursday, March 18, 2010
9:30 to 11:30 a.m.

Bank Street College of Education
The Evelyn Rome Tabas and Daniel Tabas Auditorium
610 West 112th Street
New York, NY 10025-1898

RSVP to bookcom@bankstreet.edu

The Josette Frank Award for fiction:

The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate Jacqueline Kelly Retail Price: $16.99 Hardcover: 352 pages Publisher: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) – (2009-05-12) ISBN / EAN: 0805088415 / 9780805088410

.

Where the Mountain Meets the Moon Grace Lin Retail Price: $16.99 Hardcover: 288 pages Publisher: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers – (2009-07-01) ISBN / EAN: 0316114278 / 9780316114271

The Flora Stieglitz Straus Award for nonfiction:

Almost Astronauts: 13 Women Who Dared to Dream Tanya Lee Stone Retail Price: $24.99 Hardcover: 144 pages Publisher: Candlewick – (2009-02-24) ISBN / EAN: 0763636118 / 9780763636111

.

Moonshot: The Flight of Apollo 11 (Richard Jackson Books (Atheneum Hardcover)) Brian Floca Retail Price: $17.99 Hardcover: 48 pages Publisher: Atheneum/Richard Jackson Books – (2009-04-07) ISBN / EAN: 141695046X / 9781416950462

The Claudia Lewis Award for poetry:

Red Sings from Treetops: A Year in Colors Joyce Sidman Retail Price: $16.00 Hardcover: 32 pages Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Books for Children – (2009-04-06) ISBN / EAN: 0547014945 / 9780547014944

For more information: 212.875.4540

The Children’s Book Committee is an affiliate of the Bank Street Center for Children’s Literature.

I’ll be interviewing Kristin Cashore (Fire, Graceling) at Symphony Space in Manhattan, a week from Sunday (Feb. 28th) at 1 p.m.

And, I have a special offer for EarlyWord readers; for a free ticket, email Jenny Brennan or call her at 212-864-1414, ext. 206 and say Lisa from EarlyWord sent you.

Hope to see you there!

This is clever; Frommer’s is running a photo contest. The winner will have his or her photo featured on the cover of a Frommer’s book and will win $5,000 (contest ends 3/31).

How appropriate it would be if a librarian won, given what great travelers we are and how many Frommer’s titles libraries buy.

I’m no photographer, but just looking at the hundreds of photos that have already been entered serves as a mini-vacation.