Thursday 31 August 2017

Publishers Weekly newsletters

Here are the latest Publishers Weekly newsletters for my followers to peruse:


PW Daily: Breaking book business, bookselling and author news, bestsellers lists and publishing deals.
The BookLife Prize - Enter Now
Profits at PRH Rise, on Small Sales Gain, in First Half of 2017
Strong print and audio sales at Penguin Random House countered soft e-book sales to increase revenue 1.1% in the first half of the year. Earnings at the publisher rose 11.4%. more »
Texas Teacher Launches Hurricane Harvey Book Club to Help Children
A second-grade teacher living in a Houston suburb has launched a virtual book club, asking children to post videos of themselves reading aloud, to distract other children affected by Hurricane Harvey. more »
Chicken Soup for the Resistance
A new collection from Chicken Soup for the Soul, 'My Kind (of) America,' which published earlier this week, tells stories of kindnesses shared between many diverse people in America. more »
Win a Copy of 'Miss Leslie's Secret' by Jennifer Moore
Enter for a chance to win one of 25 advanced autographed copies of 'Miss Leslie's Secret,' a gripping romantic novel set in the beloved Scottish Highlands. (Sponsored) Enter Here! »
Celebrate the PW Star Watch Honorees
 
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JOB MOVES
Sandy Frank, formerly designer at Grain, has joined Chronicle Books as junior designer.
Taylor Norman has been promoted to editor of children's books at Chronicle Books.
Jamie Real, formerly managing director at Litquake, has joined Chronicle Books as assistant managing editor of children's books.
Deborah Kenmore, formerly inventory and sales coordinator at Counterpoint Press, has joined Chronicle Books as operations assistant.
Stephanie McKinley has been promoted to senior digital developer at Random House Children’s Books.
Kelly McGauley has been promoted to senior marketing manager of trade marketing at Random House Children’s Books.
Mallory Matney has been promoted to associate manager of marketing operations and consumer shows at Random House Children’s Books.
Alissa Nigro has been promoted to marketing associate for trade marketing at Random House Children’s Books.
Elina Vaysbeyn has been promoted to associate director of marketing at Dutton.
Cecile B Literary Agency will handle the translation rights for Bankoff Collaborative, and can be reached at contact@cblagency.com.

BISG Changes Governing Structure
Among the proposed changes, which must be approved at the Book Industry Study Group’s annual meeting on September 25, is reducing the number of board members from 33 to 14. more » »
Bookstore News: August 31, 2017
Parnassus Books adds an airport outlet; new bookstores open in Indiana and North Carolina; an Iranian bookstore in Los Angeles closes; and more. more » »

News Briefs

Thurber Prize for American Humor 2017 Finalists Announced
Books by Trevor Noah, Ken Pisani, and Aaron Thier are shortlisted for the award, which will be presented in New York City on October 2. more » »

THE ROUNDUP
 
Cartoonist Stops Racist Kids' Book: The creator of Pepe the Frog, a cartoon repurposed as a hate symbol, has stopped the distribution of a children’s book featuring the frog.
Young Quebec Publishers Take Risks: The francophone side of Quebec publishing is undergoing a renaissance—and finding new readers.
A Book for Botany-Loving Hobbits: The botanist Walter Judd has created a book that examines the many plants and trees that J.R.R. Tolkien used in his novels.
Being a Writer on Social Media: What can authors do when news of their book's impending publication garners way more attention than the writing itself?
Kōbō Abe’s Sand Dunes Are Our Own: For Electric Literature's "Late to the Party" series, 'PW' associate editor John Maher reads 'The Woman in the Dunes' for the first time.

PW Bestsellers

Trade Paperback Bestseller List
'Two by Two' by Nicholas Sparks is the #1 title on PW's trade paperback bestseller list. See the full list » »
PW DAILY REVIEW OF THE DAY

'Sundays in August' by Patrick Modiano and translated by Damion Searls
"Nobel Prize–winner Modiano does more with less in this subtle and haunting noir." Read more » »

SHELFTALKER
Manuscript critiques, Skype visits, autographed books, and more in exchange for your Hurricane Harvey relief support.




PICTURE OF THE DAY

A Reading at Green Apple
Author Guinevere de la Mare’s reads from her new book, 'I’d Rather Be Reading' (Chronicle Books), at Green Apple Books on the Park in San Francisco on August 24.

Courtesy Chronicle Books

PW KidsCast: A Conversation with Francisco X. Stork
Bookworks | The Self Publishers Association
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PW Daily: Breaking book business, bookselling and author news, bestsellers lists and publishing deals.
Celebrate the PW Star Watch Honorees
New York Publishers Offer Help to Hurricane Harvey Victims
Scholastic, Hachette, Simon & Schuster, Macmillan, and Penguin Random House are among the big New York houses who are offering their support—in the form of books and, in some cases, food and shelter—to those in flood-ravaged Southeast Texas. more »
Hillary Clinton to Do Speaking Tour to Promote New Book
Hillary Clinton will kick off a speaking tour on September 18 to promote her memoir 'What Happened.' Tickets to the speaking events will range from $50 to $3,000, with the latter offering, among other things, a face-to-face meeting with Clinton. more »
Despite a Lift in Sales, B&NE Sees Losses Jump in Q1
The February 2017 acquisition of MBS was the major driver of a 48.7% jump in sales at Barnes & Noble Education in the quarter ended July 29. The net loss in the period, however, was $34.8 million, up from $27.9 million in fiscal 2017. more »

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JOB MOVES
Chelsea Cutchens has been promoted to associate editor at The Overlook Press.

International Bestsellers: Ferrante Hot this Summer
Norwegian author Maja Lunde’s dystopian tale 'The History of Bees' topped the charts in Germany, while Elena Ferrante claimed the first and third spots on the fiction bestseller list in Sweden. more » »
iBooks Bestsellers: 'Y is for Yesterday' Takes to the Top
Sue Grafton's 25th installment in her Kinsey Millhone series, 'Y is for Yesterday'—the second to last book in a series in which each book's title is based on a letter of the alphabet—is #1 on the iBooks bestseller list. more » »

Authors on the Air

Authors on the Air August 30, 2017: Tyrrell Mahoney
Tyrrell Mahoney, president of Chronicle Books, will appear on 'Marketplace' with Kai Ryssdal on NPR on Wednesday August 30. more » »
News Briefs

Center for Fiction Announces 2017 First Novel Prize Shortlist
The seven debut novels shortlisted for the Center's annual $10,000 prize have been announced. more » »
Kent State UP Names Wadsworth-Booth Director
Susan Wadsworth-Booth has been appointed director of Kent State University Press, effective September 11. more » »

THE ROUNDUP
 
Book World Hopes for Fall Hit: As the book world’s most literary season approaches, the industry still awaits the year’s big literary publication.
Learning the Wrong Lessons from GRRM: George R.R. Martin has taken too long finishing his magnum opus. 'Game of Thrones,' in contrast, has moved too quickly on television.
Smelcer's PEN Award Nom Pulled: John Smelcer's young-adult novel 'Stealing Indians' has been withdrawn from the list of finalists for the PEN Center USA 2017 Literary Award.
The E-Book That Could Have Been: A video game called 'Device 6' illuminates the past, present, and alternate future of the book, and shows what the e-book could have done.
Reading Robert Lowell While Expecting: During pregnancy, writer Katie Schmid turned to the poetry of Robert Lowell to deal with the anxiety of the experience.

PW Bestsellers

Children's Fiction Bestseller List
'Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Parts One and Two' by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne, and John Tiffany is the #1 title on PW's children's frontlist fiction bestseller list. See the full list » »
PW DAILY REVIEW OF THE DAY

'While Standing in Line for Death' by CAConrad
"Conrad consistently surprises, and few, if any, American poets are doing more visionary, disorienting, and wonderful work today." more » »

SHELFTALKER

Shaking Things Up
Cynthia Compton
Changing the “mommy ghetto” of story times at the bookstore.




PICTURE OF THE DAY

A Book Launches in Brooklyn
Eliza Factor (r.) is interviewed by author Amy Shearn (l.) about her new memoir, 'Strange Beauty' (Parallax Press), at her book launch at Greenlight Bookstore.

Courtesy Parallax Press

New York Rights Fair 2018
Dr. Cacciatore discusses "Bearing the Unbearable' on PW Faithcast
The BookLife Prize - Enter Now

PW Extra
Lonely Planet | Explore Every Day

The World of Lonely Planet

The familiar blue spines of Lonely Planet guides are ubiquitous in the travel sections of bookstores and on the shelves and desks of intrepid travelers. The company has not only printed over 145 million guidebooks covering 95% of the world’s destinations over the past 40-plus years, Lonely Planet has created content in over 14 languages, including everything from magazines and TV shows to children’s books, cookbooks, phrasebooks, maps, web resources, apps, and gift books.
While Lonely Planet makes many digital products, print guidebooks are always at the heart of everything Lonely Planet does. “Guidebooks are not going away,” said Lonely Planet’s product director of guidebooks and e-books, Darren O’Connell. “Despite some declarations to the contrary, traditional print guidebooks are still selling well and there appears to be loyalty to the format. Sales of guidebooks are up for Lonely Planet, and have increased year-over-year significantly for several years.”
Lonely Planet therefore continues to publish a wide array of print books to suit various audiences. “Travelers frequently report to us that they still like the tangible experience of planning for their trip with a book in hand and pages to highlight, dog-ear, or tear out,” O’ Connell continued.
So here’s a quick tour of the world of Lonely Planet, which encompasses guidebooks and much more, including books to be read and re-read even when not planning a trip.

Lonely Planet Inspires Adventures

Lonely Planet Inspiration Guides
Lonely Planet’s “Explore Every Day” motto guides everything the company does. “We want people to think of Lonely Planet on a regular basis, for local adventures, not just when planning a major international trip,” said Britney Alvarez, the company’s trade marketing manager for the US. “We want to be part of their lifestyle, a lifestyle that is exploratory and helps them have enriching experiences every day.
This philosophy is the inspiration for books such as Secret Marvels of the World. Just out this month, it’s a beautiful coffee-table-size hardcover, packed with photos, illustrations, and narratives about incredible, mostly little-known places to visit, that makes for a good armchair adventure. One of these is Chicken, Alaska, a faraway place that hosts an annual music festival and features a saloon with a working cannon. In the words of writer Etain O’Carroll, “It’s a weird and wonderful place, populated by oddballs and eccentrics, and ideal for kayaking down isolated rivers where your only company are moose and bears.” The photo of El Tio—the ribbon-strewn guardian of the Cerro Rico mine in Bolivia—is particularly heart-stopping.
Of course, the book also has the kind of practical info you’d expect from Lonely Planet should a reader want to make a trip to any of the showcased sights—included are longitude and latitude for every place mentioned, travel directions and tips, and compelling stories from travelers who’ve visited.
Lonely Planet's Atlas of Adventure, due out in September, is another inspiration book in a similar vein. It’s an alphabetical and photographic tour of the world—from Albania to Zambia—highlighting the amazing activities travelers can undertake in each country, everything from surfing to snowboarding to cave exploration.
Also out this month is Epic Drives of the World, the sister-book to last year’s Epic Bike Rides of the World. These are eight-by-10-in. illustrated hardcovers designed to inspire conversations as much as road trips. “If you want to take a road or bike trip but are not sure where to start or end it, this is the place to start," said managing director of publishing, Piers Pickard. "The beautiful photography will give you a menu of options to choose from. The first-person narrative will let you know if a certain trip is the one for you. And the map and practical information at the end of each feature will start you on the road to planning your chosen trip.” The book includes 12 drives in the United States, as well as many others across the planet. More

 
Lonely Planet Discover Guides

 

Print Guidebooks Remain Strong Sellers

Lonely Planet Guides
Despite all manner of new technology, plenty of travelers still rely on print guidebooks to help them plan and navigate their trips. More people are visiting more places, and, in the age of the internet, travelers expect the most-up-to-date information. To meet these needs, Lonely Planet offers two main lines of guidebooks for modern travelers’ varying travel needs, the comprehensive, traditional blue-spine “Destination” guides, and the more narrowly focused “Discover” guides, which have green spines.
The company continues to refine its guidebook offerings and expand into new, related areas. For instance, starting last fall, Lonely Planet began issuing new annual editions of its green-spined Discover guides to a selection of major cities—Barcelona, London, New York, Paris, Rome, and Tokyo. The 2018 set is out this September. These beautifully designed guides, packed with inspiring photos and information, offer just the must-see highlights. “Our recent move to producing annually updated Discover guides is an example of our commitment to guidebook publishing,” said O’Connell.
“One of Lonely Planet’s real strengths as a guidebook publisher is that we have always looked to improve our guidebooks to suit the evolving needs and preferences of the traveler,” O’Connell continued. He doesn’t see Lonely Planet’s books in competition with the internet and new technology; the books help readers focus in ways the internet can’t.
“In an age of massive amounts of user-generated content that takes time to sift through, today’s busy travelers often need a one-stop, authoritative, curated list of a destination’s best experiences. We recently redesigned the Discover series to focus more on the ‘can’t-miss’ places in a country or city, with an even easier-to-use and image-rich format that makes planning a quicker process. They include colorful regional and neighborhood maps throughout and often feature convenient pullout maps, helpful when on the road and GPS is suddenly unavailable.”
But the comprehensive blue-spine guidebooks continue to be the heart of the Lonely Planet list. According to O’Connell, “Despite other formats and competition from other platforms, these guides still sell really well.”
International destinations for which Lonely Planet guidebooks continue to see strong sales, according to Alvarez, include Iceland, Italy, Portugal, and Spain. She also advises booksellers and travelers to “keep an eye on Central American and South American destinations—the trend of ‘soft adventure’ is enticing a wider breadth of types of travelers to places like Belize, Nicaragua, Bolivia, and Colombia; awareness and interest in places like Montevideo, Uruguay, Pedregal, Ecuador, and Pisco, Chile is growing.”
Lonely Planet Pocket Guides

Exploring the U.S.A.

Lonely Planet Guides
In addition to constantly expanding their international offerings, Lonely Planet has a growing commitment to books for travelers who want to explore the United States in all its variety. “We recognized that a lot of Americans have less vacation time to go to far-flung places than people in other countries have, so we of late have been publishing more books that can help Americans have adventures closer to home,” said Alvarez. To this end, the company has been focusing on  its Pocket guides series to major American cities, national-park guides, and regional-road-trip guides.
Last August, the National Park Service celebrated its centennial, and since then, Lonely Planet has been seeing growing interest in U.S. national parks and in domestic travel in general. Domestic and national-park guides have seen sales growth in the last couple of years. April 2016 saw the publication of National Parks of America, a large-format, photo-heavy book that is equal parts guide and pictorial that has resonated well with consumers. Relatedly, the company is at work on updates of its domestic Best Trips and Road Trips guides, including new editions of  regional guides for New York and the Mid-Atlantic, Southwest U.S.A., and Florida and the South, and new Road Trips guides for Route 66 and the Pacific Coast Highway, all due out in February 2018.
“With road tripping, RVs and campers, and #vanlife gaining in popularity amongst millennials, we have invested heavily in new Trips guides, with an emphasis on providing travelers with inspirational itineraries that cover the must-see sights and experiences of a region beyond the major tourist centers.” explained O’Connell. These books are a more utilitarian counterpart to the new Epic Drives of the World.
Meanwhile, the company has also been adding to its list of Pocket guides to particular cities, with new books coming in 2018 for Austin, Miami, Philadelphia, and Charleston and Savannah. These are small-format guides to single cities that include maps, must-see attractions, and relevant historical information, perfect for quick weekend getaways.

Lonely Planet Secret Marvels of the World
Lonely Planet Atlas of Adventure
Epic Drives of the World
Lonely Planet The World
Lonely Planet The Cities Book
Lonely Planet The Place To Be

 
This newsletter and its contents are sponsored by Lonely Planet

PW Daily: Breaking book business, bookselling and author news, bestsellers lists and publishing deals.
The Bucket Plan® by Jason L Smith
Weathering Harvey, Houston Booksellers Try to Stay Open...and Help
One Houston area bookstore reported trouble from flooding, while most others will re-open today after days being closed in the wake of devastating Hurricane Harvey. more »
Amazon Unveils Newest NYC Store, at 34th Street
At the opening of its 11th bricks and mortar bookstore this morning, which is located across the street from the Empire State Building in New York City, Amazon said it will be continuing to open a number of new stores in 2018. more »
Ingram Realigns Executive Team
Under the restructuring, Shawn Everson will be responsible for all of Ingram's wholesaling operations and Phil Ollila will focus on the distribution business. more »
Win a Copy of 'Miss Leslie's Secret' by Jennifer Moore
Enter for a chance to win one of 25 advanced autographed copies of 'Miss Leslie's Secret,' a gripping romantic novel set in the beloved Scottish Highlands. (Sponsored) Enter Here! »
Aloha, Nanea Mitchell™ Discover our NEWEST Character!
 
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JOB MOVES
Have you changed jobs, retired, or been promoted? Click here to enter your job move information. It will appear on our site and in PW Daily.

Rachel Kranz, Author and Ghostwriter, Dies at 62
Rachel Kranz, author of the novel 'Leaps of Faith' (FSG) and a prolific ghostwriter and co-author, died on Monday. more » »
Bookstore News: August 29, 2017
New bookstores opening in Alaska and Michigan; Florida bookstore to close; why Japan lacks bookstores; and more. more » »
Call for Information: Illustrated Books
Needed: Information about forthcoming illustrated books of all types. Pub. dates: January through December 2017. New releases only, please; no reprints. Please email pitches to dpatrick@publishersweekly.com by August 30 and put “Call for Info: Illustrated Books” in the subject line. more » »

News Briefs

Rona Jaffe Foundation Writers' Awards Winners Announced
The winners for 2017 are Aamina Ahmad and Dominica Phetteplace for fiction, Ama Codjoe for and Tiana Nobile for poetry, Ebony Flowers for fiction/nonfiction, and Shawna Kay Rodenberg for nonfiction. more » »
Village Books Founder Bikes Cross-Counrtry for Charity
Chuck Robinson, the founder of Village Books in Washington and former ABA president, will cycle across the U.S., and pledges $1 per mile to three organizations, including the Book Industry Charitable Foundation. more » »
James Smith Named CEO At Images/ACC Publishing Group
The combined Images/ACC Publishing Group now has offices in Australia, the U.K., the U.S., and China. more » »

THE ROUNDUP
 
V.E. Schwab Signs $1M Deal with Tor: The 'Shades of Magic' author will write four more books with the science fiction and fantasy publisher.
Vivien Leigh's Library Goes to Auction: Personal inscriptions from Winston Churchill, Orson Welles, and A.A. Milne fill the actor's library.
Fernando Pessoa’s Disappearing Act: The mysterious masterpiece of Portugal’s great modernist, 'The Book of Disquiet,' was found, in fragments, only after Pessoa’s death.
On New Technology in Fiction: The problem of representing technology in fiction is that it's scope is overwhelming—so much American fiction simply avoids mentioning it.
A Poetry Trail in Duluth: Hartley Nature Center in Duluth, Minn., has established the Connie Wanek Wildflower Trail in honor of the poet's work.

PW Bestsellers

Hardcover Nonfiction Bestseller List
'The Subtle Art of Not Giving A F*ck' by Mark Manson is the #1 title on PW's adult hardcover nonfiction bestseller list. See the full list » »
PW Daily Review of the Day

'The Largesse of the Sea Maiden' by Denis Johnson
"The second story collection from the late Johnson is a masterpiece of deep humanity and astonishing prose." more » »

SHELFTALKER
Can we join the protagonist of ‘A Letter to My Teacher’ in incorporating change?




PICTURE OF THE DAY

Author DuBois Visits a Duluth Book Club
Not only did the Tales to Tell book group in Duluth, Minn., read advance copies of Mary "Bernie" DuBois's book 'Gift from the Garden: A Treasure of Revelations for Life's Changes' (Tellis, Nov.), but the author (c., in blue shirt) joined the group and enlisted it to draft discussion questions to be included in the final edition.

Photo: Claire Kirch

Celebrate the PW Star Watch Honorees
PW LitCast: A Conversation with Ann Druyan
Bookworks | The Self Publishers Association

PW Bookit!: Updates from PW's sales and marketing staff about opportunities to promote your brand in PW.
New York Rights Fair 2018
Letter from the Publisher
 
Letter from Cevin - September 2017
Are you ready for fall? It’s hard to believe Labor Day is nearly here, but I have good news. The first fall publishing party is set to kick off the season in style on September 6 at the TAO Downtown Nightclub to celebrate the PW Star Watch top honorees. more » »
Celebrate the PW Star Watch Honorees

Events Corner

Events Corner for September 2017
Autumn is in the air, and PW is on it! PW Star Watch, the ABA fall regionals, Frankfurt and much, much more! more » »

Highlights & Features

Canadian Publishing Supplement
An overview of the Canadian publishing industry, with profiles of Canadian publishers and booksellers, news and trends analysis. Issue date: September 18; reservations due: September 5. more » »
NYCC Preview 2017
New York Comic-Con, which runs October 5 – 8, 2017 at the Javits Center in New York, is fast becoming the largest ComicCon in the world, with 180,000 attendees in 2016. Issue date: September 18; reservations due: September 6. more » »
Frankfurt Preview 2017
The Frankfurt Preview is the publishers’ and agents’ guide to the largest book fair in the world, this year taking place October 11 – 15, 2017. Issue date: September 25; reservations due: September 13 more » »
Frankfurt Show Daily
“With the Frankfurt Show Daily, you extend your international reach and stand out among the myriad of exhibitors,” says Joe Murray about the largest book fair in the world. Issue dates: October 11 – 13; reservations due: September 20 more » »
Holiday Gift Guide 2017
Let’s celebrate together! Be the first to reach booksellers and librarians planning their holiday displays and promotions. Issue date: October 2; reservations due: September 20. more » »
YA Feature - Autumn 2017
Trends in young adult fiction and nonfiction dominate this regular feature. What’s coming on the YA scene makes this issue a solid opportunity for you to align your forthcoming YA titles with. Issue date: October 9; reservations due: September 27. more » »
Sci-Fi and Fantasy 2017
Genre alert! The science fiction and fantasy special feature is focused on genre busters, mystical fantasy and mystery and noir in SF. Plus, urban fantasy, historical settings and more. Issue date: October 9; reservations: September 27. more » »
Looking Ahead

Self-Help 2017
Here, you’ll find a trends-oriented piece focused on books about aging, books about understanding unconscious motives and books about improving communications skills. Also include will be guided self-help journals. more » »
School and Library Spotlight: AASL Preview
The AASL Preview is required reading for school librarians and other attendees of this biannual gathering. School library professionals rely on PW’s crack staff of library reporters and columnists to direct their attention to the “must-attend” programs. more » »
Texas Book Festival Spotlight
The 22nd annual Texas Book Festival takes place November 4 – 5, 2017 in Austin, the capital of the Lone Star State. More than 100,000 attendees are expected to spend the weekend browsing exhibitor booths, meeting and greeting authors and more. more » »
Miami Book Fair Spotlight
The Miami Book Fair Spotlight was so successful last year that PW is continuing the tradition and will reach 50,000 avid book-lovers at this year’s Miami Book Fair, which will be held November 12 – 19 at Miami Dade College. more » »
Play Fair Show Daily - NEW
Play Fair NY is a celebration of play and entertainment in an expo environment, bringing toy and entertainment brands together. Attendees can touch, feel and interact with toys, games, books and entertainment products. 10,000 copies each day! more » »
 









 

Celebrate the PW Star Watch Honorees
The BookLife Prize - Enter Now

Resources

PW's Editorial Calls for Information
Click here to read all of PW's current calls for information and books for upcoming editorial features.

PW Daily: Breaking book business, bookselling and author news, bestsellers lists and publishing deals.
Celebrate the PW Star Watch Honorees
The World's 50 Largest Publishers, 2017
Although total revenue of the world’s 50 largest book publishers topped $50 billion in 2016, last year was not an easy one for global publishing giants. more »
Obituary: Top Exec at Three Publishers, Howard Kaminsky, Dead at 77
Howard Kaminsky, a former president and publisher of Warner Books, Random House and William Morrow/Avon, has died. He was 77. more »
Is Poetry the New Adult Coloring Book?
Button Poetry is finding success in publishing and marketing poetry originally written for performance—leading some to believe that the sub-genre has book industry staying power. more »
Win a Signed Copy of 'Her Right Foot' by Dave Eggers!
Enter for a chance to win a signed copy of 'Her Right Foot,' a new picture book by Dave Eggers and illustrated by Shawn Harris. (Sponsored) Enter Here! »
Straight to Business: the Business Club
 
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JOB MOVES
Have you changed jobs, retired, or been promoted? Click here to enter your job move information. It will appear on our site and in PW Daily.

IN THIS WEEK'S MAGAZINE
·        
Students' Textbook Spending Falls
College students, according to two new reports, are taking advantage of the increasingly competitive marketplace for course materials, and opting for cheaper digital and rental textbooks. more » »
Book Deals: Week of August 28, 2017
The wife of a former NFL star sells a football-themed romance to Berkeley, Scholastic nabs Ally Carter’s first YA standalone, and more in this week's notable book deals. more » »
This Week's Bestsellers: August 28, 2017
‘The Stone Sky,’ which concludes N.K. Jemisin’s Hugo Award–winning Broken Earth trilogy, debuts at #11 on our Trade Paperback list. Plus Serious Eats writer and chef Stella Parks shares her love of Twinkies and Oreos in ‘BraveTart,’ and Kate Winslet and Idris Elba cozy up on the movie tie-in cover of ‘The Mountain Between Us.’ more » »
PW's Latest Starred Reviews
Check out the starred reviews of titles including 'The Republic for Which It Stands,' 'Thornhill,' 'Offal Good,' and more. more » »
Call for Information: Romance Novels
For this feature we’d like to hear how editors and authors address issues of consent, communication, and safer sex in romance novels. For example, how do you balance historical accuracy with modern reader expectations, introduce safer sex without interrupting the sexy vibe, or include alpha males who aren't uncomfortably aggressive? Pub dates: December 2017 through May 2018. New titles only, please; no reprints. Email pitches to features@publishersweekly.com by September 18 and put “Call for Info: Romance Novels” in the subject line. more » »


THE ROUNDUP
 
Amazon Arrives In Australia: As Amazon sets up shop down under, academics examine the impact the e-tailer and publisher could have on the country’s book culture.
A Debut Novelist’s Descent Into Darkness: Alexandra Alter profiles 'My Absolute Darling' author Gabriel Tallent, calling the book "poised to become the breakout debut of the year."
Before Dylan, Rabindranath Tagore: Bob Dylan wasn't the first songwriter to win the Nobel Prize In Literature. Western audiences should know that.
The Promise and Potential of Fan Fiction: Fan fiction offers new writers a clearer path to potentially interested readers than has ever previously existed, Stephen Burt argues.
Reading 'Jane Eyre' While Black: Tyrese L. Coleman writes about how she was denied the privilege of escapism from the classics that her white peers were afforded.

PW Bestsellers

Hardcover Fiction Bestseller List
'Any Dream Will Do' by Debbie Macomber is the #1 bestseller on PW's adult hardcover fiction bestseller list. See the full list » »
REVIEW OF THE DAY

'Where the Past Begins: A Writer's Memoir' by Amy Tan
"In this wise and profound memoir, novelist Tan, now 65, looks back on her life, illuminating the path that led her to writing." more » »

SHELFTALKER
A YA title trend is put to the test.




PICTURE OF THE DAY

Rodale Launches Its Kids' Books Imprint
Maria Rodale (far r.) and the New York–based book team for Rodale celebrates the launch of Rodale Kids.

Courtesy Rodale

The BookLife Prize - Enter Now
New York Rights Fair 2018
Bookworks | The Self Publishers Association

PW Daily: Breaking book business, bookselling and author news, bestsellers lists and publishing deals.
New York Rights Fair 2018
The YA Bestseller Brought Down by the YA Community
Members of the young adult writing community claimed that Lani Sarem's 'Handbook for Mortals,' which initially hit #1 on the NYT's YA bestseller list, charted because its sales were manipulated. The uproar has led to the book being dropped from the paper's list. more »
The Big Indie Books of Fall 2017
Gems from small and university presses publishing this fall, picked by booksellers and PW’s reviews editors. more »
Penguin Boots Up for Marie Lu's 'Warcross'
'Warcross,' the forthcoming sci-fi thriller from YA author and gamer Marie Lu, is a departure from Lu’s two previous hit series, and Penguin has devised an extensive campaign to build fan excitement. more »
Celebrate the PW Star Watch Honorees
 
For more about these and other great jobs, visit the new PW JobZone, now with resume hosting and more!
 
Video Trailer of the Day

'Before I Knew' by Jamie Beck
Tragedy destroyed their friendship. Can a shared dream help them love again? Become absorbed by Jamie Beck’s new heartfelt read about family, friendships and starting over. (Sponsored) Watch Now! » »

JOB MOVES
Linda Kasten, agent, has retired from Loiacono Literary Agency.
Laura Gianino, formerly publicity manager at Harper360, has joined TIME Inc. Books as senior publicity manager and can be contacted at laura.gianino@timeincbooks.com.

Beijing Book Fair 2017: New Segments and Different Opportunities Await
Non-stop meetings and packed booths were two constants at the Beijing International Book Fair (BIBF), which runs from August 23 to 27. more » »
Bookstore News: August 25, 2017
A new bookstore readies to open in upstate New York; Orlando indie to close; Oakland bookstore changes ownership; Portugal's chic new bookstore; and more. more » »
Tune In to PW Radio
Author David Handler discusses his new novel, 'The Girl with Kaleidoscope Eyes.' 'PW' contributing editor Judith Rosen reports on hot books from small presses. more » »

News Briefs

eBooks2go Partners with Teacher Created Materials
The new partnership with the Californian educational publishing company allows eBooks2go to convert the company's educational resources into the ePub3 format. more » »

THE ROUNDUP
 
To 'E' or Not to "E": The University of Southern California’s decision to spell William Shakespear[e]'s name without the final "e" has reignited a debate.
Obscure Medieval Texts, Translated: Stanford's Global Medieval Sourcebook is a new online compendium of English translations for overlooked Middle Ages texts.
An Asian-American Lit Gathering: At the Smithsonian’s First Asian American Literary Festival, more than 80 writers shared work across multiple genres.
The Rise and Return of Jesmyn Ward: Boris Kachka profiles the National Book Award–winning Mississippi author for 'Vulture' on the eve of publication of her third novel.
Looking for Stories in Bloody Places: Novelist Rebecca Entel hunts for complicated narratives at the sites of historical atrocities.

PW Bestsellers

Top 10 Overall Bestseller List
'Two by Two' by Nicholas Sparks is the #1 title on PW's top 10 overall bestseller list. See the full list » »
PW Daily Review of the Day

'Lines' by Sarvinder Naberhaus and illustrated by Melinda Beck
"Lines have the ability to connect and define—something Naberhaus and Beck portray with grace in a board book that opens with a single vertical line and expands to encompass the entire solar system." more » »

SHELFTALKER
A YA title trend is put to the test.




PICTURE OF THE DAY

Girls Who Code, Read, and Rally
On Tuesday, August 22, Girls Who Code celebrated the launch of the first two books in the Girls Who Code publishing program with a rally for women in tech outside the Union Square Barnes & Noble in Manhattan.

Courtesy Penguin Young Readers

PW KidsCast: A Conversation with Francisco X. Stork
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PubMatch

PW Children's Bookshelf: Breaking children's and YA publishing news, author interviews, bestsellers lists and reviews.
Mama Lion Wins the Race by Jon J Muth
In the News
The Book That Has the YA Community Crying Foul
Members of the young adult writing community are claiming that Lani Sarem's Handbook for Mortals, which was named a New York Times YA bestseller on Wednesday, only made the list because someone is manipulating its sales. more

Chibi Samurai Wants a Pet by Sanae Ishida
Library News
EveryLibrary, Follett Partner to Save School Librarians
A new alliance has formed between the library-centric social welfare nonprofit and the educational services company that focuses on school library advocacy. At the outset, the initiative will focus on outreach in six states and on the launch of a new activist website. more

Book News
Penguin Boots Up for
Marie Lu's 'Warcross'

Warcross, the forthcoming sci-fi thriller from YA author and gamer Marie Lu, is a departure from Lu’s two previous hit series. In anticipation of the September 12 release, Penguin is running at full tilt to build fan excitement. more

Humanoids Adds Graphic Novel Lines for Kids and Adults
This fall the publisher will launch two new lines of graphic titles aimed at children and young adults: Humanoids Kids and Slice of Life. more

Midnight Reynolds and the Spectral Transformer by Catherine Holt
Happy Anniversary
A Trio of Fall Titles Celebrates Virginia Lee Burton’s Rich Legacy
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt is having a Virginia Lee Burton moment. On September 5, the publisher will issue Big Machines: The Story of Virginia Lee Burton, written by Sherri Duskey Rinker and illustrated by John Rocco. The tribute continues with the release of an updated edition of Choo Choo and a 75th anniversary edition of Burton’s Caldecott-winning The Little House. "This was a passion project for us all," said Cara Llewellyn of HMH. more

On the Scene
On Tour with Chris Colfer's
'The Land of Stories’

Last month, author and former Glee star Chris Colfer set out on a 20-city tour in celebration of Worlds Collide, the sixth and final book in his bestselling The Land of Stories series. Read on for highlights from the events, which drew hundreds of fans for trivia, costume contests, and more. more
The Next BIG THING for BOYS! From Dr. Cara Natterson
Q & A
Victoria Jamieson
When Victoria Jamieson’s first graphic novel, Roller Girl, won a Newbery Honor, she was already at work on her second, All’s Faire in Middle School. The tale stars Imogene, a homeschooled tween whose free-spirited upbringing and participation in the local Renaissance Faire make adapting to public school a bumpy ride. PW spoke with Jamieson about the path that led her to graphic novels, her early days as a Faire groupie, and things that are hard to draw.

Q: Where did the idea for the book come from?

A: In my high school we had to volunteer somewhere, and one of my friends’ parents owned a shop at the Renaissance Faire. I used to go with two of my best friends. We just had the best time. We were supposed to be volunteering but actually we just laughed and ate a lot of sugar and were stalking this juggler that we had a crush on. more

News Briefs
Penguin Random House to Distribute Holiday House
The multi-year global English-language sales and distribution agreement takes effect in May 2018 for the U.S. and Canada, and in December 2018 for all other territories. more
Behrman House Acquires Remaining Interest in Apples & Honey Press
Apples & Honey Press will continue its schedule of releasing four to six front list titles each in its spring and fall seasons, now as a fully-owned imprint of Behrman House. more

Out Next Week
Hot Off the Presses:
Week of August 28, 2017

Hitting shelves next week are a picture book about the coming fall season, a middle grade novel about an ambitious Kenyan girl, and a YA novel about teens capable of surprising themselves. more

SPONSORED
Win a Copy of 'Harry Moon Wand Paper Scissors'!
Enter for your chance to win one of 20 finished copies of 'Harry Moon Wand Paper Scissors' by Mark Andrew Poe. The night is dark, but it shines bright when you're reading Harry Moon! (Sponsored)
 
 
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Rights Report
Krista Marino at Delacorte has acquired, in a six-figure preempt, Seeker author Arwen Elys Dayton's new YA novel, Stronger, Faster and More Beautiful. Set in the future, the novel features interconnected stories that explore the ethical dilemmas that come with human modification and life extension. Publication is planned for fall 2018; Jodi Reamer at Writers House handled the deal for U.S. and Canadian rights.
Vicki Lame at Wednesday Books has bought, in a three-book deal, Emily Duncan's debut YA fantasy, Something Dark and Holy. Pitched as a gothic Joan of Arc, the book features two countries locked in a holy war, and the peasant girl who can speak to the gods who must find a way to work with a deadly adversary, a heretical blood mage and heir apparent of the enemy kingdom, to turn the tide of the war and assassinate the mad king. Publication is slated for 2019; Thao Le at the Dijkstra Agency negotiated the deal for world English rights.
Mary Kate Castellani at Bloomsbury has acquired Morris Award finalist Leah Thomas's YA novel, Wild and Crooked. Pitched as Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe meets Making a Murderer, the book stars Kalyn, a killer's daughter, and Gus, a victim's son, small-town teens who develop a powerful friendship despite a brutal murder that has long since divided their families. Publication is scheduled for May 2019; Lana Popovic at Chalberg & Sussman brokered the deal for world rights.
Rhoda Belleza at Imprint has bought Gabrielle Byrne's debut novel, Rise of the Dragon Moon, about a feisty ice princess on a quest to save her mother and her queendom from dragons. Publication is set for winter 2019; Catherine Drayton at InkWell Management did the deal for world English rights.
Andrew Karre at Dutton has acquired K.R. Gaddy's YA nonfiction debut, Flowers in the Gutter. Drawing from memoirs and other firsthand sources, the book chronicles the history of the Edelweiss Pirates, a group of German working-class teenage boys and girls who resisted the Nazis in Cologne during WWII. Publication is planned for spring 2019; John Rudolph at Dystel, Goderich & Bourret negotiated the deal for world rights.
Alix Reid at Carolrhoda Lab has bought world rights to Sasha Dawn's Blink, a psychological thriller about a boy, Joshua, who falls in love with a mysterious girl who is on the run and who might hold the key to a crime that was committed long ago. Publication is slated for May 2018; Andrea Somberg at Harvey Klinger handled the deal.
Ashley Hearn at Page Street has acquired world rights to Erin Cashman's YA contemporary fantasy, Uncharted. When 16-year-old Annabeth attends the funeral of family friends who drowned, she uncovers an ancient secret that some would die to protect and others would kill to expose—the existence of the legendary island of Hy-Brasil. Publication is scheduled for fall 2018; the author represented herself.
Beverly Horowitz and Kelsey Horton at Delacorte have bought a middle-grade short story collection, Totally Middle School. Arts advocate and former book publisher Betsy Groban will edit. In the book, bestselling and award-winning authors Lois Lowry, Linda Sue Park, Katherine Paterson, Gregory Maguire, Karen Cushman, Gary Schmidt, among others, take on the challenges of the brave new world of middle school, in a range of formats. Publication is set for fall 2018; Doe Coover at the Doe Coover Agency brokered the deal for world rights.
Kristen Mohn at Capstone has acquired Saadia Faruqi's debut chapter book series, Yasmin. The series stars a Pakistani-American girl with a big imagination and a big heart. Publication of the as-yet-untitled first book is slated for fall 2018; Kari Sutherland at Bradford Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights.
Kelly Barrales-Saylor at Sourcebooks Jabberwocky has bought Scientist, Scientist, What Do You See?, a scientific parody picture book by Goodnight Lab author-illustrator Chris Ferrie, which introduces readers to important figures in science. Publication is planned for April 2018; Ferrie was unagented.
Michael Green at Philomel has acquired world rights to The Day the Crayons Quit author Drew Daywalt's (l.) The Epic Adventures of Huggie and Stick, a buddy comedy starring a curmudgeonly stuffed bunny and a happy-go-lucky stick, illustrated by debut artist David Spencer. The book will publish in fall 2018; Steven Malk at Writers House represented the author, and John Cusick at Folio Jr./Folio Literary Management represented the artist.
Taylor Norman at Chronicle has bought Elise Primavera's (l.) new picture book, I'm a Baked Potato!, about a dog with a bit of an identity crisis. 2017 Pura Belpré Award winner and Juana and Lucas series creator Juana Medina will illustrate; publication is scheduled for spring 2019. Steven Malk at Writers House represented the author, and Gillian MacKenzie at the Gillian MacKenzie Agency represented the illustrator in the deal for world rights.
Kira Lynn at Kane Miller has acquired North American rights to Erin Dealey's (l.) Grandma's Favorite and the companion volume, Grandpa's Favorite. The rhyming picture books celebrate contemporary grandparents around the world. Luciana Navarro Powell will illustrate; publication is slated for June 2018. Deborah Warren at East West Literary Agency did the deal for the author and the illustrator.
Kristen Nobles at Page Street Kids has bought world rights to Annie Cronin Romano's (l.) Night Train, illustrated by Ileana Soon. The debut picture book follows a steam engine's nighttime journey across various landscapes. Publication is planned for winter 2019; the author and the illustrator represented themselves.
Naomi Kirsten at Chronicle has acquired world rights to Karen Jameson's Woodland Dreams, a picture book celebrating the wonder of forest animals as they settle in for the night. Marc Boutavant will illustrate; publication is set for spring 2020. Kathleen Rushall at Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented the author, and Amanda Mason at Heart Agency represented the illustrator.
To see all of this week's deals, click here.

IN THE MEDIA
From Bustle:
How YA Twitter Is Trying to Dismantle White Supremacy, One Book at a Time. Click here
From the Times-Picayune:
Author and storyteller Dianne Casas has been killed in a house fire. Click here
From Fuse #8:
The End of Child_lit: The Literary Listserv Era Comes to a Close. Click here
From Artsy:
The Illustrators Behind Favorite Children's Books, from Winnie the Pooh to Madeline. Click here
From TechCrunch:
Teens Favor Snapchat and Instagram over Facebook. Click here
From Book Riot:
How I’ll Teach Reading After Charlottesville. Click here
From the Bookseller:
How can YA literature attract new readers? Click here
From the Sydney Morning Herald:
The Children's Book Council of Australia reveals the best books of 2017. Click here
From Deadline:
A film of Anya's Ghost, based on Vera Brosgol's graphic novel, has a script by Patrick Ness. Click here
From the Houston Chronicle:
What's made The Poky Little Puppy so popular for 75 years? Click here
From the New York Times:
How I Rebuilt My Childhood Library, Book by Book. Click here
From Entertainment Weekly:
Jay Asher interviews Carolyn Mackler about sequels and modernizing old books. Click here
From School Library Journal:
42 Diverse Must-Have YA Titles for Every Library. Click here
From Book Riot:
20 Ideas for Starting a Book Club for Kids. Click here
From the New York Times:
Teaching Kids Coding, by the Book. Click here
From Book Riot:
Flame Con 2017: Queer Heroes in Young Adult and All-Ages Comics. Click here
SHELFTALKER
A YA title trend is put to the test.
A tired bookseller’s homage to Judith Viorst and her friend Alexander.
A heartening evening in a challenging week.
Striving for the ultimate teacher appreciation event.
FEATURED REVIEWS
There’s Nothing to Do!
Dev Petty, illus. by Mike Boldt. Doubleday, $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-399-55803-0

The malcontented frog from I Don’t Want to Be a Frog and I Don’t Want to Be Big is at a loss about what to do with his day. “You can’t think of anything?” his father asks, working on a crossword puzzle. “I can think of lots of things... buuuuut I don’t want to do any of them,” replies the frog. more
Meow!
Victoria Ying. Harper, $15.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-06-244096-9

Using only slight variations of the “meow” of the title as dialogue, Ying follows an anthropomorphic gray kitten around his house as he looks for someone to play with. “Meow?” says the kitten imploringly to his parents and older sister, holding out a yellow ball of yarn. Their preoccupation with other activities sends the kitten into a funk. more
Fallingwater: The Building of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Masterpiece
Marc Harshman and Anna Egan Smucker, illus. by LeUyen Pham. Roaring Brook, $18.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-59643-718-0

A warm tribute to the creative genius and style of architect Frank Lloyd Wright, this picture book takes readers through his process of designing and building the famous home Fallingwater, which helped revive his stalled career, in the 1930s. Harshman and Smucker deliver an often lyrical narration of Fallingwater’s progression. more
The Secret of Nightingale Wood
Lucy Strange. Chicken House, $16.99 (304p) ISBN 978-1-338-15747-5

After the death of 12-year-old Hen’s brother, her father moves the family from London to the countryside, only to depart to the continent for work, leaving Hen’s mother struggling with mental illness and cared for by a sinister doctor. Hen finds solace in the woods and meets a supposed witch living in a caravan. more
Timeless: Diego and the Rangers of the Vastlantic
Armand Baltazar. HarperCollins/Tegen, $19.99 (624p) ISBN 978-0-06-240236-3

After the catastrophic Time Collision restructured Earth into a world where dinosaurs coexist alongside steam technology and giant robots, four children team up with pirates to rescue their loved ones from marauders bent on destroying society. More than 150 full-color photorealistic art pieces bring the characters and setting to life in a manner suggestive of film storyboards. more
Forest of a Thousand Lanterns
Julie C. Dao. Philomel, $18.99 (384p) ISBN 978-1-5247-3829-7

Eighteen-year-old Xifeng is destined to become the empress of Feng Lu, and although she is initially uncertain about this foretold fate, the power it promises becomes too much to resist. Demons and bloody magic keep Xifeng’s face preternaturally beautiful and help her harness the power of her rivals as she schemes her way into the palace. more
TALES FROM THE SLUSH PILE
August 24, 2017
Let's Investigate with Nate #1: The Water Cycle by Nate Ball
You Can Win an ARC of The Hazel Wood
New York Rights Fair 2018
To Our Readers
For the rest of August, we'll be publishing Children's Bookshelf once a week, on Thursdays. We'll resume our regular twice-weekly schedule after Labor Day.
People

Jason M. Wells has joined Rodale as associate publisher, director of marketing and publicity for the Rodale Kids imprint. He had been executive director of publicity and marketing at Abrams Books for Young Readers, working on campaigns for Jeff Kinney, Tom Angleberger, Cece Bell, Andrea Beaty, Laura Numeroff, Michael Buckley, Mac Barnett, Tonya Bolden, Duncan Tonatiuh, and Lauren Myracle, among many others.
Random House Children's Books has one new hire and two promotions. Noreen Herits is rejoining the company as executive director of publicity, reporting to Dominique Cimina. Herits was most recently director of marketing and publicity at Workman. Jillian Vandall has been promoted to senior publicity manager, from manager. Chelsea Eberly has been promoted to senior editor, from editor.
SNEAK PREVIEWS

Have you checked out our Spring 2018 Sneak Previews? Take a look ahead at some of the big titles for young readers due out next season, in our exclusive roundup.
In Case You Missed It
Bestsellers
Children's Frontlist Fiction
#1 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts 1 and 2 by J.K. Rowling et al. Click here
Picture Books
#1 What Do You Do with a Problem? by Kobi Yamada, illus. by Mae Besom. Click here
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PW Daily: Breaking book business, bookselling and author news, bestsellers lists and publishing deals.
New York Rights Fair 2018
New Indie Bookstore Set to Open in Queens
Kew & Willow Books, which was formed by three former B&N coworkers and financed through a Kickstarter campaign, is scheduled to open in late September in the Kew Gardens neighborhood of the New York City borough. more »
Religion and Spirituality Books Preview: September 2017
The memoir by journalist Sally Quinn, a collection of the Dalai Lama’s wisdom, and ‘Faith and Resistance in the Age of Trump’ are some of the big books in religion and spirituality publishing in September. more »
Book to Film Deals, Week of August 21, 2017
The forthcoming romantic comedy co-written by 'Rosie Project' author Graeme Simsion and his wife is nabbed for film by Fox Searchlight, while Pascal Pictures picks up the true tale of an Italian teenager who became an unexpected WWII hero. more »
Win a Copy of 'Harry Moon Wand Paper Scissors'!
Enter for your chance to win one of 20 finished copies of 'Harry Moon Wand Paper Scissors' by Mark Andrew Poe. The night is dark, but it shines bright when you're reading Harry Moon! (Sponsored) Enter Here! »
A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived by Adam Rutherford
 
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JOB MOVES
Have you changed jobs, retired, or been promoted? Click here to enter your job move information. It will appear on our site and in PW Daily.

PRH Goes to the Park
Penguin Random House has wed its long-standing partnerships with New York City's Public Theater and Literacy Partners with a philanthropic book progam tied to Shakespeare in the Park's production of 'A Midsummer Night's Dream.' more » »

News Briefs

Thurber Prize for American Humor 2017 Finalists Announced
Books by Trevor Noah, Ken Pisani, and Aaron Thier are shortlisted for the award, which will be presented in New York City on October 2. more » »
PRH to Distribute Holiday House
The sales and distribution agreement takes effect on May 1, 2018, for the U.S. and Canada and December 1, 2018, for all other territories. more » »
2nd & Charles Set to Open Jacksonville Store
The Books-A-Million–owned company will open its 36th store on September 16. more » »

THE ROUNDUP
 
One Hundred Books Across America: 'Literary Hub' rounds up one fiction and one nonfiction book for every state in the Union for your last-second literary road trip.
Talese and Didion Come to Netflix: The streaming service will release documentaries on Joan Didion and an adaptation of Gay Talese’s controversial 'Voyeur' later this year.
'Lemonade' for Your Living Room: Beyoncé is releasing a 600-page coffee table book that details the making of her landmark 2016 album.
Native American Lit's “Living Con Job”: Is the novelist John Smelcer, who is nominated for a 2017 PEN Literary Award, really who he says he is? 'The Stranger' investigates.
Ten Books About Tyrants: The novelist Christopher Wilson assembles a rogues’ gallery of despots and dictators from fact and fiction for the 'Guardian.'

PW Bestsellers

Trade Paperback Bestseller List
'Two by Two' by Nicholas Sparks is the #1 title on PW's trade paperback bestseller list. See the full list » »
PW DAILY REVIEW OF THE DAY

'The Other Girl' by Erica Spindler
"Multidimensional characters with a plethora of hidden agendas help drive the riveting plot to its explosive conclusion...[in] this superlative romantic thriller." Read more » »

SHELFTALKER
A YA title trend is is put to the test.




PICTURE OF THE DAY

Kenyan Soccer Comes to Minneapolis
Ellie Roscher (c.), author of 'Play Like a Girl: How a Soccer School in Kenya's Slums Started a Revolution' (Viva Editions), launched her book Monday at Open Book in Minneapolis on August 21. Here, she is joined by Asha Jaffar (r.), a graduate of the Kibera Girls Soccer Academy, and Richard Teka, the head of programs there.

Photo: Stu Abraham

Celebrate the PW Star Watch Honorees
PW LitCast: A Conversation with Ann Druyan
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PW Star Watch

Join us on September 6, 2017 at the one publishing party you do not want to miss this year! We’ll celebrate accomplishment and innovation in the honorees’ achievements and reveal the honoree who will be named this year’s top honor of PW’s Superstar.

Where:
TAO Downtown Nightclub
NYC

When:
September 6, 2017
6:30-8:30


Open bar and passed hors d’oeuvres. Take a break from your normal Wednesday night to come network with the movers and shakers shaping the next generation of publishing.

LEARN MORE

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PW Children's Bookshelf: Breaking children's and YA publishing news, author interviews, bestsellers lists and reviews.
Jacqueline and the Beanstalk
In the Spotlight
Lessons from the Country’s Oldest Children’s Bookstores
We checked in with some of the nation's oldest children’s specialty bookstores for insight on how they've weathered major changes in the business and remained vital in their communities. more

In the News
Judge's Order Bans Distribution of KinderGuides
A federal judge has signed off on a permanent injunction barring Moppet Books from distributing in the U.S. any versions of its KinderGuides series held to be infringing. Despite the ongoing legal battle, Moppet is moving ahead with plans to launch a new line of study guides based on public domain works. more

Win a Kissing Hand Series Back-to-School Set!
Book News
Kid Reporter Hilde Lysiak Scoops Up Book Series
Ten-year-old journalist Hilde Lysiak is about to make her print debut as the co-author and star of a new children's book series, Hilde Cracks the Case, focused on her real-life scoops. Lysiak recently gave PW a tour of her Pennsylvania home and a glimpse at her homemade news empire. more

New York Review Books Brings Back Maira Kalman Classics
In 1988, Maira Kalman made a promising debut when Viking released Hey Willy, See the Pyramids, a picture book about a girl’s vivid bedtime stories for her sleepless brother. On September 12, the New York Review Children’s Collection will reissue Hey Willy, See the Pyramids and Max Makes a Million, with more of Kalman's beloved titles to follow in 2018. more

Small Presses Celebrate Laura Ingalls Wilder’s 150th Birthday
This year marks the 150th anniversary of Laura Ingalls Wilder’s birth on February 7, 1867, and two small presses are marking the occasion by publishing books offering new perspectives on the life and times of the beloved author of the Little House on the Prairie series. more

In the Middle of Fall by Kevin Henkes
Four Questions
Katherine Applegate
Katherine Applegate’s dedication to Wishtree, “for newcomers and for welcomers,” captures the essence of her latest middle-grade novel, due out next month from Feiwel and Friends. The story is narrated by an old red oak tree who welcomes families to the immigrant neighborhood he watches over. When newcomers—a Muslim family—move in nearby, and it becomes evident that they aren’t welcomed by everyone, his role becomes more important than ever. PW spoke to Applegate about her inspiration for the novel and its growing relevance in our country.

Q: What was the spark that ignited Wishtree?

A: I wrote the novel in summer 2016, filled with frustration about the way things were going in our country. I wanted to make a small plea for civility, but I wanted to keep it simple and accessible to young readers. more
Discover How to Find Calm Inside and Focus on What Matters Most
Out Next Week
Hot Off the Presses:
Week of August 21, 2017

Hitting shelves next week are a linear board book, a middle grade historical novel set in Iran, and a nonfiction title that inspires girls to learn to code. more

In Brief

In Brief: August 17, 2017
This week, a young reader lives it up at Sanae Ishida’s book launch; authors visit American Girl Place; and author Jean L.S. Patrick celebrates her picture book and a little-known athlete. more
SPONSORED
PW KidsCast: Listen Now
Dan Santat, Jennifer and Matthew Holm, Philip C. Stead, Matthew Cordell, Kwame Alexander, Maggie Stiefvater, Jewell Parker Rhodes – listen to these and other top writers and artists discuss their new books for children and teens in the PW KidsCast podcast. Click here to listen.
 
 
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Rights Report
Lisa Sandell at Scholastic has acquired Lyra Selene's debut YA fantasy novel, Amber & Dusk. The story is set in the perpetual dusk of the Amber Court, where Sylvie tries to navigate treacherous courtiers and a murderous empress, all while trying to develop her magical powers. Publication is scheduled for fall 2018; Ginger Clark at Curtis Brown negotiated the deal for North American rights.
Nikki Garcia at Little, Brown has bought world rights to Someone Like Me: How One Undocumented Girl Fought for Her American Dream, an adaptation of the 2016 adult memoir My (Underground) American Dream by immigration rights activist Julissa Arce. This YA adaptation chronicles Arce's childhood in Mexico separated from her parents and her struggle to belong in America while growing up as an undocumented student in Texas. Publication is planned for fall 2018; Lisa Leshne at the Leshne Agency did the deal.
Adam Rau and David Saylor at Scholastic/Graphix have acquired Dugout, a graphic novel for young readers by Pixar filmmaker and author of the Magic Pickle series Scott Morse. The book follows the misadventures of twin sisters Stacy and Gina and the curse that their sibling rivalry unleashes on a Little League team. Publication is set for 2019; Allen Spiegel at Allen Spiegel Fine Arts brokered the deal for world rights.
Mallory Kass at Scholastic has bought in a preempt Victoria Piontek's middle grade debut, The Spirit of Cattail County. The Everglades-set novel follows 12-year-old Sparrow as she attempts to untangle the secrets of her Florida town in order to convince her best friend—a silent ghost no one else can see—to send a message to Sparrow's recently deceased mother. Publication is slated for summer 2018; Laura Rennert at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency negotiated the deal for world rights; Piontek is a literary associate at the agency.
Andrea Spooner at Little, Brown has acquired, at auction, Bob Shea's Crash, Splash or Moo, an interactive story that invites readers to predict the results of a competition between a stoic cow and a daredevil clam. Publication is scheduled for fall 2018, with a second, untitled book to follow; Steven Malk at Writers House brokered the deal for world rights.
Karen Nagel at S&S/Aladdin has bought two picture books from fine artist Leah Tinari. The first, Limitless: Remarkable American Women of Vision and Grit, will feature new portraits created by Tinari, alongside little-known facts about each woman across history. The second book will similarly feature American presidents. Publication is set for fall 2018, with the second book due in fall 2019; Rick Richter at Aevitas Creative Management did the deal for world English rights.
Cheryl Klein, in her first deal at Lee & Low Books, has acquired Under My Hijab by Hena Khan (Amina's Voice), a picture book celebrating the beauty and diversity of Muslim women and girls and the many ways they wear the hijab. Debut artist Aaliya Jaleel will illustrate, with publication planned for fall 2018. Matthew Elblonk at DeFiore & Company represented the author, and Jaleel represented herself.
Megan Abbate at Farrar, Straus and Giroux has bought world rights to the debut picture book from Rachel Lyons and YA author Jessica Verdi (shown), The Haircut, about a young boy coming out as transgender to his family and friends, and his desire for a haircut that reflects his identity. The story is based on Lyons's son and his gender identity journey; Lyons is using a pseudonym. It's tentatively slated for spring 2019; Kate McKean at the Howard Morhaim Literary Agency negotiated the deal.
Yolanda Scott at Charlesbridge has acquired world rights to Not a Bean, the debut picture book by Claudia Guadalupe Martinez, illustrated by Caldecott Medalist David Diaz. The nonfiction picture book integrates English, Spanish, and a counting concept as it looks at the lifecycle of the Mexican jumping bean—which is not a bean at all. Publication is scheduled for fall 2018; Adriana Dominguez at Full Circle Literary represented the author, and the illustrator represented himself.
Stacey Barney at Putnam has bought world rights to Madelyn Rosenberg's (l.) new picture book, Cyclops of Central Park, in which the shepherd hero Cyclops hunts down a wayward sheep named Eugene across several iconic New York City landmarks. Victoria Tentler-Krylov will illustrate; publication is planned for spring 2020. Susan Cohen at Writers House represented the author, and Studio Goodwin Sturges represented the illustrator.
Jessica Burgess at Tundra Books has acquired Monica Kulling's (l.) Fight for Life, a picture book biography of U.S. doctor S. Josephine Baker, who revolutionized obstetric and infant care, beginning with her work in the tenements of NYC's Hell's Kitchen in the early 1900s. Julianna Swaney will illustrate; publication is set for fall 2018. The author represented herself, and Anne Moore Armstrong at Bright USA represented the illustrator.
Julie Matysik at Running Press Kids has bought world rights to Sue Fliess's (l.) Ninja Camp, illustrated by Jen Taylor. The picture book features ninjas training to defeat a rival ninja camp team in order to capture the shadow blade. Publication is slated for January 2019; Jennifer Unter at the Unter Agency represented the author, and Alli Brydon at Bright USA represented the illustrator.
Stephanie Pitts at Putnam has acquired world rights to Leslie Staub's picture book, If I Were an Elephant, illustrated by Richard Jones. The book presents a factual depiction of a young African elephant's day in the wild, as told by a child narrator at play. Publication is scheduled for spring 2020; Rubin Pfeffer at Rubin Pfeffer Content represented the author, and Arabella Stein at the Bright Group represented the illustrator.
Grace Kendall at Farrar, Straus and Giroux has bought Le Petit Santos, a debut picture book biography of Brazilian-French inventor Alberto Santos-Dumont, whose early airship designs made him the toast of 19th-century Paris, and who nabbed the Deutsche Prize in a death-defying sky race around the Eiffel Tower. Brothers Rob (l.) and Jef Polivka are co-authors; Rob Polivka will illustrate. Publication is set for spring 2019. Jennifer Mattson at Andrea Brown Literary Agency handled the deal for world rights.
Kira Lynn at Kane Miller has acquired U.S. rights to Fox's Box, a picture book by London artist Emilia Zebrowska that introduces prepositions, animals, and colors through a rhyming text and patterns inspired by Zebrowska's Polish heritage. The pub date is January 2019; Anna Olswanger at Olswanger Literary represented the author-illustrator.
Anna Membrino at Random House has bought world rights to Jonty Howley's picture book, Big Boys Cry. The book offers a boy, who is bottling up his feelings, examples of healthy emotional expression. Publication is planned for spring 2019; the author-illustrator is unagented.
To see all of this week's deals, click here.

IN THE MEDIA
From the Hollywood Reporter:
YA Movies Get Real: Black Lives Matter, Activism Explored in New Projects. Click here
From the Washington Post:
An assistant principal wrote a picture book about alt-right mascot Pepe the frog. It cost him his job. Click here
From the New Yorker:
How to Talk to Kids About Death, According to Picture Books. Click here
From the New York Times:
How to Talk to Your Kids About Charlottesville. Click here
From PBS NewsHour:
Grace Lin: What to do when you realize classic books from your childhood are racist. Click here
From the Atlantic:
Reading Racism in Dr. Seuss. Click here
From Scoop News:
David Elliot wins 2017 Margaret Mahy Book of the Year Award in New Zealand. Click here
From Real Estate Weekly:
Manhattan children's bookstore Books of Wonder will open a second location later this summer. Click here
From Brightly:
Reading in the Shadow of Sendak, by author-illustrator Elisha Cooper. Click here
From NPR:
In Children's Storybooks, Realism Has Advantages. Click here
From the Guardian:
Read like a girl: how children's books about inspirational women are booming. Click here
From Mashable:
Sabaa Tahir title/cover reveal. Click here
SHELFTALKER

Kenny Brechner
Tools for Troubled Times
It is intellectual constructs, not hammers, that allow us to be our best.
One store’s approach to donation requests from schools and community groups increases both goodwill and the bottom line.
Using children’s books to up our game in combating racism.
Spotlighting Lee & Low Books and the voices of small presses.
FEATURED REVIEWS
I Want That Nut!
Madeline Valentine. Knopf, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-101-94037-2

When a “big, beautiful Nut” appears out of nowhere, Mouse and Chipmunk are instantly smitten. The friends are initially polite, before Chipmunk runs off with it. After an awkward tea for three, Mouse snatches the nut, and the battle is on. more
The Wolf, the Duck, and the Mouse
Mac Barnett, illus. by Jon Klassen. Candlewick, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-7636-7754-1

A sweet mouse with pink ears encounters a wolf in the forest. The wolf gobbles him up. Which is awful, right? Nope. It’s surprisingly comfortable inside the wolf. In fact, a duck is already in residence. It’s the wolf who suffers. “I feel like I’ll burst,” he moans, as the mouse and duck feast over a candlelit dinner. more
Silent Days, Silent Dreams
Allen Say. Scholastic/Levine, $21.99 (64p) ISBN 978-0-545-92761-1

Say tells the haunting story of outsider artist James Castle, a deaf and autistic man whose talent was not recognized until late in his life. Narrating in the voice of Castle’s nephew, Say describes how Castle was born in 1899 into an Idaho farm family with no resources to help their son. He never learned to speak or read, but he found consolation in drawing. more
The 57 Bus: A True Story of Two Teenagers and the Crime That Changed Their Lives
Dashka Slater. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, $17.99 (320p) ISBN 978-0-374-30323-5

Both Sasha (a white, agender private school teenager) and Richard (an African-American public school student who had lost numerous loved ones to murder) rode the 57 bus every day in Oakland, Calif. One afternoon, Richard—egged on by friends—lit the sleeping Sasha’s skirt on fire, leaving Sasha with third-degree burns. Slater skillfully conveys the complexities of both young people’s lives, while exploring the challenges and moral ambiguities of the criminal justice system. more
That Inevitable Victorian Thing
E.K. Johnston. Dutton, $17.99 (336p) ISBN 978-1-101-99497-9

What if the British Empire never fell, and its traditions of debutante balls and royal matchmaking survived into the 21st century? In Johnston's vividly imagined alternate history, set in the near future, the Church of the Empire runs a DNA-matching service to ensure that mates are biologically compatible, both for commoners and for royals such as Crown Princess Victoria-Margaret. more
Everything Must Go
Jenny Fran Davis. Wednesday, $18.99 (416p) ISBN 978-1-250-11976-6

Vintage-fashion queen Flora Goldwasser falls hard and fast for her private-school tutor, photographer Elijah. On a whim, Flora quits her exclusive New York City private school to attend the Quaker “upstate-New-York-hippie-school” where Elijah will be teaching the following year. But he doesn’t show up, and Flora is stuck. more
Meant to Be
Julie Halpern. Feiwel and Friends, $17.99 (320p) ISBN 978-1-250-09498-8

Agatha “Aggy” Abrams, 18, has just received her Meant-to-Be: the name of a person’s true love, which magically shows up above his or her heart. When Aggy’s longtime crush Luke proposes a summer fling, she jumps at the opportunity, but matters get complicated when it becomes clear that Luke might be more serious about their romance than she is. more
TALES FROM THE SLUSH PILE
August 17, 2017

Room of Shadows by Ronald Kidd
Enter to Win an Arc of I'm Just No Good at Rhyming
PW KidsCast: A Conversation with Francisco X. Stork
To Our Readers
For the rest of August, we'll be publishing Children's Bookshelf once a week, on Thursdays. We'll resume our regular twice-weekly schedule after Labor Day.
People
Kathryn Little has been promoted to director of marketing at Macmillan Children's Publishing Group; she was previously associate director.
Putnam Books for Young Readers has two promotions. Stacey Barney has been promoted to executive editor; she was formerly senior editor. Kate Meltzer has been promoted to associate editor, from assistant editor.
Hannah Babcock has joined Abrams in the newly created position of assistant manager, subsidiary rights; previously she was assistant scout at Baker Literary Scouting. Mercedes Padro has joined Abrams Children's as assistant designer; she had been an intern at HarperCollins Children’s Books.
Laura Peraza has joined the Children's Book Council as content and design manager; most recently she was social media manager for World Book Night U.S. She replaces Alexa Frank, who has been accepted to the MFA program at the Iowa Writers' Workshop.
SNEAK PREVIEWS

Have you checked out our Spring 2018 Sneak Previews? Take a look ahead at some of the big titles for young readers due out next season, in our exclusive roundup.
In Case You Missed It
Bestsellers
Children's Frontlist Fiction
#1 Harry Potter and the Cursed Child: Parts 1 and 2 by J.K. Rowling et al. Click here
Picture Books
#1 What Do You Do with a Problem? by Kobi Yamada, illus. by Mae Besom. Click here
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PW Daily: Breaking book business, bookselling and author news, bestsellers lists and publishing deals.
Promote your self-published book for $149 - PW Select - click here.
HCCP Launches a Self-Publishing Imprint
HarperCollins Christian Publishers has announced the launch of Elm Hill, a new self-publishing imprint created in collaboration with Accurance, a digital production company. more »
Electric Literature Serializes Joe Meno’s ‘Star Witness’ Online
The serialized story is part of Electric Literature's ongoing experiments with distributing literary works online, as well as an effort to grow its paying membership. more »
Australian Authors Start Online Marketplace
The Australian Society of Authors has launched a digital marketplace, showcasing and selling the work of writers to publishers, agents, and literary scouts throughout the world. more »
Portrait of Vengeance by Carrie Stuart Parks
 
For more about these and other great jobs, visit the new PW JobZone, now with resume hosting and more!



JOB MOVES
Liza Darnton, formerly freelance editor at Darnton Literary and editor at Penguin, has joined AmazonCrossing as senior editor.
Kaitlyn Coddington, formerly contracts assistant at HarperCollins Publishers, has joined Pearson as assistant permissions editor.
Kathryn Little has been promoted to director of marketing at Macmillan Children's Publishing Group.

TitleTown Adds Two Imprints
The small press in Green Bay, Wisc., which specializes in true crime and survivor stories, is moving in new directions with the launches of a children’s imprint and an imprint focusing on books with religious themes. more » »

News Briefs

Maine Bookstore Launches Donation Drive for Charlottesville Nonprofit
From now until the end of the year, Print Bookstore in Portland will donate $5 from every purchase of Ta-Nehisi Coates' new book, We Were Eight Years in Power, to a Virginia-based nonprofit African American Teaching Fellows. more » »

THE ROUNDUP
 
Chinese Novelist Charged With Murder: Liu Yongbiao has been arrested on accusations of bludgeoning four people to death 22 years ago.
ABA Deal Brings U.K. to the U.S.: The American Booksellers Association, Ingram, and Gardners will bring a range of British titles to U.S. independent bookstores.
True Crime Gets Literary: Once trashy and compelling, true crime is now the realm of credentialed literary writers. Is that an improvement?
D.C. Small Presses Make Their Mark: Such indies as Strong Arm Press and Barrelhouse Books have found a literary niche in the political landscape of the nation's capital.
The Joys of the Silent Book Club: Reading alone, together, at a table of introverts can help bring some readers back to the reading life in an era of distraction.

PW Bestsellers

Trade Paperback Bestseller List
'Two by Two' by Nicholas Sparks is the #1 title on PW's trade paperback bestseller list. See the full list » »
PW DAILY REVIEW OF THE DAY

'Notes on a Foreign Country: An American Abroad in a Post-American World' by Suzy Hansen
"A revelatory indictment of American policy both domestic and foreign, made gripping by Hansen’s confident—if overreaching—distillation of complicated historical processes." Read more » »

SHELFTALKER

Tools for Troubled Times
Kenny Brechner
It is intellectual constructs, not hammers, that allow us to be our best.




PICTURE OF THE DAY

A New Sci-Fi Master Reads In New York
The Housing Works Bookstore and Café in Manhattan hosted a launch event for N.K. Jemisin’s 'The Stone Sky' (Orbit Books)—the sequel to 'The Obelisk Gate,' which won the Hugo Award last week, as well as last year’s Hugo Award-winner 'The Fifth Season.' A crowd of more than 200 showed up to see the author (r.) read and discuss the book with geophysicist Mika McKinnon.

Photo: Ellen Wright

Celebrate the PW Star Watch Honorees
New York Rights Fair 2018
Bookworks | The Self Publishers Association