UK & Comm Bologna 2013

Without A Trace by Salla Simukka, proprietor Ahlback Agency Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm; North America

* Have you ever wished that everyone else in the world would just disappear? * Emmi is a 15-year-old girl who feels like she doesn’t amount to anything. Without friends or talents at school, she decides to run away, so she can at least become the girl who disappeared. She will have tricked them all. But when she comes back home, there’s no one there. Or next door. Or in the entire town. Everyone has disappeared. Until she meets another girl just like her, who also thought she was the only one alive. The two set out on page-turning adventure, meeting more teens in this “other world” and trying to figure out the pieces in an elaborate puzzle, with harrowing results. These taut, mysterious novels have garnered high praise in Finland, and we feel that their TRUMAN SHOW-meets-INCEPTION premise will be very appealing for the English language young adult market. The novels have just been named the winners of Finland’s Topelius Prize, which is the oldest children's and YA literature prize dating back to 1946. In the spirit of other great Finnish writers like Johanna Sinisalo, Leena Krohn, Hannu Rajaniemi, and Seita Parkkola, Without A Trace’s Salla Simukka is a translator and author of juvenile fiction. She has written eight novels and one collection of short prose for young people, and has translated adult fiction, children’s books, and plays. She writes book reviews for the newspapers Helsingin Sanomat and Hämeen Sanomat and the weekly Suomen Kuvalehti. In addition, she is associate editor at a literary publication for young people, Lukufiilis. She writes a blog in English, as well: http://sallasimukka.wordpress.com/salla-simukka/ - do have a look!

Arena Verlag Mirror Child by Alina Bronsky, proprietor Arena Verlag Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm; North America

* With echoes of the brutal East German society, in MIRROR CHILD Bronsky tells the story of 15-year-old Juli, a teenager in search of her identity who inadvertently starts to rebel against a restrictive regime * Juli has always been a good girl. A pupil at an exclusive private school, her life has always been normal, her family has been normal, and her school is utterly normal. But when Juli comes home one day to find her house ransacked and her mother missing, Juli expects her father and the police to help. But as they begin to tidy up around her, putting the house back together and telling her that nothing unusual has happened here, Juli begins to feel distinctly not normal... Her mother’s disappearance alerts Juli to things she’s previously never noticed – how anyone outside the regimented description is described a ‘Freak’, how segregated her society has become, how her ‘Normal’ life protected her from realising what was going on around her. And as she tries to probe her mother’s disappearance, she learns the shocking truth that her mother may well have been a Fey – one of those on the boundaries of ‘Freak’ society – and this may be the key to her disappearance. But Fey is a terrible word in Juli’s world, a harsh insult, and something totally inappropriate for Normal girls to learn – or even think – about. Juli knows deep down that her mother was innately good, and begins to wonder: could the Fey population not be what the Normals have been telling her? With the help of Ksu, a rather unusual girl new to her school, and Ksu’s brother, a rebellious law student, Juli begins her search for the truth about her mother and her own identity. Alina Bronsky brings a wonderfully honest and refreshing voice to the YA genre and a damning portrayal of an oppressive regime. MIRROR CHILD is the first part of a trilogy. Alina Bronsky Alina Bronsky was born in 1978 and was a medical student, advertising copywriter and the editor of a daily newspaper until the day she sent a manuscript to three publishers and immediately sold her first book. That novel Scherbenpark (Broken Glass Park), was among the most acclaimed debut novels of 2008 and was nominated for various awards, including the German Juvenile Literature Award. Her second novel, Die schärfsten Gerichte der tatarischen Küche (The Hottest Dishes of the Tartar Cuisine), was longlisted for the German Book Award. Rights to Bronsky’s novels have been sold to more than ten countries and published in countries such as the U.S. and Italy.

Arena Verlag

Edite Kroll Literary Agency Out of Nowhere by Maria Padian, proprietor Edite Kroll Literary Agency Inc., US publisher Knopf Books For Young Readers / Random House First publication: Spring 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 10+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* The latest novel from award-winning author Maria Padian * Some guys have all the luck. At least, Tom Bouchard does. Top of his class, top of his game (soccer), the guy with the hot girlfriend and even hotter college prospects (if he can get his applications done), he’s definitely, in the words of his not-so-lucky childhood friend, Donnie Plourde: the “Big Man on Campus with a Side of Rock Star.” So when a stupid prank against a rival school lands both teenagers on the wrong side of the law and at the bottom of a 100-hour mountain of community service, it’s a whole new world for Tom. Trouble takes him places he never dreamed of. Like the K Street Center, a run-down old church in the sketchy part of town, where, after practice each day, he’s the new “homework helper.” There he meets Myla, the college student volunteer with the patch of purple dyed hair and blue, blue eyes. And Samira, who might be rockin’ a little head scarf and a bomber jacket one day, and a full length hijab the next, but who is always hard to get to know. Then there is Saeed, the newcomer to this town who can’t speak English perfectly but sure speaks soccer, with a corner kick that lofts and bends into the goal like it’s carried on the wings of angels. Suddenly, Tom’s new world includes the possibility of a state soccer championship. 'The novel is rich and multidimensional, addressing the Muslim experience in America, addiction, and romance. Tom is an authentic narrator who deals out lifechanging empathy' - School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW 'Her well-formed characters and realistic circumstances make for a large and powerful story about re-evaluating one’s beliefs' - Publishers Weekly 'Padian has written a sensitive, sympathetic, and insightful portrayal of the plight of new immigrants attempting to acculturate while being forced to deal with casual bigotry' - Booklist Maria Padian MARIA PADIAN is the author of Jersey Tomatoes Are the Best and Brett McCarthy: Work in Progress, which was an ALA-YALSA Best Book for Young Adults. A graduate of Middlebury College and the University of Virginia, she has also attended Oxford University and the Bread Loaf Writers' Conference. Born in New York but raised in New Jersey, she now lives in Maine with her family and their Australian shepherd, and was inspired by the events in her community to write Out of Nowhere.

Edite Kroll Literary Agency

Egmont USA Oblivion by Sasha Dawn, US publisher Egmont USA, proprietor Egmont USA First publication: Fall 2014 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* Tense psychological thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat * Two years ago Callie was found in an abandoned apartment, scrawling words on the wall “I KILLED HIM". His blood is on my hands. His heart is in my soul. I KILLED HIM. But she remembers nothing of that night or of the three previous days. All she knows is that her father, the reverend at the Church of the Holy Promise, is missing, as is Hannah, a young girl from the parish. Several years later, the police have no new leads, and Callie is trying to move on with her life. She’s living with a foster family, and has become close to her new foster sister, Lindsey. But try as she might, she can’t escape the half-remembered memories, fragments of a night, of a horror, of a crimson door and a missing child. When Lindsey has a crush on a boy, John Fogel, Callie agrees to help her win him over. But she doesn’t count on the powerful attraction between them – or on the fact that he holds unexplained information about her past. As Callie gets deeper into the mystery, her world begins to lose its moorings. Is she becoming insane, like her mother who’s confined to an asylum? Or does she really have all the pieces to know the full truth of what happened that night – and to find Hannah before it’s too late? Sasha Dawn Sasha is currently teaching college composition (and Zumba and dance) to America's youth. She has a BA in history, an MA in Creative Writing, and she has a crush on Thomas Jefferson (which doesn't necessarily mean much to the layperson, but it explains my commitment to a prolific lifestyle). She lives in a suburb of Chicago.

Egmont USA

The Scar Boys by Len Vlahos, proprietor Egmont USA, US publisher Egmont USA First publication: Spring 2014 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm In attempting to describe himself in his college application essay—help us to become acquainted with you beyond your courses, grades, and test scores—Harbinger (Harry) Jones goes way beyond the 250 word limit and gives a full account of his life. The first defining moment: the day the neighborhood goons tied him to a tree during a lightning storm when he was 8 years old, and the tree was struck and caught fire. Harry was badly burned and has had to live with the physical and emotional scars, reactions from strangers, bullying and loneliness that instantly became his everyday reality. The second defining moment: the day in 8th grade when the handsome, charismatic Johnny rescued him from the bullies, and then made the startling suggestion that they start a band together. Harry discovered that playing music transported him out of his nightmare of a world, and he finally had something that compelled people to look beyond his physical appearance. Harry’s description of his life in his essay is both humorous and heart-wrenching. He had a steeper road to climb than the average kid, but ends up learning something about personal power, friendship, first love and how to fit in the world. While he's looking back at the moments that have shaped his life, most of this story takes place while Harry is in high school and the summer after he graduates. Len Vlahos Len Vlahos is the Executive Director of BISG, and the former COO of the American Booksellers Association, where he worked for the past 20 years. Until last year, he had overall responsibility for ABA's Winter Institute. He knows booksellers and booksellers know him, a significant advantage when it comes time to promote his books. Len has also worked in indie, chain, and university bookstores, was an on-air personality for a commercial radio station in Atlantic City, and worked for a time for Internet marketing guru Seth Godin. As for the music component of the novel, Len was, in fact, in a punk rock band in the mid-80s. The Woofing Cookies actually toured and their music was played on dozens of college radio stations coast to coast.

Egmont USA

A Really Awesome Mess by Tricia Cook and Brendan Halpin, US publisher Egmont USA First publication: 23 July 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 240 pages Ages 14+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* NICK AND NORAH'S INFINITE PLAYLIST crosses with JUNO in a mirthful novel about two damaged teenagers who begin to overcome their problems and get their lives back on track as they fall in love * Two teenagers. Two very bumpy roads taken. Both lead to Heartland Academy. Justin was just having fun, but when his dad walked in on him with a girl in a very compromising position, Justin’s summer took a quick turn for the worse. His parents’ divorce put Justin on rocky mental ground, and after a handful of Tylenol lands him in the hospital, he has really hit rock bottom. Emmy never felt like part of her family. She was adopted from China. Her parents and sister tower over her and look like they came out of a Ralph Lauren catalog— and Emmy definitely doesn’t. After a scandalous photo of Emmy leads to vicious rumors around school, she threatens the boy who started it all on Facebook. Justin and Emmy arrive at Heartland Academy, a reform school that will force them to deal with their issues, as damaged souls with little patience for authority. But along the way they will find a ragtag group of teens who are just as broken, stubborn, and full of sarcasm as themselves. In the end, they might even call each other friends. A funny, sad, and remarkable story, A REALLY AWESOME MESS is a journey of friendship and self-discovery that teen readers will surely sign up for. Brendan Halpin Brendan has two novels published by FSG's YA division (HOW YA LIKE ME NOW and FOREVER CHANGES) with a third on the way next year. Brendan's adult novels and nonfiction are published regularly at Random House's Villard imprint. He has been featured on the Today Show, NPR's Fresh Air, and Rosie, as well as in Good Housekeeping, the New York Times Modern Love column, and several other prominent magazines and newspapers.

Tricia Cook Trish is a former corporate communications consultant whose debut YA novel SO LYRICAL was published in May 2005 by NAL Jam; its sequel, OVERNIGHT SENSATION, published in February 2006.

Egmont USA

My Homework Ate My Homework by Patrick Jennings, proprietor Egmont USA First publication: 23 April 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 224 pages Ages 8-12 Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* Ferrets fur-ever! * Everyone loves Bandito, the class pet, with his twitchy nose and his raccoon-like black mask. Well, everyone except eleven-year-old Zaritza, who thinks he’s hideous and creepy and smells like boiled cabbage. But Bandito may be the answer to Zaritza’s school problems when her teacher, Mr. O. says she can have extra credit if she turns in her missing math assignments and takes care of the class pet over winter break. Only Zaritza feels Bandito is as boring as school itself. And why waste time on fussing over ferrets when she must prepare for the starring role in the upcoming school play? But when Bandito escapes his cage and eats Zaritza’s assignments, she’ll have to think fast. Who’d ever believe “my homework ate my homework”? Warm, fresh, and funny, middle-grade readers will give this tale of ferrets and friendship a standing ovation. This is Patrick Jennings' fourth novel for Egmont USA following on from the success of GUINEA DOG, INVASION OF THE DOGNAPPERS and LUCKY CAP. Patrick Jennings Patrick Jennings blasted onto the children's book scene with his critically acclaimed Faith and the Electric Dogs, which received numerous starred reviews and is now in film development. A former resident of Bisbee, Arizona, Jennings now lives in Washington State. Visit him online at www.patrickjennings.com.

Egmont USA

What I Came to Tell You by Tommy Hays, proprietor Egmont USA First publication: 23 September 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 9-12 Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* A broken family learns to forgive one another, and themselves, through one boy's determination, his art, and the support of a community * In the spirit of such beloved novels as Newbery Medal-winning MISSING MAY and BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE, warm, lush, evocative writing blends with an emotion-laden narrative that goes right to the heart of the reader in this debut middlegrade novel from a well-respected adult writer. Since his mother passed away nearly a year before, Grover Johnston has watched his family fall to pieces as his father throws himself into his work rather than dealing with the pain. Left to care for his pestering younger sister, Sudie, Grover finds solace in creating intricate weavings out of the natural materials found in the field behind his North Carolina home, a pursuit that his father sees only as a waste of time. But as tensions mount between father and son, two unlikely forces conspire to lead the Johnstons on a new path -- a presence that seems to come to Grover in his darkest moments, and new tenants in the rental house across the street who have come from deep in the Carolina hills and plopped themselves right into Grover's life. The families seem so different but become increasingly intertwined, bound together in unexpected ways, until one devastating disaster threatens to tear them apart. Tender, touching, and utterly compelling, WHAT I CAME TO TELL YOU, the first middle-grade novel from critically acclaimed Asheville author Tommy Hays, is a story of grief, love, and hard-won redemption. Praise for WHAT I CAME TO TELL YOU: "It's as sweet and steely as the best of Southern story-telling, filled with love, loss and heart-warming redemption." -- Robert Lipsyte, author of The Contender "Tommy Hays has quietly but steadily established himself as one of the South's finest novelists, and now he has written his best book yet. What I Came to Tell You is a greathearted novel filled with wisdom and truth." -- Ron Rash, author of Serena Tommy Hays Tommy Hays is the author of several adult novels, most recently the successful and critically acclaimed THE PLEASURE WAS MINE. The starred review in Publishers Weekly read: “Hays's elegiac, penetrating description of Prate's marriage frames the landscape of this brilliant novel about love, loss, marriage and family.” Tommy is Executive Director of the Great Smokies Writing Program and a Lecturer in the Master of Liberal Arts Program at the University of North Carolina at Asheville.

Egmont USA

Erin Murphy Literary Agency Parched by Melanie Crowder, proprietor Erin Murphy Literary Agency 1, proprietor Houghton Mifflin Harcourt First publication: Spring 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 180 pages Ages 10-14 Translation; Bologna 2013; UK & Comm In the desert where raindrops slide between the cracks in the ground as quickly as they fall to the earth, water riots pour out of the dying city, killing Sarel's parents and burning her home to the ground. Now she struggles to keep herself, and her dogs, alive. Nandi and her pups watch over Sarel as she worries over their dwindling water supply, flinching away from the reach of the city gangs. Musa's mother taught him to read the twitching dance of the dowsing sticks. But in this time of punishing drought, Musa's own brother betrays him to the brutal Tandie gang. He is kept in chains and forced to dowse for water while the city is slowly crushed on all sides by rival gangs. When Musa escapes, Nandi senses the approach of the boy with the water song inside him and eases the way between the two untrusting children. But Sarel and Musa must work together if they are going to find water before the Tandie find them. "Spare, unflinching, and beautifully written, this novel walks the line between magic and reality…". Franny Billingsley “Parched is a thrilling, imaginative soul quencher. Crowder’s brutal and stunning debut is sure to become a modern classic.” Rita Williams Garcia "Brutally beautiful, this is a story that both inspires and sounds an alarm, a story of courage and heart. Just like Musa's ability to tap into water, it asks us to tap into our own humanity, even though it might be more deeply hidden than we can imagine." Kathi Appelt Melanie Crowder Melanie Crowder lives and writes in the beautiful state of Colorado. She holds an MFA in Writing from Vermont College of Fine Arts. This is her first novel.

Erin Murphy Literary Agency

Dahlia's Rules for Ghosting by Ammi-Joan Paquette, US publisher Walker, proprietor Erin Murphy Literary Agency First publication: Spring 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 8-12 Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* Gorgeous new novel from the author of critically acclaimed NOWHERE GIRL * Twelve-year-old Dahlia is a ghost with a big problem. Not only is she confined to the grounds of Silverton Manor, she can’t even remember how or when she died. With the arrival of a ghostly Liberator, Dahlia sees her surroundings in a new light, and begins to look for clues to what is keeping her from moving on. Meanwhile, Oliver Day is a boy looking for a home. Moving with his family to spooky, secluded Silverton Manor for a six-month house-sitting job, Oliver decides this is the place where he wants to live for good. But with an oily town official constantly prodding the family to act as normal as possible, and a creepy Ghosterminator determined to prove that the house is haunted, both Oliver and Dahlia soon find themselves getting a lot more trouble than they bargained for. Ammi-Joan Paquette A. J. PAQUETTE lives in Massachusetts with her family, where she is also a literary agent for the Erin Murphy Literary Agency. Nowhere Girl was her first novel for middle-grade readers, and Dahlia's Rules for Ghosting, her second book, is due in Spring 2013.


The Birthday I Slayed a Demon, Met a Swoony Prince and (Kind of) Saved New Jersey by Sayantani DasGupta, proprietor Erin Murphy Literary Agency 1 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 9-12 UK & Comm; Bologna 2013

* Original and hilarious new voice for middle-grade readers * When Kiran comes homes from school on her thirteenth birthday, she’s expecting the usual fuss from her parents – ‘oh my little princess, darling piece of the moon, come and open your presents’ – before they have to head back to the Quickie Mart on route 46. But oh no – this year it’s going to be different. There’s no sign of her parents, just a half-scrawled card reading: Take heart, Dear Daughter, We know now that the stories were true, and the magical spell protecting us all has been broken on this, your thirteenth birthday. Forgive us for trying to shield you from the truth. Now there is too little time to explain. Whatever you do, do not let any rakshas into the house. Trust the princes to keep you safe, but more importantly, trust yourself. I leave here some extra rupees and a moving map in case you find them of use. But I beg you, do not try to find us. It is far too dangerous. We go now to that dark and terrible place where all spells meet their end. (Oh, and your mother says to make sure to take your gummy vitamins every morning.) Darling piece-of-the-moon, the first thing you must do is to find --Before it breaks off in a trail of ink. This is not going to be the usual day, especially when the demon turns up in the kitchen… Thus begins Kiran’s whirlwind journey from this world to the next, with princes, talking birds and flesh-eating demons to contend with. Actually sometimes the demons might be easier than the princes… But this is the story that turns one ordinary girl from New Jersey into the princess of legend that she was meant to be. THE BIRTHDAY I SLAYED A DEMON, MET A SWOONY PRINCESS AND (KIND OF) SAVED THE WORLD is Rick Riordan meets Georgia Nicholson by way of Bollywood. It is sassy, funny, contemporary, and draws on the folktales of West Bengal, India, with a touch of sweet young sighing romance thrown in for good measure. Sayantani DasGupta Sayantani is a contributor to the Mixed-Up Files blog, and also has her own blog. She and her mother appeared on the cover of Ms. Magazine in 1992 under the heading "Hottest New Teams: Feminist Mothers and Daughters." She is a medical doctor specializing in narrative medicine, teaching at Columbia, and was recently quoted in an article about narrative medicine in Oprah magazine.


Herman Agency Busted by Robin Mellom, proprietor Herman Agency, US publisher Hyperion First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Translation; Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* Follow up to the hilarious and accomplished debut DITCHED! *

In BUSTED, 17-year old Serenity takes a job running errands for an eccentric couple and finds herself involved in the crazy world of LA nightlife. After a misunderstanding lands her in jail, she has one fateful night to clear her name, help a rising movie starlet avoid the paparazzi and find Adam, the coworker who is quickly stealing her heart. As she makes decisions that can change the course of her life, Serenity discovers just how far she’ll go to set the record straight. Robin Mellom Robin Mellom (www.robinmellom.com) has taught grades five through eight and has a master’s degree in education. Her first novel, Ditched: A Love Story, came out in January 2012. She lives with her husband and son on the central coast of California. Follow her on Twitter (@robinmellom).

Herman Agency

It's Not the End of the World by Julie Williams, proprietor Herman Agency, US publisher Macmillan US First publication: Spring 2014 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Translation; Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* A cross between Lisa Yee's Millicent Minn: Girl Genius and La Cage Aux Folles, IT'S NOT THE END OF THE WORLD is a funny, truly original YA novel that pulls at the heartstrings * Sixteen-year-old Jessie Jasper Lewis' world as she knows it is coming to an end. While some kids might mind their mother, father, his boyfriend and a very theatrical cousin all living under the same roof, plus a constantly visiting and on again off again Jehovah’s Witness grandma predicting the end of the world, Jessie likes her wacky family just as they are and is too smart to fool herself into believing that she has the power to keep them together.

Herman Agency

Life Gets Twisted by Denise Lewis Patrick, US publisher Lerner Publishing, proprietor Herman Agency First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Translation; Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* An extraordinary new story that will enter the canon of great American literature * LIFE GETS TWISTED immerses the reader in the Southern African-American experience in much the way THE HOUSE ON MANGO STREET shared the innercity Hispanic experience. LIFE GETS TWISTED's stories are linked by the raw reality of prejudice, courage, perseverance and love. In our world where the color of your skin, religion, sexual orientation, etc. unfortunately still matters, LIFE GETS TWISTED does not preach, does not pontificate, it presents and lets the reader absorb, consider and perhaps even act. As Denise puts it: 'I grew up in Louisiana during the 1960’s and very early 1970’s. These years were tumultuous enough for my generation, but I was raised by and around Afro-Africanblack Americans who came of age during the Depression and the decades before; my Great-great grandmother on one side (whom I knew) was born the year that the Civil War ended, and my father’s grandmother was a slave as a child. Yes, this is a rich heritage. It’s a complicated heritage. If I were to write about my life, my memoirs, I would actually be writing the stories of all of these people before me. Their truths are mine. These stories span the same time frame that my personal experience does. They are fiction, but they possess a reality only known to people of color in this country. I want everyone to know.' Denise Patrick Denise Lewis Patrick is the author of over 30 books for children, including Meet Cécile, Troubles For Cécile, and Cécile’s Gift, published by American Girl in Fall 2011; and Finding Someplace, published from Henry Holt in Fall 2012.

Herman Agency

Who I Kissed by Janet Gurtler, US publisher Sourcebooks, proprietor Herman Agency First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Translation; Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* Third and latest novel from critically acclaimed author Janet Gurtler * In WHO I KISSED, a teen girl struggles with boy problems and serious regret after accidentally killing a boy she barely knows when she kisses him after consuming a peanut butter sandwich, not aware he has a deathly allergy to peanuts. WHO I KISSED is Janet's 3rd YA novel at Sourcebooks. Janet's other young adult novels, I'M NOT HER (Spring 2011) and IF I TELL (Fall 2011) are garnering amazing praise. Praise for WHO I KISSED: Kirkus: 'Gurtler demonstrates sensitivity toward her characters and insight into their emotional responses to their friend’s death... A touching story' Praise for Janet's earlier novels: IF I TELL: "This novel also addresses the pressure students feel to fit in and encourages them to stay true to themselves. Sometimes we just need to hear that it’s OK to be different.” – Booklist I'M NOT HER: "Rich in characterization, Gurtler’s novel wrestles with some serious issues and explores different means of coping (or escaping) yet manages not to be overwhelming or bleak. Just right for fans of Sarah Dessen and Jodi Picoult, this is a strong debut that attempts to answer the question, What does it really mean to live?" - Booklist Janet Gurtler Janet Gurtler started writing advertising copy for radio and television and eventually moved to work in sales and marketing for many years. After having a son, she returned to her love of writing and began freelancing for magazines and eventually followed her dreams and wrote her first book. Her first YA, WAITING TO SCORE was published by Westside Books in Spring 2009 under the pseudonym JE MacLeod. Visit her website at www.janetgurtler.com

Herman Agency

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Hero by Alethea Kontis, proprietor Houghton Mifflin Harcourt First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages +12 Bologna 2013; UK & Common

* Sequel to the gorgeous and critically acclaimed ENCHANTED * Saturday, tomboy sister to Sunday from ENCHANTED, feels like she’s the only unmagical one in the family. Of course events prove her wrong, as she soon goes off to sea, gets trapped by a witch in a mountain where she meets a very appealing young man under a spell only she can break, and eventually finds a way to rescue her brother Trix from the evil fairy underworld. As with the first book, the novel blends a number of well-known fairy tales into a fresh, lively, and wholly original story. PRAISE FOR ENCHANTED: * A Kirkus Best Teen Book of 2012 * "A fabulous fairy-tale mashup that deserves hordes of avid readers. Absolutely delectable."—Kirkus, STARRED REVIEW "Kontis delivers a fairy-tale mash-up that outright sparkles."—School Library Journal, STARRED REVIEW "Fantasy readers will undoubtedly enjoy the . . . mash-up of these famous stories, spiced with comedy, romance and magical powers."—VOYA "It's the relaxed humor of Kontis' presentation that not only ups the realism of characters unfazed by talking frogs and fey characters but also gives this offering its sweet, distinctive stamp."—Booklist Alethea Kontis Alethea Kontis is the New York Times best-selling co-author of Sherrilyn Kenyon’s The Dark-Hunter Companion. Alethea was a student of the science-fiction greats Andre Norton and Orson Scott Card, and she has worked in a number of bookrelated jobs. She lives in Ashburn, Virginia. Visit her at www.aletheakontis.com.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Swagger by Carl Deuker, proprietor Houghton Mifflin Harcourt First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages +12 Bologna 2013; UK & Common Jonas Dolan, is a high school point guard phenomenon whose athletic star is on the rise. When his teammate confides that their charismatic coach sexually abused him, Jonas must choose between honoring and protecting his friend or preserving his dreams of a career in basketball. Another captivating psychological sports novel from award-winning and best-selling novelist Carl Deuker, in which riveting basketball games combine with ethical ambiguities and the timely issue of sex abuse in sports.


Double Digit by Annabel Monaghan, proprietor Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, US publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm;

* Sequel to the fantastic A GIRL NAMED DIGIT * Eighteen year-old Digit is officially a student at MIT in Boston. But college life is not what she expected. Digit's used to being the alpha dog, at least when it comes to brains. But she's just another genius among many here. And to make things worse, she and John split up. But on the bright side, Digit's discovered a new talent: hacking! What Digit doesn't realize is that her old enemy Jonas Furnace is watching her. Now he knows what she's capable of, and he wants her on his side… Combining suspense, intrigue, a real kidnapping this time, plus romance and humor, Double Digit is the thrilling sequel to A Girl Named Digit and just as much fun to read. PRAISE FOR A GIRL NAMED DIGIT: "Conspiracy, humor, romance, and math puzzles are all skillfully blended elements in this clever story . . . bound to be a popular title."--VOYA "This novel is so much fun to read that readers will buy it all, thanks to Farrah's smart, witty voice and the gentle romance between John and Farrah."--Kirkus "Teens struggling with self-identity will relate to Digit and enjoy this quick, suspenseful read."--School Library Journal "In a first novel that combines adventure, mystery, love, and humor, Monaghan shows a talent for creating a likable narrator and for keeping the pages turning."-Booklist online "This fast-paced caper novel will appeal to readers who like their nonstop action aided and abetted by romance and humor."--Bulletin Annabel Monaghan Annabel Monaghan lives in Rye, New York, with her family. This is her first novel for teens.


Dr. Bird's Advice for Sad Poets by Evan Roskos, proprietor Houghton Mifflin Harcourt First publication: Spring 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 275 pages Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* A striking YA debut that wrangles with teenage angst, and the highs and lows of depression, narrated with equal parts humour and heft. * In this often hilarious, sometimes heartbreaking, but always hopeful young adult novel, 16-year-old James Whitman is trying to navigate high school and a tough home life while wrestling with depression and anxiety. James recites Walt Whitman, hugs trees, talks to an imaginary bird therapist and tries to figure out why his sister Jorie has been kicked out of school and out of the house. His parents won’t talk about it and act like their family is better off now that she's gone. But James feels guilty for failing to defend Jorie over the years and one day while snooping through his sister’s room, he stumbles upon a box that reveals some of Jorie’s secrets. ࠉ In his quest to try to bring Jorie back home, he ends up battling with his parents, the principal, his best friend and even himself as he tries to figure out what part he played in Jorie’s exile and discovers that some of Jorie’s secrets aren’t that different from his own.ࠉࠉ This debut novel by MFA Evan James Roskos offers an incredibly compelling view of teen angst and depression, capturing all the anxiety, dorkiness, emotion, conflicts, passion, and confusion that teens can go through. * Captivating introspection from a winning character. -STARRED REVIEW, KIRKUS Evan Roskos Evan Roskos completed his MFA at Rutgers University, Newark, in 2009, and currently lives in Collingswood, New Jersey. He was named one of Narrative’s 20 Best New Writers, and has had stories in Best Fiction, StoryQuarterly, and other literary journals. Visit his blog at www.evanroskos.blogspot.com.


Game Slaves by Gard Skinner, proprietor Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, US publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm Journalist Gard Skinner's GAME SLAVES, set in the world of online video games and told from the revolutionary perspective of the villains who fight gamers in the world's top-selling games, it imagines a scenario in which these virtual figures have become self-aware and make the transition to the actual world to search for their identities.

Mistwalker by Saundra Mitchell, proprietor Houghton Mifflin Harcourt First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm When Willa’s brother dies on the family fishing boat, her father forbids her from stepping foot on the deck. But her family needs her, and she’ll do anything to help out– even going to see the Grey Man, the legendary spirit who haunts the lighthouse, controlling the fog–and with it, the fate of any boat within 100 miles. But what Willa finds isn’t a spirit at all, but a boy trapped inside until he takes 1,000 souls. Saundra Mitchell's MISTWALKER, tells the story of a local legend in a lobstering town in Maine, and the girl who became entangled in its mysteries. "Creepy, romantic and oozing with atmosphere, Mitchell deftly brings readers along on a nail-biting adventure."--Carrie Jones, author of Need "Willa's messy, complicated love for her family is heartbreaking and true, as are her mistakes and acts of bravery. Readers will be swept away in this raw and beautifully-told story about grief, forgiveness and what binds us–love."--Jo Knowles, author of Jumping Off Swings Saundra Mitchell Saundra Mitchell is a screenwriter and author. Her debut novel, Shadowed Summer, was a 2010 Edgar Award Nominee, a Junior Library Guild selection, and an ALAN Pick. Saundra enjoys studying history, papermaking, and spending time with her husband and her two children. She lives in Indianapolis, Indiana. www.saundramitchell.com


Nothing But Blue by Lisa Jahn-Clough, proprietor Houghton Mifflin Harcourt First publication: Spring 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* After seeing her house destroyed, Blue suffers acute memory loss. She decides to head back to her childhood home, unsure of where it is, who she is, or what's waiting for her when she gets there * She wasn't always Blue. Before, she was a normal teenage girl. She had a boyfriend, a mom and a dad, and a house near the ocean. A normal life. Then something happened; she can't remember what exactly. She just knows it was very bad and nothing is left. Now she's Blue. Nothing but Blue. And all she wants is to get back home. Stark and powerful, Blue's journey to re-discover who she is and where she comes from will make readers appreciate what they have. Lisa Jahn-Clough Lisa Jahn-Clough has written many books for children, including Country Girl, City Girl and Me, Penelope. She splits her time between southern New Jersey and Portland, Maine. Visit her website at www.lisajahnclough.com.


Stained by Cheryl Rainfield, proprietor Houghton Mifflin Harcourt First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* Latest novel from the bestselling thriller author of SCARS and HUNTED * Sarah Meadows longs for ‘normal.’ She was born with a port-wine stain covering half her face, and for all of her life her scar has elicited stares, giggles, and disgust -not only from kids, but from adults as well. The morning of her plastic surgery she wakes up, ecstatic that she will soon be able to blend in with everyone else. But it’s not to be. Her father has just learned that someone has embezzled from his company, and all of the money for the surgery is gone. When her best friend ridicules her in order to impress some guy, Sarah knows that her day can’t get any worse. She’s wrong. Sarah is abducted by her father’s young coworker, a troubled man who is haunted by his own sister’s disfigurement, and the repercussions it had on his family. As Sarah struggles to escape, her community, friends, and family rally to find her. But will it be too late? To find freedom, Sarah must tap into courage she never knew she had, and must learn to look beyond her disfigurement to find the beauty and strength she has inside. Cheryl Rainfield


The Caged Graves by Dianne Salerni, proprietor Houghton Mifflin Harcourt First publication: Spring 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* In 1867, Verity Boone returns to her hometown to marry a man she has never met. When she finds out that her mother's grave is in an iron cage outside the cemetery, she tries to get an explanation, unleashing violence and eventually revealing family secrets, including murder * 17-year-old Verity Boone expects a warm homecoming when she returns to Catawissa, Pennsylvania, in 1867, pledged to marry a man she has never met. Instead, she finds a father she barely knows and a future husband with whom she apparently has nothing in common. One truly horrifying surprise awaits her: the graves of her mother and aunt are enclosed in iron cages outside the local cemetery. Nobody in town will explain why, but Verity hears rumors of buried treasure and witchcraft. Perhaps the cages were built to keep gravediggers out . . . or to keep the women in. Determined to understand, Verity finds herself in a life-and-death struggle with people she trusted. Inspired by a pair of real caged graves in present-day Catawissa, this historical YA novel weaves mystery, romance, and action into a suspenseful drama with human greed and passion at its core. Dianne Salerni Dianne K. Salerni was inspired to write this novel after finding two real-life caged graves. She is a fifth-grade teacher and children’s book author who lives in New London, Pennsylvania. Visit her website at www.highspiritsbook.com.


Tides by Betsy Cornwell, proprietor Houghton Mifflin Harcourt First publication: Spring 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm When Noah and Lo Gallagher move into their grandmother’s ramshackle island cottage for the summer, they don't expect much in the way of adventure. Noah's internship at the local research aquarium is the first step toward his lifelong dream of becoming a marine biologist, and he plans on spending every minute working toward that dream. When he tries to rescue a girl named Mara from drowning—only to learn that she was just fine without his help, thank you very much—his plans for a quiet, hardworking summer derail completely. Mara is a selkie. Her sister was taken years before by a human, and her elder does not want her to spend time on land. She has been warned her entire life that humans cannot be trusted. But she can't help but be charmed by the kind and harmless Noah, and when she finds out that her elder has had a decades-long romance with a human, she lets him into her secret world of selkie shape-shifters and ancient magic. When the kidnapper strikes again, Mara can no longer trust her feelings or Noah. He and Lo must prove his innocence before they can join Mara in her fight to unravel the mystery of the kidnapper's identity and save her family. Betsy Cornwell Debut author Betsy Cornwell graduated from Smith College in 2010. She was a columnist and editor at Teen Ink before receiving an MFA in creative writing at Notre Dame, where she also taught fiction writing as well as film and television studies. She is currently living in Inis Mór, Ireland. Visit her website at www.betsycornwell.com.


Entangled by Amy Capetta, proprietor Houghton Mifflin Harcourt First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 14+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* The lead title from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt's Fall list * Imagine that you are all alone in the universe--only to discover that you are utterly bound to someone you have never met. You are Entangled. Cade has only her cherry-red guitar for companionship in the outer reaches of space. Then her mysterious past comes calling--bringing danger and the hope of human connection. With an oddball interspecies crew, Cade embarks on a spaceship mission through the stars. Book One in an original and romantic dystopian duet, Entangled challenges readers to consider the impact of making choices based on fear versus hope...and how our biggest choice can come down to how much we are willing to risk to connect. Amy Capetta Amy Rose graduated with an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts in January 2012 and is an Assistant Editor of the Children's and Young Adult section of Hunger Mountain literary journal. She has written screenplays for independent film, the most recent of which debuted at Toronto’s ReelHeart International Film Festival in 2011.


Frogged by Vivian Velde, proprietor Houghton Mifflin Harcourt First publication: Spring 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 9-12 Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* From Edgar Award-winning author Vivian Vande Velde comes a new middle-grade novel: a fresh and funny twist on the fairy tale "The Princess and the Frog" in which Princess Imogene kisses a frog to break the spell he’s under--and gets turned into a frog herself!* "A princess ought to be as good as she is beautiful." So says The Art of Being a Princess, which Princess Imogene is supposed to be reading. But since she is neither particularly good nor all that beautiful, she decides to visit the pond instead. There she meets a talking frog who claims to be a prince under a witch’s spell. Imogene kindly kisses him to remove the spell—and gets turned into a frog herself! Now the only way for the princess to un-frog herself is to convince someone else to kiss her. But before she can figure out a plan, Imogene gets kidnapped and becomes the unwilling star attraction in a third-rate traveling theater company. Can she find a way to undo the spell—or will she be frogged forever? Vivian Velde Vivian Vande Velde has written many highly acclaimed books for teen and middle-grade readers, including Three Good Deeds, Heir Apparent, Deadly Pink, and the Edgar Awardwinning Never Trust a Dead Man. She lives in Rochester, New York. Visit her website at www.vivianvandevelde.com.


Hippomobile! by Jeff Tapia, proprietor Houghton Mifflin Harcourt First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 9-12 Bologna 2013; UK & Common Hippomobile! is fun to read but hard to categorize. With steampunk, tall tale and just plain silly elements, the story of how ten-year-old twins Jimmy and Stella found out about the unique vehicle and its history, and then used it to rescue their beloved town of Wymore, is an original variant on a tried and true theme. There are many stories about kid crusaders who save something, but none like this one. A cast of wildly eccentric characters, most of whom are the twins' 47 grandmas and grandpas; a liberal sprinkling of diner slang and odd colloquial phrases, many explained in footnotes; and a sense that the events described never took place but could have, are among the surprising ingredients of this unconventional creation. This is a debut novel. Jeff Tapia Jeff Tapia lived in Germany, Hungary, and the U. S. before settling in Austria with his family. He works as a freelance translator and has written several plays and short stories in both English and German. The small-town setting of Hippomobile! was inspired by his travels through the rural Midwest and Plains states.


Ice Dogs Terry Johnson First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 9-12 Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* A compelling survival story * Victoria Secord, a 14-year-old Alaskan dogsled racer, loses her way on a routine outing with her dogs. With food gone and temperatures dropping, her survival and that of her dogs and the mysterious boy she meets in the woods, is entirely up to her. Author Terry Lynn Johnson is a musher herself and her crackling writing puts readers at the reins as Victoria and Chris experience setbacks, mistakes, and small triumphs in their wilderness adventure. Terry Johnson Terry Lynn Johnson lives in Whitefish Falls, Ontario where for ten years she owned a team of eighteen Alaskan Huskies. She's an award winning member of the Outdoor Writers of Canada and The Dog Writers Association of America recently winning the Maxwell Medallion of Excellence. When she's not writing, Terry enjoys hiking, snowshoeing, kayak expeditioning, and she occasionally tortures herself in a canoe race. As one of only nine female Conservation Officers in Ontario, Terry understands the challenges and possibilities for women in the outdoors. She recently had her first novel, called Dogsled Dreams, published by 4RV Publishing LLC. Terry has a website, and she also blogs about kayaking and dogsledding: www.terrylynnjohnson.com.


Lenny Cyrus, School Virus by Joe Schreiber, proprietor Houghton Mifflin Harcourt First publication: Spring 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 9-12 Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* The human body is basically just like high school, only a lot ickier * As part of a science experiment in cutting edge nanotechnology, 15-year-old Lenny Cyrus shrinks himself down to the size of an amoeba for twenty four hours and has his friend Harlan secretly inject him into Zooey, the school cheerleader that Lenny has a crush on, in hopes of convincing her to like him. “If I can get to her brain, I can literally change her mind!” But once he’s inside Zooey, microscopic Lenny discovers that girls are even harder to understand from the inside. In fact, the human body is just like the student body -he gets pushed around, intimidated, and almost expelled. Zooey’s blood cells treat him like some kind of disease, and her hormones are even harder to deal with when they seem twenty feet tall. But the worst part comes when, in a moment of characteristic impatience, Lenny inadvertently triggers an infection in Zooey’s brain, and her whole body goes into lockdown. Only by sticking around long enough can he figure out what’s really wrong with the cheerleader, save her, and get out -- before he gets big again. Aimed squarely at the middle-grade market, this short, fast-paced novel is the perfect, hilarious summer read. Joe Schreiber Joe Schreiber is the author of the best-selling adult novels Death Troopers, Chasing the Dead, and Eat the Dark, as well as young adult novels Au Revoir, Crazy European Chick and Perry’s Killer Playlist. He lives in Pennsylvania. He has never been shrunk down to micrometer size. Visit his blog at www.scaryparent.blogspot.com.


Mysterious Woods of the Whistle Root by Christopher Pennell, illustrated by Rebecca Bond First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 9-12 Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* A little girl who can only sleep during the day grows from something of an isolated town oddity to the heiress of an ancient legacy of magic and music * Exquisitely illustrated, this gentle, satisfying young fantasy is filled with unforgettable, quirky characters imagery. A perfect read-aloud, it shows how one can find friends in the unlikeliest of places--windowsills, rabbit burrows, the library. Debut author Christopher Pennell casts a spell with his irresistible adventure while illustrator Rebecca Bond's pen-and-ink drawings perfectly capture this atmospheric world and contribute to the feel of a timeless classic. Step into the mysterious woods of Whistle Root and feel the magic. Christopher Pennell Christopher Pennell studied briefly at Yale but graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with degrees in German and Psychology. The Mysterious Woods of Whistle Root is his first novel, which he began writing after he and his wife moved into a house with a small woods behind it and their daughter was born. He is currently working on a new middle grade novel. This is his first book.


The Mesmer Menace by Kersten Hamilton, proprietor Houghton Mifflin Harcourt First publication: Spring 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 9-12 Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* The first book in the Gadgets and Gears series, a fast-paced, richly illustrated middle grade historical fantasy series narrated by a daring dachshund and brimming with mad science * Welcome to the Amazing Automated Inn, home of eleven-year-old inventor Wally Kennewickett, his genius scientist parents, and his dashing dog, Noodles. From the lightning harvester on the roof to the labs full of experiments in the dungeon, the inn is a wonderful place for a curious boy and his loyal dog to be. That is, until President Theodore Roosevelt himself calls the elder Kennewicketts away, leaving Wally and Noodles to face the evil mesmers, horrible hypnotists bent on controling the minds of powerful people. It seems the inn is their first stop on the way to world domination . . . and only an ingenious boy, a staff of automatons, and a brave dachshund stand in their way! First book in a highly readable younger middle grade series, this is a fresh new story narrated from a dachshund's point of view. Perfect for (but not limited to) boys and reluctant readers this is a fast paced, quick read with richly illustrated with intricate black-and-white line drawings. Kersten Hamilton Kersten Hamilton is the author of the Goblin Wars YA trilogy, as well as several picture books and many novels for children. She has worked as a ranch hand, a woodcutter, a lumberjack, a census taker, a wrangler for wildnerness guides, and an archaeological surveyor. Now, when she's not writing, she hunts dinosaurs in the deserts and badlands of New Mexico. For more about Kersten, please visit www.kerstenhamilton.com.


Turn Left at the Cow by Lisa Bullard, US publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 9-12 Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* Lisa Bullard's TURN LEFT AT THE COW, about a boy who finds out that his dead-before-he-was-born dad may have been a bank robber and hunts for the missing loot * Thirteen-year-old Trav has always wondered about his "dead-before-he-was-born" dad. So when his mother remarries he decides it's time to leave his California home and head for Minnesota, where he hopes his grandmother will give him a clue about the secret side of his family. But Trav gets more than he bargained for when on his first morning there he finds a frozen head in his grandmother's freezer. Things get even crazier when Iz and Kenny next door tell Trav that they're searching for the missing loot from a bank robbery—a robbery that Trav's dad may have orchestrated right before he mysteriously disappeared. With nothing better to do in rural Minnesota, Trav joins Kenny and Iz in their hunt for the cash. After all, when Iz isn't acting like an ice queen she's pretty cute, and maybe locating the loot will reveal what actually happened to Trav's father. But the trio soon discovers that someone else is looking for the cash too—someone who won't give up without a fight. This is a debut novel. Lisa Bullard Lisa Bullard is the award-winning author of more than 60 books for children, including You Can Write a Story: A StoryWriting Recipe for Kids. She teaches writing classes at the Loft Literary Center and regularly visits schools to talk with students about story-writing.


Lerner Publishing Group The Twelve-Fingered Boy John Hornor Jacobs, US publisher Lerner Publishing From the series: Incarcerado Trilogy First publication: Spring 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Translation; Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

*An astonishing and gripping novel featuring an unforgettable protagonist and an inspiring friendship * Except for missing his young brother, fifteen-year-old fast-talking Shreve doesn’t mind juvie. He’s good at dealing contraband candy, and three meals a day is more than his drunk mother provided. In juvie, the rules never change and everyone is the same. In juvie, Shreve has life figured out. So when he’s assigned a strangely silent and vulnerable new cellmate, Jack, Shreve takes the younger boy under his wing. But all Shreve’s plans and schemes unravel when he discovers Jack is different. For one thing, Jack has six fingers per hand. For another thing, he just might have superpowers. Soon Jack has drawn the attention of the cellblock bullies as well as the mysterious Mr. Quincrux – who claims to be from the Department of Health and Human Services. But when Shreve feels Quincrux invade his mind and shuffle through his darkest memories, he knows Quincrux’s interest in Jack is far more sinister. Mr. Quincrux means to take Jack away. For what purposes, no one knows. But Shreve has another plan: escape. STARRED REVIEW: "Jacobs’ storytelling has the effortless velocity of early Dean Koontz, and his prose is textured with hard-boiled grit...An expertly spiced stew of attitude, humor, horror, and grief—and with a movie-ready plot to boot. Sequels? Probably. Let’s make that hopefully" - Booklist "It’s a little bit Shawshank Redemption, a little bit X-Men, as adult author Jacobs (This Dark Earth) launches a promising trilogy about superhuman teens...Shreve’s hard-edged narrative voice is strong, and Jacobs skillfully builds tension and mystery throughout." - Publisher's Weekly "[This]is a thrill ride. With candy. And polydactyl, reluctantly heroic kids who go up against all odds in a world of uncontrollable superpowers and unrelenting bad guys. Exciting, suspenseful, creepy, and fun—The Twelve-Fingered Boy is a terrific, fast-paced read!" --Andrew Smith, award-winning author of The Marbury Lens and Stick

Lerner Publishing Group

John Jacobs John Hornor Jacobs is the author of SOUTHERN GODS, short-listed for the Bram Stoker Award for First Novel, THIS DARK EARTH, published July 3, 2012, from Simon & Schuster/Gallery Books, and THE TWELVE-FINGERED BOY, coming in 2013, from Carolrhoda Lab. He lives with his family in Arkansas, where he is also a musician and graphic artist. Visit him at www.johnhornorjacobs.com.

A Wounded Name by Dot Hutchison, US publisher Lerner Publishing First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 14+ Translation; Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

*Ophelia’s story. With faeries. And a boarding school. And smoldering romance. And glorious prose. The rest is silence.* Elsinore is a contemporary boarding school in New England and all the major players are students, faculty, alumni, or staff. The story begins in the immediate aftermath of King Hamlet’s death but a bit before the action of Shakespeare’s play. The narrator is Ophelia, and we immediately learn that, although we are nowhere near the arrival of Hamlet’s madness (the madness that drives her to suicide in Shakespeare), Ophelia is not well. Sometime in the recent past, she and her mother attempted suicide – her mother successfully – and Ophelia has been treated like delicate, damaged goods ever since. Ophelia is also subject to the curse of her mother’s side of the family: she’s pixie led. In other words, she’s sees and hears the faerie world. In this story, Ophelia’s personal struggle is every bit as rich as Hamlet’s – she is a shadow Hamlet. She is no longer the fragile waif caught up and driven mad in Hamlet’s whirlwind. She has her own ghosts; she’s made her own awful promises she can’t bear to keep but knows in the end she must, even if they’ll cost her everything. "Madness, passion, gorgeous word-play, and the inexorable spiral into tragedy: Elsinore Drowning embodies everything I love from Hamlet." - Tessa Gratton, author of The Blood Journals and Songs of New Asgard series. Dot Hutchison Dot Hutchinson is a YA author with a background in theatre. Elsinore Drowning is her first book.


The Berenson Scheme Lisa Doan, proprietor Lerner Publishing First publication: Spring 2014 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 9-12 Translation; Bologna 2013; UK & Comm The Berenson Schemes by Lisa Doan is a series of humorous, adventure-driven books for late-elementary and middle school readers. Jack Berenson, a phobiaplagued, checklist-making eighth grader, just wants a normal childhood. But he keeps getting caught up in his globe-trotting parents’ get-rich-quick schemes. Throughout the books, Jack has to survive a smorgasbord of international dangers and help his mom and dad grow up. In the first volume of The Berenson Schemes, Jack’s parents take an unwilling Jack on a vacation to the Caribbean island of Campano. His mom and dad have a plan to start a snorkel tour business, and Jack winds up shipwrecked during one of the early trips out on the water. He learns to fend for himself and befriends some of the local wildlife.


Macmillan US Sorry for Your Loss by Matt Blackstone, US publisher Farrar, Straus & Giroux, proprietor Macmillan US First publication: 01 January 2014 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 272 pages Ages 10-14 Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* THE HANGOVER for teen boys! * Denny “Donuts” Murphy has always been known as the world’s biggest class clown. When his mother dies, he becomes an even bigger clown—answering questions with jokes, breaking into dance when the awkward silences become even more awkward. Donuts just wants a normal life—one where his mom is still alive and where his dad doesn’t sit in front of a TV all day. And so he tries to get back into the groove by helping his best friend Manny with their plan to get dates for the end-of-the-year school dance. Of course, their plan doesn’t go over too well when Donuts starts to see his friend, Sabrina, in a different way. He soon learns that laughter is not the best medicine for all of his problems. Sometimes it’s just as important to be true to yourself. Rife with memorable characters, SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS is a funny and uplifting tale about friendship and healing. Matt Blackstone Matt Blackstone joined Teach for America after graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, and presently teaches high school English in the South Bronx. He lives in New York City.

Macmillan US

The Riverman by Aaron Starmer, proprietor Macmillan US First publication: 01 March 2014 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 272 pages Ages 10-14 Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* Gripping middle-grade novel from critically acclaimed author * Alistair Cleary is the kid who everyone trusts, the kid who wraps his fingers around secrets and never lets them go. Fiona Loomis is not the typical girl next door. Alistair hasn't really thought of her since they were little kids until she shows up at his doorstep with a proposition: she wants him to write her biography. What begins as an odd vanity project gradually turns into a frightening glimpse into the mind of a potentially troubled girl. Fiona says that in her basement, there's a portal that leads to a magical world where a creature called the Riverman is stealing the souls of children. And Fiona's soul could be next. If Fiona really believes what she’s saying, Alistair fears she may be crazy. But if it’s true, her life could be at risk. It’s up to Alistair to separate fact from fiction, fantasy from reality. AARON STARMER was born in northern California, raised in the suburbs of Syracuse, New York and educated at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. His novels for young readers include Dweeb and The Only Ones and his travel writing has appeared in numerous guidebooks. He lives with his wife in Hoboken, New Jersey. THE RIVERMAN is Book #1 of a trilogy. Aaron Starmer Aaron Starmer was born in northern California, raised in the suburbs of Syracuse, New York and educated at Drew University in Madison, New Jersey. His novels for young readers include DWEEB and The Only Ones and his travel writing has appeared in numerous guidebooks. He lives with his wife in Hoboken, New Jersey.

Macmillan US

A Summer Invitation by Charlotte Silver, proprietor Macmillan US, US publisher Roaring Brook Press First publication: Spring 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 256 pages Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” meets a YA"Penderwicks" * When Franny and her older sister Valentine are summoned by their Aunt Theodora from foggy San Francisco to sunny New York City for one summer, they are expecting iconic trips to Central Park, Rockefeller Center, and the Met. Instead the two girls are instead taken to old-glamor locales like Bemelmans, the Plaza, and the Sherry Netherland by their chaperone, Clover, Aunt Theodora’s protégé. As they traipse around New York City going lingerie shopping and learning about the simple elegance of cucumber sandwiches, they also begin to unearth secrets and answers about Aunt Theo's glamorous and romantic past, and they have a few romantic adventures of their own. Charlotte Silver Charlotte Silver grew up in Cambridge, Massachussets, before attending Bennington College. She studied writing at The Bread Loaf Writers’ Conference, and has been published in The New York Times. After college, the author spent one memorable summer as a chaperone for two young girls in New York City, which inspired this novel.

Macmillan US

Bubble World by Carol Snow, proprietor Macmillan US, US publisher Henry Holt First publication: 01 July 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 224 pages Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm Freesia's life is perfect. She lives on a beautiful tropical island with ideal weather, fancy dress shops, and peacocks who sing her favorite song to wake her up in the morning. Instead of Latin and Algebra, she chats with her friends and snacks on burritos in Spanglish immersion class. She has so many outfits she could wear a different one every day for a year and not run out. There's only one problem. Nothing in Freesia's life is real. And when Freesia finds out the truth and starts telling her friends, she gets exiled from her virtual world and sent to the "mainland," where people are ugly, school is hard, and families are dysfunctional to say the least. It doesn't take Freesia long to realize that reality is overrated, and she's soon determined to do anything to get back in the bubble. Carol Snow CAROL SNOW is the author of Snap and Switch, an ALA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. She had also written five novels for adults. Originally from New Jersey, she now lives in Southern California with her husband and their two children.

Macmillan US

Engines of a Broken World by Jason Vanhee, proprietor Macmillan US, US publisher Holt Books For Young Readers First publication: 01 November 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 208 pages Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* A literary horror novel from a strong debut voice * Merciful Truth and her brother, Gospel, have just pulled their dead mother into the kitchen and stowed her under the table. It was a long illness, and they wanted to bury her, they did--but it's far too cold outside, and they know they won't be able to dig into the frozen ground. The Minister who lives with them, who preaches through his animal form, doesn't make them feel any better about what they've done. Merciful calms her guilty feelings, but it only lasts until, from the other room, she hears a voice she thought she'd never hear again. It's her mother's voice, and it's singing a lullaby . . .

Macmillan US

Famous Last Words by Jennifer Doktorski, proprietor Macmillan US First publication: 01 July 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 288 pages Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm Sixteen-year-old Samantha D’Angelo has death on the brain. It’s not that she’s morbid (okay, maybe a little), it's that her summer internship at the local newspaper has her writing obituaries instead of soaking up the sun at the beach. Between Shelby, Sam’s boy-obsessed best friend; her boss Harry, a true-blue newspaper man; and AJ, her fellow “intern scum" (A.K.A the scruffy drummer for Love Gas), Sam has her hands full. When she starts investigating a potentially corrupt mayor, her summer gets busier. The best part of her internship is getting to know AJ – it just takes Sam a little while to figure that out. But once she does, will she blow it? As Sam learns her way around both the news room and the real world, she starts to make some momentous realizations about politics, ethics, her family, romance, and most important – herself. Jennifer Doktorski Jennifer Salvato Doktorski is the author of the young adult novel How My Summer Went Up in Flames. She is also a freelance non-fiction writer and has published articles and essays in national magazines, such as Cosmopolitan. Her first paid writing gig was at The North Jersey Herald & News, where she wrote obituaries and began her lifelong love of news and coffee. She lives in New Jersey with her family.

Macmillan US

Freakboy by Kristin Venuti, proprietor Macmillan US First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 448 pages Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm From the outside, Brendan Chase seems to have it pretty easy. He’s a star wrestler, a video game aficionado, and a loving boyfriend to his seemingly perfect match, Vanessa. But on the inside, Brendan struggles to understand why his body feels so wrong—why he sometimes fantasizes having long hair, soft skin, and gentle curves. Is there even a name for guys like him? Guys who sometimes want to be girls? Or is Brendan just a freak? In razor-sharp verse, Kristin Clark folds three narratives into one powerful story: Brendan trying to understand his sexual identity, Vanessa fighting to keep her and Brendan’s relationship alive, and Angel struggling to confront her demons. Kristin Elizabeth Clark KRISTIN always knew she wanted to be a writer. She began dabbling in haiku in the third grade – this “experimentation” turned out to be a gateway to the harder stuff: book-length verse. She lives and writes in Northern California where she has worked as a child advocate within the juvenile justice system, and as a children’s theatre producer. She is a proud volunteer at Project Outlet in Mountain View, CA. Freakboy is her YA debut.

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Furious by Jill Wolfson, US publisher Henry Holt, proprietor Macmillan US First publication: 01 April 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm We were only three angry high school girls, to begin with. Environmentallyconscious Stephanie, angry at big corporations and apathetic citizens. Hot-tempered Alix, angry at the way other kids treated her developmentally-challenged little brother. And me, Meg, angry at how I never had what everyone else took for granted: a family, a proper home, or even a boyfriend. We were only three angry girls, simmering uselessly in our ocean-side California town, until one day a mysterious, beautiful classmate named Ambrosia taught us what else we could be: Powerful. Deadly. Furious. Yes, that’s us. The three Greek Furies, come to life, ready to take our revenge on everyone who deserves it. And who doesn’t deserve it, really? We’re done with second chances. We are angry. The Furies have come to town. *Kirkus, March 1 issue “An enthralling and chilling tale that uses Greek mythology to create a timely fable.” Jill Wolfson Jill Wolfson is the author of the novel What I Call Life. Her writing has also appeared in Salon and the San Jose Mercury News. She lives in Santa Cruz, California.

Macmillan US

Grandmaster by David Klass, US publisher Farrar, Straus & Giroux, proprietor Macmillan US First publication: 01 February 2014 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 240 pages Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* Latest novel from award-winning author David Klass * Daniel Prazter is a freshman on the chess team at a school where it's actually cool to be on the chess team—not that Daniel is cool. But he gets a chance to prove himself when his teammates invite him and his father to a weekend long father-son chess tournament. Daniel thinks that his father is a novice and can't understand why his teammates want so badly for them to participate. Then he finds out the truth: as a teen, his father was one of the highest ranked players in the world—but the game pushed him too far, and he almost killed an opponent. Now, twenty years later, Mr. Pratzer returns to the game to face down an old competitor and the same dark demons that lurk in the corners of a mind stretched by the demands of the game. Daniel was looking for acceptance—but the secrets about his father that he uncovers make him question what chess really teaches. David Klass DAVID KLASS is a screenwriter and the author of many young adult novels, including most recently Stuck On Earth, about which Publishers Weekly called "a thoughtful, often wrenching book [that] offers plenty to think about." He lives in New York City. Visit his author page here: http://us.macmillan.com/author/davidklass

Macmillan US

Second Star by Alyssa Sheinmel, US publisher Farrar, Straus & Giroux, proprietor Macmillan US Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* A contemporary take on the classic Peter Pan tale * Set in modern day Los Angeles, the story follows 17-year-old Wendy Darling as she tries to get to the bottom of her brothers’ disappearance nine months ago. Wendy’s search for her brothers—surfers who spent their days chasing the ultimate wave—leads her to Neverland, a mysterious, almost magical cove. There she meets Pete, the leader of a ragtag group of surfers known as the Lost Boys. Pete introduces Wendy to their carefree, sun-drenched paradise—and gives her her first taste of true love. But this world is as dangerous as it is beautiful, and as she follows the trail of her long-lost brothers into Neverland’s gritty underbelly, Wendy will learn what it really means to grow up. Alyssa Sheinmel Alyssa Sheinmel has written three previous novels, The Beautiful Between, The Lucky Kind, and the forthcoming The Stone Girl.

Macmillan US

The Rule of Three by Eric Walters, US publisher Farrar, Straus & Giroux, proprietor Macmillan US First publication: 01 January 2014 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 336 pages Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* Gripping YA novel from best-selling author * One ordinary afternoon, every single machine in sixteen-year-old Adam’s high school computer lab stops working. At first the problem seems to be an electrical outage, but it quickly becomes apparent that it is far more serious. Outside, cars won’t start, phones are down, and a blackout is widespread. Adam is surprised to find that his ancient, cyber-free car is one of the only vehicles to function. And he senses a rising storm tide of anger and fear as he drives home past hundreds of stranded motorists. Soon Adam will discover that the problem has paralyzed not just his town but the whole region if not the whole country and beyond. Soon—as resources dwindle, crises mount, and chaos descends—he will see that his suburban neighborhood must band together for protection. Soon violence will erupt and Adam will understand that having a police captain for a mother and a retired government agent living next door are not just the facts of his life but the keys to his survival. ERIC WALTERS, a former elementary-school teacher, is one of the best-selling children’s authors in Canada. His more than sixty books have been translated into eleven languages and have won numerous children’s choice awards as well as honors from UNESCO and the Canadian Library Association. Eric is the founder of Creation of Hope, which provides care for orphans in the Makueni district of Kenya, and he lives with his family in Mississauga, Ontario. Eric Walters ERIC WALTERS, a former elementary-school teacher, is one of the best-selling children’s authors in Canada. His more than sixty books have been translated into eleven languages and have won numerous children’s choice awards as well as honors from UNESCO and the Canadian Library Association. Eric is the founder of Creation of Hope, which provides care for orphans in the Makueni district of Kenya, and he lives with his family in Mississauga, Ontario.

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Tumble and Fall by Alexandra Coutts, proprietor Macmillan US, US publisher Farrar, Straus & Giroux First publication: 01 September 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 272 pages Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* What if you only had a week to live? What would you do? Who would you be with at the end? * In Alexandra Coutts’ TUMBLE AND FALL, the world is living in the shadow of oncoming disaster. An asteroid is set to strike the earth in just one week’s time; catastrophe is unavoidable. The question isn’t how we save the world—the question is, what do we do with the time we have left? Against this stark backdrop, three teenagers wrestle with stories of love, friendship and family – all with the ultimate stakes. In the end, TUMBLE AND FALL is a remarkable story of courage and of hope. Alexandra is an extraordinary writer, who also authored WISH and WISHFUL THINKING (Scholastic), under her maiden-name Alexandra Bullen. We’re thrilled to have the opportunity to work with her again. Alexandra Coutts Alexandra Coutts (also known under her maiden name, Bullen), was born in Boston, Massachusetts and grew up in a nearby suburb. After high school, which she survived mostly by reading and writing, she moved to New York City, where she attended the Gallatin School of Individualized Study at New York University. After nearly a decade of city slicking, Alexandra now lives on Martha’s Vineyard, an island off the coast of Massachusetts. She writes mostly at home, and usually in her pajamas.

Macmillan US

Uncrashable Dakota by Andy Marino, proprietor Macmillan US, US publisher Holt Books For Young Readers First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 272 pages Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm In 1862, Union army infantryman Samuel Dakota changed history when he spilled a bottle of pilfered moonshine in the Virginia dirt and stumbled upon the biochemical secret of flight. Not only did the Civil War come to a much faster close, but Dakota Industrial & Aeronautics was born. Now, in 1914, the titanic Dakota flagship embarks on a trans-Atlantic flight meant to be a show of defiance of the Austro-Hungarian airfleet. But shortly after the journey begins, the airship is hijacked. Fighting to save the ship, the young heir of the Dakota empire, Hollis, along with his brilliant friend Nora and his stepbrother James, are plunged into the midst of a long-simmering family feud. When the battle escalates, Hollis discovers his grandfather Samuel Dakota’s final secret hidden high above the charted sky – a miraculous and powerful invention which could change the world. Andy Marino ANDY MARINO was born and raised in Clifton Park, New York. He graduated from NYU and currently lives in Queens. He is also the author of Unison Spark.

Macmillan US

Love in the Time of Global Warming by Francesca Lia Block, US publisher Henry Holt, proprietor Macmillan US First publication: 01 March 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 224 pages Ages 14+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm Seventeen-year-old Penelope (Pen) has lost everything--her home, her parents, and her ten-year-old brother. Like a female Odysseus, in search of home, she navigates a dark world full of strange creatures, gathers companions and loses them, finds love and loses it, and faces her mortal enemy. In her signature style, Francesca Lia Block has created a world that is beautiful in its destruction and as frightening as it is lovely. At the helm is Pen, a strong heroine who refuses to be defeated. Francesca Block Francesca Lia Block, winner of the prestigious Margaret A. Edwards Lifetime Achievement Award, is the author of many acclaimed and bestselling books, including Dangerous Angels: The Weetzie Bat Books, Roses and Bones: Myths, Tales and Secrets, and the adult novel The Elementals. Her work has been translated and published around the world. She lives in Los Angeles with her two children. Visit our author page for her here: http://us.macmillan.com/author/francescaliablock-1

Macmillan US

Nil by Lynne Matson, proprietor Macmillan US, US publisher Henry Holt First publication: 01 March 2014 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 384 pages Ages 14+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* Debut YA novel from an amazing new voice * High school volleyball star and math whiz Charley Crowder has just stepped out of her car in a Target parking lot when she is swept away by a shimmering gateway, and ends up stark naked on the mysterious tropical island of Nil. She soon finds that the only other humans on the island are also teenagers who have established their own society with a strict hierarchy and rules. Each teen has exactly one year to catch an exit gate back home - or die. The first person Charley meets is Thad, a seasoned veteran of Nil who appoints himself her “island guide.” As romance blossoms between them, Charley can’t forget that Thad has already been on the island for 278 days, and his time is fast running out. No one knows how to predict where the exit gates will appear, but Charley knows she has to figure it out fast, or risk losing Thad forever. Lynne Matson grew up in Georgia in a house full of books and a backyard full of gnarly pines. She attended the University of Florida, where she met and married her husband, the cutest boy she’s ever seen. Now, Lynne is mother to four amazing boys. After a career as an attorney, Lynne is thrilled to be making her debut in YA fiction. Lynne Matson Lynne Matson grew up in Georgia in a house full of books and a backyard full of gnarly pines. She attended the University of Florida, where she met and married her husband, the cutest boy she’s ever seen. Now, Lynne is mother to four amazing boys. After a career as an attorney, Lynne is thrilled to be making her debut in YA fiction.

Macmillan US

Streaming by Heather Demetrios, proprietor Macmillan US, US publisher Henry Holt First publication: 01 February 2014 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 384 pages Ages 14+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* Meet Bonnie™ - you know more about her than she does… * 17-year-old Bonnie™ Baker is a former star of hit reality TV show Baker’s Dozen, and along with her twelve siblings, she has spent most of her life in front of the camera. Four years ago, after the media frenzy surrounding her parents' divorce, Bonnie™ and her family changed their names, moved across the country, and ended the show. For the first time ever, Bonnie™ has some privacy, and is building a new life for herself at the local high school. But it's all about to fall apart… because Baker’s Dozen is going back on the air. Bonnie™ is involuntarily thrust back into the limelight, with her every move streaming online 24-7. Her media-hungry mother and the producers of the show won't let her quit, and Bonnie™’s not sure her family will make it through a new season. Plus, she’ll never be able to date her awesome crush Patrick Sheldon with a camera following her all the time. She has to find a way to break away and live her own life...but can one girl fight the power of the reality-TV juggernaut? When she's not traipsing around the world or spending time in imaginary places, HEATHER DEMETRIOS lives with her husband in Boston. Originally from Los Angeles, she now calls the east coast home. Heather is getting her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts and is a recipient of the PEN New England Discovery Award. She's never been on reality TV, but her grandmother keeps begging her to do The Amazing Race. Material Available: 2/8 Heather Demetrios When she's not traipsing around the world or spending time in imaginary places, Heather Demetrios lives with her husband in Boston. Originally from Los Angeles, she now calls the east coast home. Heather is getting her MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts and is a recipient of the PEN New England Discovery Award. She's never been on reality TV, but her grandmother keeps begging her to do The Amazing Race.

Macmillan US

No Dogs Allowed by Stephanie Calmenson, by Joanna Cole, illustrated by Heather Ross, proprietor Macmillan US First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 112 pages Ages 6-9 Bologna 2013; UK & Comm Kate and Sophie each long for a dog as a pet. Of course when they spy a couple of pink glittery dog-bone necklaces at the local thrift shop, they have to have them. But to their amazement, when they put on the necklaces and give each other high fives...they turn into dogs themselves! It's a bit worrisome at first, but when they figure out they can change back into girls (by giving each other high paws), they soon realize that this magic is the best ever. Kate and Sophie soon take full advantage of their magical power: they can play (gentle) tricks on the two boys who tease them; learn new skills at school; even solve a mystery or two. In fact there's no end to the adventures that these two can have -both as dogs and as best friends. Stephanie Calmenson STEPHANIE CALMENSON'S books have been called "marvelous" (Publishers Weekly), "lyrical" (School Library Journal), "hilarious" (School Library Journal), "sweet, funny, and right on the mark" (Booklist). A former teacher, children's book editor, and Editorial Director of the Parents Magazine Press Read-Aloud Book Club, Stephanie feels privileged to have found work that brings together her love of kids, words and laughter.

Joanna Cole JOANNA COLE needs no introduction as the author of the Magic School Bus, which franchise has been a pillar of Scholastic's success over the past twenty years or more. Joanna, a former elementary school teacher, has also written many bestselling and long-lived picture books for children.

Heather Ross HEATHER ROSS is an artist and author. Among the children's books she has illustrated are Crafty Chloe; Iva Honeysuckle Discovers the World; and Mo Wren, Lost and Found. She lives in New York with her family.

Macmillan US

Bowling Alley Bandit: The Adventures of Arnie the Doughnut by Laurie Keller, proprietor Macmillan US First publication: 01 June 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 112 pages Ages 7-10 Bologna 2013; UK & Comm As Mr. Bing's new pet "doughnut dog," Arnie couldn't be happier. When Mr. Bing joins a bowling league, Arnie gets to go along to practices and competitions. But then Mr. Bing loses his glasses and starts rolling gutter balls. Someone or something is behind the madness. Arnie must solve the mystery and save the day. Full of the same winning charm and silly humour that Laurie Keller is known for, this chapter book--the first in the series--is sure to please her fans. Laurie Keller LAURIE KELLER is the acclaimed author-illustrator of Do Unto Otters, Arnie, the Doughnut, and The Scrambled States of America. She earned a B.F.A. at Kendall College of Art and Design, then worked at Hallmark as a greeting card illustrator before turning to children's books. She lives in a little cottage in the woods on the shore of Lake Michigan.

Macmillan US

Einstein the Class Hamster by Janet Tashjian, illustrated by Jake Tashjian, proprietor Macmillan US First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 144 pages Ages 7-10 Bologna 2013; UK & Comm Einstein, the class hamster, knows lots of cool facts about science and he shares his knowledge with the class through his science game show. He just can't understand why Ms. Moreno, the fourth grade teacher, keeps trying to take over his show. Thankfully, there’s Ned -- the only kid in class who can hear Einstein talk. Ned and Einstein team up and deal with school antics together. This is a hilarious, fresh, illustrated chapter book by a successful mother/son team. Janet Tashjian Janet Tashjian is the author of many popular novels including My Life as a Book; Larry and the Meaning of Life; Vote for Larry; The Gospel According to Larry; Fault Line; Multiple Choice; and Tru Confessions. She lives with her family in Los Angeles, California. www.janettashjian.com

Jake Tashjian Jake Tashjian is Janet's son. He has been drawing pictures of his vocabulary words since he was a kid (he’s now fourteen), and has a stack of index cards taller than a house.

Macmillan US

Jack Strong Sits Down by Tommy Greenwald, US publisher Roaring Brook Press, proprietor Macmillan US First publication: 01 September 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 244 pages Ages 8-12 Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* New stand-alone novel from award-winning author * Jack Strong just wants to be a regular kid. But his parents have overscheduled his week with every extracurricular activity under the sky: tennis, baseball, cello, karate, youth orchestra, tutoring, and Chinese language lessons—all on top of regular homework. His parents want him to be “well-rounded” and prepared for those crucial college applications. Jack’s just about had enough. And so he stages a sit-in on his couch and refuses to get up until his parents let him quit some of the extracurriculars. As Jack’s protest gains momentum, he attracts a local television host who is interested in doing a segment on Jack. Tensions rise as counter-protesters in favor of hardworking kids camp across the street from Jack and his couch. Jack’s enjoying this newfound attention, but he’s worried that this sit-in may have gone too far. Tommy Greenwald TOMMY GREENWALD went on strike once in his life, when the local Baskin-Robbins decided to discontinue his favorite flavor, German Chocolate Cake. The strike lasted until he realized they still sold Rocky Road.When Tommy Greenwald’s not sitting on his couch, he’s the Executive Creative Director at SPOTCO, an entertainment advertising agency in New York City. Tommy swears he wasn't anything like the overinvolved dad portrayed in this book. Ask his kids! No wait, don't. Tommy lives in Connecticut with his wife, Cathy; his non-reading sons, Charlie, Joe and Jack; and his dogs, Moose and Coco.

Macmillan US

Wolf by Valerie Hobbs, proprietor Macmillan US First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 160 pages Ages 9-12 Bologna 2013; UK & Comm Jack the dog has found a home and purpose on a farm, where he keeps a flock of sheep safe from marauding coyotes and helps train young pups to do the same. When a new threat comes along in the form of a rabid wolf, Jack worries that he may not be up to the task: is he just too old to face it? But he's determined not to disappoint his owners, especially his boy, Luke, who still thinks that, despite Jack's age, he is still the best, smartest, and fastest dog around. When Jack's favorite young pup and Luke's lives are both threatened by the wolf, Jack gathers the courage and strength to fight for all that he is responsible for and the ones he loves most. Valerie Hobbs (Can't display cover image - the specified file is not a recognized or supported image format.)

VALERIE HOBBS is the bestselling author of Sheep and Defiance, as well as several young adult novels and is known for her "finely tuned realism" and memorable characters. She lives in Santa Barbara, California.

Macmillan US

Pippin Properties The True Blue Scouts of the Sugar Man Swamp by Kathi Appelt, proprietor Pippin Properties, US publisher Atheneum First publication: Summer 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 10-14 Translation; Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* Latest novel from award-winning author Kathi Appelt * Raccoon brothers Bingo and J’miah are the newest recruits of the Official Sugar Man Swamp Scouts—a big responsibility, yes, but rest assured: they are indeed ready to shoulder this duty. You might even say they’ve been waiting for this their whole lives. The opportunity to serve the Sugar Man—the massive creature who delights in delicious sugarcane and magnanimously rules over the swamp—is an honor; yes, it is. And the rest of the critters in the swamp rely heavily on the intel from these hardworking scouts. Twelve-year-old Chap Brayburn, on the other hand, is not a member of any such organization. But he does know the canebrake lullaby and how to fry a sugar pie like nobody’s business. Plus, he loves the swamp something fierce. He’ll do anything to protect it. Well, good thing for that. For there’s a gang of wicked feral hogs on the march, headed straight toward Sugar Man Swamp. And there’s a group of developers headed toward the swamp from another direction. Slowly at first, but picking up speed as they go, they all barrel forward. They’re all a-comin’. Wake up, Sugar Man. Wake up! Praise for KEEPER: KIRKUS - starred review 'Beautiful and evocative—an absolute “keeper.”' PUBLISHERS WEEKLY - starred review 'Appelt masterfully balances themes of loss and renewal and demonstrates that magic works in unexpected ways. In so doing, she has written another keeper.' SCHOOL LIBRARY JOURNAL - starred review 'Filled with love, wild adventure, family drama, and even a touch of true fantasy, this is a deeply satisfying tale.' HORN BOOK - starred review 'Appelt beautifully integrates folkloric elements and magic realism into her tale of a girl slowly learning the truth about herself.'

Pippin Properties

Kathi Appelt Kathi Appelt, at the age of seven, stumbled and fell into an alligator pit in San Antonio, Texas, a place where there should be no alligators or alligator pits. Fortunately, she was a lot bigger than the alligator, who was more scared of her than she was of it! She is a member of the faculty at Vermont College's Master of Fine Arts program and occasionally teaches creative writing at Texas A&M University. She has two grown children, and lives in Texas with her husband and four cats. Her debut novel, THE UNDERNEATH, was a National Book Award finalist and a Newbery Honor book.

Jerk by Jason Reynolds, US publisher Simon & Schuster Inc, proprietor Pippin Properties First publication: Spring 2014 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Translation; Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* Sold to Atheneum in a 2 book, six figure pre-empt * 15-year-old Ali has never known anything other than the Bed-Stuy neighborhood he grew up in and the crazy characters that share his block. And though he’s seen it all, he’s always managed to keep himself out of trouble. Besides, his mom would kill him if she found out he was running with the wrong crew. The one exception is his best friend, Noodles. His mother may not approve of their friendship, but she knows that trying to separate them would be impossible. But when Noodles starts giving into the pressures of being a kid from the wrong part of town, Ali has to decide just how many times he’s willing to bail him out. An astonishing novel from a debut author. Jason Reynolds Jason Reynolds studied at the University of Maryland where he earned a degree in English, with a concentration in Writing and Rhetoric. His first book, co-written by friend and artist, Jason Douglas Griffin, My Name is Jason. Mine Too, was published in 2009, and received two starred reviews, as well as a write-up in the Washington Post. He currently lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Pippin Properties

Firefly Hollow by Alison McGhee, illustrated by Christopher Denise, US publisher Atheneum, proprietor Pippin Properties First publication: Spring 2014 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 9-12 Translation; Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* Latest novel from #1 NYT bestselling author Alison McGhee * hree best friends – a boy, a firefly and a cricket – make plans to escape the T confines of their world and sail down the river to where the river meets the sea. But their paths unexpectedly diverge, and in this novel, reminiscent of both The Wind in the Willows and Charlotte’s Web, Firefly and Cricket, with the help of their friend Vole, learn to follow their own dreams. Alison McGhee Alison McGhee is a Pulitzer Prize nominee and a #1 New York Times bestselling author. She writes for all ages and in all forms, from poetry and stories to novels and picture books and essays, and her books are popular with critics and readers alike. Her novel Shadow Baby was a Today Show Book Club pick, and her picture book Someday was featured on NPR.

Pippin Properties

Scott Treimel NY Zomboy by Richard Scrimger, US publisher HarperCollins Inc, proprietor Scott Treimel NY First publication: Spring 2014 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Translation; Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

*Zomboy is a funny and moving story about friendship and fitting in. But don’t be fooled by all this serious talk. It’s a book with zombies in it.* Bob and Evil-O (her name is Olive but she spells it backwards) have a new classmate this year. Imre is the survivor of a nuclear accident in Northern Canada. The government wants to integrate him into the regular school system even though he’s, well, different. As the principal explains to the class, “Imre wants what you want – to make friends, to do well, to have fun. He’s a child like any of you here. Except that his heart isn’t beating.” Imre is small and mild mannered and eats vegetables, but he is undead, and possesses some traditional zombie traits – he is as strong as an ox, and his body parts are not very firmly attached. As Imre polarizes student opinion, and attracts media attention and PTA pickets (NO ZOMBIES IN OUR SCHOOLS), there is plenty of opportunity for hatred, horror, and hi jinks. Evil-O befriends the zomboy at once, invites him home, even helps him run for class president. The real psychic journey is Bob’s. He must face the possibility of losing his best friend, and overcome his personal fear of zombies to see Imre as an individual. And, in the shocking climax, it is Bob who uncovers the government secret that shrouds Imre’s condition... Richard Scrimger Richard's books have been published in North America by Tundra and Penguin/Dutton, Pocket Jeunesse in France, Hunmunmedia in Korea, and most recently by Urachhaus in Germany and soon with Orca Books in North America.

Scott Treimel NY

Soho Teen Before I See Another Day Adele Griffin First publication: Spring 2014 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Translation; Frankfurt 2013; UK & Comm Two-time National Book Award finalist Adele Griffin offers an ingenious fictional take on the “oral history” celebrity bio that defined a bestselling genre: Edie, American Girl by Jean Stein and George Plimpton (http://www.amazon.com/EdieAmerican-Girl-Jean-Stein/dp/0802134106). In presenting herself as interviewer and curator of memories, Adele paints the portrait of a tragic young celebrity who allegedly committed suicide—presented in a series of brief first-person recollections—that ultimately results in the solving of a murder. Adele’s words: “From the moment she burst into the downtown art scene, eighteenyear-old Addison Stone was someone to watch. Her trademark subversive street art and her violent drowning left her fans and critics craving to know more about this brilliant wild-child who shone so bright and was gone too soon. By means of more than one hundred interviews with those who knew her best—including close friends, family, teachers, mentors, art dealers, boyfriends, and critics—I have retraced the tumultuous path of Addison’s life, with research that sheds new evidence on what really happened the night of July 28, 2013. With photo inserts and previously unpublished supplemental material.” Adele Griffin Adele Griffin was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, she moved to New York to work in children's book publishing. Her first book, Rainy Season, was a loosely biographical account of growing up on a military base in Panama. She is also the author of the Witch Twins and Vampire Island middle grade series. Her novels Sons of Liberty and Where I Want to Be were both National Book Award Finalists. Her most recent book, Picture the Dead, a young adult historical novel set during the Civil War, will be published by Sourcebooks in June, 2010. Adele lives with her husband and daughter in Brooklyn, New York.

Soho Teen

Dancer, Daughter, Traitor, Spy Elizabeth Kiem First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Translation; Bologna 2013; UK & Comm Marya is a ballet dancer born of privilege; her mother, Sveta, is the most popular ballerina in the Soviet Union: the regime's glamorous face to the West. When her mother disappears, Marya and her father suspect their lives are in danger and arrange a harrowing defection. But Marya has a secret. Like her mother, she can see glimpses of the future: a gift coveted by the powers-that-be in the Soviet Union. Worse, Marya is certain that her father is doomed to be murdered at their new home in Brighton Beach, where his closest friends are unapologetic criminals. Sure enough, when Marya’s father and his best friend are gunned down in a neighborhood club, Marya finds herself alone—save for another recent defector: a talented 17-year-old pianist named Ben who studies at her new American school. Together, the two navigate a web of intrigue that ultimately reveals the truth about her gift, her mother's disappearance, and her father's identity. Elizabeth Kiem Elizabeth Kiem studied Russian language and literature at Columbia University and lived in Russia for four years immediately after the collapse of the Soviet Union. Her nonfiction work can be read all over the world wide web. Dancer, Daughter, Traitor, Spy is her first novel. She lives in New York.

Soho Teen

Liv, Forever Amy Talkington First publication: Spring 2014 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Translation; Frankfurt 2013; UK & Comm Sixteen-year-old Liv Bloom is a quirky aspiring artist who has somehow managed to escape a dead-end foster child life: she landed a scholarship at Wickham Hall, a prestigious New England boarding school. Amused (and overwhelmed) by its weird traditions and rituals, she plunges in to life at Wickham blind to its darkest secret. Over the past 150 years, students have been murdered in the name of an unimaginable conspiracy. Unbeknownst to anyone but the victims—and Gabe Nichols, a poor kid Liv’s age, cursed alone among all the students with an ability to see the dead—the victims’ spirits linger on campus. Liv’s first six weeks at Wickham are a whirlwind of unexpected romance. Malcolm Astor, scion of one of the school’s original families, falls for her. Malcolm does seem different than the other “Wickies:” for starters, he knows more about art than she does. Gabe warns her not to get involved, but she can’t help herself. By the time she realizes she’s in love, too, she becomes Wickham Hall’s next victim: murdered by an unseen assailant, with the crime expertly covered up as a suicide. With Gabe’s help, she is able to prove to the bereft Malcolm that she’s still present…lingering with the other dead. Together, Liv, Gabe, and Malcolm expose the terrible truth that has haunted Wickham—literally and figuratively—since its founding. Amy Talkington Amy Talkington is a writer and director living in Los Angeles. Amy has written screenplays for Fox 2000, 20th Century Fox, MGM, Summit Entertainment, and New Line Cinema. She has also written for television and is at work on a young adult novel. Originally from Texas, Amy graduated magna cum laude from Barnard College with a degree in art history. She went on to receive an MFA in film from Columbia University.

Soho Teen

Save the Enemy (formerly Dream Diary, The) by Arin Greenwood, proprietor Soho Teen First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Translation; Bologna 2013; UK & Comm Days before she is due to start college, Zoey Trask—whose mother was murdered the previous year in a random mugging—is now faced with the abduction of her father. Zoey soon discovers that her autistic-spectrum younger brother, Ben, has kept an eerily prescient diary that seems to reveal both clues about their father’s captors and, more strangely, clues to their mother’s seemingly unrelated death. Alone with the responsibility of caring for Ben, Zoey finds herself drawn into a lethal battle both to rescue their father and to learn the truth about their parents. A YA psychological mystery/thriller with a Rain Man-like sibling story at its heart and a Pretty Little Liars paranormal red herring—with a twist. Arin Greenwood Arin Greenwood is a writer and former lawyer living just outside Washington, D.C., with her husband, Ray, their dog, Murray, and their cat, Derrick. Arin is an editor for The Huffington Post, covering things both nerdy and weird, like Virginia cats running for U.S. Senate, in and around the nation's capital. Her stories have appeared in Slate, the Washington City Paper, the American Bar Association Journal, and dozens of other publications. Her first novel—Tropical Depression, published in 2011—was loosely based on the five-odd, sometimes very odd, years Arin spent lawyering on a small island near Guam. Save the Enemy is her first young adult novel. Read some of Arin's stories and get in touch at www.aringreenwood.com.

Soho Teen

Strangelets Michelle Gagnon, US publisher Soho Teen First publication: Spring 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 256 pages Ages 12+ Translation; Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

*A suspenseful new YA novel from veteran thriller writer Michelle Gagnon.* On a day like any other, six smarter-than-most teens wake up in the same hospital after having experienced a traumatic event that they can't quite remember...other than being forcibly sucked into an abyss at the moment of their deaths. Somebody or something seems to be pulling the strings. With individual clocks ticking – and with each guarding an individual secretņthey band together and conspire to piece together the whole of what happened. Soon they discover that they've been trapped in a future that isn't of their making: a deadly, desolate world at once entirely familiar and utterly strange. Only one of them holds the key to getting them home. But which one, and why? As the truth is revealed through the eyes of its three key players, the reader is taken on a dark journey into both the hearts of teens who must do anything to survive, and into the heart of a parent who will do anything to protect his child. Michelle Gagnon Michelle Gagnon is a veteran thriller writer and International Mystery Book Association bestseller, whose novels have been published in numerous countries and include The Tunnels, Boneyard, The Gatekeeper, and Kidnap & Ransom. She has also worked as a bartender, freelance journalist, and model. Her first YA trilogy, Don’t Turn Around, debuted with HarperCollins in May 2012. You can visit her online at www.michellegagnon.com

Soho Teen

The Sweet Dead Life Joy Preble, US publisher Soho Teen, proprietor Soho Teen First publication: Spring 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 256 pages Ages 12+ Translation; Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

*A funny and sassy mystery with a great wisecracking voice.* 16-year-old Casey really doesn’t care much about anything except for getting stoned, getting laid (no luck there)—and getting help for his 13-year-old sister, Jenna, who is dying under mysterious circumstances. He’s sacrificed his high school career to work two jobs, making up for lack of insurance coverage in Jenna’s treatment. (Dad ran away when they were kids; Mom suffers from an inexplicable depression that renders her catatonic at best.) On the day Casey’s life hits rock bottom, Jenna has a seizure. Racing to the hospital in their beat-up Prius, Casey gets into an accident. He dies; Jenna doesn’t. In limbo, Casey is given a choice: return to earth as a guardian angel for Jenna, or remain in Paradise. He chooses the former...he has to save his sister. But as told in journal entries from Jenna’s POV, Casey’s miraculous return from the grave comes with a price. His life as an angel is a lot better than his previous life as a mortal: he’s a lot more attractive to girls, for starters. As the two of them fight to keep Jenna alive, they discover that Jenna was being poisoned. And as they work to solve the mystery behind this heinous deed, they discover dark secrets about their parents and the rest of their small suburb—while Casey wrestles with his newfound powers and hard-to-control id. Soho Teen Press has just signed up a sequel to THE SWEET DEAD LIFE. Joy Preble Joy Preble is the author of the highly acclaimed and topselling Dreaming Anastasia series. A former English teacher, Joy grew up in Chicago and is a graduate of Northwestern University. She is now a full time writer and lives with her family in Texas, where she has learned to say “y’all” without any hint of irony. You can visit her online at www.joypreble.com.

Soho Teen

Escape Theory Margaux Froley, US publisher Soho Teen First publication: 01 March 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 256 pages Ages 14+ Translation; Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

*In Treatment meets Pretty Little Liars at The Keaton Academy, a prestigious California boarding school.* 17-year-old Devon always tries her best to do the right thing, even though she would rather be somewhere else. She’s an 11th grade peer counselor who works under the supervision of the school’s resident “shrink” (a generous term given that he doesn’t have an advanced degree) meeting anonymously with students in crisis... Everybody on campus seems to have a dark secret or hidden problem, from the scandalous to the hilarious to the truly disturbing. When an apparent suicide on campus shakes the community—involving a boy with whom she had a fleeting but unrequited romantic entanglement in the 9th grade—Devon uncovers a conspiracy that not only threatens the school’s existence, but also exposes the truth about her own past. Margaux Froley Margaux Froley, a Southern California native and boarding school grad, spent the last few years working her way through the Hollywood ranks to become a television writer on CW’s Privileged. She then moved to New York to become a development executive at MTV Networks. Escape Theory is her first novel. Margaux currently lives in Brooklyn and still hopes to be Roald Dahl when she grows up. You’ll be able to visit her soon online at www.margauxfroley.com.

Soho Teen

Projection by Risa Green, proprietor Soho Teen First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 14+ Translation; Bologna 2013; UK & Comm Three very different teen girls with very different agendas are granted the opportunity to trade souls: a magical ability passed via successive generations to a select few. When an unsolved murder shakes their community, they are compelled to use the power—which derives from the real-life writings of the Greek philosopher Plotinus and draws upon the legends surrounding his demise and death. Told in multi-POV narrative, and echoed with the backstory from Plotinus’s own experiences in Ancient Greece, Projection is a harrowing mystery that explores the perils of ultimate wish-fulfillment. Risa Green Risa Green is the author of the YA series The Secret Society of the Pink Crystal Ball, as well as the critically acclaimed adult novels, Notes from the Underbelly andTales from the Crib, which were the basis of an ABC television series titled Notes From the Underbelly. She also writes Tales from the Mommy Track, a popular weekly blog which appears on both www.mommytracked.com and www.modernmom.com. Prior to becoming a writer, Risa worked as a high school college counselor, and also spent two years doing hard time as a corporate attorney. Born in the Philadelphia area, Risa now lives in Los Angeles with her husband and two children.

Soho Teen

What We Lost in the Dark Jacquelyn Mitchard, US publisher Soho Teen, proprietor Soho Teen First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 14+ Translation; Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

*The thrilling conclusion to the story begun in What We Saw at Night (January 2013).* Allie Kim, who suffers from XP, finds herself framed for an attack on the very psychopath who appears to be responsible for her best friend’s death. She is innocent. But who did attack him? And how can she ever be safe while he is still free? Praise for book 1, WHAT WE SAW AT NIGHT: “Allie’s...voice [is] honest and real...fascinating looks at both Parkour and a disease so unconventional that it turns the lives of patients and families upside down.” – Booklist, "The fast pace is set from the beginning with Juliet’s dazzling jump across the buildings... recommended for readers who enjoy a unique twist on realistic fiction." —VOYA Magazine "Atmospheric, melancholy... breathtaking" —Publishers Weekly “An interesting page-turner…the cliff-hanger ending will have most readers waiting for the next installment.” —School Library Journal Jacquelyn Mitchard Jacquelyn Mitchard is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Deep End of the Ocean, the very first Oprah Book Club pick, as well as over twenty other critically acclaimed books for adults and teens. A nominee for several National and International Awards, she served on the 2004 Fiction Jury for the National Book Award. She is also a longtime journalist and regular contributor to Real Simple and Parade magazines. She lives with her husband and their nine children. You can visit her online at www.jackiemitchard.com.

Soho Teen

Stimola Literary Studio A Matter of Days by Amber Kizer, proprietor Stimola Literary Studio, US publisher Random House Inc First publication: Spring 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* A stand-alone YA novel from the critically acclaimed author of the MERIDIAN sequence and GERT GARIBALDI * At Day 56 after an influenza pandemic erupts, siblings Nadia (16) and Rabbit (12) are left orphaned in a Seattle suburb with out-of-control fires creeping closer. Taught by their deceased father to “be the cockroach” -- adapting by creating options where there were few, and thinking their way past obstacles, the siblings begin a journey to reach West Virginia and their survivalist grandfather’s compound. Unexpectedly protected from a cougar attack by an injured St. Bernard, Rabbit names him TEOTWAWKI (The End Of The World As We Know It) and the dog joins the family. In a thrilling page-turner, they face town-barricades and gunfire, elderly women desperate to survive at any price, and gangs of armed survivors in a lawless world of “might makes right.” Then they meet ZACK, a street kid from Los Angeles headed to the middle of the country to build a new life for himself and who didn’t ever expect to leave his Zackville. But, Nadia and Zack find a strong friendship and the type of unlikely romance only possible in life and death situations. AL, an African Gray Parrot singing 1980’s pop tunes, and PATTY, a kindergartner who managed to live in a mall for weeks, join them on this trek. Using cars, trucks, boats, tractors, bikes, and their own feet—they do whatever it takes to stay alive and together. Along the way they meet both the best that humanity has to offer and the worst—it is only their resilience, instincts, steadfast strength, and an unyielding desire to do right by each other that keeps them moving forward when the future is bleak at best. On the Fourth of July, they finally reach the converted mine in West Virginia—skinnier, ill, and older than their years— but these teens will do better than survive—they will thrive. Amber Kizer Amber has toured nationally, speaking at writers’ conferences, on television and radio, to educators, and to teenage readers. Recently, she was selected to present one of a few breakout sessions at the NCTE Assembly on Adolescent Literature at the Philadelphia 2009 Conference. Her official website is www.AmberKizer.com and more about MERIDIAN can be found at www.MeridianSozu.com. Gert can be found at www.OneButtCheek.com. She enjoys hearing from readers and can be reached at [email protected].

Stimola Literary Studio

A Touch Menacing by Leah Clifford, proprietor Stimola Literary Studio, US publisher HarperCollins Inc From the series: A Touch Mortal trilogy First publication: Winter 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction 336 pages Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* Third and final part of this compelling trilogy that will have readers hooked to the very last page * Book 1: A Touch Mortal (2011) Book 2: A Touch Morbid (2012) Praise for A TOUCH MORTAL: From Publishers Weekly: In Clifford's cryptic first novel, Eden, depressed on a Jersey beach and contemplating suicide, is swept off her feet by a captivating stranger, Az, and his friend Gabriel, who are really angels. Gabe soon learns from "Upstairs" that Eden is destined to kill herself; meanwhile, her love for Az makes her a target for the Fallen, so Az and Gabe hasten Eden's suicide, in order to protect her. The plan succeeds, and Eden becomes a "Sider," one of a legion of immortally undead teens on the streets of New York. Eden has the additional "talent" of annihilating Siders who tire of their existence, which makes her a veritable rock star in the community-but loathed by the Fallen. Clifford matches the dark subject matter with a lugubrious tone, peppered with dry wit, as the gothic misfits navigate their purgatory. Leah Clifford Leah Clifford was born and raised in the suburbs of Cleveland, Ohio. She fell in love with the stories read to her as a child, and knew she wanted to write even before she learned to read. After a move to Colorado and a stint as a tour guide on extreme caving trips, she returned home to Ohio to work as a flight attendant. It was during long hours stranded at airports that she rediscovered her love of writing. She is the author of the TOUCH Trilogy. www.LeahClifford.com


Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg, Proprietor: Stimola Literary Studio, US publisher: Scholastic Inc First publication: Spring 2014 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* Can a guy and a girl just be friends? That is the question * When Macallan first meets Levi, there isn’t a lot of sparks. She’s assigned to escort Levi, a transfer student from LA, around school. Macallan finds Levi weird, he has long blond hair, talks like the surfer he is and follows Macallan around like a lost child. While Levi finds Macallan distant and cold, he isn’t making a lot of friends at his new school. But over time they spend more time together and discover they have a lot more in common than they thought: both are runners, lovers of classic rock (not the annoying hip hop everybody else in school listens to), and an obscure BBC comedy series. But by sophomore year, the two are inseparable. Everyone assumes they are dating, but they know they're better off as friends… or are they? Elizabeth Eulberg uses her trademark wit to bring us two utterly believable characters - Macallan and Levi. While this story unfolds over a considerable period of time, the bulk of the narrative takes place in the sophomore and junior years. Elizabeth has played with the narrative structure, and in addition to switching points of view from Macallan and Levi during the book, there are also interstitials between the majority of chapters featuring banter between Macallan and Levi. This is the latest novel from Scholastic's 'Queen of Clean Teen'. Elizabeth's earlier novels include: THE LONELY HEARTS CLUB (2010) PROM AND PREJUDICE (2011) TAKE A BOW (2012) REVENGE OF THE GIRL WITH THE GREAT PERSONALITY (2013) Praise for REVENGE OF THE GIRL WITH THE GREAT PERSONALITY: “This fresh, fun, fabulous read will have you cheering for new beginnings. Five shiny gold stars!” – Susane Colasanti, author of When It Happens and Take Me There Praise for THE LONELY HEARTS CLUB: "A must-read for anyone who's ever fallen in love—or sworn it off completely. A funny, fantastic debut." Stephenie Meyer, author of The Twilight Saga "A delightful coming-of-age story about learning to define yourself without shutting the door on love." —Suzanne Collins, author of The Hunger Games trilogy


Elizabeth Eulberg Elizabeth Eulberg was born and raised in Wisconsin before heading off to college at Syracuse University and making a career in the New York City book biz. Now a full-time writer, she is the author of The Lonely Hearts Club, Prom & Prejudice, Take a Bow, andRevenge of the Girl with the Great Personality. She lives outside of Manhattan with her three guitars, two keyboards, and one drumstick.


F*IT List by Julie Halpern, proprietor Stimola Literary Studio, US publisher Feiwel & Friends First publication: Spring 2014 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ UK & Comm

* Latest novel from critically acclaimed author Julie Halpern * After a summer apart, Alex learns her best friend, Becca has cancer. To help her through her treatment, Alex agrees to help Becca accomplish items off her bucket list in case she doesn't live long enough to do them herself. Julie's earlier novels, all published on the Feiwel & Friends list: GET WELL SOON (2009) DON'T STOP NOW (2011) HAVE A NICE DAY (2012) “I completely fell in love with Anna Bloom’s voice—it’s wry, romantic, and so, so true.”—Gabrielle Zevin, author of Elsewhere “An upbeat story that offers a hype-free, realistic look inside a teen ward . . . As the novel progresses, readers will get a kick out of Anna’s snarky sense of humor and her capacity for self-renewal.”—Publishers Weekly “[Anna] is endearing as a caustic damsel in distress. With Anna down the hall, landing in the ‘loony bin’ just might be a whole lot of fun.”—The Chicago Tribune “A funny novel about depression. That's the welcome, endearing product Julie Halpern offers readers . . . a never-didactic message about emotional growth and psychic healing.”—Kirkus Reviews Best Young-Adult Books 2007 “Debut author Halpern drew from her own teen experiences with depression, and Anne’s voice, filled with spot-on musings, sarcasm, slang, and swearing, is uproariously funny and authentic . . . Many teens will connect with the vague anxiety that lands Anna in treatment as well as her subtle, realistic sense that her life is her own to value and shape.”—Booklist “Funny, easygoing prose . . . an appealingly comic cousin of Carolyn Mackler’s The Earth, My Butt, and Other Big Round Things.”—Kirkus Reviews “There is a lovely sweetness in the blooming relationship between Anna and Justin . . . Halpern creates a narrative that reflects the changes in Anna with each passing day that includes self-reflection and a good dose of humor. Readers will cheer for Anna as she gains confidence in herself, dares to rebel a little, and gets well as she goes back to her life.”—Voice of Youth Advocates


Julie Halpern Julie Halpern is currently a part-time writer, an on-sabbatical middle school librarian, and a full-time mom. Julie lives with her husband in suburban Chicago with their young daughter, Romy, and their old Siamese cat, Tobin. You can read her semi-regular yarns about her daily life at her Blog of Wonder (http://juliehalpern.blogspot.com/) and learn even more about her on her website (http://juliehalpern.com/).

Pieces of Me by Amber Kizer, proprietor Stimola Literary Studio, US publisher Random House Inc First publication: Spring 2014 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* Stand-alone YA novel from the critically acclaimed author of the MERIDIAN sequence and GERT GARIBALDI * PIECES OF ME is the story of an unwilling organ donor, four of the recipients, and the choice each person makes to live each day in all of its glorious colors. When JESSICA CHAI is ambushed in her school hallway by the cheerleaders, she has no idea that not only would they cut off her hair, but her parents would build a fantasy about her life based on that single moment. On her way to a party, she’s killed in a car accident that leaves her brain dead and on life support at the hospital. Her parents are faced with a choice—take her off life support and bury her, or donate her body and organs to those who so desperately need these gifts. Based on her recent haircut, they decide she’d want to them to “save the world” for her. Invisible to all, angry at dying and at being dismembered, unsure why she’s still watching, it’s all Jessica can do to scream silently at her parents. Taking the idea of cell memory to the next level, not only do the recipients get pieces of Jessica, she gets pieces of their memories and lives moving forward as well—she knows what they know and keeps tabs on their growth, recovery, and development as they grow. This begins her journey to learn her purpose. Amber Kizer Amber has toured nationally, speaking at writers’ conferences, on television and radio, to educators, and to teenage readers. Recently, she was selected to present one of a few breakout sessions at the NCTE Assembly on Adolescent Literature at the Philadelphia 2009 Conference. Her official website is www.AmberKizer.com and more about MERIDIAN can be found at www.MeridianSozu.com. Gert can be found at www.OneButtCheek.com. She enjoys hearing from readers and can be reached at [email protected].


The Remnant Trilogy book 1 by Mary Pearson, US publisher Henry Holt, proprietor Stimola Literary Studio From the series: The Remnant Trilogy First publication: Spring 2014 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 12+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* From the author of JENNA FOX comes an astonishing new trilogy * Princess Lia is well-versed on the story of the Ancients. It is a revered part of her culture, the passing down of stories, for as the Morrighan Book of Ancient text says: “Lest we repeat history, the stories shall be passed from father to son, from mother to daughter, for with but one generation, history and truth are lost forever.” The people of Morrighan all know there is only one true history. In a world, long long ago a small chosen remnant survived the destruction of the earth. The Four Gods, the God of Creation, the God of Compassion, the God of Redemption, and the God of Knowledge, saw their conceit and the emptiness of their hearts so they sent the angel Aster to pluck a star from the sky and plunge it to earth, the dust and seas rising so high it choked out the unrighteous. But a few were spared—not those strong of body or mind, but those of pure and humble heart. Only a very small remnant of the whole earth remained. And after seven generations of testing and trial, to one alone, First Daughter of Harik, a humble and wise girl named Morrighan who had found special favor in the sight of the Gods, to her alone they whispered the path of safety so she could lead her people to a new land where the earth was healed, a place where creation could begin anew. Morrighan was faithful to their guidance and forevermore, Morrighan’s daughters and all the generations of first daughters were given this same gift as a promise that the Gods would never again destroy the earth again as long as there were hearts to hear them. THE REMNANT TRILOGY is a far-future story set in a new America, where a civilization has risen from the ashes of a destroyed one, a bastardized culture built on myth, fairy tale, and the disconnected pieces of a world gone by, because that was all that was left for the remnant to build upon. It is a story about the fragility of greatness, the resilience of humanity, and the short reach of history. But mostly THE REMNANT TRILOGY is about Lia, and her timeless story of love and sacrifice. Mary Pearson MARY E. PEARSON is the author of five previous novels for teens, including The Adoration of Jenna Fox and A Room on Lorelei Street. She writes full-time from her home in Carlsbad, California, where she lives with her husband and two dogs. www.marypearson.com


Chasing Shadows by Swati Avasthi, proprietor Stimola Literary Studio, US publisher Random House Inc First publication: Spring 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 14+ Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* New novel from the critically acclaimed author of SPLIT * College-bound Holly, Corey, and Savitri plan to make their last summer together count between reading comic books and free running (a sport that blends gymnastics with running through an urban landscape). But a bullet changes everything: Corey is dead; Savitri wants revenge, and Holly withdraws into a world of her own making, where she can rescue Corey from Death himself. As Holly disappears into a realm beyond Savitri’s reach, Savitri must decide how far she'll go to rescue Holly. Written as a hybrid between graphic novel and prose, Chasing Shadows is about how we let go of people we love. Praise for SPLIT, Swati Avasthi's debut novel: Booklist: “A nuanced and mournful work; Avasthi is a writer to watch.” Publishers Weekly: “…gripping and heartbreaking.” School Library Journal: “…raw and intimate, dramatic and poetic.” Kirkus Reviews: “This taut, complex family drama depicts abuse unflinchingly but focuses on healing, growth and learning to take responsibility for one’s own anger" Swati Avasthi Swati Avasthi is the author of SPLIT (Knopf, 2010) which received the International Reading Association Award, Cybils Award, silver Parents’ Choice Award and was nominated for 12 state awards. It has made numerous “Best of” lists including YASLA, CCBC, and Bank Street. CHASING SHADOWS (Knopf) will be released in August, 2013. Swati teaches at Hamline University’s MFA in Writing for Children and lives in Minneapolis with her two dogs, two kids and one husband, though he is worth two. www.swatiavasthi.com


Dead City 02: Blue Moon by James Ponti, Proprietor: Stimola Literary Studio, US publisher: Simon & Schuster Inc From the series: Dead City First publication: Fall 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 9-12 Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* Second book in the gripping DEAD CITY series * Meet Molly Bigelow, a somewhat awkward, academically gifted 13-year old, who must deal with homework, school and typical teen drama while also fulfilling her destiny as a zombie hunter. With a blend of the humorous and the macabre, action and pathos, the MIST series follows Molly and three friends from the Metropolitan Institute of Science and Technology, as they protect and police the surprisingly large (and not always obvious) undead population of New York City. The novels play out across both well-known landmarks and in the labyrinthine world beneath the city, ultimately concluding with an epic battle pitting the living and undead for control of Manhattan. Book I: Fall 2012 Book II: Fall 2013 James Ponti James Ponti was born in Pisa, Italy and grew up in Atlantic Beach, Florida. After graduating with a degree in screenwriting from the University of Southern California, he cowrote a youth action-adventure screenplay that was optioned for Sony Pictures and led to a career writing tween and teen television. He served as a staff writer for multiple seasons of both Disney Channel’s Mickey Mouse Club and the Mystery Files of Shelby Woo on Nickelodeon. In addition to these live action shows, he has also written numerous episodes for animated series including: Clifford’s Puppy Days on PBS and Jojo’s Circus and Stanley on Disney Channel.


Hiding Out at the Pancake Palace by Nan Marino, proprietor Stimola Literary Studio, US publisher Macmillan US First publication: Spring 2013 Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 9-12 Bologna 2013; UK & Comm

* Latest novel from award-winning author Nan Marino * An 11-year-old musical prodigy freezes on stage during America's most popular televised talent contest and seeks refuge in the New Jersey Pinelands, where his friendship with a local girl and their search for a mythical song lead to a journey of hope and healing. Praise for “Neil Armstrong is My Uncle…”… --It is rare to have a story told with sympathy from the viewpoint of a bully. Starred Review, Booklist -- The authenticity of the time and the voice combine with a poignant plot to reveal a depth unusual in such a straightforward first-person narrative. Kirkus Nan Marino Nancy Marino is the author of NEIL ARMSTRONG IS MY UNCLE (AND OTHER LIES MUSCLEMAN MCGINTY TOLD ME). Her next book, HIDING OUT AT THE PANCAKE PALACE, is due Spring 2013.


Shadow 67 by Irene Latham, proprietor Stimola Literary Studio Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction Ages 9-12 UK & Comm

* From the critically acclaimed author of DON'T FEED THE BOY * * Currently on submission in the US * A middle grade fantasy novel in the vein of Lois Lowry's GOSSAMER narrated by a discontented shadow, attached to a shy 11 year old boy with whom he has nothing in common, who embarks on a life of crime to defeat the Unseen shadows in order to create the life he wants for himself and for his boy. Irene Latham Irene Latham is a poet and novelist who writes heart-touching tales of unexpected adventure. Her debut middle grade historical novel LEAVING GEE’S BEND (G.P. Putnam’s Sons, 2010) is set in Alabama during the Great Depression and was awarded ALLA 2011 Children’s Book of the Year. A resident of Birmingham, Alabama, for the past 27 years, she is also the author of two volumes of poetry: WHAT CAME BEFORE, which was named Alabama State Poetry Society’s Book of the Year and earned a 2008 Independent Publisher’s (IPPY) Award, and THE COLOR OF LOST ROOMS. Her next novel DON’T FEED THE BOY (Roaring Brook/Macmillan, 2012) is about the son of a zoo director mom and elephant keeper dad who struggles to escape the confines of zoo life. Irene loves exploring new places and often uses “research” as an excuse to travel. Her favorite characters in books and real life are those who have the courage to go their own way.


Working Partners The End Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction UK & Comm; Bologna 2013; North America

* When four troubled teens meet at a school for at-risk youth hidden in the desert, they have no idea that they are fated to bring about the end of the world… * Fern—An African-American runaway who wears only black and keeps largely to herself. An activist for environmental consciousness and organic eating, Fern is hiding a dark secret from her past and her true identity as the wealthy daughter of one of the world’s most powerful food magnates. Javier—A gangbanger from L.A., Javier comes from a poor family and carries deep regrets for a terrible mistake he made when he was younger. He is sensitive and intellectually despises violence, but it seems to follow wherever he goes. Summer—Summer is innocent and naïve, homeschooled by her parents, who run a controversial school for troubled youths in the California desert. After a terrible tragedy at college, Summer has returned home to seclude herself and deal with the guilt she carries. Luke—Violent and unpredictable, Luke appears to be the sociopath of everyone’s darkest fears. But he has surprising motives for his actions, and is relentlessly determined to do what he feels he must. Little do they know that the four of them have been brought together for a reason, that the each of them hides a dark and terrible secret, and it will be the four of them that will bring about the end… A dark YA fantasy from Working Partners.

Working Partners

The Gilded Cage Available: Bologna 2013 Product line: Fiction UK & Comm; Bologna 2013; North America

* If Alfred Hitchcock had directed Jane Austen… * After growing up on a ranch in California, Walthingham Hall in England seems like another world to 16-year-old Katherine Randolph. But her new life is shattered when she discovers the corpse of her brother George in a lake on the estate. The tragic accidental drowning of a young man, the coroner reports, despite the wound to George’s head. Katherine is expected to observe the mourning customs and get on with her life, but she can’t accept that her brother’s death was an accident. A bitter poacher prowls the estate, and strange visitors threaten the occupants of the house. There’s a rumour, too, that a wild animal stalks the woods of Walthingham. Can Katherine retain her sanity long enough to find out the truth? Or will her brother’s killer claim her life too?

Working Partners