10 to Note: Fall Preview 2012

The quarterly war on sleep known as 10 to Note is complete. What follows are ten books publishing in September, October, and November that made me spontaneously become Flavor Flav and say “Yeeeah Boiii!”. Man, I hope this wears off soon.

This time out I also included the deleted scenes – a big batch of books that also look good, but didn’t end up in the group of ten.

Fiction Picture Books

Unspoken: A Story from the Underground Railroad by Henry Cole

November 1 | Scholastic Press | Grades K-3

I was hoping Henry Cole would go back into A Nest for Celeste mode and I didn’t even know it. I first spotted Unspoken at the ALA Annual exhibits and it stuck with me. A wordless scene from the Underground Railroad in beautiful pencil illustrations.

Bear Has a Story to Tell by Philip C. Stead, illustrated by Erin E. Stead

September 4 | Roaring Brook Press | Grades K-2

The first time out, husband/wife duo Philip and Erin Stead nabbed a Caldecott Medal with A Sick Day for Amos McGee (a book that just continues to grow in my estimation) – now they are back with another story that appears to have that same Steadsian timelessness. Steadsian is now an official word, by the way.

Lester’s Dreadful Sweaters by K.G. Campbell

September | Kids Can Press | Grades K-3

BFFs embarrassment and humiliation feature prominently in this book about a bad-sweater sending cousin that just won’t quit.

Easy Readers

Rabbit & Robot: The Sleepover by Cece Bell

September | Candlewick Press | Grades K-2

Cece Bell won me over with Bee-Wigged, a wonderfully absurd book about a bee wearing a tupee. Now she’s taken her humor talents and made an easy reader about a pair of unlikely friends.

Middle Grade Fiction

Starry River of the Sky by Grace Lin

October 2 | Little, Brown | Grades 3-7

Advance word on this book has been positive all around – who am I to argue? Lin heads back to Where the Mountain Meets the Moon territory in Starry River of the Sky.

Who Could That Be at This Hour (All the Wrong Questions, Book 1) by Lemony Snicket

October 23 | Little, Brown | Grades 4-7

Lemony Snicket is back as author and main character in this, the first of a planned four-book series.

Graphic Novels

A Trip to the Bottom of the World with Mouse written and illustrated by Frank Viva

September | TOON Books | PreK-2

It never fails – every season TOON Books puts out something that has be all jazzed. This time around it’s New York Times Best Illustrated Book winner Frank Viva with a graphic novel for young readers. I would tell you what it’s about, but the title kinda took care of that.

Nonfiction

Unusual Creatures by By Michael Hearst

October | Chronicle Books | Grades 3-6

If there’s one think kids love, it’s weird – take a look at the circulations on your Ripley’s Believe it or Not books for supporting evidence. This look at the oddities of the animal kingdom will likely make a lot of young readers happy.

Island: A Story of the Galápagos by Jason Chin

September 18 | Roaring Brook Press | Grades K-3

Jason Chin’s M.O. is straightforward and oh-so-difficult – do in depth research, draw amazing illustrations, and put it all together in a way that works for kids. He’s done it in the past with Redwoods and Coral Reefs – I’m expecting a similar result here.

What Body Part is That? by Andy Griffiths, illustrated by Terry Denton

November 13 | Feiwel & Friends | Grades 3-6

I feel this book is misplaced. I have it in the “Nonfiction” section of this post, yet it claims to be 99.9% fact free. The Griffiths and Denton team have brought a whole bunch of silliness before, with Killer Koalas, The Cat on the Mat is Flat, and more. This seems to be right in line with their previous work.

Deleted Scenes

(or other very nice looking books publishing in September, October, and November presented with a complete lack of order)

Children’s Book-a-Day Almanac by Anita Silvey

October 30 | Roaring Brook Press | Adult

hello! hello! by Matthew Cordell

October 23 | Hyperion | Grades K-2

Abe Lincoln’s Dream by Lane Smith

October 11 | Roaring Brook Press | Grades K-2

Jangles: A Big Fish Story by David Shannon

October | Blue Sky Press | K-2

Boot & Shoe by Marla Frazee

October 2 | Beach Lane Books | K-2

This Moose Belongs to Me by Oliver Jeffers

November 13 | Philomel | Grades PreK-2

Kel Gilligan’s Daredevil Stunt Show by Michael Buckley, illustrated by Dan Santat

September | ABRAMS | Grades K-2

Andrew Drew and Drew by Barney Saltzberg

October | Appleseed | Grades PreK-1

Boxcar Children Beginning by Patricia MacLachlan

September | Albert Whitman | Grades 2-5

Penguin and Pinecone by Salina Yoon

October | Walker | Grades PreK-2

A Perfect Day by Carin Berger

November 13 | Greenwillow | Grades K-2

Bedtime is Cancelled by Cece Meng, illustrated by Aurelie Neyret

November 6 | Houghton Mifflin Harcourt | Grades K-2

What Came from the Stars by Gary D. Schmidt

September 4 | Clarion | Grades 5-7

The Monsters’ Monster by Patrick McDonnell

September 4 | Little, Brown | Grades K-2

Nighttime Ninja by Barbara DeCosta, illustrated by Ed Young

September 18 | Little, Brown | Grades K-2

This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen

October | Candlewick Press | Grades K-3

Otter and Odder: A Love Story by James Howe, illustrated by Chris Raschka

October | Candlewick Press | Grades PreK-1

Little White Duck: A Childhood in China by Na Liu and Andrés Vera Martinez

October | Graphic Universe (Lerner) | Grades 4-7

(Top Image: ‘Diana is impressed by the autumn birches‘ http://www.flickr.com/photos/12836528@N00/3011961687 Found on flickrcc.net)

Look for Winter Preview 2012-13 coming in November.

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