While I Was Away – ALA Edition 2012

Things have been pretty quiet on the blog in the last week because I was in California at ALA Anaheim last weekend – the American Library Association’s Annual Conference & Exhibition. I was excited when I found out it was going to be in Southern California because I could combine it with a visit to my parents after the school year ended.

Being a teacher, one of the valuable benefits of being a member of a professional organization and being able to attend teacher/librarian professional association conferences/conventions, beyond attending sessions to learn more about aspects of my profession, is visiting the exhibit hall and talking to publishers about what books they have coming out that might work for my students to bring into my classroom. Sometimes I go in with specific genres/topics in mind where I’m trying to find titles to fit certain units we’re planning. Sometimes there are some titles I’m just really looking forward to reading and want to be able to read and share with my students, other teachers and librarians, and on the blog. Sometimes I come across titles I hadn’t heard of yet, but by seeing it/hearing about it from the publisher reps, I learn about books that could be great for others to know about too that I might not have found any other way. All times I feel very lucky if they’re offered to me at no extra cost (usually the ARCs), but many times they’re books for purchase (especially if it’s an author signing) at a discounted cost from other ways of purchasing (I still easily spent a couple hundred dollars on books over the course of 2 1/2 days). This was an excellent chance to increase my knowledge of what the current titles for fall/winter are as well as a way to help enhance my teaching through getting books I can share with my students. There were also lots of authors there that I was able to get signed books from and talk to about what my students think of their books and how I use them in the classroom, which always seems to be something they enjoy hearing about. And, extra bonus, I bought books to get personally signed by the authors for my nieces and nephew for their Christmas presents, too (part of the reason my picture book list is so long).

In light of all of that, I like to do a post after attending a conference so others, who weren’t able to attend, can see what books are new or upcoming that may be ones they’d want to know about also. At this conference, I got a bunch of young adult titles, lots of middle grades titles (fantasy seems to be the big genre trend right now!), and some awesome picture books that I can’t wait to use with my students! I didn’t pick up everything I saw (there was so much and it doesn’t all fit what I’m looking for), but if it was a title I’d heard of that was already on my to-read list, or the summary sounded good or like it would interest my students, I would decide if I wanted to carry it. If you want to know any more about a particular title that sounds interesting to you, just let me know! 🙂
*I’m not doing pictures this time because many of the titles were already sent out on loan to my twitter teacher and librarian friends who weren’t able to make it this year. The whole list is here on goodreads if you’d rather (you can also see which ones I’ve already read and rated).

Picture Books
I WANT MY HAT BACK by Jon Klassen
BLACKOUT by John Rocco
ME…JANE by Patrick McDonnell
THE FANTASTIC FLYING BOOKS OF MR. MORRIS LESSMORE by William Joyce, ilus. Joe Bluhm
WAG! by Patrick McDonnell
INTERRUPTING CHICKEN by David Ezra Stein
A HOME FOR BIRD by Philip C. Stead
BEAR HAS A STORY TO TELL by Philip C. Stead, ilus. Erin Stead
BULLY by Patricia Polacco
TOO TALL HOUSES by Gianna Marino
THE INSOMNIACS by Karina Wolf, ilus. Brothers Hilts
TALLULAH’S TUTU by Marilyn Singer, ilus. Alexandra Boiger
TALLULAH’S SOLO by Marilyn Singer, ilus. Alexandra Boiger
THE LIBRARY by Sarah Stweart, ilus. David Small
THE QUIET PLACE by Sarah Stweart, ilus. David Small
A FLOWER IN THE SNOW by Tracey Corderoy, ilus. Sophie Allsopp
UNSPOKEN: A STORY FROM THE UNDERGROUND RAILROAD by Henry Cole (a beautifully powerful wordless picture book)
EACH KINDNESS by Jacqueline Woodson, ilus. E.B. Lewis
HELEN’S BIG WORLD: THE LIFE OF HELEN KELLER by Doreen Rappaport, ilus. Matt Tavares
ANDREW DREW AND DREW by Barney Saltzberg
ISABELLA: GIRL ON THE GO by Jennifer Fosberry, ilus. Mike Litwin
THE BOY WHO CRIED ALIEN by Marilyn Singer, ilus. Brian Biggs

Graphic Novels
SMILE by Raina Telgemeier
DRAMA by Raina Telgemeier
ICHIRO by Ryan Inzana
CARDBOARD by Doug TenNapel

Middle Grades
IF YOU WERE A CHOCOLATE MUSTACHE (poetry book) by J. Patrick Lewis, ilus. Matthew Cordell
KEEPER OF THE LOST CITIES by Shannon Messenger
WONDER by R.J. Palacio
THE ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ME by Karen Rivers
THE SPINDLERS by Lauren Oliver
STARRY RIVER OF THE SKY by Grace Lin
ALMOST HOME by Joan Bauer
THE FIRE CHRONICLE (sequel to THE EMERALD ATLAS) by John Stephen
PRAIRIE EVERS by Ellen Airgood
THE CAVENDISH HOME FOR BOYS AND GIRLS by Claire Legrand
THE VOYAGE OF LUCY P. SIMMONS by Barbara Mariconda
FREAKLING by Lana Krumwiede
BECAUSE OF SHOE AND OTHER DOG STORIES ed. Ann M. Martin
THREE TIMES LUCKY by Shelia Turnage
MIRA’S DIARY: LOST IN PARIS by Marissa Moss
IRON HEARTED VIOLET by Kelly Barnhill
GEEKS, GIRLS, AND SECRET IDENTITIES by Mike Jung
JUMP INTO THE SKY by Shelley Pearsall
THE CLOAK SOCIETY by Jeramey Kraatz
THE TEMPLETON TWINS HAVE AN IDEA by Ellis Weiner
THE VENGEKEEP PROPHECIES by Brian Farrey
IN A GLASS GRIMMLY (A TALE DARK & GRIMM #2) by Adam Gidwitz
KEEPING SAFE THE STARS by Shelia O’Connor
ZEUS AND THE THUNDERBOLT OF DOOM by Joan Holub
THE ONE AND ONLY IVAN by Katherine Applegate

Young Adult
THE LETTER Q: Queer Writers’ Notes to their Younger Selves
PRODIGY (sequel to LEGEND) by Marie Lu
THE RAVEN BOYS by Maggie Stiefvater
ENDANGERED by Eliot Schrefer
THE ABSOLUTELY TRUE DIARY OF A PART-TIME INDIAN by Sherman Alexie
EVERY DAY by David Levithan
THE DIVINERS by Libba Bray
DAUGHTER OF SMOKE AND BONE by Laini Taylor
HOLLYWEIRD by Terri Clark
SAFEKEEPING by Karen Hesse
MAGISTERIUM by Jeff Hirsch
WHO I KISSED by Janet Gurtler
THE LOST GIRL by Sangu Mandanna (came highly recommended as an overlooked midlist)
BREATHE by Sarah Crossan
SKINNY by Donna Cooner
THE FORSAKEN by Lisa M. Stasse
WHAT’S LEFT OF ME by Kat Zhan
WHAT HAPPENS NEXT by Colleen Clayton
STEALING PARKER by Miranda Kenneally
SWEET SHADOWS (sequel to SWEET VENOM) by Tera Lynn Childs
THE DARK UNWINDING by Sharon Cameron
QUARANTINE: THE LONERS by Lex Thomas
STARLING by Lesley Livingston
MONSTROUS BEAUTY by Elizabeth Fama
HEAVEN (HALO #3) by Alexandra Adornetto
THE RUNNING DREAM by Wendelin van Draanen
CHOKE by Diana Lopez
THE PREGNANCY PROJECT by Gaby Rodriguez
CALL THE SHOTS (SWIM THE FLY #3) by Don Calame
BECAUSE IT IS MY BLOOD (sequel to ALL THESE THINGS I’VE DONE) by Gabrielle Zevin
SCARLET (sequel to CINDER) by Marissa Meyer
THE CROWN OF EMBERS (sequel to THE GIRL OF FIRE AND THORNS) by Rae Carson
THE LOST CODE (The Atlanteans #1) by Kevin Emerson
CREWEL by Gennifer Albin
UNRAVEL ME (sequel to SHATTER ME) by Tahereh Mafi [Since I knew this was a much-coveted title, I put it out on twitter to see if anyone was interested in a mini-tour. So, it’s going on a 13 city “Sisterhood of the Traveling ARC” mini-tour to teachers and librarians I talk with on twitter who weren’t able to attend. Each will read it, jot their thoughts inside, and then send it on. I’ll be posting a follow-up on the whole thing in a few months when I get it back.]

Many, many, many thanks to the awesomeness that is the reps at HarperCollins (&Walden Pond Press), Little Brown & Co, Penguin, Simon & Schuster, Sourcebooks, Disney Hyperion, Scholastic, Random House, Candlewick, and Macmillan!!!