Fall 2009 Children's Books

I recently devoured the Fall 2009 Children’s Books issue of Publishers Weekly. These seasonal issues are the closest I get to recreating the childhood joy of scanning the Sears catalogue at Christmas time. I would spend hours flipping through those slick pages, figuring out which of the newest toys to mention in my letter to Santa.

Based on their brief descriptions in PW, here are the upcoming (or recently released) middle-grade and teen novels which most caught my eye:

Andromeda Klein by Frank Portman. A high school underdog’s tarot card readings become strangely accurate.

As You Wish by Jackson Pearce. A teen falls in love with the genie sent to grant her three wishes.

Claim to Fame by Margaret Peterson Haddix centers on a young TV star who can hear whatever anyone in the world says about her.

DupliKate by Cherry Cheva. An overscheduled teen starts seeing double: suddenly there are two of her.

The Espressologist by Kristina Springer centers on a matchmaking barista who links up her friends based on their coffee orders.

Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev centers on a girl who lives in a magical theater inhabited by characters from every play ever written.

Ex-mas by Kate Brian. Two teens embark on an unexpected vacation when they learn that their younger siblings have gone off to save Santa.

Hate List by Jennifer Brown. Valerie’s boyfriend opens fire in the school cafeteria, killing students who were on a list she unknowingly helped create.

I Am a Genius of Unspeakable Evil and I Want to Be Your Class President by Josh Lieb. A boy discovers it’s easier to make a fortune and dominate the world than convince his classmates to like him.

Legacy by Tom Sniegoski. A teen discovers his deadbeat father is actually a superhero.

Mirrorscape by Mike Wilks launches a fantasy series about entering another world by stepping into a painting.

The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey tells of an orphan who is an assistant to a doctor specializing in monster hunting.

Nelly the Monster Sitter by Kes Gray, illus. by Stephen Hanson, introduces a girl who “monster sits” after school.

Powerless by Matthew Cody. A boy learns that his friends are superheroes who mysteriously lose their powers when they turn 13.

Psych Major Syndrome by Alicia Thompson. Leigh’s psych textbook helps her through the trials of freshman year in college.

Rampant by Diana Peterfreund offers a fantasy about killer unicorns and the teenage girls who must hunt them down.

School of Fear by Gitty Daneshvari. Four kids are sent to an exclusive summer school to overcome their phobias.

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater. Sam spends his summers as a human and winters as a wolf.

The Stone Child by Dan Poblocki. Characters from mystery novels begin to show up in a boy’s life.

Three Witches by Paula Jolin. Three teens have their own reasons to summon a boy after his car goes over a cliff.

The Unusual Mind of Vincent Shadow by Tim Kehoe, illus. by Guy Travis and Mike Wohnoutka. A boy who creates his own toys has a chance encounter with an eccentric toy inventor.

Wish You Were Dead by Todd Strasser. High school students mysteriously disappear after being mentioned in a blog.


Does this list say anything about me?