Spring 2010 Children's Books

I recently browsed through the Spring 2010 Children’s Books issue of Publishers Weekly. Based on the brief descriptions allowed for each title, here are some upcoming (or recently released) middle-grade and teen novels which definitely piqued my interest:

Cosmic by Frank Cottrell Boyce. Liam competes for a chance to go into space.

Falcon Quinn and the Black Mirror by Jennifer Finney Boylan. A boy attending a secret academy for monsters must figure out what kind of creature he is.

Fizzy Whiz Kid by Maiya Williams. New to Hollywood, Mitch wants to become a normal kid again after starring in a soda commercial.

Green by Laura Peyton Roberts. Lily discovers she is next in line to protect a clan of leprechauns.

Griff Carver, Hallway Patrol by Jim Krieg. A hallway patroller must combat crime and corruption at his new middle school.

Jekel Loves Hyde by Beth Fantaskey. Two teenage chemistry students recreate formulas from the classic Robert Louis Stevenson novel.

Little Blog on the Prairie by Catherine Davitt Bell. A girl attending a camp where everyone lives like 1890s pioneers manages to e-mail her friends.

Little Vampire Women by Louisa May Alcott and Lynn Messina gives this classic a blood-sucking twist.

The Mark by Jen Nadol. A girl with the ability to identify those who are marked to die attempts to change their fates.

A Match Made in High School by Kristin Walker. In a school marriage education program, everyone is assigned the wrong mate.

My Invisible Boyfriend by Susie Day. After creating a fake boyfriend, Heidi meets a real-life crush.

My Life with the Lincolns by Gayle Brandeis introduces a girl who believes her family is Abraham Lincoln's family reincarnated.

Palace Beautiful by Sarah deFord Williams. Two sisters become obsessed with finding out what happened to the owner of the mysterious diary they find.

Party by Tom Leveen. Eleven teens headed to the same California party take turns telling their stories.

Popularity Papers by Amy Ignatow. Two fifth graders try to crack the code of popularity.

The Returners by Gemma Malley. A boy having nightmares about concentration camps learns he is reincarnated and destined to recall past atrocities.

The Seventh Level by Jody Feldman. Will an unwitting class clown earn a spot in his school's exclusive secret society?

Shade by Jeri Smith-Ready. A teen is haunted by ghosts wanting her to make amends for their untimely deaths.

The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger. A boy whose classmates think he's clueless dispenses advice via an origami finger puppet.*

The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride. Tessa's life changes when her best friend returns after being held captive for two years.

The Wish Stealers by Tracy Trivas. After an old woman gives her a box of pennies stolen from a wishing fountain, Griffin must set things right.



*Not too long ago, in a galaxy identical to this one, I left a comment on a blog saying I loved the cover of The Strange Case of Origami Yoda. Or did I say I loved the story's premise? Actually, I don't remember what I said. But what I said isn't important! What is important is that a short time later, I got this in the mail...


Happy this made me, yes!