Fall 2012 Children's Books

It's that time of year again! I recently flipped through the Fall 2012 Children’s Books issue of Publishers Weekly, and now it's time to let you know which books most piqued my curiosity.

Yes, the issue has been out for a while, but I so love these previews, I like to wait until I can take my time perusing them (much like I used to peruse the Sears toy catalogue at Christmas time).

Based on the brief descriptions available, here are the recently released or soon-to-be released teen and mid-grade novels that most caught my eye:

Blood Wounds by Susan Beth Pfeffer. After Willa’s estranged father goes on a killing spree, she and her mother are horrified to learn he’s headed their way.

The Boy Recession by Flynn Meaney. In this novel told from dual perspectives, a high school suddenly experiences a dramatic decrease in male students.

The Cloak Society by Jeramey Kraatz launches a trilogy about an aspiring super-villain.

The Curiosities: A Collection of Stories by Brenna Yovanoff, Tessa Gratton, and Maggie Stiefvater collects stories the authors posted online, plus their comments and critiques.

Dark Lord: The Early Years by Jamie Thomson. The most evil force in the universe is transformed into a 12-year-old boy.

Dead Girl Moon by Charlie Price. Three teenage murder suspects hunt down a killer.

 

The Encyclopedia of Me by Karen Rivers. While she’s grounded, Tink writes an encyclopedia of her life.

Every Day by David Levithan. Each morning, “A” wakes up in a different person’s body.

For What It’s Worth by Janet Tashjian. In 1971, a music buff gets Ouija board messages from deceased musicians.

The Hallowed Ones by Laura Bickle. Does an Amish teen endanger her community by letting an injured stranger into it?

Have a Nice Day by Julie Halpern reveals what happens when Anna returns home after a stay in a mental hospital.

Kiss & Make Up by Katie Anderson introduces a girl who can read the mind of anyone who kisses her.

The Lost Treasure of Tuckernuck by Emily Fairlie. In a scavenger hunt, two sixth graders solve their school’s 80-year-old mystery.

Lucid by Adrienne Stoltz and Ron Bass. Two girls from different backgrounds dream themselves into each other’s lives.

Mangaman by Barry Lyga, illus. by Colleen Doran. Ryoko, a manga character, falls into the real world—and in love with a high-school girl.

My Beautiful Failure by Janet Ruth. A boy volunteering at a suicide hotline falls for a troubled caller.

Not Exactly a Love Story by Audrey Couloumbis. After moving to a new town, Vinnie gets to know a girl under two different identities—one on the phone, one in person.

Only Ever Always by Penni Russon. A music box connects two teenage girls who are from different realities.

The Secret Prophecy by Herbie Brennan. An international crisis erupts after a boy uncovers the key to a deadly prediction by Nostradamus.

Stealing Popular by Trudi Trueit. In this Robin Hood-themed tale, Coco brings justice to her school’s social scene.

Sumo by Thien Pham. A washed-up football player abandons his old life to become an aspiring sumo wrestler.

Timekeeper by Alexandra Monir. The boy Michele fell in love with during her time travels enrolls in her school.

Time Between Us by Tamara Ireland Stone is a debut novel of romance in which a girl in the 1990s meets a boy who has journeyed back from the present day.

What Came from the Stars by Gary D. Schmidt. A planet besieged by a dark lord sends a gift across the cosmos—and into a sixth grader’s lunchbox.

The Wrap-Up List by Steven Arntson. When a letter foretells a teen’s death, she must complete her “wrap-up list” before her life ends.