Upcoming Children's Fiction

I've had a very busy weekend and have not had time to finish reading anything, but I feel inclined to write anyway. I've decided to do a quick round-up of terrific upcoming fall titles in children's fiction. Here is a list of my favorites:

Capt. Hook: The Adventures of a Notorious Youth by J.V. Hart, with illustrations by Brett Helquist. (Aug. 23, Laura Geringer Books, an imprint of Harper Collins) - I was sucked in to this dark biography of the young Captain Hook; reminiscent of Gregory Maguire's tales such as Wicked, about the youth of the Wicked Witch of the West. I found myself deeply sympathetic to the roots of this misanthropic character.

Flush by Carl Hiaasen. (Sept. 13, Knopf) - Hiaasen's first novel for children, Hoot, was received with high acclaim and was awarded a Newbery honor medal by the American Library Association. This success led readers to wonder, which books are better, Hiaasen's adult books or children's books? More popular? With a second novel for children, we will have a chance to really put his skills to the test. While I didn't find this one quite as fun as Hoot, it has Hiaasen's regular Florida setting, quirky characters, and again, as in Hoot, an environmentally friendly theme. It's definitely a fun read.

13 Little Blue Envelopes by Maureen Johnson. (Aug. 23, Harper Collins) I just saw the final cover art for this one and I have to say I liked the advance readers' copy better, but anyway, this is a great teen read about a girl on an European adventure and dealing with the loss of a loved one. Poignant, funny, and tart at some times, this one has it all.

Oops! Time to go, not quite the long list I had been envisioning. More later.

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