ALA 2010: ARCs from the Stacks

My bag of books from last year's ALA Annual in Chicago remains unread (and I promise this photo is new). This year my plan was the same, take no more than a one bag of books I would read. I was lucky enough to get two titles autographed and stuck to my plan. Of course, traveling by car made it a bit simpler as there was a serious lack of room in the trunk for our return trip home.

The autographed titles? I happened to be walking past a booth where Nikki Grimes was signing ARCs of her latest, A Girl Named Mister. and in the next aisle was Janet Mullany and her ARC Jane and the Damned. Both authors were extremely gracious with a smile and friendly word for each person in line.

Other ARC's included:

• The Clockwork Three
  by, Matthew Kirby
• Dark Song
  by, Gail Giles
• The Danger Box
  by, Blue Balliett
• Monster High
  by, Lisi Harrison
• Misty Gordon and the Mystery of the Ghost Pirate
  by, Kim Kennedy
• Exley
  by, Brock Clarke
• You Killed Wesley Payne
  by, Sean Beaudoin

It remains to be seen how many I read, but the list is definitely more varied than ARCs from past conferences. There is one title missing, a book I read waiting for a session to begin ... if only I could remember the title.

Just a few ARCs

I determined this would be the year where I did not pick up an overabundance of freebies and fripperies from The Stacks. It is a pledge I make yearly, but was actually able to stick with in Chicago. To my eyes there seemed to be fewer exhibitors; I had lunch with an exhibitor who mentioned this was the first time in ten years they were roaming the hall sans exhibit area. Those in attendance brought less free stuff, a good move in my opinion. Do not misunderstand, there were attendees leaving with bags overflowing with marketing toys. I merely found it simpler to resist what was displayed.

But what about books? What about the children's literature ARCs? I picked up only five ... yes, five.

• Front and Center, by Catherine Gilbert Murdock
• Luv Ya Bunches, by Lauren Myracle
• Nerds, by Michael Buckley
• This Family is Driving Me Crazy, Ten Stories About Surviving Your Family
• Troy High, by Shana Norris

One was a boredom saver, my flight was delayed three times leaving Chicago and at the last minute I put Front and Center in my purse. The third in Catherine Gilbert Murdock's series Dairy Queen and The Off Season, it was a welcome respite from crossword puzzles and CNN.

Books, backpacks & autographs

I promised myself this would be the year I would refrain from gleefully and greedily grabbing every free book offered by publishers in the exhibit hall. I did not want to drag them to sessions, back to my hotel room, or through the airport and on to the plane. Eager to stick to this missive I did not even take my bright orange day-glo ALA Anaheim Conference tote (it really is department of transportation orange barrel orange) to "The Stacks." Satisfied with my personal declaration, I shared it with various friends along the way.

I lasted until happening upon the Scholastic Publishing booth. Though they were selling more than giving away, I did snag a 39 Clues book bag and thought ... "I will only take as many books as will fit comfortably into this book bag" and NOT make me wander through the remainder of the day as a hunch back. A bit less smug than anticipated, here they are:

Juvenile/YA fiction ARC's:

• Eon: Dragoneye Reborn, by Alison Goodman
• The Servants, by Michael Marshall Smith
• Burn, by Suzanne Phillips

Regular fiction and non-fiction ARC's:

• Guyland: The Perilous World Where Boys Become Men by Michael Kimmel
• Epilogue: A Memoir, by Anne Roiphe

Not ARC's, these books are already in technical services destined for the library collection. All three are probably more suited for a public library, and point of fact are located in several nearby public collections, but the two juvenile biographies will work in my collection as well.

• Sterling Biographies, Marian Anderson: A Voice Uplifted
• Sterling Biographies, Abraham Lincoln: From Pioneer to President
• The Case of the Missing Books, by Ian Sansom

The autograph? I was dragging my bookbag toward the exhibits exit when a nice man from Harper Collins publishing handed me a paperback copy of Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I politely declined with thanks, stating I owned the hardback edition. His reply? She's currently autographing these paperback copies, take another! I was thrilled. The long line moved quickly; Ms. Phillips very gracious and, if I may say so, snazzily garbed in a trendy animal print dress. I now have an autographed book in my paperback collection and know that her next novel, What I Did for Love, has a February 2009 release date.

Guyaholic

In Guyaholic, by Carolyn Mackler, High school senior Vivienne Vail Valentine, better known as "V," has a well-earned reputation; she specializes in short term relationships. She does not have boyfriends, she "hooks up" and "hangs out," generally over a two-week period of time, and then moves on. With fitting irony, V, having worked hard to not follow her mother's destructive pattern, has essentially emulated her tactics without using the word "boyfriend." Things change during V's senior when she is sent to Brockport to live with her grandparents. V meets Sam Almond at a hockey game and as graduation nears they have been together for three months. Refusing to label their relationship, V notes "We exist in this blurry zone that's more than friends with benefits and less than going out." Things change when V's mother misses graduation and V, in turn, lashes out by cheating on Sam - and getting caught. Hurt, miserable, guilty, and self-absorbed, V undertakes a cross country journey to find her mother and along the way finds pieces of someone more important, herself.

Mackler's portrayal of wild V is sharp and to the point; she makes no excuses, and takes no prisoners. With a great cast of supporting characters, she also keeps V from becoming a stereotypical bad-girl. This is a fast paced novel that will definitely appeal to teenage girls. A follow-up to Vegan Virgin Valentine, it stands on its own merit.

Midwinter Exhibits: Book greed

With each ALA conference I attend it gets harder and harder to curb my insatiable book greed regarding ARC's available from publishers in the exhibits area. I need to work on balancing what I want with what I am able to easily carry from to my hotel and schlep through the airport - or - I need to expand upon my inherent stinginess regarding paying to have my loot shipped home (probably the better recourse). I was actually at the opening ceremonies and witnessed the ribbon cutting to open the exhibits. There seemed a large amount of books and information available to attendees.

I have added a complete listing of my ARC's from ALA 08 Midwinter to the sidebar. I have not yet decided if the list will remain (homage to my greed), or if I will remove books from the list as I read and discuss them here. Of course, I could always link the sidebar list to the blog posting and start another LibraryThing account just for ARC's.

Coming soon: Midwinter meeting pictures and conference postings.

Picture book ARC's

I have three picture book ARC's from the ALA conference; one has already been published, one will be published soon, and the third, according to Amazon, is not due for publication until April 2008. Where juvenile fiction novels and young adult novels in ARC format are completely ready for publication, editing and such not withstanding, the picture books are not bound. The books in question, The Lonely Moose, Nothing, and Grump Growl Groan all have loose pages within the proposed book cover.


It is intriguing to look at how the book is actually put together. When listening to illustrators speak, there is often discussion about double and/or full page spreads (apologies if the terminology is incorrect), gutter, and binding for their artwork. I have to admit, I have never given much thought as to how the pages would be assembled within the publication. I buy the book, the printer has everyting in the correct order, and I enjoy the illustrations. Looking at the loose pages in these three books has given me a different perspective regarding book layout ... especially if I had dropped any one of the books in question, losing the pages.

Next week I have a class tour scheduled in the resource center for a children's literature class. I am going to email the professor and see if he has any interest in showing the ARC's to his students. They research children's authors and illustrators and may like to see books in process, especially when I will probably be purchasing all three of the titles in question. Finding any differences might be fun.

Tags: ARC, Advance Reader Copy, Picture Books

I am Not Joey Pigza

In the latest Joey Pigza novel, I am Not Joey Pigza by Jack Gantos, things are going well for sixth grader Joey Pigza. He has a new dog named Pablita, he likes his new teacher Mr. Turner “because he takes me less seriously than he has to, even though he once asked me if my mouth had a tiny mind all of its own” (p. 9), his ADHD meds are helping him take control and his mom is happy. Actually, his mom is suspiciously happy. One afternoon Joey opens the door to his dad, crazy Carter Pigza, and his ordered world changes in the blink of an eye. His dad won the lottery, invested in a diner, changed his name to Charles Heinz, and is ready to complete the transformation with a new family – Joey’s. As Joey, aka Freddy Heinz, struggles to cope with a new school and new life, he vows to remember who he is now and worries about losing his “old” self. While this latest installment of Joey Pigza races to an inevitable conclusion, one hilarious and heartwarming chapter after another, readers may wonder how Joey’s mom was drawn into this web, especially after his father’s actions in the previous book. Though suspiciously contrived, the presence of new baby Pigza will undoubtedly provide fodder for several new books for Joey.

Gantos is also authors the Rotten Ralph and Jack Henry series of children's books as well as several young adult titles.

Tags: I am not Joey Pigza, Jack Gantos, Juvenile literature, Children's books

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac

In Gabrielle Zevin's latest novel, Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac, teenager Naomi Porter is in an ambulance on the way to the hospital with a concussion. Popular with her classmates, a great boyfriend, member of the tennis team, and co-editor of the high school yearbook with her best friend Will Landsman, Naomi's high school life is a blank slate. Unable to remember anything that has transpired during the last four years of her life Memoirs is told in three eloquent vignettes titled I was, I am, and I will. Naomi's voice is refreshingly honest as she learns about herself from "friends" and family, adjusts to what she learns, and struggles to integrate who she was with who she would like to be.

Tags: Gabrielle Zevin, Memories of a Teenage Amnesiac, Advance Readers Copy, YA fiction

Project 17

Project 17, by Laurie Faria Stolarz, is an edgy, character driven mystery featuring six high school seniors and an overnight excursion to Danvers State Hospital; a place where family’s sent their insane relatives and the lobotomy is purported to have been first practiced. Derik Lapointe is under pressure to take over running his parent’s diner after graduation. Unwilling to settle for this destiny, he plans to enter a television film contest and recruits five classmates to be in a documentary (a la The Blair Witch Project) of an overnight visit to the mental hospital. Each teen has a personal agenda for participating, Mimi’s grandmother was committed there and she yearns to learn her fate, Chet is escaping an alcoholic abusive father, Liza needs an extra-curricular activity to boost her Harvard application, and thespians Tony and Greta see the film as an opportunity for fame. However, once inside all bets are off. The night progresses and each corridor and room tells it’s own haunting tale of misery, abuse, and death. Compelled to learn the mystery of Christine Belle, they soon find themselves unable to leave until her spirit has been vanquished.

Characters are somewhat stereotypical, Derik is popular, Liza is smart, Mimi is somewhat Goth (they call her Halloween), Chet their class clown, and Tony and Greta constantly emote drama club. However, Stolarz moves beyond those constraints giving each distinct and individual voices within their own chapters throughout the book. The dialogue is seamless even when moving between chapters and voices is sometimes jarring. Ultimately this process allows readers to see the characters not only as they see themselves, but also through their classmate’s eyes. It’s a sure bet nothing will ever be the same for any of them as well-timed epilogues provide a satisfying closure steering clear of any systemic, unwanted, happily-ever-after. There is sure to be an audience for this suspenseful, disturbing tale.

Tags: Laurie Faria Stolarz, Project 17, YA fiction, YA suspense

The Chicago Way

The Chicago Way is a debut mystery by Michael Harvey, co-creator and executive producer of the A & E show Cold Case Files.

Michael Kelly, a private investigator and disgraced Chicago police detective, is hired by his former partner, John Gibbons, to solve a nine year old rape case. After officially closing the case, Gibbons was ordered by his superiors to forget it happened; subsequently the case was buried, he was given commendation, and the evidence “filed.” When Gibbons is found dead the next day, Kelly goes from PI, to suspect, and determined to find the truth makes a deal with an ambitious television reporter to share information. As the case spirals out of control, Kelly is soon in the midst of a convicted murderer’s plot to escape death row, police conspiracy, and political cover-up where every player has his, or her, own agenda. Crisp, clean dialogue moves this novel quickly through personal triumph and tragedy, as well as a gripping and well plotted murder mystery.

One of the first books I picked up at the conference, I started The Chicago Way while still in DC and carted it around in my bag to read during lunch and session breaks. I have to admit having a typical girl reaction to some of the main characters decisions, issues with the consistent use of violent death as a plot device, and remember reading in another novel about a serial killer using the same means to escape the death penalty (it may have been a Linda Fairstein or Lisa Scottoline novel). However, with that said all of the elements worked well together making this a quick, and compelling read.

A professional review from Publisher Weekly is available on Amazon.

Tags: Michael Harvey, The Chicago Way, Recreational reading, Mystery

Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall

Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall by Wendy Mass features Tessa Reynolds, an average sixteen-year-old high school junior. She is not particularly popular, but neither is she a complete loner. She is not necessarily nice, but neither is she a bully. Her current claim to fame is an incident that took place when she was nine and “lifted her shirt for the neighborhood boys for fifty cents and a Gobstopper.” Somewhere in the middle, Tessa is trying to find out where she fits in and how to answer the ephemeral college essay question, “Who am I?” Help with answering that question appears in an unlikely way when Tessa is struck on the head with a dodge ball during gym class and finds herself in Heaven, which looks like her own mall. Existing in a medically induced coma, Tessa is met by Nail Boy (actually, he has a drill bit in his head) and escorted to the mall office lost and found office. She is given a seemingly hodgepodge box of her personal belongings, however each item harkens back to a significant episode of her young life. Examining these items becomes her journey helping to decide, continue with her life or go to Heaven. Told in verse, this novel takes a refreshing look at teenage life where shades of grey are more prevalent than black and white. Mass presents Tessa as a flawed heroine who learns from her past and embraces her future.

The title and cover (the link to Mass’s web site shows a book cover) prompted me to pick up this particular offering. Not a big fan of verse, this book is well crafted and after a chapter or two I could not imagine it being presented in any other format. I will be interested to see what kind of reviews this book receives, but it would make a nice addition to the library juvenile collection. As the jacket suggests, it is a book “in the tradition of A Christmas Carol.” However, the genuine humor and reality of character reminded me more of Bill Murray in Scrooge.

Tags: Wendy Mass, Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall, Juvenile fiction, YA fiction

The ARC's, part two

Here is the last group of ARC's from conference vendors/exhibitors. This group is mostly picture books, with a graphic novel and YA novel starting out the list. Technically speaking Satchel Paige and The Book Fair from the Black Lagoon are not ARC's, but they were freebies handed out at the conference, the first in a YA author session and the second while roaming the exhibit hall.

I have a sister who teaches third grade in a school that does Scholastic Book fairs on a regular basis (don't they all?). I will be sending along my paperback copy of Black Lagoon for her classroom and hoping to find a hardback or library bound copy of the same for the library. It would be a great addition for student teachers.

Memoirs of a Teenage Amnesiac, Gabrielle Zevin

“If Naomi had picked tails, she would have won the coin toss. She wouldn’t have had to go back for the yearbook camera, and she wouldn’t have hit her head on the steps. She wouldn’t have woken up in an ambulance with amnesia. She certainly would have remembered her boyfriend, Ace. She might even have remembered why she fell in love with him in the first place. She would understand why her best friend, Will, keeps calling her “Chief.” She’d know about her mom’s new family. She’d know about her dad’s fiancée. She never would have met James, the boy with the questionable past and the even fuzzier future, who tells her he once wanted to kiss her. She wouldn’t have wanted to kiss him back.”

“But Naomi picked heads.” (Amazon, book description)

Satchel Paige: Striking Out Jim Crow, James Sturm & Rich Tommaso

“Baseball Hall-of-Famer Leroy “Stachel” Paige (1905?-1982) changed the face of the game in a career that spanned five decades. Much has been written about this larger-than-life pitcher, but when it comes to Paige, fact does not easily separate from fiction. He made a point of writing his own history… and then rewriting it. Told from the point of view of a fictional sharecropper, this compelling narrative follows Paige from his earliest days on the mound through the pinnacle of his career. A tall, lanky fireballer, he was arguably the Negro Leagues’ hardest thrower, most entertaining storyteller, and greatest gate attraction. Playing for dozens of teams, Paige vanquished thousands of batters; but his part in helping strike out Jim Crow may be his most lasting legacy.” (Satchel Paige, Book cover)

The Book Fair from the Black Lagoon, Mike Thaler

“Look out! The Book Fair is coming to your school. Do they really lock you in a closet until you buy some books? Yikes! You better start saving your money!” (Book Fair from the Black Lagoon, Book Cover)

The Lonely Moose, John Segal

“Moose spends his quiet days alone - and he likes it that way. But when he rescues a bird that cannot fly, Moose finds his solitary life turned upside down. Bird sings in the mornings, talks all day long - and he likes to eat worms!”

“As the days become weeks, Moose and Bird form a special friendship. They eat pond weeds for breakfast, swim every afternoon, and sometimes climb to the very top of the mountain just to enjoy the view. So when a forest fire separates the two friends, Moose is distraught. Alone again, his fondest wish is to be reunited with his noisy companion …” (The Lonely Moose, Book flap)

Grump Groan Growl, Bell Hooks & Chris Raschka

“Bad mood on the prowl.”

“In this fresh look at a fun and positive way to face our bad, grumpy, and wild moods, Bell Hooks brings a vision of calm with soothing rhythmic text while Chris Raschka’s vibrant art adds compassion and humor, reminding readers that sometimes you just have to let is slide.” (Grump Groan Growl, Book flap)

Nothing, Jon Agee

“What’s for sale?” asks Suzie Gump as she enters Otis’s empty antiques shop.”
“Uh, nothing,” says Otis.”
“I’ll take it,” she replies.”

“This makes sense. Suzie has everything. But she’s never had nothing! And, by the way, she can afford it. When her eccentric shopping habits are witnessed by others, it kicks off a buying spree of epic proportions for - you guessed it - nothing at all. Otis bucks the trend, and is left sulking in his shop full of things. But not for long! Ah, the fickle world of fashion.” (Nothing, Book flap)

Tags: ALA, 2007 ALA Conference, ALA exhibitors booths, ARC's, Advance Readers Copy

The ARC's

With my book greed on a tight leash and one eye focused on my luggage weight (50 pound limit at the airport before extra baggage costs), I walked through the ALA conference exhibit area perusing freely available ARC's in children's literature, young adult literature, and books just for fun. I managed an eclectic mix of titles this year, three of which I read before leaving D.C. yesterday and a fourth I started on the plane during the storm cell delay. Here's the list with accompanying book description information from Amazon and/or the book jacket. I will be posting reviews and comments on the books as I finish.

The Chicago Way, Michael Harvey

"Chicago private investigator Michael Kelly is hired by his former partner, John Gibbons, to help solve an eight-year-old rape and battery case, a case it turns out his old friend was once ordered to forget. When Gibbons turns up dead on Navy Pier, Kelly enlists a team of his savviest colleagues to connect the dots between the recent murder and the cold case it revived: Diane Lindsay, a television reporter whose relationship with Kelly is not strictly professional; his best friend from childhood, Nicole Andrews, a forensic DNA expert; Nicole’s boyfriend, Vince Rodriguez, a detective with a special interest in rape cases; and Bennett Davis from the DA’s office, a friend since Kelly’s days on the force. To close the case, Kelly will have to face the mob, a serial killer, his own double-crossing friends, and the mean streets of the city he loves." (Book cover and Amazon)

The World Made Straight, Ron Rash

"Travis Shelton is seventeen the summer he wanders into the woods near his home, discovers a grove of marijuana large enough to make him some serious money, and steps into the jaws of a bear trap. After hours on the forest floor, he's released from the trap by the shrewd, vicious farmer who set it - but his confrontation with the subtle evils that underlie the life of his small Appalachian community has begun." (Book Jacket)

Heaven Looks a Lot Like the Mall, Wendy Mass

"Written in witty, accessible verse, Wendy Mass's novel tells the story of sixteen-year-old Tessa and what happens in the moments after a shocking gym class accident. Tessa finds herself in heaven, which bears a striking resemblence to her hometown mall, and in the tradation of It's a Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol, she starts reliving her life up until that moment. Tessa sees some things she'd rather forget, learns some things about herself she'd rather not know, and ultimately she must find the answer to one burning question - if she only knew what the question was." (Book jacket)

Jack Jones and the Pirate Curse, Judith Rossell

"A swashbuckling adventure full of sword fights, sea shanties, and persistent pirate!Jack Jones is a very ordinary boy until the day his great uncle passes away and he inherits a terrible, horrible pirate curse from, the famed pirate Blackstrap Morgan, his great-great-many-times-great grandfather. Chased by a merciless band of pirates who can temporarily take over the bodies of anyone close to Jack—his teacher, his friends, and even his parents—he must find the courage to confront the curse and outsmart the pirates or spend the rest of his life running. An edge-of-your-seat thriller, this book is full of adventuresome pirates and hilarious escapades!" (Amazon and Book Jacket)

I am Not Joey Pigza, Jack Gantos

"Just when Joey Pigza’s wired world finally seems to be under control, his good-for-nothing dad pops back into his life. This time, though, Carter Pigza is a new man – literally. After a lucky lotto win, Carter Pigza has a crazy new outlook on life, and he’s even changed his name to Charles Heinz. He thinks Joey and his mom should become new people, too. Soon Joey finds himself bombarded with changes: a new name, a new home, and a new family business – running the beat-up Beehive Diner. He knows he should forgive his dad as his mom wants him to, and get with the new family program. But Joey is afraid that in changing names and going with the flow he will lose sight of who he really is. In this rocket-paced new chapter in Joey Pigza’s life, a favorite hero discovers what identity and forgiveness really mean, and how to cook a delicious turkey burger." (Amazon book description)

Project 17, Laurie Faria Stolasrz

"High atop Hathorne Hill, just outside of Boston, sits Danvers State Hospital. Built in 1878 and closed in 1992, this abandoned mental institution is rumored to be the birthplace of the lobotomy. Locals have long believed the place to be haunted. They tell stories about the unmarked graves in the back, and of cold winds felt throughout its underground tunnels. And then there are the treasures found inside, eerie remnants of its former tenants: journals, hair combs, bars of soap, even old medical records, all left behind for trespassers to view.”

“On the eve of the hospital’s demolition, six teens break in to spend the night and film a movie about their adventures. For Derik, it’s an opportunity to win a filmmaking contest and save himself from a future of flipping burgers at his parents’ diner. For the others, it’s a chance to be on TV, or for a night with no parents. But what starts as a playful dare quickly escalates into a frenzy of nightmarish action. Behind the crumbling walls and down every dark passageway, these high schoolers will unravel the mysteries of those who once lived there and of the spirits who still might.” (Book Jacket)

Artemis Fowl: The Lost Colony, Eoin Colfer

"Ten thousand years ago, humans and fairies fought a great battle for the magical island of Ireland. When it became clear to the fairy families that they could never win, they decided to move their civilization underground and keep themselves hidden from the humans. All the fairy families agreed on this, except the eighth family, the demons. The demons planned to lift their small island out of time until they had regrouped and were ready to wage war on the humans once more. However, the time spell went wrong, and the island of Hybras was catapulted into Limbo, where it has remained for ten thousand years. Now the tainted time spell is deteriorating and demons are being sucked back into the present space and time. The fairy council is concerned about this and is monitoring any materializations. But when the spells deterioration accelerates, the materializations become unpredictable. Even the fairy scientists cannot figure out where the next demon will pop up. But someone can. Artemis Fowl, teenage criminal mastermind, has solved temporal equations that no normal human should be intelligent enough to understand. So when a confused and frightened demon pops up in a Sicilian theater, Artemis Fowl is there to meet him. Unfortunately, he is not the only one. A second, mysterious party has also solved the temporal equations, and has managed to abduct the demon before Artemis can secure him. Once again, Artemis will have to pair up with his old comrade, Captain Holly Short, to track down the missing demon and rescue him, before the time spell dissolves completely and the lost demon colony returns violently to Earth." (Book Description, Amazon)

I have a few other titles to add here, but Blogger is giving me publishing fits and I have lost patience with the continuous "could not contact Blogger.com" message I am receiving when attempting to save and publish this post.

Tags: ALA, 2007 ALA Conference, ALA exhibitors booths, ARC's, Advance Readers Copy