Abrams Spring 2023

ABRAMS The Art of Books SPRING 2023

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From Gray Malin: Coastal • By Gray Malin

BY CATHERINE MCCORD

With celebrated cookbook author and Weelicious founder Catherine McCord’s step–by–step process, your kitchen will be beautifully organized and fast, healthy family meals will be at your fingertips—starting with 100 of her favorite recipes. McCord believes that success in the kitchen comes down to two things—organization and meal prep—and she’ll show you how to master both.

One step beyond the ideological approach of Marie Kondo and The Home Edit, McCord brings you a practical guide to organizing the most important space in your home and using it.

McCord also offers up her favorite family recipes that are easy to prep ahead, make entirely ahead, contain basic ingredients that are always in your pantry, and/or strategically employ your freezer, air–fryer, Instant Pot, slow cooker, and more. Think grab–and–go breakfasts, creative packed lunches, healthy snacks, and irresistible dinners that are even better leftovers.

By following McCord’s simple strategies for meal prepping, you’ll always have food on–hand to enjoy throughout your busy week, limiting your trips to the grocery store and time spent in the kitchen. Eat healthy meals you love, while saving time, money, and your sanity. Meal Prep Magic is a lifesaver for any and all home cooks, busy parents, and fans of Weelicious and McCord’s popular book Smoothie Project

Catherine McCord is the founder of the popular website weelicious.com and the family food brand One Potato. McCord is the author of Smoothie Project,Weelicious, and Weelicious Lunches

SELLING POINTS

PROMOTIONAL DYNAMO: McCord is a tireless and effective promoter. A strong social media platform with an engaged audience, a huge list of connections that includes influencers and celebs, a wide–reaching family–oriented meal kit service, and her ability to get on national television all came together to help us sell Smoothie Project. Since then, her Instagram following has grown from 214,000 to 345,000.

COMBINES TWO BESTSELLING

CATEGORIES: Similar books that offer an organizational approach such as those by Marie Kondo and The Home Edit have done really well. McCord’s book will build on this category but add specificity by focusing on the kitchen. Additionally, home cooks are hungry for ways to get food on the table for their families and turn to meal prep books for help. This book combines these two successful subjects: It is The Home Edit meets Skinnytaste Meal Prep

RECIPES THAT MAKE YOUR LIFE EASY: McCord shares her absolute favorite recipes that the whole family will love. These 100 recipes are easy to prep in advance, are great frozen, make fantastic leftovers (with ideas on how to transform leftovers into something new), and can be whipped up in a snap, making use of time–saving techniques and appliances, such as air fryers and Instant Pots.

Asada THE

BY BRICIA LOPEZ AND JAVIER CABRAL

In millions of backyards across Southern California, an asada means a gathering of family, friends, great music, cold drinks, good times, and community—all centered around the primal allure of juicy, smoky grilled meat with flavors and spices traditional to Mexico. The smell of asada is a cloud of joy that lingers in the streets of Los Angeles. With Asada: The Art of Mexican–Style Grilling, Mexican food authorities and the authors of Oaxaca, Bricia Lopez and Javier Cabral, are back with more than 100 recipes that show you how to prepare the right dishes and drinks for your next carne asada gathering. Asada will both guide you in crafting mouthwatering food and inspire the right laidback atmosphere.

Everyone says they love a spicy margarita and asada tacos, but very few understand the culture that informs these flavors. Divided into the eight crucial elements of any carne asada: botanas (appetizers), carnes (meats), mariscos (seafood), side dishes and vegetables, salsas, aguas frescas, cocktails, and dessert, Asada walks you through every step. From Lopez’s secret “michelada marinade” to game–changing salsas that will elevate any grilled meat, this cookbook is the ultimate guide to making and beginning to understand the magic of asada.

Bricia Lopez and Javier Cabral co–authored Oaxaca Lopez comes from a long lineage of Oaxaca Mezcal craftsmen, and grew up in her grandmother’s kitchen. Lopez is the co–proprietor of Guelaguetza. Cabral created the critically acclaimed food blog Teenage Gluster when he was only 16. A former West Coast staff writer for Munchies, he has written for numerous publications, including the Los Angeles Times, Saveur, and Lucky Peach. They both live in Los Angeles.

SELLING POINTS

PROVEN SUCCESS: Published in fall 2019, Lopez and Cabral’s previous Abrams’ cookbook, Oaxaca, was a 2020 James Beard Award nominee.

RESPECTED AUTHORS: Lopez is the Los Angeles–based authority on Mexican food. The mayor of Los Angeles appointed Lopez to the city’s Board of Convention and Tourism Development in March 2019, and The New Yorker crowned her the “queen of mezcal,” among many other accolades. Lopez is also a co–owner of Los Angeles’ Guelaguetza, the most prominent Oaxacan restaurant in the United States.

REINVIGORATING THE CATEGORY: Asada will give a much–needed refresh to the grilling category by highlighting the influence of Mexican culture on both asada and American culture and food.

Frances Mayes is known for transporting readers to the charming Italian countryside in her bestselling books. In Pasta Veloce, Mayes works with food editor Susan Wyler to bring that irresistible Italian flavor right to your home with 100 of her favorite pasta recipes. These well–loved recipes blend traditional Italian technique with magic from Mayes’s home kitchen where experiments are always in progress.

Pasta is the most versatile food on earth. And if you do it right: fast! Pasta Veloce offers a multitude of under–30–minute, luscious recipes, all accompanied by Mayes’s evocative text. While there are numerous pasta cookbooks, few feature a true Italophile’s passion and eye for detail that can get a dish to the table in, as Mayes describes, “the time it takes to boil water.” From a Tagliatelle with Duck Confit, Chestnuts, and Coffee Reduction to a glittering Capellini with Golden Caviar to the perfect vodka sauce, Pasta Veloce is your guide on those nights when you’re ready to skip the whole production of it but still want to eat like royalty in a rustic Italian village.

Frances Mayes is the international bestselling author of Under the Tuscan Sun and The Tuscan Sun Cookbook. The award–winning movie by the same title was based off of her memoir. She is also the author of A Year in the World, Bella Tuscany, Every Day in Tuscany, Women in Sunlight, and Bringing Tuscany Home, among others. She and her husband divide their time between North Carolina and Tuscany. Susan Wyler is a cookbook editor, the author of Cooking for a Crowd and Cooking from a Country Farmhouse, and a former food editor at Food & Wine magazine. She lives in Hillsborough, North Carolina. Steven Rothfeld is a photographer whose work appears in The Tuscan Sun Cookbook, Bringing Tuscany Home, and Simply French. He lives in Napa Valley, California.

BESTSELLING SALES TRACK: As the international bestselling author of Under the Tuscan Sun, Bella Tuscany, Everyday in Tuscany, and In Tuscany, Frances Mayes’s writing has been a channel into the rustic Italian way of life. Mayes’s previous Tuscan Sun Cookbook was recently named one of the best 98 Italian cookbooks of all time by Book Authority.

AUTHOR WHO IS ALWAYS IN THE SPOTLIGHT: Mayes is publishing a new essay collection called A Place in the World: Finding the Meaning of Home soon, and her novel Women in Sunlight is being made into a movie, so she will be increasingly in the public eye over the coming years.

EVERGREEN TOPIC: Italian cuisine, and especially pasta, never gets old. With Mayes as the authority on the subject, this book will appeal to anyone who wants to transport themselves to Tuscany and eat the fresh and comforting pasta Mayes learned to make there, with the added promise of approachable and fast recipes.

BY LIANA KRISSOFF

Trusted cookbook author Liana Krissoff is back. Previously, she showed you fresh canning recipes; modern slow–cooker recipes; and easy vegetarian dishes. Now, she brings you In Praise of Home Cooking—fit for anyone looking to perfect the staples, parents who want to whip up something tasty, curious kids who want to learn grandma’s secret recipes, and everyone who has gotten tired of labor–intensive recipes.

To Krissoff, perfecting uncomplicated recipes and kitchen habits—such as learning to roast a whole chicken and use it for several days’ worth of meals, to cook a pot of creamy beans and one of fluffy rice, or to preserve foods when they’re abundant—is essential to living hopefully and with great pleasure.

In this book, there are charming step–by–step illustrations that demystify key cooking skills, vibrant food photographs, and short essays that reveal keen insights gleaned from a life as a recipe tester, cookbook author, and mom interspersed among the recipes. The more than 85 recipes in this book are Krissoff’s essentials, perfected for your ease. From kneading your own yeasted bread dough to refining your classic tahini dressing, Krissoff brings you all the foolproof recipes you always wished you had, while offering insight into the meaning and beauty behind these simple moments.

Liana Krissoff is the author of six cookbooks, including Abrams’ Slow Cook Modern, Canning for a New Generation, Whole Grains for a New Generation, and Secrets of Slow Cooking. She has been a freelance recipe tester, editor, and writer for over a decade.

EXPERT AUTHOR: Krissoff is the author of six respected cookbooks, most notably, the bestselling and award–winning Canning for a New Generation (2010), which has sold more than 83,000 copies.

MOST PERSONAL BOOK TO

DATE: In the vein of Julia Turshen’s Small Victories and Laurie Colwin’s Home Cooking, this book is filled with beautifully written stories from Krissoff’s life and the recipes that she has perfected for decades and chooses to cook with her family, over and over again.

FOR COOKS OF ALL LEVELS: This book teaches core cooking skills and celebrates the beauty and meaning of this practical task. Whether you are an expert cook who wants to connect with the joy of cooking, add some essential back–pocket recipes to your repertoire, and share the joy of cooking with someone you love, or a beginner who wants to further develop your skills and learn to love your time in the kitchen, this book is an inspiring and practical guide, full of essential recipes from one of the most experienced, trusted home cooks.

BY GEORGE MOTZ

The Great American Burger Book was the first book to showcase a wide range of regional burger styles and cooking methods. In this new, expanded edition, author and burger expert George Motz covers traditional grilling techniques as well as how to smoke, steam, poach, smash, and deep–fry burgers based on signature recipes from around the country.

Each chapter is dedicated to a specific regional burger, and includes the history of the method and details on how to create your own piece of American food history right at home. Written by Motz, the author of Hamburger America and hailed by the New York Times as a “leading authority” on hamburgers, The Great American Burger Book is a regional tour of America’s best burgers.

These mouthwatering recipes include, Connecticut’s Steamed Cheeseburger, The Tortilla Burger of New Mexico, Iowa’s Loosemeat Sandwich, Houston’s Smoked Burger, Pennsylvania’s The Fluff Screamer, and Sheboygan's Brat Burger.

This is a book for anyone who loves a great burger, unique or classic. And who doesn’t love a great burger?

George Motz is a well–traveled Emmy Award–winning freelance filmmaker, author, and photographer. He has been called the “foremost authority on hamburgers” by the New York Times, and “America’s biggest burger name” by Eater LA. In 2004, Motz completed Hamburger America, which was nominated in 2006 for a James Beard Award, and was recognized in 2011 by the US National Archives as an integral part of American food history. The film’s success led to a state–by–state guide to hamburgers, titled Hamburger America: A State–by–State Guide to Great Burger Joints And in 2016, Abrams released his first cookbook, The Great American Burger Book. Motz can be seen on his show, Burger Scholar Sessions, on Complex Media’s First We Feast, heading into its 6th season. He lives in Brooklyn.

SUBSTANTIAL UPDATE: This edition includes 30 percent more recipes and photos than the original, including a section on international interpretations of the classic American burger.

NEW REGIONAL RECIPES: New recipes in this updated edition feature mouthwatering burgers from Illinois, Indiana, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Ohio, Oklahoma, and New York.

EXPERT AUTHOR: Motz’s reputation as the hamburger expert makes him the go–to authority on the topic. His platform has grown considerably since initial publication, with more than 141,000 followers on Instagram, and his Burger Scholar video series has received millions of views on YouTube.

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7 1/2" - 191mm

9 1/2" - 241mm

Vineyard

BY TAMARA WEISS AND AMANDA BENCHLEY

While the Hamptons has stolen all the attention as the chic summer spot, a secret society of tastemakers and creatives have chosen the lower–key island of Martha’s Vineyard to hone their crafts and make their homes. The picturesque island just six miles off the coast of Cape Cod has a long history as a geographical muse for artists and writers: Lillian Hellman and William Styron wrote while overlooking the Vineyard Haven harbor, and Thomas Hart Benton painted the winding roads of what is known as “Up–island” more than 100 years ago.

Vineyard Folk reveals how a new generation continues to build on these creative legacies, resulting in homes as unique and diverse as their creators. Directly informed by their personalities and the varied island landscapes, the result is a mix of weathered, sea–side ambience, cutting–edge design, and New England tradition. From modern glass houses overlooking the red cliffs of Aquinnah and jewel–box fishing cottages in Menemsha to rambling farmhouses behind Chilmark’s hand–built stone walls, the candy–colored Victorians of Oak Bluff’s historical African American community, and stately 19th–century whaling Captain mansions in Edgartown, all the homes have stories to tell and inspiration to share.

Amanda Benchley is an experienced arts and design journalist whose articles have appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, Galerie, and Introspective Magazine. She is the author of Artists Living with Art; Our Shoes, Our Selves; and Open Studio. Tamara Weiss is a lifelong Vineyard resident, the owner of Midnight Farm (with her partner Carly Simon), and a local interior designer. She is the author of Potluck at Midnight Farm Cookbook, and has produced a number of films and TV shows, including the documentary Born to the Gig, the upcoming biopic on Carly Simon, Boys in The Trees, and a food/travel series with actor and photographer Tony Shalhoub.

SELLING POINTS

WELL–CONNECTED AUTHORS:

Benchley and Weiss share a large network of media personalities, designers, photographers, musicians, and artisans, including Seth Meyers, Carly Simon, Jorie Graham, Jim Belushi, and Amy Brenneman.

BELOVED DESTINATION: Martha’s Vineyard is one of the most fantasized about summer destinations on the East Coast, getting more than 100,000 visitors every summer. It has hosted many famous visitors including Barack Obama, Bill Clinton, and John Belushi, and was the filming destination of the famous Jaws franchise.

HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE: Readers will learn about this historic island and the important people and places that have contributed to its unique bohemian design aesthetic and culture. The book features the legacy of the island’s origin as Niope—as the Wampanoag Indians originally named the land—the whaling industry, and the historic Black community of Oak’s Bluff.

BY CAITLIN WILSON

Return to Pretty: Traditional Style, Made Modern is interior designer Caitlin Wilson’s story as an emerging designer, mother, and entrepreneur. It is the story of how her own personal style has evolved to create the foundation for her design philosophy, her family home, and her eponymous design studio. With this book, Wilson shares her process of design and her ideas on how to make a home not just look beautiful, but also feel lovely, classic, and comfortable. Wilson is at the forefront of the Grandmillennial revival, a new take on the classic, traditional style that focuses on warmth, floral prints, and old–fashioned elegance. This style is becoming increasingly popular for many young designers and millennials. With an emphasis on fashion and family, and centered around the importance of home, her approach to creating pretty spaces is all about being effortless and refined, and designing a home that is easy to maintain and offers a sense of luxurious livability. The chapters throughout feature stunning photographs, a pastel color palette, vivid prints, personal anecdotes, and design tips. Wilson’s twists on tradition will inspire, uplift, and connect readers to something greater than the present—allowing for a movement and style that’s feminine and sophisticated, and ultimately a return to pretty!

Caitlin Wilson is an internationally acclaimed interior and product designer. In 2007, she founded Caitlin Wilson Design and then launched her textile collection in 2011, which became hugely successful thanks to her blog and large social media fanbase. After several years living abroad, Wilson now lives with her husband and five children in Dallas, Texas, where she designs for high–profile clientele and continues to create beautiful home decor.

INFLUENTIAL PLATFORM: Caitlin Wilson Design has a huge social media presence, with 328,000 followers on Instagram, 3.4 million monthly Pinterest impressions, 89,000 email newsletter subscribers, and 133,000 monthly website visitors.

WELL–CONNECTED AUTHOR: Caitlin Wilson Design has partnered with Dondolo, BlueStar Cooking, etuHOME, KIP sleepwear, and has been featured in House Beautiful, HGTV Feature, Traditional Home, Modern Luxury, and D CEO

GRANDMILLENNIAL STYLE: Wilson is at the forefront of the grandmillennial decor style, which is a modern take on traditional decor, and sometimes seen as a take on traditional “grandmother” and retro elements such as florals, ruffles, and embroidered linens.

MARKETING POTENTIAL: With Wilson’s numerous design collections, there is an opportunity to create a special–edition pillow or other home decor items that promote the book’s release. These special–editions pillows could be sent to the big–name magazines she has previously worked with (House Beautiful, Traditional Home, Modern Luxury, D CEO) for potential marketing opportunities and social media exposure.

BY SOPHIE DONELSON

The past few years have made us all want to rethink our living spaces, particularly our kitchens. Our inner voices are saying, “You spend a lot of time in this room. Shouldn’t it feel more like you?”

Now it can. In Uncommon Kitchens, Sophie Donelson, the former editor in chief of House Beautiful, revolutionizes traditional kitchen design with a bevy of inventive ideas for makeovers both large and small. The kitchen is designed unlike any other room in the house, but that doesn’t mean you have to be hemmed in by tradition. Donelson takes a rule–breaking approach, mixing and layering styles, colors, furnishings, and layouts to make even well–trodden kitchens vividly fresh. Drawing on advice and up–to–the–minute projects from designers such as Frances Merrill, Jaqui Seerman, Victoria Sass, and many more, each personality–filled chapter is packed with liberating designs that will change your thinking about the tried–and–true kitchen.

Learn from DIYers, Instagrammers, and design experts including Nate McBride, Justina Blakeney, and Athena Calderone. Be inspired by innovators such as MK Quinlan and James Coviello. Uncommon Kitchens is a collection of imaginative new spaces that will make you a quick DIY convert, packed with indispensable tips to help you revolutionize your kitchen.

Sophie Donelson served as editor in chief of House Beautiful and is currently a marketing strategist and sought–after consultant. Donelson is a favorite (and repeat) speaker for the annual Future of Home Conference, and is an advisor to high–profile brands such as Curbed, VRBO, Business of Home, and Mitchell Gold. She makes regular guest appearances as a design expert on Good Morning America, Today, and Open House. Visit her at sophiedonelson.com.

HOT TOPIC: According to the Kitchen & Bath Market Index, the number of homeowners doing kitchen renovations has reached an all–time high. As one of the top rooms updated to increase home value, kitchen renovations were up nearly 40 percent in 2021.

TOP DESIGNERS: Readers are thirsty for ideas that are bigger and bolder than what the internet feeds them. This book gathers truly fresh information from top practitioners to offer the very latest—and best—expert advice. While still examining basic elements of the standard kitchen, the book offers immediate and gratifying try–now ideas.

LITTLE

REFRESH OR BIG

RENOVATION: Whether you have big plans or small ones, this is a book like no other, with advice on modernizing and refreshing your kitchen. And for anyone in the contemplation phase, it can also act as playbook for planning the renovation ahead of them.

BY MIMI FORD

Make It Yours with Mimi G is all about creating a fully functional wardrobe to love. Starting with six base patterns, Mimi G then hacks each pattern to create 26 new designs that will be styled both together and separately for a total of more than 100 looks. But this book isn’t just about hacking patterns to give you a complete wardrobe; it’s also about showing you how to style each garment and make your DIY wardrobe work for you.

Fashion and style are an integral part of making your own clothing, and this book offers a complete guide to making the perfect wardrobe for each individual. Mimi G’s own understanding of fit, her size–inclusive patterns, and ability to make what most would call “basic patterns” into unforgettable looks give this book incredible appeal. Focused on the modern maker wanting to create a sustainable wardrobe—with sewing, style, and design options—Mimi G’s take is unlike any other.

Mimi G is the creator of Mimi G Style, Inc., an award–winning business born from her love of sewing and design. She is also the founder of the fashion, lifestyle, and DIY blog Mimi G Style, the founder of Sew It! Academy, and the host of the widely popular podcast Business S.H.E.T. She lives in Atlanta with her family.

SELLING POINTS

ENDLESS POSSIBILITIES: Mimi’s approach is a sustainable take on a timeless idea: Start with a basic wardrobe that can be styled over and over again, through numerous variations, allowing readers to curate their own personal style with intention.

A STAR AUTHOR: Mimi has an incredible online presence, with more than 500,000 followers across all platforms, and her Sew It! Academy, which teaches online sewing courses for adults and kids, has increased her reach within the maker audience. Additionally, her partnership with Simplicity Patterns has helped make her a household name among sewists.

INDIVIDUAL FOCUSED: This book is about sewing, but it is also about developing personal style, identifying the best fit for your body, and advancing your sewing skills. The result is a wardrobe that you love and confidence in your abilities to create. With detailed instructions, step–by–step illustrations, and pattern sheets in the back of the book, sewists of all skill levels will find plenty to work with. SPECIFICATIONS *Full-color images throughout + full-size pattern sheets *176 pages

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BY KAFFE FASSETT

Kaffe Fassett needs no introduction—a master colorist and textile designer, Kaffe is known for legendary designs and fantastic quilts. And now he’s back with new images, new patterns, and a new look at his most storied designs. Timeless Themes explores the classic, bold patterns that we’ve come to know and love from Kaffe. Each chapter focuses on a pattern theme from the Kaffe Fassett Collective—whether stripes, circles, geometrics, and botanicals, or wild paisleys and retro zig zags. An archive of Kaffe’s photos, collected over the last 50 years, is presented alongside images of the fabrics they inspired.

An exciting addition to any quilter’s library, Timeless Themes blends the best elements of Kaffe’s life and inspiration, resulting in a fresh look at the designer at work—a must–have for readers everywhere.

Kaffe Fassett is a world–renowned artist, textile designer, and author. His work has been exhibited at museums worldwide, including the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. He is a fabric designer for FreeSpirit Fabrics, a knitwear designer for Rowan Yarns, and the author of more than 50 books, including Simple Shapes Spectacular Quilts, Bold Blooms, and Kaffe Fassett in the Studio. He lives in London.

SELLING POINTS

CLASSIC DESIGNS, NEW PATTERNS:Timeless Themes takes bold Kaffe Fassett patterns and reimagines them in a collection of more than 20 new quilts, each designed to help quilters develop their own personal take and use their fabric stash too.

STUNNING PHOTOGRAPHY: Never–before–published photographs make you feel as if you are right there—travel around London with Fassett and visit the vibrant, colorful studio where he designs and works.

DEDICATED AUDIENCE: Fassett is a celebrated fabric designer and celebrity in the quilt world. His impressive social media following tops 100,000, and his fans will be excited to see a new book of patterns from him. Fassett’s ongoing partnership with Free Spirit Fabrics makes his designs easily accessible.

8 1/2" - 216mm

10 3/4" - 273mm

MASTERPIECES OF CHILDREN’S BOOK ART BY 101 ESSENTIAL ILLUSTRATORS FROM AROUND THE WORLD

BY LEONARD S. MARCUS

A lavishly illustrated, large–format reference book highlighting the work of 101 top children’s illustrators

RIGHTS: World/All

SELLING POINTS

ARTWORK FROM CHILDHOOD CLASSICS: Includes artwork from familiar and beloved books such as Curious George, Madeline, The Cat in the Hat, and Where the Wild Things Are

GLOBALLY ORIENTED: Features illustrators from more than 20 countries and 6 continents.

AWARD–WINNING

ILLUSTRATORS: The illustrators profiled in this book have achieved 9 Hans Christian Andersen Awards, 24 Caldecott Medals, and 63 Caldecott Honors between them.

EXPERT AUTHOR: Marcus is one of the world’s acknowledged experts on children’s literature.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *432 pages

*WIDTH: 9" - 229mm

*HEIGHT: 11" - 279mm *Hardcover with jacket PUB MONTH: MARCH ART, REFERENCE ISBN 978-1-4197-3898-2 US $75.00 CAN $94.00 UK £55.00

The illustrated children’s book came of age in the 18th century when London publisher John Newbery established the first commercial market for illustrated “juveniles” in the West, spurring higher literacy rates, cultural enfranchisement, and a better life for generations of children across the world. In Pictured Worlds, renowned historian Leonard S. Marcus shares his incomparable knowledge of this global cultural phenomenon in the definitive reference work on children’s book illustration. The author of more than 25 award–winning books, Marcus highlights an international roster of 101 artists of the last 250 years whose achievements chart the major trends and turning points in children’s book illustration. While some explored in this lively volume (John Tenniel, Maurice Sendak) are household names, Marcus’s wide–ranging survey also includes lesser–known figures whose unique contributions merit a closer look. The result is a chronicle of a vibrant art form and cultural driver that has touched lives everywhere. Over 400 illustrations showcase landmark books from Great Britain, the US, France, Germany, Sweden, Czech Republic, Russia, Japan, China, Korea, Argentina, Cameroon, and more. Each entry is comprised of an artist’s biography and career overview and a deep–dive look at a pivotal book and its legacy. Featured books include Ivan Bilibin’s The Golden Cockerel, Leo Lionni’s Inch by Inch, Richard Doyle’s In Fairyland, Mitsumasa Anno’s Anno’s Journey, and Zhu Cheng–Liang’s A New Year’s Reunion, and the books that introduced such iconic characters as Alice, Max, Struwwelpeter, the Little Prince, and Winnie–the–Pooh. At once a celebration of illustrated children’s books and an essential reference work, Pictured Worlds encapsulates, in the author’s words, “the special nature of the illustrated children’s book as a cultural enterprise that is at once a rewarding art form, a bridge across cultures, and a ladder between generations.”

Leonard S. Marcus is one of the world’s leading authorities on children’s books and the people who create them. His award–winning books include Golden Legacy: The Story of Golden Books, Margaret Wise Brown: Awakened by the Moon, and Show Me a Story!: Why Picture Books Matter. A frequent contributor to the NYT Book Review and a radio and television commentator, Marcus is a founding trustee of the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art. He teaches at the School of Visual Arts and lectures across the world. He lives in New York City.

CARTON QTY: 6 ebook ISBN 978-1-68335-659-2

How to Paint Without a Brush

BY RED HONG YI

How to Paint Without a Brush introduces artist Red Hong Yi’s creative process—the tools and methods she employs and the motivation behind the artist’s work. Organized by artistic medium, including eggshells, matchsticks, flowers, and ink stamps made from vegetables, Red’s book shares an array of creative techniques as well as stories from significant moments in her art career. A do–it–yourself section at the back of the book provides several projects that readers can try at home to push their own creative boundaries.

With its focus on non–traditional art–making methods using common household objects, this book is both timely and inspiring. By combining years of artistic experimentation with Red Hong Yi’s personal journey, How to Paint Without a Brush will capture the interests of people from all skill levels—from the casual hobbyist to the emerging artist—in contemporary art making.

Red Hong Yi is a Chinese–Malaysian contemporary artist who makes work expressing her heritage and Chinese diasporic perspective. Red studied at the University of Melbourne, and her work has been exhibited at H Queens in Hong Kong, the Asian Art Museum in San Francisco, the World Economic Forum in Davos, and the Anchorage Museum in Alaska. Collectors of her work include JP Morgan Chase Bank and actor Jackie Chan. Her art has been featured in publications including the Wall Street Journal, TIME, and the New York Times. Sotheby’s Institute has named her one of the “11 art world entrepreneurs you should know.”

SELLING POINTS

STRONG SOCIAL MEDIA PRESENCE: Red has 187,000 Instagram followers that regularly engage with her new projects and partnerships, and her YouTube videos have had millions of views.

ART + DIY: The book showcases Red’s remarkable projects and also includes a DIY section to inspire readers to make their own art from everyday materials.

TIMELY

SOCIAL

COMMENTARY: Many of Red’s mixed–media installations use everyday materials and digital technology to explore questions that plague society today. Two of her recent projects include I Am Not a Virus, a series of accounts of Asian discrimination in the face of the COVID–19 pandemic, and Climate is Everything, a piece that became the artwork for TIME’s April 2021 special issue on climate change.

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Chronorama: Photographic Treasures of the 20th Century is an impressive photography volume curated by Condé Nast. Chrono (referring to space–time) and rama (referring to sight) are the cornerstones of this notable art record that depicts the third decade of the 21st century, a decade that had the potential to be another Roaring Twenties, and during which, Condé Nast Publications experienced meteoric growth. Taken from the pages of Vogue, Vanity Fair, House & Garden, GQ, and Glamour, the nearly 400 original vintage prints and illustrations within are by top photographers such as Irving Penn, Helmut Newton, Edward Steichen, Cecil Beaton, Eduardo Garcia Benito, Horst P. Horst, George Hoyningen–Huene, and Arthur Elgort—resulting in an unprecedented showcase of some of the most important works ever to be produced for the magazine page. Organized by decade, the book opens with the 1910s and ends with the 1970s, and the backstories of each decade are told through the art and historical context of the times, firmly situating the prevalence of the works in the minds of the readers. An exclusive collection of full–color, vivid, exquisite, and memorable images, Chronorama is not only a landmark in the history of photography and illustrated books, but also a pivotal time in the history of fashion, design, and the arts.

Condé Nast is a global media company that produces some of the world’s leading print, digital, video, and social brands. They are home to iconic publications such as Vogue, The New Yorker, GQ, Vanity Fair, Wire, and Architectural Digest. Headquartered in New York and London, Condé Nast operates in 32 markets, including China, France, Germany, India, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Latin America, Russia, Spain, Taiwan, the UK, and the US. The Pinault Collection was founded by François Pinault and manages the art collection of the Pinault family, its exhibition sites, institutional and cultural partnerships, art loans, and artist–in–residence programs. It comprises a unique ensemble of more than 10,000 works of art by almost 400 artists–from a wide range of generations and artistic movements and featuring well–known names and emerging figures.

SELLING POINTS

INTERNATIONAL AUDIENCE: Condé Nast has a global reach— including headquarters in New York and London and operations in 32 markets around the world.

INFLUENTIAL PARTNERSHIP: Condé Nast’s media brands attract more than 70 million monthly subscribers in print, 8 billion in video, 370 million in digital, and 461 million across social platforms. It remains one of the most prevalent and influential media companies to date.

EXCLUSIVE EXHIBITION: This volume is based on an upcoming acquisition by The Pinault Foundation from the US Condé Nast Archive. There will be an exhibition of the work on view from March 2023 to January 2024 at The Pinault Foundation’s esteemed Palazzo Grassi museum in Venice.

OUTSTANDING PHOTOGRAPHY: Includes 400 original vintage prints and illustrations from the likes of Irving Penn, Helmut Newton, Edward Steichen, Cecil Beaton, Eduardo Garcia Benito, Horst P. Horst, George Hoyningen–Huene, and Arthur Elgort, creating a volume of some of the most important works ever to be produced for the magazine page.

Gray Malin: Coastal

BY GRAY MALIN

A return to Gray Malin’s famed aerial beach photography, Coastal celebrates the beaches of the United States, from the East Coast to the West and Hawaii, as well as some international beaches. This book includes stunning, never–before–published photographs from the luminous waters of Maui to the pebbled beaches of Northern Michigan to the idyllic shores of Nantucket. Fans of Malin’s previous book, Beaches, will love this new installment as he takes you on a journey to the secluded, the celebrated, and the enchanting beaches of the United States.

Featured Locations:

Midwest: Lake Michigan; Chicago

Northeast: Maine; Cape Cod; New Jersey; Rhode Island; Block Island; The Hamptons; Martha’s Vineyard; Nantucket; Boston

Southeast: Miami; Palm Beach; Sea Island; Jupiter

Southern California: Venice; Santa Monica; San Diego; Laguna Beach; Newport Beach; Malibu; Manhattan Beach

Northern California: San Francisco; Big Sur; Monterey; Carmel; Pebble Beach; Lake Tahoe

Hawaii: Oahu; Big Island; Kauai; Maui

International: Australia; New Zealand; St. Barths; Bora Bora; Thailand

Gray Malin is a fine–art photographer and a New York Times bestselling author of Beaches, Italy, Escape, A World of Opposites, Be Our Guest!, and Gray Malin: Signed Collector’s Edition. His work hangs in homes across the world and can be found in both private and public collections. He lives in the West Hollywood area of Los Angeles with his husband and dog.

SELLING POINTS

BESTSELLING HOUSE

AUTHOR: Malin’s books have sold more than 300,000 copies since the publication of Beaches in 2016. He has gone on to publish four successful titles on the Abrams adult list, including his most recent publication, Gray Malin: The Essential Collection, in 2021, which has sold more than 25,000 copies. He also has a collection of games, home, travel, tech, and desk decor featuring his photographs.

MAJOR MEDIA STAR: Malin’s work and his books have been featured in many major national media outlets, including recent segments on CBS Sunday Morning, Good Morning America, and Today. He is a media darling and his work is constantly featured in print, online, and major news publications.

UNSEEN PHOTOGRAPHS: This new collection of aerial beach photography is a return to what Malin’s fans love best, featuring 75 percent unpublished images.

TOUR POTENTIAL: Malin has had successful tours with his four previous books on the Abrams list. With many US locations featured, there is huge potential for a tour that highlights the local coastal towns featured in the book, as well as partnerships with retailers and brands in those areas, including Cape Cod and Nantucket, Maine, Palm Beach, Lake Michigan, and Lake Tahoe.

Shapeshifters

THE WONDROUS WORLD OF JELLYFISH

BY LISA-ANN GERSHWIN

Jellyfish come in a dazzling array of colors, shapes, and sizes, drifting through every ocean, from the surface to the deepest of the deep seas, and are even found in freshwater locations. These ancient creatures, also called sea jellies (they are not, technically, fish), are so otherworldly and luminous that it is no wonder they are often compared to mythical shapeshifters. Some are so delicate that they shatter with the smallest disturbance to the water, while the tenacity of others means they can withstand almost any temperature, any salinity, starvation, and even being dismembered. And some are truly biologically immortal. This visually breathtaking book showcases 100 species of jellyfish within its pages—from the ubiquitous Aurelia to the enigmatic Velella along with astounding facts about these fascinating marine life–forms. Some are splendid, some strange, some poisonous, some deadly. Some carry surprising secrets and some are barely known, but every one of them is remarkable and has a tale to tell. An introduction by noted expert Lisa–ann Gershwin, with her commentary throughout, invites you into the wondrous world of jellyfish.

Dr. Lisa–ann Gershwin was born and raised in California, where several chance encounters with jellyfish lured her into their enthralling universe. She is the author of Stung! On Jellyfish Blooms and the Future of the Ocean and Jellyfish: A Natural History. She has given two TEDx talks and has published more than 70 peer–reviewed scientific papers and government reports. Gershwin has also discovered more than 200 new species of jellyfish as well as one dolphin. She lives and works in Australia’s beautiful island state of Tasmania.

SELLING POINTS

VIVID PHOTOGRAPHY: Luminous photographs of 100 species of jellyfish will fascinate those interested in marine life.

STRONG CATEGORY: Abrams has historically had success with visually impressive books on popular science. This fits the category perfectly.

EXPERT AUTHOR: Gershwin is one of the world’s leading experts on sea jellyfish, and she has identified more than 200 species.

SPECIFICATIONS

*100 color images *240 pages

*WIDTH: 8 1/2" - 216mm

*HEIGHT: 11" - 279mm *Hardcover

PUB MONTH: MARCH NATURE, PHOTOGRAPHY, SCIENCE ISBN 978-1-4197-6610-7 US $45.00 CAN $57.00 UK £35.00

CARTON QTY: 10 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-907-6

A breathtaking collection of photographs and expert commentary that shed light on the most mysterious creatures of the deep sea

Book of Earth

BY HEIDI GUSTAFSON

Part anthropological study, part art book, and part how–to, Book of Earth immerses you in the world of ochre, a naturally occurring mineral used to make pigment. Each chapter delves into author Heidi Gustafson’s rare pigment archive and provides a thorough exploration of natural color, while challenging our notions of the inanimate world. The book includes practical advice and techniques for creating your own pigments and applying these skills in everyday life.

Called the “ochre whisperer” by American Craft, and noted as the “woman archiving the world’s ochre,” in the New York Times, her personal collection of more than 600 pigments from around the planet is a unique treasure, and her passion and field experience will captivate you from the first page to the last.

Heidi Gustafson is an artist and ochre specialist with a working archive of more than 600 pigments. She frequently collaborates with artists, award–winning scientists, paleontologists, and other experts, including Jason Logan, author of Abrams’ bestselling book Make Ink. She lives in the Pacific Northwest.

SELLING POINTS

IMMERSIVE AND INSPIRATIONAL: Dive into a chronicle of the rich history of earth pigments and their use in art and body decoration. Gustafson presents a fascinating pigment archive and a thorough exploration of its colors.

EXQUISITE PHOTOGRAPHY: From deep, iron–rich reds to sunny yellows, Gustafson’s photographs celebrate the vast array of hues naturally occurring throughout the world and highlight projects for mixing and using your own pigments.

CONVERGENCE OF HISTORY, CULTURE, AND ART: Gustafson includes contributor essays that offer a historical and cultural perspective on color cultivation and the meaning of pigments to various cultures.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color images throughout *224 pages

*WIDTH: 8" - 203mm

*HEIGHT: 10 7/8" - 276mm

*Hardcover POB

PUB MONTH: MAY ART, CRAFT, HOW-TO, PHOTOGRAPHY ISBN 978-1-4197-6465-3 US $35.00 CAN $44.00 UK £25.00

Worlds Beyond Time SCI-FI

ART OF THE 1970S

BY ADAM ROWE

A visual history of the spaceships, alien landscapes, cryptozoology, and imagined industrial machinery of 1970s paperback sci–fi art

SELLING POINTS

SUBSTANTIAL SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORM: Rowe has more than 300,000 followers across social media platforms, and his followers are highly engaged with his daily posts.

UNIQUE IN THE MARKET: Worlds Beyond Time is the first and only compendium of 1970s sci–fi art—and also the first book to feature this breadth of artists in such detail.

BUILT–IN FAN BASE: Chris Foss, Peter Elson, Tim White, Jack Gaughan, Virgil Finlay, and the other artists included in this visual history have legions of fans who have followed their work for decades and are eager to see it reproduced.

SPECIFICATIONS

*400 color illustrations

*224 pages

*WIDTH: 9" - 229mm

*HEIGHT: 11" - 279mm

* Hardcover POB PUB MONTH: JULY ART, ART HISTORY, DESIGN, HISTORY ISBN 978-1-4197-4869-1 US $40.00 CAN $50.00 UK £30.00 ËxHSLELJy748691z

In the 1970s, mass–produced, cheaply printed science fiction novels were thriving. The paper was rough, the titles outrageous, and the cover art astounding. Over the course of the decade, a stable of talented painters, comic book artists, and designers produced thousands of the most eye–catching book covers to ever grace bookstore shelves (or spinner racks). Curiously, the pieces commissioned for these covers often had very little to do with the contents of the books they were selling, but by leaning heavily on psychedelic imagery, far–out landscapes, and trippy surrealism, the art was able to satisfy the same space–race fueled appetite for the big ideas and brave new worlds that sci–fi writers were boldly pushing forward.

In Worlds Beyond Time: Sci–Fi Art of the 1970s, Adam Rowe—who has been curating, championing, and resurrecting the best and most obscure art that 1970s sci–fi has to offer for more than five years on his blog 70s Sci–Fi Art—introduces readers to the biggest names in the genre, including Chris Foss, Peter Elson, Tim White, Jack Gaughan, and Virgil Finlay, as well as their influences. With deep dives into the subject matter that commonly appeared on these covers—spaceships, alien landscapes, fantasy realms, cryptozoology, and heavy machinery—this book is a loving tribute to a unique and robust art form whose legacy lives on both in nostalgic appreciation as well as the retro–chic design of mainstream sci–fi films such as Guardians of the Galaxy, Alien: Covenant, and Thor: Ragnarok

Adam Rowe is a senior writer at Tech.co and a Forbes contributor on publishing and the business of storytelling. He has also written for iO9, Popular Mechanics, Tor.com, and the Barnes & Noble Sci–Fi & Fantasy Blog. In 2018 he was a Digital Book World Award nominee for Publishing Commentator of the Year. Rowe curates the popular, multi–platform 70s Sci–Fi Art feed, bringing the best in retro sci–fi art to more than 100,000 Instagram followers @70sscifi. He lives in Seattle.

CARTON QTY: 10 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-070-7

From Say One Kind Thing • By Susan Verde

BY ZACHARY ZANE

Praise for Boyslut

“One of the best sex writers working today. Reading Zach’s own sexual adventures is like getting invited to Sunday brunch by your wittiest, sluttiest, funniest friend.” —Dan Savage, sex columnist and New York Times bestselling author

“Zach is a fabulous queer writer and thinker who’s doing the Lord’s work by promoting bi–visibility and helping the LGBTQ community.” —Billy Porter, actor, singer, and author

“Zach’s honest approach is a welcome reprieve from the messages of our youth, and his self–exploration encourages and enables us to do our own.” —Allison Raskin, podcaster and New York Times bestselling author

“Zach offers here what so many of us need in all areas of life: a call to live without shame.” —Taylor Jenkins Reid, New York Times bestselling author

SELLING POINTS

AUTHOR’S NETWORK: Zane’s proposal came with blurbs attached from Dan Savage, Billy Porter, Gaby Dunn, Jacob Tobia, Taylor Jenkins Reid, Allison Raskin, R. Eric Thomas, Alex Newell, and Courtney Act, to name just a few. They, along with Alexander Chee, JP Brammer, Remy Duran, Raquel Willis, and other activists, writers, drag queens, and more, are avid supporters of Zane’s work and eager to support his first book.

GROWING PLATFORM: Zane has a social following of 18,000 Instagram followers and 16,000 on Twitter. He has major brand partnerships and connections with everything from gay dating apps and sex toy brands to activist groups and media organizations. He has a wide range of editors at various outlets eager to support his work and the book, including the New York Times, GQ, Rolling Stone, Vice, the Washington Post, OUT, Allure, Self, Playboy, The Advocate, and Men’s Health

As a boy, Zachary Zane sensed that all was not right when images of his therapist naked popped into his head. He sometimes imagined other people naked, too, and without an explanation why, a deep sense of shame pervaded these thoughts. Though his therapist assured him a little imagination was nothing to be ashamed of, over the years, society told him otherwise.

Boyslut is a memoir–manifesto in which Zane articulates that, even today, we live in a world that shames people for the sex that they have and the sexualities that they inhabit. Through the lens of his bisexuality and much self–described sluttiness, Zane breaks down exactly how this sexual shame negatively impacts the sex and relationships in our lives, and through personal experience, shares how we can unlearn the harmful, entrenched messages that society imparts to us.

From stories of play sessions with a neighbor at age six to the first explorations of Zane’s bisexuality in college, as well as sex–dungeon parties, orgies, and fun with butt plugs, Boyslut is reassuring and often painfully funny, and most potently, it is a testimony that we can all learn to live healthier lives unburdened by stigma.

Zachary Zane is the sex and relationship columnist for Men’s Health, where he writes “Sexplain It” and answers a diverse range of questions pertaining to masculinity, ethical non–monogamy, sexual insecurities, and the LGBTQ community. He and his work have appeared in outlets such as the New York Times, Vice, GQ, Rolling Stone, The Advocate, The Tamron Hall Show, and Nightline. Zane holds partnerships with Grindr, Scruff, and Pornhub, and is currently in development on a TV show that explores sex across the United States. He lives in Brooklyn.

POPULAR TREND: Sex and sexuality—or at least talking about them—are in vogue More and more writers are openly tackling sex, whether in print, online, or in film; we are living in a moment of sex positivity and celebration. And Zane has plenty of experience talking about sex and sexuality—from his Men’s Health column to podcasts, and even live television. He is mediagenic and very un–shy about his life and work, making him an ideal self–promoter.

*240 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

*HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm

*Hardcover with jacket

PUB MONTH: MAY MEMOIR, LGBTQ+ HISTORY & CULTURE, SELF-HELP ISBN 978-1-4197-6471-4

US $26.00 CAN $33.00 UK £19.99

CARTON QTY: 32 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-833-8

BY JORDAN MINOR

Pong. The Legend of Zelda.Final Fantasy VII. Rock Band.Fortnite. Animal Crossing: New Horizons. For each of the 40 years of video game history, there is a defining game, a game that captured the zeitgeist and left a legacy for all games that followed. Through a series of entertaining, informative, and opinionated critical essays, author and video game critic Jordan Minor investigates, in chronological order, the innovative, genre–bending, and earth–shattering games from 1977 through 2020. Minor explores development stories, critical reception, and legacy, and also looks at how gaming intersects with and eventually influences society at large while reveling in how uniquely and delightfully bizarre even the most famous games tend to be.

From portly plumbers to armor–clad space marines and the speedy rodents in between, Video Game of the Year paints individual portraits that, as a whole, give readers a stronger appreciation for the vibrant variety and long–lasting impact of this fresh, exciting, and massively popular art form. Illustrated throughout with retro–inspired imagery and featuring contributions from dozens of leading industry voices, including New York Times bestselling author Jason Schreier (Blood, Sweat, and Pixels; Kotaku), Max Scoville (IGN), Rebekah Valentine (IGN), Blessing Adeoye Jr. (Kinda Funny), and Devindra Hardawar (Engadget), this year–by–year anthology is a loving reflection on the world’s most popular art form.

Featured Games: 1977 – Pong; 1978 – Space Invaders; 1979 – Speed Freak; 1980 – Pac–Man; 1981 – Donkey Kong; 1982 – Pitfall!; 1983 – Dragon’s Lair; 1984 – Tetris; 1985 – Super Mario Bros.; 1986 – Dragon Quest; 1987 – The Legend of Zelda; 1988 – Mega Man 2; 1989 – SimCity; 1990 – The Secret of Monkey Island; 1991 – Sonic the Hedgehog; 1992 –Wolfenstein 3D; 1993 – NBA Jam; 1994 – Super Street Fighter II Turbo; 1995 – Donkey Kong Country 2; 1996 – Super Mario 64; 1997 – Final Fantasy VII; 1998 – Metal Gear Solid; 1999 – System Shock 2; 2000 Counter–Strike; 2001 – Halo: Combat Evolved; 2002 – Grand Theft Auto: Vice City; 2003 – The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker; 2004 – World of Warcraft; 2005 – Resident Evil 4; 2006 – Wii Sports; 2007 – Rock Band; 2008 – Spore; 2009 – Uncharted 2; 2010 –Super Meat Boy; 2011 – Minecraft; 2012 – Telltale’s The Walking Dead; 2013 – Depression Quest; 2014 – Destiny; 2015 –Witcher 3; 2016 – Pokemon Go; 2017 – Fortnite; 2018 – Super Smash Bros. Ultimate; 2019 – Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice; 2020 – Animal Crossing: New Horizons; 2022 – The Stanley Parable: Ultra Deluxe

Jordan Minor is an entertainment and technology journalist. For years he was senior editor at Geek.com, and he is currently an editor on the Apps and Gaming team at PCMag. He has also written freelance articles for multiple prominent gaming outlets, including Kotaku, The A.V. Club, Paste magazine, 148Apps, and The Escapist. He lives in New York City. Dan Ryckert is Creative Director at Giant Bomb and co–founder of the Fire Escape Cast

SELLING

VIDEO GAMES ARE BIG BUSINESS: Video games are the world’s most popular art form, grossing more than $155 billion in 2020, and gamers are among the most engaged and opinionated of any medium’s fan base, making this book a great gift and the perfect catalyst for good–natured arguments and heated online discussions.

CONNECTED AUTHOR: As a member of the New York Video Game Critics Association, Minor is respected and well–connected within the industry and will be able to rely on his contacts to support the book.

EXCITING INDUSTRY

CONTRIBUTORS: Includes contributions from big names in the video game industry, such as New York Times bestselling author Jason Schreier (Blood, Sweat, and Pixels; Kotaku), Max Scoville (IGN), Rebekah Valentine (IGN), Blessing Adeoye Jr. (Kinda Funny), Devindra Hardawar (Engadget), and dozens more, will provide additional commentary and essays.

GIFTY PACKAGE: This Rap Year Book–esque take on video game history will feature retro–inspired original illustrations alongside the essays, giving the discussion of games from multiple decades a cohesive visual flow.

DIVERSE RANGE OF GAMES: Each year will feature a long–form essay that focuses on the most important game of the year, accompanied by a short–form essay exploring another significant game from that year.

BY LANE MOORE

From Lane Moore, the critically acclaimed author of How to Be Alone, comes a searingly intimate, funny guidebook about the awkward, painful, and, at times, exhilarating journey of learning to find, build, and keep best friendships in adulthood

RIGHTS: World/All

SELLING POINTS

IMPRESSIVE PLATFORM: Moore has a dedicated online fan base. She has more than 57,000 followers on Instagram and 70,000 on Twitter. She created the in–person comedy show Tinder Live and also tours frequently.

STRONG TRACK RECORD: Moore’s first book, How to Be Alone, was originally published by Atria Books in 2018, and is consistently reaching new audiences, with sales of more than 30,000 copies.

WIDE–RANGING AUDIENCE: After living through the pandemic, people have been reexamining their friendships as well as recovering from prolonged isolation. For many in the US, this book will be seen as a beacon of light for those struggling with relationship issues and loneliness.

SPECIFICATIONS

*208 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

*HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm

*Hardcover POB

From Lane Moore, the critically acclaimed author of How to Be Alone, comes a searingly intimate, funny exploration of the awkward, painful, and, at times, exhilarating experience of learning to find, build, and keep best friendships in adulthood Part memoir, part self–help book, You Will Find Your People uncovers the complex, frightening, and mysterious worlds of friendship and community. Author Lane Moore takes readers on a journey that challenges heteronormative Western ideas of friendship, navigates the tricky world of issues like being friends with your ex, and teaches us how to finally—and fearlessly—accept the friendships we know we deserve. Full of hilarious anecdotes, witty lists, examinations of pop–culture friend archetypes, and advice on how to find and identify your own attachment styles, this book is a candid guide on how to heal, grow, and form perfectly unperfect friendships.

Lane Moore is an award–winning comedian, writer, actor, and musician. She is the former sex and relationships editor at Cosmopolitan, where she received a GLAAD award for her groundbreaking work expanding the magazine’s queer coverage. The New York Times called her comedy show Tinder Live “ingenious.” Both her comedy and her band, It Was Romance, have been praised everywhere, from Pitchfork to Vogue, and her writing has appeared in publications ranging from The New Yorker to The Onion. Her first book is the highly praised How to Be Alone. She lives in New York City.

PUB MONTH: APRIL SELF-HELP, BIOGRAPHY, HUMOR ISBN 978-1-4197-6256-7 US $24.99 CAN $31.99 UK £18.99 ËxHSLELJy762567z

CARTON QTY: 36 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-714-0

BY SUSAN VERDE

Number one New York Times bestselling author and children’s yoga and mindfulness expert Susan Verde knows the power of positive self–talk. For decades, Verde has struggled with her inner critic, a voice inside telling her that she was not enough. Yoga, meditation, and mindfulness practices became her way of challenging and quieting this voice. However, the moment she became a parent, the voice became louder than ever. How would she manage to parent three little ones when she could not speak to herself with compassion, kindness, and love? Motherhood would prove to be the ultimate test of her practice.

With humor, heart, and disarming vulnerability, Verde shares stories from her life as a parent, a person, and a coffee addict on a journey toward self–acceptance. She reveals her missteps and her greatest moments of joy—from supporting one of her children through a mental health struggle, and another through gender affirmation; to losing her father and reconnecting with her mother; to the immense pain and pride of preparing to send her three teenagers off to college and facing an empty nest.

Woven throughout the book are mantras reminding readers to speak to themselves with compassion, with the ultimate goal of living, loving, and parenting from a place of freedom and authenticity. Verde’s message is that we must all be the authors of our own inner dictionaries, filling them with words of self–love. We must listen to the voice that is telling us that we are worthy. And we must let these words become our story.

Susan Verde is a #1 New York Times bestselling children’s book author and a children’s yoga and mindfulness expert. She has written more than 20 picture books, and she is a highly sought–after speaker at conferences, festivals, and schools across the nation. Verde is a frequent contributor to online publications, and she has appeared on multiple podcasts about writing, parenting, mindfulness, and yoga. She is the mother of three teenagers, Gabriel, Joshua, and Sebby, and she lives in East Hampton, New York.

SELLING POINTS

BESTSELLING ABRAMS

AUTHOR: Verde has a #1 New York Times bestselling series with Abrams. Her books for young people on empathy, compassion, and resilience have become modern classics, and in Say One Kind Thing, she turns the conversation from little humans to their parents.

BELOVED VOICE: Verde is seen as a trailblazer whom many people look to for a more peaceful, mindful, and kind way of being. Parents, booksellers, librarians, and educators alike already call on Verde to bring that sense of peace and grounding to the children in their lives, to their homes, and to their shared community spaces.

MARKETING POTENTIAL: Parents who are focused on emotional well–being for their children tend to be passionate about it for themselves as well. For every school, library, bookstore, and festival event planned for children, there is the opportunity for a parent event as well. Verde is already well on her way to cementing herself in the crossover space of the wellness and parenting communities. SPECIFICATIONS *176 pages *WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm *HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm

BY KIM DAVIES AND DR. POOKY KNIGHTSMITH

Break free from the taxing elements of your daily life and embrace the positive. From the authors of Cards Against Anxiety comes Cards Against Negativity, a new guidebook and card set to help you identify and escape time–consuming negative thoughts so you can focus on everything worth celebrating. Like its predecessor, Cards Against Negativity includes a deck of 25 wallet–sized cards that function as cheat sheets for mindfulness and CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) techniques that you can practice anywhere—on the bus, walking to class, in your home office—to help boost your self–esteem and get out of a cycle of negative thinking. Each portable card features a short, refocusing prompt on one side and brief instructions to let in some positivity on the other. Use this guidebook–and–card set whenever and wherever to help you establish a foundation of positivity in your everyday life.

Kim Davies is a writer who specializes in positive mental health and well–being. She is also a counselor who draws on mindfulness and other wellness techniques in her work. Dr. Pooky Knightsmith has a PhD in psychological medicine from the Institute of Psychiatry, London, and is the former chair of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health Coalition. She is the author of Cards Against Anxiety.

PREVIOUS SUCCESS: The outstanding success of Cards Against Anxiety and the playful title will make this book stand out in its category to new and returning readers.

EXPERT AUTHORS: The confidence–boosting methods described in the guidebook are based off well–researched and studied CBT (cognitive behavioral therapy) techniques. Consultant Dr. Pooky Knightsmith has a PhD in psychological medicine and works at the Young People’s Mental Health Coalition, and author Kim Davies is a counselor with experience employing these methods.

NO JUDGMENT ZONE: Easy–to–follow steps toward positivity empower readers to grow at their own pace, in any order they choose. This is the perfect gift for anyone who may need to inject a little more positivity into a world that sometimes feels overrun by negativity.

5 3/4" - 146mm

BY SCOTT AUKERMAN

In Comedy Bang! Bang!: The Podcast, Scott Aukerman transports readers inside the zany world of the Comedy Bang! Bang! podcast. The book features brand–new anecdotes and opinions from the wild cast of recurring characters, and matches the show in tone and wackiness, with essays, lists, plays, nods to running bits, and four–color illustrations throughout, helping to bring the zany, satirical, undefinable world of Comedy Bang! Bang! to the page.

The book is curated by Aukerman and includes introductions by comedy legend Patton Oswalt, Broadway phenom Lin–Manuel Miranda, and singer “Weird Al” Yancovik. It also features pieces from Bobby Moynihan, Andy Daly, Paul Brittain, Ego Nwodim, and many more, all reprising roles of characters they’ve created for the podcast, taking readers even deeper inside the lives of these off–the–wall personalities.

Scott Aukerman, the host and creator of Comedy Bang! Bang! is best known for his work on the 1990s HBO sketch comedy program Mr. Show with Bob and David and creating and hosting the Comedy Bang! Bang! TV series, as well as cofounding the weekly Comedy Death–Ray stage show at the Upright Citizens Brigade Theater in Hollywood. He lives in Los Angeles.

BUILT–IN AUDIENCE: The Comedy Bang! Bang! podcast began in 2009 and has been the most consistently listened to comedy podcast for more than a decade—featuring hundreds of episodes, sold–out live shows across the country, and millions of downloads.

AUTHOR PLATFORM: Aukerman has 286,000 Twitter followers and 131,000 on Instagram, while Comedy Bang! Bang! has 140,000 on Twitter. His fan base is incredibly engaged, and he is committed to promoting the book.

ALL–STAR CONTRIBUTORS:

The book will feature pieces written by a veritable who’s who of comedy and entertainment, including Lin–Manuel Miranda (3.5 million Twitter followers), “Weird Al” Yankovic (Twitter: 4.9 million; Instagram: 565,000), Caroline Anderson, Patton Oswalt, Matt Apodaca, Tim Baltz, Paul Brittain, Andy Daly, John Gabrus, Ryan Gaul, Mike Hanford, Will Hines, Mary Holland, Taran Killam, Dan Lippert, Jessica Mckenna, Seth Morris, Bobby Moynihan, Ego Nwodim, Edi Patterson, Zach Reino, Ben Rodgers, Paul Rust, Ben Schwartz, Lily Sullivan, Drew Tarver, Nick Wiger.

A Taste of London

BY JOHN DONOHUE

CULINARY CAPITAL

From the handsome dining rooms of Brawn to beloved institutions like Ciao Bella, John Donohue renders people’s favorite restaurants in a manner that captures the emotional pull a certain place can have on the hearts of Londoners. A Taste of London is a collection of these drawings, characterized by their appealingly informal lines. These transportive images are intentionally spare, leaving the viewer room to layer on their own meaning and draw connections to their own memories of a place, of a time, of an atmosphere. Featuring an eclectic mix of 100 restaurants—from Moro to The River Café and Honey & Co—this charming collection of drawings is accompanied by interviews with the owners, chefs, and loyal patrons of these much–loved restaurants.

John Donohue is an artist and writer based in New York. His articles and cartoons have appeared in The New Yorker, the New York Times, and Barron’s, among other publications. He is the author of All the Restaurants in New York and A Table in Paris

SELLING POINTS

TRENDY TRAVEL

DESTINATION: London is still one of the most visited cities in the world. Before the pandemic, more than 40 million people visited the city in 2019. With travel restrictions loosening in recent months, London is expected to see around 21 million visitors in 2022.

LONDON BOOKS WORK: Abrams has seen books such as the Cereal City Guide: London and London in Bloom give eager readers a closer look into the aspirational city they love and wish to travel to. Cereal City Guide: London has sold almost 15,000 copies, half of which were sold in the UK market, proving that Londoners are interested in books about their city. Additionally, US tourists are the number one group visiting London, so there is strong interest for books focusing on London–specific topics stateside as well.

PERFECT GIFT: A unique and lovely tribute to London, with charming illustrations that take you to beloved local eateries, this is a perfect souvenir for the foodie tourist or the Londoner obsessed with their local food scene.

BY CHRIS SANTELLA AND DC HELMUTH

Fifty Places to Travel with Your Dog, the 18th book in the Fifty Places series, will explore all of the domestic and international ways dog owners can celebrate their love for man’s best friend. From the dazzling glaciers of Alaska and the onsen’s of Japan to the sun–soaked beaches of Portugal, this book takes you on a dog–approved journey of where to stay and how to travel with your beloved furry friend. Enjoy locations such as the ski trails of Mariposa, the gothic architecture of Prague, the chic salons of Paris for a doggy makeover, and the world’s first dog cruise—complete with a canine–friendly menu, even a three–course meal! See the world as you’ve never seen it before—through the eyes of your pup—as Fifty Places to Travel with Your Dog takes you through fun–filled festivals, special dog holidays, and luxurious hotels and retreats that aren’t just dog–centric, they are dog approved!

Chris Santella is the author of more than 20 books, including 17 titles in the Fifty Places series. He is a regular contributor to the Washington Post, the New York Times, Trout, and The Fly Fish Journal, and resides in Portland, Oregon. When he’s not writing, Santella can often be found swinging flies for steelhead on rivers around the Pacific Northwest or strumming guitar in his band, Catch & Release. DC Helmuth is a travel writer who has written for Curbed and The Bold Italic. She is currently working on a humor/advice backpacking book for Mountaineers Press, slated for next year. Most of her current writing is on the great outdoors and millennial culture. She lives in San Francisco.

SELLING POINTS

EVERYBODY LOVES DOGS: Abrams has a long history of successful dog publishing, and for the first time, we’re able to marry that beloved category with this beloved series.

BESTSELLING SERIES: Since 2004, the Fifty Places series has sold more than 700,000 copies combined. Fifty Places to Camp and Fifty Places to Drink Beer mark an uptick in the series. The series does well in both trade and special markets channels, has international appeal, and backlists endlessly.

INSIDER INFORMATION: Each chapter includes advice on where to stay, what to do, and how to prepare for each dog–friendly adventure.

SPECIFICATIONS

*50 full-color images

*224 pages

*WIDTH: 7" - 178mm

*HEIGHT: 8" - 208mm

*HC-POB with Jacket

PUB MONTH: MAY TRAVEL, PETS, GIFT, REFERENCE ISBN 978-1-4197-6100-3 US $27.50 CAN $34.50 UK £19.99

Real Life, Real Love

BY DJ ENVY AND GIA CASEY

Gia and Raashaun Casey met when they were two teenagers living around the corner from each other in Queens. They have been together for an astounding 25 years and have remained together through Raashaun’s growing celebrity, a devastating (and very public) cheating scandal, and the births of five children. Now, a quarter of a century into their relationship, they are stronger and more committed to each other than they’ve ever been, and their fans are clamoring to know how they did it.

In Real Life, Real Love, Gia and Raashaun explore the entire chronology of their love story with remarkable vulnerability, searing honesty, and a lot of humor. It’s a riveting narrative about how to grow together, an aspirational guidebook for people who seek the same unconditional love in their relationships, and an in–depth look at how to remain equals after being thrust into the public eye.

Raashaun Casey, also known as DJ Envy, and Gia Casey have been together for 25 years and married for 18. They host The Casey Crew, a podcast exploring the good, bad, and ugly sides of relationships and family life. It has been ranked by Essence as one of the best podcasts about Black love and family. Raashaun is also a host on The Breakfast Club, alongside Charlamagne tha God and Angela Yee. Raashaun and Gia live in New Jersey.

TREMENDOUS COMMERCIAL APPEAL: Real Love is the perfect cross section of pop culture, celebrity memoir, and tangible advice—a mixture of categories that Abrams has seen recent success in.

DEDICATED FOLLOWERS: Gia and Raashaun Casey’s fans trust them and are ready for more of their story. Aside from live podcast tapings that sell out, they run other events and experiences for their fans (who they call their “family”), including high–priced weekend workshops that let their fans hang out with them while they give romantic and financial advice. Their combined platform includes an audience of more than 2 million Instagram followers, 4.2 million YouTube subscribers, and 1.6 million Instagram followers.

GUARANTEED PROMOTION: Raashaun has guaranteed use of The Breakfast Club platform for promotion of the book, which means outreach to its 10 million weekly listeners. Gia and Raashaun will also promote the book on their podcast, The Casey Crew, which averages 65,000 downloads per episode.

BY ALEX PAPPADEMAS

There can be no doubt: Keanu Reeves is a phenomenon. He’s at once a badass action star, a hunky dreamboat who People magazine has called “the Internet’s boyfriend,” a vintage motorcycle enthusiast, a niche art book publisher, a living meme, and a legend. He seems to upend every rule governing celebrity in the 21st century. But how?

In Keanu Reeves: Most Triumphant, cultural critic Alex Pappademas attempts to address Keanu’s unmatched eternality and the other big questions raised by his career arc. Sharp, funny, deeply researched, and fully celebratory of the enigmatic actor, this is the first book to take Keanu’s whole deal as seriously as it deserves. Yes, even Johnny Mnemonic, where Keanu mind melds with a dolphin. Along the way, Pappademas reveals the lessons we can learn from Keanu about Hollywood, our broader culture, and even life itself.

Alex Pappademas is a writer, editor, and occasional podcaster who lives in Los Angeles. He is a regular contributor of reported features and critical essays to the New York Times, The New Yorker, GQ, the Los Angeles Times, GENMag.com, Men’s Health, and Airbnb Magazine. He has also written for Grantland, Esquire, Spin, and Rolling Stone. From 2015 to 2017 he was the executive editor of MTV News; prior to that, he was a staff writer at Grantland and the cohost of the acclaimed pop–culture podcast Do You Like Prince Movies?

A MAJOR KEANU MOMENT: Reeves has been hugely trending for a few years in what fans online have called “The Keanussiance.” In May 2022, John Wick: Chapter 4 will hit theaters and reignite Keanu mania.

BOOKS ABOUT MEME–

WORTHY CELEBRITIES WORK: This book will do for Reeves what The Tao of Bill Murray (70,000+ copies sold) did for Bill Murray. These celebrities merge nostalgia for their classic movies with a very current, very online fandom and fervor.

CONNECTED AUTHOR: Alex Pappademas is the perfect author for this book. In addition to writing a viral 2019 profile of Reeves for GQ, for which he hung out with Reeves, he writes for the New York Times, Los Angeles Times, The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, Esquire, and Spin. He’s extremely social–media savvy, and his followers and friends include Jia Tolentino, Shea Serrano, Chuck Klosterman, and more.

From Tokidoki: The Art of Simone Legno • By Simone Legno

Tokidoki: The Art of Simone Legno

BY SIMONE LEGNO

tokidoki, which translates to “sometimes” in Japanese, is an internationally–recognized and iconic lifestyle brand based on the vision of Italian artist Simone Legno and his partners, serial entrepreneurs Pooneh Mohajer and Ivan Arnold. Since debuting in 2005, tokidoki has amassed a cult–like following for its larger–than–life characters and emerged as a sought–after global lifestyle brand. tokidoki offers an extensive range of products which include apparel, handbags, cosmetics, accessories, toys and more. Simone Legno, tokidoki’s Chief Creative Officer, was born in Rome, Italy and from a very young age developed a deep love of Japan and a fascination with world cultures. Combining Legno’s unique talent and creativity with Mohajer’s business acumen, tokidoki has grown exponentially. As an innovative company, tokidoki is known not only for its eye–popping aesthetic and criminally cute characters but also its megawatt partnerships. For more information, please visit www.tokidoki.it

Simone Legno, who was born in Rome, Italy, is the cofounder and chief creative officer of tokidoki. Legno, who has always had a deep love of Japan and a fascination with world cultures, chose the word tokidoki because he feels “everyone waits for moments that change one’s destiny, by chance or by meeting a new person.” Legno has become a sought–after speaker around the world at museums, universities, and conferences, including at MOCA, the Adobe MAX conference, Berlin Flash Film Festival, ArtCenter College of Design, the Apple store in Osaka, Istituto Europeo di Design, STGCC, and Graphika Manila. While the company is based in Los Angeles, he recently moved to Tokyo with his family.

SELLING POINTS

LARGE ONLINE FOLLOWING: Presents the success story of an extremely popular lifestyle brand with many fans across the major social media platforms. They have more than 800,000 Facebook followers, 280,000 Instagram followers, 35,000 Twitter followers, and 30,000 TikTok followers.

POP CULTURE CROSSOVER: Tokidoki: The Art of Simone Legno includes famous brand collaborations with Levi’s, Ladurée, Sephora, and the MLB, as well as pop culture characters from Marvel, Barbie, Hello Kitty, Blizzard, and many more.

CONNECTED AUTHOR: Written by the creator of the brand, artist Simone Legno, the book also features a foreword by Paris Hilton.

SPECIFICATIONS

*400 color illustrations

*368 pages

*WIDTH: 8 1/2" - 216mm

*HEIGHT: 11 1/4" - 286mm

* Hardcover POB

PUB MONTH: JULY ART, ENTERTAINMENT, POP CULTURE ISBN 978-1-4197-5711-2

From Whether Violent or Natural • By Natasha Calder

A NOVEL

BY SHARON SOCHIL WASHINGTON

Blue’s daughter, Tsitra, is dying a horrific death. Thousands of miles away, Blue feels time slowing and hears voices, followed by an 18–month stillness. More than a century before, Blue’s grandparents, Amanda and Palmer, attend a salon party in New Orleans. It’s a veritable array of who’s–who within pre–Civil War social circles. Conversations get heated quickly as Ismay, the hostess who hails from French royalty, antagonizes Palmer, a landowner whose parents had been sold into American slavery and who’s there to seek revenge, and Amanda, a shapeshifter and puzzlemaker who had been enslaved until this very gathering. At this party, Amanda learns of a plot that will doom a line of her—and Palmer’s—family to poverty. She devises her own counter–plot to undo the damage. Meanwhile, Blue comes out of her stillness, broke and devoid of inspiration. In profound grief and consumed by guilt, Blue travels to The Ranch where the voices grow louder and she has visions of two women from the distant past. As time collapses and Blue and Amanda meet in the space of possibility, Blue feels the spark of a power and creative energy she has only glimpsed. A novel of invention but grounded in the real, The Blue Is Where God Lives is a dual–timeline, time–bending novel of undeniable beauty, magic, and possibility.

Sharon Sochil Washington, a cultural anthropologist and creator of White Space, a newsletter on Substack that explores the meaning between the words we use, has written for the Dallas Times Herald, New York Newsday, and the Akron Beacon Journal. She received degrees from Columbia University and The New School in New York City, and speaks regularly at universities and conferences on issues of social justice, race, economic insecurity, education, and media influences. The Blue Is Where God Lives is her debut novel. She lives in Houston.

RIGHTS: World

English ex.

SELLING POINTS

TRENDING CATEGORY: There is a strong appetite in the market for magic realism centered on the Black experience.

AUDIENCE: For readers of Helen Oyeyemi, Yaa Gyasi, Jacqueline Woodson, Octavia Butler, and Toni Morrison’s Beloved.

ABRAMS SUCCESS: The Blue Is Where God Lives offers an opportunity for Abrams to build on the success of the Megascope list in adult fiction.

SPECIFICATIONS

*288 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

*HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 206mm

*Hardcover with jacket PUB MONTH: APRIL FICTION

ISBN 978-1-4197-6710-4 US $27.00 CAN $34.00

ËxHSLELJy767104z

37 THE OVERLOOK PRESS SPRING 2023

Everything Abridged

BY DENNARD DAYLE

Praise for Everything Abridged

“By turns prescient of our anxious, conspiracy–fraught times and mournful of majestic worlds to come ruined by all too familiar hatreds. But the post–WWIII stand–up riffs? Truly funny stuff.” ―Vulture

“Incredibly entertaining and so damn illuminating.” Entertainment Weekly

“Slyly defiant and blazingly imaginative, like the best modernist literature, Everything Abridged is a powerful celebration of flaw and failure. It’s a book that revels in the timelessness of obsolescence and the freedom of powerlessness. Dayle’s a genre–shattering writer, whose wit and intellect never cease to entertain. This refreshingly original and powerfully funny collection is a debut to remember.” ―Paul Beatty, New York Times bestselling author

“Everything Abridged: Stories by Dennard Dayle: 1.Miscategorized. Calling this addictively book–shaped act of language subversion “stories” is like calling New York City “buildings”

2.The nonstandard reference to all sorts of things it would have been disturbing to learn if you hadn’t been laughing so hard

3.Herald of a major new talent—what more do you need to know? Why are you still reading the cover and not the inside?”

―Susan Choi, National Book Award–winning author of Trust Exercise

Framed as a reference work of humorous “entries” that offer trenchant social commentary, Everything Abridged presages a dark vision of the near future but tells jokes in the face of it: An intelligence agency operative uncovers a conspiracy to generate conspiracies and realizes his participation in the scheme. A Caribbean monarch meets four decades of American presidents and adjusts his country’s foreign policy accordingly. Experiment participants are asked to bring back a gun as quickly as possible. A copywriter on a space colony advertises a weapon with the potential to destroy his home during an intergalactic war. These and other linked stories, many of which feature a speculative bent—about being Black in America, law enforcement practices in an android society, Olympic speed walking, consumerism, nuclear war, and more—are interspersed with hilarious, one–line definitions for words ranging from abolition to zygote, creating a sharply humorous portrait of American inequality. With his singular wit, sharp prose, and shrewd observations, Dennard Dayle captures the struggles his characters face to keep hold of their sanity in a society collapsing into chaos and absurdity.

Dennard Dayle is a Jamaican–American writer from New York City. He is a graduate of Princeton University and received his MFA from Columbia University. His short fiction has been published by Clarkesworld, Matchbook, the Hard Times, and McSweeney’s Internet Tendency Everything Abridged is his debut collection.

SELLING POINTS

AUTHOR CONNECTIONS: The author is well–connected in literary circles and with writers, including Paul Beatty, Jessi Jezewska Stevens, Gary Shteyngart, and Paul La Farge, all of whom will be approached for support of the book’s publication.

TARGETED AUDIENCE: For readers of David Wong’s This Book is Full of Spiders, Paul Beatty’s The Sellout, George Saunders's CivilWarLand in Bad Decline and Lincoln in the Bardo, and Neal Stephenson’s Snow Crash

SATIRE AS AUTHOR’S BRAND: Dayle is a political performance artist whose most recent stunt— a series of satirical political mailers skewering the New York City mayoral candidates—was shared on Twitter thousands of times and amassed nearly 50,000 likes.

SPECIFICATIONS

*368 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 152mm

*HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 229mm *Paperback

PUB MONTH: APRIL FICTION ISBN 978-1-4197-6097-6 US $17.00 CAN $22.00 UK £12.99

From The Rooster House • By Victoria Belim

Easy Money

CRYPTOCURRENCY, CASINO CAPITALISM, AND THE GOLDEN AGE OF FRAUD

BY BEN MCKENZIE AND JACOB SILVERMAN

At the height of the pandemic, TV star Ben McKenzie (The O.C., Gotham) was the perfect mark for cryptocurrency: a dad stuck at home with some cash in his pocket, worried about his family, armed with only the vague notion that people were making heaps of money on something he—despite a degree in economics—didn’t entirely understand. Lured in by the promise of taking power from banks, possibly improving democracy, and sure, a touch of FOMO, McKenzie dove deep into blockchain, Bitcoin, and the various other coins and exchanges on which they are traded. But after scratching the surface, he had to ask, “Am I crazy, or is this all a total scam?” In Easy Money, McKenzie enlists the help of journalist Jacob Silverman for a caper and exposé that points in shock to the climactic final days of cryptocurrency now upon us. Weaving together stories of average traders and victims, colorful crypto “visionaries,” Hollywood’s biggest true believers, anti–crypto whistleblowers, and government agents searching for solutions at the precipice of a major crash, Easy Money is an on–the–ground look at a perfect storm of 2008 Housing Bubble–level irresponsibility and criminal fraud potentially ten times more devastating than Bernie Madoff.

Ben McKenzie has been a fixture on TV for more than two decades, first capturing audiences in the pop culture phenomenon The O.C. Most recently, he played the lead role on Fox’s hit series Gotham, on which he also directed and wrote episodes. He recently appeared in Amazon’s political drama The Torture Report, and in 2020, he starred in Grand Horizons, which received a Tony Award nomination for Best New Play. McKenzie graduated magna cum laude from the University of Virginia with degrees in economics and foreign affairs. Jacob Silverman is a journalist writing about technology and national security for the New Republic. His work has appeared in the New York Times, Slate, the Los Angeles Times, BookForum, Politico, and many other publications. In April 2012, he was a three–day Jeopardy! champion. Both live in Brooklyn, New York.

RIGHTS: World/All

SELLING POINTS

UNCHARTED TERRITORY: With nods to The Big Short and Bad Blood, Easy Money will be the first book to take full stock of the rise and impending collapse of cryptocurrency and what it says about our current era of hucksterism and inequality.

SUPERSTAR AUTHORS: McKenzie and Silverman have already received lots of attention for their anti–crypto journalism, which has appeared in Slate and the Washington Post.

HOT STORY: The announcement of this book was covered by Variety, the A.V. Club, Bustle, and more, and McKenzie was profiled in The Cut and the New York Times. Expect major press coverage.

SPECIFICATIONS

*320 pages

*WIDTH: 6" - 152mm

*HEIGHT: 9" - 229mm

*Hardcover with jacket

PUB MONTH: JULY BUSINESS, TRUE CRIME, NONFICTION, CURRENT EVENTS

ISBN 978-1-4197-6639-8

US $28.00 CAN $35.00 UK £19.99 ËxHSLELJy766398z

ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-925-0

From a famous actor and an experienced journalist, a wildly entertaining debunking of cryptocurrency, one of the greatest frauds in history and on course for a spectacular crash

BY WILL SOFRIN

Praise for All Hands on Deck

“A thrilling account. . . . a tale filled with excitement, terror, love, and reconciliation.” —Tracy Edwards, trailblazing round the world sailor

“An unbelievable ride. . . . Will Sofrin has lived the real experiences and survived to tell the tale.” —Dan Shotz, executive producer of the Emmy Award–winning Starz series Black Sails

“All Hands on Deck will leave readers with a deep respect for the sea and the sailors who venture into unknown challenges.” —Jay Coogan, president of IYRS School of Technology & Trades

SELLING POINTS

BIG AUDIENCE: A gripping nautical adventure from an experienced sailor—perfect for the big audience of die–hard fans of Patrick O’Brian’s novels.

CULT CLASSIC FILM: Releasing in time for the 20th anniversary of Master and Commander, which made $200 million, received ten Academy Award nominations, including for Best Picture, and won Best Cinematography and Best Sound Editing. It has endured, becoming a much–loved film with new fans every year. Producer Tom Rothman contributed a foreword to All Hands on Deck, and director Peter Weir gave a blurb.

BACK IN VOGUE: A new adaptation of the Aubrey–Maturin novels is in the works from 20th Century, first announced in June 2021.

In the late 1990s, Patrick O’Brian’s multimillion–copy–selling historical novel series—the Aubrey–Maturin series, which was set during the Napoleonic Wars—seemed destined for film. With Russell Crowe as Jack Aubrey and Paul Bettany as Stephen Maturin, the production only needed a ship that could stand in for Lucky Jack’s HMS Surprise, with historical accuracy paramount. The filmmakers found the Rose, a replica of an 18th–century ship that would work perfectly. Only there was one problem: the Rose was in Newport, Rhode Island, not in Southern California, where they would be filming. Enter a ragtag crew of thirty oddballs who stepped up for the task, including Will Sofrin, at the time a 21–year–old wooden–boat builder and yacht racer, who joined as the ship’s carpenter. All Hands on Deck is Sofrin’s memoir of the epic adventure delivering the Rose to Hollywood. It’s a story of reinvention, of hard work on the high seas, of love, and of survival. The Rose was an example of the most cutting–edge technology of her era, but in the 21st century, barely anyone had experience sailing it. The crew effectively went back in time, brought to life the old ways of a forgotten world, and barely lived to tell the tale. Just a few days in, a terrifying hurricane–strength storm nearly sank the Rose, and later, a rogue wave caused a nearly fatal dismasting. And the ups and downs weren’t limited to the waves—with the crew split into factions, making peace between warring camps became necessary, too, as did avoiding pirates and braving the temptations of shore leave. All Hands on Deck is a gripping story of an unforgettable journey and a must–read for fans who adore O’Brian’s novels and the dramatic film adaptation of Master and Commander

Will Sofrin is a master shipwright who has taught naval architecture at MIT and has built boats for Billy Joel and Estée Lauder. As a former professional sailor and licensed captain, he has tracked more than 30,000 blue–water miles. In 2014, he relocated to Los Angeles and launched a design firm that specializes in luxury residential development. He continues to race sailboats and explores the coast of California with his wife and six–year–old daughter. This is his first book.

CONNECTED AUTHOR: Sofrin is well–connected to sailing clubs and organizations, and has already secured endorsements and support from major figures in this world, including the San Diego Maritime Museum, where the ship is today.

SPECIFICATIONS

*272 pages

*WIDTH: 6" - 152mm *HEIGHT: 9" - 229mm *Hardcover with jacket PUB MONTH: APRIL NONFICTION, MEMOIR, TRAVEL, HISTORY ISBN 978-1-4197-6706-7 US $28.00 CAN $35.00 UK £20.00

A MEMOIR OF FIGHTING FIRE

BY CLARE FRANK

A captivating memoir of trailblazing and firefighting from a pioneering woman in a male–dominated field

Praise for Burnt

When Clare Frank was 17 years old, she became a firefighter in Northern California. Clare was five foot two and officially too young to join the service—she left her birthdate blank on her paperwork, hoping no one would notice. And she didn’t look like her peers, who sported an Adam’s apple and a mustache. But her brother was a firefighter and loved it, so she thought she’d try it out, too. Very soon, she knew she had found her calling.

Burnt is Clare’s inspiring, richly detailed, and open–hearted account of an extraordinary life in fire. It chronicles the transformation of a young adult determined to prove her mettle into a scarred and sensitive veteran, grappling with the weight of her duties as chief of fire protection—one of the highest–ranking women in Cal Fire history—while record–setting fires engulf her home state. Mentors and managing, funerals and scandal, pickup basketball, car crashes, and always fire—no one has written about this world, from this perspective, like Clare Frank. She masterfully mixes irreverence and awe, taking readers inside station houses, on daily calls, and along on wildfire campaigns where antics and dark humor balance terrifying risk, trauma, and a sense of almost holy responsibility. Burnt: A Memoir of Fighting Fire is an unforgettable memoir from an American original.

Clare Frank started firefighting in California at 17 and was promoted up the ranks, becoming the state’s first and only female chief of fire protection. Along the way, she earned a BS in fire administration, an MFA in creative writing, and a JD. She has lectured at colleges, universities, and state and national fire conferences, and lives near Lake Tahoe with her husband and two dogs. This is her first book.

SELLING POINTS

GREAT VOICE: Frank is an inspirational woman with a wicked sense of humor. She is one of a kind, and her story is a joy to read.

ACCOMPLISHED AUTHOR: Frank served as California’s first and only female chief of fire protection. Cal Fire is the largest fire department in California and the third largest in the United States (after the US Forest Service and NYFD).

CURRENT EVENTS: Fire, especially in California, continues to dominate the news every summer. This is an issue that is not going away, and Frank is uniquely qualified to write about it.

SPECIFICATIONS

*336 pages

*WIDTH: 6" - 152mm

*HEIGHT: 9" - 229mm

*Hardcover with jacket

PUB MONTH: MAY MEMOIR ISBN 978-1-4197-6390-8 US $27.00 CAN $34.00 UK £18.99 ËxHSLELJy763908z

CARTON QTY: 28 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-783-6

“Evocative . . . A must–read.” —Erin Brockovich

BY

Doom Guy: Life in First Person is the long–awaited autobiography of John Romero, gaming’s original rock star and the cocreator of DOOM, Quake, and Wolfenstein—some of the most recognizable and important titles in video game history. Credited with the invention of the first–person shooter, a genre that continues dominate the market today, he is gaming royalty.

Told in remarkable detail, a byproduct of his hyperthymesia, Romero recounts his storied career—from his early days submitting Apple II code to computer magazines and sneaking computers out of the back door of his day job to do programming projects at night in his garage to a high–profile falling out with his id Software cofounder John Carmack, as well as his continued role in the gaming industry today as the managing director of Romero Games Ltd. His story is truly one of a self–made man, founding multiple companies after a childhood filled with violence and abuse drove him to video game design where he could create new worlds and places to escape to. An alcoholic father, a racist grandfather who did not approve of Romero’s parents’ mixed–race coupling, and a grandmother who once ran a brothel in Mexico combine for an illuminating story his youth—a story that has never before been revealed. After years in the gaming spotlight, Romero is now telling his story—the whole story—in his own words.

Computer and video game legend John Romero has designed and published more than 130 games since his first sale at the age of 16. A teenage programming prodigy, his major achievements include coinventing a series of revolutionary computer games–DOOM, Quake, Wolfenstein 3–D, and Commander Keen–that launched the industry’s most popular genre, the first–person shooter. He lives in Galway, Ireland.

SELLING POINTS

DEDICATED FOLLOWING: Romero has legions of fans that flock to him for signings at cons across the world. He boasts a healthy 181,000 Twitter followers—with whom he has incredibly high engagement—and more than one million gamers have downloaded his latest DOOM mod, SIGIL

NEVER–BEFORE–TOLD STORIES: Sharing rare insights into his childhood, the early days of id’s founding, and the creation of DOOM, Quake, and Wolfenstein 3–D, Romero will reveal, in his own words, the true story of the rock–star era of ’90s video game development.

MAJOR LEGACY: Romero is the cocreator of DOOM, one of the most popular video game franchises of all time and is credited with creating gaming’s most popular genre, the first–person shooter. He is a true innovator who has pushed the boundaries of gaming for decades and has continued to do so at his own studio, Romero Games.

MEDIA INTEREST: Romero is still an active, high–profile creator, and his future projects will garner major attention.

How

BY DREW MILLARD

STRONG PUBLISHING

CATEGORY: Golf books that are unique and have gift appeal sell Fifty Places to Play Golf Before You Die: Golf Experts Share the World’s Greatest Destinations has sold nearly 200,000 copies.

ENGAGED AND CURIOUS AUDIENCE: According to research from the National Golf Foundation, 6.1 million people between the ages of 18 and 24 are active golfers; 4.1 million go to driving ranges or indoor golf simulators; and 5.3 million more members of that same age group are “very interested in taking up the game.”

GOLF IS AT A TURNING POINT: Golf was on the decline . . . until COVID, when people realized that it was a way to safely see friends, commune with nature, get out of the house, and participate in an engaging activity that allowed them to really slow down and be present. With this new outlook on the sport, participation is on the rise, and this book explores these tremendous personal benefits.

At its core, golf is about developing new skills, honing them through practice, and then contemplating the moment and figuring out which skill fits the circumstances. It’s like therapy, just minus the therapist and plus a lot more cool gear. Golf offers a prism through which to view the world, and it can genuinely help people live better and more fulfilling lives. Author Drew Millard writes from experience: When his life fell apart, golf gave him the tools to get his shit together. Rooted in personality, accessibility, and a freewheeling spirit, How Golf Can Save Your Life is a celebration of the sport and an examination of all it can bring: the pleasures, benefits, personal growth, and friendships, as well as an appreciation for the land, ourselves, and our time. In this book, Millard charts new territory for the sport by making a strong case for golf as an exercise in self–care. A book with equal appeal for die–hard golfers, the once–a–year crowd, lapsed players, and the golf–curious readers, How Golf Can Save Your Life will inspire those who pick it up as much as it will inform them. Golf saved Millard’s life, and he wants it to save yours, too.

Drew Millard is a writer from North Carolina. His work has appeared in VICE, GQ, The Nation, The Believer, and the New York Times Sunday Magazine. He lives in Philadelphia and has a handicap that hovers between ten and 14.

5 1/2"

140mm

8 1/4" - 210mm

It Was All a Dream

BY JUSTIN TINSLEY

Praise for It Was All a Dream “Revelatory.” —Rolling Stone

“A deeply reported saga of the ephemeral, yet colorful life of The Notorious B.I.G.” —USA Today

“There’s no telling where he would have gone, but this book does a fine job of tracing how far he managed to go.” —Los Angeles Times

“This is more than a biography, it’s a snapshot of both the record industry and America itself at crucial junctures for both.” —Vulture, “The 18 Best Books of the Year (So Far)”

“If you care about Black people, cities, music, culture, and/or the late great Christopher Wallace, this is mandatory reading for you.” —Christina Greer, New York Amsterdam News

“It Was All a Dream is a full measure of the man himself, going beyond coverage of his shocking, mysterious murder . . . it’s an important book, offering a full–fledged portrait of the late Christopher Wallace.” —Nitish Pahwa, Slate

The Notorious B.I.G. was one of the most charismatic and talented artists of the 1990s. Born Christopher Wallace and raised in Clinton Hill/Bed–Stuy, Brooklyn, Biggie lived an almost archetypal rap life: young trouble, drug dealing, guns, prison, a giant hit record, the wealth and international superstardom that came with it, then an early violent death. Biggie released his first record, Ready to Die, in 1994, when he was only 22. Less than three years later, he was killed just days before the planned release of his second record, Life After Death

Journalist Justin Tinsley’s It Was All a Dream is a fresh, insightful telling of the life beyond the legend. It is based on extensive interviews with those who knew and loved Biggie, including neighbors, friends, DJs, party promoters, and journalists. And it places Biggie’s life in context, both within the history of rap but also the wider cultural and political forces that shaped him, including Caribbean immigration, the Reagan era disinvestment in public education, street life, the war on drugs, mass incarceration, and the booming, creative, and influential 1990s music industry. This is the story of where Biggie came from, the forces that shaped him, and the legacy he has left behind.

Justin Tinsley is a senior sports and culture reporter with ESPN’s Andscape who writes on the intersection of sports, race, and culture. He is a regular panelist on ESPN’s daily sports debate talk show Around the Horn and is the creator and host of The King of Crenshaw, a 30 for 30 podcast on the late rapper, entrepreneur, philanthropist, and activist Nipsey Hussle. A graduate of Hampton University and Georgetown University, he lives in Washington, DC.

SELLING POINTS

BIG BUZZ:It Was All a Dream received stellar publicity from USA Today, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, Rolling Stone Music Now podcast, Slate, Billboard, Literary Hub, ESPN’s Daily Show podcast, CNN, and many more.

BIG SUBJECT: Biggie is as popular as ever. Nearly 25 years after his death, he has 12.7 million monthly listeners on Spotify, and in 2021, he was the subject of a popular Netflix documentary. The 30th anniversary of his debut album’s release is in 2024.

BIG AUTHOR: Tinsley’s star is growing. He is a widely read journalist, the host of a popular 30 for 30 podcast series on Nipsey Hussle, and is a frequent guest on TV, including as a weekly guest on ESPN’s Around the Horn

SPECIFICATIONS

*352 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

*HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm * Paperback

PUB MONTH: MAY BIOGRAPHY, POP CULTURE, AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY & CULTURE ISBN 978-1-4197-5032-8 US $17.00 CAN $22.00 UK £11.99

CARTON QTY: 24 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-104-9

BY BRIANA SCURRY WITH WAYNE COFFEY; FOREWORD BY ROBIN ROBERTS

Praise for My Greatest Save

“A triumphant sports memoir.” —Booklist

“My Greatest Save is a moving story of resilience and triumph. It helped me get to know Bri—and myself— better.” —Abby Wambach

“Everybody knows Bri was one of the greatest keepers in the history of women’s soccer. When you read My Greatest Save, you will find out that her heart and courage were every bit the equal of her ball–stopping skills.” —Mia Hamm

“With candor, she shares her story of triumph over tragedy.” —USA Today

SELLING POINTS

LEGENDARY ATHLETE: Scurry was a key part of the 1999 US Women’s National soccer team. She is the only female goalkeeper and the only Black woman in the US Soccer Hall of Fame.

MAJOR PUBLICITY: Multiple national network television appearances are already confirmed, and Scurry will have an extensive speaking schedule on publication.

AUTHOR PLATFORM: Scurry is the subject of a documentary on CBS and Paramount+ scheduled to air in late 2021 or early 2022, and she will be appearing on CBS as a soccer analyst starting in January 2022.

KEY ANNIVERSARY: June 23, 2022, will be the 50th Anniversary of Title IX, a moment Scurry can speak to––she is featured prominently in the National Museum of African American History and Culture’s Title IX exhibit.

Briana Scurry was a pioneer on the US Women’s National Team. She won gold in Atlanta in 1996, the first time women’s soccer was ever played in the Olympics. She was a key part of the fabled “99ers,” making an epic save in the decisive penalty–kick shootout in the final. Scurry captured her second Olympic gold in 2004, cementing her status as one of the premier players in the world. She was the only Black player on the team, and she was also the first player to be openly gay. It was a singularly amazing ride, one that Scurry handled with her trademark generosity and class—qualities that made her one of the most popular players ever to wear a US jersey. But Scurry’s storybook career ended in 2010 when a knee to the head left her with severe head trauma. She was labeled “temporarily totally disabled,” and the reality was even worse. She spiraled into depression, debt, and endured such pain that she closed out her closest friends and soccer soulmates. She pawned her gold medals. She walked to the edge of a waterfall and contemplated suicide. It seemed like the only way out until Scurry made her greatest save of all.

A memoir of startling candor, My Greatest Save is a story of triumph, tragedy, and redemption from a woman who has broken through barriers her entire life.

Briana Scurry is one of the greatest players of the US Women's National Soccer team. Her epic contributions to her sport and her country are recognized in a permanent exhibit in the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture. Wayne Coffey is the author or coauthor of more than 30 books, including bestsellers The Closer (with Mariano Rivera) and When Nobody Was Watching (with Carli Lloyd).

SPECIFICATIONS

*288 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

*HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm * Paperback PUB MONTH: JUNE SPORTS, MEMOIR, AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY & CULTURE ISBN 978-1-4197-6660-2

BRIAN DOHERTY

Praise for Dirty Pictures

“Doherty’s book is a welcome addition to an under–analyzed legacy of the free–spirited 1960s.” San Francisco Chronicle

“A free–wheeling, frank account of the rise and fall of the underground comic scene.” —Kirkus Reviews

“Comix fans and artists should make room on their shelves for this one.” —Publishers Weekly

“Indispensable.” —Shelf Awareness, starred review

“Riveting.” —Boing Boing

“Simply the best and most comprehensive look at underground comics published to date.” —Smash Pages

SELLING POINTS

RESPECTED AUTHOR: Doherty is a journalist and author who has spent years documenting subversive subcultures and contributing to comics criticism. He has served as a judge for the Eisner Awards, and his writing has appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Mother Jones, USA Today, Slate, and Salon

UNIQUE IN THE MARKET:Dirty Pictures is the first and only narrative history of Underground Comix and the first book to discuss the breadth of comics creators in such detail.

BUILT–IN FAN BASE: R. Crumb, Spain Rodriguez, Trina Robbins, Art Spiegelman, and the other creators included in this history have legions of fans who have followed their work for decades.

In the 1950s, comics meant POW! BAM! superheroes, family–friendly gags, and Sunday funnies, but in the 1960s, inspired by these strips and the satire of MAD magazine, a new generation of creators set out to subvert the medium, and with it, American culture.

Their “comix,” spelled that way to distinguish the work from their dime–store contemporaries, presented tales of taboo sex, casual drug use, and a transgressive view of society. Embraced by hippies and legions of future creatives, this subgenre of comic books and strips often ran afoul of the law, but that would not stop them from casting cultural ripples for decades to come, eventually moving the entire comics form beyond the gutter and into fine–art galleries.

Author Brian Doherty weaves together the stories of R. Crumb, Art Spiegelman, Trina Robbins, Spain Rodriguez, Harvey Pekar, and Howard Cruse, among many others, detailing the complete narrative history of this movement. Through dozens of new interviews and archival research, Doherty chronicles the scenes that sprang up around the country in the 1960s and ’70s, beginning with the artists’ origin stories and following them through success and strife, and concluding with an examination of these creators’ legacies, Dirty Pictures is the essential exploration of a truly American art form that recontextualized the way people thought about war, race, sex, gender, and expression.

Brian Doherty is a senior editor at Reason magazine and is the author of This Is Burning Man: The Rise of a New American Underground (Little, Brown, 2004). His reporting, essays, and reviews have appeared in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal, the Washington Post, Mother Jones, and Fantagraphics’s The Best American Comics Criticism, among others. He has also served as a judge for the comics industry’s Eisner Awards.

STRONG CATEGORY: Narrative books on comics have a robust readership with titles such as Marvel Comics: The Untold Story, Comic Book Nation, The Ten–Cent Plague, and Why Comics?: From Underground to Everywhere garnering attention both critically and from the comics fandom at large.

pages

5 1/2" - 140mm

8 1/4" - 210mm

Didn't We Almost Have It All IN DEFENSE OF WHITNEY HOUSTON

BY GERRICK KENNEDY; FOREWORD BY BRANDY

Praise for Didn’t We Almost Have It All

* “In this stirring work, journalist Kennedy reexamines ‘all that Whitney was and all that she was never able to be’ . . . This is a must–read for fans.” —Publishers Weekly

“A collection of . . . powerful meditations on Whitney’s life and the culture that failed her.” —Washington Post

RIGHTS: World English

SELLING POINTS

INTERVIEWS: Kennedy has interviewed family members, friends, mentors, and musicians who were in Houston’s orbit for most of her life, including Gary Houston (her brother), LA Reid, Clive Davis, Jennifer Hudson, Missy Elliott, and Rickey Minor, among others. These sources have allowed him to craft an intimate and revelatory portrait of the singer.

ENDURING FIGURE: This book comes in the wake of two widely discussed documentaries about Houston’s life, Whitney: Can I Be Me? and Whitney, showing the hunger for exhumations of the pop titan’s life and career.

RAVE REVIEWS: This book received incredible praise reviews from numerous big names and publications including Publishers Weekly, the Washington Post, Kirkus Reviews, InStyle, and more.

On February 11, 2012, Whitney Houston was found submerged in the bathtub of her suite at the Beverly Hilton Hotel. In the decade since, the world has mourned her death amid new revelations about her relationship to her Blackness, her sexuality, and her addictions. Didn’t We Almost Have It All is author Gerrick Kennedy’s exploration of the duality of Whitney’s life as both a woman in the spotlight and someone who often had to hide who she was. This is the story of Whitney’s life, her whole life, told with both grace and honesty.

Long before that fateful day in 2012, Whitney split the world wide open with her voice. Hers was a once–in–a–generation talent forged in Newark, NJ, and blessed with the grace of the church and the wisdom of a long lineage of famous gospel singers. She redefined “The Star–Spangled Banner.” She became a box–office powerhouse, a queen of the pop charts, and an international superstar. But all the while, she was forced to rein in who she was amid constant accusations that her music wasn’t Black enough, original enough, honest enough Kennedy deftly peels back the layers of Whitney’s complex story to get to the truth at the core of what drove her, what inspired her, and what haunted her. He pulls the narrative apart into the key elements that informed her life— growing up in the famed Drinkard family; the two romantic relationships that shaped the entirety of her adult life, with Robyn Crawford and Bobby Brown; her fraught relationship to her own Blackness and the ways in which she was judged by the Black community; her drug and alcohol addiction; and, finally, the shame that she carried in her heart, which informed every facet of her life. Drawing on hundreds of sources, Kennedy takes readers back to a world in which someone like Whitney simply could not be, and explains in excruciating detail the ways in which her fame did not and could not protect her.

In the time since her passing, the world and the way we view celebrity have changed dramatically. A sweeping look at Whitney’s life, Didn’t We Almost Have It All contextualizes her struggles against the backdrop of tabloid culture, audience consumption, mental health stigmas, and racial divisions in America. It explores exactly how and why we lost a beloved icon far too soon.

Gerrick Kennedy is an award–winning journalist, cultural critic, and author based in Los Angeles. Kennedy is the author of Parental Discretion Is Advised: The Rise of N.W.A and the Dawn of Gangsta Rap. His writing has appeared in GQ, WSJ. Magazine, NPR Music, Spin, Playboy, Teen Vogue, Shondaland, Cultured Magazine, Men’s Health, and the Los Angeles Times

BELOVED ARTIST: Houston’s crystalline approach to pop music changed the face of the genre in a way no other artist was able to do. She became the archetype for the modern diva, with vocal skills that were a technical marvel and captivating performances that made her an instant phenomenon with cross–cultural, intergenerational appeal, and she was the first Black woman to garner heavy rotation on MTV. Fans to this day are still fascinated by her talent and grieving her death.

* 320 pages * WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm * HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm * Paperback

PUB MONTH: APRIL BIOGRAPHY, MUSIC, POP CULTURE, AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY & CULTURE

ISBN 978-1-4197-5297-1

US $18.00 CAN $23.00 UK £12.99

CARTON QTY: 40 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-047-9

Cimino

THE DEER HUNTER, HEAVEN'S GATE, AND THE PRICE OF A VISION

BY CHARLES ELTON

The first biography of critically acclaimed then critically derided filmmaker Michael Cimino—and a reevaluation of the infamous film that destroyed his career

Praise for Cimino

“Revelatory.” —The New Yorker

“Assiduously researched and fascinating.” Wall Street Journal

“While Elton’s book first appears structured as a conventional biography, it ultimately plays more like a mystery novel, as the author interrogates various witnesses in search of the Rosebud that offers a key to Cimino’s hidden life.” —Hollywood Reporter

“A compelling account of an elusive life.” —Julie Salamon, author of The Devil’s Candy

SELLING POINTS

LEGENDARY SUBJECT: Cimino’s brilliant films and spectacular flameout career are the stuff of movie business legend, but have never been written about with this depth.

STRONG CATEGORY: Narrative histories of the film industry, analysis of famous films, and biographies of directors are of enduring appeal to readers.

AUTHOR CONNECTIONS: Elton is an industry insider, a producer, and former agent with an excellent network and an intimate understanding of the business.

LGBTQ INTEREST: Cimino’s life story involves a late–in–life change that is newsworthy and handled with sensitivity.

SPECIFICATIONS

*352 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

*HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm *Paperback

The

, the most notorious bomb of all time. Originally budgeted at $11 million, Cimino’s sprawling western went off the rails in Montana. The picture grew longer and longer, and the budget ballooned to over $40 million. When it was finally released, Heaven’s Gate failed so completely with reviewers and at the box office that it put legendary studio United Artists out of business and marked the end of Hollywood's auteur era. Or so the conventional wisdom goes. Charles Elton delves deeply into the making and aftermath of the movie and presents a surprisingly different view to that of Steven Bach, one of the executives responsible for Heaven’s Gate, who wrote a scathing book about the film and solidified the widely held view that Cimino wounded the movie industry beyond repair. Elton’s Cimino is a richly detailed biography that offers a revisionist history of a lightning rod filmmaker. Based on extensive interviews with Cimino’s peers and collaborators and enemies and friends, most of whom have never spoken before, it unravels the enigmas and falsehoods, many perpetrated by the director himself, which surround his life, and sheds new light on his extraordinary career. This is a story of the making of art, the business of Hollywood, and the costs of ambition, both financial and personal.

Charles Elton was a director of the Curtis Brown agency, representing film directors and screenwriters in London and Los Angeles. He was an independent TV producer before becoming an executive producer of drama at ITV in England, where he has been responsible for many award–winning shows. He is the author of two novels.

PUB MONTH: MARCH BIOGRAPHY, FILM ISBN 978-1-4197-4712-0 US $18.00 CAN $23.00 UK £12.99 ËxHSLELJy747120z

CARTON QTY: 20 ebook ISBN 978-1-68335-992-0

The director Michael Cimino (1939–2016) is famous for two films: the intense, powerful, and enduring Vietnam movie

Deer Hunter, which won Best Picture at the Academy Awards in 1979 and also won Cimino Best Director, and Heaven’s Gate

Playing Through the Pain

BY DAN GOOD

Praise for Playing Through the Pain

“This is a must–read for baseball fans.” Publishers Weekly, starred review

“As compelling as it is heartbreaking.” —Bob Tewksbury, All–Star pitcher, mental skills coach, and author of Ninety Percent Mental

“I couldn’t put it down.” —Peter Golenbock, author of The Bronx Zoo, Bums, Wrigleyville, and Valentine’s Way

“An effective portrayal of a man whose courageous willingness to blow the whistle on steroids helped clean up the game.” —Brad Balukjian, author of The Wax Pack

SELLING POINTS

THE STORY AT THE HEART OF 1990s BASEBALL: This is the first biography of Ken Caminiti. You can’t tell the story of the 1990s without talking about Caminiti, but his story has been largely forgotten. Millennial baseball fans recall his on–the–field triumphs fondly and will run to this book.

BASED ON MORE THAN 400 INTERVIEWS: The author has interviewed more than 400 people from every stage of Caminiti’s life to put together a kaleidoscopic portrait of an incredibly positive and tragic life.

TOTALLY JUICED: In 2002, a year after his retirement, Caminiti admitted that he had used steroids during his 1996 MVP season in a cover story for Sports Illustrated. He was the first player to discuss this publicly, and it created a media firestorm. SPECIFICATIONS *384 pages *WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm *HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm

In Playing Through the Pain: Ken Caminiti and the Steroids Confession That Changed Baseball Forever, writer Dan Good seeks to make sense of MLB MVP Ken Caminiti’s fascinating, troubled life. Good began researching Caminiti in 2012 and conducted his first interviews for his biography in 2013. Since then, he’s interviewed nearly 400 people, providing him with an exclusive and exhaustive view into Caminiti’s addictions, use of steroids, baseball successes, and inner turmoil.

Decades later, the full truth about Major League Baseball’s steroids era remains elusive, and the story of Caminiti, the player who opened the lid on performance–enhancing drugs in baseball has never been properly told. A gritty third baseman known for his diving stops, cannon arm, and switch–hit power, Caminiti voluntarily admitted in a 2002 Sports Illustrated cover story that he used steroids during his career, including his 1996 MVP season, and guessed that half of the players were using performance–enhancing drugs. “I’ve made a ton of mistakes,” he said. “I don’t think using steroids is one of them.”

Good’s on–the–record sources include Caminiti’s steroids supplier, who has never come forward, discussing in detail his efforts to set up drug programs for Caminiti and dozens of other MLB players during the late 1990s; people who attended rehab with Caminiti and revealed the secret inner trauma that fueled his addictions; hundreds of Caminiti’s baseball teammates and coaches, from Little League to the major leagues, who adored and respected him while struggling to understand how to help him amid a culture that cultivated substance abuse; childhood friends who were drawn to his daring personality, warmth, and athleticism; and the teenager at the center of Caminiti’s October 2004 trip to New York City during which he overdosed and died.

Dan Good became a book writer and ghostwriter after spending more than a decade as a journalist, most recently running the national breaking news desk for the New York Daily News. A Pennsylvania native, Good fell in love with baseball as a child during the 1990s after his father introduced him to baseball cards and a simulation table game called APBA (pronounced APP–Bah) in which each roll of the dice matched a player’s predicted outcome on the field. He lives in New York.

Seventeen and Oh

MIAMI, 1972, AND THE NFL'S ONLY PERFECT SEASON

BY MARSHALL JON FISHER

The definitive chronicle of the 1972 Miami Dolphins, the only undefeated team in NFL history—from an award–winning literary sportswriter—now in paperback!

Praise for Seventeen and Oh

“A terrific read.” —Robert Lipsyte

“Brilliantly crafted. . . . Highly recommend it for any NFL fan.” —All Sports Book Reviews

“An ambitious book . . . Mr. Fisher . . . unspools his football epic with verve and studs it with engaging detail.” —Wall Street Journal

RIGHTS: World English

SELLING POINTS

AWARD–WINNING WRITER: Fisher received the inaugural PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sportswriting for his historical tennis narrative A Terrible Splendor. Here he brings to life the complicated backdrop to the Miami Dolphins’ perfect season.

COMPELLING READ: Even though the season’s results are known ahead of time, this is a suspenseful, entertaining football story.

WIDE READERSHIP: This story will speak to older fans as well as the legions of football fans too young to remember the undefeated team.

DEFINITIVE ACCOUNT: Fisher goes deep into every game of the season and key events before and after, with thorough portraits of key players, coaches, executives, and more. This is the last word on an epic season.

SPECIFICATIONS

*416 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

The 1972 Miami Dolphins had something to prove. Losers in the previous Super Bowl, a ragtag bunch of overlooked, underappreciated, or just plain old players, they were led by Don Shula, a genius young coach obsessed with obliterating the reputation that he couldn’t win the big game. And as the Dolphins headed into only their seventh season, all eyes were on Miami. For the last time, a city was hosting both national political conventions, and the backdrop to this season of redemption would be turbulent: the culture wars, the Nixon reelection campaign, the strange, unfolding saga of Watergate, and the war in Vietnam.

Generational and cultural divides abounded on the team as well. There were long–haired, bell–bottomed party animals such as Jim “Mad Dog” Mandich, as well as the stylish Marv Fleming and Curtis Johnson, with his supernova afro, playing alongside conservative, straight–laced men like the quarterbacks: Bob Griese and the crew–cut savior, 38–year–old backup Earl Morrall. Larry Csonka and Jim Kiick, nicknamed “Butch and Sundance,” had to make way for a third running back, the outspoken and flamboyant Mercury Morris. But unlike the fractious society around them, this racially and culturally diverse group found a way to meld seamlessly into a team. The perfect team. Marshall Jon Fisher’s Seventeen and Oh is a compelling, fast–paced account of a season unlike any other.

Marshall Jon Fisher’s work has appeared in the Atlantic, Harper’s, and other magazines, and has been collected in Best American Essays. His 2009 book A Terrible Splendor was published to great acclaim, winning the PEN/ESPN Award for Literary Sports Writing. A feature film based on the book is in development with Marc Platt Productions and the Ink Factory, slated for release in 2022. Fisher grew up in Miami and lives in the Berkshires.

*HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm *Paperback

PUB MONTH: JULY SPORTS, HISTORY ISBN 978-1-4197-4851-6 US $17.00 CAN $22.00 UK £11.99

ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-005-9

BY MARY LYNN RAJSKUB

Praise for FAME–ISH

“I never knew I needed to know this much about the incredible Mary Lynn Rajskub, but after reading her hilarious, insightful memoir, I think I need to know even more.” —Judd Apatow

“Man, oh man, there is no one in the world like Mary Lynn Rajskub.” —Sarah Silverman

SELLING POINTS

SUCCESSFUL CATEGORY: Fame–ish joins an illustrious list of humourous essay collections written by famously funny women in show business, including Chelsea Handler, Whitney Cummings, Ellie Kemper, and Amanda Seales.

PROMOTABLE AUTHOR: Rajskub has more than 150,000 Twitter followers and 62,000 Instagram followers, including Jimmy Fallon, Ellen DeGeneres, Justin Bieber, Fred Armisen, and many other Hollywood A–listers.

FANTASTIC PRESS: This book was favorably reviewed by big–name comedians and entertainment personalities including Judd Apatow, Sarah Silverman, Iliza Shlesinger, Bill Burr, and Fred Armisen.

SPECIFICATIONS

*224 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

*HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm * Paperback

It’s not easy being kind of famous. Fortune. Younger men. Exclusive invites. Being mistaken for different actresses who are slightly prettier and more famous than you. It’s all part of the gig, and Mary Lynn Rajskub is a pro. Hilarious and self–deprecating, FAME–ISH is Mary Lynn Rajskub’s debut collection of riotously funny essays. Smart, satirical, and relatable, this book gives new meaning to the word icon as Mary Lynn navigates the entertainment world against the backdrop of her own quirky idiosyncrasies. She describes what it’s like to make out with Tom Cruise, be a waitress at Denny’s, and find your life’s purpose in 300 indecipherable, not–easy–steps—all in a day’s work. Mary Lynn is honest about her experiences with bisexuality, her college years as a slug, and the bright lights of stardom, ultimately giving the people what they want: an endearing, hilarious look at what it’s like to almost make a name for yourself in Hollywood.

Mary Lynn Rajskub is an actress, comedian, and writer, best known for playing Chloe on the Fox drama 24 and Gail the Snail from It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia. She has also been in Safety Not Guaranteed, Little Miss Sunshine, Legally Blonde 2, Julie and Julia, Grey’s Anatomy, and many other popular movies and TV shows. Rajskub performs stand–up comedy across the country. She lives in Los Angeles.

PUB MONTH: MAY HUMOR, POP CULTURE, MEMOIR, AUTOBIOGRAPHY ISBN 978-1-4197-5480-7

US $18.00 CAN $23.00 UK £12.99

From Grand Slam Romance • Written by Emma Oosterhous; Illustrated by Ollie Hicks

The Bomb

BY ALCANTE AND LF BOLLEÉ, ILLUSTRATED BY DENIS RODIER

On August 6, 1945, at 8:15 in the morning, an explosive charge of more than 15 kilotons fell on the city of Hiroshima. Tens of thousands of people were pulverized, and everything within four square miles was instantly destroyed. A deluge of flames and ash had just caused Japan’s greatest trauma and changed the course of modern warfare and life on Earth forever. The world was horrified by the existence of the bomb—the first weapon of mass destruction. But how could such an appalling tool be invented? To answer this question, Alcante, Laurent–Frédéric Bollée, and Denis Rodier return to the origins of its main component, uranium, and shed light on the scientific discoveries around this element and its uses both civilian and military. Sifting through the history, from Katanga to Japan, through Germany, Norway, the USSR, and New Mexico,The Bomb is a succession of incredible but true stories. Alcante, Bollée, and Rodier have created an exhaustive and definitive work of nonfiction that details the stories of the unsung players as well as the remarkable men and women who are at the crux of its history and the events that followed

Alcante has been fascinated by comic strips since he was young. Nevertheless he began by studying economic sciences, followed by academic research; in 1995, he won a scenario competition and had his first story published in Spirou, a weekly magazine. In 2002, Alcante started to regularly publish semi–realistic, semi–fantastic short stories that prefigured Pandora Box, his very first series. He lives and works in France. Laurent–Frédéric Bollée has been a successful journalist and writer for more than 20 years. Alongside his media work for various television and radio networks, he has also published nearly 40 graphic novels, including a volume in the XIII Mystery collection (part of the internationally acclaimed XIII saga). Long fascinated by Australia, Bollée began writing Terra Australis in December 2007, a 500–page historical masterpiece, which was published by SelfMadeHero in 2014. Bollée lives and works in Versailles, France. Denis Rodier began his illustration career in 1986, which led him, two years later, to the world of comics. Among his first work was a Batman story in Detective Comics (1988), and his portfolio includes other world–famous characters such as Wonder Woman and Captain America. In addition to his work for DC Comics and Marvel Comics, Rodier has also worked for Milestone Media, Dark Horse, Malibu Comics, and Image Comics. However, it is his work on Superman that has garnered Rodier his greatest acclaim. From 1991 and 1997, he was an inker on Action Comics and The Adventures of Superman, most notably on the award–winning, seminal “Death of Superman” storyline. Rodier lives and works in Canada.

RIGHTS: World English

SELLING POINTS

CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED: More than 20 years in the making,The Bomb is the definitive history of the creation of the atomic bomb and those who helped make it, launch it, and its aftermath. It has been translated into 14 languages, received critical acclaim in France, and was hailed as a classic and one of the most essential graphic novels of the year when it was first published in 2020. It has also received eight awards in the last two years, including the Québec BD’s Bédéis–Causa 2021 Award, the Prix de la critique ACBD 2020 Award from the Comic Book Critics and Reporters Association, and the Prix Cases d’Histoire Award for best historical graphic novel of 2020.

STUNNING VISUALS: Exhaustively researched, this story comes to life with Rodier’s intricately detailed illustrations. Our edition includes a gray wash to add depth to Rodier’s artwork.

WORLD–FAMOUS CREATORS: Alcante and Bollée are comics legends in France, and Rodier is a beloved creator in the United States, having established himself in the early 1990s as one of the artists on the “Death of Superman” storyline. He has more than 90,000 followers on Instagram (denis_rodier).

CANADIAN ARTIST: Rodier is French–Canadian and a big name in the Canadian comics market, as well as a perennial guest at TCAF.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Black and white illustrations throughout *464 pages

*WIDTH: 7 3/8" - 187mm

*HEIGHT: 10 1/4" - 260mm

*Hardcover POB

PUB MONTH: JULY GRAPHIC NOVELS, HISTORY, NONFICTION ISBN 978-1-4197-5209-4 US $29.99 CAN $37.95 UK £21.99

CARTON QTY: 8 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-530-6

Spider–Man first swung onto the comic book pages in August 1962 with the publication of Amazing Fantasy no. 15, created by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko and with cover art by Jack Kirby, which was soon followed by The Amazing Spider–Man no. 1 in March 1963. Sixty years after the comics' publication, award–winning graphic designer Chip Kidd reimagines the iconic first stories using original vintage copies of both comic books to present these classic tales in a whole new way. Perfect for both lifelong fans and the latest generation of Marvel enthusiasts, the book also includes text by Chip Kidd, Marvel editor Tom Brevoort, historian Mark Evanier (Kirby: King of Comics), and Library of Congress curator Sara Duke. Stunningly photographed by award–winning photographer Geoff Spear, Amazing Fantasy no. 15 and Amazing Spider–Man no. 1 are showcased as you’ve never seen them before—oversized and up–close. This is a panel–by–panel exploration of both entire issues that captures every single detail and nuance of Lee and Ditko’s groundbreaking story, making it a must–have for every comic book collection.

Stan Lee (1922–2018) was a writer, editor, comic book creator, and the former president and chairman of Marvel Comics. Steve Ditko (1927–2018) was one of the most influential American comic book artists of all time, and the co–creator of Spider–Man. Jack Kirby (1917–94) created or co–created some of comic books’ most popular characters. Chip Kidd is a graphic designer and writer and editor at large for Pantheon. A three–time Eisner Award winner, he has written and designed more than a dozen books on comics. Geoff Spear is an award–winning photographer. Tom Brevoort is an executive editor and VP of publishing at Marvel Comics. Mark Evanier is a writer and historian and author of the award–winning Kirby: King of Comics Sara Duke is a curator of Popular and Applied Graphic Arts in the Prints and Photographs division of the Library of Congress.

60th ANNIVERSARY: First there was Fantastic Four No. 1: Panel by Panel. Now, timed for the 60th anniversary of Spider–Man, award–winning designer Chip Kidd and photographer Geoff Spear deconstruct the iconic issues of Amazing Fantasy no. 15 and The Amazing Spider–Man no. 1 by Stan Lee and Steve Ditko, with cover art by Jack Kirby. The volume includes text by Kidd, Marvel editor Tom Brevoort, historian Mark Evanier, and Library of Congress curator Sara Duke.

MIGHTY BRAND: Marvel Comics, having celebrated its 80th anniversary in 2020, is one of the most recognizable brands worldwide.

NOT ONE BUT TWO COMPLETE STORIES: In Spider–Man: Panel by Panel, Kidd and Spear examine both comic books, as well as the original art for Amazing Fantasy no. 15 from the Library of Congress. These bonus pages are included in their entirety along with close–up details and handwritten notes between Lee and Ditko from the margins of the pages.

BY MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT; TEXT BY ROY THOMAS

In 1974 Marvel Comics publisher Stan Lee devised an ingenious promotional campaign—Marvel Value Stamps, which appeared on the letters pages of their monthly comics. Readers could cut out all 100 of these super hero and super villain stamps and place them in a special mail–order booklet. Once complete, these stamp books could then be redeemed for special discounts and exclusive merchandise. The program was so successful, a second set was released in 1975. And now, for the first time, these original stamp books, stamps, and all of the surrounding ephemera and source material are collected into one must–have volume for collectors and fans, along with text from Marvel Comics historian Roy Thomas and an all–new cover by Alex Ross.

Roy Thomas has been a comic book writer and editor since 1965, primarily for Marvel Comics and DC Comics. Inducted into the Will Eisner Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2011, he currently edits Alter Ego magazine, writes the online Tarzan strips, and the occasional comic book. Thomas is also the author of two definitive histories for Taschen–75 Years of Marvel Comics: From the Golden Age to the Silver Screen and The Stan Lee Story. He lives in rural South Carolina.

RARE MATERIAL: A complete collection of the original Marvel Value Stamps are near impossible to find and have never been reprinted, making this the essential book for collectors and longtime Marvel fans.

RESPECTED AUTHOR: Roy Thomas was Stan Lee’s editor in chief when the Marvel Value Stamps were published. Thomas has since become Marvel’s official historian, authoring two definitive history books for Taschen—75 Years of Marvel Comics: From the Golden Age to the Silver Screen (2014) and The Stan Lee Story (2018).

VALUE PACKAGE: At 368 full–color pages priced at $24.99, Marvel Value Stamps is the type of book that Abrams ComicArts is known for—an extensively researched and detailed look at the ingenious promotional campaign that led readers to buy Marvel comics in unprecedented numbers. Every aspect of these sought–after stamps and their creation are reproduced in one affordable volume.

Black & White

THE RISE AND

OF BOBBY FISCHER

BY JULIAN VOLOJ, ILLUSTRATED BY WAGNER WILLIAN

The life of Bobby Fischer (1943–2008) had many unexpected moves— from his solitary childhood to his stratospheric accomplishments in the world of competitive chess, and eventually, his decent into mental illness and disgrace. Black & White begins in Brooklyn, where Fischer was born and raised by a single mother. By the time he was a teen, he had established himself as a loner and dropped out of school. But none of that mattered; he had found his true calling—chess.

In 1972, Fischer played what many consider “the game of the century” against the Soviet Union’s chess champion Boris Spassky at the height of the Cold War. Later, Fischer became the youngest–ever US Chess Champion and the game’s youngest grandmaster. Never before had chess received such international attention. Fischer, whose sole focus in life up until then was chess, reached the Olympus of chess at 29, and then . . . he disappeared. Suffering from mental illness, the chess genius became increasingly paranoid, lost in anti–Semitic conspiracy theories—despite the fact that he himself was Jewish—and died as a fugitive in Iceland. With Black & White, author Julian Voloj and illustrator Wagner Willian have crafted a fascinating work that reveals Fischer’s history while also contextualizing his lasting impact on pop culture. Black & White is the first–ever graphic novel to tell Fischer’s story and examine his legacy.

Julian Voloj is a New York–based writer whose work has been published in the New York Times, Rolling Stone, the Washington Post, and many other national and international publications. Born to Colombian parents in Germany, where he studied literature and linguistics, Voloj moved to New York in 2004. His fascination for forgotten heroes and hidden figures stems from his own family history and has been a leitmotif in his nonfiction graphic novels. Wagner Willian is a comics artist, visual artist, writer, and editor. He has won the main awards in the Brazilian market, such as Prêmio Jabuti, HQMIX, and Troféu Grampo de Ouro, and has been published in France, Portugal, Germany, Spain, the Czech Republic, and Poland. He lives in São Paulo.

SELLING POINTS

CHESS IN VOGUE: Chess is having a big cultural moment with Netflix’s The Queen’s Gambit and the 2020 film Critical Thinking starring John Leguizamo.

POP CULTURE LEGEND: Interest in Fischer has proven to have real staying power over time. He became world famous in the 1970s, then infamous, only to remain a pop culture figure of interest long after his death in 2008.

STRONG CATEGORY: A great addition to the other graphic biographies and memoirs on the ComicArts list, including My Friend Dahmer, The Imitation Game, Becoming Andy Warhol, and Nobody’s Fool

SPECIFICATIONS

*Black and white illustrations throughout *176 pages

*WIDTH: 6 1/2" - 165mm

*HEIGHT: 9 1/2" - 241mm

* Hardcover with jacket PUB MONTH: APRIL GRAPHIC NOVELS, COMICS

ISBN 978-1-4197-5986-4 US $24.99 CAN $31.99 UK £18.99

BY EMMA OOSTERHOUS AND OLLIE HICKS

SELLING POINTS

QUEER ROMANCE FOR ADULTS: Perfect for adult readers who grew up on manga and books like Heartstopper; Fence!; and Check, Please! but are looking for a story with more mature themes

FIRST SURELY SERIES: Grand Slam Romance: Book 1 is the first volume in the first series on the Surely Books imprint. There are at least two more volumes in the works.

LGBTQIA+ CREATORS: Hicks and Oosterhous are a powerhouse queer creative team focused on hugely entertaining storytelling with a diverse cast of characters.

SOFTBALL SPOTLIGHT: Softball is one of the most popular sports in the United States. An estimated 40 million Americans will play at least one softball game annually, and softball’s largest sanction body, the Amateur Softball Associate of America (ASA) has more than 3.5 million registered players.

In this queer graphic novel that’s equal parts romance, softball, and magical girl drama, Mickey Monsoon and Astra Maxima are best friends . . . and maybe more. That is, until Astra unceremoniously dumps Mickey to become a softball wunderkind at a private girl’s school in Switzerland. Years later, Mickey is the hotshot pitcher for the Belle City Broads, and their team is poised to sweep the league this season. But Micky is thrown off their game when Astra shows up to catch for the Gaiety Gals, the Broads’ fiercest rival. Astra is flirty, arrogant, and reckless on the field—everything the rule–abiding Mickey hates.

Astra thinks Mickey’s cute and wants to fool around, even despite their rocky history and the trail of jilted softballers that Astra leaves in her wake. Too bad the only thing Mickey wants is vengeance for their broken heart and wounded pride! But even they have to admit—Astra is a certified babe. And that’s not all: Astra isn’t just a softball superstar, she’s a full–fledged magical girl.

The only way for Mickey to defeat Astra is to betray the Broads and join the Danger Dames, a secret elite team, and start dating Astra’s ex! OK, that last bit wasn’t part of the plan . . . Mickey’s rapidly getting in too deep, but is she just in trouble or is she actually in love? Full of wet mitts, hard hits, and a bevy of softball–playing babes, Grand Slam Romance: Book 1 is a flawless home run that is sure to knock readers out of the park.

Ollie Hicks is a Black British comics creator and editor who lives in the UK and has Jamaican heritage. They have a PhD in comics studies–focused on 20th–century British and American girls’ comics–from the University of Dundee, which is gently gathering dust. They like to write funny gay stories with their funny gay wife, Emma Oosterhous. Grand Slam Romance is their debut graphic novel. Emma Oosterhous is a cartoonist, animal enthusiast, and lesbian from Colorado. In 2018, she earned a Marshall Scholarship and then an MDes in comics and graphic novels from the University of Dundee. She now lives in the UK, where she makes comics with her wife, Ollie Hicks. Grand Slam Romance is her debut graphic novel.

Mimosa

BY ARCHIE BONGIOVANNI

In this graphic novel by Archie Bongiovanni, best friends and chosen family Chris, Elise, Jo, and Alex work hard to keep themselves afloat. Their regular brunches hold them together even as the rest of their lives threaten to fall apart. In an effort to avoid being the oldest gays at the party, the crew decides to put on a new queer event called Grind–specifically for homos in their dirty thirties.

Grind is a welcome distraction from their real problems: after a messy divorce, Chris adjusts to being a single parent while struggling to reconnect to their queer community. Elise is caught between feelings for her boss and the career of her dreams. Jo tries to navigate the murky boundaries of being a supportive friend and taking care of her own needs. And Alex is guarding a secret that might change his friendships forever.

While navigating exes at work, physical and mental exhaustion, and drinking way, way too much on weekdays, this chosen family proves that being messy doesn’t always go away with age.

Archie Bongiovanni is a comics artist and illustrator who focuses on making work that’s gay and good. They’re the co–creator of the award–winning A Quick and Easy Guide To They/Them Pronouns and the creator of Grease Bats, a serialized comic about two queer BFFs navigating dating and late–stage capitalism. Bongiovanni's the author of History Comics: Stonewall, and their work has appeared intheNew Yorker, the Nib, Vice, and Autostraddle. They lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

RIGHTS: World/All

SELLING POINTS

UNAPOLOGETICALLY QUEER: Mimosa doesn’t shy away from its LGBTQIA+ subject matter, exploring sexuality, gender, and adulthood in a refreshingly honest way.

GROWING MARKET: The market for LGBTQIA+ stories is expanding, moving from a niche selection to a large and inclusive library of graphic novels.

MAJOR TALENT: Bongiovanni is the cartoonist behind A Quick and Easy Guide To They/Them Pronouns, which received a starred review from School Library Journal, was a Publishers Weekly Favorite Reads of 2018, a 2018 Chicago Public Library Best Book of the Year for Teen Nonfiction, and one of YALSA’s Great Graphic Novels for Teens.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Two-color illustrations throughout *272 pages

*WIDTH: 6" - 152mm

*HEIGHT: 9" - 229mm

*Hardcover with jacket

PUB MONTH: MARCH ISBN 978-1-4197-5243-8 US $24.99 CAN $31.99 UK £17.99

CARTON QTY: 16 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-203-9

Archie Bongiovanni, the comics artist behind the hit A Quick and Easy Guide to They/Them Pronouns, explores queerness in this shockingly frank and funny adult graphic novel

The

BY AYIZE JAMA-EVERETT, ILLUSTRATED BY TRISTAN ROACH

The Last Count of Monte Cristo is a bold retelling of Alexandre Dumas’s classic tale of love, betrayal, revenge, and redemption. This speculative update pushes the narrative into a future hundreds of years after the polar ice caps have melted and submerged our planet into a new era of technology and culture. In this futuristic reinterpretation, author Ayize Jama–Everett and illustrator Tristan Roach revisit the original inspiration of the story—Dumas’s own father. A greatly respected general during the French Revolution, Dumas was one of the highest–ranking officers of African descent in a Western army in history. Like the protagonist of his son’s story, General Dumas was betrayed and spent years in prison before getting a chance to return to France. The Last Count of Monte Cristo is a radical and powerful graphic novel update that reclaims the cultural heritage of Dumas’s tale and suggests the terrible future that could threaten the human race if we continue to destroy our planet.

Ayize Jama–Everett has traveled extensively in Africa, New Hampshire, Northern California, and Mexico. He holds an MA in clinical psychology, divinity, and creative writing. He has taught at the Graduate Theological Union and California College of the Arts, and was a school therapist for ten years in Oakland. He believes the narratives of our times dictate the realities of the future, so he’s invested in working in subversive notions like family of choice, striving when not chosen to survive, and irrational optimism into his work. He lives in Harlem. Tristan Roach is based in Barbados and holds a BFA in graphic design. He is the owner and creative director of BounceHouse Creative Studio, which utilizes mediums such as graphic design, animation, and illustration. Roach is one of the founding members of Beyond Publishing Caribbean and has worked on indie titles and his own, including Spirit Bear. His work in comics has earned him a Gold Angel Award, among others.

SELLING POINTS

AFROFUTURISM SHINES: Abrams Megascope continues to redefine the genre with the success of After the Rain, Hardears, and Black Star

NEW GENRES: The Last Count of Monte Cristo highlights two emerging literary genres—climate fiction and solar–punk—which predict the problems of the future but also presents their solutions.

ADAPTATION SUCCESS: Graphic novel adaptions, such as Kindred, Parable of the Sower, and Dune, have been critically and commercially successful for ComicArts.

REDEFINING LEGACY: With recent revelations of Alexandre Dumas’s Afro–Caribbean ancestry, The Last Count of Monte Cristo seeks to bring new light and culture to a classic tale.

19TH–CENTURY CLASSIC: According to Bookscan, The Count of Monte Cristo has sold more than 900,000 copies across formats, solidifying its place as one of the bestselling adventure and literary classics since its publication in 1846.

*Full-color illustrations throughout *160 pages *WIDTH: 6 1/2" - 165mm

9 1/2" - 241mm

From Gather • By Janet Flecher; Photographs by Meg Smith

BY JOHN ASH; PHOTOGRAPHY BY ASHLEY LIMA

Featuring favorites from the kitchens of Hog Island Oyster Bars and other talented chefs who have embraced the company’s sustainability ethos, this authoritative compendium showcases over 250 dishes from cuisines around the world, including regional favorites like San Francisco cioppino, Southern crayfish étouffée, and New England clam chowder. Presenting a wide variety of cooking methods—such as steaming, roasting, grilling, pan–frying, curing—along with illustrated techniques like shucking oysters, opening clams, and filleting fish, this authoritative cookbook will guide you through the basics of seafood preparation. And the extensive list of sauces, butters, and seasonings will help you turn your choice of seafood into a stellar dish. The Hog Island Book of Fish & Seafood is a master class from an award–winning chef who shows home and professional cooks how to bring culinary gifts from the water to the table at their peak of perfection.

John Ash is a restaurateur, cookbook author, and two–time James Beard Award winner. He previously cohosted the Good Food Hour radio show on KSRO for 35 years, and he has hosted two shows on the Food Network. Ash regularly contributes to the Santa Rosa Press Democrat and has written for magazines such as Fine Cooking and Eating Well. In 2014, Ash was honored by the Monterey Bay Aquarium as the Sustainable Seafood Educator of the Year. He lives in Santa Rosa, California. Ashley Lima is an art director and photographer based in the San Francisco Bay Area.

SELLING POINTS

BELOVED INSTITUTION: Hog Island Oyster Co. has five restaurants in the San Francisco Bay Area and is adding more. It is also opening another oyster hatchery, a testament to its continued popularity.

ESTABLISHED AUTHOR: John Ash is a prolific author, cooking–show host, and a two–time James Beard Award winner, lending him a considerable platform.

COMPREHENSIVE COOKBOOK: Along with more than 200 recipes, The Hog Island Book of Fish & Seafood also features helpful notes, tips, and pairings, as well as beautiful photographs and illustrations.

SUSTAINABILITY SAVVY: As more consumers begin turning toward alternative food sources in the face of climate change, the demand for sustainably grown seafood has grown exponentially.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color photographs throughout *352 pages

*WIDTH: 8" - 203mm

*HEIGHT: 10" - 254mm *Hardcover PUB MONTH: MAY FOOD & DRINK

BY JANET FLETCHER; PHOTOGRAPHS BY MEG SMITH

Some of the tastiest California cooking today comes from wineries with edible gardens, and now you can take a visual tour of these magical culinary green spaces, peek inside the winery kitchens that reap the harvest, and bring sun–ripened flavors into your own home kitchen. Gather: Casual Cooking from Wine Country Gardens showcases some of California’s most ambitious wineries’ culinary gardens and the fresh, wine–friendly dishes they inspire, all vividly captured by three–time James Beard Award–winner Janet Fletcher. Bring the garden to the plate California–style with Heirloom Tomato and Peach Salad with Burrata or Golden Beet Gazpacho. Enjoy a glass of Sauvignon Blanc alongside Crostini with Garden Carrots, Goat Cheese, and Dukkah; or savor a platter of crisp spring vegetables with Caramelized Spring Onion Dip. To show off a fine California red wine, try Spring Lamb Chops Scottadito with Charred Tomato and Black Olive Tapenade or Slow–Roasted Beef Short Ribs with Broccoli di Cicco and Farro. The book’s garden–inspired desserts include luscious finales such as Blood Orange Crème Brûlée, Cheesecake with Blueberry Gelée, and Lemon Verbena Apricots with Olive Oil–Sea Salt Ice Cream. In more than 60 delicious recipes, Gather delivers the finest of California’s wine country to your door, demonstrating the creative ways that wineries use their garden bounty to please their guests and complement their wines.

Janet Fletcher is the author of over 30 books on food and beverage, including Wine Country Table, Cheese & Wine, Fresh from the Farmers Market, and Sur La Table’s Eating Local: Recipes Inspired by America’s Farmers. Fletcher publishes the weekly Planet Cheese blog and is the cheese columnist for Specialty Food and SOMM Journal magazines. Her journalistic work has earned her three James Beard Awards and the IACP Bert Greene Award, and her food writing has appeared in numerous national publications, including the New York Times, Saveur, Fine Cooking, and Food & Wine. She lives and works in the Napa Valley.

SELLING

WELL–KNOWN WINERIES: A number of popular California wineries and their respective culinary gardens are featured throughout the book.

PAIRING POINTERS: The author, wineries, and chefs featured in Gather offer tips for pairing, gleaned from years of experience in the food and wine world.

ESTABLISHED AUTHOR: Janet Fletcher has written over thirty cookbooks and won three James Beard Awards, lending her a substantial platform.

*Full-color photographs throughout *240 pages

*WIDTH: 10 1/2" - 267mm *HEIGHT: 9" - 229mm *Hardcover POB PUB MONTH: MAY FOOD & DRINK ISBN 978-1-949480-26-9 US $40.00 CAN $50.00 UK £30.00

Artistic California

BY EMMA ACKER; PRODUCED BY THE FINE ARTS MUSEUMS OF SAN FRANCISCO

SELLING POINTS

PERFECT FOR ART LOVERS: Features a diverse array of works from artists like David Hockney, Wayne Thiebaud, Imogen Cunningham, and many others.

STRONG PRESENCE: The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco are West Coast institutions— together, the de Young and the Legion of Honor get 1.5 million visitors from around the world annually. Online, the museums have 226,000 followers on Twitter, more than 169,000 Instagram followers, and more than 107,000 followers on Facebook.

GIFT APPEAL: A blend of art, history, and celebration of the Golden State makes for a supremely giftable book.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color photographs throughout *112 pages

*WIDTH: 9" - 229mm

*HEIGHT: 8" - 203mm

*Hardcover with jacket

Sunshine, surfing, and Hollywood. Agriculture, earthquakes, and gold. From its topography to its glamour, California looms large in the world’s imagination. Artists have been drawn to the state’s iconic beauty for generations, capturing its luminous light and recording its coastline, cityscapes, agricultural life, mountain ranges, and more in mediums ranging from photography and oil paint to woodcuts and xerographic prints. Featuring more than fifty artworks dating from the late 1800s to the early 2000s, all drawn from the collection of the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Artistic California celebrates the sites and experiences of our extraordinary state through the eyes of artists. Many luminaries of the California art world are featured here, such as David Park, Richard Diebenkorn, and Imogen Cunningham, as well as lesser known artists, resulting in an exceptional array of viewpoints, expressions of personal meaning, and cultural values.

With an introductory essay by curator Emma Acker exploring the roots of California’s art tradition, its themes, and the ethnic perspectives that have played an essential role in California art, this volume creates an indelible portrait of our monumental state.

Emma Acker is an associate curator of American art at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, comprising the de Young in Golden Gate Park and the Legion of Honor in Lincoln Park, are the largest public arts institution in San Francisco.

PUB MONTH: JULY ART

ISBN 978-1-949480-41-2

US $29.99 CAN $37.95 UK £21.99

A collection of visual art, including works from many luminaries, that celebrates California’s landscapes and culture

From Picky Panda • By Jackie Huang

BY LUCASFILM LTD; ILLUSTRATED BY AL WILLIAMSON

Experience the original movie like never before! Follow the adventures of favorite characters during some of the most memorable moments in Star Wars history: from Luke Skywalker, Princess Leia, and Han Solo’s escape from Jabba the Hutt; to Luke’s showdown with Darth Vader; to the climactic Battle of Endor, where the fate of the galaxy hangs in the balance.

With art from comics legend Al Williamson, gatefolds, and a cinematic feel, this collector’s board book is the perfect gift no matter your generation, for both lifelong Star Wars fans and the littlest Padawans.

Born in 1931 in New York City, Al Williamson was a legendary comics artist. Over a career that lasted more than 50 years, he worked for nearly every major comics publisher, specializing in adventure, Western, and science fiction stories. He is best known for his beloved work on Flash Gordon, Secret Agent Corrigan, and Star Wars, including the 1980s comics adaptation of Return of the Jedi. His many awards include the Inkwell Awards’ Sinnott Hall of Fame and the Eisner Awards’ Hall of Fame. Although he passed away in 2020, his style influenced countless artists and his legacy lives on through his popular works.

SELLING POINTS

MILESTONE ANNIVERSARY: The Force is strong in 2023, which marks the 40th anniversary of the theatrical release of Return of the Jedi. Publication is timed right before Star Wars Day (May 4, 2023), the franchise’s most popular annual celebration.

NOSTALGIA HOOK: With a text that pays homage to the original film and celebrated art from the 1980s Star Wars comics, this book is a must–have for collectors.

GIFT APPEAL: High–end and beautifully designed, with bold colors, four gatefolds, spot gloss on the cover, and a horizontal trim to evoke a cinematic feel.

ALL AGES: Perfect for both diehard adult fans and little ones who are being introduced to the Star Wars universe.

PROVEN FORMAT: Inspired by the popular format of the My Mighty Marvel First Book series (nearly 100,000 copies sold!).

*Full-color illustrations throughout *30 pages

8" - 203mm

6" - 152mm

All Aboard! The Sesame Street Subway (An Abrams Extend-a-Book)

BY NICHOLE MARA; ILLUSTRATED BY ANDREW KOLB

Hop aboard the subway with Abby Cadabby, Elmo, Big Bird, and more of your favorite Sesame Street friends in this accordion–fold board book, with die–cut windows to peek through and flaps to lift on every page

SELLING POINTS

ENDURING BRAND: Over its 52 seasons (and counting!), Sesame Street has earned 200 Emmy Awards and 11 Grammy Awards. The program has over 22 million subscribers on YouTube and nearly 2 million followers on Twitter.

EVERGREEN SUBJECT: Trains and all things transportation are perennially popular with the 0–3 age group.

ADDED PLAY VALUE: More than just a vehicle book, All Aboard! The Sesame Street Subway also includes seek–and–find and counting elements, as well as other basic concepts.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *8 pages

*WIDTH: 11" - 279mm

*HEIGHT: 6" - 152mm *Board Book

All aboard! While reading a simple story about riding the subway, fold this book out to explore each car inside and out—and meet your favorite Sesame Street residents along the way, from Abby Cadabby to Elmo to The Count to Big Bird and more! Each page has a flap to lift for added seek–and–find fun, and the back sides of the pages feature a running landscape of the street up above, with plenty of fun objects to discover from A to Z.

Illustrator Andrew Kolb first garnered attention with his illustrated version of David Bowie’s Space Oddity. Since then, he has created illustrations for clients including Chickadee magazine, the Toronto Zoo, and Pixar. He is also the author of Edmund Unravels and the illustrator of All Aboard! Let’s Ride a Train, All Aboard! The Christmas Train, All Aboard! The Airport Train, and Disney All Aboard! Mickey’s Railway . He lives in Ontario, Canada.

PUB MONTH: MARCH AGES up to 3 BOARD BOOK, CHILDREN'S ISBN 978-1-4197-6655-8 US $12.99 CAN $16.99 UK £9.99

BY JENNIFER GEORGE; ILLUSTRATED BY VIN VOGEL

This inventive board book combines the hilarious hijinks of the Rube Goldberg brand with a unique and exciting format to explore the key concept of opposites in a whole new way. On one side of the accordion–fold pages, discover 12 pairs of opposites—from hot and cold to young and old and shallow and deep to awake and asleep. Turn the book over to discover Baby Rube Goldberg’s ingenious and out–of–the–box invention that includes all 12 sets of opposites and demonstrates a “simple” way to dunk a cookie in milk! Written by Jennifer George, Rube Goldberg’s granddaughter and the legacy director of Rube Goldberg, Inc., and featuring the brilliant illustrations of Vin Vogel, Baby Rube’s Opposites is chockful of silly surprises for the youngest aspiring inventors.

Jennifer George, Rube’s granddaughter and the chief creative officer of the Rube Goldberg Institute (RGI), oversees all aspects of her grandfather’s estate. Jennifer has conceived and developed a new generation of cultural events and educational projects available at rubegoldberg.org. She is the author of Rube Goldberg’s Simple Normal Humdrum School Day, Rube Goldberg’s Simple Normal Definitely Different Day Off, Rube Goldberg and His Amazing Machines, and The Art of Rube Goldberg. She lives in New York City. Vin Vogel is a Brazilian author–illustrator and the creator of A Home for Leo and the Yeti series. He has illustrated over 50 books, including the latest Too Much Slime! by Frances Gilbert; Naughty NinjaTakes a Bath by Todd Tarpley; and Maddi’s Fridge by Lois Brandt, which won a number of awards and has been translated into five languages. He lives in Rio de Janeiro with two cats and a dog.

SELLING POINTS

INNOVATIVE FORMAT: The accordion–fold pages of this book are a perfect match for the zany world of Rube Goldberg and they open up to reveal an invention that incorporates all 12 pairs of opposites featured in the book.

STRONG TRACK: Abrams’ picture book Rube Goldberg’s Simple Normal Humdrum School Day is in its fifth printing and received the 2018 Parents’ Choice Gold Award.

STEAM HOOK: Rube Goldberg is part of STEM/STEAM initiatives worldwide and curricula across the US.

ADORABLE ART: Vin Vogel’s bright and silly illustrations are full of humorous details and are the perfect fit for the board book audience.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout; accordion fold *24 pages

*WIDTH: 7" - 178mm

*HEIGHT: 7" - 178mm

*Casebound Board Book

Bugblock (An Abrams Block Book)

BY CHRISTOPHER FRANCESCHELLI; ART BY PESKI STUDIO

In this follow–up to Alphablock, Countablock, Dinoblock, Cityblock, Buildablock, Farmblock, Loveblock, Sharkblock, and Spaceblock, readers will learn about all the things that make bugs incredible—from spider crickets that can jump 60 times their own length to Chinese stick insects that can grow to be over two feet long to caterpillars that transform into stunning butterflies. In keeping with the rest of the series, Bugblock features the charming art of British design team Peski Studio, pages with die–cuts readers can peek through, and special flaps that unfold to reveal hidden details.

Christopher Franceschelli is a seasoned publisher, editor, and creator of children’s books. He currently runs Chronicle’s Handprint imprint and the SmartInk packaging company. A born–and–raised New Yorker, Franceschelli lives with his family in Brooklyn. David Partington is an illustrator based in Bristol, UK. His influences range from mid–century design to Saturday morning cartoons. As part of Peski Studio, he enjoys screen printing, a process that often informs his approach to illustration. Partington’s work can be seen in kids’ books, food packaging, and jumbo floor puzzles around the world. He especially enjoys creating characters, drawing friendly robots, and sending them on incredible adventures.

SELLING

BESTSELLING SERIES: The Abrams Block Book series continues to grow with more than 1.5 million copies sold.

PERENNIAL SUBJECT: Board book readers will love learning all about these incredible buzzing, biting, flying creatures.

ORIGINAL ART STYLE: Renowned British illustrator and designer Peski Studio once again brings a fresh edge to a popular category.

HIGH–VALUE PACKAGE: 84 board pages including 11 gatefold flaps in a small–trim block creates an inviting, chunky package perfect for little hands.

*Full-color illustrations throughout *84 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/4" - 133mm

*HEIGHT: 6 1/4" - 159mm *Casebound Board Book PUB MONTH: APRIL AGES up to 3 BOARD BOOK, KIDS NOVELTY ISBN 978-1-4197-6062-4 US $17.99 CAN $22.99 UK £12.99

Mail Duck Helps a Friend (A

BY ERICA SIROTICH

Duck Special

Mail Quail is feeling under the weather—but Mail Duck and all of his neighborhood friends have surprises in store to help her get well soon! Ruby knits a red hat to keep Mail Quail’s head cozy and warm, and Jade brews minty green tea to settle her tummy. Lift the flaps on every spread to discover what colorful surprise each friend has in store, all leading up to the rainbow grand finale. With plenty of sweet and silly details for young readers to find, this follow–up to Mail Duck is an engaging and entertaining board book perfect for repeat reads.

Erica Sirotich has written and illustrated four books for children and illustrated several others. Her board book Mail Duck received a starred Kirkus review (“delivers delight, and toddlers will clamor for more”), and appeared on several Best Books lists (Parents magazine, Amazon, and The Children’s Book Review). Sirotich has received illustration awards from Highlights magazine and Communication Arts She loves animals, coffee, books, and adding to her collections of rocks, stamps, and Japanese kokeshi. She lives in Buffalo, New York, with her husband and daughter.

SELLING POINTS

INTERACTIVE FEATURES: Features 16 flaps to lift and a final gatefold surprise.

PERFECT FOR RE–READING: Sirotich’s art is packed with quirky, charming details that will be fun to uncover with every read.

LIGHTLY EDUCATIONAL: Reinforces the concept of colors; each animal friend in the neighborhood has a favorite, and the book ends with a spectacular rainbow finale.

YOU’VE GOT MAIL: Kids love receiving mail, and will delight in peeking under the flaps to see what each new envelope contains.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *20 pages

*WIDTH: 6" - 152mm

*HEIGHT: 9" - 229mm

*Board Book

PUB MONTH: JUNE AGES up to 3 BOARD BOOK, KIDS NOVELTY ISBN 978-1-4197-6564-3 US $10.99 CAN $13.99 UK £7.99

CARTON QTY: 36 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-881-9

I Am Ready for School!

BY STEPHEN KRENSKY; ILLUSTRATED BY SARA GILLINGHAM

Prepare your little one for their first day of preschool or kindergarten with this uplifting board book from the Empowerment series!

SELLING POINTS

SUCCESSFUL SERIES: The first five books in the Empowerment series have sold over 275,000 copies combined!

ENCOURAGING MESSAGE: An uplifting, rhyming text gently prepares and reassures young ones who are getting ready to start school.

APPEALING ILLUSTRATIONS: Gillingham’s retro–fresh style and four–color spot treatment appeals to children and adults alike.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *12 pages

*WIDTH: 6 1/2" - 165mm

*HEIGHT: 9" - 229mm * Board Book

PUB MONTH: JULY AGES up to 3 BOARD BOOK, KIDS SERIES ISBN 978-1-4197-6168-3 US $8.99 CAN $11.99 UK £6.99 ËxHSLELJy761683z

I fit just right in every chair.

With toys and books for me to share.

Reassuring rhyming text introduces preschoolers to their first day of school where a welcoming teacher, a cheery classroom, and new friends await! The Empowerment series addresses the small victories of growing up and starting to embrace the world on their own terms with encouraging text and retro–fresh illustrations. Celebrate the milestones of toddlerhood with the whole series.

Stephen Krensky started writing stories for children while in college and has been happily doing it ever since. He has now written more than 130 fiction and nonfiction children’s books, including novels, picture books, easy readers, and biographies. Among his favorites are the five earlier books in the Empowerment series–Now I Am Big!, I Can Do It Myself!, I Know a Lot!, I Am So Brave!, and I Like to Share! Krensky and his wife, Joan, raised two sons in Lexington, Massachusetts, where they are still living happily ever after. Sara Gillingham is an award–winning children’s book author and illustrator, art director, and designer who has helped publish many bestselling books. Gillingham has written and illustrated more than 25 titles for children, including Snuggle the Baby, All Better Baby!, Love Is a Truck, Love Is a Tutu, Love Is a Ball, and the Empowerment series. She lives in Vancouver with her family.

CARTON QTY: 56 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-665-5

Celebrate everything that makes you a rising star! From kindness and curiosity to playfulness and positivity, this book is a paw–some salute to anyone reaching a life milestone. The Hello!Lucky team brings their signature humor and colorful style to this inspirational book celebrating accomplishments big and small. It’s a purr–fect reminder that fierce and bold, young or old, you’re one cool cat!

Hello!Lucky is all about using creativity to spread joy, fun, and kindness. Founded by sisters Eunice and Sabrina Moyle in 2003, Hello!Lucky is an award–winning letterpress greeting card and design studio working with dozens of partners to create products, including Abrams’ pun–derful children’s books: My Mom Is Magical!, My Dad Is Amazing!, Super Pooper and Whizz Kid: Potty Power!, Kindness Rules!, Christmas Is Awesome!, Go Get ’Em, Tiger!, Thanks a Ton!, Sloth and Smell the Roses, You Are Fantastic!, School Is Cool!, Bananas for You!, and Halloween Is a Treat!. They also offer bedding, ceramics, socks, stationery, custom photo albums, and more. Hello! Lucky is based in San Francisco.

SELLING POINTS

STRIKING ILLUSTRATIONS: Beautifully designed and illustrated with a fifth color of ink throughout.

SENSATIONAL SALES: More than a million combined sales for the Hello!Lucky program!

STRONG FOLLOWING: Hello! Lucky has almost 80,000 followers on Instagram and nearly 70,000 followers on Pinterest.

EVERGREEN CATEGORY: As the major successes of Oh, Baby, the Places You’ll Go! and The Wonderful Things You Will Be prove, board books about celebrating milestones are big sellers.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *30 pages

*WIDTH: 7" - 178mm

*HEIGHT: 7" - 178mm

*Board Book

PUB MONTH: APRIL AGES up to 3 BOARD BOOK ISBN 978-1-4197-4336-8 US $8.99 CAN $11.99 UK £6.99

RIGHTS:

Things I Know How to Do

BY AMY SCHWARTZ

Say when!

Count to ten!

Wear a tutu!

Kiss a boo–boo!

From beloved author–illustrator Amy Schwartz comes a tribute to growing independence, showcasing a collection of things little ones can do on their own. They’ll celebrate accomplishments big and small in this board book adaptation of 100 Things I Know How to Do.

Amy Schwartz has written a number of award–winning picture books. She has created two New York Times Best Illustrated Children’s Books of the Year and a Publishers Weekly Best Book of the Year. She has won the Christopher Award, the Charlotte Zolotow Award, and the National Jewish Book Award, among others. Schwartz was born and raised in California and now lives with her family in Brooklyn.

SELLING POINTS

STELLAR AUTHOR–

ILLUSTRATOR: Schwartz has been creating award–winning children’s books throughout her career.

EMPOWERING MESSAGE: From closing drawers to opening doors, this picture book celebrates young ones’ accomplishments big and small.

STRONG TRACK: Schwartz’s 100 Things books have sold over 75,000 copies across formats.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *22 pages

*WIDTH: 7" - 178mm

*HEIGHT: 7" - 178mm

*Board Book

PUB MONTH: APRIL AGES up to 3 BOARD BOOK, CHILDREN'S ISBN 978-1-4197-4327-6 US $8.99 CAN $11.99 UK £6.99

ËxHSLELJy743276z

89 ABRAMS APPLESEED SPRING 2023

Bird House

BY BLANCA GÓMEZ

On a snowy day, a grandmother and grandchild find an injured bird. They take it home and care for it until it can fly around the living room. It is fantastic—just like everything at Abuela’s house!

But a fantastic moment is also bittersweet, for the little bird’s recovery means that it’s time to let it fly free.

Drawing inspiration from a formative childhood experience, Blanca Gómez crafts a deceptively simple story that is morally and emotionally resonant and brimming with love, wonder, and a deep respect for the natural world.

Blanca Gómez was born in and resides in Madrid. When she was a kid, she spent a lot of time at her grandma’s. There she ate bread with olive oil for breakfast, ran away from the cat in the corridor, and bumped her head on the corner of the table quite often. So it makes sense that the first book she both wrote and illustrated talks about her grandma.

NEW FORMAT: Gómez’s beautifully simple text and vibrant, accessible art style make this story a perfect fit for the board book crowd.

CREATOR SUCCESS: The hardcover received a starred Kirkus review: “This little gem elicits a sense of deep–seated comfort and refuge for these uncertain times.” Gómez is also the illustrator behind Red House, Tree House, Little Bitty Brown Mouse (a Kirkus and Horn Book “Best”) as well as Besos for Baby (a TLA 2x2 Reading Selection).

GRANDPARENT–GRANDCHILD STORY: The loving relationship between this granddaughter and grandmother is understated yet poignant, a relationship inspired by Gómez’s childhood.

EMOTIONAL LAYERS: Bird House touches on themes such as respect for the natural world, doing the right thing, and hardest of all, learning to let go.

GIFT BOOK: Bird House has wonderful intergenerational appeal, and could be a great gift to be shared by grandparents; it’s also perfect for Earth Day or any occasion to examine and celebrate the natural world with children.

SPANISH EDITION: As with the hardcover, we’re publishing English and Spanish editions of the board book simultaneously.

World/All

BLANCA GÓMEZ

Una abuela y su nieta ayudan a un pájaro herido en esta conmovedora historia en español sobre el amor, la fascinación por la naturaleza, y sobre cómo dejar marchar, ahora en libro de cartón

SELLING POINTS

CUENTO DE ABUELOS Y NIETOS: Insipirada por la bella relación de la infancia de Gomez.

TEMAS CONMOVEDORES: Incluyendo respeto por nuestra naturaleza.

REGALO IDEAL: Perfecto para Earth Day y compartir con los abuelos; con cubierta decorativa, el libro se sentirá como uno classico.

ARTISTA ADMIRADA: Sus libros han sido nombrados Kirkus y Horn Book Best y un TLA 2x2 selección de lectura.

EDICIÓN EN ESPANOL: La primera publicación de Abrams simultanea en inglés y espanol.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *24 pages

*WIDTH: 6 1/2" - 165mm

*HEIGHT: 8" - 203mm

*Board Book

Un día de invierno una abuela y su nieta encuentran un pájaro herido. Lo recogen y lo llevan a casa para curarlo, hasta que es capaz de volar por el salón. Es maravilloso . . . ¡Todo es maravilloso en casa de la abuela!

Pero un momento maravilloso también puede ser agridulce: el pájaro se ha recuperado y es hora de dejarlo volar libre. Inspirada en una experiencia de su infancia, la historia que crea Blanca Gómez es aparentemente simple, pero intensa moral y emocionalmente. Una historia llena de amor y fascinación, y de un profundo respeto por la naturaleza.

Blanca Gómez nació en y vive en Madrid. De pequeña pasaba bastante tiempo en casa de su abuela, donde desayunaba pan con aceite, corría delante del gato por el pasillo, y muy a menudo se daba en la cabeza con el pico de la mesa. Es bastante lógico que su primer libro trate sobre ella.

PUB MONTH: MAY AGES up to 3 BOARD BOOK ISBN 978-1-4197-6592-6 US $8.99 CAN $11.99 UK £6.99

One Springy, Singy Day

BY RENÉE KURILLA

SELLING POINTS

GREAT READ–ALOUD: The story’s bouncing, rhyming text is perfect for read–alouds. Kirkus called it “a book young children will love listening to over and over.”

BRIGHT ART STYLE: Kurilla’s inviting illustrations bring energy and sweetness to every page.

SEASONAL HOOK: Perfectly timed for springtime celebrations.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *28 pages

*WIDTH: 7" - 178mm

*HEIGHT: 7" - 178mm

*Board Book

PUB MONTH: MARCH AGES up to 3 BOARD BOOK

ISBN 978-1-4197-4573-7 US $7.99 CAN $9.99 UK £5.99

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CARTON QTY: 30 ebook ISBN 978-1-68335-938-8

Renée Kurilla, the author–illustrator of Flower Garden and illustrator of Chicks Rule! and Chicks Rock!, brings her bright and commercial style to this playful young picture book, the first book she both wrote and illustrated.

One Springy, Singy Day is a vibrant, joyful story that follows a diverse cast of young children as they play throughout their day. Inspired by Kurilla’s own “busy bee” two–year–old, this love note from parent to child illustrates the wondrous and boisterous adventure of raising a springy, singy, squeezy toddler.

Renée Kurilla has illustrated several books for children including Chicks Rule! and Chicks Rock! by Sudipta Bardhan–Quallen, Right This Very Minute by Lisl Detlefsen, My Pet Slime by Courtney Sheinmel, and Ada Lace by Emily Calandrelli. She is also the author–illustrator of Flower Garden. She lives in the woods just south of Boston where she and her husband spend a good portion of time chasing around a sweet, little toddler (who is most likely chasing the cat). Kurilla can otherwise be found with her nose in a book, drawing, or attempting an ill–fated headstand. One Springy, Singy Day was the first book Kurilla both wrote and illustrated. Learn more about her at kurillastration.com.

A joyful ode to toddlerdom that follows a group of little ones though one buzzy, busy day in spring—now in board book!

RIGHTS:

Día de Muertos: Números

BY DUNCAN TONATIUH

From award–winning and beloved author–illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh comes this celebratory bilingual picture book centering on a Día de Muertos ofrenda (Day of the Dead altar), constructed annually to honor the memory and welcome the spirit of a loved one. The book uses a counting structure, from one to ten, to focus on family members and their offerings, with a double–gatefold finale that opens to reveal the family gathered around the fully decorated ofrenda with all of their offerings. Included at the back of the book is a brief author’s note that lends additional context on the holiday.

Duncan Tonatiuh (toh–nah–tee–YOU) is an award–winning author–illustrator whose numerous accolades include the Sibert Medal and the Pura Belpré Award. Duncan is both Mexican and American. His artwork is inspired by Mesoamerican art. His aim is to create images and stories that honor the past, but are relevant to today’s people, especially children. He grew up in and currently lives in San Miguel de Allende, Mexico, where he celebrates Día de Muertos with his wife and children every year. Learn more at duncantonatiuh.com.

SELLING POINTS

AWARD–WINNING CREATOR: Tonatiuh’s numerous accolades include the Sibert Award and multiple Pura Belpré Medals and Honors.

STRONG SALES TRACK: Tonatiuh’s picture books with Abrams have sold more than 650,000 copies!

NEEDED CONTENT: There are few bilingual books for the very young that celebrate Mexican culture, and we’d love to fill this gap and expand our list by teaming up with beloved house author Tonatiuh.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *24 pages

*WIDTH: 8 1/2" - 216mm

*HEIGHT: 8 1/2" - 216mm

*Hardcover with jacket PUB MONTH: JULY AGES 3 to 5

PICTURE BOOK, KIDS LATINO HISTORY & CULTURE ISBN 978-1-4197-6446-2 US $15.99 CAN $19.99 UK £11.99

CARTON QTY: 34 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-824-6

RIGHTS: World/All

Sandy Toes: A Summer Adventure (A Let's Play Outside! Book)

BY SHAUNTAY GRANT; ILLUSTRATED BY CANDICE BRADLEY

Follow along as a young boy spends the day at the beach with his family in this spare and poetic picture book from award–winning poet and picture book author Shauntay Grant. With a simple story—and simply stunning illustrations from Candice Bradley—this book is an ode to celebrating summer’s wonders big and small.

Shauntay Grant is an acclaimed poet and author of several picture books, including the forthcoming One Day, When I Wrap My Hair, and My Fade Is Fresh. Her picture book Africville won the 2019 Marilyn Baillie Picture Book Award and was a finalist for the 2018 Governor General’s Literary Awards, the 2019 Ruth and Sylvia Schwartz Children’s Book Awards, and the 2019 Lieutenant Governor of Nova Scotia Masterworks Arts Award. Grant is an assistant professor of creative writing at Dalhousie University, a member of the College of the Royal Society of Canada, and a former poet laureate of Halifax. She lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Learn more at shauntaygrant.com. Candice Bradley was born in the San Francisco Bay Area. Her fondest childhood memories are of drawing and dancing to Disney classics. She dreamt of either becoming a ballerina at Juilliard or an animator at Cal Arts. Although circumstances would prevent her from pursuing either, she didn’t stop there. To fund her own education, she decided to offer services as an illustrator, and thus began her journey as a picture book artist. Bradley’s hope as an illustrator is to support the movement of writers redeeming the narrative for minorities and people of color. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her family. Learn more at bycandicebradley.com.

SELLING POINTS

NEEDED CONTENT: There are too few books—especially in the preschool space—centering on Black families’ everyday joys.

ACCLAIMED AUTHOR: Grant is the award–winning author of several picture books and was Halifax’s former Poet Laureate.

GORGEOUS ILLUSTRATIONS: Bradley’s lively, warm art style perfectly captures the everyday wonders of a day spent at the beach.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *32 pages

*WIDTH: 8 1/2" - 216mm

*HEIGHT: 8 1/2" - 216mm

*Hardcover with jacket

PUB MONTH: APRIL AGES 3 to 5

PICTURE BOOK, KIDS NATURE & ENVIRONMENT ISBN 978-1-4197-6307-6 US $16.99 CAN $21.99 UK £11.99 ËxHSLELJy763076z

94 ABRAMS APPLESEED SPRING 2023

RIGHTS: World/All

Picky Panda (With Fun Flaps to Lift)

BY JACKIE HUANG

Persnickety Mr. Panda likes his world to be just so. His decisions are always easy: yes or no; good or bad; right or wrong; black or white . . . until one day when the gift of a red flower changes everything. Touching, clever, and with a great message about remaining flexible and open to the beauty in the world, this lift–the–flap picture book is an innovative and heartwarming story sure to resonate with readers.

Author–illustrator Jackie Huang brings her utterly unique layered and cut–paper art style to this project, making Picky Panda even more of a standout on bookshelves.

Jackie Huang moved to Los Angeles after high school to attend the University of Southern California’s School of Cinematic Arts. Shortly after graduating, she returned to school to study illustration at ArtCenter College of Design. There she found a new way of storytelling through her love of paper art and pop–ups. Whether it’s through an unusual story twist or a pop–up unfolding, Huang believes in the magic of transforming the ordinary into something extraordinary. Huang lives with her family in Los Angeles. This is her first picture book. Learn more at jackiehuang.com.

SELLING POINTS

UNIVERSAL SUBJECT: We all like things “just so,” but this book reminds readers to remain flexible and open to the world around them.

FRESH AND UNIQUE ART

STYLE: Huang’s expressive, 3D art style offers plenty of kid appeal.

INTERACTIVE ELEMENT: Nine flaps within the book can be flipped first one way and then another to change a reader’s perspective and to show Mr. Panda’s point of view.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *40 pages

*WIDTH: 8" - 203mm

*HEIGHT: 8" - 203mm

*Hardcover with jacket PUB MONTH: APRIL AGES up to 5 PICTURE BOOK, KIDS NOVELTY ISBN 978-1-4197-6279-6 US $16.99 CAN $21.99 UK £11.99 ËxHSLELJy762796z

CARTON QTY: 40 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-729-4

One, Two, Grandpa Loves You

WORDS

BY SHELLY BECKER; PICTURES BY DAN YACCARINO

One, two, Grandpa loves you.

Three, four, rush to the door.

Five, six, camping trip.

Seven, eight, best travel mate.

A girl and her grandfather strike out on an outdoor adventure in this heartfelt rhyming picture book from acclaimed creators Shelly Becker and Dan Yaccarino.

Shelly Becker is the author of One, Two, Grandma Loves You, which School Library Journal called “a pure, cadenced classic” in a starred review. Her other books include Even Superheroes Get Scared, Even Superheroes Make Mistakes, and Even Superheroes Have Bad Days (a 2018 Blue Spruce Award Nominee that Kirkus Reviews called “an action–packed romp”). Becker lives in Toronto, Canada, and enjoys camping and spending time in nature with loved ones–especially her four grandchildren. Learn moreshellybeckerbooks.com Dan Yaccarino is the internationally acclaimed author and illustrator of more than 50 books for children, most notably Doug Unplugged, Unlovable, The Fantastic Undersea Life of Jacques Cousteau, and Every Friday. Yaccarino created and produced the animated series Doug Unplugs, Oswald, and Willa’s Wild Life. He is also the designer behind the animated series The Backyardigans. Yaccarino’s work has been recognized with many awards, including the Bologna Ragazzi Award, the New York Times 10 Best Illustrated, ALA Notable, and the Parents’ Choice Award. Learn more at danyaccarino.com.

SELLING POINTS

STELLAR ILLUSTRATOR: Yaccarino, an acclaimed picture book artist, has won awards such as the BolognaRagazzi Award and the Parents’ Choice Award, among others. He is also the designer behind the animated series The Backyardigans

RHYMING TEXT: Becker’s sweet text is set to the classic rhyme “One, Two, Buckle My Shoe.”

FAMILY STORY: A heartwarming celebration of the special bond between grandparents and grandchildren.

PERFECT PAIR: After celebrating grandmothers in One, Two, Grandma Loves You, it’s time for Grandpa’s turn in the spotlight in this sweet follow–up.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *24 pages

*WIDTH: 9" - 229mm

*HEIGHT: 9" - 229mm

*Hardcover with jacket PUB MONTH: MARCH AGES 3 to 5

PICTURE BOOK

ISBN 978-1-4197-6508-7 US $16.99 CAN $21.99 UK £11.99

BY CHARLIE MYLIE

FIRST WORDS: This picture book introduces the youngest readers to vocabulary–building first words on every spread.

HIGH–CONTRAST ART: Mylie has created high–contrast artwork that will satisfy the littlest readers and their caregivers who are on the hunt for this kind of book. He has also integrated pops of color that make each spread even more striking.

ELEVATED FORMAT: We Might See will be printed on a heavy stock, with spot gloss and debossing on the jacket. It’s perfect for gift tables!

DAY IN THE LIFE: The gentle day–in–the–life narrative imagines a child and caregiver on a walk in their neighborhood. It encourages outdoor play and looking more closely at the magic of one’s own backyard.

8" - 203mm

8" - 203mm

Walking outside, we might see Places we pass, things going fast Across the street, there might be Sounds in our ears, music to hear Against this lively rhyming narrative text, readers will find a splash of first words on each spread, inviting little ones to identify things they might see in their own backyards. And some unexpected things, too!

Spreads are thoughtfully organized to give readers time with different types of words. One spread is full of onomatopoeia. Another full of color words. Another still invites readers to think about scale—big things and small ones. The high–contrast art is married beautifully with lots of detail on each page, giving the youngest readers lots to find and a friendly environment in which to discover something new on every read.

Charlie Mylie is an author and illustrator living the dream in Kansas City, Missouri. It’s only occurring to him now that his interdisciplinary art degree from Kansas City Art Institute might have actually helped in making children’s books. His wife and toddler, however, have had a significant, obvious impact on his work and life, while the cat has contributed nothing. Mylie wants to keep exploring, for as long as he is allowed, how words and pictures–together–help us making sense of this confounding world.

From Hidden Hope • By Elisa Boxer; Illustrated by Amy June Bates

WRITTEN BY SHANNON HALE; ILLUSTRATED BY LEUYEN PHAM From the bestselling Itty–Bitty Kitty–Corn creators, Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham, comes another heartwarming and hilarious Kitty and Unicorn story about feeling like a “third wheel”—and the enduring magic of true friendship

SELLING POINTS

BESTSELLING SERIES: Itty–Bitty Kitty–Corn and Pretty Perfect Kitty–Corn were both New York Times and Indiebound bestsellers.

SUPERSTAR DUO: The New York Times bestselling team behind megahits such as the Princess in Black series, Best Friends, and Real Friends, Newbery honoree Shannon Hale and Caldecott honoree LeUyen Pham are two of the biggest names in children’s books today.

UPLIFTING MESSAGE: When their relationship is tested, Kitty and Unicorn realize that they’ll never run out of love for each other.

RELATABLE KID DYNAMICS: Kitty’s insecurities over feeling left out reflects the challenges of friendship that kids often face.

ON–TREND: This incredibly commercial mashup brilliantly combines unicorns with cats— and now dogs!—all very hot topics with evergreen appeal and irresistible cuteness.

Kitty has a grand idea.

“Let’s throw a kitty–corn party!”

But when newcomer Puppy messes up Kitty’s perfectly laid plans and steals Unicorn’s attention and affection, Kitty is NOT pleased. When jealousy takes hold, can Unicorn help Kitty see that nothing will ever threaten a friendship as strong as theirs?

The magical, bestselling team of Shannon Hale and LeUyen Pham reunite for another heart–bursting story featuring an utterly adorable kitty–corn pair—plus Puppy, too! ARF!—reassuring readers that true friends never run out of love for each other.

LeUyen Pham and Shannon Hale are the team behind the bestselling picture books Itty–Bitty Kitty–Corn and Pretty Perfect Kitty–Corn, the bestselling graphic novels Real Friends, Best Friends,and Friends Forever, and, with Dean Hale, the early chapter book series The Princess in Black. They’ve made a bunch of other books, too. They are both: moms of kids who love parties, wives to husbands who give them homemade cards, honor award winners (Caldecott and Newbery), caretakers of cats, and believers in unicorns. Pham lives in Los Angeles, Hale lives in Utah, and although they also have friends close to home, their best friend hearts are always entwined.

DAZZLING PACKAGE: The book will feature both foil and glitter on the cover, and a large trim size.

9" - 229mm

12" - 305mm

Our ancestors say our hair is our memories, our source of strength and power, a celebration of our lives.

Mom never had long hair—she was told it was too wild. Grandma couldn’t have long hair—hers was taken from her. But one young girl can’t wait to grow her hair long: for herself, for her family, for her connection to her culture and the Earth, and to honor the strength and resilience of those who came before her.

From Carole Lindstrom, author of the New York Times bestseller and Caldecott Medal winner We Are Water Protectors, and debut illustrator Steph Littlebird comes an empowering and healing celebration of hair and its significance across Indigenous cultures.

Carole Lindstrom is a New York Times–bestselling and award–winning author of literature for young people, including of the Caldecott Medal–winning We Are Water Protectors. She is Anishinaabe/Métis and an enrolled citizen of the Turtle Mountain Band of Ojibwe. She is honored to write books that allow her to shine a light on her beautiful people and their strength and resilience. Her tribal homelands are in Belcourt, North Dakota, but she was born and raised in Nebraska and currently makes her home in Maryland. Steph Littlebird is an Indigenous artist, writer, curator, and a member of Oregon’s Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde. Her work combines traditional aesthetics with contemporary materials and subject matter to forge connections between our collective past and imminent future. Littlebird received national recognition as curator of This IS Kalapuyan Land (2020) an exhibition at the Five Oaks Museum in Portland, which was featured by ArtNews and PBS NewsHour. She currently lives in Las Vegas.

AWARD–WINNING, BESTSELLING AUTHOR: Lindstrom is the author of We Are Water Protectors, which was a Caldecott Medal winner, a New York Times bestseller, a Jane Addams Peace Prize winner, and a Kirkus Prize finalist, among numerous other accolades.

PERSONAL STORY: This book is influenced by Lindstrom’s grandmother, who was forced to keep her hair short at a residential Indian boarding school. After uncovering this generational trauma, Lindstrom was inspired to grow her hair for the strength, power, and resilience that it holds.

INDIGENOUS PRIDE: This story from Lindstrom (Ojibwe and Anishinaabe/Métis) and Littlebird (a member of Oregon’s Grand Ronde Confederated Tribe) highlights the historical oppression of many Indigenous peoples by the United States government, while celebrating Indigenous joy today.

EMPOWERING: A universal story of dignity, self–acceptance, and family in the spirit of Hair Love and Eyes that Kiss at the Corners ARTIST

BY SUSAN VERDE; ILLUSTRATED BY JULIANA PERDOMO

When I am busy— moving through my day, watching where I go— looking shows me what is right in front of my eyes. But when I slow down— find stillness, and notice with patience and curiosity— I can see Seeing shows me more . . .

Gracefully written by Susan Verde, bestselling author of the I Am books, and winsomely illustrated by Juliana Perdomo, the Sensing Your World series teaches little ones to experience the world around them more deeply, using the five senses to find joy, connection, and beauty in the small, everyday moments. Can You See It? encourages us to look closer to see deeper: not just with our eyes, but with our whole hearts.

Susan Verde is the bestselling author of I Am Yoga, I Am Peace, I Am Human, I Am Love, I Am One, I Am Courage, I Am Me, and The Museum, all illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds, as well as the Feel–Good Fairy Tales books, illustrated by Jay Fleck, and Rock ’n’ Roll Soul, illustrated by Matthew Cordell. She teaches yoga and mindfulness to children and lives with her three children in East Hampton, New York. Juliana Perdomo is a Colombian illustrator and writer, with a background as a psychologist and art therapist. Her work is joyful and heartfelt, folkish, and a bit retro with a Latin touch. Perdomo lives in Bogotá, Colombia, with her amazing son, Luca, her rocker partner, Iván, and a funny old dog named Menta.

BESTSELLING AUTHOR: Verde is the author of the bestselling I Am series (more than 1.5 million copies sold!), illustrated by Peter Reynolds, including the #1 New York Times bestseller I Am Human

MINDFULNESS ANGLE: Encouraging readers to be present and not just look but also see—each other, nature, our world—this topic is a natural fit for Verde, a yoga and mindfulness instructor, and echoes themes of her beloved I Am series.

FRESH TWIST ON THE GENRE: While there are five senses books aplenty, here we introduce a deeper five senses, with a focus on how our perception of the world affects our minds and hearts.

RISING–STAR ILLUSTRATOR: The vibrant, sweet, and youthful style of Perdomo (El Cucuy Is Scared, Too!) is perfectly suited for little ones.

GIFTY PACKAGE: A small, square, eight–by–eight trim size and $15.99 price point set this book up as a gift purchase comparable to the I Am books.

SERIES LAUNCH: Book 1 focuses on seeing, while Book 2 (Spring 2024) will focus on listening, with the possibility of more books to follow.

The Carpet: An Afghan Family Story

BY DEZH AZAAD; ILLUSTRATED BY NAN CAO

We sip our tea and talk together, Ruby cushions of goose feather.

The carpet is for sitting.

The Carpet follows a day in the life of an Afghan refugee child, where every moment revolves around love, family, and the carpet that connects them to home. The carpet is the centerpiece of family life, where meals, stories, laughs, and memories are shared. This moving story, inspired by the author’s life, celebrates what makes a home—no matter where you are.

Dezh Azaad is an Afghan writer who’s been a refugee his whole life. He lives in Germany, where he teaches Persian to refugee children and leads seminars for teens and young adults on social change, race, and the climate crisis. Azaad loves tinkering with electronics and cooking meals that take five hours to make and five minutes to eat. Visit him online at dezhazaad.com. Nan Cao is a New York–based illustrator. Her work is inspired by surrealistic imagery and her daily life in the big city. When she is not drawing, Cao loves to hang out with the squirrels in the park, daydream under the sun, or get lost in her book collection. She has worked with clients such as Johns Hopkins Magazine, Anorak Magazine, Link NYC, Bulletin Magazine, Spectrum, and Washingtonian magazine. Cao holds an MFA in illustration as visual essay from the School of Visual Arts. Her work has been recognized by American Illustration, Society of Illustrators, Communication Arts, AOI, 3x3, and Creative Quarterly.

PERSONAL STORY: Based on the author ’s experience as an Afghan refugee, and the family carpet that carries a piece of home for so many families. Azaad has written this story in order to share his truth.

ANTI–PREJUDICE MESSAGE:

During a time when many people express hatred toward ethnicities and nationalities unfamiliar to them, Azaad reminds readers to “learn in love, not fear,” as he says exquisitely in his author’s note.

TIMELY: With the humanitarian crisis ongoing in Afghanistan, this picture book helps kids unpack current events with compassion, making the plight of Afghan refugees immediate and relatable, and offering comfort for displaced children.

EXCITING DEBUTS: Azaad’s text is poetic, emotional, and nuanced, and a second picture book with him is forthcoming. Cao makes an equally impressive picture book debut with her striking, graphic art style.

INTIMATE STORY: Honest but warm, urgent but never didactic, Azaad makes the topics of emigration and war very human by grounding his story in the intimate experience of one family and their love for each other.

BEAUTIFUL PACKAGE: An intricate case will show the detailed patterns of the family’s carpet up close.

BY DONNA BARBA HIGUERA; ILLUSTRATED BY CYNTHIA ALONSO

My abuela wears an old yellow handkerchief that her grandmother gave to her.

I don’t like the yellow handkerchief.

When a young girl feels ashamed of her family for being “different” and subconsciously blames her abuela, she gradually grows to not only accept but also love the yellow handkerchief that represents a language and culture that once brought embarrassment.

Inspired by the personal experiences of award–winning author Donna Barba Higuera and expressively illustrated by Cynthia Alonso, The Yellow Handkerchief is a lyrical, honest, and intimate intergenerational story about embracing who we are, where we come from, and the people who shape us.

Donna Barba Higuera grew up dodging dust devils in the oil fields of central California. She was a daydreamer, constantly blending life experiences and folklore into stories. Now she weaves them into picture books and novels. Higuera currently lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, four children, three dogs, and two frogs. El Cucuy Is Scared, Too! was her debut picture book, and she is also the author of the middle–grade novels The Last Cuentista, winner of the Newbery Medal and Pura Belpré Award, and Lupe Wong Won’t Dance, winner of a Pura Belpré Honor, the Sid Fleischman Award for Humor, and a Pacific Northwest Booksellers Award. Cynthia Alonso is an illustrator and graphic designer from Buenos Aires, Argentina. She is currently living in Berlin working worldwide on fiction and nonfiction children books, surface design, and editorial illustration. Her debut picture book in the United States, Aquarium, was published by Chronicle Books.

AWARD–WINNING AUTHOR: Higuera won the 2022 Newbery Medal and Pura Belpré Award for her middle–grade novel The Last Cuentista.

PERSONAL CONNECTION: This book is inspired by Higuera’s own feelings of embarrassment, and love, towards her grandmother as a child.

BICULTURAL IDENTITY: From her Spanish–speaking household to the food her family eats, the narrator initially has conflicted feelings about her family and heritage, feelings which will resonate with any child who’s felt like an outsider. Perfect for fans of Watercress.

INTERGENERATIONAL STORY: When the yellow handkerchief prompts the narrator to see her abuela in a new light, she comes to appreciate her grandmother’s hard work, strength, and colorful stories.

EMOTIONAL ART: Alonso’s vibrant illustrations are full of life, depth, and tenderness.

BILINGUAL TEXT: Spanish and English are woven seamlessly together throughout.

Naming Ceremony

BY SEINA WEDLICK, ILLUSTRATED BY JENIN MOHAMMED

Today’s the day! It’s Baby Sister’s naming ceremony, and big sister Amira could not be more excited. She has the perfect name picked out . . . or, at least, she hopes it’s the perfect name.

One by one, friends and family arrive. As Amira greets them, she asks what name they have brought to give to Baby Sister. Each is more beautiful than the last—Shakira, Akahana, Uhwe. And each has its own special meaning—thankful, red flower, moonlight. Amira knows that Baby Sister will love these names. But will she love the name Amira has chosen? Is it special enough?

A story about rich traditions and the unique bond between sisters, Naming Ceremony celebrates multigenerational family and Black joy.

Seina Wedlick originally hails from Nigeria but now makes her home in California. A woman of many talents, Wedlick has worked in Silicon Valley for Microsoft, Apple, and Amazon as a technical project manager, and has a master’s in creative writing from Johns Hopkins University. When not writing or working on special projects, Welick can be found spending time with her husband and two young children, who each received over 30 names from family and friends in their own naming ceremonies. Jenin Mohammed was born and raised in Miramar, Florida. She comes from African American and Caribbean ancestry. Thanks to her Christian/Muslim upbringing, she is on a never–ending quest to find halal versions of her favorite southern dishes.

Mohammed’s interests include creating henna art, freestyle rapping (very badly), and pen–tapping offbeat.

SELLING POINTS

SISTER STORY: The real heart of this story is a big sister ’s anticipation of her new role and excitement in ensuring her baby sister feels loved and cared for.

GLOBAL TRADITION: The naming ceremony tradition is celebrated in a number of different cultures. The family in this book is Nigerian, and a West African naming ceremony is celebrated in the story. Many readers will recognize their own family rituals in this joyful tradition! A note in the back matter offers an introduction to those who may be unfamiliar.

RISING STAR ILLUSTRATOR: Mohammed is a highly sought–after new talent whose star is on the rise. She has a number of picture books forthcoming and is one to watch!

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *40 pages

*WIDTH: 9 1/2" - 241mm

*HEIGHT: 9 1/2" - 241mm

*Hardcover with jacket

PUB MONTH: APRIL AGES 4 to 8

BY S. D. NELSON

Now that Clara is almost in third grade, she’s finally old enough to spend her first summer away from home visiting her grandma, Unci, and her cousin at their home in Standing Rock Reservation. To welcome her visit, Uncle Louie brings an extra–special surprise in his pickup truck: the tipi that’s been passed down through their family for generations. The girls learn how to stack the poles and wrap the canvas covering around them, how to paint spirit pictures on its walls, and how the circle of the tipi tells its own story, reminding us to how to live in the great Circle of Life. Over long days spent playing outside, doing beadwork together, telling stories, singing songs, and sleeping under the stars, the tipi brings the family closer together. As summer draws to an end, goodbye comes all too soon, but Clara will always cling to the memories of summer days and starry nights . . . and Grandma’s tipi.

S.D. Nelson is a member of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe in the Dakotas. He is the award–winning author and illustrator of a number of books, including Crazy Horse and Custer, Red Cloud, Sitting Bull, Black Elk’s Vision (winner of the Western Writers of America Spur Storyteller Award and named a Chicago Public Library Best of the Best), and many more He lives in Flagstaff, Arizona.

STRONG SALES TRACK: Nelson’s previous books have received numerous starred reviews and accolades, including a Carter G. Woodson Award, an American Indian Library Association Honor Book Award, the Spur Award from Western Writers of America, and a Texas Bluebonnet Master List selection. More than 100,000 copies of his books are currently in print.

CONTEMPORARY NATIVE VOICES: More stories that highlight not just Indigenous history but that depict the daily lives of Native families today, like this one, are needed in children’s books.

INTERGENERATIONAL STORY: Grandmother and granddaughter have a particularly close, tender relationship in this warm story about a girl visiting extended family.

AUTHOR’S NOTE: Nelson explains the historical and contemporary use of tipis as well as their cultural meaning. For many Indigenous peoples, the tipi is a proud statement that they are still here, and a way to honor their traditions.

SEASONAL HOOK: An atmospheric read that’s perfect for any summertime promotions.

AWARD–WINNING AUTHOR

BY LEAH HENDERSON; ILLUSTRATED BY

Across oceans, lands, and skies

In whispers, shouts, and in many different languages the story of the little hummingbird of the Great Forest can always be heard

The story of the little hummingbird has been told around the world in many forms and across many cultures, believed to have originated among the Indigenous Quecha people of modern–day Ecuador. In this spin on the globally popular legend, when a disastrous forest fire threatens the Great Forest, the hummingbird must inspire all the animals to work together to save their homes.

Lyrically told by Leah Henderson and vividly illustrated by Magaly Morales, this tale of bravery against seemingly insurmountable odds and a community working together to overcome adversity is a reminder that no challenge is too great, and that even the smallest of us can make a world of difference.

Includes an author’s note, as well as back matter on the origins of the folktale and facts about hummingbirds.

Leah Henderson is the author of A Day for Rememberin’, Together We March, Daddy Speaks Love, and Your Voice, Your Vote. Her middle–grade novels include The Magic in Changing Your Stars, a SCBWI Golden Kite Awards finalist, and One Shadow on the Wall, a Bank Street Best Children’s Book of the Year. Henderson holds an MFA in writing and is on faculty in Spalding University’s School of Creative and Professional Writing. Magaly Morales is the illustrator of the picture books What Can You Do with a Paleta?, a Tomás Rivera Mexican American Children’s Book Award winner, as well as Chavela and the Magic Bubble, A Piñata in a Pine Tree, and Pura’s Cuentos. She was born in Xalapa, Veracruz, Mexico.

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Henderson’s picture book A Day for Rememberin’ was a Junior Library Guild selection and received two starred reviews. Her middle–grade novel One Shadow on the Wall was a Children’s Africana Book Award notable and a Bank Street Children’s Best Book of the Year.

LUSHLY ILLUSTRATED: Rich, vibrant artwork from Morales brings the forest to life.

INSPIRING MESSAGE: For anyone who’s felt overwhelmed by challenges or doubted whether they could make a difference, this uplifting tale encourages doing all you can to make the world a better place, one step at a time.

FABLES & FOLKLORE: A fresh, animal–centered addition to the body of kids’ folklore books, which are often popular but mostly Euro–centric; this legend is believed to have originated among the Quechua people in modern–day Ecuador.

BACK MATTER: Includes an author’s note discussing the fable that Henderson grew up with, info on where the animals depicted live, and facts about hummingbirds.

The Good Hair Day

BY CHRISTIAN TRIMMER; ILLUSTRATED BY J YANG

Noah has a special day coming up, and he has a very long wish list. But there’s one thing missing from it, the thing he wants more than anything else in the world: long, beautiful, wavy hair.

Noah understands that his hair will grow if he just doesn’t get a haircut. But almost all the boys that Noah knows have short hair, and he’s heard people say mean things about men with long hair. So, he just doesn’t think he’s allowed to ask.

When a fresh trim brings Noah to his lowest point, it turns out his caring family has been paying closer attention than he thinks—and they have an idea that will show Noah it’s okay to be his gorgeous self.

This heartfelt, witty, encouraging story from Christian Trimmer and J Yang will empower kids to share their true selves with the world.

Christian Trimmer is a children’s book editor and writer who once dreamed of having long hair. He is the author of The Little Things, Snow Pony and the Seven Miniature Ponies, and Teddy’s Favorite Toy, among others. He lives in Hillsdale, New York, with his partner. J Yang is a trans illustrator. Sometimes he has hair.

PUBLISHING PRO: Trimmer’s books have a lovely mix of commercial appeal, winning humor, and deeper themes.

Trimmer is also the former editorial director of Henry Holt BYR and the current head of the relaunched MTV Books.

UP–AND–COMING ILLUSTRATOR: Yang has a bright, energetic art style, with a knack for visual humor and characters who feel real.

DEFYING STEREOTYPES: More books that challenge rigid gender norms are desperately needed, especially stories that deal with expectations surrounding boys and masculinity.

INCLUSIVE STORY: Promotes self–acceptance and respect for others, with a message that no child should be ashamed of how they wish to present themselves to the world. Noah’s family and community are thoughtfully depicted with a wide range of ethnicities, genders, and physical abilities.

PERSONAL SUBJECT: Written for his younger self, this story is inspired by the author’s own wish for long hair as a child.

BACK MATTER: Includes discussion prompts, written by a child psychologist, to inspire conversations with young readers about themes explored in the book.

SELLING POINTS SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *40 pages

*WIDTH: 10" - 254mm

*HEIGHT: 10" - 254mm

*Hardcover, Jacketed, Picture PUB MONTH: MAY AGES 4 to 8 PICTURE BOOK ISBN 978-1-4197-4588-1 US $18.99 CAN $23.00 UK £13.99

A boy dreams of long hair in this sweet story about self–expression and embracing our most authentic selves

BY LESLÉA NEWMAN; ILLUSTRATED BY JOSHUA HEINSZ

When it comes to playing dress–up, best friends Annabelle and Benjamin both want to be the bride, the ballerina, and the princess. Can they both be the fairest in the land? In this spirited and inclusive story about expressing our true selves with pride, two friends ultimately realize that they can both be their authentic selves—and that having two princesses means twice the fun.

Lesléa Newman is the author of over 70 books for children and adults. She has received many awards, including two Stonewall Book Awards honors, the National Jewish Book Award (Gittel’s Journey), fellowships from the National Endowment for the Arts, the Massachusetts Book Award, a Sydney Taylor Book Award and Honor, the Highlights for Children Fiction Writing Award, and the James Baldwin Award for Cultural Achievement, among many others. Nine of her books have been Lambda Literary Award finalists. She is also a popular guest lecturer at college campuses across the country, and currently she is a faculty mentor at Spalding University’s School of Creative and Professional Writing. Joshua Heinsz is an internationally published illustrator, writer, and designer specializing in markets for children and a focus on character design for animation. His picture books include Except When They Don’t by Laura Gehl, A Paintbrush for Paco by Tracey Kyle, and Frog Boots by Jill Esbaum. He is a graduate of the MFA in illustration practice program at MICA, and he has a love for bright and whimsical imagery with a flair for the fantastical and an air of nostalgia.

AWARD–WINNING AUTHOR: Newman’s books have won two National Jewish Book Awards, a Sydney Taylor Body–of–Work Award, four Sydney Taylor Awards and Honors, and two Stonewall Book Award honors, among many other accolades.

GROUNDBREAKING LGBTQ+ AUTHOR: Newman paved the way in kids’ books on lesbian and gay families, including the landmark and bestselling Heather Has Two Mommies, one of the earliest pioneer books in LGBTQ children’s literature.

LGTBQ+ REPRESENTATION: When Newman learned that her books have been read at Drag Queen Story Hours (learn more at dragqueenstoryhour.org), she wrote this book about kids who don’t fit into the gender binary.

SUBTLE MESSAGE: The story challenges gender norms and gives its child characters space to explore their identities freely, while also keeping the tone light and fun.

SUPPORTIVE FRIENDSHIP: Depicts a sweet relationship between two friends who uplift each other.

happen

Summer Is for Cousins

BY RAJANI LAROCCA, ILLUSTRATED BY ABHI ALWAR

From Newbery Honor author Rajani LaRocca comes a celebration of extended family and summertime fun

SELLING POINTS

AWARD–WINNING AUTHOR: LaRocca’s work is consistently well reviewed, and she received a Newbery Honor in 2022 for her middle–grade novel–in–verse Red, White, and Whole

SUMMERTIME FUN: Joyful, thoughtful illustrations from rising–star illustrator Alwar show an Indian American family indulging in summer fun. Many of the characters and scenes are based on Alwar’s own family photos!

COUSIN LOVE: The heart of the story explores the nuance of relationships between cousins, which is very resonant for kid readers but not often explored in picture books.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *40 pages

*WIDTH: 10 1/2" - 267mm

*HEIGHT: 8 1/2" - 216mm

*Hardcover with jacket

PUB MONTH: MAY AGES 4 to 8

Summer is for cousins.

Mom and Dad, Two uncles, two aunties, Thatha and Pati, Seven cousins, All of us are together.

Ravi can’t wait to spend summer vacation at the lake house with his family—especially his cousins! Summer vacation is for days at the beach, long hikes, paddleboarding, and—of course—ice cream. Ravi and his oldest cousin, Dhruv, had the same favorite flavor last year, but everything feels different now.

Dhruv’s much taller and his voice is deeper. Ravi’s worried that Dhruv won’t be interested in spending time with him, the little cousin. The ice cream shop doesn’t even have their favorite flavor this year. But on the last night of vacation, the cousins decide to make dinner, and Ravi’s in charge of dessert. He only has one special thing in mind!

This picture book all about summertime fun celebrates the resilient bond between extended family members.

Rajani LaRocca is a physician and an author of books for young readers, such as Midsummer’s Mayhem and Seven Golden Rings. She won a Newbery Honor in 2022 for her novel Red, White, and Whole. She was born in Bangalore, India, and immigrated to the United States when she was very young. She now lives in eastern Massachusetts with her family. You can find her online at rajanilarocca.com. Abhi Alwar is an Indian American illustrator and designer based in NYC. She is the illustrator of Hamsters Make Terrible Roommates, written by Cheryl Klein.

PICTURE BOOK, KIDS NATURE & ENVIRONMENT, KIDS AAPI HISTORY & CULTURE ISBN 978-1-4197-5733-4 US $17.99 CAN $22.99 UK £12.99

BY TONI BUZZEO, ILLUSTRATED BY ZARA GONZÁLEZ HOANG

Pa and his grandchild, Jelly Bean, have a sidewalk library filled with stories. Anyone can bring donations or take something to read. Jelly Bean loves the sidewalk library! But what about when their neighbors might need something more than books?

Together, Pa and Jelly Bean build a sidewalk pantry right next to the sidewalk library. They get donations from neighbors who have a lot to give, and leave the doors open for those who may not have enough. This charming multigenerational story from award–winning author Toni Buzzeo and rising–star illustrator Zara González Hoang celebrates community, generosity, and creative problem solving.

Toni Buzzeo is the author of the Caldecott Honor Book and New York Times bestseller One Cool Friend and many other books for children. She lives in Arlington, Massachusetts. Zara González Hoang is the illustrator of several picture books. She grew up in a little bungalow in the frozen tundra of Minnesota. Surrounded by snow, she spent her days dreaming, doodling, and listening to the colorful stories of her dad’s life growing up in Puerto Rico while navigating her place as a Puerto Rican Jew in a sea of Scandinavians. (She’s still figuring that out.) These days, she lives outside of Washington, DC, with her husband, their kids, and a curly coated corgi named Ziggy. Learn more about her at zaralikestodraw.com.

MULTIGENERATIONAL STORY: This picture book follows a grandfather and grandchild, as they build a sidewalk pantry to accompany the sidewalk library. It’s a great pick for Father’s Day, Grandparent’s Day, or all year long!

STAR AUTHOR: Buzzeo’s One Cool Friend received a Caldecott Honor in 2013, and her Guess–the–Job books like Whose Tools? and Whose Truck? are bestsellers on the Appleseed list.

GENEROSITY AND JOY: This story celebrates the power of mutual aid and direct action when neighbors are in need. It encourages creativity when responding to crises and offers readers opportunities for action in a back matter note.

DIY ANGLE: Pa and Jelly Bean work together to build the sidewalk pantry from scraps in Pa’s garage. It’s sure to inspire DIY–inclined caregivers to get the little ones in their lives involved in their next project.

8 1/2" - 216mm

10 1/2" - 267mm

RIGHTS:

Celebrate

GROOOOOOWL!

A grumbling tummy sends a little girl downstairs for a midnight snack. She decides to make toast, but gets stuck on what to top it with. Butter and jam? Peanut butter and bananas? Cinnamon sugar? The possibilities are endless!

Before she can make a choice, new faces arrive. A cat wanders in. Two bunnies hop onto the scene. An elephant’s trunk snakes in from the kitchen window! The girl makes a special treat for each hungry visitor, but when it’s her turn, she discovers the bread bag is empty!

This unexpected bedtime story from critically acclaimed illustrator Jen Corace celebrates the power of generosity, new friends, and a really good midnight snack.

Jen Corace is the award–winning illustrator of many books for young readers, including the beloved Little Pea/Oink/Hoot series by Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Telephone by Mac Barnett. Corace lives and works in Providence, Rhode Island.

World/All

SELLING POINTS

CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED ILLUSTRATOR: Corace’s work consistently garners starred reviews and other accolades. Growl is her author–illustrated debut!

EVERGREEN THEMES: Growl explores themes of generosity, resourcefulness, and working together—perennial themes in the picture book space.

BEDTIME BOOK: With a protagonist on the hunt for a midnight snack, this read is a sweet romp that’s perfect for bedtime or anytime.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *40 pages

*WIDTH: 10" - 254mm

*HEIGHT: 10" - 254mm

*Hardcover with jacket PUB MONTH: JUNE AGES 4 to 8

PICTURE BOOK

ISBN 978-1-4197-5748-8

US $18.99 CAN $23.99 UK £14.99

BY GALIA BERNSTEIN

Wodehouse Chili Pepper Pumpernickel the Third has an important family: His mother is the famous Mathilda Lily–Rose Daffodil, and his father is the celebrated Wodehouse Chili Pepper Pumpernickel the Second. It’s a family of champions, blue–ribbon winners, and Bests in Show galore, and all of them agree that one day, he will be the best of them all! After all, he IS a Pumpernickel–Daffodil . . .

But when he gets his own human, neither feels so sure that they’re blue–ribbon material. Will they be top dog at their first competition? From acclaimed author–illustrator Galia Bernstein comes a charming and hilarious story that celebrates kindred spirits and forging your own path

Galia Bernstein was born and raised in Israel. She started her career as a designer and illustrator for the Israeli Army’s magazine. She later studied illustration at Parsons School of Design at the New School and now works as a full–time freelance illustrator. She is the author–illustrator of I Am a Cat and Leyla. She lives in Brooklyn.

BLUE–RIBBON SUCCESS: Bernstein’s I Am a Cat received three starred reviews and was translated into 15 languages, while Leyla was named a Junior Library Guild selection and translated into six languages, in addition to receiving a starred review.

CALLING ALL DOG LOVERS: There’s always an audience for books featuring adorable pups, and fans of the world–famous Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show will especially flock to this.

VISUAL HUMOR: Bernstein has a flair for making her characters full of life (particularly animals), and she’s best–in–show at illustrating physical comedy and hilariously true–to–life expressions.

FULL OF HEART: At its core, the story shows the bond that forms between two misfits who find each other, and a sweet ending has both families accepting their children for exactly who they are.

EMOTIONAL THEMES: A fun and fresh twist on the be–yourself identity story that also lightly explores the pressure of perfectionism and family expectations.

BY ISABEL GREENBERG

The babies have come from far and wide, crawling and walking and toddling and tumbling.

These are the can’t–sleep babies, the won’t–sleep babies, the itchy–feet babies, the just–one–more–story–please babies.

“Sleep! Sleep! Anywhere but Sleep!!!” sing the babies.

And the quest of the Midnight Babies begins!

Babies arise! In an epic quest to stay awake, the Midnight Babies must overcome sleepy temptation: battling the forces of Slumberland, venturing through the Forest of Nightlights and the Sea of Stories, voyaging through the Garden of Lullabies to the Rockabye River, and even through the dreaded Land of Nodoff. But can they resist their greatest challenge: the Cuddle?

Bestselling author–illustrator Isabel Greenberg turns bedtime on its head with a hilarious, delightful odyssey that will resonate with wide–eyed little ones and sleep–deprived parents alike!

Isabel Greenberg is an award–winning illustrator, comic artist, and writer. She illustrated the picture book A Hundred Billion Trillion Stars , which won the Mathical Book Prize, was named a Boston Globe Horn Book Award honor, and “best of the year” by Amazon, Space.com, and the Planetary Society, and has over 60,000 copies in print, along with Power Up and The Ocean in Your Bathtub. Her graphic novels, including the New York Times bestseller The Encyclopedia of Early Earth, have received starred reviews, won the Best Book Award at the British Comic Awards, and won the Jonathan Cape/Observer/Comica Graphic Short Story Prize, among other praise. Greenberg has worked with a variety of clients, including the Guardian, Nobrow Press, The National Trust, and the New York Times. She lives in London and enjoys illustrating all things historical. This is her first author–illustrated picture book.

FRESH BEDTIME BOOK: The story’s epic quest and twist ending offer a fresh spin on a perennially popular genre, relatable for any parents struggling to get their little ones to fall asleep.

GREAT READ–ALOUD: With a mythic, poetic feel and a climactic journey, this grandly told bedtime read will absorb the attention of little ones . . . right before they nod off.

LAUGH–OUT–LOUD: With quirky, irreverent humor reminiscent of Kate Beaton.

DISTINCTIVE ART: Greenberg’s playful, bold style brings this fantasy realm to life and visually sets this apart from other bedtime books. (The Wide–Awake Baby character is based off of her own wide–awake baby!)

TALENTED CREATOR: Greenberg is a New York Times bestselling graphic novelist; the artist behind the Tales of Great Goddesses series on the Amulet list (Gaia and Athena, which garnered a starred review); and on ComicArts, the graphic novel Glass Town, which received two starred reviews. This is her first picture book as author and illustrator.

BY LITA JUDGE

Of all the animals on the planet, dogs have the widest range of roles in our daily lives. They’re protectors, helpers, lifesavers—but most of all, they’re family.

And they’ve taken a fascinating journey to get to this point. Long ago, early wolves evolved from fierce predators into trusted partners. They became dogs! While we know dogs to be lovable and full of personality, they have also historically improved our lives in many practical ways, like guarding livestock to help humans form the first settlements, cleaning out infectious wounds, and finding food. Covering over 50,000 years of history, from cave–dwelling to the present day, Dogs chronicles fascinating scientific details and the history of how dogs learned to live cooperatively alongside humans.

In this beautifully illustrated and thoroughly researched book, award–winning author and illustrator Lita Judge explores how our lives are intertwined with dogs’—and that’s what makes them our best friends.

Lita Judge is the award–winning author–illustrator of many children’s books, including The Wisdom of Trees, Born in the Wild, Flight School, Red Sled, and her illustrated young adult novel, Mary’s Monster, as well as the illustrator of Forty Winks: A Bedtime Adventure, written by Kelly DiPucchio. She lives with her husband, three cats, and a parrot in New Hampshire.

SELLING POINTS

AWARD–WINNING CREATOR: Judge’s many accolades include the International Literary Association Children’s Book Award; ALA and NCTE Notables; the Jane Addams Honor; and numerous Best Book lists and starred reviews.

KID–FRIENDLY: Filled with doggy facts (with some humor thrown in), Dogs blends world history with science and a commercial, kid–perfect hook.

UNIQUE IN THE MARKET: While there are plenty of photographic and encyclopedic books about dogs, there’s nothing illustrated and history–focused like this.

PERFECT FOR THE CLASSROOM: Using archaeological evidence, historical records, and a scientific undercurrent to tell the story of dogs, this survey is perfect for classroom learning.

THOUGHTFUL BACK MATTER: An author’s note emphasizes our ethical duty to treat dogs humanely and offers tips to help them, from rescuing to supporting nonprofits. A list of dog breeds, famous dogs, and an extensive timeline are also included.

STUNNING ART: With her signature watercolor–and–pencil style, Judge expressively draws over 100 unique dogs, each full of personality.

Imagine a very different New York City—one whose streets are filled with horses and buggies and people on foot. Now imagine the block–long freight trains that shared the same roads delivering goods to the westside factories. How did New York solve the problem of trains barreling through busy city streets? They built a train track above all the hustle and bustle, and the High Line was born. Once trains were no longer needed to transport goods, the High Line sat abandoned, ready for demolition. But the City had other ideas. The High Line opened as a 1.45–mile–long park in 2009. It quickly became an iconic, must–see attraction and a marvel of landscape architecture, admired worldwide for its history, beauty, and creative union of urban design with greenspace. As the High Line became a global inspiration, longtime residents of the neighborhood surrounding it also advocated to keep the park feeling like home. Packed with facts and gorgeously illustrated, The High Line: A Park to Look Up To is the story of an innovative idea and the people who made it possible—from the ingenuity of those who first built it for the needs of industry, to those who reimagined it as a community space for art, recreation, and the preservation of nature.

Victoria Tentler–Krylov is a trained and practicing architect turned children’s book author illustrator. She grew up in Saint Petersburg, Russia, and studied architecture and urban design at Cooper Union and Columbia University. Her inspiration is fueled by urban landscapes but also by fantasy, possibility, and imagination. Building Zaha: The Story of Architect Zaha Hadid was her author–illustrated debut, and her illustrated picture books include We Are a Garden, The Cyclops of Central Park, Just Read!, and Peter Pan: A Modern Retelling. She lives with her family just outside Boston, Massachusetts.

SELLING POINTS

GLOBAL APPEAL: With over 8 million visitors annually, the award–winning High Line is known and admired worldwide as a testament to innovation, art, and nature. It has motivated cities around the world to repurpose urban relics and build beautiful community parks.

UNIQUE NONFICTION: Like Jen Thermes’s Manhattan, The High Line is a fascinating, beautifully illustrated history of both a place and its people, those who shaped it and those whose lives have been transformed by it.

GIFTY PACKAGE: Tentler–Krylov’s exquisite, lush watercolors give the book a sophisticated, artful feel, perfect for museums and gift stores.

INFORMATIVE BACK MATTER: Includes a timeline of the High Line and a nuanced author’s note that discusses the park’s complicated history of gentrification, as well as how the park’s organizers today strive to learn from the mistakes of the past by creating a more inclusive High Line that serves its local communities.

10" - 254mm

BY MARC MAJEWSKI

Bridges can be high or low, long or short, straight or curvy. Some are designed to blend in, while others stand out. But each one tells a story: a reminder of our history, a testament to ingenuity and engineering, an invitation to imagine the possibilities of the future. Literally and symbolically, bridges connect us—to new places, new cultures, and new people.

With poetic text and sweeping illustrations, Marc Majewski delivers a unique, accessible look at bridges all around the world: from San Francisco’s incredible Golden Gate to the Victoria Falls Bridge connecting Zambia and Zimbabwe to England’s Tower Bridge and Japan’s Akashi–Kaikyo Bridge and many in between. Both informational and thought–provoking, Bridges shows how these awe–inspiring structures unite the manmade and natural worlds, and how they bring humanity together.

Marc Majewski is a French illustrator and picture book maker based in Berlin. As a child, Majewski spent all his time drawing, writing stories, and dressing up. Things haven’t changed much since. Majewski loves painting landscapes and scenes from the natural world. He is the author of several books, including Does Earth Feel? and Butterfly Child

SELLING POINTS

BROAD APPEAL: For curious kids who love books about transportation, engineering, architecture, and nature, with a fun around–the–world element.

ARTFUL NONFICTION: Gorgeously illustrated and meditative yet packed with back matter facts in the vein of Bees: A Honeyed History, Trees: A Rooted History, Snow Birds, and Before Music

UPLIFTING MESSAGE: The theme of unity shines through in this celebration of human connection.

RISING TALENT: Majewski is an author–illustrator to watch. His exquisitely painted illustrations, imbued with a deep respect for the environment, will transport readers and invoke wonder.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *48 pages

*WIDTH: 9" - 229mm

*HEIGHT: 11" - 279mm *Hardcover with jacket PUB MONTH: MARCH AGES 4 to 8

BY ANNETTE BAY PIMENTEL, ILLUSTRATED BY MADISON SAFER

Colors don’t come out of nothing. They always start somewhere . . .

With something . . .

With someone.

Discover how color is harnessed from nature in this survey of dyes and pigments from around the world. Organized by color—from yellow to purple to red and more—Before Colors marries a lyrical core text with tons of informational material for curious readers.

In the narrative text, readers will encounter markers and artists as they source and process materials, transforming the most unexpected things into vibrant pigments and dyes. The sidebars offer much more to discover, including extensive lists of specific shades, short bios of colorful characters, and more.

Annette Bay Pimentel is the author of several nonfiction picture books, including the Schneider Family Book Award honor book All the Way to the Top, Pura’s Cuentos,and Before Music. She lives in Moscow, Idaho. Madison Safer (she/her) is a queer illustrator whose work is inspired by Russian folk art, Jewish paper cuttings, quilt patterns, and the quiet woods of New England. She received her bachelor of fine arts in illustration studies from Montserrat College of Art.

SELLING

HOW IT’S MADE: Books about how things are made and how they work are perennial favorites.

GLOBAL VIEW: This picture book takes a wide view, featuring artists, makers, pigments, and dyes from all over the world. Readers will certainly discover something new in these pages!

BONUS ACTIVITIES: The back matter includes a note on color organization and a few art projects to try making your own dyes at home.

WINNING FORMAT: In an oversize trim such as Bees: A Honeyed History, this book is sure to make a statement on bookstore tables and window displays. Inside, kid readers will find lots of details to pore over.

FABULOUS FOLLOW–UP: Pubbing just one year after Before Music, these companion titles complement each other beautifully.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *88 pages

*WIDTH: 10" - 254mm *HEIGHT: 14 1/2" - 368mm *Hardcover POB

BY ELISA BOXER; ILLUSTRATED BY AMY JUNE BATES

During World War II, families all across Europe huddled together in basements, attics, and closets as Nazi soldiers rounded up anyone Jewish. The Star of David, a symbol of faith and pride, became a tool of hate when the Nazis forced Jewish people to carry papers stamped with that star, so that it was clear who to capture. But many brave souls dared to help them.

Jewish teenager Jacqueline Gauthier, a member of the French Resistance who had to conceal her identity, was one who risked her life in secret workshops, forging papers with new names and without stars in order to help others escape. But how to get these life–saving papers to families in hiding? An ordinary wooden toy duck held the answer, a hidden compartment: hope in a hollow.

Written by award–winning journalist Elisa Boxer and movingly illustrated by the acclaimed Amy June Bates, Hope in a Hollow celebrates the triumph of freedom and the human spirit, a story of everyday heroism, resilience, and finding hope in unexpected places.

Elisa Boxer is the author of the picture book Covered in Color as well as an Emmy Award–winning journalist and columnist She has reported for newspapers, magazines, and TV stations, and has a passion for telling stories about people finding the courage to create change. Boxer lives with her family in Maine. Amy Bates is the illustrator of many books for children, including The Boy and the Sea, Gittel’s Journey, Minette’s Feast, and The Dog Who Belonged to No One. She lives in Carlisle, Pennsylvania.

INCREDIBLE TRUE STORY: The toy duck that saved over 200 lives still exists, residing in Jerusalem’s Yad Vashem museum, Israel’s official memorial to the victims of the Holocaust.

ESSENTIAL HISTORY: Amid recent anti–Semitism and Holocaust denial, this story recognizes the suffering and survival of the Jewish people.

POWERFUL BACK MATTER: As discussed in her author’s note, Boxer, a Jewish journalist, interviewed Holocaust survivors as part of her research. Photos of the actual toy and forged identity papers are included.

INSPIRING THEMES: The story honors both the strength of the Jewish spirit and those who fought back against hate, and the toy duck featured is a symbol of light in the darkest of times.

ACCLAIMED ILLUSTRATOR: Bates’s work is beloved by booksellers and librarians and often garners starred reviews.

TALENTED AUTHOR: Boxer is a well–connected award winner in the journalism world and a thorough researcher with a compelling, kid–friendly voice.

BY LINDA BARRETT OSBORNE

“In America, one of the first things done in a new State is to have the mail come.” —Alexis de Toqueville, 1835

Who’s Got Mail? is an intriguing and fact–filled look at how the mail has been delivered in the United States since before the Constitution was even signed. In the United States, the spread of the postal service went hand in hand with the spread of democracy and transportation. As settlement spread west, communication became even more important to let distant residents feel that they were American; no part of the country was too far away, no village or farm too small to have access to the post. Moreover, the Post Office has always been a public service—it was not originally designed to make a profit or act like a business, but to deliver letters, medical supplies, packages ordered online, and all the things that Americans need at a reasonable cost. Over the centuries, it has also been one of the largest employers in the United States, particularly as a means for African Americans and women to secure stable, middle–class jobs.

Full of eccentric characters, great stories, and technological achievements, this fun middle–grade narrative nonfiction from author Linda Barrett Osborne celebrates one of the oldest and strongest institutions, and is a true testament to the spirit of American democracy.

Linda Barrett Osborne is the author of Guardians of Liberty, Traveling the Freedom Road, Miles to Go for Freedom, This Land Is Our Land, and Come On In, America. She was a senior writer–editor in the Library of Congress Publishing Office for 15 years. She lives in Washington, DC.

SELLING POINTS

AUTHOR TRACK: Osborne’s children’s nonfiction books have received high praise, including a YALSA Excellence in Nonfiction finalist accolade and starred reviews.

CLASSROOM TIE–IN: The story of the Post Office is entwined with democracy, westward expansion, transportation, and the fight for equal rights in the United States, particularly among Black Americans and women.

ENGAGING NONFICTION: Thorough back matter is included, and Osborne is a dedicated researcher who has a knack for making complex subjects entertaining for kids and easy to understand.

ACCESSIBLE FORMAT: Full–color photographs, sidebars, and interesting facts throughout combine for an entertaining, kid–friendly design.

TIMELY: With the postal service under fire and in the news recently, this history is a much–needed reminder of its role in shaping our country.

KID–FRIENDLY TOPIC: Many kids love receiving letters and packages, and they’ll be intrigued by the exciting story behind everyday mail.

*Full-color photographs throughout *240 pages *WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm *HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm

From Charmed Life (Wildseed Witch Book 2) • By Marti Dumas

When the Avengers are assembled to contain a super threat in New York City, Spider–Man is given the most important job of all: to make sure all the Avengers’ super pets are safe! Spider–Man wants in on the bad guy fighting action, but with great power comes great pet sitting. Featuring fan favorite Avengers like Captain America, Captain Marvel, and Black Panther, this fun and funny original graphic novel sees the mighty web–slinger teaming up with the most unlikely of heroes to save the day!

Mike Maihack is a cartoonist best known for his Cleopatra in Space graphic novels published by Scholastic’s Graphix. The six–book series has earned a Florida Book Award, a YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers selection, a starred review from School Library Journal and later produced as a children’s animated series by DreamWorks Television. Mike lives in Land o’ Lakes, Florida, with his wife, two boys, and two cats. More of his work can be found online at operationspacecat.com.

SELLING POINTS

MIGHTY BRAND: Marvel Comics continues to be one of the most recognizable and biggest brands worldwide with Spider–Man being one of the most popular characters in their stable.

EXCITING FORMAT: Graphic novels continue to experience tremendous growth, especially in the children’s market. Currently no early–reader graphic novels exist from Marvel, so Abrams will be filling an important gap in the market.

ALL–STAR TALENT: Author–artist Mike Maihack is an incredible talent and has already had a successful young readers series with Cleopatra in Space. His accessible art style and humorous storytelling will appeal to both younger audiences and older fans of the brand.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *96 pages

*WIDTH: 6" - 152mm

*HEIGHT: 8 1/2" - 216mm

*Hardcover POB

PUB MONTH: JUNE AGES 6 to 9 KIDS GRAPHIC NOVELS, KIDS SERIES ISBN 978-1-4197-6480-6 US $12.99 CAN $16.99 UK £9.99

Welcome back to Smurf Village in the third installment of this early reader comic series! With the help of Papa Smurf, Smurfette, Hefty Smurf, and Brainy Smurf, young readers will learn how to process big feelings such as impatience, rejection, and grief, while learning how to take better care of themselves, their communities, and the Earth around them.

With three all–new, full–color stories, and back matter dedicated to helping children explore and better understand their emotions, this book is the perfect option for newly independent and reluctant readers alike. And with its zany humor and familiar blue faces, this new volume is perfect for Peyo comic fans old and new!

Pierre Culliford, better known as Peyo, was a cartoonist born in Belgium in 1928 and creator of The Smurfs. In 1958, the Smurfs made their first appearance in Le Journal de Spirou and went on to become the world–famous characters we all know and love!

SELLING POINTS

AWARD–WINNING TV SERIES: Since its launch last September, Nickelodeon’s The Smurfs animated series consistently ranks among the top five animated children’s series on cable in the US and won a New York Animation Film Award for Best Animated Series.

MAJOR MOVIE

ANNOUNCEMENT: An all–new Smurfs movie is in development with Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation, set to release in theaters in December 2024.

POPULAR BRAND: The Smurfs have been around for more than 60 years, and have more than 12 million likes on Facebook and 90 million views on their official YouTube channel.

EMOTIONAL UNDERSTANDING: With stories that focus on social and emotional learning, the We Are the Smurfs series is perfect for small children who are beginning to understand big feelings such as fear, sadness, and taking care of one another.

BOOMING CATEGORY: Early–reader graphic novels continue to experience tremendous growth in the children’s market with the success of the Fox & Rabbit series, Owly series, and InvestiGators series!

BY MEGGIE RAMM

Batcat loves being all alone in their home on Spooky Island. Up in their tree house, they pass the time playing video games and watching TV. But when Batcat suddenly finds themself haunted by an annoying, ice cream–stealing ghost, they visit the local Island Witch for a spell to remove their ghastly guest permanently!

With their Ghost–B–Gone spell in hand, Batcat travels across Spooky Island to gather ingredients—to the Cavernous Caves where the bats tell them they’re too round to be a bat, and to the Whispering Cemetery where the cats will help only if they commit to being a true cat. But Batcat is neither and that’s what makes them special, right?

From up–and–coming author Meggie Ramm comes a sweet and fun story about accepting yourself when you’re perfectly in–between here and there.

Meggie Ramm (they/them) is a non–binary cartoonist from Michigan. They spent their twenties teaching comics to kids in Oakland, California, and it was the best job in the whole world. They’ve had work in the New Yorker, Everyday Feminism, and Silver Sprocket, and have a limerick–based comic strip called The Littlest Dungeon Guard distributed through Sunday HaHa. They love rhymes, reading gay sci–fi and fantasy, and comics.

SELLING POINTS

GROWING FORMAT: Early graphic novels are on the rise with the success of Fox & Rabbit (over 31,000 gross sales across formats), InvestiGators (over 142,000 copies sold on Bookscan), and Pea, Bee, & Jay (over 16,000 copies sold across formats on Bookscan), with no signs of slowing down.

STORY WITH HEART: Focusing on acceptance of yourself and others, Batcat teaches young readers an important lesson with simple panels, humor, and colorful art.

NEW TALENT: With a current strip in the Sunday HaHa newsletter, and work featured in the New Yorker and Everyday Feminism, and as one–half of the comics podcast “Pop! Whiz! Bang!,” Ramm continues to grow in the comics community with their bold but simple style.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *96 pages

*WIDTH: 6" - 152mm

*HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm *Hardcover POB

MONTH: MARCH AGES 6 to 9

STORY BY SABRINA MOYLE, PICTURES BY EUNICE MOYLE

series

Fire up the turbo pumps and blast off with Astrid and Stella on their next adventure!

Astrid and Stella are best friends and intergalactic heroes. But sometimes, even this dynamic duo needs a reset. After drifting into a dangerous force field powered by misunderstanding, it will take total teamwork to get back on track!

Once they’ve recovered from that detour, a run–in with a fur–miliar villain and the rescue of an intergalactic pop star are enough to keep things interesting for Astrid, Stella, and their trusty robot sidekick, Bobo. They just need to remember what’s most important—friendship and being true to yourself! Astrid and Stella just might surprise themselves by learning a few new things along the way, too.

Hello!Lucky is all about using creativity to spread joy, fun, and kindness. Founded by sisters Eunice and Sabrina Moyle in 2003, Hello!Lucky is an award–winning letterpress greeting card and design studio working with dozens of partners to create products, including Abrams’ pun–derful children’s books: My Mom Is Magical!, My Dad Is Amazing!, Super Pooper and Whizz Kid: Potty Power!, Kindness Rules!, Christmas Is Awesome!, Sloth and Smell the Roses, Go Get ‘Em, Tiger!, and Thanks a Ton! They also offer bedding, ceramics, socks, stationery, custom photo albums, and more. Hello!Lucky is based in San Francisco.

RIGHTS: World/All

SELLING POINTS

BESTSELLING TEAM: Sabrina and Eunice Moyle are the team behind Hello!Lucky. Their books have sold nearly one million copies across formats, and they boast nearly 78,000 followers on Instagram.

HIGH–DEMAND FORMAT: Graphic novels for emerging readers are an in–demand category that’s only growing. With three easily digestible stories per book, this new series is sure to satisfy.

EVERGREEN THEMES: Friendship, consent, teamwork, communication, and more make an appearance in the pages of this latest outing from the social–emotional learning pros behind Hello!Lucky.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *112 pages

*WIDTH: 6" - 152mm

*HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm

*Hardcover POB

PUB MONTH: MARCH AGES 6 to 9

KIDS GRAPHIC NOVELS, KIDS SERIES ISBN 978-1-4197-5702-0 US $12.99 CAN $16.99 UK £9.99

The Mighty Bite

BY NATHAN HALE

Told in an innovative new style—and full of gags and kid–friendly humor— this series starter introduces indelible characters for young reader audience! Trilobite and Amber (an ambulocetus) love to play guitar, sing, and eat tiny hats. They don’t realize that most of the world thinks that they’re extinct or that they may be the last of their kind. But when Tiffany Timber (a paleo–newscaster) meets them, she immediately starts livestreaming, thinking this will be her big break. This makes Trilobite think: if he can just get a tablet or camera, then he and Amber can make their own videos and be rich and famous! So begins their adventures to find fame and glory.

With charming, laugh–out–loud, wacky adventures and Nathan Hale’s signature blend of humor and unique storytelling, The Mighty Bite promises to be the perfect next read for fans of Dog Man or InvestiGators.

Nathan Hale is the #1 New York Times bestselling author and illustrator of the Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales series. He also wrote and illustrated the graphic novels One Trick Pony and Apocalypse Taco. Hale lives in Utah, and you can find him online at nathanhaleauthor.com.

SELLING POINTS

BESTSELLING AUTHOR: The Nathan Hale’s Hazardous Tales series has sold over 1.3 million copies, and sales for each book keeps getting bigger and bigger!

EXCITING NEW SERIES: This younger, really humorous graphic novel is perfect for both fans of the Hazardous Tales series and for readers who aren’t yet ready for those books but want their next great read after finishing a book like Dog Man. The digestible mini–adventures in the graphic novel make it especially accessible for young readers.

EDUCATIONAL ADDITIONS: In–text call–outs and light back matter will help readers learn more about some of the real–world science in the story.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Two-color illustrations throughout *288 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

*HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm *Hardcover POB

PUB MONTH: APRIL AGES 7 to 10

KIDS GRAPHIC NOVELS, MIDDLE-GRADE FICTION, KIDS FICTION ISBN 978-1-4197-6553-7 US $14.99 CAN $18.99 UK £10.99

Danny Phantom: A Glitch in Time

BY GABRIELA EPSTEIN

This all–new middle–grade graphic novel based on Nickelodeon’s animated series Danny Phantom takes readers on a time traveling adventure with the original ghost gang! Picking up right after the series finale, Danny Fenton and his best friends Sam Manson and Tucker Foley start experiencing time travel glitches when Danny’s archnemesis Vlad Masters arrives on his doorstep with terrifying news: Dark Danny has escaped his prison!

Danny must then get his friends together and partner with Vlad to jump through time and space and unlock secrets of the Ghost Zone! But can they make it back to Amity Park before Dark Danny destroys the ghost gang’s entire world?

Gabriela Epstein is a New York Times bestselling illustrator based in Austin, Texas. She graduated with a BFA in illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design and has since illustrated the Baby–Sitters Club middle–grade graphic novels Claudia and the New Girl and Good–Bye Stacey, Good–Bye, as well as the young adult graphic novel Invisible for Scholastic Graphix.

SELLING POINTS

FAN–FAVORITE SERIES: Nickelodeon’s Danny Phantom TV series lives on Paramount+ and has a devoted fandom, with over a million likes on Facebook.

TOP GENRE: Paranormal mysteries are popular with tweens and teens, from Stranger Things to The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina

FROM A FAN FOR THE FANS: Author/artist Gabriela Epstein is a devoted fan having grown up watching and loving the show, bringing that fandom and fresh storytelling to the book.

TWO FORMATS: Available in hardcover (978–1–4197–6054–9) and paperback (978–1–4197–6055–6).

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *192 pages

*WIDTH: 6" - 152mm

*HEIGHT: 8 1/2" - 216mm * Hardcover

PUB MONTH: JULY AGES 10 and up

KIDS GRAPHIC NOVELS, SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY, ENTERTAINMENT ISBN 978-1-4197-6054-9 US $24.99 CAN $31.99 UK £17.99

RIGHTS: World English SUEE AND THE SHADOW

Suee and the Strange White Light (Suee and the Shadow Book #2)

BY GINGER LY; ILLUSTRATED BY MOLLY PARK

Suee and the Zero Detective Club are back and ready to unravel some mysteries! However, other than a bunch of missing cat cases, there really isn't too much to solve . . . That is, until Smartie, Suee's kid–nemesis from her old school, goes missing leaving only one clue: Central City.

Nemesis or not, it's up to Suee and the rest of the Zero Detective Club members to find her. But Smartie’s disappearance isn’t the only weird thing going on in this part of town. There’s an army of workers in white uniforms installing strange devices, and all the adults have started acting bizarre and ignoring their kids. With all these odd occurrences, it's up to the Zero Detective Club of Outskirtsville to find out what’s going on!

Author Ginger Ly and illustrator Molly Park return with fantastic energy and brilliant art for an incredible follow–up to Suee’s first adventure. This fast–paced and spooky tale will is sure to capture the hearts of readers young and old.

Ginger Ly worked as a designer before earning her master’s degree in filmmaking from the Art Institute of Chicago. She lives in the suburbs of Seoul, South Korea. Molly Park is a painter and illustrator based in Seoul, Korea. She lives with a skinny cat and some tall plants. When she is not managing the Studio Ghost artist collective, she enjoys visiting museums, parks, and the zoo.

SELLING POINTS

LONG–AWAITED SEQUEL: In this exciting adventure, the Zero Detective Club travels to Central City to solve the case of Suee’s missing nemesis.

AMAZING CREATIVE TEAM: Ly and Park return with their creative storytelling and wonderfully appealing art.

STRONG FEMALE LEAD: Suee has already proven popular in the middle–grade graphic novel market with more than 35,000 copies sold of the first book, which was published in fall 2017, and this story continues to highlight South Korean representation in the genre.

TWO FORMATS: Available in hardcover (978–1–4197–4641–3) and paperback (978–1–4197–4642–0).

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *240 pages

*WIDTH: 6 1/4" - 159mm

*HEIGHT: 9" - 229mm

*Hardcover POB

PUB MONTH: JUNE AGES 9 to 12 ISBN 978-1-4197-4641-3 US $22.99 CAN $27.99 UK £15.99

CARTON QTY: 16 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-866-6

The Zero Detective Club is back in this highly anticipated sequel to Suee and the Shadow

BY SCOTT MAGOON

After stopping Dr. Z’s nefarious plan and rescuing the unicorn horn, things haven’t quite been the same for the Extincts. In order to pay the bills and support themselves, they open a zoo and gift shop. Scratch, Martie, Quito, and Ursa think it’s a great chance to educate the public and teach people to be better to the environment. But Lug isn’t so sure that this is the best use of their time and energy. After an incident when a kid sets a fire with a magnifying glass, Lug decides to leave the team and goes to do work that he thinks will actually make a difference: helping a group of smoke jumpers stop the wildfires in California. But it seems like the fires they’re stopping may not be so natural—someone seems to be causing them to try and lure Lug to follow . . . It’s going to take the help of all the Extincts to get to the bottom of it and save the day!

With heart–racing action scenes, loads of humor, and an environmental message, this new book from New York Times bestselling author Scott Magoon is an exciting adventure from start to finish. The book will also include nonfiction back matter about extinct animals, climate change, and what kids can do to help!

Scott Magoon has illustrated several acclaimed picture books, including the New York Times bestselling Rescue and Jessica: A Life–Changing Friendship by Jessica Kensky and Patrick Downes, Misunderstood Shark by Ame Dyckman, Spoon by Amy Krouse Rosenthal, and The Nuts series by Eric Litwin. He is also the author–illustrator of Breathe and The Boy Who Cried Bigfoot! He lives in Massachusetts. Visit him online at www.scottmagoon.com.

RIGHTS: World/All

SELLING POINTS

SERIES PRAISE: The first book in the series received great blurbs from Victoria Jamieson, Ryan T. Higgins, Matt Tavares, and Dan Santat, who called it “part Indiana Jones and part James Bond nicely packed together with puns, action, and laughter.”

STAR CREATOR: Scott Magoon is the illustrator of several award–winning picture books, including the New York Times bestselling Rescue and Jessica

ENVIRONMENTAL HOOKS: Featuring a team of extinct animal heroes, this series informs young readers about topical environmental issues—and the books themselves reflect this message, printed with soy ink on recycled paper and with additional educational back matter about extinct animals and climate change.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *160 pages

*WIDTH: 6" - 152mm

*HEIGHT: 9" - 229mm

*Hardcover with jacket PUB MONTH: MARCH AGES 8 to 12

The Ultimate Goal (Good Sports League #1)

BY TOMMY GREENWALD, ILLUSTRATED BY LESLEY VAMOS

Ten–year–old Ben Cutler loves everything about soccer! He’s got a great team, and they have the best pre–game chants and half–time jokes. He and his best friend, Jay–Jay, even invent dances for when they score a goal! And Ben is good at soccer. Like REALLY good. Too good for a casual rec team. Soon, he’s recruited for a travel team.

His new team plays amazingly well, but they take soccer super seriously. No pre–game chants, no juice–box breaks, and the most important rule of all: NO DANCING. Even though his new team is winning all the time, Ben is left to wonder: Is winning all that matters in the end?

Tommy Greenwald is the author of Game Changer, Rivals, Dinged, and the Crimebiters! and Charlie Joe Jackson series, and other books for children. Game Changer is on 18 state lists, was an Amazon Best Book of the Month, a YALSA Top Ten pick, and a JLG Premier selection. Rivals was an Amazon Best Book of the Month, a JLG selection, and a YALSA Quick Pick for Reluctant Young Adult Readers. Day job–wise, Greenwald is the cofounder of Spotco Advertising, a theatrical and entertainment advertising agency in New York City, and the lyricist and co–bookwriter (with Andrew Lippa) of John & Jen, an off–Broadway musical that has been produced around the world. To read woefully outdated information about him, visit tommygreenwald.com. Lesley Vamos earned a Bachelor of Digital Media with High Distinction from the University of New South Wales Art and Design, along with an honorary award in hand–drawn animation despite continuing to hold her pencil incorrectly. Vamos has been running her illustration and design business for over a decade and is passionate about telling stories that put good into the world. She lives in Sydney with her partner, two children, and a small floofer named Penny.

SELLING POINTS

ALL–STAR AUTHOR: Tommy Greenwald’s Game Changer and Rivals were Junior Library Guild selections and Amazon Best of the Months, and Game Changer was on 18 state lists and a YALSA Top Ten pick. Now Tommy is bringing his accessible and fun sports stories to a younger chapter–book audience.

LOVE OF THE GAME: Many kids play sports and enjoy reading sports series like the ones by Jake Maddox and Matt Christopher.

SPORTSMANSHIP: Each book will boost the theme that sports should be fun!

ADDED BACKMATTER: These stories will include back matter like making up your own rules for the featured sport, tracking records and funny statistics, creating a team name, and more.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Black-and-white illustrations throughout *144 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

*HEIGHT: 8" - 203mm

*Hardcover POB

PUB MONTH: APRIL AGES 7 to 10

CHAPTER BOOK, KIDS FICTION, SPORTS ISBN 978-1-4197-6365-6 US $14.99 CAN $18.99 UK £10.99

CARTON QTY: 48 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-768-3

QUESTIONEERS

WRITTEN BY ANDREA BEATY, ILLUSTRATED BY DAVID ROBERTS

Zookeeper Fred loves snakes, but his favorite is a tiny green snake named Vern. Vern is sneaky and constantly tries to hide in Fred’s lunch. When Vern gets loose in the zoo and lands atop a boy’s head, it’s trouble!

A few citizens demand that all the snakes must go and the Mayor closes the zoo until the City Council decides what to do. Is Vern a menace? Are the snakes a danger to society? Or a valuable resource for everyone? Who gets to decide? The Questioneers need all their talents to help Zookeeper Fred, but in the end, it’s Aaron’s art which leads the way.

Andrea Beaty is the author of many beloved children’s books, including the bestselling Questioneers series, Attack of the Fluffy Bunnies, Happy Birthday, Madame Chapeau, and One Girl. She lives just outside Chicago. David Roberts has illustrated many children’s books, including the bestselling Questioneers series. He lives in London.

RIGHTS: World/All

SELLING POINTS

BESTSELLING SERIES: Both the Questioneers picture books and chapter books are New York Times bestsellers, and the momentum keeps building.

NETFLIX BOOST: The Netflix show Ada Twist, Scientist launched in September 2021, drawing even more readers to the books.

BONUS BACK MATTER: Like the other chapter books, there will be informational back matter to help the youngest artists learn more about the concepts discussed in the book.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Two-color illustrations throughout *160 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

*HEIGHT: 8" - 203mm

*Hardcover POB

PUB MONTH: MAY AGES 6 to 9

CHAPTER BOOK, KIDS FICTION, JUVENILE ISBN 978-1-4197-5398-5

US $12.99 CAN $16.99 UK £8.99 ËxHSLELJy753985z

130 AMULET BOOKS SPRING 2023

Bug Bonanza! (Ada Twist, Scientist: Why Files #4)

BY ANDREA BEATY AND DR. THEANNE GRIFFITH

The fourth book in a nonfiction early–reader series about simple science concepts starring Ada Twist, Scientist!

SELLING POINTS

EXCITING NONFICTION SERIES: Written with coauthor Dr. Theanne Griffith, this early–reader series helps young and curious minds learn about a new topic in each book, using art from the new Netflix show to help bring each concept to life.

BESTSELLING SERIES: Both the Questioneers picture books and chapter books are New York Times bestsellers and the momentum keeps building.

NETFLIX TIE–IN: The Netflix show Ada Twist, Scientist launched in September 2021, drawing even more readers to the books.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *80 pages

*WIDTH: 6" - 152mm

*HEIGHT: 9" - 229mm

*Hardcover POB

How do bees fly? Why does a spider weave a web? And why are bugs so important to our world?

Ada Twist, Scientist: The Why Files is the perfect nonfiction resource for all these questions and more. Based on the bestselling Questioneers series and the Ada Twist, Scientist Netflix show, this nonfiction series is perfect for the youngest scientists of tomorrow, as they learn along with Ada. Designed in a scrapbook format, these books combine art from the show, illustrations, and photography to bring simple science concepts to life.

Andrea Beaty is the author of the bestselling Questioneers series, among other children’s titles. She lives just outside Chicago. Theanne Griffith is a neuroscientist and the author of The Magnificent Makers chapter book series. Since she was a little girl, she’s loved both storytelling and science, and her books combine those two passions.

Griffith received her BA in neuroscience and Spanish from Smith College and earned her doctorate in neuroscience from Northwestern University. She is currently an assistant professor at the University of California, Davis.

PUB MONTH: MARCH AGES 5 to 8 CHAPTER BOOK, JUVENILE NONFICTION, KIDS NONFICTION ISBN 978-1-4197-6555-1 US $12.99 CAN $16.99 UK £9.99 ËxHSLELJy765551z

CARTON QTY: 40 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-877-2

BY JEFF KINNEY

When he decides to tag along with his brother Rodrick’s band, Löded Diper, Greg doesn’t realize what he’s getting into. But he soon learns that late nights, unpaid gigs, fighting between band members, and money troubles are all part of the rock ’n’ roll lifestyle. Can Greg help Löded Diper become the legends they think they are? Or will too much time with Rodrick’s band be a Diper Överlöde?

Jeff Kinney is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and the Awesome Friendly Kid series. He is a six–time Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award winner for Favorite Book and has been named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. He spent his childhood in the Washington, D.C., area and moved to New England, where he and his wife own a bookstore named An Unlikely Story.

SELLING POINTS

GLOBAL PHENOMENON: With over 275 million books sold around the world in 83 editions in 68 languages, Wimpy Kid has turned millions of kids into readers. The series is one of the top–five bestselling book series— adult and kids—of all time.

MEGA BESTSELLING SERIES: A consistent fixture on the New York Times bestseller list for over 750 weeks—longer than any other kids’ series! Wimpy Kid is also a #1 bestseller on the USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, and IndieBound bestseller lists.

NOW A

MAJOR DISNEY

MOVIE FRANCHISE: Wimpy Kid has a brand–new animated movie on Disney+! Diary of a Wimpy Kid premiered on December 3, 2021, to instant success. The second animated adventure, Rodrick Rules, released on Disney+ on December 2, 2022.

WIDE SOCIAL MEDIA REACH: Nearly 5 million fans across Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, over 1.2 billion TikTok views for #diaryofawimpykid, 20 million YouTube views, and 960 million views on GIPHY.

BY JEFF KINNEY

In 2007, Diary of a Wimpy Kid was published, introducing readers to Greg Heffley and his family, his best friend Rowley Jefferson, and the dreaded Cheese Touch.

More than 275 million copies later, Diary of a Wimpy Kid has become a beloved book series all around the world and now, for the first time ever, Greg’s diary—um, make that journal—is coming to life in a full–color, 3D animated Disney+ production.

Whether you’re meeting Greg for the first time or you’re a lifelong fan of Jeff Kinney’s hilarious series, you’ll love diving into the Wimpy Kid universe.

Jeff Kinney is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Diary of a Wimpy Kid series and the Awesome Friendly Kid series. He is a six–time Nickelodeon Kids’ Choice Award winner for Favorite Book and has been named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World. He spent his childhood in the Washington, D.C., area and moved to New England, where he and his wife own a bookstore named An Unlikely Story.

SELLING POINTS

GLOBAL PHENOMENON: With over 275 million books sold around the world in 83 editions in 68 languages, Wimpy Kid has turned millions of kids into readers. The series is one of the top–five bestselling book series— adult and kids—of all time, and has been a fixture on the New York Times bestseller list for more than 785 weeks—longer than any other kids' series.

Wimpy Kid is also a #1 bestseller on the USA Today, Wall Street Journal, Publishers Weekly, and IndieBound bestseller lists.

NOW A MAJOR DISNEY MOVIE FRANCHISE: Wimpy Kid has a brand–new animated movie on Disney+! Diary of a Wimpy Kid premiered on December 3, 2021, to instant success. The second animated adventure, Rodrick Rules, released on Disney+ on December 2, 2022.

WIDE SOCIAL MEDIA REACH: 4.5 million Facebook fans; 20+ million YouTube views; 205,000 Twitter followers; and 135,000 Instagram followers.

Marya Khan and the Fabulous Jasmine Garden (Marya Khan #2)

WRITTEN BY SAADIA FARUQI; ILLUSTRATED BY ANI BUSHRY.

Perfect for fans of Ivy & Bean and Dory Fantasmagory, this charming new chapter book series by the author of the successful Yasmin series follows a Pakistani–American third–grader whose plans may backfire but whose persistence and heart are inspiring

SELLING POINTS

ALL–STAR AUTHOR: Faruqi’s books consistently garner acclaim. Meet Yasmin! received two starred reviews, was a JLG selection and a Kirkus Best of the Year, and the series has sold over 700,000 copies; A Place at the Table was a Sydney Taylor Book Award Notable Book and a TLA Lone Star reading list pick; and A Thousand Questions was a JLG selection and a NYPL Best Book.

SUCCESSFUL TRACK IN CATEGORY: Starring a Pakistani–American girl with a charming voice, this is perfect for readers who have aged out of Faruqi’s Yasmin series and are looking for their next great read.

BONUS BACK MATTER: Includes a back matter activity related to the story for young readers to enjoy.

CROSS–PROMOTION: Will publish alongside the paperback of Marya Khan and the Incredible Henna Party (book 1), which will include a sample chapter in the back.

When Marya arrives at school one day, she’s confused as to why there are a bunch of trucks out front. Not that she’s complaining; Marya LOVES trucks. It turns out, the trucks are there to dig up space for a garden for students to take care of. Not only will Marya’s third–grade class be the first ones to get to work on it, but Marya’s mom will be helping to teach the kids about gardening and the class will have one student help to lead the charge. Marya REALLY wants to be the class leader . . . but so does Alexa, her worst enemy. Cue Operation Be a Leader! Marya is going to work to prove she can make the most beautiful, incredible garden—but is she really just going to make a big mess?

Saadia Faruqi was born in Pakistan and moved to the United States when she was 22 years old. She writes the Yasmin series and popular middle–grade novels such as Yusuf Azeem Is Not a Hero. Besides writing books for kids, she also loves reading, binge–watching her favorite shows, and taking naps. She lives in Houston with her family. Ani Bushry graduated from the University of West England with a background in graphic design and illustration. She grew up listening to stories her mom used to tell her and always wanted to tell her own stories. She lives in the Maldives with her husband and cat Lilo, whom she loves to spoil.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Black-and-white illustrations throughout *144 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

*HEIGHT: 8" - 203mm *Hardcover POB PUB MONTH: MARCH AGES 6 to 9

CHAPTER BOOK, KIDS FICTION, JUVENILE ISBN 978-1-4197-6118-8 US $14.99 CAN $18.99 UK £10.99

CARTON QTY: 48 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-642-6

BY AISHA SAEED, HUDA AL-MARASHI, JAMILAH THOMPKINS-BIGELOW, AND S. K. ALI

SELLING POINTS

ACCLAIMED AUTHORS: The authors are critically acclaimed creators whose work is beloved in the middle–grade space and includes our own Once Upon an Eid anthology. Ali is a Morris Award finalist and winner of the APALA Honor Award and Middle East Book Honor Award. Saeed is a New York Times bestselling author, winner of the South Asia book award, and a founder of We Need Diverse Books; Amal Unbound has sold over 98,000 copies across formats.

UNIQUE FORMAT: This is the first middle–grade novel that’s told in four different perspectives from four different authors. It’s a creative and ambitious project, with short, snappy chapters that are perfect for reluctant readers.

DIVERSE CAST: The four characters are each young Muslim children with different backgrounds and interior lives, and their combined narratives help to show the diverse experiences of Muslim children in North America.

When a thunderstorm grounds all flights following a huge Muslim convention, four unlikely kids are thrown together. Feek is stuck babysitting his younger sister, but he’d rather be writing a poem that’s good enough for his dad, a famous poet and rapper. Hanna is intent on finding a lost cat in the airport—and also on avoiding a conversation with her dad about him possibly remarrying. Sami is struggling with his anxiety and worried that he’ll miss the karate tournament that he’s trained so hard for. And Nora has to deal with the pressure of being the daughter of a prominent congresswoman, when all she really wants to do is make fun NokNok videos. These kids don’t seem to have much in common—yet. Told in alternating points of view, Grounded tells the story of one unexpected night that will change these kids forever.

Aisha Saeed is an award–winning and New York Times bestselling author of books for children. Her middle–grade novel Amal Unbound received multiple starred reviews and was a Global Read Aloud for 2018. Her picture book, Bilal Cooks Daal, received an APALA honor, and she was the co–editor of the critically acclaimed Once Upon an Eid. Aisha is also a founding member of the non–profit We Need Diverse Books™. She lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with her family. Huda Al–Marashi is the author of the bestselling memoir First Comes Marriage: My Not–So–Typical American Love Story. Her other writing has appeared in various anthologies and news outlets, such as the New York Times, Washington Post, LA Times, and al Jazeera. She is currently a fellow with the Highlights Foundation Muslim Storytellers Program, and Grounded is her first novel for young readers. She lives in San Diego, California, with her family. Jamilah Thompkins–Bigelow is a Philadelphia–based bestselling children’s book author. Her books, which center around Black and Muslim kids, have been recognized by many including TIME and NPR, and she is an Irma Black Award silver medalist. A former teacher and forever educator–at–heart, she is probably most proud that her picture book Your Name Is a Song was named the December 2021 NEA Read Across America book and that it is included in the curriculums of major school districts throughout the United States. S. K. Ali is the New York Times bestselling and award–winning author of several books, including the Morris Award finalist Saints and Misfits and Love from A to Z, both named as top ten YA titles of the year by various media including Entertainment Weekly and Kirkus Reviews Her newest novel, Misfit in Love, is on People magazine’s Best Books of Summer 2021 list. Her other books include the critically acclaimed middle–grade anthology Once Upon an Eid and the New York Times bestselling picture book The Proudest Blue

5 1/2" - 140mm

8" - 203mm

Charmed Life (Wildseed Witch Book 2)

BY MARTI DUMAS

After a summer of being the worst witch at a fancy witch school, Hasani can’t wait to get back to the peace and normalcy of Riverbend Middle where she knows all the rules and is destined to be captain of the Mathletes. There are a few little hiccups to work out—like how she’s going to tell her best friend that she’s a witch—but even though the other two members of Hasani’s coven have joined her friend group and her school, there’s no reason to think that eighth grade won’t be smooth sailing . . . That is until her former friend (and fellow witch) LaToya shows up. LaToya starts trying to take her friends and make Hasani seem like the bad guy. To make matters worse, strange things begin happening around the school—including a termite infestation—and Hasani is so sure that LaToya is to blame. However, when Miss Lafleur comes to visit to help deal with the termites and investigate the magic, she helps Hasani to channel her powers more and realize just how strong her magic has become. But Miss Lafleur also isn’t convinced that LaToya could have caused all this chaos on her own—so Hasani sets out to prove it, and heads to a magical market, 3Thirteen, to find the ingredients she needs to do so. But in all her focus on proving she’s right and learning more about her magic, is Hasani losing sight of the people and things that are most important to her?

Marti Dumas taught elementary school literacy for ten years, conducts teacher literacy trainings, and is the author of Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest. She lives in New Orleans with her family.

SELLING POINTS

SERIES PRAISE: Wildseed Witch recevied great blurbs from Rajani LaRocca and Lisa Greenwald, who said, “this book is pure magic.”

BLACK GIRL MAGIC: This charming and lively story centers around a young Black witch and is inspired by Creole traditions. With a unique magic system and sparkling prose,the book is unlike anything else out there, and kids, parents, and librarians will love it. The protagonist is funny and relatable, and the story is perfect for reluctant readers.

CROSS–PROMOTION: Will publish alongside the paperback of Wildseed Witch, which will include a sneak peek in the back.

SPECIFICATIONS

*384 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

*HEIGHT: 8" - 203mm *Hardcover with jacket

PUB MONTH: MAY AGES 10 to 14

MIDDLE-GRADE FICTION, KIDS FANTASY, KIDS FICTION ISBN 978-1-4197-5563-7 US $18.99 CAN $23.99 UK £13.99

CARTON QTY: 28 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-370-8

Dear Mothman

BY ROBIN GOW

Halfway through sixth grade, Noah’s best friend and the only other trans boy in his school, Lewis, passed away in a car accident. Lewis was adventurous and curious, always bringing a new paranormal story to share with Noah. Together they daydreamed about cryptids and shared discovering their genders and names. After his death, lonely and yearning for someone who could understand him like Lewis once did, Noah starts writing letters to Mothman, wondering if he would understand how Noah feels and also looking for evidence of Mothman’s existence in the vast woods surrounding his small Poconos town. Noah becomes determined to make his science fair project about Mothman, despite his teachers and parents urging him to make a project about something “real.”

Meanwhile, as Noah tries to find Mothman, Noah also starts to make friends with a group of girls in his grade, Hanna, Molly, and Alice, with whom he’d been friendly, but never close to. Now, they welcome him, and he starts to open up to each of them, especially Hanna, who Noah has a crush on. But as strange things start to happen and Noah becomes sure of Mothman’s existence, his parents and teachers don’t believe him. Noah decides it’s up to him to risk everything, trek into the woods, and find Mothman himself.

Robin Gow is a trans poet and author from rural Pennsylvania. They are the author of several poetry books, an essay collection, and the YA verse novel A Million Quiet Revolutions. They live in Allentown, Pennsylvania, with their partner, best friend, and two pugs, where they coordinate programs for their local LGBT community center.

SELLING POINTS

QUEER REPRESENTATION: There have been more successful queer middle–grade novels recently, including Rick and Lily and Dunkin. Gow is a trans author who has crafted a grounded and heartfelt story that will help more young trans readers feel seen and supported.

CRYPTID CRAZE: From fans sites to merchandise, cryptids are popular with many young readers, and Mothman’s inclusion in the story and use as a way to talk about coming out and queer identity will resonate with many readers.

ACCESSIBLE READ: The format of letters and other multimedia elements help to make the heavy topics discussed in the novel feel accessible to a younger audience, and the novel in verse format is perfect for fans of Starfish and Canyon’s Edge

SPECIFICATIONS

*320 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

*HEIGHT: 8" - 203mm

*Hardcover with jacket

PUB MONTH: MARCH AGES 10 to 14 MIDDLE-GRADE FICTION, LGBTQ+ HISTORY & CULTURE, KIDS FICTION ISBN 978-1-4197-6440-0

TALES OF ETERNIA

He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: Lost in the Void (Tales of Eternia Book 3)

BY LISELLE SAMBURY

Young witch Teela—also known as Sorceress—takes center stage in this original middle–grade adventure from acclaimed author Liselle Sambury, based on Mattel’s He–Man and the Masters of the Universe and the hit Netflix show!

RIGHTS: World/All, ex Cuba, Iran, Sudan, Syria, North Korea, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and the Crimea region of Ukraine

SELLING POINTS

HE–MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: An original middle–grade series that expands upon the world of the Netflix show that premiered in Fall 2021. Season 2 premiered March 3, 2022.

MULTIMEDIA FRANCHISE: Mattel’s Masters of the Universe franchise has found fans for 40 years with several animated series, two major motion pictures, highly collectible licensed products, and more.

RISING–STAR AUTHOR: After writing the first two installments, Gregory Mone hands off the reins to Liselle Sambury, an incredible talent and a fresh, new voice in children’s books. Liselle’s debut, the YA novel Blood Like Magic, received three starred reviews and blurbs from bestselling authors Tracy Deonn (Legendborn) and Aiden Thomas (Cemetery Boys). This is her first middle–grade book.

The Tales of Eternia series continues in an all–new, action–packed adventure following the character of Teela, one of Prince Adam’s most trusted allies and a fierce warrior with magical powers. As the formidable Sorceress, she and her fellow Masters of the Universe—He–Man, Ram–Ma’am, Man–At–Arms, and Battle Cat—will face their biggest challenge yet in this pulse–pounding fantasy!

Mattel is a global learning, development, and play company with a portfolio of iconic consumer brands, including American Girl, Barbie, Fisher–Price, Hot Wheels, and Thomas & Friends. Liselle Sambury is a Trinidadian–Canadian author who grew up in Toronto, Ontario, and her brand of writing can be described as “messy Black girls in fantasy situations.” She is the author of the YA novel Blood Like Magic and its sequel, Blood Like Fate. In her free time, she shares helpful tips for upcoming writers and details of her publishing journey through a YouTube channel dedicated to helping demystify the sometimes complicated business of being an author.

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE™ and associated trademarks and trade dress are owned by, and used under license from, Mattel. © 2022 Mattel.

A MORE INCLUSIVE UNIVERSE: Netflix’s He–Man and the Masters of the Universe show features a racially diverse cast of characters and inspires kids with the message that anyone can be a hero; this book, written by Trinidadian–Canadian author Liselle Sambury, centers the story of a young dark–skinned girl.

SPECIFICATIONS

*176 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

*HEIGHT: 8" - 203mm

*Hardcover POB

PUB MONTH: JUNE AGES 8 to 12

MIDDLE-GRADE FICTION ISBN 978-1-4197-6604-6 US $14.99 CAN $18.99 UK £10.99 ËxHSLELJy766046z

CARTON QTY: 40 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-905-2

Ooze in the Ocean (SpongeBob SquarePants Mysteries #2)

BY DAVID LEWMAN; ILLUSTRATED BY FRANCESCO FRANCAVILLA

SpongeBob SquarePants is back with a new mysterious case to solve in the second book of this exciting middle–grade series! When a glowing green trail appears outside of the Shady Shoals Rest Home, retired superheroes Mermaid Man and Barnacle Boy ask SpongeBob and Patrick to take on the case and figure out what the trail is. Unfortunately for the two detectives, they are lead through ship graveyards, underground tunnels, and ultimately in the nest of some of the most dangerous villains Bikini Bottom has ever been faced with!

David Lewman has written more than 65 books starring SpongeBob SquarePants, Jimmy Neutron, the Fairly OddParents, G.I. Joe, the Wild Thornberrys, and other popular characters. He has also written scripts for many acclaimed television shows. Lewman lives in Los Angeles with his wife, Donna, and their dog, Pirkle. Francesco Francavilla, an Eisner and Eagle Award winner and New York Times bestselling creator, is best known for bringing his signature neo–pulp style to the comics industry, from horror to superheroes and sci–fi. He co–created and has worked on the acclaimed horror series Night of the Ghoul and Afterlife with Archie and is currently illustrating his creator–owned The Black Beetle. Born and raised in Italy, he now lives in Atlanta, Georgia, with his lovely partner, Lisa, and their two cats.

SELLING POINTS

POPULAR BRAND: SpongeBob SquarePants has been a global phenomenon for more than 20 years, with over 250 episodes of the original TV series, in addition to two spin–off series, three theatrical films, and a new SVOD movie in the works. With over 116 million followers on social media, fans can't get enough!

FRESH CONTENT: Blends multiple genres of storytelling from classic noir to supernatural adventure all while maintaining the same humor and levity that comes with a SpongeBob story. This series has something for any fan at any age.

ILLUSTRATIONS: Featuring beautiful black–and–white chapter heading illustrations by comics superstar Francesco Francavilla!

SPECIFICATIONS

*Black-and-white illustrations throughout *224 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

*HEIGHT: 8" - 203mm *Hardcover POB PUB MONTH: JUNE AGES 8 to 12 MIDDLE-GRADE FICTION, ENTERTAINMENT, KIDS SERIES ISBN 978-1-4197-6206-2 US $14.99 CAN $18.99 UK £10.99

RIGHTS: World English, excluding UK and British Commonwealth

BY BRITTANY N. WILLIAMS

A stunning YA fantasy debut, perfect for fans of Holly Black and Justina Ireland, about a Black girl (and sword expert) fighting a Fae uprising in Shakespearean London

Sixteen–year–old Joan Sands is a gifted craftswoman who creates and upkeeps the stage blades for William Shakespeare’s acting company, The King’s Men. Joan’s skill with her blades comes from a magical ability to control metal—an ability gifted by her Head Orisha, Ogun. Because her whole family is Orisha–blessed, the Sands family have always kept tabs on the Fae presence in London. Usually that doesn’t involve much except noting the faint glow around a Fae’s body as they try to blend in with London society, but lately, there has been an uptick in brutal Fae attacks. After Joan wounds a powerful Fae and saves the son of a cruel Lord, she is drawn into political intrigue in the human and Fae worlds.

Swashbuckling, romantic, and full of the sights and sounds of Shakespeare’s London, this series starter delivers an unforgettable story—and a heroine unlike any other.

Brittany N. Williams is an actress, writer, Co–Artistic Director of The NOLA Project, and nerd of many fandoms. She’s performed across three continents–including a year spent as a principal vocalist at Hong Kong Disneyland–and her writing has been featured on BlackNerdProblems.com, Tor.com, in The Indypendent, The Gambit, Fireside Magazine, and in the Star Wars anthology From a Certain Point of View: The Empire Strikes Back. You can find her on Twitter and Instagram at @BrittanyActs and at brittanynwilliams.com. Williams lives in New Orleans.

DAZZLING DEBUT: This story combines a unique premise, mischievous fae folk, swoony–worthy romance, and a sparkling voice. It’s sure to entrance readers and establish Brittany as an exciting new voice in YA.

RECLAIMING HISTORY: This story stars a Black woman in Shakespeare’s time. While BIPOC characters have always been a part of history, they’re still rarely represented in history books or historical fiction.

AUTHOR’S EXPERIENCE: Williams is a classically trained actress with a background in Shakespeare and brings that experience and historical knowledge to bring life and truth to the story.

EPIC NEW SERIES: This is the first book in an exciting new trilogy, sure to entrance fans of Holly Black, Dhonielle Clayton, or Justina Ireland.

SELLING POINTS SPECIFICATIONS

*Black and white illustrations throughout *352 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

*HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm *Hardcover with jacket PUB MONTH: APRIL AGES 12 and up YOUNG ADULT, YOUNG ADULT NOVEL, SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY ISBN 978-1-4197-5864-5

OUTER BANKS

Outer Banks: Dead Break

BY JAY COLES

It’s summer, and there’s a big surfing competition coming to the OBX. Competitors—like Kie and Rafe—will participate in paddle–in and tow–in surfing events. Athletes from around the world flood into the Outer Banks, filling the island’s hotels.

When Kie strikes up a flirtation with one of the out–of–town surfers, Pope, John B, and JJ can’t help but get jealous. Not only was Kie at another school last year (a Kook school, to be specific), now she’s spending her summer vacation with these out–of–towners, too?! Meanwhile, the surfers are treating Pope’s dad like some kind of hero, and Heyward won’t explain why. On top of it, tensions are high as the competition heats up. Then one of the professional surfers washes up dead, and everyone assumes he got crushed by a wave. But Pope, an aspiring coroner, isn’t so sure. . .

Jay Coles is the author of critically acclaimed Tyler Johnson Was Here and Things We Couldn’t Say, a composer with ASCAP, and a professional musician residing in Muncie, Indiana. He is a graduate of Vincennes University and Ball State University and holds degrees in English and liberal arts. When he’s not writing diverse books, he’s advocating for them, serving with The Revolution church, and composing music for various music publishers.

RIGHTS: World/All ex China, Crimea, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Sudan, South Sudan, Syria, and Russia

SELLING POINTS

HOT SERIES: Outer Banks has been a fan favorite since its first season in 2020 and continued to make waves in 2021 with its release of season two. The first novel sold 30,000 copies, setting up this second novel for success in the lead–up to season three, airing in early 2023.

ORIGINAL STORY AND POVS: This all–new novel presents an untold story from Kiara and Pope’s points of view.

COMMERCIAL PREMISE: Like Outer Banks: Lights Out and the Netflix series itself, this second novelization will be an original, propulsive adventure from start to finish.

SPECIFICATIONS

*304 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

*HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm

*Hardcover with jacket

PUB MONTH: JUNE AGES 13 and up

YOUNG ADULT, YOUNG ADULT NOVEL ISBN 978-1-4197-6161-4

US $18.99 CAN $23.99 UK £13.99 ËxHSLELJy761614z

CARTON QTY: 28 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-662-4

RIGHTS: World/All

Wolfwood

MARIANNA BAER

Desperate for money and stability, a teenage girl begins secretly forging paintings, plunging her into a dark and dangerous imaginary world

SELLING POINTS

INTRIGUE AND MAGIC: The glamor of the New York art world mixes with the danger of the magical Wolfwood, creating a story perfect for fans of books like The Hazel Wood

STRONG AUTHOR REVIEWS: The Inconceivable Life of Quinn earned a starred review from PW Booklist praised, “Quinn’s determined struggle to piece together the puzzle compellingly drives the narrative onward, and readers on board for something thought–provoking will be hooked.”

STRONG FEMALE RELATIONSHIPS: Wolfwood revolves around the relationship between a young female artist and her mother and how trauma reverberates through generations.

SPECIFICATIONS

*384 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

*HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm

*Hardcover with jacket PUB MONTH: MARCH AGES 14 and up

Indigo is the daughter of famous reclusive artist Zoe Serra, who made a splash in the ’90s art world. But since her mom’s breakdown, the two have been barely scraping by. When a gallery owner offers Zoe a revival show for her blockbuster Wolfwood series—which Zoe never finished—Indigo sees it as a chance to finally regain stability. However, Zoe refuses to work on the paintings, saying that she can’t return to Wolfwood, so Indigo decides to take up the brush herself.

As she begins to work in the studio, Indigo has a vision that she’s actually inside Wolfwood. She wanders through the grotesque jungle and discovers that an army of monstrous creatures are torturing the women in the painting. Indigo convinces herself that she’s just hallucinating because of stress or exhaustion, but when she comes out of her trance, she finds a new section of the painting has been completed. Indigo returns to the Wolfwood again and again as she works to complete the series, but when she gets to the final painting, Indigo realizes the true nature of the monsters she’s been fighting—and fears that these monsters might win.

Marianna Baer is the author of The Inconceivable Life of Quinn, which earned a starred review from PW, who called it “a delicate, complicated, and engrossing exploration of the collision between real life and the inexplicable.” She’s a graduate of Vermont College of Fine Arts with an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

YOUNG ADULT, SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY ISBN 978-1-4197-3371-0 US $19.99 CAN $24.99 UK £13.99 ËxHSLELJy733710z

CARTON QTY: 24 ebook ISBN 978-1-68335-488-8

No Boy Summer

BY AMY SPALDING

Lydia and her younger sister Penny make a pact to avoid boy drama for the summer—but Lydia can’t help looking for a loophole when she falls for a cute girl

SELLING POINTS

ACCLAIMED AUTHOR: Spalding’s previous books have gotten great attention and starred reviews, and We Used to Be Friends (her first book with Abrams) received wonderful blurbs from Becky Albertalli, Rebecca Podos, and Maurene Goo, who said “this book will break your heart only like a best friend can.”

SUMMERY ROMANCE: With a sweet sister relationship, a heartfelt queer love story, and messy, complicated characters, this story is the perfect summer read for teens.

CROSS–PROMOTION: Will publish alongside the paperback of We Used to be Friends, which will include a sneak peek in the back.

SPECIFICATIONS

*304 pages

* WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

* HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm

* Hardcover with jacket PUB MONTH: APRIL AGES 12 and up

Lydia Jones and her younger sister Penny have had it with boy drama. Last year was marred by relationship disasters for both of them, threatening Lydia’s standing with her school’s theater tech club and Penny’s perfect GPA. Penny has, naturally, diagnosed the problem and prescribed a drastic solution: a summer off from boys.

Lydia and Penny decide to stay with their Aunt Grace and her boyfriend Oscar in Los Angeles while their parents are off on a European cruise. Penny follows her future–business–school dreams with an internship at Oscar’s office, and Lydia gets a part–time job at Grace’s neighborhood coffeeshop, Grounds Control.

Even when they spent hours, days, weeks dissecting their various boy drama, Lydia’s never felt this connected to her sister before, and it makes her wonder what else in her life could be different. She finds herself drawn to a group of friends she meets through her Grounds Control coworker, Margaret, as well as an intriguing customer, Fran, an aspiring filmmaker and—while not the first girl Lydia finds herself attracted to—the first girl who has mutual feelings for her. But she’s not breaking her pledge to Penny, right? That was just about boys. Even though in her heart Lydia knows she’s bending the rules, she hasn’t had a connection with anyone as strong as her connection with Fran, so she thinks it can’t be wrong. And Penny won’t mind as long as she’s happy . . . Right?

Amy Spalding is the author of several novels for teens, including Kissing Ted Callahan (and Other Guys), The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles), and We Used to Be Friends, which Becky Albertalli called “complex, earnest, and unflinching.” She lives in Los Angeles.

YOUNG ADULT, YOUNG ADULT NOVEL ISBN 978-1-4197-5752-5 US $18.99 CAN $23.99 UK £13.99

RIGHTS:

Thirty to Sixty Days

BY ALIKAY WOOD

Hattie Larken doesn’t know if she’s ever really been real in her life. A compulsive liar with a quick–witted response to everything, she’s willing to do whatever it takes to just skate through the rest of high school until she can graduate and escape it all: the mind–numbing monotony of this town, the guilt of everything that happened with her dad, and the debt that her mom’s dealing with that she feels responsible for.

But then Hattie finds out she’s dying. Not like in that overdramatic way that people sometimes say they’re dying. She’s literally dying. Apparently, she was exposed to a parasite because of a mistake her mom’s company made. (And no, the irony of that all is not lost on Hattie…) And she’s not the only one. Two other kids from her class also have been exposed to the parasite: Carmen, who seems to be totally perfect, with the class presidency, a loving family, and a totally beautiful girlfriend; and Albie, a quiet kid who survived childhood cancer only to deal with this, which feels like an incredibly cruel joke from the universe.

Hattie, Albie, and Carmen are told they only have thirty to sixty days to live. But instead of just sitting around a hospital and waiting to die, the three kids form an unlikely alliance to live the last days of their lives out to the fullest. Stealing and sailing a boat to Palm Beach? Absolutely. Adopting the turtle that a random college student hands to them? Of course— they couldn’t leave Scooter to fend for himself! Sneaking into the sold–out music festival in town? You better believe it! And if Hattie just happens to find a way to raise some money for her mom through filming all their misadventures—well, she’s not going to not do that then.

Snarky, bold, and deeply real, Thirty to Sixty Days examines the ways that three teens grapple with the thread of imminent death—and how each ultimately discovers what life ought to be.

Alikay Wood was once described by a wedding DJ as “five feet of fury.” When she’s not shredding up dance floors, she’s writing books about friendship and “unlikeable” girls. She lives in California and is probably currently avoiding writing by rollerblading, crushing trivia competitions, or camping.

SELLING POINTS

POPULAR CATEGORY: With its darkly comedic tone and ultimately uplifting ending, this book is a fresh spin on the perennially popular “sick lit” genre.

DEBUT AUTHOR: Alikay Wood is a talented debut who is very involved in the New York City publishing scene as a mentor for Girls Write Now.

COMMERCIAL CONCEPT: A hook–driven elevator pitch meets heartfelt and funny coming–of–age tale.

SPECIFICATIONS

*320 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

*HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm

*Hardcover with jacket

PUB MONTH: JUNE AGES 14 and up YOUNG ADULT, YOUNG ADULT NOVEL ISBN 978-1-4197-5230-8 US $19.99 CAN $24.99 UK £13.99 ËxHSLELJy752308z

148 AMULET BOOKS SPRING 2023

From Belly of the Beast (The Fabled Stables Book #3) • By Jonathan Auxier, illustrated by Olga Demidova

BY PEYO

This new Smurfs comic series focuses on emotional learning, social responsibility, and overall Smurf–iness! Join Papa Smurf, Brainy Smurf, Smurfette, and all the others as they tackle day–to–day problems and get into wacky hijinks! Except for Scaredy Smurf, who is too afraid of everything to have fun. And Clumsy Smurf, whose two left feet get him into more troubles than he can count. And Greedy Smurf, whose love for food causes Gargamel to capture everyone in the village. But no matter the problem, you can always count on the Smurfs to figure out a solution!

Now in paperback, this full–color early–reader graphic novel features three complete stories and back matter dedicated to helping children explore and better understand their emotions. A great option for newly independent readers and comics fans everywhere!

Pierre Culliford, better known as Peyo, was a cartoonist born in Belgium in 1928 and creator of The Smurfs. In 1958, the Smurfs made their first appearance in Le Journal de Spirou and went on to become the world–famous characters we all know and love! Thierry Culliford is a screenwriter, coordinator of the graphic execution of Grandir avec les Schtroumpfs (“Growing with the Smurfs”), and none other than Peyo’s son! Born in Belgium in 1955, Thierry is the successor of his father’s pen name, scripting stories for the newer Smurf comics, and ensuring the continuity of his late father’s works.

SELLING POINTS

AWARD–WINNING TV SERIES: Since its launch last September, Nickelodeon’s The Smurfs animated series consistently ranks among the top five animated children’s series on cable in the US and won a New York Animation Film Award for Best Animated Series.

MAJOR MOVIE

ANNOUNCEMENT: An all–new Smurfs movie is in development with Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation, set to release in theaters in December 2024.

POPULAR BRAND: The Smurfs have been around for more than 60 years, and have more than 12 million likes on Facebook and 90 million views on their official YouTube channel.

EMOTIONAL UNDERSTANDING: With stories that focus on social and emotional learning, the We Are the Smurfs series is perfect for small children who are beginning to understand big feelings such as fear, sadness, and taking care of one another.

BOOMING CATEGORY: Early–reader graphic novels continue to experience tremendous growth in the children’s market with the success of the Fox & Rabbit series, Owly series, and InvestiGators series!

Follow the Smurfs in the second volume of the all–new We Are the Smurfs comic series that focuses on emotional learning, social responsibility, and overall Smurf–iness!

Featuring three stories and back matter dedicated to helping children explore and better understand their emotions, this full–color graphic novel features Smurfette, Papa Smurf, and everyone else as they go on brand new adventures and escape from Gargamel’s clutches! This paperback edition also includes a sneak peek of the upcoming third volume

Pierre Culliford, better known as Peyo, was a cartoonist born in Belgium in 1928 and creator of The Smurfs. In 1958, the Smurfs made their first appearance in Le Journal de Spirou and went on to become the world–famous characters we all know and love! Thierry Culliford is a screenwriter, coordinator of the graphic execution of Grandir avec les Schtroumpfs (“Growing with the Smurfs”), and none other than Peyo’s son! Born in Belgium in 1955, Thierry is the successor of his father’s pen name, scripting stories for the newer Smurf comics, and ensuring the continuity of his late father’s works.

SELLING POINTS

AWARD–WINNING TV SERIES: Since its launch last September, Nickelodeon’s The Smurfs animated series consistently ranks among the top five animated children’s series on cable in the U.S. and won a New York Animation Film Award for Best Animated Series.

MAJOR MOVIE ANNOUNCEMENT: An all–new Smurfs movie is in development with Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation, set to release in theaters in December 2024.

POPULAR BRAND: The Smurfs have been around for more than 60 years, and have more than 12 million likes on Facebook and 90 million views on their official YouTube channel.

EMOTIONAL UNDERSTANDING: With stories that focus on social and emotional learning, the We Are the Smurfs series is perfect for small children who are beginning to understand big feelings such as fear, sadness, and taking care of one another.

BOOMING CATEGORY: Early–reader graphic novels continue to experience tremendous growth in the children’s market with the success of the Fox & Rabbit series, Owly series, and InvestiGators series!

6 1/2" - 165mm

8" - 203mm

Marya Khan and the Incredible Henna Party (Marya Khan #1)

BY SAADIA FARUQI, ILLUSTRATED BY ANI BUSHRY

From the author of the bestselling Yasmin series, this is the start of a charming new chapter book series about a third–grader whose plans may backfire but whose persistence and heart are inspiring, perfect for fans of Ivy & Bean and Dory Fantasmagory

SELLING POINTS

ALL–STAR AUTHOR: Faruqi’s books consistently garner acclaim. Meet Yasmin! received two starred reviews, was a JLG selection, and a Kirkus Best of the Year. A Place at the Table was a Sydney Taylor Book Award Notable Book and a TLA Lone Star reading list pick; and A Thousand Questions was a JLG selection and a NYPL Best Book.

EXCITING NEW SERIES: This is the start of a new illustrated series that centers a Pakistani–American girl. A book will publish every season, and we’ve signed up four books so far.

SUCCESSFUL TRACK IN CATEGORY: Perfect for readers who have aged out of Faruqi’s successful Yasmin series and are looking for their next great read.

BONUS BACKMATTER: The book includes an activity in the back for kids to trace and color their own henna designs.

SPECIFICATIONS

Marya’s eighth birthday is coming up in a week, and all she wants is an over–the–top birthday party just like the ones Alexa, her rich neighbor, always throws. When Alexa parades into school with fancy invitations, Marya can't help herself—she claims that she’s having the most epic henna party ever. Now she has to convince her family to make it happen. Enter Operation Help the Khans! Marya's siblings clearly need help with their projects. Maybe she could cook dinner for her parents, or clean her grandmother’s room? Except everything Marya does seems to end in disaster. Will Marya and her family be able pull it together and throw the best party ever?!

Saadia Faruqi was born in Pakistan and moved to the United States when she was 22 years old. She writes the Yasmin series and popular middle–grade novels such as Yusuf Azeem Is Not a Hero. Besides writing books for kids, she also loves reading, binge–watching her favorite shows, and taking naps. She lives in Houston with her family. Ani Bushry graduated from the University of West England with a background in graphic design and illustration. She grew up listening to stories her mom used to tell her and always wanted to tell her own stories. She lives in the Maldives with her husband and cat Lilo, whom she loves to spoil.

*Black and white illustrations throughout *160 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/4" - 133mm

*HEIGHT: 7 5/8" - 194mm *Paperback PUB MONTH: MARCH AGES 6 to 9

RIGHTS: World/All CLASS

Madison Morris Is NOT a Mouse!

(CLASS CRITTERS #3)

BY KATHRYN HOLMES, ILLUSTRATED BY ARIEL LANDY

Praise for the Class Critters series

Amazon Best Book of the Month

“Interweaves humor, science, and nature into this silly, enjoyable twist on a body–swap story . . . An energetic animal series.” —School Library Journal (for Tally Tuttle Turns Into a Turtle)

“A simple story told with aplomb.” —Kirkus Reviews (for David Dixon’s Day as a Dachshund)

SELLING POINTS

TONS OF KID APPEAL: Hilarious animal adventures and cute black–and–white illustrations throughout will give this series great kid appeal.

BEST OF BOTH WORLDS: Animal adventures and classroom stories are perennially popular, and this series concept hits a sweet spot by combining the two.

REAL NATURAL SCIENCE: Light back matter includes animal fun facts that are great for curious readers, teachers, and librarians.

CROSS–PROMOTION: Will publish alongside the paperback of David Dixon’s Day as a Dachshund, which will include a sneak peek of this book in the back.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Black-and-white illustrations throughout *128 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/4" - 133mm

*HEIGHT: 7 5/8" - 194mm *Paperback

Madison tries her best to spread joy and be helpful, even when people like her Great–Aunt Joelle seem to think that she can't do or say anything right. Still, she goes into Mrs. Norrell’s class with her head held high, ready to brainstorm ideas for her group project on activism. But after her Great–Aunt Joelle shoots down her ideas, she starts to wonder if maybe she isn’t really cut out to be a leader or change–maker. Then, something strange happens: Madison turns into a mouse!

Her voice is high–pitched and squeaky, her heart beats furiously in her body, and she’s so so small. Luckily, one of her kindhearted classmates, Tally Tuttle, helps to get her to safety so no one squishes her by accident. Will Madison be able to navigate her own insecurities and the unexpected dangers of being a mouse—and turn back into herself before the end of the day? Or will she be stuck eating cheese and hiding from cats for the rest of her life?

In this new chapter book series, Mrs. Norrell’s second grade classroom has magic that allows kids to transform into animals to learn important life lessons. Each book follows a different kid and their animal transformation and includes fun natural science facts about the featured animal in the back matter.

Kathryn Holmes grew up in Maryville, Tennessee, and now lives in Brooklyn with her husband, daughter, and stacks upon stacks of books. A graduate of the New School’s MFA in creative writing program, Holmes works as a freelance dance journalist, among other writing gigs. She is the author of the Class Critters series and the young adult novels The Distance Between Lost and Found and How It Feels to Fly Ariel Landy is an illustrator and educator from New York City. She began writing and illustrating stories as soon as she could hold a pencil, and she never stopped. Landy currently lives in France with her husband and their dog, Sid.

PUB MONTH: APRIL AGES 6 to 9

CHAPTER BOOK, KIDS FICTION, JUVENILE ISBN 978-1-4197-6747-0 US $6.99 CAN $8.99 UK £4.99

CARTON QTY: 108 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-529-0

BY JONATHAN AUXIER, ILLUSTRATED BY OLGA DEMIDOVA

Auggie loves his job at the Fabled Stables, but he fears the day when it will come to an end. Fen keeps dropping hints that caretakers don’t stay forever, and it’s giving Auggie the grumps. Thankfully, there always seems to be a new stall to fill. This time, the stables set Auggie on a quest to rescue a beast called the Shibboleth—but the portal leads Auggie and Fen to the lair of the evil Rooks!

In the dark, damp dungeon, they meet one mysterious girl and one very hungry monster. It’s already gobbled up all of the Rooks, and Auggie and Fen are next unless they figure out the one way to calm the creature. Will they be able to work together to complete the mission before it’s too late?

Jonathan Auxier is the New York Times bestselling and critically acclaimed author of Peter Nimble and His Fantastic Eyes, The Night Gardener, Sophie Quire and the Last Storyguard, and Sweep. He lives with his family in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. You can find him online at thescop.com. Olga Demidova has illustrated many books for children around the world. She studied at the Moscow Art Institute of Applied Arts. Find her online at olgademidova.ru.

BESTSELLING AUTHOR: Auxier’s novel The Night Gardener was a New York Times bestseller, and his latest novel Sweep received a dazzling six starred reviews.

ACCESSIBLE ADVENTURES: With full–color illustrations on every single spread, these books are great for sharing at storytime and perfect for emerging readers to try on their own.

EVERGREEN THEMES: Each story explores familiar themes for chapter book readers, like friendship, courage, and standing up for what’s right.

MAGICAL CREATURES: Readers will delight in meeting the one–of–a–kind creatures who live in the Fabled Stables. This new series is great for anyone who loves monsters!

SELLING POINTS SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *96 pages *WIDTH: 6" - 152mm *HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm

DJ Funkyfoot: The Show Must Go Oink (DJ Funkyfoot #3)

WRITTEN TOM ANGLEBERGER, ILLUSTRATED BY HEATHER FOX A spin–off chapter book series in the world of the Flytrap Files, from New York Times bestselling author Tom Angleberger, now in paperback!

Praise for the Flytrap Files series

“Readers will come to admire the dapper dog’s (mostly) unflappable ability to carry on—or, at least, make a hasty exit.” —Booklist (for DJ Funkyfoot: Butler for Hire!)

“Goofy, readable chapter–book fun.” —Kirkus Reviews (for DJ Funkyfoot: Give Cheese a Chance)

SELLING POINTS

SUPERSTAR AUTHOR: Angleberger is a New York Times bestselling author and his wacky humor and lively writing really shine in the chapter book category.

POPULAR CATEGORY: This hilarious illustrated series will appeal to fans of The Bad Guys and Mac B., Kid Spy

BESTSELLING SERIES: This is a spin–off of the bestselling Inspector Flytrap series and includes tie–in branding on the front cover.

ADORABLE ILLUSTRATIONS: Fox is the illustrator of the hit picture book Llama Destroys the World, and her commercial and kid–friendly style brings Angleberger’s wacky world to life perfectly.

CROSS–PROMOTION: Will publish alongside the paperback of DJ Funkyfoot #2, which will include a sneak peak of the third book.

SPECIFICATIONS

The latest wacky adventure of DJ Funkyfoot, a Chihuahua who just wants to buttle! In this newest adventure, DJ Funkyfoot finally gets the job of his dreams: as a butler for a very fancy opera star. But as the singing pig's demands get more absurd, so do the disasters. Robbery! Wrecks! Romance! And even . . . rapping?

Tom Angleberger is the New York Times bestselling author of the Origami Yoda series and the Flytrap Files series, as well as many other books for kids. He lives with his family in Virginia. Heather Fox is an illustrator of stories for children. When she isn’t creating, she’s probably drinking a hot cup of coffee, eating Chinese food, or chasing down her dog (Sir Hugo) who has stolen one of her socks. She lives in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, with her husband (and author!), Jonathan Stutzman.

*Two-color illustrations throughout *128 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/4" - 133mm

*HEIGHT: 7 5/8" - 194mm *Paperback

PUB MONTH: MARCH AGES 6 to 9 KIDS FICTION, CHAPTER BOOK, CHILDREN'S ISBN 978-1-4197-4733-5 US $6.99 CAN $8.99 UK £4.99

CARTON QTY: 84 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-062-2

Wildseed Witch (Book 1)

BY MARTI DUMAS

A fun middle–grade contemporary fantasy with an all–BIPOC cast, about a social–media–loving tween who gets sent to an ultra–private witch camp

Praise for Wildseed Witch

“This book is pure magic and I was hooked from the very first page!” —Lisa Greenwald, author of the My Life in Pink & Green trilogy

“Charming and intriguing, just like the Les Belles Desmoiselles witches.” —Rajani LaRocca, Newberry honor–winning author of Red, White, and Whole

“Readers will love the world Dumas creates, which brims with Black Girl Magic.” —Booklist

“Dumas invites readers into a wonderful world of witchcraft that highlights the contributions of the diaspora.” —Kirkus Reviews

“A delightful light fantasy novel.” —School Library Journal

SELLING POINTS

BLACK GIRL MAGIC: This charming and lively story centers a young Black witch and is inspired by Creole traditions.

EXCITING NEW SERIES: Marti is an up–and–coming author, and books like Tristan Strong Punches a Hole in the Sky and Aru Shah and the End of Time show that middle–grade readers and gatekeepers want more diverse fantasy.

GREAT READ: With a unique magic system and sparkling prose, Wildseed Witch is unlike anything else out there, and kids, parents, and librarians will love it. The protagonist is funny and relatable, and the story is perfect for reluctant readers.

SPECIFICATIONS

*368 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

*HEIGHT: 8" - 203mm *Paperback

PUB MONTH: APRIL AGES 10 to 14

Hasani’s post–seventh–grade summer to–do list is pretty simple: get a bigger following for her makeup YouTube channel and figure out how to get her parents back together. What she does NOT expect is that an emotional outburst will spark a latent magical ability in her. Or that the magic will be strong enough to attract the attention of witches. Or that before she can say #BlackGirlMagic, she’ll be shipped off on a scholarship to a fancy finishing school for talented young ladies.

Les Belles Demoiselles is a literal charm school. Here, generations of young ladies from old–money witch families have learned to harness their magic, and alumnae grow to become some of the most powerful women across industries, including politicians, philanthropists, CEOs, entrepreneurs—and yes, even social media influencers. Needless to say, admission to the school is highly coveted, very exclusive . . . and Hasani sticks out like a weed in a rose bouquet.

While the other girls have always known they were destined to be witches, Hasani is a Wildseed––a stray witch from a family of non–witches, with no background knowledge, no way to control her magic, and a lot to catch up on. "Wildseed" may be an insult that the other girls throw at her, but Wildseeds are more powerful than they know. And Hasani will learn that there are ways to use magic and thrive that can never be taught in a classroom.

Marti Dumas taught elementary school literacy for ten years, conducts teacher literacy trainings, and is the author of Jaden Toussaint, the Greatest. She lives in New Orleans with her family.

MIDDLE-GRADE FICTION, KIDS FANTASY, KIDS FICTION ISBN 978-1-4197-5562-0 US $8.99 CAN $11.99 UK £6.99

Atlantis: The Brink of War (Atlantis Book #2)

BY GREGORY MONE

Even an accidental invasion has dire consequences . . . After their daring escape from Atlantis, Lewis, Hanna, and Kaya, their resourceful Atlantean friend, find themselves pulled between two worlds. Trapped on the surface under the watchful eyes of government officials, the three adventurers receive an urgent call to return their stolen warship to Atlantis—or risk starting an all–out war.

Aided by a billionaire with unclear intentions, the trio embarks on an all–new journey through Atlantis, from the sunken underwater world of Evenor to the tunnels below Ridge City. Will they find Lewis’s injured father and return the warship in time? As the shadowy agents known as Erasers work to stop them, Lewis and Kaya begin to question whether they're really on the same side of the potentially devastating fight.

This page–turning, high–stakes sequel to The Accidental Invasion is packed with futuristic technology and pure adrenaline–spiking fun. Bonus content includes science and robotics concepts in the story, and a real scientist's take on the curious biology of mermaids. Two worlds again collide in an unforgettable undersea adventure!

Gregory Mone is the author of several bestselling works of fiction and nonfiction for both children and adults. He is a contributing editor at Popular Science and an award–winning science writer. A graduate of Harvard College, he lives with his family on Martha’s Vineyard.

SELLING POINTS

BESTSELLING AUTHOR: Gregory Mone, the co–author of the Jack and the Geniuses series, blends epic storytelling and scientific expertise, creating a fresh and immersive world.

STRONG SERIES START: Kirkus said of Book #1 (April 2021): “features expeditious pacing, ample secrets, and imaginative science and tech creations that are zippy indeed.”

CLIMATE HOOK: Themes of climate change and ecological disaster interweave the story.

HIT MYTHOLOGY: The popularity of Atlantis continues with the success of stories such as Aquaman, which made over $1 billion at the box office.

POPULAR GENRE: Set in the near future, this sci–fi story has a perfect balance of action and adventure, great for fans of series like Percy Jackson and Mr. Lemoncello’s Library.

SPECIFICATIONS

*304 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

*HEIGHT: 8" - 203mm *Paperback

PUB MONTH: APRIL AGES 8 to 12 MIDDLE-GRADE FICTION, KIDS FANTASY, KIDS ENVIRONMENT ISBN 978-1-4197-3856-2 US $8.99 CAN $11.99 UK £6.99

TALES OF ETERNIA He-Man and the Masters of the Universe: The Hunt for Moss Man (Tales of Eternia Book 1)

BY GREGORY MONE

By the Power of Grayskull . . . I have the Power!

A mysterious toxic gas is spreading across Eternia, ravaging farmlands and endangering citizens. The planet’s only hope lies with Adam, a lost prince with cosmic abilities. When he wields the mystical Sword of Power, he transforms from a scrawny teen into He–Man, the most powerful man in the universe.

With his friends Teela, Cringer, Duncan, and Krass by his side, Adam embarks on a dangerous journey, facing pirates, dragons, and perils at every turn in search of Moss Man, a legendary figure who might hold the key to stopping the devastating stench. Yet the sinister Skeletor and his Dark Masters will stop at nothing to thwart the unlikely heroes. The fate of all Eternia rests with He–Man and his friends.

Mattel is a global learning, development, and play company with a portfolio of iconic consumer brands, including American Girl, Barbie, Fisher–Price, Hot Wheels, and Thomas & Friends. Gregory Mone is the author of several bestselling works of fiction and nonfiction for both children and adults. He is a contributing editor at Popular Science and an award–winning science writer. A graduate of Harvard College, he lives with his family on Martha’s Vineyard.

MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE™ and associated trademarks and trade dress are owned by, and used under license from, Mattel. © 2022 Mattel.

RIGHTS: World/All, excluding Cuba, Iran, Sudan, Syria, North Korea, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, and the Crimea region of Ukraine

SELLING POINTS

HE–MAN AND THE MASTERS OF THE UNIVERSE: Our series is an original middle–grade series that expands upon the world of the new TV show that premieres in the fall. Season 2 premieres March 3, 2022, and 2022 marks the 40th anniversary of He–Man and the Masters of the Universe

MULTIMEDIA FRANCHISE: Mattel’s Masters of the Universe franchise has found fans for more than 35 years with several animated series, two major motion pictures, highly collectible licensed products, and more.

BESTSELLING AUTHOR: Written by Gregory Mone, author of Atlantis: The Accidental Invasion and co–author of the New York Times bestselling Jack and the Geniuses series.

SPECIFICATIONS

*176 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

*HEIGHT: 8" - 203mm *Paperback

PUB MONTH: MAY AGES 8 to 12 MIDDLE-GRADE FICTION

ISBN 978-1-4197-5450-0 US $7.99 CAN $9.99 UK £5.99

BY MARGOT WOOD

Praise for Fresh

“Fun and funny, sexy and sex positive.” —New York Times bestselling author Gayle Forman

“A book I wish had existed when I was a teenager.” —Veronica Roth, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Divergent series

“Bubbles over with irreverence, humor, and heart.” — Danielle Paige, New York Times bestselling author

“Bold, funny, and sex–positive.” —Sara Farizan, author of Tell Me Again How a Crush Should Feel

“I couldn’t stop reading!” —Abigail Hing Wen, New York Times bestselling author of Loveboat, Taipei

“Hilarious, heartfelt, and realistic.” —Buzzfeed

“A laugh–out–loud and vulnerable coming–of–age story.” —The Nerd Daily

SELLING POINTS

AUTHOR PLATFORM: Wood was the founder of Epic Reads, and has a lot of great connections and a solid social media following (more than 12,000 on Twitter, 9,000 on Instagram, and 11,000 subscribers on YouTube).

LIVELY WRITING: Wood has the perfect voice for YA. The story is raunchy, funny, and full of heart.

MODERN YA STORY: The sex–positive, no–holds–barred story fits right into Wood’s brand. The #ownvoices bisexual narrator, voice–y writing, and modern coming–of–age story is perfect for fans of Mary H.K. Choi and Christine Riccio.

MAKE THE CLASSICS

CONTEMPORARY: Inspired by Jane Austen’s Emma, this is a fun and fresh reimagining of a classic.

SPECIFICATIONS

*352 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

8 1/4" - 210mm

Some students enter their freshman year of college knowing exactly what they want to do with their lives. Elliot McHugh is not one of those people. But picking a major is the last thing on Elliot’s mind when she’s too busy experiencing all that college has to offer—from dancing all night at off–campus parties, to testing her RA Rose’s patience, to making new friends, to having the best sex one can have on a twin–sized dorm room bed. But she may not be ready for the fallout when reality hits. When the sex she’s having isn’t that great. When finals creep up and smack her right in the face. Or when her roommate’s boyfriend turns out to be the biggest a–hole. Elliot may make epic mistakes, but if she’s honest with herself (and with you, dear reader), she may just find the person she wants to be. And maybe even fall in love in the process . . . Well, maybe

Margot Wood is the founder of Epic Reads and has worked in marketing for more than a decade at publishing houses both big and small. She is a graduate of Emerson College and once appeared as an extra in the Love, Simon movie. Born and raised in Cincinnati, Wood now lives in Portland, Oregon. You can find her online at margotwood.com.

The Inconceivable Life of Quinn

BY MARIANNA BAER

Now in paperback, a compelling YA story with a magical realism twist about a girl whose pregnancy shocks everyone . . . most of all her

Praise for The Inconceivable Life of Quinn

*“A delicate, complicated, and engrossing exploration of the collision between real life and the inexplicable.” Publishers Weekly, starred review

“Readers on board for something thought–provoking will be hooked.” —Booklist

“The confusion Quinn deals with is well crafted, and the secondary characters offer right insight into the story.” —School Library Connection

SELLING POINTS

GREAT PRAISE: The Inconceivable Life of Quinn earned a starred review from PW, and Booklist said, “readers on board for something thought–provoking will be hooked.”

EXCITING HOOK: The story’s central question—how is Quinn pregnant?—will intrigue readers and keep them turning pages. It’s Jane the Virgin with a hint of magic.

CROSS–PROMOTION: Will publish alongside the hardcover of Wolfwood and include a sample chapter of the new book.

SPECIFICATIONS

*400 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 140mm

*HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm

*Paperback

PUB MONTH: MARCH AGES 13 and up ISBN 978-1-4197-4001-5 US $12.99 CAN $16.99 UK £9.99

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ebook ISBN 978-1-68335-064-4

Quinn Cutler is sixteen, the daughter of a candidate for congress in Brooklyn, and a student at a private school in Park Slope. She’s also pregnant, a situation made infinitely more shocking by the fact that she has no memory of actually having sex. Scared and confused, Quinn struggles to piece together what might have happened: An unlikely accident while she and her boyfriend were fooling around? A rape that she’s repressing from trauma? Before she’s had any revelations, the situation becomes public, putting her most intimate life up for scrutiny and ridicule, and jeopardizing her father’s political career. Religious fanatics begin gathering at the Cutlers’ house, believing she’s pregnant with the next Messiah. As things spiral out of control through a frenzy of brutal online gossip and rumor, the clues that Quinn uncovers reveal more about her childhood and her family than about the pregnancy itself. She starts to realize that much of her life is built on secrets and lies—strange, possibly supernatural ones that her father is desperate to keep concealed. And uncovering the mysterious secrets is the only way she’ll learn the truth about her pregnancy, and the only way she’ll discover why, despite all evidence and logic, a deep down part of her believes the truth isn’t an ugly one. Might she, in fact, be a virgin?

Marianna Baer is the author of The Inconceivable Life of Quinn, which earned a starred review from PW, who called it “a delicate, complicated, and engrossing exploration of the collision between real life and the inexplicable.” She’s a graduate of Vermont College of Fine Arts with an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults. She lives in Brooklyn, New York.

We Used to Be Friends AMY SPALDING

Told in dual timelines—half of the chapters moving forward in time and half moving backwards—The Last Year of James and Kat explores the most traumatic breakup of all: that of childhood besties. At the start of their senior year in high school, James (a girl with a boy’s name) and Kat are inseparable, but by graduation, they’re no longer friends. James prepares to head off to college as she reflects on the dissolution of her friendship with Kat while, in alternating chapters, Kat thinks about being newly in love and having a future that feels wide open. Over the course of senior year, Kat wants nothing more than James to continue to be her steady rock, as James worries that everything she believes about love and her future is a lie when her high–school sweetheart’s parents announce they’re getting a divorce. Funny, honest, and full of heart, The Last Year of James and Kat tells of the pains of growing up and growing apart.

Amy Spalding is the author of several novels for teens, including Kissing Ted Callahan (and Other Guys) and The Summer of Jordi Perez (and the Best Burger in Los Angeles), which earned a starred review from Kirkus. She lives in Los Angeles.

SELLING POINTS

UNIQUE FORM: This innovative story structure will set the story apart from others in the genre— it’s ambitious storytelling, and it works flawlessly.

CONTEMPORARY YA: Funny, heartfelt YA is the backbone of the category, and Spalding’s poignant writing is perfect for fans of Becky Albertalli and Maurene Goo.

EVERGREEN TOPIC: Navigating changing friendships and growing apart from someone are topics that are incredibly relatable to teens.

SPECIFICATIONS

*384 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/2" - 133mm

*HEIGHT: 8 1/4" - 210mm

*Paperback

PUB MONTH: APRIL AGES 14 and up YOUNG ADULT, YOUNG ADULT NOVEL ISBN 978-1-4197-6658-9 US $11.99 CAN $14.99 UK £8.99

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CARTON QTY: 32 ebook ISBN 978-1-68335-645-5

Two best friends grow up—and grow apart—in this innovative contemporary YA novel

From In the Pond • By Will Millard; Illustrated by Rachel Qiuqi

From Manolo and the Unicorn • By Jackie Azúa Kramer and Jonah Kramer; Illustrated by Zach Manbeck

Manolo & the Unicorn

BY JACKIE AZÚA KRAMER AND JONAH KRAMER; ILLUSTRATED BY ZACH MANBECK

RIGHTS: World/All

SELLING POINTS

UNICORNS!: Unicorns are universally loved with a proven track record to boot.

EXTRAORDINARY BOY: This inspiring book reaffirms self–confidence while focusing on the theme of bravely defying gender stereotypes—which is needed now more than ever and is sure to resonate.

MOTHER–SON DREAM TEAM: This picture book is coauthored by a mother–son team, and the story is inspired by the authors’ experiences.

UP–AND–COMING

ILLUSTRATOR: This picture book features gorgeous art by rising industry star, Zach Manbeck.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *40 pages

*WIDTH: 9 1/2" - 241mm

*HEIGHT: 11" - 279mm *Hardcover

To Manolo the world is a magical place—a place where he searches for the most magical creature of all: a unicorn. Manolo loves unicorns. When the Wild Animal Parade is announced at school, and Manolo declares that he will come as his favorite animal, his classmates say there is no such thing as unicorns, making the world feel ordinary. That is, until Manolo meets a real unicorn—wild and graceful—and discovers that the world is truly extraordinary.

Jackie Azúa Kramer is an award–winning children’s book author whose books include Dorothy & Herbert: An Ordinary Couple and Their Extraordinary Collection of Art, published by Cameron Kids. Her hopes are to write stories that reflect who children see in the mirror and what they see out of their windows. She lives with her family in Long Island, New York. Jonah Kramer is a New York City–based actor, singer, dancer, and now children’s book author. He has travelled as a performer both nationally and internationally. He is delighted to coauthor his first book with his amazing mom. Zach Manbeck is a children’s book author and illustrator who loves to create stories that advocate for characters that haven’t yet had a chance to live in books. He lives in Philadelphia.

PUB MONTH: APRIL AGES 5 to 7 PICTURE BOOK, KIDS FANTASY ISBN 978-1-951836-52-8 US $18.99 CAN $23.99 UK £13.99

CARTON QTY: 22 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-955-7

A story about seeing and believing wholeheartedly in the extraordinary— unicorns and oneself

The Flying Horse (Once Upon a Horse #1)

BY SARAH MASLIN NIR; ILLUSTRATED BY LAYLIE FRAZIER

From author of the memoir Horse Crazy, the first in a series of fictional middle–grade novels inspired by real horses and the people who love them

SELLING POINTS

A TRIFECTA!: First title in a series of 3. Book 2 will follow in Fall 23 and feature Cheryl White, the first Black female jockey.

ESTABLISHED AUTHOR: This series is written by a respected, Pulitzer Prize–nominated New York Times reporter, author, and equestrian.

HORSE POWER: Horse lovers are everywhere, so this book is perfect for actual and aspirational horse lovers.

DESIGN–FORWARD: Modern paper–over–board packaging and spot gloss combine with bold color blocking to enhance up–and–coming artist Laylie Frazier’s intricate work.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Black-and-white spot art throughout *192 pages

*WIDTH: 5 1/4" - 133mm

Trendsetter is a horse destined to fly—in more ways than one. Sarah is a horse–loving seventh grader who has a secret and a fear of losing the one thing she loves most in the world. Separated by an ocean, a horse and a girl’s parallel struggles to be their best include lots of luck and grit, some stubbornness, and a few failures. It is only when they find each other that the two kindred spirits find themselves. Together they learn that what’s important in life isn’t greatness—it’s being great at being you. Inspired by a real horse and a real girl, The Flying Horse will make horse–lovers’ hearts soar.

Sarah Maslin Nir is a Pulitzer Prize–nominated New York Times reporter and the author of Horse Crazy: The Story of a Woman and a World in Love with an Animal. This is her first book with Cameron Kids. Laylie Frazier is a fine artist and illustrator inspired by the natural world. And while she doesn’t ride horses, she loves to illustrate them. Frazier lives in Houston, Texas.

*HEIGHT: 7 1/4" - 184mm *Hardcover POB PUB MONTH: MARCH AGES 8 to 12

MIDDLE-GRADE FICTION, KIDS SERIES ISBN 978-1-951836-67-2 US $16.99 CAN $21.99 UK £11.99 ËxHSLJPBy836672z

CARTON QTY: 36 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-953-3

Chef Edna

QUEEN OF SOUTHERN COOKING, EDNA LEWIS

BY MELVINA NOEL; ILLUSTRATED BY COZBI A. CABRERA

Edna loved to cook. Growing up on a farm in Freetown, Virginia, she learned the value of fresh, local, seasonal food from her Mama Daisy, how to measure ingredients for biscuits using coins, and to listen closely to her cakes to know when they were done. Edna carried these traditions with her all the way to New York, where she became a celebrated chef, who could even turn traditional French food into her signature Southern style. The author of several cookbooks and the recipient of numerous awards, Chef Edna introduced the world to the flavors of her home.

Melvina Noel loves to write and to bake cakes. Thanks to Edna, she listens to her cakes to tell her when they are done. Noel lives in Virginia. This is her debut picture book. Cozbi A. Cabrera is an award–winning illustrator whose gorgeous books–including Exquisite: The Poetry and Life of Gwendolyn Brooks, published by Abrams–have garnered a Coretta Scott King Honor as well as a Caldecott Honor for illustration. She lives in Illinois.

RIGHTS: World/All

SELLING POINTS

AWARD–WINNING

ILLUSTRATOR: Cabrera is an award–winning illustrator whose gorgeous books have garnered a Coretta Scott King Honor as well as a Caldecott Honor for illustration.

BELOVED FIGURE: Chef Edna Lewis is an African American culinary legend who learned to love to cook as a child in the South.

EDUCATIONAL: Fascinating back matter provides readers with additional information about Lewis’s life.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *32 pages

*WIDTH: 9 3/4" - 248mm

*HEIGHT: 11" - 279mm

*Hardcover with jacket PUB MONTH: APRIL AGES 4 to 8

KIDS AFRICAN AMERICAN HISTORY & CULTURE, PICTURE BOOK, FOOD & DRINK ISBN 978-1-951836-39-9 US $18.99 CAN $23.99 UK £13.99

CARTON QTY: 20 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-789-8

A warm and inviting picture–book portrait of African American culinary legend Edna Lewis, who brought Southern cooking to the masses

Starflower

TEXT BY J. M. FARKAS AND EMILY VIZZO; ILLUSTRATIONS BY JASMIN DWYER

Good things come in threes, like peas like wishes like sisters.

Vincent—American poet Edna St. Vincent Millay—began writing and publishing poetry as a child. She grew up in coastal Maine with her two sisters and plenty of books, music, and nature, but often without parents— her father left home when they were young, and her mother, a nurse, traveled for months at a time to support them. Vincent and her two sisters often had to fiercely fend for themselves, from the daily to–do lists of keeping house, through bitterly cold winters and blight, which proved to be good fodder for indoor and outdoor adventures alike—and for poetry. Gorgeously illustrated by Jasmin Dwyer, Starflower is a poetic picture book biography as fiery and unconventional as Vincent herself.

J.M. Farkas is a poet and an author whose books include Mermaid: Or How to Find Love Underwater, a blackout poetry version of Hans Christian Andersen’s “The Little Mermaid,” published by Cameron Kids. She lives in New York. Emily Vizzo is a published author and educator whose work has been featured in the Los Angeles Times, North American Review, and Blackbird, among many others. This is her first book with Cameron Kids. Jasmin Dwyer is a fine artist and illustrator originally from Australia. She currently lives in London. This is her debut picture book.

SELLING POINTS

PROVEN SPACE: Picture book biographies continue to resonate with the market and boast both trade and institutional success.

CELEBRATED FEMALE POET: Written by two female poets, Starflower explores the early life and inspirations of one of America’s greatest poets, Pulitzer Prize–winning Edna St. Vincent Millay.

SISTERLY LOVE: Though “new sibling” stories are familiar, there aren’t many picture books that delve into sibling dynamics beyond that, and fewer still that show the love between sisters.

INFORMATIVE BACKMATTER: This book includes a short biography and photographs of the poet along with some of her beloved poems.

BREATHTAKING

ILLUSTRATIONS: Gorgeous illustrations by picture book newcomer and rising industry star Jasmin Dwyer build on the book’s message of creativity and love.

9 1/2" - 241mm

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BY LINDA ÓLAFSDÓTTIR

Vera and Mamma are headed out for a march, but it’s not just any march: It’s October 24 in Reykjavík, and on this day in 1975, the women of Iceland took the day off, walked out of their homes and away from their jobs—as farmworkers, butchers, and fisherwomen; wives, daughters, and children— and marched to demand equality and change, chanting: “I dare! I can! I will!” And they did, inspiring and empowering girls and women to make change, not just in their country, but all around the world.

Linda Ólafsdóttir is an award–winning Icelandic children’s book author and illustrator. Her books include Play?, published by Cameron Kids. She lives in Reykjavík with her husband and two children.

SELLING POINTS

FEMINIST HISTORY: This rousing historical picture book uses the October 25, 1975, Icelandic Women’s Day Off to inspire readers to change the world one step at a time, continuing the movement of publishing activism–related books for young readers.

MULTIGENERATIONAL ACTIVISM: This accessible story of multiple generations of women in a family marching for their belief in equality will engage and inspire kids and adults, alike.

FIRSTHAND ACCOUNT: The author’s mother–in–law marched in the Women’s Day Off—making this story even more meaningful and personal.

PROMOTIONAL

OPPORTUNITIES: This book will be published in time for Women’s History Month.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *40 pages

*WIDTH: 10 1/2" - 267mm

*HEIGHT: 8 1/2" - 216mm

*Hardcover with jacket

PUB MONTH: MARCH AGES 6 to 9

PICTURE BOOK, KIDS WOMEN’S HISTORY, KIDS NONFICTION ISBN 978-1-951836-90-0 US $18.99 CAN $23.99 UK £13.99

Pigs Can't Look Up

BY VINCENT D'ONOFRIO; ILLUSTRATED BY SHELLY CUNNINGHAM

Based on the viral tweet from actor Vincent D’Onofrio comes a heartwarming story about a girl, a pig, and a radical act of kindness that will lift even the heaviest of hearts

SELLING POINTS

TWEET–WORTHY: “Pigs Can’t Look Up” was originally a tweet by actor Vincent D’Onofrio that quickly went viral—the 2019 tweet has racked up over 150,000 engagements to date.

STRONG FOLLOWING: D’Onofrio has a strong following across his social media (Twitter: 462,000; Instagram: 228,000).

TIMELY TOPIC: As recent bestseller lists prove, kindness is a topic that never goes out of style! Pigs Can’t Look Up is a heartwarming, beautiful story about how one act of compassion can make a world of a difference.

HEARTWARMING FRIENDSHIP: This book highlights the healing nature of caring for animals—and interspecies friendship!

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *32 pages

*WIDTH: 9 1/2" - 241mm

*HEIGHT: 11" - 279mm

*Hardcover with jacket

In this spare picture book, a little girl forges a bond with a pig on her farm, taking note of the unfair truth that because their bodies evolved to forage for food on the ground, pigs can’t look up. Inspired by empathy, the little girl determines and plots to hoist the pig up to see the stars, and in doing so, sees herself. Originally written as a tweet by actor Vincent D’Onofrio, the limited and poetic text morphs into a beautiful story of friendship and kindness in this bold and graphic picture book.

Vincent D’Onofrio is a world–renowned actor, producer, writer, and director whose credits include Full Metal Jacket, Jurassic World, and Law & Order: Criminal Intent. He won a Saturn Award for his role in Men in Black and is the author of Mutha: Stuff and Things, published by Cameron Books. He lives in New York City. Shelly Cunningham is a mixed–media artist. This is her debut picture book. She lives in Portland, Oregon.

PUB MONTH: MAY AGES 6 to 9 PICTURE BOOK

Bark Ship Bonnie

BY STEPHANIE STAIB; ILLUSTRATED BY FIONA LEE

SELLING POINTS

GIRL POWER: Bark Ship Bonnie riffs on the popular theme of stories revolving around strong, resourceful, and independent girls—seafaring or land–loving girls alike.

HUMAN’S BEST FRIEND: Dog books are a perennial favorite that boast a proven track record with consumers.

SEASONAL SALES: With its oceanic setting, this adventurous sailing story is sure to fit the sensibilities of summertime reading lists.

SHIP–SHAPE FACTS: Complete with a punny title that plays with the term for a real type of ship, a bark, this story is chock–full of real sailing terms defined in a glossary and includes diagram of a real bark ship.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *32 pages

*WIDTH: 8 1/2" - 216mm

*HEIGHT: 10 1/2" - 267mm

*Hardcover with jacket

Bonnie lass, bark sailor on a bark ship cast off, set sail, chase sea tales, befriend whales, scope islands, outwit squalls, and make it home in time to slip back into the slip and sleep, in this delightfully salty tale of a girl, her dog, and a boat.

Debut picture book author Stephanie Staib is an avid boater who lives with her family in Milton, Delaware, a 19th–century shipbuilding community known for its multimasted schooners. Fiona Lee is an illustrator who lives and works on her family’s farm in Vermont. Her books include Eat Your Peas, Julius!, published by Cameron Kids.

Animals in Pants

BY SUZY LEVINSON; ILLUSTRATED BY KRISTEN AND KEVIN HOWDESHELL

An irreverently illustrated picture book of simple and silly poems featuring all kinds of animals wearing all kinds of pants

SELLING POINTS

PUNNY POETRY: This hilarious poetry picture book is guaranteed to make young readers laugh out loud.

ANIMAL APPEAL: Animals are a perennial favorite for this age group—and to top it off, they’re all wearing different kinds of funky pants.

TALENTED TEAM: Animals in Pants features fun, irreverent art by well–established husband–and–wife team Kevin and Kristen Howdeshell, the illustrators of Cameron Kids’ The Poet of Piney Woods

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *32 pages

*WIDTH: 8" - 203mm

*HEIGHT: 10 3/4" - 273mm

*Hardcover with jacket PUB MONTH: APRIL AGES 5 to 7

What? You’ve never seen animals in pants? A dog in yoga pants, a goat in overalls, a yak in slacks? Animals in Pants presents a parade of impeccable poems about animals wearing perfectly pressed pants.

Suzy Levinson is a writer and poet whose work has been published in numerous poetry anthologies and children’s magazines. Animals in Pants is her debut picture book. She lives in New York. Kristen and Kevin Howdeshell are a husband–and–wife illustration team whose books include The Poet Wolf of Piney Woods, published by Cameron Kids. They live in Kansas City, Missouri.

PICTURE BOOK, POETRY, KIDS NATURE & ENVIRONMENT ISBN 978-1-951836-62-7 US $17.99 CAN $22.99 UK £12.99 ËxHSLJPBy836627z

CARTON QTY: 22 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-950-2

Once There Was

BY CORINNE DEMAS; ILLUSTRATED BY GEMMA CAPDEVILA

In this magical, modern fairy tale, a girl dreams she is a princess. A princess dreams she is a horse. A horse dreams she is a tree, a tree a mountain, a mountain a moon, a moon a sea, a sea a girl.

Corinne Demas is the author of two collections of short stories, five novels, a memoir, a collection of poetry, two plays, and numerous books for children, including The Perfect Tree, published by Cameron Kids. She lives with her family in western Massachusetts. Gemma Capdevila is a fine artist and illustrator. Her magical work is inspired by the natural world, the ocean, and the forest. She lives in Barcelona.

HEARTWARMING MESSAGE: Once There Was encourages readers to look within and realize that who they are and what they have is just right.

TIMELY TOPIC: This contemplative book plays on timely themes of aspiration and self–reflection, but the room for interpretation gives the potential for this book to become a timeless classic.

ESTABLISHED ARTIST: Once There Was showcases gorgeous, whimsical illustrations from a well–established illustrator with a significant following (over 66,000 on Instagram).

SELLING POINTS SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *32 pages

*WIDTH: 8" - 203mm

*HEIGHT: 10" - 254mm

*Hardcover with jacket

PUB MONTH: MAY AGES 5 to 7 PICTURE BOOK ISBN 978-1-951836-65-8 US $17.99 CAN $22.99 UK £12.99

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CARTON QTY: 22 ebook ISBN 978-1-64700-957-1

A simple, modern fable about dreaming of being something else, transformations, and the interconnectedness of all things

BY LANGSTON HUGHES; ILLUSTRATED BY TEQUITIA ANDREWS

In this illustrated adaptation of a beloved Langston Hughes poem, a child delights as the world around him awakens from winter and comes to life with the long–awaited arrival of spring and new beginnings of all kinds.

Langston Hughes (1901–1967) was an American poet, writer, columnist, civil rights activist, and one of the leaders of the Harlem Renaissance. Tequitia Andrews is an artist and illustrator from Richmond, Virginia. Her illustrations have been included in Good Night Stories for Rebel Girls: 100 Real–Life Tales of Black Girl Magic and numerous YA novel covers. This will be her first full–length picture book and her first book with Cameron Kids.

POETRY PRIMER: Serves as an accessible introduction to poetry for even the youngest readers.

TIMELY SPACE: With a resurgence of interest in poetry, exemplified by poets like Amanda Gorman quickly gaining national notoriety, this is a timely publication.

STAND–OUT SUBJECT: Langston Hughes is an incredibly beloved American poet, essayist, and playwright. He was one of the most visible and prolific leaders of the Harlem Renaissance—and this book answers the call for more titles about people of color in the arts.

POETIC CONTEXT: The backmatter includes a biography and photo of the poet, info about the poem, and resources to learn more about both Langston Hughes and writing poetry.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *24 pages

*WIDTH: 8" - 203mm

*HEIGHT: 8" - 203mm

*Hardcover with jacket

MONTH: APRIL AGES 3 to 5

Boats on the Bay

BY JEANNE WALKER HARVEY; ILLUSTRATED BY GRADY MCFERRIN

Originally published as a picture book, this board book edition features boats found on a busy bay, buoyed by simple, spare, and lyrical text.

Jeanne Walker Harvey is the award–winning author of several picture books, including Ablaze with Color: A Story of Painter Alma Thomas, Maya Lin, Artist–Architect of Light and Lines; My Hands Sing the Blues, and Romare Bearden’s Childhood Journey Grady McFerrin is an illustrator, designer, and hand–letterer who lives in Los Angeles with his family. His work has been featured in magazines, children’s books, gift/novelty titles, advertisements and music posters, and recognized by the AIGA, Communication Arts, the Society of Illustrators, Print Magazine, and American Illustration.

SELLING POINTS

AWARD–WINNING

AUTHOR: Jeanne Walker Harvey is the author of many successful children’s books with a proven track record.

IN–DEMAND

ILLUSTRATOR: Boats on the Bay was Grady McFerrin’s first book for children, and he’s well–known for his work with the New York Times and the New Yorker, as well as for his book covers, concert posters, and more.

UNIVERSALLY APPEALING

SETTING: Though inspired by San Francisco, the book’s setting is appealing to anyone who loves boats and being on the water.

PERENNIAL CHILDREN’S

FAVORITE: Boats are a much–loved subject with this age group.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *24 pages

*WIDTH: 7 1/4" - 184mm

*HEIGHT: 5 3/4" - 146mm *Board Book

PUB MONTH: APRIL AGES up to 4 PICTURE BOOK, TRAVEL ISBN 978-1-949480-30-6 US $9.99 CAN $12.99 UK £6.99

CARTON QTY: 48 ebook ISBN 979-8-88707-061-2

From Fadya and the Song of the River (Tate Children’s) • By Laura Nsafou; Illustrations by Amélie-Anne Calmo

BY DAVIDE CALI, ILLUSTRATED BY SÉBASTIEN MOURRAIN

Little Pea was born tiny, but with big aspirations. As he grows up, he loves to climb, explore, swim, daydream—just like any other kid his age. But when Little Pea starts school, the realization of how small he is sets in. Suddenly, he’s too small to sit at his desk, play the flute, or even join classmates at recess. What will become of Little Pea?

Internationally renowned author Davide Cali is a Swiss–born Italian writer of picture books and graphic novels primarily for children and young adults. His work has been published in 25 countries and translated into many languages. Cali is a recipient of numerous awards, including the BolognaRagazzi Award in the special category, Switzerland’s Prix Enfantaisie, and Belgium’s Libbylit Award. He lives in Italy. Sébastien Mourrain is the illustrator of over 40 picture books and documentaries published by Éditions Gallimard, Éditions du Seuil, Bayard & Milan, among others. He lives in Lyon, France.

FINDING YOUR LIGHT: Inspires young readers by showing that pursuing a passion can bring joy and give meaning to one’s life.

PROMOTES UNIQUENESS: Educators and parents alike can use this tale to reinforce notions of self–acceptance, individuality, and creativity.

BIG LITTLE WORLD: Little Pea’s miniature world, brought to life through Mourrain’s whimsical images, will captivate its young readers.

LITTLE PEA’S DEBUT: The one that started it all—Cali and Mourrain’s debut installment in the popular Little Pea series, which has spawned two sequels.

REISSUE REIMAGINED: This reissue of Little Pea is presented in an all–new format and features a cloth spine.

SOCIAL MEDIA HIT: Cali has more than 11,000 followers on Facebook and 4,500 on Instagram.

The Art of Rewilding

THE RETURN OF YELLOWSTONE’S WOLVES

WRITTEN BY NADJA BELHADJ; ILLUSTRATED BY MARC MAJEWSKI

Alongside breathtaking artwork by artist Marc Majewski, Nadja Belhadj delivers her unique perspective on the rewilding of wolves in Yellowstone Park

RIGHTS: World English

SELLING POINTS

ACCORDION FORMAT: Beautifully hardcover that folds out into a panorama.

ENGAGING AND ARTISTIC: One side of the book displays a beautifully painted panorama of the evolving ecosystem; the back side features an engaging informational text about the reintroduction of wolves and its positive ecological impact.

CONSERVATION TRUE STORY: An excellent nonfiction book for schools that explores habitats, ecology, and conservation issues.

STRONG FOLLOWING: Majewski has more than 83,000 followers on Instagram.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *44 pages

*WIDTH: 8" - mm

*HEIGHT: 12" - mm *Hardcover

PUB MONTH: MAY AGES 5 to 9 PICTURE BOOK

In 1930, when wolves disappeared from Yellowstone Park, the ecosystem started to collapse. With no wolves, the elk population exploded, directly contributing to overgrazing of young trees and cottonwood plants. This, in turn, led to a decline in songbirds and beavers, the latter of whom rely on willows in winter. As beavers declined in numbers, the lack of damming and shade meant water temperatures rose, and certain cold–water fish could no longer survive in Yellowstone. The missing link in the ecosystem was clear. So 65 years later, after the last known wolfpack had been exterminated from the area, wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone in 1995. This hardcover accordion book tells two sides to their story.

Marc Majewski is a French author and illustrator based in Berlin. As a child, Majewski discovered a passion for drawing and painting through the works of Gustave Doré, Maurice Sendak, Quint Buchholz, and Symbolist painters. After obtaining a degree in literature and arts, he studied illustration and painting for two years. Majewski’s first book, Un Beau Voyage, was published in 2016. Majewski is passionate about the environment and loves painting landscapes and scenes from the natural world. Nadja Belhadj is a children's book author, editor, and translator–and believer in the power of words. She currently resides in Paris with her young daughter.

ISBN 978-1-990252-19-8 US $19.99 CAN $24.99 UK £13.99 ËxHSLJTAy252198z

Many moons ago, in a tiny, thatched cottage at the edge of the woods, lived two children named Isaura and Arlo with their hedgehog, Crispin. When their beloved pet becomes ill, Isaura suggests that they seek the magical healing power of gnomes. Convinced this will heal it, the children set off into the woods with humble offerings, hoping to attract the gnomes. The trick does not seem to work, however, and gnomes are nowhere to be seen despite the children’s good intentions. Isaura and Arlo will have to remain hopeful and wish for a magical solution!

Mireille Messier is a children’s author with a background in theater and broadcasting. She has published more than 30 picture and chapter books. When she’s not writing, Messier works in children’s television as a scriptwriter for various programs. Born in Montréal, she now lives in Toronto with her family. Charlotte Parent is a freelance illustrator and comic artist based in Montréal. She holds a BFA from Concordia University, where she specialized in drawing. She also has a MA in conservation and works as an archaeological and world cultures conservator.movers

SELLING POINTS

HEARTWARMING

CHARACTERS: Readers will be touched by Isaura and Arlo’s dedication to their beloved hedgehog and their resourcefulness in finding a solution to heal it.

STRONG MORAL STORY: This tale shows us the power of determination and how perseverance is rewarded.

RICH STORYTELLING: A powerfully narrated story inspired by folktales with a surprising plot twist.

VIVID ILLUSTRATIONS: Parent’s illustrations lend warmth and vibrancy to this timeless story.

A TRIBUTE TO A CLASSIC: An homage to Gnomes by Wil Huygen and Rien Poortvliet (1977).

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *48 pages

*WIDTH: 9" - mm

*HEIGHT: 11 1/2" - mm

*Hardcover, Jacketed, Picture PUB MONTH: MAY AGES 4 to 7 PICTURE BOOK ISBN 978-1-990252-21-1

WRITTEN BY MIREILLE MESSIER; ILLUSTRATED BY CHARLOTTE PARENT

A heartwarming tale about devotion and generosity for all lovers of gnomes and whimsical forest creatures

WRITTEN BY CÉLINE CLAIRE; ILLUSTRATED BY THOMAS BAAS

SELLING POINTS

A RIVETING BOOK: Claire’s powerfully written story and Baas’s compelling illustrations will hook young readers.

LAUGH–OUT–LOUD READ: The expressive characters, repetitive patterns, and illustrations packed with funny details make for an engaging read.

ADVERTISING PASTICHE: The story is a pastiche of a ’50s–inspired television ad, which sets the tone for the picture book.

HIGH–END FABRICATION: The book will be printed in five Pantone colors.

STRONG FOLLOWING: Baas has more than 12,600 followers on Instagram.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *54 pages

*WIDTH: 9" - 229mm

*HEIGHT: 12" - 305mm *Hardcover

PUB MONTH: MARCH AGES 4 to 7

PICTURE BOOK

ISBN 978-1-990252-20-4 US $18.99 CAN $23.99 UK £13.99

The Movers, a friendly moving company operated by Uncle Charles and Theo, is well known for its efficient, error–free service. One day, as the pair get ready to start their delivery route, the two load parcels to be delivered into their truck—including one particularly large box. As they're driving, a gorilla suddenly emerges from the box and starts making a total mess of the other parcels! How will the pair keep their promise of delivering all of that day's packages— and, more importantly, will The Movers manage to deliver their new friend?

Céline Claire is the author of many books published for children and young readers. Formerly a schoolteacher, she is well known for her quirky and unexpected stories that both parents and children love to share. She now resides in a small village in northeastern France with her family. Thomas Baas has illustrated dozens of picture books for children. Born in Strasbourg, where he studied under the French children’s book illustrator Claude Lapointe at L’École supérieure des arts décoratifs, his style is characterized by humor and softness, with a retro feel. His illustrations and visual art have been featured in numerous ad campaigns and featured at the Musée des arts Décoratifs de Paris.

A hilarious and lively story about dealing with unexpected situations and making new friends along the way!

Are You There, Bigfoot?

BY ANDREA FAROTTO; ILLUSTRATED BY MARTINA TONELLO

SELLING POINTS

RENEWED CAMARADERIE: Bill, Jyn, Will, Liz, and their dog sidekick, Cheesecake, are back in Farotto and Tonello’s highly anticipated sequel to The Rainbow Hunters.

NEW ADVENTURE: This story encourages children to have confidence in taking the unexpected paths that any journey can present.

UNREAL STORY: The foursome’s simple camping trip takes an imaginative turn that will pique young readers’ curiosities about mythical creatures.

SOCIAL MEDIA FOLLOWING:

Illustrator Martina Tonello has nearly 3,400 followers on Instagram.

SPECIFICATIONS

*Full-color illustrations throughout *44 pages

*WIDTH: 9" - 229mm

*HEIGHT: 11 1/2" - 292mm

Back together for another adventure, our four very determined friends—Bill, Jyn, Will, and Liz—and their dog, Cheescake, embark one day on a not–so–typical camping trip in search of the mythical creature known as Bigfoot. As the kids search the forest and around the lake, Cheesecake follows the scent of his own trail—one that leads straight to a family of Bigfoots. When the foursome notice Cheesecake has left, they immediately reset their mission to go search for their dog instead. Along the way, the kids learn that, no matter where we go, there are exciting discoveries to be made and wonderful things that surround us—even when we're not looking for them!

Andrea Farotto is a petroleum engineer who, when not at his day job, writes playful stories meant to boost children’s creativity. Born in Chirundu, Zambia, to Italian parents, his love of traveling the world, discovering new places, and embracing different cultures has been with him since day one. Becoming a father has since rekindled his desire to fulfill his childhood dreams. He currently lives in London. Martina Tonello is an illustrator and an apprentice carpenter who has worked with several Italian publishing houses, such as Electa Kids, Piemme, and Editoriale Scienza. She currently resides in Bologna, Italy, where she spends her time crafting stories and hosting workshops for children.

*Hardcover, Jacketed, Picture PUB MONTH: MARCH AGES 3 to 7

PICTURE BOOK

ISBN 978-1-990252-22-8 US $17.99 CAN $22.99 UK £12.99

Destiny Grimoire Anthology, Volume V

Destiny Grimoire Anthology, Volume V: Legions Adrift is a curated look at the history of one of humanity’s greatest enemies, and now perhaps, potential allies: the Cabal. These stories follow an ancient empire through a time of great change—from the hedonism of Emperor Calus to the ambition of Dominus Ghaul to the vision of Empress Caiatl. What does it mean to be Cabal—to eat the mountains and drink the seas? And with their homeworld lost, what will the Cabal become?

Includes download code printed on card for exclusive Destiny 2 in–game emblem

Bungie, Inc. is an American video game developer based in Bellevue, Washington. Established in 1991, they have developed the hit games, Destiny, Halo, Myth, and Destiny.

RIGHTS: World/All, excluding UK and ANZ

SELLING POINTS

HUGE FAN BASE: More than 167 million Guardians have joined the ranks within the Destiny universe. Destiny 2 has a large and very engaged fan base who are eagerly anticipating what’s next with the franchise.

CONTINUED DEMAND: Since the first game in the franchise launched in 2014, more than 9 billion hours have been spent to date by Guardians exploring Destiny’s worlds through the core game’s free entry point and many popular expansions.

AWARD–WINNING BRAND : Destiny was GamesRadar's 2014 Game of the Year and it received the BAFTA Award for Best Game at the 2014 British Academy Video Games Awards. More than 500 awards won over life of game.

STRONGER THAN EVER: More than ONE MILLION Destiny players pre–ordered Destiny 2: The Witch Queen, making it the most pre–ordered expansion in Destiny 2 history.

- 203mm *HEIGHT: 10" - 254mm *Hardcover PUB MONTH: MARCH SCIENCE FICTION & FANTASY ISBN 978-1-957721-09-5 US $24.99 CAN $31.99

Inspiring Chocolate

TEXT BY CLAIRE PICHON, PHOTOGRAPHY BY MATTHIEU CELLARD

Since the opening of its first shop in 1882, Maison Weiss has mastered chocolate making, including learning the skills to select the best beans, mix cocoa from various regions, and design the taste of great chocolate. This abundantly illustrated book takes us through the wings and lobbies of this historic landmark in French master chocolatiers, introduces us to its bold and visionary founder, Eugene Weiss, and shares each step of the chocolate–making process. Some of the world’s greatest pastry chefs inspired by Maison Weiss also share their own personal visions of the beloved confectionary with more than 40 gourmet recipes for chocolate lovers at home.

Executive editor of the magazines Fou de Pâtisserie and Fou de Cuisine, Claire Pichon is a food critic, journalist, and author of several books. A former blogger (La Plus Petite Cuisine du Monde [the World’s Tiniest Kitchen], still accessible today, but no longer updated), she is very active on social media. A food photographer from Lyon, Matthieu Cellard has a very recognizable touch. When he is not on photo shoots for regional or specialized magazines, he covers assignments for famous clients such as Le 1920 in Megève, Cyril Lignac’s Le Quinzième, and Le Pur in the Park Hyatt Vendôme hotel in Paris.

SELLING POINTS

ACCLAIMED AUTHOR: Journalist Claire Pichon is well known in the world of fine pastry.

HISTORICAL EXCELLENCE: Maison Weiss has been an inspirational institution in the chocolatier industry for more than 140 years.

TIMELY: The chocolatier will be celebrating a major anniversary and related marketing and promotion will tie into the book’s publication.

GOURMET RECIPES: Includes more than 40 recipes from major pastry chefs.

SPECIFICATIONS

*150 color illustrations

*192 pages

*WIDTH: 8 3/4" - 222mm

*HEIGHT: 11 1/4" - 286mm

*Hardcover

PUB MONTH: APRIL FOOD & DRINK

ISBN 978-1-4197-6748-7

US $35.00 CAN $44.00 UK £25.00

Front

Back

Meal Prep Magic Colin Price

Veloce Steven Rothfield

Pasta

In Praise of Home Cooking Chaunté Vaughn

Video Game of the Year Jordan Minor photo: Romary Santana Burnt Clare Frank photo © Cynthia Smalley Photography

The Extincts: Flight of the Mammoth Scott Magoon photo: Daniel Magoon

Aaron Slater and the Sneaky Snake Andrea Beaty photo: Sirk Productions; David Roberts photo: L. Roberts-Maloney

Bug Bonanza Andrea Beaty photo: Sirk Productions; Theanne Griffith photo: Chris Lo Bue Photography

Marya Khan and the Fabulous Jasmine Garden Saadia Faruqi photo: QZB Photography

Grounded S. K. Ali photo: Andrea Stenson; Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow photo: Michael Gray; Huda Al-Marashi photo: Greg Cali, The Cali Life Photography

Charmed Life (Wildseed Witch Book 2 ) Marti Dumas photo: Clifton Faust

The Museum of Lost and Found Leila Salas photo: Jörg Meyer

That Self-Same Metal Brittany N. Williams photo: Jessica Osber Photography

No Boy Summer Amy Spalding photo: Robyn Von Swank

Marya Khan and the Incredible Henna Party Saadia Faruqi photo: QZB Photography

Madison Morris Is Not a Mouse Kathryn Holmes photo: Justin Marshall

Wildseed Witch (Book 1) Marti Dumas photo: Clifton Faust Campaign Leila Salas photo: Jörg Meyer

We Used to Be Friends Amy Spalding photo: Robyn Von Swank

CREDITS

Abrams®, Abrams Press®, Abrams Image®, Abrams ComicArts®, Abrams Appleseed®, Amulet®, and Amulet Paperbacks®, are registered trademarks of Harry N. Abrams, Inc.

cover From Book of Earth by Heidi Gustafson; Photograph by Brendan Pattengale

cover From My Powerful Hair by Carole Lindstrom; Illustrated by Steph Littlebird

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