2014 Books by Austinites [Updated 9/21/14]

This is a preview of books by Austin authors and illustrators tentatively scheduled for release in 2014.  Note that titles and release dates may be subject to change.

Picture Books

GRANDFATHER GANDHI, by Bethany Hegedus and Arun Gandhi, ill. by Evan Turk (Atheneum/Simon & Schuster, Spring 2014).

THE GOOD-PIE PARTY, by Liz Garton Scanlon, ill. by Kady McDonald Denton (Arthur A. Levine Books/Scholastic 2014).

THANK YOU, GARDEN, by Liz Garton Scanlon, ill tbd (Beach Lane Books/S&S 2014).

I PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE, by Pat Mora and Libby Martinez, ill. by Patrice Barton (Knopf/Random House 2014).

ATTACK! BOSS! CHEAT CODE! A GAMER'S ALPHABET, by Chris Barton, ill. by Joey Spiotto (POW! 2014).

LITTLE OWL'S DAY, by Divya Srinivasan (Viking, 2014).

Middle Grade/Tween

LITTLE GREEN MEN AT THE MERCURY INN, by Greg Leitich Smith (Roaring Brook Press/Macmillan, Spring 2014).

NIGHTINGALE'S NEST, by Nikki Loftin (Razorbill/Penguin 2014)

TUT, by P.J. Hoover (Tor/Macmillan, Spring 2014).

THE GREAT GREENE HEIST, by Varian Johnson (Arthur Levine Books/Scholastic 2014).

POETRY BANDIT, by K.A. Holt (Chronicle, Fall 2014).

THE CABINET OF CURIOSITIES, by Katherine Catmull, et al. (Greenwillow, Summer 2014).

REVENGE OF THE FLOWER GIRLS, by Jennifer Ziegler (Scholastic, 2014).

HEAP HOUSE, by Edward Carey (Overlook Press 2014).

Young Adult

FERAL CURSE, by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Candlewick 2014).

EVIDENCE OF THINGS NOT SEEN, by Lindsey Lane (FSG, Fall 2014).

UNMADE, by Amy Rose Capetta (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, October 2014).

SHATTERED, by Mari Mancusi (Sourcebooks Fire, Fall 2014).

CHRONAL ENGINE research, Paradise, Zombies, and More

A post I did for the ALSC Blog on research for CHRONAL ENGINE, titled "It Started with a Picture Book," is now online!

A couple weeks ago, Publishing Perspectives had a nice article about the Austin YA scene, titled "Is Austin, Texas Paradise for YA Authors?"  Check it out here.

Author K.A. Holt (BRAINS FOR LUNCH and MIKE STELLAR) has a "how to dress up as a zombie" post here.

Author Bethany Hegedus (TRUTH WITH A CAPITAL T) has a post on meeting Gandhi's grandson, and author Liz Garton Scanlon (ALL THE WORLD) has a post about being the author of a Caldecott Honor Book.

Holiday Tree Lighting and Author Signing at LBJ State Park! Join Cynthia Leitich Smith for the tree lighting ceremony at LBJ State Park from 4:30 p.m. Dec. 18. Cynthia will be signing Holler Loudly, illustrated by Barry Gott (Dutton, 2010). Lucy Johnson will be speaking briefly at the event, and Santa may make an appearance, too. See more information.

BRAINS FOR LUNCH: A ZOMBIE NOVEL IN HAIKU

BRAINS FOR LUNCH: A ZOMBIE NOVEL IN HAIKU, by K.A. Holt (Roaring Brook 2010). In the fanciful world of BRAINS FOR LUNCH, zombies, chupacabras, and humans (lifers) all go to the same school, but they stay pretty much to themselves. So it's a shock when Loeb, a zombie, finds himself attracted to Siobhan, a lifer. Can true love overcome zombification and incompatible eating habits?

BRAINS FOR LUNCH is whimsical and bizarrely entertaining. Drawings by Gahan Wilson complement the text with just the right touch of funny gross-ness. And, the fact that it's entirely in haiku adds a charmingly surreal quality to the whole thing.

MIKE STELLAR: NERVES OF STEEL

MIKE STELLAR: NERVES OF STEEL, by K.A. Holt (Random House 2009)(ages 8+). Some time in the future, Mike Stellar gets the unwelcome news that his family is moving to Mars. Tomorrow. On only the second Mars mission, after the first failed (and which his parents might've been responsible for). About the only good part is that he'll be leaving his hated teacher, Mrs. Halebopp, behind.

Once on board the Sojourner, Mike meets an odd girl, Larc, his parents' weird assistant, aka, Mr. Honey Bear, and discovers that Mrs. Halebopp is there, too! Throw in a conspiracy to sabotage the mission, and Mike will truly need nerves of steel to get to the bottom of it all.

MIKE STELLAR is a clever and fun middle grade adventure, both funny and action-packed. Altogether, an excellent debut novel.