2018 Releases by Austin Authors and Illustrators

It's the eve of the Texas Book Festival so make sure you check out the festivities on the Capitol grounds! And here's a tentative list of projects from Austin authors and illustrators releasing next year! For previous years, go here.

Picture Books, Easy Readers, and Board Books

WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A VOICE LIKE THAT? by Chris Barton, ill. by Ekua Holmes (Simon & Schuster/Beach Lane 2018).

MIGHTY TRUCK: ON THE FARM, by Chris Barton, ill. by Troy Cummings (HarperCollins, May 2018).

MIGHTY TRUCK: THE TRAFFIC TIE-UP, by Chris Barton, ill. by Troy Cummings (HarperCollins, May 2018).

PENGUIN AND TINY SHRIMP DON'T DO BEDTIME, by Cate Berry, ill. by Charles Santoso (Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins 2018).

ABRAHAM LINCOLN'S DUELING WORDS, by Donna Janell Bowman, ill. by S.D. Schindler (Peachtree, 2018)

THE BOOK THAT JAKE BORROWED, by Susan Kralovansky (Pelican 2018).

COUNTING COLORS IN TEXAS, by Susan Kralovansky (Pelican 2018).

KATE, WHO TAMED THE WIND, by Liz Garton Scanlon, ill. by Lee White (Schwartz & Wade, Spring 2018).

FRANCES IN THE COUNTRY, by Liz Garton Scanlon, ill. by Sean Qualls (Neal Porter Books/Roaring Brook Press, Summer 2018).

DEAR SUBSTITUTE, by Liz Garton Scanlon, ill. by Chris Raschka (Disney-Hyperion, Summer 2018).

STALEBREAD CHARLIE AND THE RAZZY, DAZZY SPASM BAND,  by Michael Mahin, ill. by Don Tate (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018).

PAR-TAY: DANCE OF THE VEGGIES (AND THEIR FRIENDS), by Eloise Greenfield, ill. by Don Tate (Alazar Press 2018).

POTATO KING: THE STORY OF JUNIUS G. GROVES, by Don Tate (Knopf 2018).
 

Middle Grade

THE BOY, THE BOAT, AND THE BEAST, by Samantha Clark (Paula Wiseman Books/Simon & Schuster, Summer 2018).

KNOCKOUT, by K.A. Holt (Chronicle, Spring 2018).

DEAR ME (tent. title), by K.A. Holt (Scholastic, Summer 2018).

THE PARKER INHERITANCE, by Varian Johnson (Scholastic, Spring 2018).

THE CAMELOT CODE: THE ONCE AND FUTURE GEEK, by Mari Mancusi (Disney-Hyperion, Oct. 2018).

GIRLS WHO CODE: LIGHTS, MUSIC, CODE, by Jo Whittemore (Penguin Workshop, Spring 2018).

REVENGE OF THE TEACHER'S PETS, by Jennifer Ziegler (Scholastic, June 2018).

Young Adult

HEARTS UNBROKEN, by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Candlewick Press, 2018).

AVENGED, by Amy Tintera (HarperTeen, May 2018).

2017 Books by Austinites

I'm a bit late this year, but here is a preliminary listing of books written and illustrated by Austinites with releases in 2017!  Note that publication dates may change and/or slip...

For books from earlier years, go here.

Picture Books

BOOK OR BELL, by Chris Barton, ill. by Ashley Spires (Bloomsbury 2017).

MIGHTY TRUCK: MUDDY MANIA, by Chris Barton, ill. by Troy Cummings (HarperCollins 2017).

DAZZLE SHIPS: WORLD WAR I AND THE ART OF CONFUSION,  by Chris Barton, ill. by Victo Ngai (Millbrook 2017).

 WHY AM I ME?, by Paige Britt, ill. by Sean Qualls & Selina Alko (Scholastic Press, Sept. 2017).
 
WHOBERT WHOVER, OWL DETECTIVE, by Jason Gallaher (@DraftingJason), ill. by Jess Pauwels (Margaret McElderry Books/Simon & Schuster, July 2017).
 
 CINNAMON, by Neil Gaiman, ill. by Divya Srinivasan (HarperCollins, May 2017).

THE YOUNGEST MARCHER; THE STORY OF AUDREY MAY HENDRICKS, A YOUNG CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST, by Cynthia Levinson (Atheneum/Simon & Schuster 2017)

BOB, NOT BOB, by Liz Garton Scanlon, ill. by Audrey Vernick (Disney Hyperion, Winter 2017)

ANOTHER WAY TO CLIMB A TREE, by Liz Garton Scanlon, ill. by Hadley Hooper (Neal Porter Books/Roaring Brook Press, Aug. 2017).

STRONG AS SANDOW: HOW EUGEN SANDOW BECAME THE STRONGEST MAN ON EARTH, by Don Tate (Charlesbridge, Aug. 2017).

WHAT THIS STORY NEEDS IS A BANG AND A CLANG, by Emma Virjan (HarperCollins 2017).

Middle Grade/Tween

THE GREAT HIBERNATION, by Tara Dairman (Wendy Lamb Books/Random House, September 2017).

GNOMEAGEDDON, by K.A. Holt (McElderry Book/S&S, Fall 2017)

TUT: MY EPIC BATTLE TO SAVE THE WORLD, by P.J. Hoover (Tor 2017).

FAULT LINES IN THE CONSTITUTION: THE FRAMERS, THEIR FIGHTS, AND THE FLAWS THAT AFFECT US TODAY, by Cynthia Levinson and Sanford Levinson (Peachtree 2017).

IF THE SHOE FITS, by Mari Mancusi (Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, Fall 2017).

IN A DARK LAND, by Christina Soontornvat (Sourcebooks 2017).

REVENGE OF THE HAPPY CAMPERS, by Jennifer Ziegler (Scholastic 2017).


Young Adult

THIS IS NOT THE END, by Chandler Baker (Disney-Hyperion, Aug. 2017).

WITCHTOWN, by Cory Putnam Oakes (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Oct. 2017).

THE SANDCASTLE EMPIRE, by Kayla Olson (HarperTeen 2017).

AVENGED, by Amy Tintera (HarperTeen May 2017).

2016 Books by Austinites

 Here's the preliminary list of trade picture books and novels scheduled for publication from Austin authors and illustrators next year!  And click the link for previous years' books by Austin authors and illustrators!

Middle Grade/Tween

HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON: DO ALL THE GOOD YOU CAN, by Cynthia Levinson (Balzer + Bray/HarperCollins 2016)

CONFIDENTIALLY YOURS, by Jo Whittemore (HarperCollins 2016).

GOLDEN GIRL, by Mari Mancusi (Aladdin/Simon & Schuster 2016).

TO CATCH A CHEAT, by Varian Johnson (Arthur Levine/Scholastic, Spring 2016).

RED MOON RISING, by K.A. Holt (McElderry/Simon & Schuster, 2016).

DINOSAUR BOY SAVES MARS, by Cory Putnam Oakes (Sourcebooks, February 2016).

THE CHANGELINGS, by Christina Soontornvat (SourceBooks, Fall 2016).

Young Adult

HIGH SCHOOL HORROR STORY, by Chandler Baker (Feiwel & Friends/Macmillan, Winter 2016).

RUINED, by Amy Tintera (HarperTeen, Summer 2016).

THE RADIANT ROAD, by Katherine Catmull (Dutton, January 2016).

Picture Books

88 INSTRUMENTS, by Chris Barton, ill. by Louis Thomas (Knopf, August 2016).

CARROT HAWK, by Chris Barton, ill. by tbd (Hyperion, Spring 2016).

WHOOSH!, by Chris Barton, ill. by Don Tate (Charlesbridge 2016).

MIGHTY TRUCK, by Chris Barton, ill. by Troy Cummings (HarperCollins 2016)

THAT'S NOT BUNNY, by Chris Barton, ill. by Colin Jack (Disney-Hyperion, February 2016).

BEARS MAKE THE BEST READING BUDDIES, by Carmen Oliver (Capstone/Curious Fox, Mar. 1, 2016).

WHAT THIS STORY NEEDS IS A HUSH AND A SHUSH, by Emma Virjan (HarperCollins, January 2016).

WHAT THIS STORY NEEDS IS A MUNCH AND A CRUNCH, by Emma Virjan (HarperCollins, May 2016).

BE THE CHANGE: A GRANDFATHER GANDHI STORY, by Bethany Hegedus and Arun Gandhi, ill. by Evan Turk (Atheneum/Simon & Schuster, Fall 2016).

STEP RIGHT UP: HOW DOC AND JIM TAUGHT THE WORLD ABOUT KINDNESS, by Donna Janell Bowman, ill. by Daniel Minter (Lee & Low, Spring 2016).

A Dino a Day Strikes back: A Chronal Engine Celebration! Day 6

 

Welcome to Day 6 of A Dino a Day Strikes Back, celebrating the paperback release of CHRONAL ENGINE, and the new editions of NINJAS, PIRANHAS, AND GALILEO and TOFU AND T.REX!

These pics were taken by Sam Bond of Sam Bond Photography at the O.Henry House and Museum. 

On the porch

Listening to the only recording of O. Henry on the Gramophone

Out back

William Sidney Porter lived in the house between 1893 and 1895.  Every May, the site hosts the O. Henry Pun-Off. .Alas, it appears that he was not the first to refer to Austin as the "City of the Violet Crown" in print...

A Dino a Day Strikes Back Previous Days
Day 1: Palmer Events Center (Austin Marathon Expo)
Day 2: Texas Memorial Museum 
Day 3: Waller Creek Boat House
Day 4: Hartmann Prehistoric Garden
Day 5: UT Alumni Center

Texas Book Festival Children's and YA Panels [Updated]

The schedule for the 2013 Texas Book Festival has just been released!  Here's a handy listing of the children's and YA panels.  Note that I did not include the readings in the Children's Read Me a Story tent, which are ongoing all day Saturday and Sunday. Also note that the schedule is subject to change and it's entirely possible that I missed a coupled of the panels :-).  

Panels featuring Austin authors are indicated in bold. Panels featuring authors from other parts of Texas are indicated in italics.

Update: I will be moderating the On the Verge of Crazy panel with Diana Lopez and Karen Harrington at the Family Life Center (1300 Lavaca) and 11:30 on Saturday.  See you there!

SATURDAY

10-11 AM
Battle Bunny
Family Life Center (1300 Lavaca)
Jon Scieszka
Mac Barnett

10-11 AM
Haters Gonna Hate
Capitol Extension Room E2.030
e. E. Charlton-Trujillo

10-11 AM
My So-Called Life
Capitol Extension Room E2.014
Gabrielle Zevin
Joanna Philbin

10- 11 AM
Shared Spaces: Children's Picture Book Authors in One Studio
Capitol Extension Room E2.010
Sergio Ruzzier
John Marciano
Brian Floca
Sophie Blackall

10:30-11:30
Confessions of a Scholarship Winner
Capitol Extension Room E2.028
Kristina Ellis

11:30 - 12:15
Tomás Rivera Award
Capitol Extension Room E2.030
Guadalupe Garcia McCall

11:30-12:30
On the Verge of Crazy
Family Life Center (1300 Lavaca)
Diana Lopez
Karen Harrington

12:15 - 1 PM
Summer Changes Everything
Capitol Extension Room E2.014
Leila Sales
Bennett Madison
Gayle Forman

1 - 1:45 PM
Build It & They Will Come: Keeping Readers Hooked in a Series
Family Life Center (1300 Lavaca)
Jude Watson
Adam Gidwitz
Clark Rich Burbidge

 1 - 2 PM
A Midsummer Night's Scream
House Chamber
R.L. Stine

1:30 - 2:30 PM
Girl Power(s)
Capitol Extension Room E2.014
Cynthia Leitich Smith
Jessica Khoury
Kami Garcia
PJ Hoover

2:15 - 3 PM
The One and Only Ivan
Family Life Center (1300 Lavaca)
Katherine Applegate

3 - 3:45 PM
Truth Is Stranger Than Fiction
Capitol Extension Room E2.014
James L. Swanson
Steve Sheinkin

3:30 - 4:15 PM
Is It the End of the World As We Know It?
Family Life Center (1300 Lavaca)
Heather Terrell
Neal Shusterman

4:15 - 5:15 PM
Apocalypse Now
Capitol Extension Room E2.014
Brian Yansky
Matt de la Pena
Alexandra Coutts

SUNDAY

11 - 11:45 AM
At a Loss for Words
Capitol Extension Room E2.010
Bob Staake
Chris Raschka

12:15 - 1 PM
When Did You See Her Last?
House Chamber
Lemony Snicket

12:15 - 1 PM
You Are Getting Very Sleepy!
Capitol Extension Room E2.010
Gordon Korman

12:15 - 1:15 PM
Move Over, Katniss: New Heroines
Lone Star Tent
Aprilynne Pike
P. J. Hoover
Tracy Deebs
Amy Rose Capetta

1:30 -2:15 PM
Scavenger Hunt
Capitol Extension Room E2.010
Jude Watson
Xavier Garza

2:45- 3 PM
Friends in Low Places
Capitol Extension Room E2.010
Anne Ursu
Claire Legrand

 4 - 5 PM
Scary Tales
Capitol Extension Room E2.010
James Preller

2015 Books by Austinites

Here's a preliminary list of books by Austin authors scheduled for publication in 2015!  For previous years' (2010-2014) lists, click here: "Austin Authors and Illustrators." Note that titles and pub dates are subject to change. 

Young Adult

FERAL PRIDE, by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Candlewick, Spring 2015).

THINGS I'LL NEVER SAY: SHORT STORIES ABOUT OUR SECRET SELVES, by Ann Angel (ed.)(Candlewick, Spring 2015)(with pieces by Cynthia Leitich Smith and Varian Johnson) 

VIOLENT ENDS, by Shaun David Hutchinson (ed.)(Simon Pulse, Fall 2015), with piece by Cynthia Leitich Smith

UTOPIA, IOWA, by Brian Yansky (Candlewick 2015).

SMOKED, by Mari Mancusi (Sourcebooks Fire, Fall 2015).

KISSING IN AMERICA, by Margo Rabb (HarperTeen Spring 2015).

Middle Grade/Tween

ANYWHERE BUT PARADISE, by Anne Bustard (Egmont, Spring 2015).

CHRONAL ENGINE: BORROWED TIME, by Greg Leitich Smith (Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Fall 2015).

COLONIAL MADNESS, by Jo Whittemore (Aladdin/Simon & Schuster, Spring 2015).

WATCH OUT FOR FLYING KIDS, by Cynthia Levinson (Peachtree 2015).

THE GREAT GOOD SUMMER, by Liz Garton Scanlon (Beach Lane/Simon & Schuster 2015).

HOUSE ARREST, by K.A. Holt (Chronicle Books, Fall 2015).

THE LOST TRACK OF TIME, by Paige Britt (Scholastic, Spring 2015).

DINOSAUR BOY, by Cory Putnam Oakes (Sourcebooks 2015).

WISH GIRL, by Nikki Loftin (Razorbill/Penguin, February 2015).


THE CURIOUS WORLD OF CALPURNIA TATE, by Jacqueline Kelly (Henry Holt/Macmillan, July 2015). 

Picture Books

STEP RIGHT UP: THE STORY OF BEAUTIFUL JIM KEY AND THE MAN WHO CHANGED THE WORLD, by Donna Janell Bowman (Lee & Low 2015).

THE NUTCRACKER COMES TO AMERICA: HOW THREE BALLET-LOVING BROTHERS CREATED A HOLIDAY TRADITION, by Chris Barton, ill. by tbd. (Millbrook 2015).

POET; THE REMARKABLE STORY OF GEORGE MOSES HORTON OF CHAPEL HILL, by Don Tate (Peachtree 2015).

IN THE CANYON, by Liz Garton Scanlon (Beach Lane/S&S, Summer 2015).

WHAT THIS STORY NEEDS IS A PIG IN A WIG, by Emma Virjan (Harper Children's, 2015).

THE AMAZING AGE OF JOHN ROY LYNCH, by Chris Barton, ill. by Don Tate (Eerdmans 2014).

TWELVE COWBOYS ROPIN', by Susan Kralovansky (Pelican, Fall 2015).

NINJAS, PIRANHAS, AND GALILEO and TOFU AND T.REX back in print!

I am delighted to announce that IntoPrint Publishing, LLC, will be bringing my award-winning Peshtigo School novels for tweens, NINJAS, PIRANHAS, AND GALILEO, and TOFU AND T.REX, back into print as e-books and in hard copy! 

NINJAS, PIRANHAS, AND GALILEO is a romantic-, science-, comedy-, courtroom-drama about three friends who take part in their school science fair and end up in their student court because of it.

For more information, including reviews and awards, check out the official NINJAS, PIRANHAS, AND GALILEO web page here! Read an interview about NINJAS, PIRANHAS, AND GALILEO at Cynsations!

TOFU AND T.REX is the story of a girl who's a vegan who goes to live with her cousin's family, who own a German delicatessen and butcher shop.

For more information, including reviews and awards, check out the official TOFU AND T.REX web page here!  Read an interview about TOFU AND T.REX at Cynsations!

More details as they become available!

Event Pics -- RIF and Bridget Zinn's POISON

A couple weeks ago, Cyn, Chris Barton, and Tim Tingle were featured authors at an event at the LBJ Library sponsored by Reading is Fundamental.  Here are some pics:

Tim and Chris watch while Cyn displays JINGLE DANCER

Day Glo Brothers, Saltypie, and Jingle Dancer

Chris, Cyn, and Tim sign their books

Joy Hein, Kathi Appelt, and Cyn like Ike.

Monkey in the middle

Then, last week, we attended a gathering at BookPeople for the release of the late Bridget Zinn's POISON.  To celebrate, a group of Austin authors signed copies of the book, which are now available at BookPeople!  To buy a copy, click here.

P.J. Hoover, Susan Kralovansky, Nikki Loftin, Cory Oakes

Liz Garton Scanlon, Me, and Cynthia Levinson

Cyn and me.  Photo courtesy Cory Oakes

Title Page!

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).

2013 Books by Austinites

Here's a quick preview of books written and/or illustrated by members of Austin's youth literature community scheduled to be published in 2013!


PICTURE BOOKS

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BUNNY, by Liz Garton Scanlon, ill. by Stephanie Graegin (Beach Lane Books/Simon & Schuster, January 2013).

ROCKABILLY GOATS GRUFF, by Jeff Crosby (Holiday House, Fall 2013).

BALL, by Mary Sullivan (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Spring 2013).

OCTOPUS ALONE, by Divya Srinivasan (Viking, May 2013).

OTIS STEELE AND THE TAILEEBONE!, by Tom McDermott, ill. by Jeff Crosby (Pelican, September 2013).

THE YEAR OF THE BABY, by Andrea Cheng, ill. by Patrice Barton (Houghton Mifflin, May 2013).

THERE WAS A TALL TEXAN WHO SWALLOWED A FLEA, by Susan Holt Kralovansky, ill. by Deborah Ousley Kadair (Pelican 2013).

THE CART THAT CARRIED MARTIN, by Eve Bunting, ill. by Don Tate (Charlesbridge, Fall 2013).


CHAPTER BOOK/MIDDLE GRADE/TWEEN

JACOB WONDERBAR AND THE INTERSTELLAR TIME WARP, by Nathan Bransford, ill. by C.S. Jennings (Dial/Penguin 2013).

THE INVISIBLE BOY, by Trudy Ludwig, ill. by Patrice Barton (Knopf, October 2013).


YOUNG ADULT

FERAL NIGHTS, by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Candlewick, January 2013).

ETERNAL: ZACHARY'S STORY, by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Candlewick, February 2013).

HOMICIDAL ALIENS AND OTHER DISAPPOINTMENTS, by Brian Yansky (Candlewick, Fall 2013).

SOLSTICE, by P.J. Hoover (Tor/Macmillan, June 2013).

RIPTIDE, by Lindsey Scheibe (Flux, Summer 2013).

SCORCHED DRAGONBOUND, by Mari Mancusi (Sourcebooks Fire, Fall 2013).

PROMISE ME SOMETHING WHAT HAPPENED AT TALMADGE HILL, by Sara Kocek (Albert Whitman, September 2013).

ENTANGLED, by Amy Rose Capetta (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Fall 2013).

Austin Authors at TLA!

Random sauropod, Houston Museum of Natural Science

[Updated 4/12]

Here's a listing of Austin authors who are going to be signing at TLA in Houston this month.  Signings are in the Author Area (AA) unless otherwise noted.

Wednesday, April 18:

Jeff Crosby
WIENER WOLF
Disney-Hyperion
Wednesday, 4:00 pm - 5:00 pm (Booth 1804)

Cynthia Levinson
WE'VE GOT A JOB: THE 1963 BIRMINGHAM CHILDREN'S MARCH
Peachtree Publishers, Ltd.
Wednesday, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm (Booth 1434)

Cynthia Leitich Smith
DIABOLICAL (Taatalize series, Book 4)
Candlewick Press
Wednesday, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm (AA)

Greg Leitich Smith
CHRONAL ENGINE
Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt
Wednesday, 3:00 pm - 4:00 pm (AA)

Jennifer Ziegler
SASS AND SERENDIPITY
Random House, Inc.
Wednesday, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm (AA)

Thursday, April 19:

Keith Graves
THE ORPHAN OF AWKWARD FALLS
Chronicle Books
Thursday, 10:00 am - 11:00 am (AA)

Cynthia Leitich Smith
TANTALIZE series
Permabound
Thursday,  10 a.m. to 11 a.m. (Booth 1529)

Don Tate
DUKE ELLINGTON'S NUTCRACKER SUITE
Charlesbridge
Thursday, 10:00 am - 11:00 am (AA)

Jeanette Larson
HUMMINGBIRDS: FACTS AND FOLKLORE FROM THE AMERICAS
Charlesbridge
Thursday, 2:00 pm - 3:00 pm (Booth 1305)

Friday, April 20:

Chris Barton
CAN I SEE YOUR ID?
Penguin
Friday, 10:00 am - 11:00 am (AA)

Writers and Illustrators and Dinosaurs: Meredith Davis

Meredith Davis writes picture books, chapter books, and middle grade novels.  A former bookseller at Toad Hall, she is the founder of the Austin Chapter of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators and served for three years as its Regional Adviser.  She recently completed a Master of Fine Arts degree in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts.

She blogs at Stories in the Street.

  The lad with the gimlet eye is her son, Benji. 

Upcoming Book People Events!

Friday, February 10:  My Vicious Valentine: Spine-tingling YA Author Panel, featuring Jordan Dane, P.J. "Tricia" Hoover, Mari Mancusi, Rosemary Clement-Moore, Cynthia Leitich Smith, and L.A. Weatherly---moderated by Sean Petrie--will take place at 7 p.m. Feb. 10 at BookPeople in Austin. Join us when six top YA authors dish on the devilish, gab about ghosts, and soar with the angels in this panel celebrating spine-tingling stories, supernatural creatures, and perhaps scariest of all, true love.

March 4 (3 PM at the Carver Museum):  Launch Party for We've Got a Job: The 1963 Birmingham Children's March, by Cynthia Levinson.  Join Cynthia Levinson as she discussed the background and research process for We've Got a Job!

March 24 (2 PM at BookPeople). Launch Party for Chronal Engine! Greg Leitich Smith will present on his middle grade/tween prehistoric time travel adventure! 

Be sure to download the activity guide here!

CHRONAL ENGINE and other news!

Two things about CHRONAL ENGINE:  First, I am delighted to announce that CHRONAL ENGINE is going to be a Junior Library Guild selection for March-September 2012!

Second, if you're going to be in Austin on March 24, 2012, stop by the official CHRONAL ENGINE launch party and signing at 2 PM at BookPeople, 603 N. Lamar.  

And a bit of Austin news:  On December 21, NPR did a story titled "Great Books to Give your Little Ones", highlighting books by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve (THE CHRISTMAS COAT), and Austinites Cynthia Leitich Smith (TANTALIZE series), Don Tate (DUKE ELLINGTON'S NUTCRACKER SUITE), and Jennifer Ziegler (SASS & SERENDIPITY)! 

Go check it out here!

LITTLE OWL'S NIGHT

LITTLE OWL'S NIGHT, by Divya Srinivasan (Viking 2011)(ages 3-5).  Little Owl loves the night, visiting his nocturnal friends and feeling sorry for the ones who are up all day and never get to see the stars.  Even as he falls asleep at dawn, though, he wants to know what the day is like...

LITTLE OWL'S NIGHT is a quiet celebration of night, the break of day, and curiosity.  Illustrations are bold and expressive.  Altogether, an excellent choice for bedtime reading.   

2012 Books by Austinites [updated]

Updated 17 November 2011.Updated 27 January 2012. Updated 6 March 2012. Updated September 17, 2012.

The Austin children's writing community will be having another good showing for 2012.  Here are some of the highlights (and go here for my updated Austinites' Books 2011 post):   

Picture Books

IT JES' HAPPENED: WHEN BILL TRAYLOR STARTED TO DRAW, by Don Tate, ill. by R. Gregory Christie (Lee & Low, Spring 2012).



I LIKE OLD CLOTHES, by Mary Ann Hoberman, ill. by Patrice Barton (Knopf, August 2012).

JUST AS GOOD: HOW LARRY DOBY CHANGED AMERICA'S GAME, by Chris Crowe, ill. by Mike Benny (Candlewick 2012).

THINK BIG, by Liz Garton Scanlon, ill. by Vanessa Newton (Bloomsbury, June 2012).

 A PIRATE'S 12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS, by Philip Yates, ill. by Sebastian Serra (Sterling, October 2012).

HOPE'S GIFT, by Kelly Starling, ill. by Don Tate (Putnam 2012).

Middle Grade/Tween

CHRONAL ENGINE, by Greg Leitich Smith, ill. by Blake Henry (Clarion/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2012).

THE SINISTER SWEETNESS OF SPLENDID ACADEMY, by Nikki Loftin (Razorbill 2012).

WE'VE GOT A JOB: THE 1963 BIRMINGHAM CHILDREN'S MARCH, by Cynthia Levinson (Peachtree, February 1, 2012).

RETURN TO THE WILLOWS, by Jacqueline Kelly, ill. by Clint G. Young (Henry Holt, November 2012).

LAUGH WITH THE MOON, by Shana Burg (Delacorte 2012).

D IS FOR DRAMA, by Jo Whittemore (Aladdin MIX, August 2012).

JACOB WONDERBAR FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNIVERSE, by Nathan Bransford, ill. by C.S. Jennings (Dial 2012).

SUMMER AND BIRD, by Katherine Catmull (Dutton, October 2013).

Young Adult

DIABOLICAL, by Cynthia Leitich Smith (Candlewick, January 2012).

DEAR TEEN ME, ed. by Miranda Kenneally and E. Kristin Anderson (Zest Books/Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 2012).

SOUL BOUND (BLOOD COVEN VAMPIRES #7), by Mari Mancusi (Berkley Trade, March 2012).

BLOOD FOREVER (BLOOD COVEN VAMPIRES #8), by Mari Mancusi (Berkley Trade, September 2012).

SHORT STORIES

"Mooning over Broken Stars," by Cynthia Leitich Smith, in GIRL MEETS BOY, ed. by Kelly Milner Halls (Chronicle, January 2012).