What's Selling at The Magic Tree Bookshop

Iris Yipp, co-owner of The Magic Tree Bookshop in Oak Park, Ill., celebrates two customer-pleasing fall offerings: The Boss Baby and How Rocket Learned to Read.

PW's Best Children's Books 2010

We scoured the past year's books for children and teenagers and selected the very best. This year we have 40 Best Books (plus one for good measure), covering our favorite picture books, novels, and nonfiction. From babies who take over upon arrival and lizards learning about friendship and art in the desert, to twins who are not identical in every way and dystopian worlds that fall apart in almost every way conceivable, 2010 offered something for everyone.

Live... from Five Cities: It's the 'Beautiful Darkness' Authors on Tour

Fans from all over the world had a chance to interact with Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl during their recent two-week U.S. tour to promote Beautiful Darkness, the sequel to the debut installment of the Caster Chronicles, Beautiful Creatures.

What's Selling at Nicola’s Books

Linda Goodman, children's buyer at Nicola's Books in Ann Arbor, Mich., gives word of a fall historical novel she's enjoying selling.

Bloggers Emulate Susan Beth Pfeffer's 'Life As We Knew It'

An asteroid strikes the moon, triggering a sequence of natural disasters on earth in Susan Beth Pfeffer's Life As We Knew It, released by Harcourt in 2006. Life (as teenager Miranda and her family know it) comes to an abrupt halt, and they must make do with the food and resources they have on hand. That inaugural installment of The Last Survivors trilogy has motivated two Utah bloggers to mimic the survivalist lifestyle forced upon the books' characters, and to chronicle their experiments online.

Anthology to Compile Authors' Personal Stories About Bullying

Writers of books for children and teens share their experiences with bullying in Dear Bully: 70 Authors Tell Their Stories, a forthcoming anthology edited by YA novelists Megan Kelley Hall (Sisters of Misery) and Carrie Jones (Need).

In Brief: November 4

In brief this week: Justin Bieber's memoir; a 20th anniversary for Diane's Books; a pair of spooky signings; and Book Fest @ Bank Street.

Searching for the Perfect Cover Treatment for New Lauren Oliver Trilogy

Due next February from HarperCollins, Delirium launches a trilogy by Lauren Oliver, whose bestselling debut novel, Before I Fall, was published last March. There's been quite a bit of pre-pub hubbub surrounding this dystopian novel—both in-house and on the Internet.

Amulet Reveals 'Wimpy Kid' Tour Details

Abrams Books for Young Readers' Amulet imprint has unveiled details about Jeff Kinney's upcoming tour in support of The Ugly Truth, the fifth book in his bestselling Wimpy Kid series, which goes on sale November 9 with a five million–copy first printing. The tour is bookended by a prepub charity event in Dallas, with Kinney appearing as one of five featured authors at the Barbara Bush Celebration of Reading on November 8, and at another charity event, United Through Reading's Storybook Ball in San Diego on November 14.

Kennedy Center Curtain Goes Up on Jacqueline Woodson's 'Locomotion'

Three-time Newbery Honor author Jacqueline Woodson's adaptation of her 2006 novel, Locomotion, had its world premiere at the Kennedy Center's Family Theater on October 23. Directed by Jennifer L. Nelson, the play runs through October 31.

In Brief: October 28

Islandport to Publish First New Ipcar Book in Over Two Decades

A sought-after children's book author and illustrator in the 1940s, '50s and '60s,Dahlov Ipcar has in more recent years seen her picture books languish. That is, until Islandport Press in Yarmouth, Maine, began republishing them in 2008. Now Islandport is about to publish the 92-year-old author/illustrator's first new book in more than two decades.

Rights Report: October 21

This week in rights news, three fiction properties will be heading to the big screen: Judy Blume’s YA novel Tiger Eyes, The Best Christmas Pageant Ever by Barbara Robinson, and Cate Tiernan's 15-volume Sweep book series.

Powell's Books Wins Visit from Suzanne Collins

Scholastic announced Thursday that Powell's Books in Portland, Ore., has been selected as the winner of the publisher's in-store display contest, earning a visit from Suzanne Collins. Participating bookstores were challenged to create a display reflecting the look and spirit of Mockingjay, the final installment of The Hunger Games trilogy.

In Brief: October 21

In brief this week: Sarah Dessen and... racecars?; remembering Coleen Salley; Tonya Hurley's graveyard reading; James Kennedy's dance-party dome; and YA authors at the Boston Book Festival.

Book on Pioneering Aviatrix Takes Flight

Born in 1911, Elinor Smith began flying lessons at the age of 10 and became the youngest licensed pilot in the U.S. at 16. And 82 years ago today, on October 21, 1928, the 17-year-old did what no other pilot has ever done before or since: she flew her biplane under all four bridges that span New York City's East River. That feat and Smith's other flying accomplishments are chronicled in Soar, Elinor! by debut author Tami Lewis Brown, illustrated by François Roca.

'Nightshade' Viral Promotion Campaign Snags Fans

To build a fan base for first-time author Andrea Cremer's Nightshade well before it went on sale this week, Penguin Young Readers Group sought out potential YA readers where they were sure to be: online.

A Graphic Take on Homer: Gareth Hinds's 'The Odyssey'

With The Odyssey, just published by Candlewick, Gareth Hinds continues his project of reinterpreting classic texts in the graphic novel format. The 256-page work, in watercolor and pastel, hopes to find a wide audience in schools and libraries, while still appealing to adults.

The Very Busy Publishing House

Random House Children's Books has signed a deal with Chorion, which represents The World of Eric Carle for licensing, for a line of coloring and activity books for North American distribution. The titles will feature line art versions of illustrations from the author's classic picture books.

Open Road Media in Deal with Albert Whitman; Adds More Mysteries

Children's book publisher Albert Whitman & Co. has reached an agreement with Open Road Integrated Media to publish all 150 titles of Whitman's Boxcar Children Mysteries series in e-book format.