This year, some of the best-known writers and illustrators in the industry are attending the institute’s author reception and/or the Scholastic Meet & Treat party. Here's a rundown of who will be where.

Ashes

Laurie Halse Anderson

Atheneum/Dlouhy, Oct.; $16.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Monthlong author tour; radio tour; regional trade shows.

Return to the American Revolution in this conclusion to the trilogy that began with the National Book Award finalist Chains and continued with Forge, which the New York Times called “a return not only to the colonial era but to historical accuracy.” Ages 10–14.

What Light

Jay Asher

Razorbill, Oct.; $18.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author tour with school visits; advertising; extensive blogger outreach; promotion at fall book festivals and national school and library conferences; online promotion and social media outreach.

Sierra lives two lives: her life in Oregon and her life at Christmas, when her family packs up their tree farm to set up a Christmas tree lot in California. Leaving one always means missing the other, until this particular Christmas, when Sierra meets Caleb and one life eclipses the other. Ages 12 and up.

The Girl Who Drank the Moon

Kelly Barnhill

Algonquin Young Readers, Aug.; $16.95, hardcover

Publicity plans: Five-city tour, as well as participation in the iLoveMG tour, which pairs middle grade authors from Workman and Algonquin Young Readers; prequel to run exclusively on a top SF/fantasy site prepublication.

In this coming-of-age fairy tale from the author of The Witch’s Boy, a girl—who is raised by a witch, a swamp monster, and a perfectly tiny dragon—must unlock the dangerous magic buried deep inside her. Ages 10 and up.

Whoosh! Lonnie Johnson’s Super-Soaking Stream of Inventions

Chris Barton

Charlesbridge, out now; $16.95, hardcover

Publicity plans: Advertising; author appearances; school visits.

The Super Soaker, one of the top toys of all time, was invented by accident. NASA engineer Lonnie Johnson was working on alternatives for the use of Freon-12 in refrigerators, but instead created the mechanics for the iconic toy. Illustrator Don Tate will not attend. Ages 7–10.

Serafina and the Twisted Staff

Robert Beatty

Disney-Hyperion, July; $16.99 hardcover

Publicity plans: Regional author tour and select appearances in the fall.

Set in 1899 at the sumptuous Biltmore Estate, the latest installment of this fantasy series pits 12-year-old Serafina against a sinister man who can control animals. Ages 8–12.

Gertie’s Leap to Greatness

Kate Beasley

Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Oct.; $16.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author tour, including book festivals and regional trade shows; middle grade Great Like Gertie blog tour.

Gertie Reece Foy is a girl on a mission to be the best fifth grader ever so she can show her absent mother that she doesn’t need her—not one bit. There’s just one problem: new girl Mary Sue Spivey wants to be the best fifth grader, too. Ages 8–12.

The Stand-In

Steve Bloom

Carolrhoda Lab, Oct.; $18.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Film adaptation in production; print and online advertising; promotional materials and free downloads available.

After 17-year-old Brooks agrees to be a stand-in homecoming date for a friend’s geeky but wealthy cousin, he realizes that becoming a rent-a-date for the socially awkward could help him earn college money. What could be the harm? Ages 13–18.

Labyrinth Lost

Zoraida Cordova

Sourcebooks Fire, Sept.; $17.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Featured guest at fall 2016 library preview; advertising; website and map distribution; book vlogger promotions.

Alex is a bruja and the most powerful witch in her family. But she hates magic. On Alex’s Death Day—the most important day in a bruja’s life—a curse she performs during the ceremony backfires and her family vanishes. Alex seeks help from Nova, a brujo with ambitions of his own. To get her family back, they must travel to Los Lagos, a land in between, as dark as Limbo and as strange as Wonderland. Ages 14–17.

Something in Between

Melissa de la Cruz

Seventeen, Sept.; $18.99 hardcover

Publicity plans: Author tour, including trade shows and conventions; prepub buzz campaign; school and library outreach; blog tour and Harlequin Teen social media support.

Jasmine de los Santos has always worked hard to please her Filipino immigrant parents. She can’t believe her good fortune when she’s named a finalist for the National Scholarship Awards. But when she brings home the paperwork for the trip, she learns devastating news. Will Jasmine ever figure out where she belongs? Ages 14 and up.

Rebel Genius

Michael Dante DiMartino

Roaring Brook, Oct.; $16.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author appearances, including book festivals on the West Coast; promotion at San Diego Comic-Con and New York Comic Con.

This new fantasy-adventure series comes from the co-creator of the animated show Avatar: The Last Airbender. In 12-year-old Giacomo’s Renaissance-inspired world, art is dangerous and outlawed. A few artists possess Geniuses, birdlike creatures that are the living embodiment of an artist’s creative spirit. Those caught with one face a punishment akin to death, so when Giacomo discovers he has a Genius, he knows he’s in serious trouble. Ages 8–12.

The Continent

Keira Drake

Harlequin Teen, Dec.; $18.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author tour, including trade shows and conventions; prepub tour; prepub buzz campaign; school and library outreach; blog tour and Harlequin Teen social media support.

For her 16th birthday, noblewoman and cartographer Vaela Sun receives the most coveted gift in the Spire: a trip to the Continent. But when an accident leaves her stranded on the war-torn land, she has no illusions about the danger she faces. The Continent deals with questions of social responsibility, the nature of peace and violence, and nationalism. Ages 14 and up.

The Gold Leaf

Illus. by Matthew Forsythe

Enchanted Lion (dist. by Consortium), Feb. 2017; $17.95, hardcover

Publicity plans: Social media campaign; author appearances, including schools and libraries.

A gold leaf appears in the forest. As soon as the animals notice it, each wants it more than anything. A struggle to possess the leaf follows, and the leaf gets destroyed. Will the animals ever again see such a leaf? Have they lost the beauty they had forever? Author Kirsten Hall will not attend. Ages 4–8.

Phantom Limbs

Paula Garner

Candlewick, Sept.; $16.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author appearances; extensive ARC distribution; discussion guide; school and library advertising.

How do you move on from an irreplaceable loss? In Garner’s debut, a 16-year-old boy must learn to swim against an undercurrent of grief—or be swept away by it. Ages 14 and up.

Lily and Dunkin

Donna Gephart

Delacorte, out now; $19.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author appearances.

The award-winning author crafts a dual narrative about two remarkable young people: Lily, a transgender girl, and Dunkin, a boy dealing with bipolar disorder. Ages 10 and up.

The Inquisitor’s Tale

Adam Gidwitz

Dutton, Sept.; $17.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author tour, including school visits, book festivals, and school and library conferences; advertising; extensive blogger outreach.

Three children embark on an epic adventure in medieval France on a mission to save precious texts from being burned. Wanted and on the run, they are taken captive by knights, sit alongside a king, and save the land from a farting dragon, all while a mysterious narrator recounts their adventures. Ages 10 and up.

The Edge of Everything

Jeff Giles

Bloomsbury, Jan. 2017; $18.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Prepub and on-sale tours and festival and conference appearances.

When their worlds collide, a Montana girl named Zoe and a bounty hunter called X grapple with the ultimate sacrifice in order to be together in this cinematic, star-crossed romance series debut by a former editor at Entertainment Weekly. Ages 12 and up.

The Wolves of Currumpaw

William Grill

Flying Eye (dist. by Consortium), July; $24, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author appearances worldwide, including television and radio in the U.K.

This illustrated book offers a modern retelling of Ernest Thompson Seton’s wilderness drama Lobo, the King of Currumpaw, a short story originally published in 1898. Set in the dying days of the Old West, it unfolds on the vast plains of New Mexico at a time when people’s relationship with nature was often marked by exploitation. Ages 7–14.

The Nocturnals: The Ominous Eye

Tracey Hecht

Fabled Films Press (dist. by Consortium), Sept.; $15.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Nocturnals Extravaganza Fall Tour to schools, libraries, and bookstores; online advertising; social media and email marketing; co-op; authorless event kit; animated shorts on YouTube; online educator guides.

This book starts with a violent jolt that fractures the Earth. An unfamiliar reptile—a tuatara—reveals that a beast caused the destruction and will strike again. An owl, some jerboas, and kiwis help set a trap because surrendering to this relentless beast is not an option. Features 34 color illustrations. Ages 7–12.

Mother Bruce

Ryan T. Higgins

Disney-Hyperion, out now; $17.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Four-city New England author tour.

A picture book about a grumpy bear, a case of mistaken identity, and four adorable goslings. Ages 3–5.

Penguin Problems

Jory John

Random House, Sept.; $17.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author tour

The bestselling author teams up with acclaimed illustrator Lane Smith for a picture book that proves it’s not easy being a penguin. Penguin Problems features a wordless jacket, funny text, and strong art. The publisher anticipates that the book will become a mainstay of home libraries. Illustrator Smith will not attend. Ages 3–7.

Riding Chance

Christine Kendall

Scholastic Press, Oct.; $16.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author appearances; mother-daughter book club feature and discussion guide; social media advertising

This debut novel about an urban kid’s redemption through the grit and power of polo tells a story of family, brotherhood, and a hero’s journey through city streets toward an uncertain future. Ages 10–14.

The Diabolic

S.J. Kincaid

Simon & Schuster, Nov.; $17.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Prepub events in Chicago and Northern California; fall book festivals and regional trade shows.

Red Queen meets The Hunger Games in this novel about what happens when the galaxy’s most deadly weapon masquerades as a senator’s daughter and a hostage of the galactic court. Ages 14 and up.

My Sister Rosa

Justine Larbalestier

Soho Teen, Nov.; $18.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author tour; national print and online advertising.

From the critically acclaimed author of Liar and Razorhurst comes this dark YA thriller about a 10-year-old psychopath and her brother’s mission to keep her safe—and the world safe from her. Ages 14 and up.

Lion & Tiger & Bear: Tag! You’re It!

Ethan Long

Abrams, out now; $14.95, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author appearances.

Lion, Tiger, and Bear are best friends. One day, Tiger and Bear want to play a game of tag, but Lion doesn’t want to be disturbed. Tiger and Bear try to entice Lion to play, but their antics only have the opposite effect. What does a lion have to do to find some peace and quiet? Ages 5–7.

Doodle Adventures: The Search for the Slimy Space Slugs!

Mike Lowery

Workman, out now; $12.95, hardcover

Publicity plans: 20-city tour, social media campaign.

A visual and interactive middle grade series in which readers are prompted to draw the details of a wild adventure, led by Carl, a duck and member of a super-secret group of explorers. Ages 8 and up.

The Real Poop on Pigeons!

Kevin McCloskey

Toon (dist. by Consortium), out now; $12.95, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author appearances, including at Brooklyn Book Festival, and school and library visits in the Northeast.

Did you know that pigeons can fly faster than a car goes on the highway and farther than many small airplanes can on a tank of gas? Or that they have something unusual in common with penguins, flamingos, and even the dodo? With his trademark mix of humor, well-researched facts, and artistry, Kevin McCloskey delivers the straight poop on these humble creatures. Ages 3–8.

Juana & Lucas

Juana Medina

Candlewick, Sept.; $14.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author appearances; ABA children’s box ARC distribution; targeted publicity campaign; school and library advertising.

Fans of Judy Moody and Clarice Bean will enjoy Juana, the spunky Colombian girl who stars in this playful, abundantly illustrated new series. Ages 5–8.

The Seventh Wish

Kate Messner

Bloomsbury, June; $16.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author appearances, school visits, and conferences.

Charlie gets the surprise of her life while ice fishing: a fish offering to grant her a wish in exchange for its freedom. When her family faces a challenge bigger than any they’ve ever experienced, Charlie wonders if some things might be too important to risk on a wish. Ages 8–12.

Flannery

Lisa Moore

Groundwood, out now; $16.95, hardcover

When Flannery decides to make a love potion for her entrepreneurship project, rumors that it actually works go viral, and she suddenly has a hot commodity on her hands. But a series of shattering events makes her realize that real-life love is far more potent—and potentially damaging—than any fairy tale prescription. Ages 13 and up.

Rani Patel in Full Effect

Sonia Patel

Cinco Puntos (dist. by Consortium), Oct.; $16.95, hardcover; $11.95, paperback (simultaneous release)

Publicity plans: Five-city West Coast tour; virtual author visits via Google hangouts; 1,000-copy galley mailing.

When Rani’s father leaves her mother for another woman, Rani shaves her head in mourning. This act of rebellion propels her onto the stage as a hip-hop performer and into a romantic relationship with an older man. Losing herself just as she finds herself, Rani discovers her need to speak out against those who would silence her—no matter the danger. Ages 15 and up.

Red’s Planet, Book 1

Eddie Pittman

Amulet, out now; $19.95, hardcover; $9.95, paperback (simultaneous release)

Publicity plans: Convention appearances.

From the writer/story artist for Disney’s TV series Phineas and Ferb comes an adventure story featuring 10-year-old Red, who longs to live in her own paradise far away from her foster family. When a UFO mistakenly kidnaps her, Red finds herself marooned on a small deserted planet with a menagerie of misfit aliens. Ages 8–12.

Framed!

James Ponti

Aladdin, Aug.; $16.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author tour.

Get to know the only kid on the FBI director’s speed dial and several international criminals’ most wanted lists, all because of his Theory of All Small Things; this story kicks off a new middle grade mystery series. Ages 8–12.

Vassa in the Night

Sarah Porter

Tor Teen, Sept.; $17.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author appearances at fan conventions, book festivals, and regional trade shows; blog tour; outreach to book vloggers.

Inspired by the Russian folktale “Vassilissa the Beautiful,” this book weaves a dark yet hopeful tale about a girl’s search for home, love, and belonging. In an enchanted version of Brooklyn, Babs Yagg (the witch Baba Yaga in the original) owns a convenience store with a policy of beheading shoplifters. With the help of her talking doll, Erg, Vassa just might be able to break the witch’s curse. Ages 13 and up.

When Penny Met POTUS

Rachel Ruiz

Capstone, July; $15.95, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author appearances; ABA children’s box mailing; downloadable election activities.

In this picture book, debut author Ruiz tells the story of a girl whose mother works for the president of the United States. Penny has heard the term POTUS but doesn’t know what it means—and her imagination runs wild as she tries to discover just who—or what—POTUS is. Ages 4–7.

Duck on a Tractor

David Shannon

Blue Sky, Sept.; $16.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author tour; posters and bumper stickers; advertising; social media advertising and outreach.

In this sequel to the beloved Duck on a Bike (2002), Caldecott Honor artist Shannon tells the story of a determined duck who decides to jump on a tractor and drive it around the barnyard and through town. Ages 4–8.

Falling Over Sideways

Jordan Sonnenblick

Scholastic Press, Sept.; $17, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author appearances; advertising, including on social media; book trailer.

A new novel from the author of Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie. Ages 12 and up.

The Changelings

Christina Soontornvat

Sourcebooks Jabberwocky, Sept.; $16.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Mailings to indies and libraries with special packaging; advertising; Texas-area regional push; series landing page with extra content from the author.

Izzy’s family has just moved to a town when Hen, her litter sister, is whisked away to Faerie, a mysterious place ruled by an evil queen. Joined there by a band of outlaw Changelings, Izzy sets out on a search-and-rescue mission across a foreign land that is both magical and terrifying. Ages 10–14.

The Secret Keepers

Trenton Lee Stewart, illus. by Diana Sudyka

Little, Brown, Sept.; $18.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author tour; prepub author appearances, including sales conference.

Twelve-year-old Reuben spends his days practicing parkour as a way to escape. But when he finds a magical watch, he gets a little more than he’s bargained for. And when he discovers that the watch has the power to turn its wearer invisible, he’s propelled on the adventure of a lifetime. Illustrator Diana Sudyka will not attend. Ages 8–12.

Super-Duper Monster Viewer

Kevin Sylvester

Groundwood (dist. by PGW), out now; $16.95, hardcover

Imagine that you are holding a device that will allow you to see the monsters that live invisibly all around us. All you have to do is follow the instructions. Full of puns and visual jokes, this monster viewer pokes gentle fun at our obsession with technology and the next cool thing. Ages 4–7.

Strange the Dreamer

Laini Taylor

Little, Brown, Sept.; $18.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author tour, including an appearance at San Diego Comic-Con; prepub author appearances; blogger outreach.

This duology by the National Book Award finalist is set in the aftermath of a war between gods and men. A mythic hero, a young librarian, and a dangerous girl dream, live, and plot in a mysterious city full of nightmares and godspawn. Ages 15 and up.

Gordon Parks: How the Photographer Captured Black and White America

Carole Boston Weatherford

Albert Whitman, out now; $16.99, hardcover

A picture book biography of photographer Gordon Parks recently won the NAACP Image Award for children’s literature. Illustrator Jamey Christoph will not attend. Ages 4–8.

They All Saw a Cat

Brendan Wenzel

Chronicle, Aug.; $16.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author tour, including appearances at conventions, regional trade shows, and festivals.

In rhythmic prose and stylized pictures, Wenzel takes young readers on a walk alongside a cat. But is it really a story about the cat? Or is it about the creatures who see it? Ages 3–5.

The Adventurer’s Guide to Successful Escapes

Wade Albert White

Little, Brown, Sept.; $16.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author appearances, prepub author events.

Thirteen-year-old Anne has spent most of her time at Saint Lupin’s Institute dreaming of the day she will finally leave. When the big day arrives, a series of very curious happenings lead to Anne being charged with an epic quest. She only has days to travel to strange locales, solves, and triumph over foes—or face terrible consequences. Ages 8–12.

The Thank You Book

(An Elephant & Piggie Book)

Mo Willems

Hyperion, out now; $9.99, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author appearances; cross promote with exhibit at the New-York Historical Society.

Gerald and Piggie are best friends. In The Thank You Book, Piggie wants to thank everyone. But Gerald is worried that Piggie will forget someone... someone important. Ages 6–8.

Good Pirate

Kari-Lynn Winters

Pajama Press (dist. by IPS), Sept.; $17.95, hardcover

Publicity plans: Author appearances; 7,000-copy print run; social media; special promotion for Talk Like a Pirate Day on Sept. 19.

Augusta’s pirate captain father insists that pirates must be rotten, sneaky, and brainy, but Augusta prefers fanciness to foulness. Despite the crew’s opposition, she sets out to prove that a successful pirate can be fancy, sneaky, and brainy, too. Ages 5–8.

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