Best Summer Reads of 2018; Martha Brockenbrough Gets Political

[PW Children's Bookshelf: Breaking children's and YA publishing news, author interviews, bestsellers lists and reviews.] [Toga Frog by Nora Carpenter]( In the Spotlight [Summer Reads 2018]( Check out our picks for the best summer books for children and teens of all ages and interests, from magic-infused picture books to topical stories for older readers—and much more. [MORE]( In the News [Gauging the Impact of Sexual Misconduct Charges in Publishing]( To get a sense of how readers have reacted to the news of accusations against authors Sherman Alexie, Jay Asher, and James Dashner, PW examined sales of a selection of their books. [more]( [New York Rights Fair 2018]( In Conversation [Stephanie Tromly and Kathy Dawson]( YA author Stephanie Tromly's Trouble series kicked off in 2015 with Trouble Is a Friend of Mine, a contemporary screwball mystery. The final book in the series, Trouble Never Sleeps, is out today from Penguin’s Kathy Dawson imprint. We asked Tromly and her editor, v-p and publisher Dawson, to interview each other about wrapping up the trilogy. [more]( Looking Ahead [Four Questions with Martha Brockenbrough]( Martha Brockenbrough is the author of YA novels as well as picture books and nonfiction for young readers, including Alexander Hamilton: Revolutionary. We spoke with her about the impetus for her new project, Unpresidented, a YA biography of President Donald Trump; just announced by Feiwel and Friends, the book is due out November 13. Q: What do you hope your book will accomplish? A: I hope that it fascinates people and gets readers who are on the cusp of registering to vote to feel engaged in the process and that history happens with their participation. This is a book that can feel desolate at times but it is ultimately meant to empower people with knowledge and with perspective. [more]( On the Scene [On Tour with Peter Brown]( Last month, Caldecott Honor recipient Peter Brown embarked on a two-week, 10-city tour in celebration of The Wild Robot Escapes, sequel to his debut middle grade novel, The Wild Robot. Click through for a selection of photo highlights from the events, which included readings, drawing demonstrations, and more. [more]( Interview [Lee Bennett Hopkins Celebrates Eight Decades And Two New Anthologies]( April is National Poetry Month, a fitting birth month for Lee Bennett Hopkins, whose 100-plus books of poetry for children encompass his own work and that of other poets. This has been a busy season for Hopkins, who celebrated his 80th birthday on April 13, and has just added two anthologies to his oeuvre. [more]( SPONSORED [PW KidsCast: Listen Now]( Tomi Adeyemi, Wendy Mass, Rebecca Stead, Christopher Paul Curtis, Mac Barnett and Jon Klassen – listen to these and other top writers and artists discuss their new books for children and teens in the PW KidsCast podcast. [Click here]( to listen. For more about these and other great jobs, visit the new [PW JobZone]( now with resume hosting and more! - [Publicity Assistant - Yale University - New Haven](. - [Associate Director of Advertising - HarperCollins - New York](. - [Acquisitions Editor - Diversion Books](. - [Publicist, Gallery Books - Simon & Schuster - New York](. - [Assistant Editor - HarperCollins Christian Publishing - Grand Rapids](. Rights Report Ann Kelley at Schwartz & Wade has acquired She the People, compiled by Molly Dillon. The YA anthology features stories from 10 young women, former Obama White House staffers, who came of age in the Obama era and were inspired to enter the world of government by his administration's inclusive, feminist policies. Each story leads the reader through her most unforgettable moment working for Obama; the anthology includes contributions from Jenna Brayton, Eleanor Celeste, Nita Contreras, Kalisha Dessources, Molly Dillon, Andrea Flores, Vivian Graubard, Noemie Levy, Taylor Lustig, and Jaimie Woo. Publication is scheduled for spring 2019; Wendi Gu at Janklow & Nesbit Associates negotiated the deal for world rights. Zareen Jaffery at Simon & Schuster has bought world rights to Sarvenaz Tash's Virtually Yours, a futuristic rom-com about a college freshman who tries out a virtual reality dating app, only to be matched up with the high school ex she's still not over. Publication is tentatively set for spring 2019; Victoria Marini at the Irene Goodman Agency brokered the deal. Alvina Ling at Little, Brown has acquired Roseanne Montillo's The Atomic Women. The YA nonfiction book tells the stories of the little-known female scientists who were critical to the invention of the atomic bomb and an examination of the moral implications of their work. Publication is planned for fall 2019; Rob Weisbach at Rob Weisbach Creative Management did the deal for world rights. Zachary Clark at Scholastic has bought Rated, by Girl at Midnight author Melissa Grey, in which teens navigate a hierarchical ranking system in a Black Mirror-esque future. Publication is slated for 2019; Catherine Drayton at InkWell Management negotiated the deal for world rights. Jenne Abramowitz at Scholastic has acquired, in a preempt, Jess Keating's middle grade series Genius Academy, starting with Nikki Tesla and the Ferret-Proof Death Ray. Pitched as the X-Men meets Geek Squad, Genius Academy centers around Nikki Tesla, a young inventor on the brink of causing a global meltdown, who must team up with a ragtag group of re-imagined figures of history to outwit a mysterious villain from her past. Publication is set for summer 2019; Kathleen Rushall at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency brokered the two-book deal for world English rights. Sonali Fry at Yellow Jacket has bought Ching Yeung Russell's middle grade novel-in-verse, House Without Walls, based on the account of 11-year-old Lam, who escapes from Vietnam with her younger brother during the Boat People Exodus in 1979. Publication is scheduled for summer 2019; Adria Goetz at Martin Literary Management handled the deal for world rights. Ariane Szu-Tu at National Geographic Kids has bought Michael Cottman's new middle grade nonfiction book, Segregated Skies. Presented against the backdrop of landmark civil rights legislation, race riots, and the racial injustices of the 1960s, the book follows the story of David Harris and his turbulent path to become the first African-American commercial airline pilot, and how he used his success to become an advocate for people of marginalized communities. Publication is slated for fall 2020; Jennifer Herrera at the David Black Agency negotiated the deal for world rights. Carol Hinz at Lerner/Millbrook has acquired world English rights to author-illustrator Carlyn Beccia's Ten at Ten, a middle grade nonfiction anthology that presents 10 cultural icons, focusing on their lives at the age of 10. Publication is planned for spring 2020; Abigail Samoun at Red Fox Literary represented Beccia. Christina Pulles at Sterling has acquired the first two books in authors Katie and Kevin Tsang's Sam Wu chapter book series, Sam Wu Is Not Afraid of Ghosts and Sam Wu Is Not Afraid of Sharks. The series features a boy facing his many fears in humorous ways. Publication is scheduled for fall 2018 for the first book, and spring 2019 for the second; Tracy Phillips at Egmont U.K. represented the authors in the deal for North American rights. Frances Gilbert at Doubleday has signed a two-book deal, at auction, for Mike Boldt's Bad Dog and Find Fergus. In Bad Dog, a girl believes her new cat to be a dog and wonders why it doesn't act more doglike; the book is due out in fall 2019. Find Fergus features a giant bear who's really, really bad at hide-and-seek; publication is set for summer 2020. Jennifer Rofé at the Andrea Brown Literary Agency represented Boldt in the deal for world rights. Talia Benamy at Philomel has bought author-illustrator Sarah Brannen's picture book, Perfect, about a sea gull and a crab who have differing views on what makes for a perfect day. Publication is planned for summer 2020; Steven Chudney at the Chudney Agency handled the deal for world rights. Julie Matysik at Running Press Kids has acquired Troy Wilson's Little Red Reading Hood and the Misread Wolf, a celebration of the love of reading and a reminder you can't judge a book—er, wolf—by its cover. Ilaria Campana will illustrate; publication is slated for July 2019. Hilary McMahon at Westwood Creative Artists brokered the deal for world rights for the author, and Aurora Meyer at Astound Us brokered the deal for the illustrator. Julia Sooy at Godwin has bought world rights to Cats Are a Liquid by Rebecca Donnelly (l.), a picture book that examines the unusual physical properties of felines. Misa Saburi will illustrate; publication is scheduled for fall 2019. Molly Ker Hawn at the Bent Agency represented the author, and Kirsten Hall at Catbird Agency represented the illustrator. Jennifer Newens at Graphic Arts has acquired world rights to Eric A. Kimmel's picture book, Why Worry, the story of two friends, fretful Cricket and easygoing Grasshopper, who accidentally embark on an adventure together. Aiko Ikegami will illustrate; publication is set for May 2019. Jennifer Laughran at the Andrea Brown Agency represented the author, and Anna Olswanger at Olswanger Literary represented the illustrator. Mary Colgan at Boyds Mills has bought world rights to Heather Lang's (l.) The Leaf Detective: How Scientist Margaret Lowman Explored and Protected the Treetops, a biography of the trailblazer who climbed trees and pioneered canopy exploration around the world. Jana Christy will illustrate; publication is planned for March 2020. Karen Grencik at Red Fox Literary represented the author, and Justin Rucker at Shannon Associates represented the illustrator. Wendy McClure and Andrea Hall at Albert Whitman have acquired City Street Beat author Nancy Viau's (l.) First Snow, a picture book celebrating the first snowfall of the season. Talitha Shipman (Applesauce Day, Everybody Says Shalom) will illustrate; publication is slated for fall 2018; the author represented herself, and Emily Coggins at Astound represented the illustrator. To see all of this week's deals, [click here](. IN THE MEDIA [From the New York Times:]( Review: Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Raises the Bar for Broadway Magic. [Click here]( [From School Library Journal:]( Librarians from Parkland, Fla., and Brookfield, Conn., win Snicket Prize. [Click here]( [From Book Riot:]( The Greatest Benefit of Reading to Your Child May Surprise You. [Click here]( [From School Library Journal:]( Virginia Duncan on Editing a Newbery Winner. [Click here]( [From Entertainment Weekly:]( J.K. Rowling surprises the Broadway cast of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child. [Click here]( [From Mashable:]( Jacqueline Woodson's upcoming book is a moving letter to kids who feel alone. [Click here]( [From Brightly:]( How Fairy Tales Continue to Invite Us to Think Harder and Smarter. [Click here]( [From Book Riot:]( 16 Young Adult Novels Set in New York City. [Click here]( SHELFTALKER Leslie Hawkins [A Newbie Heads to NOLA]( Children’s Institute will be in New Orleans this year, and a bookseller looks forward to the highlights (including the costume party). [more »]( Meghan Dietsche Goel [Meeting the Authors in Our Neighborhood]( Working with the SCBWI to build strong relationships with local writers. [more »]( Kenny Brechner [The Delightful Clare Fournier]( Meet a young bookseller who is truly a book person to her core. [more »]( Cynthia Compton [Many Unhappy Returns]( One retailer’s stories of returns and exchanges, and the range of reasons offered by customers. [more »]( FEATURED REVIEWS [Don't Eat That!]( Drew Sheneman. Viking, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-1-101-99729-1 The latest from Sheneman reads like a classic Sunday comic. His story has two protagonists: an unflappable girl determined to get a nature merit badge and the hulking brown bear she encounters in the woods. But this is no ordinary bear; even though he’s famished, he’s incapable of feeding himself. [more]( [Niblet & Ralph]( Zachariah Ohora. Dial, $17.99 (40p) ISBN 978-0-7352-2791-0 Dilla lives with his cat Niblet. Gemma lives with her cat Ralph. The kids don’t know each other, but the cats do; they meow to each other as they sit in their windows. When both apartment doors stand open one day, an unplanned cat exchange ensues. Ohora is in top form, particularly in scenes depicting the two cat owners anxiously trying to work out what’s happened. [more]( [Flor and Miranda Steal the Show]( Jennifer Torres. Little, Brown, $16.99 (192p) ISBN 978-0-316-30689-8 Eleven-year-olds Flor and Miranda both help out with their families’ acts at a traveling carnival: Miranda sings in a ranchera band with her siblings, and Flor helps out in her own family’s petting zoo. But while Miranda’s star is on the rise, interest in the petting zoo is dwindling. From the fried-pickle stand to the Cloud Chaser swing ride, the spot-on details in this lively, fast-paced adventure help bring readers into the intriguing life of carnival workers. [more]( [A Stitch in Time]( Daphne Kalmar. Feiwel and Friends, $16.99 (176p) ISBN 978-1-250-15498-9 Tautly written yet surging with emotion, this debut novel is set in 1927 Vermont, where an 11-year-old girl contends with wrenching past, present, and (she fears) future loss. After her mother died in childbirth, Donut was raised by her father, whose recent death brings a double-edged sadness: not only does Donut miss him immensely, but without the memories he shares, “She’d lost her mother for good, now.” [more]( [Monday’s Not Coming]( Tiffany D. Jackson. HarperCollins/Tegen, $17.99 (448p) ISBN 978-0-06-242267-5 Jackson’s sophomore novel, following 2017’s acclaimed Allegedly, features another ripped-from-the-headlines premise that will keep readers guessing through the final pages. After a summer in Georgia with her grandmother, Claudia returns to Washington, D.C., ready to take on eighth grade with her best friend, Monday, even though Monday didn’t respond to any of Claudia’s letters over the past two months. Claudia soon finds, though, that Monday is gone. [more]( April 24, 2018 E-mail not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( [Ocean Meets Sky by Terry Fan and Eric Fan]( [The Unforgettable Guinevere St. Clair by Amy Makechnie]( [Sign up to the Must Reads Newsletter for FREE]( PeopleLindsay Wagner has joined Macmillan Children's Publishing Group as managing editor; previously she was a project manager at Hal Leonard Performing Arts Publishing Group. Elizabeth Stranahan has been promoted to assistant editor at Crown Books for Young Readers, from editorial assistant. In the Winners' Circle The 38th annual Los Angeles Times Book Prizes have been announced. In the Young Adult Literature category, Jason Reynolds has won for Long Way Down (Atheneum/Dlouhy). The Book Prizes are given in honor of literary luminaries at all stages of their careers. For the complete list of winners, [click here](. Bestsellers [Children's Frontlist Fiction]( #1 Dog Man and Cat Kid (Dog Man #4) by Dav Pilkey. [Click here]( [Picture Books]( #1 The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein. [Click here]( Follow Us Children's Bookshelf is on [Instagram]( Please follow us @pwkidsbookshelf. Bookshelf Archives Looking for a previous issue of Children's Bookshelf? [Click here]( see our archives page! CONTACT US Have a comment or suggestion? We'd love to hear from you. [Click here](mailto:childrensbooks@publishersweekly.com) to drop us a note. [Follow PWKidsBookshelf on Twitter]( Children's Bookshelf Editor: Diane Roback Associate Editor: Emma Kantor Digital Producer: Michael Seidlinger Send editorial questions about this e-newsletter to: childrensbooks@publishersweekly.com Send advertising questions about this e-newsletter to: cbryerman@publishersweekly.com Follow PW on [Facebook]( and [Twitter](. For additional assistance, contact us by email or at the address below. Publishers Weekly, 71 West 23 St. #1608 New York, NY 10010 Phone 212-377-5500 Copyright 2018, PWxyz LLC Email not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( To view back issues of Children's Bookshelf, [click here](. You are receiving this email because {EMAIL} subscribed to one of Publishers Weekly's e-newsletters. If you are not {EMAIL}, then please disregard this. If you would like to stop receiving this or any Publishers Weekly e-newsletter or promotional emailing, [click here to update your newsletter subscription preferences](. Publishers Weekly takes spam very seriously. This email message meets all the requirements of the United States CAN-SPAM Act and Canada¹s Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL). If you would like your email address removed from all Publishers Weekly email lists, [click here to unsubscribe.](