ALA Convention Floor Goodies (Upcoming Titles and the Like). Part Two.

I was a little amazed that the old Childhood of Famous Americans series is back in business. Granted, I’ve had requests for those books before. And, to be perfectly honest, I read them when I was a kid and I NEVER read non-fiction back then. Still, it’s odd to see Ray Charles and Christopher Reeve getting their own entries in the series. As my husband pointed out, "Was there anything particularly heroic or interesting about Christopher Reeve’s childhood? According to the cover, he made forts on his porch.  So there you go.

Now big publishers are all well and good, but my heart belongs to the little guys.  And I admit that I was a little shocked when I learned how old these "little guys" actually were.  Chronicle Books is hitting 40.  Ditto Tundra Books.  Who knew?  And somehow I’d never given Chronicle Books the appropriate amount of attention in the past.  This San Francisco based company has given the world plenty of big hits.  The trick is to find them.  This year, they’ve produced a picture book unlike anything I’ve ever seen before.  Bagel’s Lucky Hat by Hector Mumbly is … I don’t know if I can do this book justice.  It’s obviously the work of a former underground comic.  Underground comic artists, for the record, are very big these days.  If you have an underground comic, might I recommend that you consider writing a picture book.  There’s never been a better time.  In the case of Bagel’s Lucky Hat, however, the book looks like a 1920s colorized cartoon.  All big Pac-man eyes and exaggerated features.  It is perhaps one of the most visually stunning little creations you’re bound to get your hands on.  I did not, however, have a chance to give the words a proper look so I can’t vouch for the writing.  Just the art.  This is hot stuff.

I mentioned Tundra Books earlier in this post, but honestly they’re entirely new to me.  I couldn’t figure out why, but then the answer slowly came.  Though they’ve an office in Plattsburgh, NY, Tundra is a Canadian company first and foremost.  But how could I resist them when they put this on the cover of their catalog?

Stunning, no?  Better still, it’s for a young Sherlock Holmes story, Eye of the Crow.  I wouldn’t mind giving that one a looksee.  And just how long as celebrity Meg Tilly been writing books?  Porcupine is her first YA novel and since Kirkus liked one of her adult novels I’d be willing to give it a peek. 

CONTINUED . . . . .

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