Children's Galleys Up for Grabs

Those browsing the children's booths at BEA will discover a spectrum of galleys providing an early look at titles on publishers' fall lists. Here's a preview of some of the giveaways with which booksellers can fill their totes.

Visitors to Holt's booth (1531-1631) can pick up a pair of galleys: Philip's Ardagh's Heir of Mystery: The Second Unlikely Exploit; and The Truth About Sparrows, Marian Hale's first novel, set in Depression-era Texas.

Giveaways at the HarperCollins booth (1501) include galleys of three first novels: Millions by Frank Cottrell Boyce, in which two brothers have two weeks to spend one million dollars; Ida B.:… and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster and (Possibly) Save the World by Katherine Hannigan, a contemporary middle-grade novel from Greenwillow; and The Saint of Dragons by Jason Hightman, a fantasy that draws on classic dragon lore, due from Eos. Also on hand are the second installment of a series by Clive Barker, Abarat II: Days of Magic, Nights of War, released by Joanna Cotler Books; A Crack in the Line by Michael Lawrence, a Greenwillow book centering on a boy and a girl who are living the same life (but not quite); and Measle and the Wrathmonk by Ian Ogilvy, the debut children's book from this writer and actor.

At Bloomsbury's booth (1622), galleys and die-cut postcards will be given out to promote a middle-grade novel by first-time British author Anna Dale, who is also a part-time bookseller. Whispering to Witches tells of a boy who helps witches search for a missing page from a magic book.

Those dropping by Farrar, Straus & Giroux's booth (1512) can grab galleys of The Pepins and Their Problems, Polly Horvath's tale of a problem-prone family, illustrated by Marylin Hafner; and Beekman's Big Deal by Michael de Guzman, about a boy who hopes to convince his father to put down roots.

Galleys being given out at the booth of Disney Publishing Worldwide (2322) span several imprints. Hyperion offers Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems, centering on a child who loses her most precious toy; and Sing a Song of Tuna Fish: Memoirs of a Fifth Grade Year by Esmé Raji Codell, which recalls a Chicago childhood. Due from Disney Editions is Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson, a "prequel" to the Peter Pan story. The Supernaturalist, a futuristic adventure by Eoin Colfer, is a Miramax Books release. Jump at the Sun offers Skin Again by bell hooks, with art by Chris Raschka; and Santa's Kwanzaa by Garen Eileen Thomas, illustrated by Guy Francis. Rounding out the publisher's offerings is The Daddy Mountain by Jules Feiffer, a Michael di Capua Book. All of these authors will be attending BEA.

Hand-outs at Candlewick's booth (225) are galleys of Vegan Virgin Valentine, Carolyn Mackler's novel about a control-freak teen whose life spins out of control; and Margaux with an X by Ron Koertge, which tells of the unlikely friendship between a sarcastic, popular girl and a kindhearted boy. Mackler will attend BEA. Galleys of books by a trio of authors will be available at the Harcourt booth (2102-2202). These are Ursula K. Le Guin's Gifts, a fantasy about dangerous magical gifts; Ice Drift by Theodore Taylor, the story of two brothers stranded on an ice floe in 1868; and Regarding the Sink, a Gulliver title by Kate Klise, the sequel to Regarding the Fountain.

At Houghton Mifflin's booth (2112-2212), booksellers can pick up a galley of a Clarion release, Real Time by Pnina Kass, a contemporary novel set in Israel, where this American author has lived for 30 years.

Little, Brown sends word of two galleys the publisher will give away at its booth (2316-2317): The Secret of Castle Cant, a fantasy by first novelist K.P. Bath, with artistic embellishments by David Christiana; and Dr. Illuminatus: The Alchemist's Son, a tale of sorcery and suspense by Martin Booth.

Among the galleys up for grabs at the booth of the Penguin Young Readers Group (4431) are Cathy Cassidy's Dizzy, a first novel from Viking. Fantasy fans can reach for No Time Like Show Time, the latest volume in Michael Hoeye's Hermux Tantamoq Adventures, from Putnam; and T. A. Barron's The Great Tree of Avalon: Child of the Dark Prophecy, the first of a trilogy from Philomel. Also due from this imprint is Travel Team, a basketball novel by sports columnist Mike Lupica. Scott Westerfeld's So Yesterday, a satire about consumerism, is a Razorbill release. And Bird by Angela Johnson, the tale of a girl who sets out in search of her stepfather, is due from Dial.

At Abrams's booth (2800) are galleys of two fall titles from Amulet: Arthur Dorros's Under the Sun, the story of a boy who travels across war-torn Bosnia; and 11,000 Years Lost by Peni R. Griffin, a time-travel adventure starring a Texas girl.

Random House Children's Books is handing out the following galleys at its booth (2231): Trickster's Queen by Tamora Pierce, the final Trickster installment; and two Wendy Lamb Books: Newbery Medalist Christopher Paul Curtis's Bucking the Sarge, about two boys determined to escape from their hometown; and How I Live Now by Meg Rosoff, in which London is attacked while an American girl is visiting. Also available are Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta, a coming-of-age story about a girl sent to a new school (Knopf); and novels launching Delacorte series: Girl, 15, Charming but Insane by Sue Limb; and Mostly Ghostly: Who Let the Ghouls Out? and Have You Met My Ghoulfriend? by R.L. Stine. Curtis and Stine will be at BEA.

At booth 3736, Milkweed Editions is giving out galleys of Perfect by Natasha Friend, a middle-grade novel focusing on a girl coping with both the death of her father and an eating disorder.

Galleys available at Scholastic's booth (302-402) include Dragon Rider, by Cornelia Funke, an adventure starring a dragon and a boy (a Chicken House release); and two Scholastic Press novels: Ann M. Martin's Here Today, the story of a girl in 1963 who takes charge when her mother abandons the family; and Pam Ryan's Becoming Naomi León, which tells of a girl whose mother reappears after a seven-year absence. Orchard giveaways are The Children of the Lamp: The Akhenaten Adventure, the first installment of a trilogy by P.B. Kerr; and Starfall: Phaeton and the Chariot of the Sun by Michael Cadnum, which launches a series based on myths from Ovid's Metamorphoses. And available from Arthur A. Levine Books are King of the Middle March by Kevin Crossley-Holland, concluding the Arthur trilogy; and The Meanwhile Adventures, the finale to Roddy Doyle's Mack Family tales. Funke and Kerr will attend BEA.

Simon & Schuster giveaways at booth 2223-2123 are galleys of The Last Holiday Concert by Andrew Clements, the tale of a class's campaign to save the school music program; and Alex Sanchez's So Hard to Say, a novel about self-discovery and coming to terms with being gay. Also available are two McElderry books: Indigo's Star by Hilary McKay, a sequel to Saffy's Angel; and Clovermead: In the Shadow of the Bear by David Randall, a first novel in which a girl's daydreams become real. And a pair of titles from Atheneum/Richard Jackson are The Sea of Trolls by Nancy Farmer, offering a take on Norse folklore; and Mariah Fredericks's Head Games. Simon Pulse handouts are Who's Your Daddy by Lynda Sandoval and Crank by Ellen Hopkins. Randall and Sanchez will autograph at BEA.

Visitors to Sasquatch Books's booth (3934) can pick up coloring-book versions of a pair of fantasies by Jasper Tomkins: The Camelback Dogs and Catwalk.

Fans of Harry Horse's Little Rabbit Lost can grab galleys of its sequel, Little Rabbit Goes to School, at Peachtree's booth (609-610).

At Tanglewood Press's booth (1445) booksellers will find galleys of Mystery at Blackbeard's Cove by Audrey Penn, an adventure set on North Carolina's Ocracoke Island. The author will attend BEA.

And the folks at the ZonderKidz booth (1601) will hand out galleys of Nancy Rue's Sophie's World, the debut novel in the FaithGirlz! series. Rue will be attending BEA.

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