Tiny Treasury

Judy Blume’s Tale’s of a Fourth Grade Nothing published 35 years ago still remains a classic. Younger readers from all generations can connect with poor Peter Hatcher who is completely overshadowed by his little brother Fudge. Fudge was so popular with young readers that Blume wrote four more books about him.

To celebrate the anniversary the complete set of Fudge books are being released in a box set with a new look. The set will be available in October. You can pre-order at Amazon.

Read more about Fudge and Peter at Judy Blume’s website.

Judy Blume, Fudge books, box set, Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing, young readers

The best selling children’s books, as reported by the New York Times, for the week of August 5 are:

Picture Books:
1. FANCY NANCY AND THE POSH PUPPY, by Jane O’Connor. Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser
2. FLOTSAM, by David Wiesner
3. FANCY NANCY, by Jane O’Connor. Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser
4. THE WANDMAKER’S GUIDEBOOK, by Ed Masessa. Illustrated by Daniel Jankowski
5. DOG, by Matthew Van Fleet. Photography by Brian Stanton

Chapter Books:
1. NEW MOON, by Stephenie Meyer.
2. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney.
3. THE ALCHEMYST, by Michael Scott.
4. WICKED LOVELY, by Melissa Marr.
5. TWILIGHT, by Stephenie Meyer.

Series Books:
1. HARRY POTTER, by J. K. Rowling
2. PERCY JACKSON & THE OLYMPIANS, by Rick Riordan
3. JUNIE B., FIRST GRADER, by Barbara Park
4. MAGIC TREE HOUSE, by Mary Pope Osborne
5. MAXIMUM RIDE, by James Patterson

According to the NY Times, the best selling children’s picture books for the week of July 30 are:

1. THE WANDMAKER’S GUIDEBOOK, by Ed Masessa. Illustrated by Daniel Jankowski
2. FANCY NANCY AND POSH PUPPY, by Jane O’Connor. Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser
3. FANCY NANCY, by Jane O’Connor. Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser
4. FLOTSAM, by David Wiesner
5. PIRATES DON’T CHANGE DIAPERS, by Melinda Long

The best selling chapter books are:

1. NEW MOON, by Stephenie Meyer
2. DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney
3. WICKED LOVELY, by Melissa Marr
4. TWILIGHT, by Stephenie Meyer
5. ALCHEMYST, by Michael Scott

And if you’re wondering about Harry Potter, he made it on the list of best selling series books:

1. HARRY POTTER, by J. K. Rowling
2. PERCY JACKSON & OLYMPIANS, by Rick Riordan
3. JUNIE B., FIRST GRADER, by Barbara Park
4. MAXIMUM RIDE, by James Patterson
5. RANGER’S APPRENTICE, by John Flanagan

Even though I will admit to not having read any of the Harry Potter books (it’s on my list, I swear), I’d be remiss to not mention the latest book in the Harry Potter series - especially since it’s breaking all kinds of records. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows has already sold 8.3 million copies in its first 24 hours on sale in the United States, according to Scholastic Inc.

I am curious to hear your take on the book. What happened? Was it a satisfying ending? Did JK wrap up loose ends, as promised? Any disappointments? Do you think this is really the end?

*** Spoiler Disclaimer ***

As I am specifically asking for feedback on the book, there may be information posted in the Comments that you might not want to read. If you don’t want to know how the book ends, who dies, or any other information that readers might post, just don’t read any further. You’ve been warned.

Scholastic, Harry Potter, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, JK Rowling

Here are the best selling books for kids according to the New York Times for the week of July 2.

Picture Books:
1 FANCY NANCY AND THE POSH PUPPY, by Jane O’Connor. Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser.
2 FANCY NANCY, by Jane O’Connor. Illustrated by Robin Preiss Glasser.
3 HOW I BECAME A PIRATE, by Melinda Long. Illustrated by David Shannon.
4 FLOTSAM, by David Wiesner.
5 BAD DOG, MARLEY!, by John Grogan. Illustrated by Richard Cowdrey.

Chapter Books:
1 NEW MOON, by Stephenie Meyer.
2 WICKED LOVELY, by Melissa Marr.
3 DIARY OF A WIMPY KID, written and illustrated by Jeff Kinney.
4 SUMMER BALL, by Mike Lupica.
5 THE BOOK THIEF, by Markus Zusak.

In the days approaching the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, speculation as to what happens to Harry is growing. A lot of the chatter seems to revolve around what the cover art for the book, which was revealed in April, means.

In addition to the cover art above, the cover art for the deluxe edition has also been released (click on it for a larger image):

You can also examine the cover in detail on Scholastic’s site.

Thoughts? Think you know what any of it means?

Harry Potter, JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

A computer hacker claims to know.

The hacker, who goes by the name “Gabriel,” purports to have a copy of J.K. Rowling’s, “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows,” which he obtained by hacker into Bloomsbury’s computer system.

Reuters had reported that the information on Gabriels’ web site InSecure.org that, if true, would reveal the ending of the book. However, my trip over to the site didn’t prove fruitful - I didn’t see anything about Harry Potter and quite frankly, the layout and info on the site made my head hurt (sorry guys, not all that interested in hacking).

A Bloomsbury spokesman declined comment on the hacker’s claims. And it’s likely not to affect sales anyway - Scholastic plans to release 12 million copies of “Deathly Hallows” and pre-orders so far have already broken records.

Harry Potter, hacker, JK Rowling, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Bloomsbury, insecure.org

Simon & Schuster Books has announced that they have signed Steven Hawking to pen a new kids’ book.

Hawking’s book, George’s Secret Key to the Universe, will be a fictional work about the origins of the universe. He is co-writing the book along with daughter, Lucy, who has authored Plume and Run for Your Life. The book will be will be illustrated by Garry Parsons who has illustrated, among other works, The Trouble at the Dinosaur Cafe. A fall release is expected.

Steven Hawking, Lucy Hawking, Garry Parsons, George’s Secret Key to the Universe, Plume, Run for Your Life, The Trouble at the Dinosaur Cafe

Random House is offering free copies The Absent Author by Ron Roy, with any purchase on www.RandomHouse.com.

To qualify, make a purchase at www.RandomHouse.com, and enter the promotion code “AZKIDS” at checkout.

There’s no doubt that books that trend close to Harry Potter are doing well these days.

A few weeks ago, I posted about The Marvelous Effect, which has been referred to as “the black Harry Potter.”

And now, previously unknown Roderick Gordon and Brian Williams hope to generate that same kind of magic with their book, Tunnels. What is so amazing about Tunnels is that, like The Marvelous Effect, it was initially self-published.

Tunnels has something more important in common with Harry Potter, though: the eye of Chicken House publisher Barry Cunningham. Cunningham heard about the authors and signed them up for a series of fantasy tales (see guys, I didn’t say sci-fi, I’m learning) about fourteen year-old Will Burrows. The two have already received six figure advances.

Cunningham was the agent who signed J.K. Rowling for her Harry Potter series. Rowling has now sold more than 325 million copies of the series worldwide and became a billionaire - and that’s before the last book of the series has been released.

The question is, really, can Cunningham do it again?

Harry Potter, Barry Cunningham, J.K. Rowling, Chicken House, Tunnels, Brian Williams, Roderick Gordon

I received word today that John Grogan will be at a book signing just a few minutes away from my home in West Chester, PA, to promote his new book, Marley, A Dog Like No Other. My guess is that he won’t be stopping by his old offices at the Philadelphia Inquirer to say hello.

The Inquirer has struck a deal with Vanguard Press, to release a series of articles penned by Grogan as a book entitled Bad Dogs Have More Fun. Sounds great, right? Well, not exactly. Grogan wasn’t involved with the deal and he didn’t receive any advanced notice about the book. He reportedly had no involvement in the selection of the pieces or editing and, as a result, refuses to have any involvement in the promotion of the book.

As such, Grogan’s agent, Laurie Abkemeier of DeFiore and Company, today sent a letter to sales reps at Grogan’s current publisher, HarperCollins, expressing Grogan’s displeasure and explaining he will not be promoting or supporting the title in any way.

However, the new owner of the Inquirer, Brian Tierney, dismisses claims that leaving Grogan out of the process was purposeful and still hopes to have Grogan’s participation. In fact, he has even offered Grogan compensation in exchange for promoting the book. That makes sense, as clearly the book will have more success with Grogan’s stamp of approval.

However, Tierney, who, along with other investors including Bruce Toll of Toll Brothers, purchased the Inquirer last year for $562 million, doesn’t seem worried. He has stated, “[w]hile we’re excited about this book, it’s not as if it’s going to be a significant revenue stream.” And Tierney seems to know revenue. He is currently contemplating the purchase of Dow Jones & Company, which owns the Wall Street Journal.

Brian Tierney, Bruce Toll, Philadelphia Inquirer, Vanguard Press, Marley, John Grogan, HarperCollins

Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing has developed a new line for tweens with the first branded tween imprint: Aladdin MIX.

Aladdin MIX, with Ellen Krieger at the helm, debuts this week with six titles: The Secret Identity of Devon Delaney by Lauren Barnholdt, The Melting of Maggie Bean by Tricia Rayburn, In the Cards: Love by Mariah Frederick, Totally Joe by James Howe, There’s a Girl in My Hammerlock by Jerry Spinelli, and Just Another Day in My Insanely Real Life by Barbara Dee.

The stories are geared for the so-called tweens market, those between childhood and teen-age years. Traditionally, the ages for tweens are nine to thirteen. There are about 30 million kids who fall into this category.

Of course, we’re all familiar with tweens as made famous by Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen who were some of the first (or their “people”, depending on what you believe) to recognize the potential for the market.

Knut is about to hit the big time! The baby polar bear who was rejected at birth by his mother and is being raised by zoo keeper Thomas Dorflein will make his book debut in fall 2007. Turtle Pond Publications, an entertainment and media company, and the Berlin Zoo in Germany have signed an agreement for the publishing rights to his story. Turtle Pond owner Craig Hatkoff and daughters Juliana and Isabella, will co-author Knut: How One Little Polar Bear Captivated the World in cooperation with the Berlin Zoo.

Knut, polar bear, Berlin Zoo, Craig Hatkoff, Thomas Dorflein

A reader wants to know, “What is the best selling children’s book of all time?”

Okay, this is a much harder question than I thought it would be. According to Publishers Weekly, the top selling hardback book through the end of 2000 was The Poky Little Puppy.

1. The Poky Little Puppy, Janette Sebring Lowrey (1942)
2. The Tale of Peter Rabbit, Beatrix Potter (1902)
3. Tootle, Gertrude Crampton (1945)
4. Green Eggs and Ham, Dr. Seuss (1960)
5. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, J. K. Rowling (2000)
6. Pat the Bunny, Dorothy Kunhardt (1940)
7. Saggy Baggy Elephant, Kathryn and Byron Jackson (1947)
8. Scuffy the Tugboat, Gertrude Crampton (1955)
9. The Cat in the Hat, Dr. Seuss (1957)
10. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, J. K. Rowling (1999)
11. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, J. K. Rowling (1999)
12. Where the Sidewalk Ends, Shel Silverstein (1974)
13. One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish, Dr. Seuss (1960)
14. The Giving Tree, Shel Silverstein (1964)
15. The Littlest Angel, Charles Tazewell (1946)
16. Hop on Pop, Dr. Seuss (1963)
17. Oh, the Places You’ll Go!, Dr. Seuss (1990)
18. Dr. Seuss’s ABC, Dr. Seuss (1960)
19. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, J. K. Rowling (1998)
20. The Very Hungry Caterpillar, Eric Carle (1969)

You can see the rest of the list of hardback best sellers here. (more…)

That’s the question that author Troy CLE initially tried to answer when he created his character, Louis Proof.

But it would be simplistic to paint Louis as simply a black version of the beloved Harry. Louis is a very different character. The brainchild of Troy, Louis loves listening to hip-hop, racing radio-controlled cars, and hanging out with his best friend, Brandon. If he sounds a little normal, maybe it’s because he is meant to be.

Of his character, Troy says, “I couldn’t find any action hero kids who looked like me in popular literature. That’s what sparked me to write this book.” And where is comes from is pretty amazing. The 29 year old New Jersey native grew up and still lives (according to his myspace page) in the urban, gang-infested city of East Orange, NJ. However, Troy didn’t fall victim to the stereotypes. He studied classical piano and acting, and went on to succeed at New York University, including earning degrees in American literature and English, and a masters in digital design.

Despite his successes, Troy couldn’t shake the desire to create something that reflected his roots. The Marvelous World series was inspired by his own vow to create a movie where kids looked and lived like he did. While a big fan of Spielberg’s “The Goonies”, Troy realized that the kids in that movie didn’t look like him. In the Marvelous World series, the 13 year-old kid from New Jersey sounds a little like Troy might have been like as a child.

But that’s where the similarities appear to end. While Louis’ fictional world takes off in a whirlwind of fantasy, science fiction, hip-hop, gaming, race cars and Anime. Troy’s real life world has taken off in a manner that’s a little more mainstream (no comas, no magic portals) but no less fantastic.

Troy’s continuing rise to fame isn’t completely a solo effort. He had a little help from some pretty impressive friends. For starters, the cover art for the first book of the series was created by Daryl Mandryk, formerly of EA Sports and now the lead artist for Disney’s video game company, Propaganda Games. And the book’s back cover was created by Joe DiVelario, who was the visual effects designer for the Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie now infamous’ flick, “Mr. And Mrs. Smith.”

But Troy still couldn’t find a publisher. He didn’t stop trying. David Finn, owner of the public relations firm Ruder Finn, saw potential in Troy’s book and offered a hand. David lent his resources to help Troy self-publish his book and become his own publicist. And the hype began, resulting in deals with Simon and Schuster and Random House.

Since then, the buzz around Troy’s book has exploded. It is, quite likely, the second most anticipated new release of the summer. And oh yeah, Harry Potter isn’t the only book that you can pre-order. Pre-order The Marvelous Effect before its May 22 release date.

To hear a snippet as read by Malcolm Jamal-Warner, click here.

Troy CLE, The Marvelous Effect, Marvelous World, Harry Potter, sci-fi, gaming, Daryl Mandryk, Ruder Finn, Joe DiVelario