Top Fives: Simon and Schuster Spring 2018 Preview #sskidspreview

Posted on by missprint

Last month Simon and Schuster hosted their Spring 2018 preview to talk about upcoming titles.

If you want to see all of the tweets from the preview, you can check out of the #sskidspreview tag on twitter. (You can also find all of my tweets from the preview too!)

Here are the top five titles I’m excited about from the preview:

Picture Books

  1. People Don’t Bite People by Lisa Wheeler, illustrated by Molly Idle: This might by the number one picture book from the entire preview. There aren’t enough books for kids about model behavior (no biting, no hitting) and this one looks like a big winner. Publishing April 2018.
  2. Teddy’s Favorite Toy by Christian Trimmer, illustrated by Madeline Valentine: I can count on one hand the number of picture books that show boys playing with dolls (and in that even fewer where it’s not a Big Thing). Add this book to the list! When Teddy’s favorite doll is accidentally thrown away it’s up to Mama to rescue it in this delightful read-a-like to Knuffle Bunny. Publishing February 2018.
  3. Harriet Gets Carried Away by Jessie Sima: I have been lucky enough to read a few of the upcoming S&S arcs and this one is hands down my favorite. Harriet has a costume for everything but when she wears a penguin costume to go with her dads to get supplies for a party she gets carried away by a group of actual penguins. Oops. Watch for this one in March 2018.
  4. Mommy’s Khimar by Jamilah Thompkins-Bigelow, illustrated by Ebony Glenn: I am so excited for this delightful picture book from Salaam Reads. This is a classic dress up story but about a little girl playing with her mother’s khimar (also known as a hijab head scarf). I haven’t seen this book yet but it looks so cute and centers the African Muslim experience. Coming in April 2018!
  5. I Am Loved by Nikki Giovanni, illustrated by Ashley Bryan: New poems and gorgeous illustrations all meant to remind children that they are loved. Publishing January 2018.

Middle Grade

  1. Craftily Ever After #1: The Unfriendship Bracelet by Martha Maker, illustrated by Xindi Yan: Klutz books. But with a story. This series follows four friends and includes craft project instructions in the back. Book one hits shelves in March 2018.
  2. R Is For Rebel by J. Anderson Coats: Honestly I don’t remember a lot about this because I stopped listening and started internally screaming when I realized 1. that it’s a new J. Anderson Coats and 2. that it’s being marketed as Princess Academy meets Megan Whalen Turner. I mean what?! Take my money now! Releasing February 2018.
  3. Running Through Sprinklers by Michelle Kim: A familiar story from a new perspective in this debut about two friends growing up and growing apart. Think of this as a middle grade version of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (ie a tried and true contemporary with Asian MCs). Hitting shelves April 2018.
  4. The Art of the Swap by Kristine Asselin and Jen Malone: Freaky Friday meets Downton Abbey. I don’t think I need to say anything else. Publishing February 2018.
  5. Fly Girls by P. O’Connell Pearson: This non-fiction book is all about the female pilots of World War II. Publishing in February 2018.

Young Adult

  1. Emergency Contact by Mary H. K. Choi: A novel for fans of Eliza and Her Monsters and Fangirl this story follows a girl who just started college. When she’s the only one around when a fellow freshman she ends up becoming his emergency contact leading to an online/text relationship that starts to blossom. But are either of them ready to take it into real life?
  2. The Place Between Breaths by An Na: I can’t tell you much about this one except that it deals with Schizophrenia. Na is one of the YA authors I read as an actual teen and baby blogger so it’s just very surreal to hear that she has a new title coming out as a librarian. Coming March 2018
  3. The Wicked Deep by Shea Ernshaw: This book sounds like all of my favorite things. Salem meets The Haunting. YA Practical Magic and Hocus Pocus. The shiniest cover ever. On shelves in March 2018.
  4. American Panda by Gloria Chao: A Taiwanese Ivy Leaguer has to balance her germophobia with her parents’ dreams that she become a doctor. Then there’s her crush on a Japanese classmate. Coming February 2018.
  5. Starry Eyes by Jenn Bennett: This is a love to hate to love story about a girl stranded in the wilderness–with the boy who broke her heart. This sex positive YA contemporary even has maps that the author made of the neighborhood. Publishing April 2018.