First Day of Fall

If you pay attention to weather forecasts on TV or the radio, the fact that this is the first day of fall probably did not escape your notice (5:18 PM, I believe, is the magic moment). I love the fall. It's probably my favorite season (followed by spring, summer, and winter). Having lived all my life in Louisiana and Texas until three years ago, I never really experienced four seasons until recently. I adore having four seasons (I don't love winter very much...I like having a few snow days, but that's about it, although I love walking to work after new snow has fallen). I love the leaves changing, the beautiful fall produce at the farmers' markets, and pumpkin bread.

Fall is also a time for new children's and YA books. With the Newbery/Caldecott/etc committees going into their final months of reading and deliberation, publishers roll out their hopefuls for these coveted awards in the fall (of course, books released in the spring and summer have won). There's also the "Best Of" lists and holiday shopping to consider! This fall in particular seems stuffed not only with promising debuts, but with new releases from some heavy-hitters in the children's literature field, including Kate DiCamillo and Richard Peck. With all the new books that are rolling out, I thought I'd highlight a few new books in our collection, as well as those that are on order (which you can reserve if you have a Fauquier County card). Today, I'll focus on new and upcoming YA titles that are currently hot at our branches, as well as upcoming releases and new books that I think deserve more attention.




Our Another Faust copies have been flying off the shelves. I had a feeling that this would happen once I heard about the book. First of all-that's a terrific YA cover. And while fabulously wealthy Manhattan teens are all the rage, this story is actually a retelling of Faust, which adds some literacy cache. Can't wait to read it.




Troy High, which has an equally teen-friendly cover, although totally opposite in spirit to Another Faust, is another retelling of a literary classic. On the surface, this is a tale of high school football rivalry, but it's actually a retelling of The Iliad. Another one I'm anxiously awaiting, just as soon as I can get my hands on a copy!




Kate Thompson returns to Ireland in Creature of the Night. Just in time for Halloween, this supernatural story is centered around a boy on a straight path to juvenile delinquency. Just be warned that the language might not be suitable for everyone.




I read "The Tell-Tale Heart" when I was in middle school, and it has got to be one of the freakiest stories I have ever read. For those in the mood for some ghoulish tales, Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Death and Dementia is just for you. Purists won't like it because the stories are a bit abridged, but it looks to be a hair-raising introduction to Poe's work, told in graphic novel form (the pictures are supposed to be intense).

(This post is getting a bit long....to be continued in the next post.)