* Abalos, Rafael : Grimpow: The Invisible Road
(Delacorte 978-0-385-73374-8, $17.99, 493pp, hardcover, October 2007, jacket illustration David Argemi)

Young adult novel set in 14th century Europe, about a young man who finds a dead man in the woods, from whose satchel he finds jewels, silver coins, and a philosopher's stone....
• The publisher's site has this description and an excerpt.
• According to the press release, the novel, whose author is Spanish, has already become a #1 bestseller in Spain and Italy. This translated from the German Random House page has some background on the author.

|

* Almond, David, et al : Click
(Scholastic/Arthur A. Levine 0439411386, $16.99, 217pp, hardcover, October 2007)

Young adult novel, each chapter written by a different author, about two children who inherit a camera and a box of photographs from their grandfather.
• The authors are Nick Hornby, Roddy Doyle, Gregory Maguire, Linda Sue Park, David Almond, Tim Wynne-Jones, Ruth Ozeki, Deborah Ellis, Margo Lanagan, and Eoin Colfer.
• The publisher's site has this page about the book, with a description, excerpts from reviews, and photos of some of the authors.
• Earlier this month NPR ran this story about the book; the page has the text story, an audio link, and two excerpts.

|

+ Beddor, Frank : Seeing Redd
(Dial 0803731558, $17.99, 371pp, hardcover, August 2007, cover art Vance Kovacs)

Young adult fantasy novel, second in the trilogy following The Looking Glass Wars (2004), telling the real story of Alyss of Wonderland.
• The publisher's site has this brief description.
• Series site The Looking Glass Wars has a gallery, sample chapters, and among much else background on the author -- who's a film producer and actor, stuntman, and US ski team member.
• Amazon has the description, and reader reviews.

|

* Brom : The Devil's Rose
(Abrams 0810993538, $22.95, unppp, hardcover, October 2007)

Illustrated novel about a Texas Ranger condemned to hunt fugitives from hell.
• Brom's website has this page with a description and sample art.
• Amazon has a description, and reader reviews.

|

+ Croggon, Alison : The Crow: The Third Book of Pellinor
(Candlewick Press 0763634093, $18.99, 11+511pp, hardcover, October 2007, jacket illustration Matt Mahurin)

Young adult fantasy novel, third in the series following The Naming and The Riddle, about a young girl trying to save her world from evil.
• The book was first pubished in Australia in 2006; this is the first US edition.
• The publisher's site has this description with a link to an excerpt.
• Series site www.booksofpellinor.com has maps, details on characters, pronunciation notes, and descriptions of the books.
• Amazon has a Chapter 1 excerpt, and reader reviews.

|

* de Lint, Charles : Little (Grrl) Lost
(Viking 0670061441, $17.99, 271pp, hardcover, September 2007, cover illustration Scott Fischer)

Young adult novel about teenaged girl at a new school who's befriended by a "Little" girl, 16 years old and 6 inches tall, with an attitude.
• The publisher's site has this description and a Look Inside image of the book's back cover.
• The author's website (hosted by SF Site) has this background and description.
• Amazon has the Booklist review: "de Lint mixes marvelous fantastical creatures and realities as he taps into young women's need to feel unique, understood, and valued."

|

* Farmer, Nancy : The Land of the Silver Apples
(Atheneum 1416907351, $18.99, 496pp, hardcover, August 2007, jacket illustration Gene Mollica)

YA fantasy novel, sequel to The Sea of Trolls (2004), set in 8th century Britain. In this book Jack embarks on a series to adventures to rescue his sister.
• Amazon has the starred Booklist review, which comments "Farmer beautifully balances pell-mell action and quieter thematic points..."
• Locus Magazine included the book on September's New and Notable Books list, though reviewer Carolyn Cushman wasn't completely enthusiastic: "Quirky new characters, notably some daffy hobgoblins and a badly disfigured slave girl, add some interest, but the story ultimately lacks heart, for all its concern with issues of the soul or spirit. Younger readers, less familiar with stories of heartless fairies in their underground courts, may find this more enthralling."

|

* Fenner, Arnie, & Cathy Fenner, eds. : Rough Work: Concept Art, Doodles, & Sketchbook Drawings by Frank Frazetta
(Underwood Books 9781599290133, $19.95, 127pp, hardcover, October 2007)

Art book collection of early work, black and white sketches, concept art, etc., by Frank Frazetta, with an introduction by Arnie Fenner.
• Bud Plant's website has a description with ordering information.
• Amazon also has a short description, plus several reader reviews, including one from Bob Eggleton: "For the artist, and art student, it's a must-have book simply because the sketches show the thinking going on in Frazetta's process. ... I can't put it down!"

|

* Harper, Suzanne : The Secret Life of Sparrow Delaney
(Greenwillow 978-0-06-113158-5, $16.99, 364pp, hardcover, July 2007)

Young adult novel about a 15-year-old girl who tries to reject the psychic powers that come to her as the seventh daughter of a seventh daughter.
• The publisher's site has this description with its "browse inside" feature.
• Amazon has the Publishers Weekly review, which calls it a "polished debut novel" and concludes "For all of the imagination the author displays in inventing a spirit world, she shows equal skill in probing the nuances of tender emotions, too."
• Carolyn Cushman reviewed the book in the June issue of Locus Magazine, calling it "a low-key charmer, with a touching conclusion and just a hint of teen romance."

|

* Hearn, Lian : Heaven's Net Is Wide: The First Tale of the Otori
(Riverhead 978-1-59448-953-2, $26.95, 484pp, hardcover, July 2007)

Fantasy novel, fifth book in the "Tales of the Otori" series set in an imaginary medieval Japan by the pseudonymous Australian author Gillian Rubinstein. It's a prequel to the other volumes: Across the Nightingale Floor (2002), Grass for His Pillow (2003), Brilliance of the Moon (2004), and The Harsh Cry of the Heron (2006). This book concerns Shigeru, a young heir in the hierarchical Otori clan.
• The author's website has background on writing the book, a pronunciation guide, genealogy charts, etc.
• Amazon has the Publishers Weekly review, which concludes "Equal parts historical fiction, high fantasy and revelatory Taoist fable, the now complete Tales of the Otori is a saga to be treasured."

|

* Mignola, Mike, & Christopher Golden : Baltimore, or The Steadfast Tin Soldier and the Vampire
(Bantam Spectra 978-0-553-80471-3, $25, 285pp, hardcover, September 2007, cover art Mike Mignola)

Illustrated novel, based on Hans Christian Andersen's "The Steadfast Tin Soldier" and Bram Stoker's "Dracula", about Lord Henry Baltimore, who is infected by a vampire while fighting in World War I.
• Bantam's site has this description and excerpt.
• Amazon has the Publishers Weekly review, which calls it "a haunting allegory on the nature of war" and concludes "Stark monochrome illustrations from Mignola enhance this dramatic tale of war and fear."

|

* Milson, Matthew R. : Young Arcan and the Garden of Loc
(Avari Press 978-1-933770-03-1, $14.95, 221pp, trade paperback, October 2007, cover art Stephanie Pui-Mun Law)

Young adult fantasy novel about a boy who befriends a talking tree and embarks on a journey to save his world.
• The publisher's site has this description of the book, plus background on the author.

|

+ Oppel, Kenneth : Darkwing
(Eos 0-06-085054-X, $16.99, 422pp, hardcover, September 2007, jacket art Christian Alzmann)

Standalone young adult fantasy novel set 65 million years ago about a race of primitive mammals called chiropters.
• HarperCollins' website has this description with its "search inside" feature.
• The author's site has this page for the book and a link to book site www.darkwing.ca with illustrations of creatures, a geologic time line, videos from Dr Brock Fenton about prehistoric bats, etc.
• Amazon has reviews from School Library Journal and Booklist; the latter's starred review concludes "Oppel writes with keen insight and empathy about the condition of being 'other' in the context of a richly plotted, fast-paced story that -- though sometimes too heavily anthropomorphized -- is captivating reading from beginning to end."

|

* Westerfeld, Scott : Extras
(Simon Pulse 1-416-95117-2, $16.99, 417pp, hardcover, October 2007)

Young adult SF novel, fourth in a series following the trilogy Uglies, Pretties (both 2005), and Specials (2006), set in a future in which teenagers undergo surgery to look beautiful. In this book the uglies/pretties/specials regime has been overthrown, and 15-year-old Aya Fuse's popularity rank is so low she's a mere "extra".
• The publisher's site has this description.
• Amazon has reader reviews.
• Gary K. Wolfe reviews the book in the upcoming November issue of Locus Magazine, concluding "With inventions like these and the same kinetic video-game pacing as in the earlier novels, Extras isn't likely to disappoint Westerfeld's fans, even as it leaves its major social issue hanging and its satirical edge a bit blunted as a result."

|