Beyond the people I work with and the people this blog has led me to get to know, by far the best aspect of blogging for TLT is the constant influx of books. All of the books I get end up going back out the door in some fashion—to teen readers I know, to classroom libraries of friends, or in giveaways. I can’t read/review every book I get, but it’s fun to be able to sift through boxes and see what grabs my attention, and to see what books will find loving new homes with the right reader.

Today I’m sharing with you a few titles from Houghton Mifflin Harcourt’s Spring 2017 list. All annotations are from the publisher. They have kindly offered to do a giveaway with us. They are offering 2 copies of Things I Should Have Known by Claire LaZebnik and 2 copies of The Van Gogh Deception by Deron Hicks to our readers. Enter via the Rafflecopter between now and October 23rd. Winners will be notified via email. US entries only, please. Winners will win one book.

A Dog in the Cave: Coevolution and the Wolves Who Made Us Human by Kay Frydenborg (ISBN-13: 9780544286566 Publisher :Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publication date: 03/14/2017)

We know dogs are our best animal friends, but have you ever thought about what that might mean?

Fossils show we’ve shared our work and homes with dogs for tens of thousands of years. Now there’s growing evidence that we influenced dogs’ evolution—and they, in turn, changed ours. Even more than our closest relatives, the apes, dogs are the species with whom we communicate best.

Combining history, paleontology, biology, and cutting-edge medical science, Kay Frydenborg paints a picture of how two different species became deeply entwined—and how we coevolved into the species we are today.

Bull by David Elliott (ISBN-13: 9780544610606 Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publication date: 03/28/2017)

THE MYTH OF THE MINOTAUR? THAT’S BULL.

I think you may have heard of me,
but might not know my name:
Half man.
Half bull.
Outcast.
Untame.
Minotaur,
Ruler of the Stars (in younger days),
or
Monster of the Maze . . .

Much like Lin-Manuel Miranda did in Hamilton, the New York Times best-selling author David Elliott turns a classic on its head in form and approach, updating the timeless story of Theseus and the Minotaur for a new generation. A rough, rowdy, and darkly comedic young adult retelling in verse, Bull will have readers reevaluating one of mythology’s most infamous monsters.

Gone Camping: A Novel in Verse by Tamera Will Wissinger (ISBN-13: 9780544638730 Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publication date: 03/28/2017)

Hiking in the great outdoors, catching fish, watching the stars come out at night—camping is fun. Until it’s time to sleep. Then, Lucy wonders, what kinds of creatures lurk in the dark? With only her brother and grandpa as tent-mates, will Lucy be able to face her camping fears?

Filled with a variety of poetic forms—from aubade to haiku—as well as exuberant art and helpful writing tips about rhyme and rhythm, this entertaining companion to the award-winning Gone Fishing is packed with family humor and adventure. So grab a flashlight and get settled in to experience the joy of campfires, s’mores, and storytelling!

Things I Should Have Known by Claire LaZebnik (ISBN-13: 9780544829695 Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publication date: 03/28/2017)

From the author of Epic Fail comes the story of Chloe Mitchell, a Los Angeles girl on a quest to find love for her autistic sister, Ivy. Ethan, from Ivy’s class, seems like the perfect match. It’s unfortunate that his older brother, David, is one of Chloe’s least favorite people, but Chloe can deal, especially when she realizes that David is just as devoted to Ethan as she is to Ivy. Uncommonly honest and refreshingly funny, this is a story about sisterhood, autism, and first love. Chloe, Ivy, David, and Ethan, who form a quirky and lovable circle, will steal readers’ hearts and remind us all that it’s okay to be a different kind of normal.

Definitions of Indefinable Things by Whitney Taylor (ISBN-13: 9780544805040 Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publication date: 04/04/2017)

Reggie isn’t really a romantic: she’s been hurt too often, and doesn’t let people in as a rule. Plus, when you’re dealing with the Three Stages of Depression, it’s hard to feel warm and fuzzy. When Reggie meets Snake, though, he doesn’t give her much of a choice. Snake has a neck tattoo, a Twizzler habit, and a fair share of arrogance, but he’s funny, charming, and interested in Reggie.

Snake also has an ex-girlfriend who’s seven months pregnant. Good thing Reggie isn’t a romantic.

Definitions of Indefinable Things follows three teens as they struggle to comprehend love, friendship, and depression—and realize one definition doesn’t always
cover it.

Journey Across the Hidden Islands by Sarah Beth Durst (ISBN-13: 9780544706798 Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publication date: 04/04/2017)

The traditional Emperor’s Journey is meant to be uneventful. But as the princesses Seika and Ji-Lin—twin sisters—travel to pay respects to their kingdom’s dragon guardian, unexpected monsters appear and tremors shake the earth. The Hidden Islands face unprecedented threats, and the old rituals are failing. With only their strength, ingenuity, and flying lion to rely on, can the sisters find a new way to keep their people safe?

The Year of the Garden by Andrea Cheng (ISBN-13: 9780544664449 Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publication date:04/11/2017 Series: Anna Wang Series , #5)

When Anna is gifted a copy of The Secret Garden, it inspires her to follow her dreams—maybe she can plant ivy and purple crocuses and the birds will come. Or maybe what grows from her dream of a garden is even better: friendship. And friendship, like a garden, often has a mind of its own.
In this prequel to The Year of the Book, join Anna in a year of discovery, new beginnings, friendships, and growth.

How to Make a Wish by Ashley Herring Blake (ISBN-13: 978-0544815193 Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publication date: 05/02/2017)

Grace, tough and wise, has nearly given up on wishes, thanks to a childhood spent with her unpredictable, larger-than-life mother. But this summer, Grace meets Eva, a girl who believes in dreams, despite her own difficult circumstances.

One fateful evening, Eva climbs through a window in Grace’s room, setting off a chain of stolen nights on the beach. When Eva tells Grace that she likes girls, Grace’s world opens up and she begins to believe in happiness again.
How to Make a Wish is an emotionally charged portrait of a mother and daughter’s relationship and a heartfelt story about two girls who find each other at the exact right time.

The Unicorn in the Barn Hardcover by Jacqueline Ogburn (Author), Rebecca Green (Illustrator) (ISBN-13: 978-0544761124 Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publication date: 07/04/2017)

For years people have claimed to see a mysterious white deer in the woods around Chinaberry Creek. It always gets away.

One evening, Eric Harper thinks he spots it. But a deer doesn’t have a coat that shimmers like a pearl. And a deer certainly isn’t born with an ivory horn curling from its forehead.
When Eric discovers the unicorn is hurt and being taken care of by the vet next door and her daughter, Allegra, his life is transformed.
A tender tale of love, loss, and the connections we make, The Unicorn in the Barn shows us that sometimes ordinary life takes extraordinary turns.

Witchtown Hardcover by Cory Putman Oakes (ISBN-13: 978-0544765573 Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publication date: 07/18/2017)

When sixteen-year-old Macie O’Sullivan and her masterfully manipulative mother Aubra arrive at the gates of Witchtown—the most famous and mysterious witch-only haven in the world—they have one goal in mind: to rob it for all it’s worth.
But that plan derails when Macie and Aubra start to dig deeper into Witchtown’s history and uncover that there is more to the quirky haven than meets the eye.
Exploring the haven by herself, Macie finds that secrets are worth more than money in Witchtown.
Secrets have their own power.

The Van Gogh Deception Hardcover by Deron R. Hicks (ISBN-13: 978-0544759275 Publisher: Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publication date: 08/29/2017)

Dan Brown meets Jason Bourne in this riveting middle-grade mystery thriller. When a young boy is discovered in Washington DC’s National Gallery without any recollection of who he is, so begins a high-stakes race to unravel the greatest mystery of all: his identity.

As the stakes continue to rise, the boy must piece together the disjointed clues of his origins while using his limited knowledge to stop one of the greatest art frauds ever attempted. Digitally interactive, this breathtaking museum mystery offers QR codes woven throughout the book that bring renowned paintings to readers’ fingertips.

Filed under: New Releases