Scholastic Editors Forecast Top 10 Trends In Children's Books For 2013

"While there is never a shortage of works about the undead and paranormal in young-adult literature, we've recently seen the release of a wide range of post-apocalyptic novels brimming with action and romance," said Ed Masessa, Senior Manager Product Development for Scholastic Book Fairs and New York Times bestselling children's book author. "But perhaps the bigger trends are the return to realistic action-packed novels and to books that reinforce the positive messages of tolerance, hope and acceptance. Regardless of their reading preference, children will find that 2013 is going to be a banner year."

6)    War.
Whenever we reach a historical anniversary, there is an increased interest in books related to the topic.  2013 marks the second year of the American Civil War Sesquicentennial (150^th anniversary), so history buffs will see an influx of Civil War titles to read.  Wars in general will be making their way on to the bookshelves in 2013, which is great news for teachers looking for great non-fiction to supplement classroom learning and help kids meet The Common Core State Standards.  Look for a broad selection of Civil War books including: I Survived the Battle of Gettysburg by Lauren Tarshis (January 2013/Scholastic) and What Was the Battle of Gettysburg? Jim O'Connor, John Mantha and James Bennett (February 2013/Grosset & Dunlap).

7)    Tough Girls.
Katniss from The Hunger Games is building a legion of strong girl protagonists.  In 2013, readers can expect to be introduced to more powerful female characters that exhibit the willingness to accept challenges. These characters do not set limits for themselves or take the easy way out – an important lesson for both boys and girls. Books with exceptionally resourceful lead characters include: Code Name Verity by Elizabeth Wein (May 2012/Hyperion), Legend and its sequelProdigy by Marie Lu (January 2013/Putnam), Lawless by debut author Jeffrey Salane (February 2013/Scholastic).

8)    Survival Stories.
Survival stories have always been popular, but they have become more prominent as a result of popular movies and reality television shows. Whether the setting is historical as in Finding Zasha by Randi Barrow (January 2013/Scholastic) or contemporary like Stranded by Survivor host Jeff Probst and Chris Tebbetts (February 2013/Puffin) thrilling page-turners filled with tension and excitement will set their hooks into young readers.

9)    Spotlight on Diversity.
Kids want to see themselves in the novels they read, and publishers are embracing their individuality. Readers can learn about their families, cultures, and themselves with these books that focus on cultural diversity. Historical novels like The Lions of Little Rock by Kristin Levine (January 2012/Putnam) will provide plenty of home and classroom discussion. Novels with more contemporary settings include Hold Fast by Blue Balliett (March 2013/Scholastic).

10) Nature Runs Amok.
From campy, fantastical sci-fi to more realistic eco-thrillers, there is nothing like adventure in the wild. Readers will come face-to-face with more and more page-turning sci-fi titles that cover the unrealistic to the actual – yet The Common theme is that they are focus on ecology and the environment.  Books like Killer Species: Menace from the Deep by Michael Spradlin (July 2013/Scholastic), Infestation by Timothy J. Bradley (April 2013/Scholastic), and Last Dogs: The Vanishing byChristopher Holt (September 2012/Little, Brown) will keep kids reading well into the night.

All the books listed above will be available through either Scholastic Book Fairs and/or Scholastic Book Clubs and book stores.

For more information about Scholastic visit our media room or website at www.scholastic.com. To learn more about Scholastic's global literacy campaign, Read Every Day. Lead a Better Life, visit www.scholastic.com/readeveryday.

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