San Diego Comic Con Recap in Pictures

We're back from ComicCon! It was our first time exhibiting at the San Diego Comic Con and we had such a warm reception for our books and our authors. Check out some photos below:

Our lovely booth!

Before ComicCon opened on preview night, we took a stroll along the water. That is the USS Midway.

Iron Man 3 bonanaza in the Marvel area.

We were handing out these Wrinkle in Time tote bags everyday stuffed with some fun swag.

A TinTin cosplayer came by the booth!

Eve and Adam galleys peeking out as we got ready for Michael Grant's signing.

Michael Grant didn't know what he should write when signing the galleys so a fan suggested "Don't mess with DNA" and it stuck!

Even Storm is a fan!

This guy scared the heck out of us as we were walking back to our hotel one night.

Struck author Jennifer Bosworth with a new and young fan.

Leigh Bardugo and Lish McBride came by the booth during Jennifer Bosworth's signing.

Jennifer Bosworth tattooing a new fan with her lightning tattoos.

Rocking out!

Crewel author Gennifer Albin dressed up for her signing!

What? Wolverine doesn't show up at your signings? Clearly he does at ours.

Marissa Meyer and her husband at our booth.

Leo Geo author/illustrator Jon Chad signing a skateboard.

Air guitar with Leo Geo!

This girl came to all of our signings. Can you spot her armful of books?

Fans lined up really early to get a chance at one of the 20 galleys we had of Marissa Meyer's Scarlet.

One of the 20 lucky fans who got a galley of Scarlet.

Fans also lined up really early for our Wrinkle in Time Graphic Novel signing with Hope Larson.

Hope Larson, who adapted and illustrated the graphic novel of A Wrinkle in Time.

Leigh Bardugo signing copies of her book Shadow and Bone.

Spotted on the floor: Snoopy!

Hold Me Closer, Necromancer author Lish McBride sharing what she got at comic con.

Lish McBride hanging out!

Spotted on the floor: Shia LaBeouf with his own graphic novel.

A beautiful cosplay from Brave.

Year of the Beasts author Cecil Castellucci signing in a sketchbook.

Year of the Beasts author Cecil Castellucci and illustrator Nate Powell having fun at their signing!

Accidental cosplay: She happened to be walking by the booth and we called out "Medusa!"

Nate Powell showing the original artowrk he did for Year of the Beasts.

And that's all folks! Hope to see you back at SDCC next year!

Book Trailer: The Monster Who Lost His Mean

The Monster Who Lost His Mean, written by Tiffany Strelitz Haber and illustrated by Kirstie Edmunds

Everyone knows that the M in “monster” stands for MEAN. But what happens when a monster can’t be mean any more? Is he still a monster at all?

One young monster's attempts to live up to his name go hilariously awry as he discovers—with a little help from new friends—that it's not what you're called but who you are that counts.

Out This Week! Monsters, YA and Thomas Edison

A round up of new books from Macmillan Children's Publishing Group out this week!

Picture Books

• Frankenstein written by Rick Walton and illustrated by Nathan Hale
• The Monster Who Lost His Mean written by Tiffany Strelitz and illustrated by Kirstie Edmunds
• Timeless Thomas by Gene Barretta
• Working Mummies written by Joan Horton and illustrated by Drazen Kozjan

Chapter Books

• Haunted Histories: Creepy Castles, Dark Dungeons, and Powerful Palaces by J.H. Everett and Marilyn Scott-Waters

Young Adult Books

• Before You Go by James Preller
• Holding On to Zoe by George Ella Lyon
• Moonbird by Phillip Hoose

Trends in Children's Books

Trends in Children’s Literature (and some suggested variations)

Interning at MacKids has given me the opportunity to check out a lot of children’s books, and a few patterns have emerged. Here are some thoughts on what’s in! - Katherine Damm

Trend: Bears

Suggested Reading: Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?; Bear Has A Story To Tell (September 2012); The Bear in the Book (October 2012) 

What is it about bears that make them such lovable children’s book characters? Is it their adorably awkward gait, fuzzy exterior, or just that “bear” rhymes with a lot of words? Whatever it is, I am a fan of this theme. I want to live in a world where bears are not dangerous wild animals, but are instead cuddly creatures who like to hang out with their forest friends—friends that they definitely don’t want to eat.

Variations I’d like to see: huggable sharks, whimsical scorpions, mischievous man o’ wars.

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Trend: Bedtime

Suggested Reading: Bedtime for Monsters (July 2012), Lucy Can’t Sleep (August 2012)

This totally makes sense. Bedtime is contagious, like yawns. If a child sees a well-behaved peer getting down with sleepytimes, they’re much more likely to go to bed without a fuss. But books aren’t just for bedtime. They’re for all day, every day! That’s why I propose…

Variation I’d like to see: Wake up, surprise story-time! (This is best done between the hours of 12am and 4am.)

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Trend: Grandparents

Suggested Reading: Grandpa Green, Grammy Lamby and the Secret Handshake

There are some great picture books about children and grandparents. The kids are sweet, the grandparents are role-models, and nobody ever says anything that has become politically incorrect within the past twenty years just a little too loudly for comfort while you’re out and about.

Variation I’d like to see: A picture book about my grandmother specifically. We call her Mimi, and she is a witty southern lady who pointedly compliments my “lingerie” when I wear shirts without sleeves.

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Trend: Dystopian Fiction

Suggested Reading: Struck, Monument 14, Birthmarked, After the Snow, and more…

This trend is really strong in Young Adult literature right now. High school is pretty dystopian as it is—amiright?? But it can help put acne, gossip and boy/girl problems into perspective when you see powerful role models fighting to survive in their messed-up world who also struggle with acne, gossip and boy/girl problems.

Variation I’d like to see: Utopian fiction. (Sure, dystopian fiction can teach you to look at today’s society through a critical lens, but that can be a total bummer.)

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Trend: Friendship

Suggested Reading: Pretty much any book

This trend spans all age ranges, from baby books to the big, bad world of adult literature.  Friends do everything together. They support each other, bicker, go on adventures, fight demons, and sometimes realize their feelings for one another and smooch. (Those last two are much more common in YA than other genres.)

Variation I’d like to see: Acquaintanceship. (Friendship is easy. Acquaintanceship is complicated. Do you say hi and chat? Just say hi? Wave? Avoid eye contact until the last possible second and then make a weird sound? I wish these questions had been addressed a long time ago.)

Any trends you’ve noticed?

Little Tug Spotting with Stephen Savage

This morning Little Tug author Stephen Savage went 'Tug Spotting' for footage for the upcoming book trailer for Little Tug (on sale October 2!).

Check out Stephen's pictures and captions from this morning's tug spotting boat ride!

July 12, 2012: Macmillan Children's Publishing Group Director of Marketing Elizabeth Fithian took us on a tug-spotting boat ride.

Our fearless captain was Elizabeth's dad, Dick Kohn (middle). Also on board was video director David Franklin...

... and me, Stephen Savage -- author and illustrator of LITTLE TUG (Roaring Brook Press, Neal Porter Books).

The sun rose at 5:36am.

Hey, that looks like a page from the book!

Well... sorta.

The Verrazano-Narrows Bridge, which connects Brooklyn with Staten Island, was the model for the bridge in the book.

David shot video footage for the upcoming tug trailer.

At 8:30, the beautiful morning light was gone and Captain Kohn returned to shore!