John Grisham and Celeste Ng to Speak at U.S. Book Show

– U.S. Book Show Eyes Hot Fall Books, Targets Censorship, Invites Librarians and Booksellers to Attend Free of Charge –

NEW YORK—April 12, 2022—Bestselling authors John Grisham and Celeste Ng will speak at the U.S. Book Show, the trade show of the publishing industry, to be held virtually May 23 – 26, 2022. Sponsored and organized by Publishers Weekly, the show is centered on fall 2022 “big books.” Scheduled are book and author panels, “Editors’ Picks” panels, keynotes, a library track, bookseller panels sponsored by the American Bookseller Association, industry-focused discussions and more. Librarians and booksellers are invited to attend the show free of charge. Both Grisham and Ng will speak on Wednesday, May 25, 2022, a day devoted to adult fiction.

“The 2022 lineup for the U.S. Book Show is a cornucopia of voices representing bestsellers, literary excellence and on-point issues of the day,” said Jim Milliot, Publishers Weekly senior v-p and editorial director. Milliot will headline Tuesday’s “industry day” in conversation with Christopher Finan, executive director of the National Coalition Against Censorship and author of How Free Speech Saved Democracy: The Untold History of How the First Amendment Became an Essential Tool for Securing Liberty and Social Justice.

Grisham, known for his legal thrillers and storytelling par excellence, beginning with A Time to Kill and The Firm, has for 30 years been a perennial New York Times bestselling novelist. Fifteen of his books have been made into feature films or television series. His next book, due out in May 2022, is Sparring Partners. He will speak in conversation with a bookseller to be announced at 11 a.m. ET, preceding an Editors’ Picks: Mysteries and Thrillers panel.

Celeste Ng will speak in the afternoon of the same day at 2:30 p.m. ET, in advance of the Editors’ Picks: Fiction panel. Ng is the author of the bestselling Little Fires Everywhere, which Reese Witherspoon discovered and selected for her book club. Subsequently, Witherspoon and Kerry Washington banded together to create and sell an eight-part streaming series that aired on Hulu in 2020. The Emmy-nominated series also won an NAACP Image Award.

Ng is an award-winning novelist and short-short writer. Her debut novel, Everything I Never Told You, was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year and named Amazon Best Book of the Year (2014). In 2020 she received a Guggenheim Award. Our Missing Hearts will be published in October 2022.

The full schedule may be viewed at https://usbookshow.com.

Early-bird registration is now in effect, with individual rates set at $105 ($149 beginning May 1, 2022). Corporate and group rates with discounted pricing are available. Special discounts are also available to nonprofit organizations and small presses.

Booksellers and librarians may attend for free.

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I HATE THIS TRAILER: IMAGE/SKYBOUND DEBUT NEW TRAILER FOR UPCOMING HORROR SERIES I HATE THIS PLACE  

The Hotly Anticipated New Comic from Kyle Starks, Artyom Topilin and Lee Loughridge Launches May 18

I Hate This Place is everything you want in a comic, and it should come with a neck brace as it shifts from crime, horror and romance at whiplash speeds. Add it to your pull list.” —Gerry Duggan, X-Men

LOS ANGELES 04/12/2022 — Today Image/Skybound released a brand-new trailer for I Hate This Place, the buzzed-about new supernatural horror series from the superstar team of Kyle Starks (Assassin Nation, The Six Sidekicks of Trigger Keaton), artist Artyom Topilin (Ice Cream Man Presents Quarantine Comix Special), colorist Lee Loughridge (Deadly Class, The Good Asian), and letterer Pat Brosseau (Birthright, Manifest Destiny).

The new trailer shows a sneak preview of the series protagonists Trudy and Gabby as they inherit the family farmhouse that unfortunately, is already home to some other mysterious forces. They expected a fresh start—not to move into the most frightening place on Earth. Join Trudy and Gabby in the electric new series that will have you saying, “I hate these demons. I hate these aliens. I hate these monsters. I hate these warnings… I HATE THIS PLACE.”

In order to provide retailers and fans with options, each issue of I Hate This Place will have open-to-order covers by Topilin with clean and explicit cover options, featuring the new series title and the explicit version of the series’ original title, F*ck This Place.

The available covers for the debut issue include:

  • I Hate This Place #1 CVR A (Diamond Code MAR220046)
  • Fuck This Place #1 CVR B Explicit Variant (Diamond Code JAN228364)

Both versions of I Hate This Place #1 will be available at  comic book shops  on Wednesday, May 18, 2022, with the standard edition available on digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, comiXology, and Google Play.

Official I Hate This Place #1 Description: 
After inheriting a farmhouse, Trudy and Gabby are ready to start the next chapter of their lives together…except it’s already home to a mysterious force that’s attracted ghosts, aliens, and all kinds of supernatural beings for decades. Now, Gabby and Trudy must play by the “house rules” in order to survive the most frightening place on Earth.

For more info and updates, visit  www.skybound.com.

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NICKELODEON ORDERS HEXVET, BRAND-NEW ANIMATED PRESCHOOL SERIES BASED ON BOOM! STUDIOS GRAPHIC NOVELS

Paramount Consumer Products to Lead Licensing Worldwide
for HexVet Property 

BURBANK, Calif.–March 24, 2022 – Nickelodeon is bringing the magical world of Willows Whisper to life with the greenlight of HexVet, a brand-new animated preschool series based on the eponymous BOOM! Studios graphic novels by Sam Davies. The CG and 2D-hybrid adventure-comedy series (20 episodes) follows unlikely best friends Nan and Clarion as they navigate life’s weird and wacky challenges, while apprenticing to be magical veterinarians for fantastical creatures. Paramount Consumer Products will lead consumer products cross-category licensing worldwide for the HexVet property. HexVet will launch 2023 in the U.S. and continue to roll out internationally. The news was announced today by Brian Robbins, President & Chief Executive Officer, Paramount Pictures & Nickelodeon, and Chief Content Officer, Movies and Kids & Family, Paramount+.

“The high-stakes adventures, wild antics and heartfelt camaraderie Nan and Clarion in the HexVet graphic novels are all great qualities we look for in an animated series,” said Ramsey Naito, President, Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation. “It’s incredibly exciting to expand the HexVet world with an original series that will deepen the connection young readers have with the novels and capture the imagination of new fans of all ages.”

“The vibrant world of HexVet gives our creative team an incredible opportunity to translate the enchantment of the series into products across multiple categories,” said Pam Kaufman, President, Paramount Consumer Products. “We strategically approach each new IP in a unique way and look forward to developing items that highlight the show’s core themes of magic, teamwork and compassion for animals, allowing kids to continue their adventures with Nan and Clarion.”

As HexVets in training, Nan and Clarion are ready to tackle medical maladies in beasts magical or mundane, find their familiars, and earn their wands and pointy hats–all while dodging covens of animal smugglers and dragons with heartburn. Under the tutelage of the talented Dr. Talon, these young HexVets in training will learn how to cure any animal, from a pygmy phoenix with bird flu to a unicorn with a broken horn.

HexVet is an all-ages original graphic novels series written by beloved cartoonist Sam Davies and published by BOOM! Studios through their award-winning KaBOOM! imprint, home to R.L. Stine’s Just Beyond and more. The graphic novel series debuted in 2018 with HexVet: Witches-in-Training to much critical acclaim, then released the second book, HexVet: The Flying Surgery, in 2019. HexVet was a Scholastic Book Fair selection in 2019, and has since sold over 60,000 copies and is distributed internationally in over 132 countries. BOOM! Studios is slated to release additional volumes in the series.

HexVet is developed for television by Nicole Dubuc (My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, The Rocketeer), who also serves as showrunner and executive producer. Frank Molieri (Transformers: Rescue Bots, The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie) serves as co-executive producer and Kendall Michele Haney as story editor. The series is also executive produced by Stephen Christy (Just Beyond) and Ross Richie (2 Guns), with Mette Norkjaer serving as co-producer, for BOOM! Studios. Production of HexVet for Nickelodeon Animation is overseen by Eryk Casemiro, Executive Vice President, Nickelodeon Animation, Global Series Content. Kate Crownover serves as Nickelodeon’s Executive in Charge of Production for the series.


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Netflix to Develop Film Adaptation of “Irredeemable” and “Incorruptible” Graphic Novel Series; Jeymes Samuel Set to Direct

LOS ANGELES, CA (March 17, 2022) – BAFTA Film Award winner Jeymes Samuel (The Harder They Fall) is set to direct a film adaptation of the Boom! Studios graphic novel series Irredeemable and its spin-off Incorruptible for Netflix. Academy Award nominated Kemp Powers (writer of One Night in Miami and Soul, and director of the upcoming Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (Part One) with Joaquim Dos Santos & Justin Thompson), will pen the adaptation, which will have the protagonists from each series – one a villain on a quest to become a superhero, and the other a fallen hero turned villain – face off.

The film will be produced by Shawn Carter, James Lassiter, and Stephen Christy & Ross Richie for BOOM! Studios. Kemp Powers and Adam Yoelin are executive producers on the film. Mette Norkjaer will oversee the project for BOOM! Studios.

When the world’s most powerful and beloved superhero, the god-like Plutonian, inexplicably begins slaughtering everyone on Earth, the only person that can stop him is his former arch-nemesis, the super-powered villain Max Damage. Unwillingly thrust into the role of savior, Max must uncover the Plutonian’s mysterious past in order to discover how to bring him down. But can he discover what made the Plutonian go crazy before his own degenerative super powers cause him to lose his mind?

Created by comic book legend Mark Waid (Kingdom Come) and illustrated by Peter Krause, Irredeemable is one of the most impactful series of its time, running for 37 issues and selling over 1.5 million copies. A deconstructionist remix of the genre, the series dramatizes how the world’s greatest hero — The Plutonian — snapped under the pressure of his responsibilities and charted a dark path to become the world’s greatest supervillain.

Irredeemable’s sister series, Incorruptible, flipped the coin and followed supervillain Max Damage as he responded to the Plutonian’s evil by gradually transforming himself into a superhero. Created and written by Waid,  Incorruptible ran for 30 issues and sold over 1 million copies during its run.

Irredeemable is a bestselling comic book series from BOOM! Studios’ eponymous imprint, home to critically acclaimed original series, including BRZRKR by Keanu Reeves, Matt Kindt, and Ron Garney, Something is Killing the Children by James Tynion IV and Werther Dell’Edera, Once & Future by Kieron Gillen and Dan Mora, Proctor Valley Road by Grant Morrison, Alex Child, and Naomi Franquiz, The Many Deaths of Laila Starr by Ram V and Filipe Andrade, Eat the Rich by Sarah Gailey and Pius Bak, Faithless by Brian Azzarello and Maria Llovet; We Only Find Them When They’re Dead by Al Ewing and Simone Di Meo; Seven Secrets by Tom Taylor and Daniele Di Nicuolo, Basilisk by Cullen Bunn and Jonas Scharf,  and more.

Print copies of Irredeemable and Incorruptible are available everywhere books are sold. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Kindle.

For continuing news on Irredeemable and more from BOOM! Studios, stay tuned to boom-studios.com and follow @boomstudios on Twitter.

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Your First Look at New York Times Bestselling Cartoonist Asaf Hanuka’s THE REALIST: LAST DAY ON EARTH  

Discover the Long-Awaited Third Collection of the Eisner Award-Winning Series in June 2022

LOS ANGELES, CA (February 28, 2022) –  BOOM! Studios today revealed a first look at THE REALIST: LAST DAY ON EARTH, a new original graphic novel from Eisner Award-winning series of New York Times bestselling cartoonist Asaf Hanuka (The Realist), translated from Hebrew by Yardenne Greenspan and lettered by AndWorld Design, that presents the long-awaited third collection of the New York Times bestseller and Eisner Award-winning cartoonist’s autobiographical weekly strips! Available in June 2022.

The long-awaited third collection of the Eisner Award-winning series of New York Times bestselling cartoonist Asaf Hanuka’s one-page autobiographical weekly comics returns to captivate, inspire, and challenge readers. Through scenes both real and imagined, the acclaimed Israeli cartoonist examines the joys (and pitfalls) of parenting in a politically divisive world and the ongoing struggle to manifest art even as real life humor and pathos keeps getting in the way. The internationally acclaimed and Hugo Award-nominated cartoonist’s beautifully drawn stories about self, family, society, and everything in between conjure a deeply rich and unforgettable reading experience.

THE REALIST: LAST DAY ON EARTH is the latest release from BOOM! Studios’ award-winning Archaia imprint, home to inspiring graphic novels such as Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Ryan North, and Albert Monteys; The Sacrifice of Darkness by Roxane Gay, Tracy Lynne-Oliver, and Rebecca Kirby; Big Black: Stand at Attica by Frank “Big Black” Smith, Jared Reinmuth, and Améziane, We Served the People by Emei Burell, The Short While by Jeremy Sorese, New World by David Jesus Vignolli, About Betty’s Boob by Vero Cazot and Julie Rocheleau, Waves by Ingrid Chabbert and Carole Maurel, The Grand Abyss Hotel by Marcos Prior and David Rubín, and more.

Print copies of THE REALIST: LAST DAY ON EARTH will be available for sale on June 22, 2022 at local comic book shops (use comicshoplocator.com to find the nearest one) or at the BOOM! Studios webstore, and June 28, 2022 in bookstores everywhere. Digital copies can be purchased from content providers, including comiXology, iBooks, Google Play, and Kindle.  

For continuing news on THE REALIST and more from Archaia, stay tuned to boom-studios.com and follow @boomstudios on Twitter.

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U.S. Book Show early 2022 info

U.S. Book Show Opens Registration, Expands Reach for 2022
– Broadened Bookseller Programming, International Pavilion in Place for Virtual Fair  –
NEW YORK—February 23, 2022—The U.S. Book Show is pleased to announce that registration for 2022 is now open, and further components have been layered on to the virtual book publishing trade show, now in its second year. New this year, an international pavilion will welcome exhibitors from outside the United States. Bookseller-focused programming has also been broadened to include tactical discussions geared toward keeping stores healthy and thriving. The virtual trade book show (#USBookShow) runs May 24 – 26, 2022, with its primary mission to promote Fall 2022 books of particular interest to booksellers, librarians, book media, agents and publishing professionals.

A special preview day beginning at noon is planned for Monday, May 23, 2022. Attendees can sign in, obtain and customize their virtual badges and enjoy the exhibits by publishers promoting their big Fall 2022 books.

“The U.S. Book Show promises to make an even bigger splash in its second year,” said Cevin Bryerman, CEO and publisher of Publishers Weekly. “We will again welcome a diverse slate of authors and even more of the popular Editors’ Picks panels looking forward to the fall.”

Editorial programming forms the core of the three-day show, and this emphasis will continue in 2022. In 2021, Oprah Winfrey opened the inaugural show. Subsequent days saw keynotes from Ijeoma Oluo and Senator Elizabeth Warren. Author Spotlights featured Anthony Doerr, Padma Lakshmi, Keanu Reeves, Stevie Van Zandt and Brian Selznick. Attendance in 2021 topped 6,000, among them nearly 1,000 members of the media. The show was covered by the New York TimesWashington PostLibrary Journal, Associated Press and others.

Most popular are the genre-focused Editors’ Picks panels, in which Publishers Weekly’s editors, in conjunction with influential book editors, select the Fall titles they believe are most buzzworthy. The editors then convene in conversational panels focused on various genres—among them, fiction, nonfiction, comics and graphic novels and children’s books.

Dedicated library programming will be front and center once again with thought leaders weighing in on topics such as book banning that directly impact libraries and readers. Industry programming will delve into issues of how or if the pandemic has permanently changed book publishing, digital marketing and more.

“In the spirit of Publishers Weekly’s long-held commitment to global commerce and collaboration, the U.S. Book Show has implemented an international pavilion of exhibitors, with a special panel of international publishers discussing the global future of the industry,” added Bryerman, who is overseeing the international outreach.

Registration is open for the U.S. Book Show, with early-bird rates now in effect. Members of the media may apply for virtual press passes on the press page.

Booksellers and librarians are invited to attend the virtual book fair at no charge; individual rates are $105 ($149 beginning May 1, 2022). Corporate and group rates with discounted pricing are available. Special discounts are also available to nonprofit organizations and small presses.

There is information about panels, speakers, registration, media passes, group sales, exhibiting and more at https://www.usbookshow.com.

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The Wrong Earth: Trapped on Teen Planet #1 Arrives soon

ere is the information for this super fun one shot and the entire series coming out on March 2nd from AHOY! Comics.

THE WRONG EARTH: TRAPPED ON TEEN PLANET #1

(W) Gail Simone

(A) Bill Morrison, Walter Geovani, Rob Lean

COVER A: Jamal Igle

COVER B: Dan Parent

COVER C: Gene Ha

The first of five stand-alone, earth-shattering one-shot specials building and expanding on the world of AHOY’s The Wrong Earth, by some of the biggest names in comics! First off: Superstar writer Gail Simone contributes an extra-long story as grim and gritty vigilante Dragonfly is whisked to an alternate Earth of teen-agers, malt shops, love triangles, and school dances! Will this innocent world soften him, or will his violent methods poison it? All five specials will feature a special incentive variant cover by legendary artist Gene Ha (Top Ten, Mae). This issue also features a second variant cover by Dan Parent (Archie). The money-grabbing, multiverse-spanning monthly event starts here!

March 2, 2022

$4.99

Gail Simone, Mark Waid, Mark Russell, and Stuart Moore Join Tom Peyer to Write THE WRONG EARTH World-Shattering Special Event Comics for AHOY Comics Featuring Always Amazing Art by Bill Morrison, Walter Geovani, Michael Montenat, Fred Harper, Leonard Kirk, and Greg Scott

With Covers by THE WRONG EARTH Co-Creator Jamal Igle and Variants Covers by Gene Ha, Dan Parent, Jerry Ordway, and More 

(December 9, 2021) Bestselling writers Gail Simone (Red Sonja) and Mark Waid (History of the Marvel Universe) are joining AHOY Comics Editor-in-Chief Tom Peyer, Second Coming writer Mark Russell, and Captain Ginger writer Stuart Moore to write world-shattering, money-grabbing, stand-alone THE WRONG EARTH specials for AHOY Comics. These comics will feature art by Bill Morrison, Walter Geovani, Michael Montenat, Fred Harper, Leonard Kirk, and Greg Scott, with covers by THE WRONG EARTH co-creator and artist Jamal Igle. Each special will have a variant cover by Gene Ha; there will also be variant covers by Dan Parent, Jerry Ordway, and other artists, and each comic will have a cocktail menu for the earth featured in the comic by David Hyde. The multiverse-spanning monthly event will begin on March 2 with the release of THE WRONG EARTH: TRAPPED ON TEEN PLANET #1, written by Gail Simone, with art by Bill Morrison, Walter Geovani, and Rob Lean, colors by Andy Troy, and lettering by Rob Steen. 

“Words will be written, words will be deleted, and nothing will ever be the same,” said AHOY Comics Editor-in-Chief and THE WRONG EARTH co-creator Tom Peyer. “This is Crisis on Infinite Earths, minus the line-wide consequences that made it interesting. This is Secret Wars without toys. This is the kind of epic, superheroic storytelling that publishers and CFOs love, where the tail of wealth-enhancing variant covers wags the dog of art.” 

Each of THE WRONG EARTH world-shattering special event one-shots will present a stand-alone, 25-page story that expands on the multiverse first introduced in AHOY Comics’ flagship title by Peyer and Igle, wherein the campy Dragonflyman of Earth Alpha switched places with the gritty Dragonfly of Earth Omega and chaos ensued. 

The first issue to hit stores, THE WRONG EARTH: TRAPPED ON TEEN PLANET #1, finds grim-and-gritty vigilante Dragonfly whisked to an Earth of teenagers, malt shops, love triangles, and nonstop jokes. Will they win him over—or will his violent methods infect their world? The issue is illustrated by Bill Morrison (The Simpsons), Walter Geovani (Red Sonja/ Tarzan), and Rob Lean (Smallville: Alien), with colors by Andy Troy, and lettering by Rob Steen. THE WRONG EARTH: TRAPPED ON TEEN PLANET #1 will feature variant covers by both Gene Ha (Wonder Woman Historia: The Amazons) and Dan Parent (Veronica). The issue marks the AHOY Comics debut of legendary writer Gail Simone.

“Tom Peyer and Jamal Igle created a clever premise with THE WRONG EARTH that is a deeply satisfying read. All it needed were more redheads,” said Simone. “Our story is about a town, a small town, and the people who live in the town, including an earnest ginger, who is sort of in love with two girls. From a distance, this town presents itself like so many other small towns all over the world: safe, decent, innocent. Get closer, though, and you start seeing the shadows, specifically the long, dark shadow of the Dragonfly.”

THE WRONG EARTH world-shattering special event continues in subsequent months with:

  • THE WRONG EARTH: FAME & FORTUNE #1 from writer Mark Russell, artist Michael Montenat, colorist Andy Troy, and letterer Rob Steen. On sale in April, this comic from the writer of Billionaire Island provides a satirical look at two different versions of Richard Fame and how, despite the best and worst intentions, huge gobs of money determine their own results. In stores April 14.

  • THE WRONG EARTH: PURPLE #1 from writer Stuart Moore, artist Fred Harper, and letterer Rob Steen. On sale in May, this one-shot introduces Earth-Kappa, a dark but glossy world of big hair, shoulder pads, Wall Street traders, rubber super-suits, and funk music. Get the funk up! In stores May 18.

  • THE WRONG EARTH: CONFIDENCE MEN #1 by writer Mark Waid, artist Leonard Kirk, and letterer Rob Steen. On sale in June, it’s the tale of two sidekicks! On campy Earth-Alpha, circumstances force kid sidekick Stinger to become Dragonflyman’s mentor! On gritty Earth-Omega, Dragonfly and Stinger go to war—against each other! In stores June 22.

  • THE WRONG EARTH: MEAT #1 from writer Tom Peyer, artist Greg Scott, and letterer Rob Steen, on sale in July. On campy Earth-Alpha, Dragonflyman and Stinger follow clues to foil the beef-themed crimes of Dr. Meat. On gritty Earth Omega, a tragedy compels Dragonfly to imprison a criminal in an abandoned slaughterhouse—just to have someone to talk to. In stores July 27.

“There’s never been a better time to discover THE WRONG EARTH,” said Igle. “Read these fan favorite comics now, before they’re discovered by a Hollywood executive who divides fandom forever by releasing a barely coherent film, with at least two directors and four screenwriters attached.” 

THE WRONG EARTH: TRAPPED ON TEEN PLANET #1, will debut on March 2. For more information, follow AHOY Comics on Twitter and Facebook, and subscribe to the AHOY newsletter.

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Jarrett J. Krosoczka’s Crime-Fighting Lunch Lady Is Back with the Reissue of the First Four Books in the Beloved LUNCH LADY Series 

THE FIRST HELPING (LUNCH LADY 1 and 2) and THE SECOND HELPING (LUNCH LADY 3 and 4)
Available for the First Time in Hardcover, Full-Color Two-Books-in-One Editions 

Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers is thrilled to reissue the first four books in the popular graphic novel series LUNCH LADY by award-winning author Jarrett J. Krosoczka (on sale February 22, 2022 | Ages 7–10). THE FIRST HELPING (Lunch Lady 1 and 2) includes full-color editions of The Cyborg Substitute and The League of Librarians, and THE SECOND HELPING (Lunch Lady 3 and 4) includes The Author Visit Vendetta and The Summer Camp Showdown. At the forefront of the graphic novel format, Krosoczka’s playful series about a lunch lady serving justice (and lunch) was a hit with readers when it debuted in 2009 and returns with brand-new hardcover books in the series beginning in 2023.

Hector, Terrence, and Dee have always wondered about their school lunch lady. What does she do when she isn’t dishing out the daily special? Where does she live? Does she have a lot of cats at home? Lunch Lady doesn’t just serve sloppy joes—she serves justice! Whatever danger lies ahead, it’s no match for Lunch Lady in these four fantastic adventures.

Complete with all-new back matter, THE FIRST HELPING and THE SECOND HELPING are perfect for fans of Captain Underpants, Dog Man, and The Bad Guys. New readers will be laughing out loud at this before-its-time series that will keep kids turning pages and binge-reading the antics of the crime-fighting, spatula-holding Lunch Lady.

“Since I hung up the yellow gloves in 2014 with the last Lunch Lady book, I have fielded a question from readers every single week: When will you be making more Lunch Lady books?” said Jarrett J. Krosoczka. “I have never stopped thinking about the Lunch Lady character, talking about the books across the country, or championing the actual people running school cafeterias, so I am so thrilled to be donning the yellow gloves once again as I dive back into this world. Returning to the Lunch Lady graphic novels has been like comfort food.”

Jarrett J. Krosoczka is the author of the National Book Award finalist Hey, Kiddo and the New York Times bestselling Star WarsTM: Jedi Academy: A New Class, as well as such popular picture books as Punk Farm and Punk Farm on Tour. His Lunch Lady graphic novels are beloved by kids everywhere. Two-time winners of the Children’s Choice Book Awards, Lunch Lady was also a finalist for the prestigious Will Eisner Comic Industry Award. Realizing that his stories can inspire young readers beyond the page, Jarrett founded School Lunch Hero Day, a national campaign to celebrate school lunch staff. You can find out more about Jarrett at studiojjk.com.

THE FIRST HELPING (Lunch Lady 1 and 2) 978-0-593-37742-0
THE SECOND HELPING (Lunch Lady 3 and 4) 978-0-593-37743-7
By Jarrett J. Krosoczka
Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers Hardcovers | On sale February 22, 2022
$12.99/$17.99 Can. | 208 pages | Ages 7–10
Also available as audiobooks from Listening Library
Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers is an imprint of Random House Children’s Books, the world’s largest English-language children’s trade book publisher. Random House Children’s Books is a division of Penguin Random House LLC.

Connect with us at @RandomHouseKids | facebook.com/RandomHouseKids | rhcbooks.com

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FAIL UP WITH MR. LOVENSTEIN PRESENTS: FAILURE FROM J.L. WESTOVER AND IMAGE/SKYBOUND

The Epic Celebration of Failure Comes Home November 2022
LOS ANGELES 02/18/2022 — Today Image/Skybound announced the upcoming hardcover Mr. Lovenstein Presents: Failure, a collection of fan-favorite Mr. Lovenstein comics by webcomics superstar J.L. Westover that celebrate failure in all its forms. The book will be published on November 2.

In his (incredibly sweaty) new book, Westover offers up painfully hilarious observations and cringeworthy situations, uniting us all through one of life’s most relatable experiences—failure.

The beautifully thicc 6” x 6” hardcover collection features over 200 pages of comics, including secret panels, book-exclusive comics that can’t be found online, and an introduction by leading webcomics voice Lunarbaboon.

“It only feels right that my greatest success up to this point is Failure,” said Westover. “This book proved that nothing is too big to fail because this colossal tome is absolutely stuffed with my funniest comics. Failure has never felt this good.”

Mr. Lovenstein Presents: Failure first launched as a hit Kickstarter campaign in April 2021, earning worldwide media coverage and earning nearly $225,000, making it a top 10 webcomics graphic novel campaign of all-time.

“Last year, Mr. Lovenstein fans all over the world made Failure an unprecedented success,” said Alex Antone, Senior Editor at Skybound. “We are thrilled to keep the party going by bringing our celebration to bookstores everywhere. This book is for anyone in your life who has ever failed…even and especially you!”

Mr. Lovenstein Presents: Failure will be available at  comic book shops  and digital platforms including Amazon Kindle, Apple Books, and Google Play on Wednesday, November 2, and everywhere books are sold on Tuesday, November 8.

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A New Generation of My Little Pony Sparkles in All-New Comic Book from IDW

My Little Pony #1 Welcomes Sunny Starscout and All Your New Favorites in A Tale with Surprising Ties to Friendship Is Magic

SAN DIEGO, CA (February 16, 2022) – Following in the hoofprints of their beloved, long-running Friendship Is MagicIDW is proud to debut a new ongoing monthly comic book series with My Little Pony #1 in May, featuring the Mane 5 characters popularized by the 2021 Netflix film, My Little Pony: A New Generation!

The new My Little Pony series welcomes back two Friendship Is Magic alumnae to kick off the new adventure: Celeste Bronfman, an award-winning writer for television’s Degrassi and Big Top Academy, and prolific comic artist and Hasbro toy designer Amy Mebberson.

Join Sunny Starscout, Izzy Moonbow, Zipp Storm, Pipp Petals, Hitch Trailblazer, and their trusty sidekick Cloudpuff as they explore a brand-new Equestria following the magical events of the hit movie! With magic returned to Equestria, the ponies are more united than ever—at least until one of the Unity Crystals is stolen! Can the Mane 5 find the culprit before magic is gone for good? And could it really be that their pet Pomeranian is leading them to the city of Canterlot of Friendship Is Magic fame?

“Writing for this new incarnation of My Little Pony has been an incredible experience! With the phenomenal team at IDW, we’ve created a series that speaks to the power of embracing what makes each of us unique and stays true to the heart and passion of Friendship Is Magic. I can’t wait for a new generation of fans to set off on epic adventures with these new characters and feel honored to be part of it!” says Bronfman.

“I am thrilled and delighted to return to My Little Pony at IDW with ‘a new generation’ of comics. As a fan since the very first generation, I am honored to continue to be part of the MLP legacy with this wonderful new cast from Hasbro, who are just a blast to draw. Celeste Bronfman and I hope to bring you an epic story spanning two generations, proving that the eternal powers of love and friendship are never far away to help heal grief into strength and loss into joy once again,” says Mebberson.

“This is the perfect jumping-on point for new fans and the kind of expansion to Equestria that will dazzle longtime readers,” says editor Jonathan Manning. “It’s been such a pleasure to work with Celeste and Amy to get to know our new Mane 5. These new characters represent how evergreen this amazing franchise is, and how adaptable to new audiences. There’s something here for everyone.”

My Little Pony #1 will be available with multiple cover variants for retailers and fans to enjoy, including Cover A by series artist Amy Mebberson, Cover B by JustaSuta, and a Retailer Incentive edition by Brianna Garcia.

For information on how to acquire My Little Pony comics and graphic novels from IDW, please contact your local comic shop or visit www.comicshoplocator.com to find a store near you.

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