Andrew Smith (6)

Avid Bookshop is honored to host author Andrew Smith in celebration of his book The Alex Crow on Tuesday, March 24, 2015, from 6:30pm - 7:30pm. There is no admission charge.

ABOUT THE BOOK:

On March 10, 2015, Penguin will publish Andrew Smith’s new novel The Alex Crow (Dutton). In this bizarre and brilliant novel, Smith blends multiple story strands that transcend time and place to tell the story of 15-year-old Ariel, a refugee from the Middle East who is the sole survivor of an attack on his small village. Now living with an adoptive family in Sunday, West Virginia, Ariel's story of his summer at a boys' camp for tech detox is juxtaposed against those of a schizophrenic bomber, a depressed bionic reincarnated crow, a Siberian iceman and the diaries of a failed arctic expedition from the late nineteenth century. Through these seemingly disparate stories, Smith once again delivers a wholly original and thought-provoking novel – an exploration of science versus free will, of the human desire to control our world and the many repercussions that follow.

The Alex Crow has already received three starred reviews, with Kirkus calling it “Magnificently bizarre, irreverent and bitingly witty.” And Publishers Weekly calling it "another audacious performance." Booklist raves “Smith is a spiritual heir to Kurt Vonnegut, and that’s especially clear in this novel—science fiction, the horrors of war, the cruelty of violence, ribald humor…, and the vagaries of memory combine in a deeply affecting, sometimes disturbing, but ultimately hopeful way.”

ABOUT Andrew Smith'S GRASSHOPPER JUNGLE:

Andrew’s novel Grasshopper Jungle quickly became a cult favorite last year, with critics calling it “raunchy, bizarre, smart and compelling” (Rolling Stone), “intricately structured” and “profound” (The Washington Post) and “wildly original” (The San Francisco Chronicle). Grasshopper Jungle is one of the most lauded books of the year and is now headed to the big screen with Edgar Wright (The World’s End) slated to direct. The paperback will be released on March 10, 2015.

Location: Street: 493 Prince Ave Additional: City: Athens, Province: Georgia Postal Code: 30601 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

7PM FRIDAY, MARCH 13 Andrew Smith: The Alex Crow LOCATION: PHOENIX

The bestselling author of Grasshopper jungle and Winger visits with his new novel as part of the Keep YA Weird campaign (#keepYAweird).

"Fans of Smith's raunchy, profane, and provocative work will find this funny but morally serious tale deeply appealing." —Publisher's Weekly (starred review)

"Smith is a spiritual heir to Kurt Vonnegut." —Booklist (starred review)

15-year-old Ariel, a refugee from the Middle East, is the sole survivor of an attack on his small village. Now living with an adoptive family in Sunday, West Virginia, Ariel's story of his summer at a boys' camp for tech detox is juxtaposed against those of a schizophrenic bomber and the diaries of a failed Arctic expedition from the late nineteenth century. Oh, and there's also a depressed bionic reincarnated crow.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS Andrew Smith is the award-winning author of several Young Adult novels, including the critically acclaimed Winger and The Marbury Lens. He is a native-born Californian who spent most of his formative years traveling the world. His university studies focused on Political Science, Journalism, and Literature. He has published numerous short stories and articles. Grasshopper jungle, a starred novel by Kirkus, Publishers Weekly, School Library Journal, and Shelf Awareness, is his seventh novel. He lives in Southern California.

Location: Street: 300 W Camelback Rd. City: Phoenix, Province: Arizona Postal Code: 85003 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

We'll be discussing Grasshopper jungle by Andrew Smith, Thursday, January 22 @ 7:00.

“Grasshopper jungle is a rollicking tale that is simultaneously creepy and hilarious. It’s propulsive plot would be delightful enough on its own, but Smith’s ability to blend teenage drama into a bug invasion is a literary joy to behold… Smith may have intended this novel for young adults, but his technique reminds me of Kurt Vonnegut’s in “Slaughterhouse Five,” in the best sense.” —New York Times Book Review

In the small town of Ealing, Iowa, Austin and his best friend, Robby, have accidentally unleashed an unstoppable army. An army of horny, hungry, six-foot-tall praying mantises that only want to do two things.

This is the truth. This is history. It’s the end of the world. And nobody knows anything about it. You know what I mean.

Funny, intense, complex, and brave, Grasshopper jungle brilliantly weaves together everything from testicle-dissolving genetically modified corn to the struggles of recession-era, small-town America in this groundbreaking coming-of-age stunner.

Andrew Smith is the award-winning author of several young adult novels, including the critically acclaimed Winger and The Marbury Lens. He is a native-born Californian who spent most of his formative years traveling the world. His university studies focused on Political Science, Journalism, and Literature. He has published numerous short stories and articles. Grasshopper jungle is his seventh novel. He lives in Southern California

Society members will receive a 20% discount on titles chosen for discussion and ocassional access to pre-publication previews of new books from well-known as well as up-and-coming authors. Other surprises may also be in store – remember, this is Hicklebee’s…

Call the store (408) 292-8880 or email Renee if you are interested in joining. Novel Society facilitator, Renee Ting was the President and Publisher of Shen’s Books, a small press specializing in multicultural children’s literature. As a publisher, she has been reading, evaluating, producing, and marketing children’s content for over ten years. Prior to heading Shen’s Books, Renee worked at several children’s book and music stores, including Linden Tree and Storyopolis. She is a graduate of Harvard University with a BA in music, and is the author of The Prince’s Diary.

Location: Street: 1378 Lincoln Ave City: San Jose, Province: California Postal Code: 95125-3010 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

YA BOOK CLUB! This month we're discussing Winger by Andrew Smith. Monday, January 12, 7 pm About the club: Our YA book club is moderated by IW bookseller Erin and Plant High student Grace. We know the kids are busy with school reading, but we like to emphasize the importance (and fun!) of reading for pleasure. We ask that books be purchased from Inkwood to join in, and we provide pizza and drinks for $5. Hope to see you there! About the book: "Our narrator is a 14-year-old named Ryan Dean West who attends the exclusive Pine Mountain boarding school. He plays wing for the rugby team — hence his nickname, Winger. He has a mildly rebellious streak — he’s been banished to the naughty boys’ dorm because he hacked a teacher’s cellphone. He’s also smart enough that he skipped two grades." - AJ Jacobs, New York Times book review Ryan is also hopelessly in love with his best friend Annie, who's two years older than he is, and is somewhat tormented by the older boys in his dorm. Winger is a great, realistic novel -perfect for fans of John Green - that takes on all of the pitfalls and triumphs of growing up. IW bookseller Amanda LOVED this book, as she does all of Andrew Smith's YA novels.

Location: Street: 216 S Armenia Ave City: Tampa, Province: Florida Postal Code: 33609-3310 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

The Quantum League #1 by Matthew J. Kirby
Also Known As by Robin Benway
Strike Three, You're Dead by Josh Berk
Anna Dressed in Blood by Kendare Blake
The Compound by S. A. Bodeen
Pulse by Patrick Carman
The Warrior Heir (Heir Series #1) by Cinda Williams Chima
Matched (Matched Trilogy Series #1) By Ally Condie
Gossip From the Girls' Room by Rose Cooper
The Living by Matt de la Pena
The Lost Code (Atlanteans Series #1) by Kevin Emerson
Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers
Mangaman by Barry Lyga, Colleen Doran (Illustrator)
Cinder (The Lunar Chronicles Series #1) by Marissa Meyer
The Marbury Lens by Andrew Smith
What's Left of Me by Kat Zhang

Author Event, Bookfair Robin Benway, Josh Berk, Kendare Blake, Stephanie Bodeen, Patrick Carman, Cinda Williams Chima, Ally Condie, Rose Cooper, Matt de la Pena, Kevin Emerson, Matthew Kirby, Robin LaFevers, Barry Lyga, Marissa Meyer, Andrew Smith & Kat Zhang will be here (added from Barnes & Noble)… (more)

Join our very own Robin for a livley discussion of Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith.

Kirkus Reviews (12/01/2013):

A meanderingly funny, weirdly compelling and thoroughly brilliant chronicle of "the end of the world, and shit like that." This is not your everyday novel of the apocalypse, though it has the essential elements: a (dead) mad scientist, a fabulous underground bunker, voracious giant praying mantises and gobs of messy violence. As narrated by hapless Polish-Iowan sophomore Austin Szerba, though, the "shit like that" and his love for it all take center stage: his family, including his older brother, whose testicles and one leg are blown off in Iraq; his mute, perpetually defecating golden retriever; the dead-end town of Ealing, Iowa; his girlfriend, Shann Collins, whom he desperately wants to have sex with; and most importantly, his gay best friend, Robby Brees, to whom he finds himself as attracted as he is to Shann. His preoccupation with sex is pervasive; the unlikeliest things make Austin horny, and his candor in reporting this is endearing. In a cannily disjointed, Vonnegut-esque narrative, the budding historian weaves his account of the giant-insect apocalypse in and around his personal family history and his own odyssey through the hormonal stew that is adolescence. He doesn't lie, and he is acutely conscious of the paradox that is history: "You could never get everything in a book. / Good books are always about everything." By that measure, then, this is a mighty good book. It is about everything that really matters. Plus voracious giant praying mantises

Location: Street: 55 Haywood St City: Asheville, Province: North Carolina Postal Code: 28801 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

We'll be discussing Winger by Andrew Smith September 26 @ 7:00.

A teen at boarding school grapples with life, love, and rugby in a heartbreakingly funny novel.

Ryan Dean West is a fourteen-year-old junior at a boarding school for rich kids. He’s living in Opportunity Hall, the dorm for troublemakers, and rooming with the biggest bully on the rugby team. And he’s madly in love with his best friend Annie, who thinks of him as a little boy.

With the help of his sense of humor, rugby buddies, and his penchant for doodling comics, Ryan Dean manages to survive life’s complications and even find some happiness along the way. But when the unthinkable happens, he has to figure out how to hold on to what’s important, even when it feels like everything has fallen apart.

Filled with hand-drawn infographics and illustrations and told in a pitch-perfect voice, this realistic depiction of a teen’s experience strikes an exceptional balance of hilarious and heartbreaking.

Society members will receive a 20% discount on titles chosen for discussion and ocassional access to pre-publication previews of new books from well-known as well as up-and-coming authors. Other surprises may also be in store – remember, this is Hicklebee’s…

Call the store (408) 292-8880 or email Renee if you are interested in joining. Novel Society facilitator, Renee Ting is the President and Publisher of Shen’s Books, a small press specializing in multicultural children’s literature. As a publisher, she has been reading, evaluating, producing, and marketing children’s content for over ten years. Prior to heading Shen’s Books, Renee worked at several children’s book and music stores, including Linden Tree and Storyopolis. She is a graduate of Harvard University with a BA in music, and is the author of The Prince’s Diary.

Location: Street: 1378 Lincoln Ave City: San Jose, Province: California Postal Code: 95125-3010 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

Celebrate Young Adult literature with local authors, fans, and friends and enjoy signings, raffles, activities, and more! Join the afternoon celebration with authors Josephine Angelini, Leigh Bardugo, Jennifer Bosworth, Jessica Brody, Debra Driza, Cynthia Hand, Nancy Holder, Kirsten Hubbard, Suzanne Lazear, Marie Lu, Sarah Maas, Gretchen McNeil, Shannon Messenger, Tone Milazzo, Cindy Pon, Andrew Smith, Barrie Summy, McCormick Templeman, Greg VanEekhout, and Kiersten White. Books will be provided for sale by Mysterious Galaxy.

For more information, please see the event's Facebook page.

Location: Street: 540 Cornish Drive Additional: 1-760-753-7376 City: Encinitas, Province: California Postal Code: 92024 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)

Venue: Carpenter Library

The St. Louis Public Library's Read It Forward series presents Andrew Smith, the author of several acclaimed young adult books that tackle social issues. His books include Ghost Medicine, about a group of teenage cowboys; Stick, about a boy who leaves home after admitting he's gay and his brother who sets out to find him; and The Marbury Lens and its sequel, Passenger, in which teens enter an alternate world.

Location: Street: Carpenter Library Additional: 3309 S. Grand City: Saint Louis, Province: Missouri Postal Code: 63116 Country: United States (added from IndieBound)… (more)