...in the Best-Selling Adult Authors Attempting to Break Into the YA Market Club.
Is Theodore Boone: Kid Lawyer not the lamest title you've heard in ages? And a one million copy print run? Does anyone even still care about John Grisham? One million anyones? For reals?
Or am I just being a big crank?
Nope, that is truly ridiculous.
Posted by: Janssen | 18 March 2010 at 09:00 PM
I just don't see kids rushing to read about lawyers...uhm, yuck.
Posted by: Kelly | 18 March 2010 at 09:58 PM
It's like a joke title. His editor couldn't have said, "John, how about we take another look at that title? We don't need it to be quite so literal."
Posted by: annie | 18 March 2010 at 10:25 PM
TONS o' people still read John Grisham -- I'm not one of them -- but he is still considered a hot commodity. Huge advances like that make me sad, though. As a YA writer struggling to get pubbed, I know most YA deals are for ten thousand dollars or less, and unless you're a lead title, often you get no publicity, either. Why, in the world of books, does it seem like those that don't need it (money, publicity) get it? Lauren Conrad? Hilary Duff? Blahhh.
Like Kelly (above) I don't think kids really want to read about lawyers, but I think their parents will buy them the book anyway, since they recognize the author's name. Much easier than having to ask the librarian/bookstore employee for a recommendation.
I'd say I felt the same way about James Patterson and his kids series, but for me, James Patterson is way, way worse. Since he has co-authors on so many books (he writes an outline and the "other" author writes the actual book) it seems he's just in it for the money. With Grisham, at least he's writing them.
Posted by: reader and writer | 19 March 2010 at 08:45 AM
You're not being a crank - and that is, possibly, the worst title ever. Ever!
Posted by: Wendi Gratz | 19 March 2010 at 09:22 AM
James Patterson's teen series sell like mad. I expect Grisham will too, even though it's possibly the lamest concept for a kid's series I've heard in a while. Then again. I lost interest in Grisham as soon as I discovered Scott Turow.
Posted by: Lindsey Carmichael | 19 March 2010 at 10:01 AM
I think you're right that adult Grisham fans will buy the book for younger readers -- my impression of a lessening interest in Grisham may have been colored by the low circulation stats on his most recent book. But short stories aren't ever very hot at my library, so maybe I should chalk it up to the format rather than to the author.
Patterson's teen series has its fans at my library, but interest hasn't exploded in it at all, and adult Patterson fans almost always skip it when they find out it's shelved in the teen section. It's interesting to see the differences in circ stats in different communities and circ stats vs. bookstore sales!
Posted by: Leila | 19 March 2010 at 10:26 AM
Sigh. http://shelfcheck.blogspot.com/2010/03/shelf-check-378.html
Posted by: Emily Lloyd | 19 March 2010 at 10:56 AM
Nope..it's not just you. I audibly groaned when I heard it was coming out. "Grisham hasn't made enough money yet, what could we do? Oh! How about a slapped together KIDS book! It's a whole new market!" Bleah.
Personally though, I wonder if Grisham doesn't realize he's insulting himself/his readers. Granted, I stopped reading his stuff after finishing the Firm and Client while I was high school, but up to now, hasn't he always written about lawyers--people who actually went to law school and did homework and learned about law and passed bar exams?
Now he's saying a kid can do it without even the benefit of a high school diploma? Maybe that's just me.
I've ordered "a" copy. I expect it'll go out for a couple of months and then languish.
Patterson's teen books actually goes quite well here, I just sent out the audio copy of Fang--we have 4 holds on it. The print has 24 holds. I haven't read any of those...
Posted by: Abigail | 19 March 2010 at 11:20 AM
That title is awful. In this economy an million print run is freakin crazy. I stopped by for a good laugh but this makes me want to cry.
Posted by: Doret | 19 March 2010 at 09:28 PM
Am I the only one who remembers "Doogie Howser, M.D."?
I'm just saying. ;-)
Posted by: Gina | 19 March 2010 at 10:51 PM
You're not being a crank. Title is lame, Grisham is lame. He's got enough money, he should just retire.
Posted by: Sarah | 20 March 2010 at 12:23 PM
A million adults probably do care. But a million 8-12 year olds? Not so much.
Posted by: Jenna | 23 March 2010 at 04:59 PM
If you're a big crank, I'm crankier. I looked at this and went "BLAAAAAAH!!!!!!!"
Posted by: Maureen | 27 March 2010 at 05:49 PM