Well, dear readers, it's time* for our annual list of stuff to get excited about in the upcoming year. Here's our list of the ten literary events and releases we're most looking forward to 2011:

1. The film adaptation of Brian Selznick's The Invention of Hugo Cabret

Of course, it's possible this will turn into another Golden Compass, but it has an A-list cast and the early images look promising. The PTB at Warner Bros. and Columbia are aiming for a theatrical release on December 9th.

2. Jennifer Crusie's Liz Danger novellas

We don't know much about these, but they have fun titles, they're solo projects by Crusie, and they all seem to be coming out this summer, which is AWESOME.

3. Michael Buckley's last Sisters Grimm book

This is the most bittersweet item on our list. We're super-stoked about this release, but almost equally sad the series is ending. No release date has been announced yet, but if Buckley follows the example set by the previous eight books, we can expect it sometime this spring.

4. Kelley Armstrong's next young-adult series

The Darkest Powers trilogy was great, so we have equally high hopes for its continuation, kicking off with April 12th's The Gathering.

5. The K-drama adaptation of the classic 80s manga City Hunter

This manga was 100% ridiculous, but in a fun way, and we fully expect the upcoming TV adaptation starring smoking-hot actor Lee Min-ho to be our springtime drama addiction.

6. Flora's Fury, by Ysabeau S. Wilce

We've been waiting for the third book in this superb YA fantasy series for nearly three years, so we were thrilled to hear rumors that Wilce is planning a fall release. (We were considerably less pleased to see a release date of 2015 on her publisher's website, but we're choosing to believe that is a computer error. Please don't rain on our parade, Houghton Mifflin.)

7. The final Harry Potter movie

Admittedly, Potter fatigue has set in at Wordcandy HQ (which is why we haven't seen Part I of this movie yet), but we're looking forward to sending off this series in style. Some kind of viewing party on July 15th is definitely going to be in order.

8. The third Penderwicks novel

We've really enjoyed the first two books in this award-winning, wholesome-but-not-saccharine series, which means the upcoming novel The Penderwicks at Point Mouette is probably going to lead to an all-out fight over which of one us gets to read it first.

9. Rick Riordan's next two books: May 3rd's Throne of Fire and October's Son of Neptune

There would be a staff-wide fight over these books, but let's face it: we'll all end up buying our own copies. That's how impatient we are.

10. The next bunch of Puffin Classics editions

We realize that not everyone gets as excited over new editions of classic books as we do (particularly when the books in question have never gone out of print). But these cool, colorful, and inexpensive reprints make our hearts sing, and we are so grateful to Puffin Books for making these famous stories attractive to a new generation of children.

*It's actually a little past time.

Labels: lists, Upcoming Books