The Jacob Javits Convention Center in NYC hosted this year’s BookExpo on Thursday and Friday and BookCon Saturday and Sunday, where publishers featured their books for media, educators, librarians, writers, and fans. While these two annual book events don’t bring in the massive crowds that NYCC does, they are being increasing more popular, with attendees swarming to pick up freebies, included the coveted ARCs (advance reading copy/advance review copy), as well as waiting in long lines to meet their favorite authors.

Quirk Books, one of our favorite publishers, had a presence at the event, with author signings, tote bag giveaways, and free books. Below is a spotlight on some of their 2019 releases that we’re excited about.

William Shakespeare’s Get Thee Back to the Future!
Pop Shakespeare Series (Book 2)
Paperback | Kindle Edition | Audiobook
Written by Ian Doescher
Illustrations by Kent Barton
Inspired by the work of Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale, and William Shakespeare
Quirk Books
Release Date: April 23, 2019

We all know the story. An earnest teen, who just wants a new truck to take out his girl, his dad to stand up to his boss, and to rock out at a show, gets caught up in his wacky scientist friend’s scheme to steal some plutonium so he can time travel. Things go awry when said teen (Marty) gets sent back in time instead and lands in all sorts of hot water. His mom has a crush on him, he has to train his dad to stand up for himself, and the town bully (boss in the future) is on his case. He also accidentally almost erases himself from existence. With the help of the “Doc” from the past, Marty must right the wrongs and get Back to the Future! But what happens when you put the most famous writer of all time’s stamp on it?

A delightful mix of ’80s fun and loquacious language. Check out more on William Shakespeare’s Get Thee Back to the Future! by Ian Doescher here below.

William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Mean Girls
Pop Shakespeare Series (Book 1)
Paperback | Kindle Edition | Audiobook
Written by Ian Doescher
Illustrations by Kent Barton
Inspired by the work of Tina Fey and William Shakespeare
Publisher: Quirk Books
Release Date: April 23, 2019

The William Shakespeare’s Star Wars series of books has been a big hit for Quirk Books, where writer Ian Doescher adapted the highly popular installments of the Star Wars saga into the style of a Shakespearean play. If only high school English requirements could be this fun!

Therefore, it’s not surprising that the publisher is now branching out with a new Pop Shakespeare series that will tackle other popular films in the same manner. And what better way to launch this spin-off series than with a story that takes place in high school?

For William Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Mean Girls, the author playfully gives Tina Fey’s 2004 big-screen teen comedy Mean Girls the Shakespearean treatment, where, sadly, “fetch” still hasn’t caught on. But when it comes to Doescher’s ability to cleverly and faithfully convert our favorite movies into Shakespearean masterpieces, the limit doth not exist.

The Princess and the Fangirl
Once Upon A Con Book 2: A Geekerella Fairy Tale
Sequel to Book 1 Geekerella
Hardcover | Kindle | Audiobook
By Ashley Poston
Publisher: Quirk Books
Release date: April 2, 2018

In The Princess and the Fangirl, writer Ashley Poston returns to the world she built in 2017’s Geekerella, with a Prince and the Pauper-type switch between a famous actress and her fangirl double.

In this Geekerella spin-off, the action takes place once again at the annual ExcelsiCon convention, where the main attraction is Starfield, a long-running beloved scifi franchise about to see a sequel to its recent big-screen reboot (think Star Trek). At the con, Starfield fangirl Imogene is on a mission to #SaveAmara, the princess played by Oscar-nominated Jessica Stone who was seemingly killed off in the reboot. Unfortunately, Jessica, who we were introduced to in Geekerella, doesn’t want her character to be saved, because not only does she not “get” the whole fandom aspect, she’d rather move on to more serious acting roles.

Giraffes on Horseback Salad
Salvador Dali, the Marx Brothers, and the Strangest Movie Never Made
Hardcover | Kindle
Written by Josh Frank and Tim Heidecker
Illustrations by Manuela Pertega
Publisher: Quirk Books
Release date: March 19, 2019

A screenplay thought lost forever penned by surrealist legend Salvador Dali which was to be a cinematic vehicle for The Marx Brothers has been made into a most strange yet passionately earnest graphic novel bizarrely entitled Giraffes on Horseback Salad: Salvador Dali, the Marx Brothers, and the Strangest Movie Never Made.

Subtitled Giraffes on Horseback Salad: Salvador Dali, the Marx Brothers, and the Strangest Movie Never Made, the hardcover from Quirk Books was created using the original script notes and using sketchbooks found by the writer Josh Frank, who adapted and fleshed out Dali’s story with Tim Heidecker.

The holiday season is upon us, so it’s time to start looking into some of the year’s best book releases to give to your loved ones. This year sees many selections to choose from for fans of properties like Star Wars, Dungeons & Dragons, Dracula, and Frankenstein and authors like Anne Rice and J.R.R. Tolkien; tie-ins for Die Hard, Planet Of The Apes, The Walking Dead,, and Stranger Things, as well as titles by authors like Raymond E. Feist, John Ajvide Lindqvist, Grady Hendrix, and R.A. Salvatore.

Check out here below our Holiday Geek Gift Guide 2018 for Books, eBooks, and Audiobooks for our favorite holiday gift picks for this year for the reader in your life.

Paperback Crush
The Totally Radical History of ’80s and ’90s Teen Fiction
Paperback | Kindle | Audiobook
Written by Gabrielle Moss
Publisher: Quirk Books
Release Date: October 30, 2018

“What exactly are computers — like, are they magic boxes that can force you to switch bodies with your boyfriend?” – Changing Places

Bummer Summer
Slam Book
The New Jessica
Twice Taken
Boys Are Yucko!

Does anyone remember these titles? These and hundreds of others delighted adolescents and teens of the ’80s and ’90s, when they swarmed WaldenBooks for the latest titles and devoured words. Gabrielle Moss has put together a lovely thick volume of teenage crushes, jealousy, horror, and happiness in Paperback Crush: The Totally Radical History of ’80s and ’90s Teen Fiction.

Knights Club: The Bands of Bravery
The Comic Book You Can Play – Comic Quests Series
Paperback | Kindle
Written and Illustrated by Shuky, Waltch, and Novy
Publisher: Quirk Books
Release Date: September 4, 2018

If love Choose Your Own Adventure books and comics, then this is right up your alley! Knights Club: The Bands of Bravery is originally a French creation that has been brought to the United States by Quirk Books. It is an interactive tale that focuses on letting you decide how your character progresses through the adventure provided. Your choices dictate the success or demise of these characters, much like a tabletop roleplaying game, but without all the dice or other humans involved.

We Sold Our Souls
Hardcover | Kindle
By Grady Hendrix
Publisher: Quirk Books
Release date: September 18, 2018

The myth of musicians selling their souls to the devil in exchange for success goes back to 18th century violinist Niccolò Paganini, a rock star in his own time. But of all the musical genres, this Faustian pact has become most associated with heavy metal, the modern-day “devil music.” It’s one thing to choose to sell your soul to gain fame and fortune, but what if someone bargained your soul away for their own benefit without your knowledge, leaving you broke and in despair? That’s what happens to rising star Kris Pulaski in Grady Hendrix‘s We Sold Our Souls.

In the 1990s, guitarist Kris Pulaski and her band Durt Wurk were seemingly on the verge of a major breakthrough. They had released several well-received albums and had toured the world, where they opened for the likes of Slayer and repeatedly won over live audiences. But then one night, Durt Wurk’s lead singer, Terry Hunt, deceived and betrayed his bandmates, tricking them into signing a contract that led to his – and only his – eventual stardom and their downfall.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer: A Picture Book
Pop Classics
Hardcover | Kindle
Based on the series created by Joss Whedon
Illustrated by Kim Smith
Publisher: Quirk Books
Release Date: September 4, 2018

Buffy Summers wasn’t always a fierce vampire slayer, and slayer of other monsters. When she was 8, she was scared of them, especially the monster that lived in her closet. She didn’t know what to do! Every night there would be scary thumps and growls emanating from the darkness behind the door. One day, she decided to have Xander and Willow sleep over, and sure enough, they heard the noises too!. Asking Giles, their trusty librarian, he told her she was the slayer and could face any monster. So they decided to brave the closet again. I can’t tell you what happens next. You’ll just have to find out for yourselves.

More below on Buffy the Vampire Slayer: A Picture Book (Pop Classics), illustrated by Kim Smith.