Defying the windy fall weather in New York City,  librarians and publishing insiders instead dreamed of warmer days, tucked inside Random House Children’s Books' recent spring 2014 book preview. At the event, ducks and geese and rabbits figuratively scurried about, and young  love was also in the air. Those in attendance also enjoyed a special appearance by guest author E. Lockhart, whose new young adult novel, We Were Liars, set on an island, releases in May. Various Random House imprints had spring and summer animal tales to share with us. After seven years, Tad Hills (@TadHills) is finally bringing back Duck and Goose; this time, the characters head for the water in Duck & Goose Go to the Beach, due out in April. April also promises more shore fun with Peanut Butter and Jellyfish, Jarrett J. Krosoczka’s new picture book title that teams up a jellyfish and seahorse to teach a crabby crab a lesson about friendship. A sloth and an elephant seal, both under-represented creatures of kid lit, will get their moments to shine in 2014. Sloths are “in,” were were told, thus Jenny Offill’s Sparky! (@jennyoffill) should be quite popular with the preschool set. This tale, illustrated by Chris Appelhans, aims to determine whether a sloth is a perfect pet; it’s due out in March. Meanwhile, world-famous swimmer Lynne Cox has teamed up with nonfiction star illustrator Brian Floca (@BrianFloca) for Elizabeth, Queen of the Sea, a true story of a New Zealand elephant seal that is part homing pigeon. It’s due out in May. A rabbit trifecta was also presented for spring 2014. A new gift edition of the Velveteen Rabbit will be available in January, followed by Lord and Lady Bunny – Almost Royalty! and Taking Care of Mama Rabbit, both due out in February. The former, a tale of Mrs. Bunny’s aspiration to be queen, is written by Mr. & Mrs. Rabbit, translated by Polly Horvath, and illustrated by Sophie Blackall (@sophieblackall. The latter is a tale about a family of 10 young rabbits by Anita Lobel. Young adult literature will have a strong showing next spring, with a dominant title trend featuring the names of female characters. Being Sloane Jacobs (January) by Lauren Morrill (@LaurenEMorrill) is a story about two girls with the same name, one an ice skater the other a hockey player, who switch places. From Wendy Lamb Books, Dana Reinhardt’s We are the Goldens (May) is based in a private school in San Francisco, where sisters Nell and Layla share a secret that involves the school’s art teacher. And Dandi Daley Mackall (@dandiMackall) has The Secrets of Tree Taylor (May), a story of a teen grappling with her first kiss and secrets that are not her own during the summer of 1963. From Lauren Henderson, we are looking forward to reading about “cute Italian boys and jealous Italian girls” in her new novel Kissing in Italian (March)—the companion book to Flirting in Italian. At the preview, we learned how much research the author invested in the book. And teens looking for related titles—and a taste of 18th century Venice, magic, and a bit of Vivaldi—should be excited about The True Adventures of Nicolo Zen.  It’s the YA debut from Nicholas Christopher, who normally writes for adults, and it's due out in January. Historical persons, places, and events will also get their due next spring, with titles about abstract painter Wassily Kandinsky, the abolitionist John Brown, and three books set in the 1930s. In February, Barb Rosenstock explores the overlapping of the senses in The Noisy Paint Box: The Colors and Sounds of Kandinsky’s Abstract Art, featuring illustrations by Mary GrandPre. A Volcano Beneath the Snow: John Brown’s War Against Slavery will be out in April from National Book Award finalist Albert Marrin; it’s a nonfiction title for ages 12 and up. Just as the 1920s recently became well-represented in the world of kid lit, the 1930s is experiencing a surge of interest for older and younger readers. In Laurel Snyder’s Seven Stories Up (January), a middle-grade novel, the main character travels back in time to meet her grandmother as a young woman. Love Me (February) the second book in the “Starstruck” series by Rachel Shukert (@RachelShukert), is set in the golden age of Hollywood. And Sarah Zettel’s Bad Luck Girl (May), the third book in her “American Fairy Tale” trilogy, mixes fantasy and Jazz-Age Chicago. Two other books that got buzz at the event were Philip Kerr’s The Winter Horses (March, 2014), a World War II survival story, and The Here and Now (April, 2014), a thriller from Ann Brashares (@AnnBrashares) about a girl who immigrates to New York from a different time to escape a pandemic. A highlight of the preview was the appearance by Lockhart (@elockhart). She tweeted at attendees before the event to say she planned on a giving a lively talk, and she delivered as promised. She spoke about her family, her interest in fairy tales, and her new book, noting, “If people want answers they should go elsewhere than fiction.” She also urged, “if anyone asks you how it ends, just lie.”