Staff Picks--Liz, Liz, and Elizabeth

More staff picks! I realized I need to go through them quickly as there are a whole new batch that will be going up in a few weeks (which means I need to decide what my next pick will be...I saw that Jennifer 8 Lee's The Fortune Cookie Chronicles just came in today which upends my shortlist).

Elizabeth recommends The Zookeeper's Wife: A War Story by Diane Ackerman: "This book gives new meaning to selflessness. It's the story of a family and countless others who put themselves in the face of evil to help others to stand up for what's right. Could you do the same?"

Liz E., who spends much of her time in our children's section, loves If You Were a Penguin by Wendell and Florence Minor: "I have been a fan of Wendell Minor for years -- his illustrations are wonderful, capturing the very essence of each story he helps to bring alive! This one is just wonderful -- plus, it's all about penguins! Can you toboggan on your stomach or fly underwater?"

And Liz T. suggests The Academy Awards: The Complete Unofficial History by Gail Kinn and Jim Piazza: "I love old movies and movie history. My cable box is permanently set on Turner Classic Movies. This book sits on the bookcase next to the couch for quick and easy reference. In addition to the lists of winners and nominees, there's also a lot of great trivia. Love it!"

Read more of their recommendations here, here, and here.

By the way, in case you were wondering, in addition to the Liz trio we also have Kate F., Kate R., & Katie as well as both Lisa F. and Lisa P.

Children's Book Festival

Now I know that the current weather forecast for Saturday says rain, but in the spirit of optimism I thought I would post about a nifty event happening over on the Common this Saturday from 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM rain or shine--the Boston Globe's Children's Book Festival.

They have really great authors scheduled--my highlights would be seeing Jane O'Connor who writes the Fancy Nancy books and Jarrett J. Krosoczka who wrote Punk Farm and is, according to Alison, the children's book buyer at Wellesley Booksmith, a really fantastic guy (you can read about the event Wellesley Booksmith did with him here).

If you go let me know how it is--my Saturday will be spent working here at the store!

Books for Babies

I was looking at the new deals on Publishers Marketplace and saw that Leslie Patricelli and Candlewick have signed a deal for them to publish more of her board books. Yay!

I love to recommend Leslie Patricelli's colorful and funny books about opposites (such as Quiet Loud, Big Little, and Yummy Yucky) when people are looking for baby shower gifts. They make a great counterpoint to classics such as Pat the Bunny and Goodnight Moon and The Very Hungry Caterpillar that every other guest is bringing. Why not something different?

Little House on the Prarie--The Musical!

Growing up I loved Laura Ingalls Wilder and all her Little House books (I still dress up as Laura for Halloween). My friend Elly loved L.M. Montgomery and all her Anne books. I remember our arguments over which books were better, which while not quite of the my-dad-can-beat-up-your-dad variety were pretty close.

Anne of Green Gables turns 100 this year and has been getting a lot of media attention as a result. Much to my immature delight, however, there was an article in yesterday's New York Times about a new musical version of Little House on the Prairie opening at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis. Ha! Take that Anne!

The New Percy Jackson Book Has Arrived!

Oh my gods, I can't believe I forgot to mention this earlier--Battle of the Labyrinth, the fourth book in the Percy Jackson series by Rick Riordan arrived! Yippee! I wanted to grab one right out of the box on Tuesday morning and start reading but restrained myself. Instead I took home Titan's Curse, the third book, to reread before I start on book four (in true good-book fashion, I missed my T stop last night as a result). I leave for Florida later tonight which gives me three hours of uninterrupted time with Percy, Annabeth and Grover! Yay!

I'm also taking The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo by Stieg Larsson as Alie just finished it and cannot stop talking about how amazing it is. And I mean that quite literally. There's a window (well, not really a window, more of a square-shaped hole in the wall) between our offices and I've heard her rave about this book pretty much multiple times a day to anyone and everyone. How can I not try it?

A Masterpiece!

This past week I read a great book for kids coming out in September--Masterpiece by Elise Broach. It's the story of Marvin, a beetle whose family lives under the Pompaday's kitchen sink in New York City. Marvin discovers his hidden talent for drawing when he creates a birthday present for James, the eleven-year-old boy who lives in the apartment the beetles call home. Even more important than his discovery of his talents, however, is Marvin's discovery of a true friendship with James. Marvin's talents lead Beetle and boy to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where they try to help uncover who has been stealing Durer drawings.

Masterpiece reminded me of some of my absolute, all-time favorite stories from childhood-- From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler (Claudia and Jamie are siblings who run away to the Metropolitan Museum of Art--they shower in fountains and sleep on historic beds!--and try to discover the secrets of a beautiful sculpture), The Borrowers (a family of teeny-tiny people who create an entire world underneath the floorboards just like Marvin's family), and Charlotte's Web (I was reminded of the beautiful descriptions of friendships--and the unexpected talents of a bug!). That's some seriously heady company to be keeping, and Masterpiece pulls it off beautifully. Three cheers!

Picks for Kids--Anatole

So, before I drive away all the adults, I just wanted to blog about my final pick for our staff recommendations wall. It's a wonderful classic picture book by Eve Titus titled Anatole (originally published in the 1950s and just as great today). If you know anyone who loved the movie Ratatouille (not just kids!)--they absolutely MUST meet Anatole, a Parisian mouse whose taste buds help the Duvall Cheese Factory become the most successful cheese producer in all of France. But all the while he must keep his identity a secret (he is a mouse, after all!)

By the way, Paul Galdone, the illustrator of Anatole, won Caldecott Honors for both that and its sequel, Anatole and the Cat, also written by Ms. Titus and also worth checking out. And by the way times two, Ms. Titus had a way with mice--her other best known character is Basil of Baker Street, a.k.a. the Sherlock Holmes of the Mouse World (who inspired a Disney movie of his own, The Great Mouse Detective).

Picks for Kids--A Great and Terrible Beauty

I mentioned earlier my recommendation of The Mysterious Benedict Society. I also recommended the Gemma Doyle Trilogy by Libba Bray, the first book of which is A Great and Terrible Beauty. Set in Victorian England and a parallel world of the realms, the story of Gemma and her friends is really magnificent in how it balances history, fantasy, romance, and suspense! I also appreciate how the melodrama is tempered by a nice thread of humor. I really think that all those Stephenie Meyer fans should give Libba Bray a read--I have a feeling if you like Ms. Meyer than you'll love Ms. Bray as well.

PS--This is another series with a lovely web presence; click here to sample.

Picks for Kids--The Mysterious Benedict Society

Brookline Booksmith will soon be setting up a special wall in the kids' section devoted to staff recommendations. Yay!

My first recommendation is The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart. My blurb: Four very clever children—Reynie, Kate, Sticky, and Constance—come together under the tutelage of the curious Mr. Benedict to form the Mysterious Benedict Society. I loved trying to solve the puzzles and challenges presented to the children as they took their qualifying exams and then moved on to their mission—saving the world from the evil Mr. Curtain! This is a true treat of a novel that is equally fun for both kids and adults.

By the way, this is a really cool website that tells you more about the book and lets you test yourself with the types of puzzles and challenges that the Mysterious Benedict Society faced (and, if you're like me, find out you're not nearly as clever as Reynie, Kate, Sticky or Constance!).

I was thrilled to find out that a sequel will be coming out in May--The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey. My Hachette rep got me an advance copy and I couldn't put it down! Just as good as the first. Yippee!

Winter Institute--Part Three

A number of publishers were hosting dinners on Friday night, I attended the Harper Collins dinner hosted by the indefatigable Carl Lennertz. Before we left for Louisville he wrote those of us attending the dinner to ask if we had any authors we were especially keen to sit near--I requested to be near E. Lockhart (I figured anyone who wrote such books as Fly on the Wall and The Boy Book --books I know would have been my favorite books in the world if they were around when I was 13--would be a fun dinner companion), and was glad to see that my wish was granted!

In addition to Ms. Lockhart I was seated near Elizabeth Bluemle, one of the most fun people you'll ever spend time with, and wonderful booksellers from Wild Rumpus in Minneapolis and Anderson's Bookshop in Naperville, IL, both bookstores I've heard so many great things about and been wanting to visit for the longest time. This is the first time I've gotten to go to an author dinner with booksellers who focus on children and young adults, and it was a really fun change of pace.

Saturday's breakfast was without a speaker, instead it was an opportunity to chat with other booksellers about what you're reading--a great chance for me to practice my handselling skills!

After breakfast I went to a panel on the business of publishing. It focused on the P&L, or the Profit and Loss Statement, which is the set of numbers publishers run to figure out how to make a title profitable, taking into account the expenses--production costs, author costs, operating expenses, etc. I actually found it quite fascinating. As someone who is just learning what the difference is between gross and net, margins and profits, it was a very helpful crash-course in business practices and great insight into the minds of publishers and how they make decisions about book design and print run quantities based on their P&Ls (because God knows I wonder what they're thinking often enough--even a bit of clarity can be helpful!).

Another set of publisher rep picks followed, and then it was on to lunch with a panel of experts on the national movement towards shopping independent and local--Bill McKibben, author of Deep Economy (a previous staff pick of Dana's), Stacy Mitchell, author of Big-Box Swindle, and Michael Shuman, author of The Small-Mart Revolution. All were incredibly upbeat about the direction of independent businesses, particularly in areas where they have been able to band together as independent business alliances (such as nearby Cambridge Local First or Local First Vermont). They observed that it has often been bookstores that have led the way in forming such alliances and that we should, as centers of ideas and culture, continue to do so--in fact, in the words of Mr. McKibben, it is our "moral obligation."

The post-lunch session can be deadly, but I actually had the most fun at a session at "Consumer Behavior Revealed--The Dating Game." This could be because they, in fact, took an unsuspecting volunteer from the audience and had her play the Dating Game! The point was to learn about what motivates consumers in their decision making processes. The fact is that books can be purchased everywhere--why do people choose one place over another (and, of course, how can we get people to choose to buy their books with us)? We reviewed Abraham Maslow's hierarchy of needs and looked at how psychological, situational, social, and commercial influences can affect consumer choices.

Dear lord, it's time for me to go and I'm still not done talking about Winter Institute! Well, one more post tomorrow should do it--until then...

My Favorite Picture Books for Fall

I've been waiting for it to feel like fall so I could write about these two books--both came out last year and have still lingered in my mind as great stories with fantastic illustrations--Brave Bitsy and the Bear by Angela McAllister and Fletcher and the Falling Leaves by Julia Rawlinson. Both are illustrated by Tiphanie Beeke, clearly suggesting that she is queen of capturing the feeling of autumn.

In Brave Bitsy and the Bear, little Bitsy must find her way home when she falls out of her girl's pocket. She meets a big bear, who wants to help her, but is tired and ready to go to sleep for the winter. After bear helps Bitsy find her way home she realizes he may need her help as well and sets off to make sure he has made it safely to his cave.

In Fletcher and the Falling Leaves, Fletcher the fox is very worried his favorite tree is sick--all the leaves are changing colors and falling off its branches. He tries to save the leaves, but soon his favorite tree is bare. Fletcher is upset until he sees the beauty that comes with each season as leaves give way to a wintery surprise.

I love both these books as they work on two levels. Both can provoke discussion about the cycle of seasons and what that means for nature, while also providing lovely portrayals of the meaning of friendship. I promise you'll love them both!

Post-Potter Pick #2

Here's one more that I just loved and devoured. Still in hardcover, but definitely worth a look.

H.I.V.E.: Higher Institute of Villainous Education
By Mark Walden

H.I.V.E is a secret school designed to educate children who are just a little too bright and mischievous in the finer points of evil. Otto, who has unwillingly been enrolled, tries to escape with the help of friends Wing, Laura, and Shelby, each with their own unique ‘talents.’ This is a fun thrill ride that makes you want to get in line for the sequel right away! (approx. grade 4-7)

If evil is your bag, baby (thank you, Austin Powers), another book that came out recently is Evil Genius by Catherine Jinks (approx. grade 6-8). I enjoyed this one, though I have to admit that it didn't fully live up to the expectations I had for it. But I still give it a solid recommendation.

Also, faithful reader Tricia suggested the Percy Jackson series as another fantastic Post-Potter pick. I couldn't agree more! I love, love, love these books (as mentioned here).

Post-Potter Pick #1

The Secret Country

(Book One in the Eidolon Chronicles)

Jane Johnson

I know you're all wondering what to read next. And everyone is giving suggestions left and right. But, my friends, this is the one you want! I loved this when it came out in hardcover last year and now that it's in paperback there is no excuse for you not to pick it up for your favorite middle-grade reader (or, quite frankly, yourself).

The Secret Country begins when our hero Ben encounters a talking cat in a pet shop. Soon he is finding magical creatures everywhere – unicorns, wood-sprites, and dragons, all kidnapped from the magical world of Eidolon. Will he be able to help them return home?

Parents beware: This is the kind of story that will have your kids staying up late, reading with a flashlight under the covers.

What Rhymes With Cucumber?

Today was the due date for our nominations for the fall children's list for Booksense. Yipes! Dear lord, I've barely started reading fall titles.

As a result, most of my suggestions were for picture books I saw when my reps visited. I nominated The Apple Pie that Papa Baked, The Magic Rabbit, and Book of 1,000 Days (the non-picture book exception).

I also nominated a book that has just been released but I think actually has more of a fall vibe to it. Since it's already available, though, let me recommend it to you now--

Mucumber McGee and the Half-Eaten Hot Dog
Written and Illustrated by Patrick Loehr

Mucumber McGee has, in his desperate hunger, eaten a hot dog straight from the back of the fridge. His sister has warned him of eminent death. This is much worse than swallowing a watermelon seed! "Cheerful Gothic" may be a curious sounding description, but it perfectly fits this story-in-rhyme and its illustrations.

Vacation!

It could not come at a better time. Even people who love their job need some time away, and I've been feeling the need to be out of this basement for a bit. I'll be headed to the Pacific Northwest, spending a few days in Victoria then Seattle and I'm thinking there will be some good time for just reading and relaxing.

I'm an over-packer by nature, which extends to books, so I know I won't get to everything, but I'm bringing myself a nice selection to chose from depending on my mood. When travelling one always needs a good mystery, so I'm bringing two: Interred with Their Bones by Jennifer Lee Carrell (she wrote The Speckled Monster, an Essential Read of Evelyn's) and The Night Climbers by Ivo Stourton. I'm bringing the kids' book The Name of This Book Is Secret by Pseudonymous Bosch, and for non-fiction, Daniel Brook's The Trap: Selling Out to Stay Afloat In Winner-Take-All America.

I'll have to take something as a security blanket, too, something I know will be good, so I'll probably take along something by Shannon Hale. I've just finished Book of a Thousand Days, (STUPENDOUS!), so it's put me in a mood for more.

OK, I'm off!

A Busy Day of Buying

I had two buying appointments today, at pretty wide ends of the spectrum--Simon and Schuster Children's in the morning, university presses in the afternoon.

My big highlight of the morning was The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World by E. L. Konigsburg. We have in the store a bookcase filled with our staff "Essential Reads"--pretty much our desert island books-- and as Ms. Konigsburg's From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler is one of my essential reads I am super-eager for this new novel (which, like From the Mixed-Up Files.., also involves art and a mystery).

As for the afternoon, Iowa is reprinting a book James Thurber published in 1939 called The Last Flower, which is both beautiful and heart-breaking as it imagines a world destroyed by war. And Reaktion Books (distributed by University of Chicago) is adding to its wonderful series of books on animals with titles dedicated to swans and ducks (I doubt I'm the only one to appreciate that they are coming out at the same time. I wonder which one will discuss The Ugly Duckling?)

On Shel Silverstein

I feel like I've been focusing on the kids a lot lately, so today I thought I would change it up and talk about a favorite writer/artist for adults--Shel Silverstein.

If you haven't seen the official site for Shel Silverstein, it's, well, AMAZING, super-fun, and you need to check it out. You will find, however, that it is called The Official Site for Kids. And if you know your Shel Silverstein, you'll see it's missing a few titles and that the biography presented is a bit skimpy on the details. (Not surprising really, as the site is run by HarperCollins and the books I'm about to talk about are, in fact, from Simon and Schuster)

Shel Silverstein is, truly, one of the greatest modern poets for children in the English language. He was also a cartoonist for Playboy from the mid 1950s through the 1960s, and often was sent around the world to write back dispatches from his travels to places in Europe, Africa, and the U.S. Fireside has just released Playboy's Silverstein Around the World, which is the complete collection of his travel pieces. Each dispatch was a collection of cartoons, all featuring him and his familiar beard and moustache (you see him get progressively balder through the years) as he encounters the natives of Paris, London, Hollywood, and Nudist Camps. If you were a fan of Mr. Silverstein's when you were younger, you have to take a look at these and gain a new appreciation for him as an adult. Like the best New Yorker cartoonists, his drawings and captions were a fantastic combination of distinctive style and wit.

I have to add that if you are familiar with Uncle Shelby's ABZ Book, then you already knew about the other side of Shel Silverstein (and, frankly, I want to have a drink with you). If you aren't, well, you're just missing out on one of the funniest books ever. EVER. I might have found this primer amongst my parents' books when I was a bit too tender of age, but there isn't anything inappropriate, just fantastic satire. Which bit to share? "B is for baby. See the baby ... Pretty pretty baby. Mommy loves the baby more than she loves you." Or "E is for egg ... E is also for Ernie. Ernie is the genie who lives in the ceiling. Ernie loves eggs. Take a nice fresh egg and throw it as high as you can and yell 'Catch, Ernie! Catch the egg!' And Ernie will reach down and catch the egg." If you do not laugh out loud whilst reading this, well, I wonder if there is hope for you.

Candlewick Lights Up My Life

I saw our Candlewick rep this morning, and they have some beauties coming for the winter.

Easily my top choice is The Magic Rabbit by Annette LeBlanc Cate. A picture book of a magician's bunny assistant who becomes lost in the city, the drawings are wonderful and the story is sigh-inducing sweet (but not at all treacly). Though never mentioned by name, I'm pretty sure Boston was the inspiration for the setting (Ms. Cate graduated from the Art Institute of Boston and lives in Massachusetts), which is the icing on the cake.

I usually don't care much for most Christmas titles, with all the corniness and cheesiness that accompanies them, but Candlewick is publishing the most stunning version of The Night Before Christmas. It is illustrated by Niroot Puttapipat through silhouettes and die-cuts; the detail is tremendously intricate. This is a serious class act--elegant, sophisticated, beautiful.

And Big Nutbrown Hare and Little Nutbrown Hare are back! Yippee! Sam McBratney and Anita Jeram have done two companion board books to Guess How Much I Love You; When I'm Big, and Colors Everywhere. The first takes place in the spring as the Nutbrown Hares see acorns, tadpoles and caterpillars that will all grow and change. The second is in the summer, as Big and Little Nutbrown Hares decide what in nature provides their favorite shades of blue, green, yellow, and (of course!) brown. I'm really, really hoping this means there will be two more--one for fall and one for winter. And then it will be perfect. But I don't want any more after that--I am heartily against too much of a good thing, or stories that are published for no other reason than to have something else for people to buy.

I could keep going and going about other great titles that are coming....
When Alie and I were dividing up who would buy from which publishers she asked me if I had any special requests, and there was just one--Candlewick!

Long Live Meg Powers!

I left New York for home about 4:00 yesterday, and I'm still in a daze from last weekend. Really, I'm having trouble walking straight, and I think it's a combination of sore feet and tired brain. I think tomorrow will be a better day for a full recap. But, I had to mention one thing I found at the last minute--

Late yesterday I wandered by the booth for Feiwel and Friends, a new children's book publisher, when out of the corner of my eye I saw propped up a new book by Ellen Emerson White. OH MY GOD! Her books about Meg Powers, daughter of the first female President of the United States (The President's Daughter, White House Autumn, and Long Live the Queen) were my all-time favorites. I read and re-read those to death. And now there's another book in the series! It's been years since I've read the previous, so I'll have to read them again before I get to Long May She Reign. Unfortunately, they're currently out-of-print, but I've been promised by the Feiwel and Friends folks that will be remedied. Yippee! I can't wait to start recommending those again! Now maybe someone will reprint The Rascals from Haskell's Gym by Frank Bonham, another favorite from the same time period.

Heaven and Hell

I'm here posting a quick note to gloat over the fact that I'm here and you're not (unless you're at the computer terminal behind me...). There are more authors than you could ever hope to meet in a weekend and more books than you can ever hope to read in a lifetime.

So far I've been able to accomplish a few of my missions--I got a copy of Plenty (yippee!) and of Silent in the Sanctuary (double yippee! I should say hello to Ms. Raybourn's husband, who has apparently found his way here and warned her I was on the lookout for her...but not in a stalkerish way). I have to thank a good friend for getting me Kathryn Caskie's How to Engage an Earl--I ran to her signing table after my meeting to find that all she had left was her previous title, How to Seduce a Duke. Thanks Kari!

In the unexpected surprise category, Shannon Hale, author of the fabulous Princess Academy, was signing copies of her new book, Book of a Thousand Days, so I got a a chance to meet her and her adorable baby daughter--it was a total thrill. Also, I know all the girls at the store will be jealous as I got to meet John Green, who wrote the staff-recommended An Abundance of Katherines. I now have a signed copy, and I think I'll auction it off to whomever is willing to do my shelving the longest in exchange. My above-mentioned friend did her happy dance when she met him. If you don't know John Green, you need to check out Brotherhood 2.0, the videoblog of him and his brother, Hank.

Ok, there are other folks waiting for computers, so I'd better wrap it up...hopefully more later!