Weekend Break

I'll be out of town until Monday.
Watch for postings then.
See you!

The Possibilities of Sainthood by Donna Freitas

Lost book in need of good home!

The Possibilities of Sainthood by Donna Freitas
2008-08 - Hardcover
Farrar Straus Giroux
9780374360870
$16.95

Every so often we come across a book that we all scratch our heads and wonder why we never noticed it before. It seems they get "lost" among all the other books. Sure, we're a small store but there are more than 10,000 titles in our inventory and this one seems to have been hiding under our radar. But Marggie pulled it off the shelf and we both agreed it needed a bit of exposure. It's classified as "young adult" but we found it in the adult fiction. Just waiting. Just like the main character Antonia. Antonia writes a letter to the Vatican to plead for the cause of making some saint the Patron Saint of Kissing, specifically the First Kiss. Oh, and she's offering herself to be the first living saint to be so designated. It's sweet, charming and funny.

[Check out Erin's comment below!]

Alvin Ho by Lenore Look

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things
By Lenore Look
Illustrator LeUyen Pham
2008-07 - Hardcover
Schwartz & Wade Books
9780375839146
$15.99

Looking for the next book after Diary of a Wimpy Kid? Have a reluctant reader who really fell in love with Wimpy Kid? This is the next good book. It's full of clever illustrations and just plain funny. You can tell by the subtitle that this book is easily going to speak to those boys who don't really want to pick up a book unless all the other guys are.

Sir John Hargrave's Mischief Maker's Manual

Sir John Hargrave's Mischief Maker's Manual by John Hargrave 2009-06 - Hardcover Grosset & Dunlap 9780448449821 $15.99

Summer is upon us; when parents and kids are always looking for things to do. I can't even begin to tell you how many times I moaned to my mother during the summer, "I'm bored." And she would chase us outside. Nowadays it's hard to get folks off the computers and out into the fresh air. This book isn't necessarily the solution to that problem but it is about getting kids active. But NOT in any irresponsible way.

The introduction to the book states very clearly that these acts of mischief must follow three criteria:
1. DO NOT DAMAGE
2. DO NOT DEFACE
3. DO NOT DESTROY

It's with these parameters that I am willing to offer this book. Here are the preliminaries to exploration and discovery. And, of course, a little parental involvement goes a long way!

This is nothing like the books of William Gurstelle, which are more suited to adults and adult supervision. But the intent is to get you out of the house. Yes, you AND the kids. Get outside and have some fun this summer.

The Hair of Zoe Fleefenbacher Goes to School

Here's a gem of a book. Laurie Halse Anderson is not known for her sweet and funny books. Her teen audiences tend to favor her books for their darker side. Well, here's something quite lighter! Zoe has hair that has a mind of its own. But not in any monstrous way. Her large hair is quite helpful. You have to read this book to appreciate just how helpful her hair can be. First Grade proves to be the biggest challenge for Zoe and her hair.

The Hair of Zoe Fleefenbacher Goes to School by Laurie Halse Anderson, Illustrator Ard Hoyt 2009-06 - Hardcover Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing 9780689858093 $16.99

Sleepwalking through books

Well, I've gone and done it again! I've let too many days go by without telling you about some books that are worth looking at. My apologies.

Rachel (Little Book House manager) and I are off to Vermont for a little conference with authors and booksellers. I'm hoping to meet a couple of authors including Anita Silvey who wrote Everything I Need to Know I Learned from a Children's Book. The book is not released yet, but I'll keep you posted. Andrew Clements will be there to talk about HIS new book Extra Credit.

Please be patient. I promise to post some things at the end of today.

Right now I"m finally reading the sequel to The Mysterious Benedict Society! I loved that first book and I'm totally enjoying the second! Have you read these yet? You owe it to yourself.

The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey by Trenton Lee Stewart 2009-05 -Paperback Little, Brown Young Readers 9780316036733 $6.99

What are YOU reading?!

New Arrivals! Rockabye Baby! The CDs

One of the joys of going to BookExpo America was stopping by the New Sound booth where Lori loaded me up with lots of goodies. I wanted to talk about some of the CDs that we carry. We just got a new batch of this week. Rockabye Baby! is a series of instrumental lullaby renditions of songs by popular bands. At any given time you're likely to hear them playing in our store. The soft music with xylophone gives the satisfaction of a familiar tune but guaranteed to lull your infant and/or partner to sleep. Yes, it's geared toward the "hip" crowd and it's something I never get tired of hearing. I already own the Coldplay and U2 CDs and I'm on the verge of getting The Cure. Now it only they can work on Morrissey then my collection will be complete. Hmmmm, maybe Bjork and Queen would be fun. Careful! It's a slippery slope!

So here are some that we have in stock right now. And after the cover art below you'll see the complete list. If you see something you like just let us know. We can order them pretty quickly.

Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of AC/DC
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of The Beach Boys
Rockabye Baby! More Lullaby Renditions of The Beatles
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of The Beatles
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Björk
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Bob Marley
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Christmas Rock
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Coldplay
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of The Cure
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of The Eagles
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Green Day
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Led Zeppelin
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Metallica
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Nine Inch Nails
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Nirvana
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of No Doubt
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Pink Floyd
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of the Pixies
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Queens of the Stone Age
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Radiohead
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of The Ramones
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of The Rolling Stones
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Smashing Pumpkins
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of Tool
Rockabye Baby! Lullaby Renditions of U2

The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins

Are you looking for something for your daughter to read post-Twilight?

Problem solved: give them The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins. The sequel, Catching Fire, will be out on September 1st. I just finished it and it is fantastic, a sequel that lives up to the original book. And we have one more on the way to complete the trilogy--happiness on my face!

Run, don't walk, to your nearest independent bookstore and pick up a copy of The Hunger Games. You won't be sorry, and you'll want to read it yourself. Katniss, the feisty, independent heroine, is so much more fun than Bella, and the plot line is enthralling.
-Susan

	The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins 2008-10 - Hardcover Scholastic Press 9780439023481 $17.99
	Catching Fire (the Second Book of the Hunger Games) by Suzanne Collins 2009-09 - Hardcover Scholastic Press 9780439023498 $17.99 Coming September 1, 2009!

[Manager's comment: This book is getting rave reviews from your younger readers. At a talk I gave on new books to a local elementary school, this was one of the most talked about books! And a teen customer came in one day to hear me talking about it to another customer. She added that it's got such an interested story line with endless twists and turns. "I was never bored with this book." That testimonial sold the book to the woman who was trying to find something for her daughter to read.]

Blueberry Girl by Neil Gaiman

"This is a prayer for a Blueberry Girl..." Neil Gaiman continues to impress me. This is so much unlike his previous books, but you see his essence in his word choices.

Saturday was a lovely day. The Farmers' Market makes for a festive atmosphere. There was a group perched on the berm above the market, surveying all who come and go. I had to join the gang for a bit of people-watching. I also had to grab a quart of strawberries for shortcake sometime this weekend. Now, it's Sunday evening and I've just about nibbled every strawberry. I've managed to save barely a cupful. Hoping to make biscuits in the morning. Will the strawberries survive?

I had to deal with a challenging customer yesterday. Every book I offered her was not good enough. And finally, after the thirtieth book, I gave up. I asked Mary to help, though it's impossible to suggest a book to someone who doesn't really know what she wants. Instead, I took a walk around the block. I stopped at Tosca Etc... (the new home of Marche Verte) and got some goodies so I didn't have to cook supper. A wise move. But when I returned to the store I saw Blueberry Girl on the shelf and wondered if she had opened that one.

But if she had read this lovely book she would have found a prayer, a blessing, a wish for that little girl whose party she was attending. A wish for her to be whatever she can possibly become. This book is destined to become the perfect book. Yes, yes, a graduation book, if you must. A book for a mature woman as well. But really, give this book to that tiniest of girls in your life. Read this to her over and over again. Let her know that the world is waiting for her. Let her know that you believe in her potential as much as she feels it.

Here's to the blueberry girl "her joys must be high as her sorrows are deep." Thank you Neil Gaiman for a truly gorgeous book. Check out the YouTube video and see if you don't agree.

Blueberry Girl by Neil Gaiman, Illustrator Charles Vess 2009-03 - Hardcover HarperCollins 9780060838089 $17.99

Refresh your browser

Some of you might be encountering problems when it comes to browsing our web page and ordering books. We recently rebuilt the web pages and you'll need to REFRESH your browser to see the changes. Let me know if you're still having problems.
Thanks,
Stanley

The Snowy Day postage stamp!!

There is a petition you can sign to get Ezra Jack Keats' book, The Snow Day, on the face of a postage stamp. All you need to do is go to the the Petition Page and add your name and address to the list. And pass this along to others. This is a MOST worthy book for this honor.

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats 1976-10 - Trade Paperback Puffin Books 9780140501827 $6.99

For your grown kid

Usually I spend more time promoting books for the youngest of children. I try to mix it up a bit, but you must realize that the bright and shiny books for small children have such a strong attraction. When you look at the books on the shelf you see how colorful and bright the books are. And the older the reading level the darker the cover, so that by the time you're into the young adult reading level (ages 12 and up) the covers have lots of dark, brooding images. It follows that my eye is drawn the shiny objects, like a crow.

Here's a new book that would be perfect for anyone graduating from college. It probably shouldn't be here in the kids section, but this is still about kids books, just a much older offspring.

The book has that kind of title that makes my skin crawl, but I've given it a good read through and it's not what it seems. It's a very practical book for your children in their 20s and 30s to help get their financial lives in order. And the "rich" part is really a hook. Sure, some will read this book as a way of getting ahead, but the book offers a balanced approach to finances including sharing your wealth and doing what you truly love.

The author has a good sense of humor and solid advice. Even an old codger like me can learn something from this book.

I Will Teach You to Be Rich by Ramit Sethi 2009 - Workman Publishing

We do a terrible job teaching kids about money and math. Financial responsibility is not part of our schools' curricula. That job falls on your shoulders and you may not be well equipped to address it. You have no idea how many people confess to me that they are "no good at math." Or they "hate math." I hear that confession more than a few times a week. (The life of a bookseller is not unlike the life of a bartender, or a priest - wink!) So, anything we can do to make our kids more effective money handlers means we can have effect on future economies. I'm a firm believer in the ripple effect. One ripple can fan out to touch many. Do the math. Do you think the current economic crisis is the result of a lack of financial responsibility? I sure do.

New This Week! In the world of Children's Books

	Bedtime Kiss for Little Fish by Grover, Lorie Ann Illustrator Ziss, Debra You'll Oooh and Aaah over this sweet little bedtime book.
	Dork Diaries by Russell, Rachel Renee Illustrator Russell, Rachel R. A kind of wimpy girl book.
	Do You Believe in Ghosts?: Fortune-Tellers, Seances, Mediums, and More! by Laffon, Martine; Illustrator Matje, Martin Kids will love finding out more about ghosts and spooky phenomena.

Slowing down after BEA

After being in NYC for the weekend I feel like all my molecules are buzzing. And without much time between the convention and work I jumped right into my next appointment at the store, meeting with one of my favorite reps. (Seriously, I like ALL the reps who come to see me. They are a great bunch!) When I got home on Tuesday night I was worn down and wanted to skip out on going to my weekly meditation group. But I hopped in the car and headed to Albany. Once I got there I knew I needed to be there. I needed to be still and do nothing for an hour. Just sit.

But sometimes it takes more than that one session to restore my inner calm. And so Wednesday came and I got back on the moving sidewalk and buzzed through the day. I was busy the whole day, not much of a break except to grab a bite to eat at the front counter. Bad form! I needed to stop and smell the roses.

Speaking of smelling the roses... when I got home last night I went across the street to see my neighbor who was working in her garden. She showed me her English roses with enormous blooms and smelling divine. Then she showed me her wild roses which are taking over her work shed. Small, delicate white blooms which start from tiny pink buds. Beautiful. Then she pulled out her binoculars from her table and pointed them to the top of a mulberry tree three yards away. At the top was a small flock of cedar waxwings, with black masks, happily eating berries. When we finished watching the birds her husband showed up and we sat on the back deck and sipped a beer. I was calm and peaceful and happy. After an hour of conversation I came back home and picked a pot full of greens from my backyard and mixed up a delicious supper of beans and greens and brown rice. I was content. I slowed down. I picked up the readers copy of a book I've been reading and settled into bed. The perfect ending to the day.

Susan's Excellent Memorial Day Adventure (a wee bit late)

This was the best Memorial Day weekend ever! Why? Because my friends the Hansens came out for the weekend. They have 3 kids, Evan, 13; Liam, 12; and Julia, 8. Whenever we get together, I give the kids books, because they are a reading family.

And this year, all three kids were wrapped up in their books! Liam managed to finish the fifth Percy Jackson book, The Last Olympian. Julia was enthralled with her new camera, but she still found time to start her copy of Savvy by Ingrid Law. Evan got halfway through Little Brother by Cory Doctorow--that is the one I am happiest about, because I loved that book, and I haven't managed to get anyone else I know to read it (not for lack of trying!) So satisfying to have everyone pleased with my selections. And I know their parents will read them, too, so the enjoyment is multiplied.

Maggie, their mom, was thrilled with her copy of Pretty in Plaid by Jen Lancaster. Maggie is the person who turned me on to Jen Lancaster (Bitter is the New Black; Bright Lights, Big Ass; and Such a Pretty Fat), so I return the favor by making sure she gets Jen's new books as soon as they come out.

My pal Billy, who reads all the fantasy novels I pass on to him, was delighted to get The Elfish Gene by Mark Barrowcliffe. It is all about growing up as a D&D role-playing geek who might be a tad too involved in fantasy novels. Not that there is anything wrong with that......

I just love being able to pass my favorite books on to my friends. There is something about sharing a good book that makes me happy. I guess that is why working in a bookstore is the best job ever!

	The Last Olympian by Riordan, Rick 2009-05 - Hardcover Hyperion Books 9781423101475 $17.99
	Savvy by Law, Ingrid 2008-05 - Hardcover Dial Books for Young Readers 9780803733060 $16.99
	Little Brother by Doctorow, Cory 2008-04 - Hardcover Tor Classics 9780765319852 $17.95

BEA Recap

It's good to be home. The BookExpo was a success for me. It fired me up, gave me some great ideas and got me out of the house!

Here's what I loved about BookExpo:
1. Being surrounded by booklovers! There's something to be said for being in the midst of your tribe.

2. Stumbling upon little surprises along the way, like meeting Alan Bradley (author of The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie") and I wasn't even looking for him.
3. The booths the publishers set up. Some of them were like elegant living rooms. The United Arab Emirates book display was an elegant, stylized display of art and literature.
4. Bags! You get free bags at the conventions. And the big red bag I picked up from McGraw-Hill carried everything I needed. I just needed someone to carry the monster!
5. Free books! Yes, of course they hand out free books and the author is on hand to sign them!
6. Authors! This could be the first in this list but I'm just rifling my brain now. It's funny though, most authors can walk around anonymously since I'm not a groupie and have no way of matching the headshot on the dust jacket with the real thing.

Things that puzzled me about BookExpo:
1. It's way too large! I can't wrap my head around it. Like having cable TV with 500 channels. Where do you start? And they told me they ran out of directories when I registered. Doh! That's the book that tells you where to find events, authors, publishers AND includes the floor plan. I was more than miffed! I finally got one.
Here's an idea: how about employing "guides" to help you find what you're looking for. And that guide would have a, let's see, an iPod Touch! With a directory of where things are, schedules of signings, topical listings. It's just too hard to keep up. Did you know there's a daily publication for BookExpo? I didn't know it until I was walking out the door! Of course, if I had access to WIFI and there was some online way to do this myself I wouldn't have needed a "guide."
2. It takes a major tactical planning effort to get from one side of the center to the other. I missed a couple of signings because their times overlapped and I just couldn't make it through the crowds.
3. Why isn't there a better online pre-convention schedule? I have a narrow window to attend and I could have prioritize my day better.
4. Wifi! The Javits Center charges a ridiculous fee to use their Wifi! And why is that? For the exhibitors? Who probably already forked over a ton of money to get a booth? And what about the conventioneers? I could have been better connected to events if I could have internet access. I was NOT about to pay $69.95 per day! PUH-LEEZ! It should be free! EXCLAMATION POINT! Free! As it was I had to find hot spots throughout the building. There were a couple that I used. But they were no convenient and so I couldn't post whenever I wanted to.

I had a good time. I learned a lot. There is still more to digest. And I'm still pooped! It's funny to go back and see the typos on my entries. The iPod I use auto-suggests words and I just wanted to get the word out when I found a hot spot so I wasn't too diligent about typing mistakes. I will have one more BEA blog post to offer and that will be a brief annotation of the posts I sent out.

See you in the store.
Stanley in Troy