Posts Tagged Hooray For Books Children’s Bookstore

Winter is on the way!

November 7, 2012 at 8:32 am · Filed under Ages 3 - 6 ·Tagged , , , , ,

It’s taken quite a long time this year, but the air is finally chilly enough outside to start reading books about winter. One of my favorites of this upcoming season is Eileen Spinelli’s Cold Snap. It’s perfect for sharing with your loved ones as a fire roars in your fireplace (or, if you’re like me, the electric baseboard heaters warm the room) and you sip on some toasty hot chocolate.

The story is the perfect mixture of cozy and sweet, perfect for reading on a chilly day. Included is a recipe for Miss Dove’s Sugar-on-Snow Candy, which would be great to make after reading the story! Yum! The temperature in Toby Mills is COLD and as each day passes, it just gets colder and colder. Icicles are hanging from the General Toby’s statue and no one can seem to get warm. Everyone is discouraged and lonely and COLD, until the Mayor’s wife has a brilliant idea, bring the entire town together for a fun surprise to ride out the cold snap.

Stay warm, Amanda

Cold Snap by Eileen Spinelli; $ 17.99; Knopf; Ages 4+

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A new Elephant & Piggie book is here!

November 5, 2012 at 8:03 am · Filed under Ages 3 - 6, Ages 6 - 8 ·Tagged , , ,

We love the Elephant & Piggie characters and are always excited when we open up a shipment to find a new adventure inside. Luckily, author Mo Willems is able to write books about as fast as we can read them!

The latest Elephant & Piggie story follows the lovable pair as they attempt to make a plan to go on a drive. They want to have a super fun adventure, but cautious Gerald wants to plan out each very important step before they head out. Steps like finding a map, buying sunglasses, and eventually realizing neither one of them knows how to drive!

Their plan may go awry, but the process is still incredibly fun!

These books are great for read alouds, because both the audience and the adults can laugh along. The illustrations are bold and simple, yet the facial expressions on both Elephant and Piggie are often giggle-inducing without even reading the text!

I love the Elephant & Piggie series and hope there are many more to come!

Enjoy,

Amanda

Let’s Go for a Drive by Mo Willems; $8.99; Hyperion; Ages 6+ 

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The End of Your Life Book Club

November 2, 2012 at 7:41 am · Filed under Adult fiction and non-fiction ·Tagged , , , ,

Every once in awhile, we like to send out a reminder that we love grown-up books too! We all try to read as many books as we can, fitting in a grown-up book here and there, and The End of Your Life Book Club is one that has recently stuck out to me. I love a good memoir and with this one focusing on books and reading, I know a lot of you will really enjoy it too!

Though the reason for the rather unconventional book club between author Will Schwalbe and his mother is a sad one, the concept is brilliant. Sharing books between parent and child, at least in this way,  is typically an event that stops when childhood is over. Sure, if our parents are readers we’ll recommend books to them and they to us, or we’ll purchase books for each other during the holidays. But, really discussing a book and what it means to us is a whole different story, and Will and his mom manage to do that very well in the time they have left together.

From Khalid Hosseini’s The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns (two of my personal favorites) to A Prayer for Owen Meany by John Irving, the pair read a wide range of books, each teaching them a bit about each other in the process of reading and talking about the plot, the characters, and what the story means.

The power of books and what they can do for people and relationships is at the forefront of this book and I absolutely loved learning about the personalities, hopes, and wishes of both Will and his mother, as well as adding many books to my own pile. One can never have too many books waiting to be read.

If you love books about books, I highly recommend picking this one up!

Enjoy,

Amanda

The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe; $25.00; Knopf; Grown-up Non-Fiction

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Star Wars: A Galactic Pop-Up Adventure

October 30, 2012 at 8:10 am · Filed under Adult fiction and non-fiction, Ages 10 - 12, Ages 10 and up, Ages 12 - 14, Ages 12 and up, Ages 14 and Up, Ages 3 - 6, Ages 6 - 8, Ages 8 - 10, Ages 8 and up ·Tagged , , , , , ,

Let’s just get the truth about this book out of the way now: if you’re a Star Wars fan, you MUST have it for your collection. Absolutely must! Each page is full of fun activities to remind you of your favorite parts of all three Star Wars prequel movies. Pull-tabs, two working lightsabers, and huge, detailed pop-ups make the book visual awesome

The trivia is great for all fans and even for the true Star Wars buffs there are little known facts that are fun to read and share. And did I mention working lightsabers? How much fun is that?! . The paper engineering of the pages is just amazing.

Definitely a necessary addition to any Star Wars collection or for those pop-up collectors out there.

Have fun playing with this one!

Amanda

Star Wars: A Galactic Pop-Up Adventure by Matthew Reinhart; $36.99; Orchard Books; Ages 8+

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Kids’ Next List: Autumn 2012

October 24, 2012 at 12:32 pm · Filed under Booksellers Diary ·Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Every season IndieBound puts out “Kids’ Next” a newsletter featuring recommendations from Indie booksellers around the country. We’re invited to write reviews throughout the year for books that we get a chance to read in advance (a perk of being a bookseller) and occasionally, reviews from our staff are featured!

In the Autumn 2012 edition of Kids’ Next, three reviews from Hooray for Books! staff made it in. Check out our recommendations:

In the section for ages 4-8, Amanda said this about Bear Has a Story to Tell:

“The Caldecott-winning team who created A Sick Day for Amos McGee is back with another utterly charming story. The quiet-yet-strong demeanor of a bear wanting to tell his friends a story is subtly sweet, and the selfless acts of help he gives those friends in their preparation for winter instead of telling them his story is lesson for all of us. The soft and detailed illustrations give soul to the animals. Just lovely!”

Bear Has a Story to Tell by Philip C. Stead and illustrator Erin E. Stead; $16.99; Roaring Brook Press; Ages 4+

In the section for kids ages 9-12, Ellen talked about the latest Adam Gidwitz book, In A Glass Grimmly:

“This is a bloody marvelous, wonderfully horrible companion to Gidwitz’s award-winning debut, A Tale Dark & Grimm. In this Mother Goose-meets-the-Brothers Grimm version of ‘Jack and Jill,’ the two children will meet a talking frog – he’s a good guy – and lots of murderous giants, twisted mermaids, gruesome goblins, and other scary bad guys. But that’s okay, because what’s the point of going on a life-or-death quest if it’s easy-peasy?? A must-read for middle-graders!”

In a Glass Grimmly by Adam Gidwitz; $16.99; Dutton Juvenile; Ages 9+

Finally, in the section for teen readers, Megan raves about Shadows by Ilsa J. Bick:

“Bick’s follow-up to Ashes is another heart-pounding, frantic, action-packed adventure for those who can’t get enough of the zombie-apocolypse. As protagonist Alex fights to survive in a world gone seriously haywire, she begins to piece together just how dangerous her situation is. These are not the walking dead we know from television and film; they are cognizant beings, fueled as much by shrewd instinct as by animalistic blood lust. Bick keeps her complicated plot moving with plenty of twists and turns, creating a cringe-inducing, fascinating, and utterly entertaining read.”

Shadows: The Ashes Trilogy by Ilsa J. Bick; $17.99; Egmont USA; Ages 14+

We love IndieBound and can’t wait to see what makes it into the future issues of IndieNext and Kids’ Next. We have plenty of copies of this season’s newsletter, as well as back issues, at the store for your taking!

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Sky Color by Peter H. Reynolds

September 26, 2012 at 6:42 am · Filed under Ages 3 - 6 ·Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Marisol is in charge of painting the sky for the class mural, but she can’t find the color blue! She isn’t sure how to create the perfect sky without the perfect blue color and is worried she won’t be able to make a beautiful mural.
 
When she sees has the opportunity to watch the sky change from day to night — while riding home on the bus and then sitting on her front porch — Marisol realizes that the sky doesn’t HAVE to be blue. It can be whatever she wants it to be, while still becoming something absolutely beautiful.
Peter Reynolds is one of my absolute favorite authors. Sky Color is going to inspire kids AND adults, making for an awesome picture book. Just because we’ve been taught that the sky is blue doesn’t mean it has to be blue all the time. Sometimes it’s purple, pink, orange, grey…lots of colors. Marisol will help everyone realize that you don’t need the color blue to make a sky…be creative!
I also love the other books in Reynolds’ Creatrilogy series: The Dot and Ish. They also will help to spark a great sense of creativity in any child. Love them!
Sky Color by Peter H. Reynolds; $14.00; Candlewick; Ages 3+
Enjoy!
Amanda

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A great new read for grown-ups: The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry

September 7, 2012 at 6:32 am · Filed under Adult fiction and non-fiction ·Tagged , , , , ,

Harold Fry and his wife Maureen live in a quaint English village. Harold is recently retired and not quite sure what to do with himself, but appears to be somewhat content with his life.  Maureen, on the other hand,  is a cold woman, easily irritated with her husband and quite obsessed with cleaning the house. You can instantly tell they do not have a typical marriage (and the house cleaning is a bit comical, tinged with a more than a bit of sadness).
When the mail arrives one afternoon, Harold receives a letter from his former coworker, Queenie, stating that she is dying of cancer. Not quite sure what to say to Queenie, a woman he hasn’t heard from in years, he manages to write out a quick note and plans to walk down to the post office box and deliver it. Instead, Harold keeps walking. He decides to walk all the way to her hospice facility, hundreds of miles away, in a pair of boating shoes, and without any supplies. This is the story of Harold’s walk to Queenie.
I loved the entire idea of the novel and the description reminded me a bit of Major Pettigrew’s Last Stand, a book several of us here at the store were totally charmed by last year. Harold is an incredibly likeable character and you want him to make it to Queenie, so badly, even though you aren’t quite sure why. You only slowly learn Queenie’s part of the story as Harold walks.
Harold becomes a media sensation — walking across the English countryside as he is — never knowing if Queenie is still waiting for him to arrive or if she has passed away. He meets incredible characters along the way, each interesting and inspiring in their own way.  Every time it seems like he should just give up, the right person comes along to convince him otherwise.
Maureen was the most complex of the characters and I found her journey my favorite part of the book. Her husband just walks out of the house one day and decides to walk to another woman, making Maureen’s life instantly more complicated, as well. She is a hard woman, but you can slowly see her interior emotions breaking through as the story progresses, and it’s her breakthroughs that I kept looking forward to the most.
This was an utterly charming story and perfect to gift to those hard-to-buy-for friends and family. There is so much to like about Harold’s story that everyone could learn a thing or two from him. It’s quirky, inspirational, and a wonderful read.
-Amanda

 The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry by Rachel Joyce; $25.00; Random House.

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Amanda loves Peaches!

August 3, 2012 at 10:03 am · Filed under Ages 14 and Up ·Tagged , , , , , , ,

Amanda loves peaches. Peaches to eat, peaches to read about. Summer is the perfect time to do both! Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson is an excellent middle-of-summer book to read in-between summer reading selections for school.

The story of three girls placed at a failing peach orchard in Georgia to work for the summer just screams hot, humid weather and juicy peach deliciousness. Birdie is the slightly overweight daughter of the orchard owner, very insecure and very lonely in her Georgia peach world. Since her mother ran off, a lot of the orchard responsibility has been placed on Birdie and she takes her job very seriously.

Leeda is Birdie’s rich and spoiled cousin and she opts to spend the summer at the orchard instead of planning her sister’s wedding. Leeda is incredibly jealous of her sister and wants nothing to do with making plans and knows she isn’t exactly wanted around the peach house either.

Murphy is the resident bad girl. She is sentenced by the town judge to work at the orchard as community service for petty crimes she continuously commits. She has great attitude and adds some excellent dramatic flair to the story.

Though putting distance between themselves at first, the girls grow closer as the summer moves on and find they actually have quite a bit in common. They work together through boyfriend problems, family dramas, and the doubt that the peach orchard will survive. This was a lovely and refreshing book, with believable friendships. I wanted to be friends with these girls!

This is the first in a series, so if you love it, follow it up with The Secrets of Peaches and Love and Peaches. Make sure you have a bowl of fresh PEACHES to eat while you read. Yum!

Great for fans of The Sisterhood of Traveling Pants series by Ann Brashares or those that love books by Sarah Dessen.

Peaches by Jodi Lynn Anderson; $8.99; HarperTeen; Ages 14+

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Wonder by R.J. Palacio

August 1, 2012 at 5:15 am · Filed under Ages 10 and up ·Tagged , , , , , ,

Auggie Pullman was born with a severe facial deformity and has always been homeschooled, because of all the surgeries and medical problems that have come along. This year, Auggie and his parents have decided it’s time to give school, with actual teachers and students, a try. Despite Auggie’s fear of how people will see him, he heads into school and succeeds in the most 

Wonder chronicles Auggie’s entire first year at school, from the point of view of several different characters. The reader is able to hear from several of Auggie’s classmates, his sister, his sister’s boyfriend, and others, including Auggie himself. The chapters are short and the writing is both uplifting and totally inspiring.

Friends, this book is amazing. One that every single one of you reading this blog must get a copy of right away. It’s one of the most honest, powerful books I’ve ever read, while still being completely enjoyable. I laughed, cried, and got angry…all of the emotions I believe the author wanted us to feel.

Auggie is a character that will stick with you for a long time. I know I’m still thinking about him.

-Amanda

Wonder by R.J. Palacio; $15.99; Random House Children’s Books; Ages 10+

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A great summer read for grown-ups!

July 20, 2012 at 8:44 am · Filed under Adult fiction and non-fiction ·Tagged , , , , , , , ,

18-year-old Victoria Jones is an incredibly strong yet stubborn young woman who just aged out of the foster care system. Bounced around for most of her life, Vanessa finds herself unable to trust anyone who crosses her path, no matter their good intentions, and almost finds solace in being homeless. She is able to make her own decisions, and doesn’t have to deal with people, staying as far away from people as she can.

When her little bit of money runs out, Victoria manages to wrangle herself a job in a flower shop. Because she has always been fascinated with the “language of flowers,” she spends her days making the perfect bouquets for her customers’ personal situations. Still dealing with her past, Victoria is forced to come face-to-face with specific people and events she’s wanted nothing more than to leave behind.

The descriptions in this book are top notch and learning all about hidden meanings behind flowers, no matter how true or false they may be, was fun. The author has experience with the foster care system and it was apparent. She obviously knows how children who spend their lives in the “care” of multiple people might turn out and the issues they might experience. Victoria was haunting in the best possible way and her character, plus the intriguing plot, make for a great book club discussion.

Some heavy subject matter and situations make this most appropriate for grown-ups, but a great read for teens that has definite similarities with this plot regarding the language of flowers is Forget-Her-Nots by Amy Brecount White, one of our local authors!

A fun index of flowers is included, so you can look up all of your favorite flowers and their meanings. Very cool!

The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh; $15.00; Ballantine Books

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