I'm once again caught without a theme for my choices this week, but they're so fantastic that it doesn't really matter!
Puppy Scrubby by Rich Frog $6.95 Located in the bath section, behind Hello Kitty
This adorable washcloth/loofah disguised as a cute little dog is my new favorite bath accessory! He has a cute face, a soft squishable body, and a patch of extra-scrubby material on his butt to take care of any caked-on summer dirt. He's also got a convenient loop for hanging him up, an essential factor if your shower doesn't have shelving. I think the puppy is cutest, but we've also got pig, frog, and duck scrubbies with their own brand of charm. In the words of so many children overheard in the store, "I NEEEEEEED IT!!!"
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Building Cards by Klutz $19.95 Located downstairs in the Chapter Book Room
In the spirit of the new Potter movie (which everyone should go see), I'm extremely tempted to turn my dining room table into Hogwarts with this cool build-your-own card kit. It includes 275+ cards, along with written and visual instructions, and a little Harry figure to play with once you've built the famous castle! The best part of this kit, though, is that the instructions don't tell you how to build one definitive Hogwarts--the school is always changing, and everyone's vision of the castle is different! Instead, the booklet explains how to build different kinds of towers, turrets, and loads of castle parts, as well as a few complete designs as suggestions. The cards are easy to take apart again, too--so you can re-build Hogwarts in a new way every time!
So many cool things, so little time...well, see you next episode!
My favorite thing about this moment -- aside from the fact that it actually happened -- is that both Roger Sutton and Neil Gaiman blogged about it and ALA from their unique perspectives. I may joke about playing Six Degrees of Neil Gaiman, but really, he knows a ridiculous number of ridiculously cool people -- i.e., Roger Sutton. I'm almost as much in love with his social circle as much as his brilliant brain. Can you imagine at dinner party at Chez Gaiman? "Amanda [Palmer], could you pass the salt? Dave [McKean], I think you dropped your napkin." Oh, to be able to say you just had coffee with Poppy Z. Brite or Jill Thompson or Tori Amos. I'm not sure who is the more appropriate target for my envy: Neil for having an amazing entourage or his entourage for having an amazing Neil.
At any rate, I am viridian with envy of somebody, and ants-in-the-pants level impatient with waiting for the new issue of The Horn Book, containing many things Gaiman, to arrive at the George. When it finally gets here, I'll be sure to let you know!
We're so lucky to have author Jay Asher (who hails from my native Central Coast, CA) as a guest blogger today! Jay's thought-provoking YA novel Thirteen Reasons Why deals with teen suicide from the perspective of Clay, a bereaved, bewildered friend -- and one of the thirteen reasons given by Hannah as contributing to her devastating decision.
From chain bookseller to indie bookseller and librarian to author, you've been working with books for a long time. Can you trace your love of books from a particular age or moment in your life? What's next? (More novels, we hope!) Some of my very earliest memories are of being driven to the library, which was absolutely like taking a field trip to heaven. But in high school, I don't remember reading much. At least, not for fun. It wasn't until I took a college course called Children's Lit. Appreciation that I was reintroduced to children's books...and began writing them. Now I'm doing what I love as a career. (Which means, yes, there are more books to come!)
Fellow guest blogger Alisa Libby works at a library for her "day job," and found it a valuable resource for her historical fiction novels. Did the way you interacted with your library change when you were working there and writing? I don't work at a library anymore. I left last October to be a full-time writer, but only because something had to give. My favorite part of being an author is getting to meet readers face-to-face at school visits, and I began accepting many more speaking gigs than I had vacation hours. But I do miss the daily interactions with librarians, which I considered extremely valuable research. I especially loved talking with them about what teens were saying about certain books. A lot of books which everyone thought would be a hit never clicked with their intended audience and it was fascinating to hear why.
If you could discover a box of tapes addressed to you from anyone, living or dead, who would you want that person to be? Awesome question! As long as they weren't blaming me for their suicide, there are a lot of people I could name. Jesus, I suppose. If I hired a translator, I'm sure I could turn it into a bestseller. But I don't think audiotapes were invented back then, so to choose from a more modern time, maybe my grandfathers. Both of them. They were great storytellers.
What advice would you offer your readers who struggle with depression, the compulsion to self-harm, and/or suicidal thoughts? Talk to someone. Unfortunately, our society is so uncomfortable discussing these issues, it makes it that much harder for people experiencing these problems to reach out. But the best way to get help is to ask for it. One of Hannah's downfalls was her inability to be totally open about her feelings. She dropped hints or left clues, but there were people around her who would've helped had they known how serious things were. Of course, sometimes the very adults teens should be able to go to for help are a part of the problem. In those case, there are hotlines to call. Hotlines are made up of strangers who want nothing more than to help whoever is on the other end of the line.
Are there any books available for teens right now that you wish had been published when you were a teenager? Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli. It's my all-time favorite book, and I think I would've loved it just as much when I was a teen. But most of the books I currently love, I don't know how I would've reacted to them when I was in high school...including my own book!
And a question I expect you won't answer: is Hannah really dead? (Do you get asked that one a lot?) She is gone, yes. I do occasionally get asked that question because there are lines within the text which leave open the slight possibility that she might not be dead. The characters in the book, however, never question that she's not coming back. So it was just a case of me pulling out every literary tool to keep the readers turning the pages!
Thanks to Jay for his answers -- and more importantly, for his willingness to tackle a very serious subject in a YA novel! Teen depression and suicidal ideation are topics which need much more attention than they currently receive, and this powerful book very effectively draws attention to them.
I know my stack of beach-bound books is looking alarmingly small right now, so for all of you about to head out to the great blue ocean, lake, or kiddie pool, here are some of our favorite reads for lounging (some are definitely sillier than others). Don't forget your sunblock and iced tea!
The Thurber Carnival by James Thurber
Bookseller: Miruna Genre: super funny Suggested reading level: general adult, some of the stories great read-alouds for 7 up
I was reading The Thurber Carnival while on a bus to New York and realized I had to stop reading or I would make a fool of myself...I was laughing way too loud! Buy this book and test your (or your friend's) sense of humor.
Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell
Bookseller: Katie
Genre: historical fiction/survival story; for fans of Julie of the Wolves or The Birchbark House Suggested reading level: ages 9 up
The entire village leaves on a Russian ship - except for Karana and her brother. Tragedy leaves Karana alone, dependent on the island itself for food, shelter, and weapons. Based on the story of a solitary girl who lived on San Nicolas Island for 18 years.
Growing up fatherless in 1940s Brooklyn, Joey's looking for a hero. Charlie, an all-star third baseman, doesn't think he's looking for anything - until Joey starts sending him fan letters and won't let up. Told through letters, it's a poignant and hilarious story of baseball, war, and unlikely heroes.
Bookseller: Michelle Genre: for fans of John Green novels; Georgia Nicholson or Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist Suggested reading level: ages 14 up
I've never had as much fun reading as I did reading Audrey, Wait! You can't read this book without wanting to a) dance to loud music, b)be best friends with Audrey and Victoria, and c) laugh outrageously loud in public. The only thing I wouldn't want is to be chased by paparazzi like Audrey is...
Bookseller: Katie Genre: fantasy/sci fi Suggested reading level: ages 14 up
What if there really were vampires - not creatures of the night, but humans maddened by a parasite? Cal is a carrier enlisted by the mysterious Night Watch to help subdue parasite-positives, or "peeps." Fascinatingly disgusting parasite biology alternates with action in this vampire thriller.
I recently read the mythologically-inspired grown-up novel House of Leaves, which is based on the story of the Minotaur and Theseus. (Check out my favorite Minotaur reference ever, Martha Graham's -- ahem -- epic choreography "Errand into the Maze.") The book itself consists of more than seven hundred pages, three narratives nested inside each other, hundreds of footnotes, indices and appendices, and the most creative/schizophrenic text design ever, so that the labyrinth is recreated on the page. Naturally, I called my Classics major cousin for help.
Luckily, you won't need a ball of string (or my geniusy cuz) to get through these fun reads based on myths and legends from around the world. You might need a flashlight, though; some of these adventures will keep you up all night!
African The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm by Nancy Farmer fuses ancient lore with futuristic technology. At the end of the 22nd century, the children of Zimbabwe's most prominent general run away, and their parents hire a unique team of detectives to find them. The Ear, the Eye, and the Arm have special abilities, borne of radiation poisoning, which make them ideally suited to such work. As they track the siblings across Zimbabwe, we see the startling contrasts of their reality: wealth and abject poverty, technology and mysticism, tradition and innovation. The children, especially thirteen-year-old Tendai, must learn to reconcile these extremes as they prepare to lead the next generation.
More like this to try:
- Shadow Speaker by Nnedi Okorafor-Mbachu
Arthurian T.H. White wrote the quintessential Arthurian novels and, with them, defined legend-based fiction. The Sword in the Stone follows the young orphan Arthur, a.k.a. "the Wart," through his apprenticeship with backwards-aging wizard Merlyn. A wacky series of magical adventures teach the Wart to think critically and consider alternate perspectives (even that of a fish in the moat). After the Wart has pulled the sword from the eponymous Stone, proving himself next king of England, The Once and Future King delves deeper into the legends. It reveals the history of Arthur's prophesied birth, the hopefulness of the Round Table, his doomed romance with Guineveire, and the betrayal by his witch half-sister Morgan le Fay and their devious son Mordred. Hilarious and heartbreaking in equal amounts, White's reimagining is a legend in its own right, forming the basis for the Disney animated movie The Sword in the Stone and the musical Camelot.
More like this to try:
- T.A. Barron's The Lost Years of Merlin series
- The Dark is Rising sequence by Susan Cooper
- Here Lies Arthur by Philip Reeve
- Tomorrow's Magic and Yesterday's Magic by Pamela Service
Asian American Born Chinese by Gene Luen Yang is composed of three very different narratives: Jin Wang, the only Chinese-American in his school, a television show featuring an absurdly racist caricature, Chin-Kee, who ruins his all-American cousin's life every time he visits, and the legend of the Monkey King whose hubris must be humbled. These narrative mesh together in surprising, hilarious, and heart-breaking ways that only a graphic novel can. See some of Gene Luen Yang's comics online, read his interview with the Rog, or check out his new short graphic story collection The Eternal Smile for even more charmingly self-deprecating humor and witty wisdom.
Where the Mountain Meets the Moon has been described by the author/illustrator herself, Grace Lin, as a sort of "Chinese Wizard of Oz." Minli has grown up hearing tales of the Old Man in the Moon, who knows the answers to all questions and helps those who are brave enough to ask. Accompanied by a dragon who can't fly and a magical goldfish, she embarks on an epic journey to find the Old Man and in hopes of reviving Fruitless Mountain, refreshing the Jade River, and reversing the fortunes of her impoverished family.
More like this to try:
- The Five Ancestors series by Jeff Stone
- Eon: Dragoneye Reborn by Alison Goodman
- City of Fire by Lawrence Yep
- The Color of Earth and The Color of Water by Kim Dong Hwa
Egyptian Theodosia, of Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos and Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris by R.L. LaFevers, always seems to be getting into trouble in the Museum of Legends Antiquities where her parents are archeologist-curators. More accurately, trouble seems to find her, since Theo's the only one who can see black magic still clinging to the artifacts her parents excavate! The Heart of Egypt and the Staff of Osiris entangle Theo in a struggle with dark curses and secret societies that threaten not just her family, but Britain itself.
More like this to try:
- The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder
Inspired by many folkloric traditions... Of course, no discussion of myth-based books would be complete without Mr. G's American Gods. (I'm starting a new party game: "Six Degrees of Neil Gaiman." ...I'm only half kidding.) When immigrants relocate to America, starting with Norse explorers and nomads from across the Bering Strait, they bring their myths and legends with them – along with their gods, goddesses, and mythological creatures. Now new powers of technology and media challenge ancient, almost-forgotten deities for America's devotion and their very survival.
More like this to try:
- Oracles of Delphi Keep by Victoria Laurie
- Gods of Manhattan by Scott Mebus
- Fablehaven by Brandon Mull
- The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamelseries by Michael Scott - Impossible by Nancy Werlin
- Wild Magic by Cat Weatherill
For the mythology buff in your life (even if that person is you!) trying pairing one of these books with:
- In Zeus on the Loose, use the powers of other gods and goddesses and your own mighty math skills to capture the runaway Zeus!
- Sift through the Mummy Rummy card deck to build ancient treasures -- watch out; other players can steal your antiques! -- or take your opponent for every last card in Egyptian War, which combines two classic card games, War and Egyptian Ruffle.
- Lift the Lid on Mummies contains everything you need to make your own mummy, from gauze for wrapping, amulets for protection, and even canopic jars (urns to store the "organs" in).
- Encode letters to your friends in the ancient Egyptian written language with a Fun with Hieroglyphics stamp kit!
- Decorate your sanctuary (or your refrigerator) with pages from a Greek Gods and Goddesses or Chinese Dragons coloring book.
Of course, there's much more where this came from -- stay tuned for more mythology recommendations (we haven't even gotten to Norse or Greek and Roman yet!) or ask a CG staffer in the store for her favorites.
Just dropping in to let you know about our Moon Expedition event coming up this Sunday, July 19th!
Join us for a celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing. Author and illustrator LEO LANDRY will be here from 1-3 pm to sign his books -- even better, he'll be teaching us how to draw Space Boy and his rocket!
There's no real theme to my choices this week--unless "awesome things" counts as a theme!
Wooden Boulder Blocks by Decor Craft Inc. $19.95 Located on the Game Wall
If you read my posts regularly, you might have noticed that I love innovative blocks. Here's another fantastic example: rock-shaped blocks! My first thought when I saw these a few days ago was "wow, now I can build Stonehenge!" Okay, maybe not everyone wants to recreate ancient stone ruins, but there's still a billion fun possibilities with blocks that look like boulders and stack in crazy ways.
Ribbons Hanging Photo Holder by Cupcakes and Cartwheels $15.95 Located in the Chapter Book Room on the Klutz wall
Summer is always full of photo-taking opportunities; vacations, fun events with friends, holidays and birthdays...you get the idea. This snazzy photo holder is the perfect way to commemorate the fun times of summer with snapshots, ticket stubs, letters, and whatever other bits of ephemera accompany your journeys! I know I've always saved everything--even the luggage tags from overseas trips--and I'm always on the hunt for a good place to put that stuff. The best part about this photo holder, though, is that both sides are clear, so you can pack those memories in and alternate sides whenever you feel like a change!
Acoustic Top (aka "Akustik Kreisel") by Bolz $31.95 Located in the Baby Room
Fellow Curious George bookseller Anne brought this amazing top to my attention just a moment ago, and I feel compelled to included it in this week's episode. At first glance, it's just a big stationary top--the kind that sticks to the floor or table with a suction cup on the bottom, and you pump the spindle-y thing to make the top spin in place. This one, though, is quite spectacular. Slowly the train starts to move around the track; a little stop sign lifts out of the way as it passes. If you're persistent with your spinning, a train whistle sounds, and then you hear the trusty "chugga chuggas" and "ding ding dings" of a railroad experience! It's surprising, delightful, and of course brightly colored. A fantastic toy! Thanks for pointing it out, Anne!
My mom and dad spent most of their weekend -- in sunny southern California, the lucky ducks -- converting a previously unexciting part of my childhood yard to a garden where they'll grow both flowers and yummy veggies. I am green with garden envy; between my apartment living situation (which means, like no honest-to-goodness puppy, no rows of sunflowers, pumpkins, and corn like those my parents will soon sprout) and the abysmal weather, I doubt a full-fledged garden is in my near future. What's an urban-dwelling, plant-loving, herbivore to do?
CG merch buyer Ellen comes to the rescue with her excellent taste in all things veggie -- so now I can have an adorable garden patch right on my desk! We have a plethora of different styles of the too-trendy collectible erasers by Japanese company Iwako, but the fruits and veggies are my favorites.
Not only will these little sprouts make an awesome addition to my own office supplies, but when I send my parents a garden-warming giftie, these erasers will be wicked cute tied onto the veggie-print wrapped present! (Herb the Vegetarian Dragon gift wrap courtesy Barefoot Books)
Another desk-supply favorite of mine: color-saturated reusable photographic stickers by playBac. Whether you choose Colors, Letters, or one of the many other options in the series, these sticker books are chock full of fruits and veggies of all kinds, shapes, shapes, and colors that will make your mouth water. How can you resist a life-sized, ridiculously red strawberry or tomato sticker that can stick, de-stick, and re-stick anywhere?
I can have a bite-sized real garden in my kitchen with one of the gardening kits we carry. Michelle mentioned Curious George's Outrageous Farm in her spring vacation round-up, saying, "The folks at DuneCraft have combined two of our great loves: Curious George and green, growing things. Curious George's Outrageous Farm is a self-contained terrarium in which you can grow wheat grass, tomatoes, and catnip. It is, of course, decorated with Curious George and the man in the yellow hat, and has farm animal figurines to 'graze' in your garden."
Personally, I'm deeply tempted by Chronicle Books' Sprout Your Own Sweet Scents garden kit, which contains biodegradable see-through planters, seeds, and potting peat to grow Cinnamon Basil, Lemon Balm, and Spearmint. The kit also comes with a book brim-full of growing instructions, plant history and lore, experiments and recipes, and drying hints. That way, once you have plants, you actually know what to do with them, which has been my conundrum the few times I have managed to grow something! (The Sprout Your Own Leafy Wonders kit is, if possible, even cooler -- if sadly not edible -- but so very cool that we sold out of those before you could say "touch-sensitive leaves." We're hoping those will be back in stock soon!)
My best-loved picture book about gardening is Old MacDonald Had an Apartment House by Judi and Ron Barrett (of Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs fame). Mr. and Mrs. MacDonald superintend an NYC apartment building, but decide carrots, taters, and cows make better neighbors than their grumpy human tenants -- so they turn the building into an organic farm. They actually do have rows of corn and sunflowers growing in their apartment! Sadly, this subtly hilarious picture book classic is long out of print -- and really, what was the publisher thinking? How brilliant is the scene of Superintendent MacDonald responding to an angry tenant's complaint, only to discover carrots growing through the ceiling from the apartment above? Happily, two brand-new pictures book about creative urban gardening has picked up the Old MacDonald torch just in time to prevent me from getting really worked up and writing Atheneum a nasty letter. (I still might, because Old MacDonald is brilliant.)
In The Imaginary Garden by Andrew Larsen, Theo and her grandfather miss having a real garden when he moves into an apartment with only a cramped, windy balcony instead of a yard. Then Theo comes up with a solution: they can recreate the garden on a large canvas on the apartment's walls. The pair bring a stone wall, climbing vines, flowering plants, and even birds into the apartment using ink, a little elbow grease, and a lot of imagination. When Poppa goes on vacation, Theo and the garden bloom together. This picture book in the tradition of Peter Reynolds's Dot and Ish celebrates the power of creativity to brighten even the most seemingly drab environments.
Peter Brown's The Curious Garden follows spunky red-haired Liam on a ramble through his smoky, grey city. He stumbles upon a some growing things struggling to survive and appoints himself their gardener, knowing that what is needed more than expertise or fancy equipment are attention and love. Before long the little patch of ground is healthy and ready to explore, and as new plants appear, so do new gardeners! The garden spreads throughout the city, turning the grey and drab to green and vibrant. The Curious Garden is a great reminder that all of us have what it takes to help the world be a little greener and happier.
Paul Fleischman's Seedfolks is the story of a community urban garden told from the many perspectives of its participants. Beginning with the act of a single young Vietnamese American girl, Seedfolks shows how a group of strangers become partners and then friends in the creation of a thriving garden from an abandonded lot. Multiple narrators give readers the backstories of the people working in the garden and into the biography of the rundown Cleveland neighborhood itself. The transformation of the physical neighborhood parallels the transformation of the individual gardeners and their community.
Whether you're a lucky kiddo with access to more conventional means of gardening (check out the front of the Hut for how-to books and tools) or somebody who needs to think outside the planter to bring some growing things into your life, come in and talk to us about it! I'd love to hear about your community garden or your extensive collection of squash erasers.
Summer heat also means summer rain--so this week I picked a couple of fun indoor items that I'd love to spend a rainy day playing with. :)
"Ocean World" Puzzle Ball by Ravensburger 240 pieces $26.95 Located in the Chapter Book Room
The easiest part of a puzzle are the corner and edge pieces, right? Well, here's a puzzle with an added challenge--it's a globe, so there aren't any convenient corner or edge pieces. You've got to rely on your wits alone for this one! It even comes with a display holder to keep it from rolling away when you're finished, and it doesn't take up a ton of room while you're working on it the way a traditional puzzle does--you can take your time, and not get yelled at for using up too much table space. I might have to start out slow, though, with the dinosaur-themed Junior Puzzle Ball, 96 pieces, for ages 6 and up. :)
Two-Tune TV by Fisher Price 12 months and up $31.95 Located in the Baby Room
I'm a sucker for retro toys, and Fisher Price has never let me down. They've delved back into the 60's and brought out this TV music box that I can't resist! Just turn the knob to wind it, and it plays "Row Row Row Your Boat" and "London Bridge is Falling Down" while a tableau of cute retro children slowly moves across the screen. It's just the sort of thing to put any tired child (or me...) to sleep.
That's it for this week--see you next time, and let's hope it's sunny!
It seems that a fair amount of our staff has been reading fantasy novels of late (perhaps to escape this monsoon-like weather?), so let's make the most of it with a sampling platter of our latest and favorite fantasy picks! Of course, you can always backtrack to larger round-ups such as Katie's revisioned fairy-tales, vampires and zombies galore, or even the YA crossover appeal for more "fantastical" choices.
The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya by Nagaru Tanigawa Bookseller: Rachel
Genre: science fiction/fantasy, school story
Suggested reading level: ages 11 up
When Haruhi announces that she's looking for aliens, time-travelers, and espers, Kyon thinks she's crazy. Little does he know that his life is about to get complicated - and it will be up to him to save the world from destruction if Haruhi gets bored. The first of a hit series in Japan, now in English for the first time!
The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer Bookseller: Katie
Genre: dystopian/sci-fi
Suggested reading level: ages 12 up
Matt learns he is a clone, created to provide replacement body parts for 140 year old drug lord El Patrón. Unlike most clones (called "eejits"), Matt still has his intelligence - and he'll definitely need it to escape from El Patrón's estate into the equally dangerous world outside.
The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley
Bookseller: Michelle Genre: high fantasy; for fans of Graceling Suggested reading level: ages 13 up
Aerin is a princess of Damar, but she is feared by the court because of her foreign mother and her own suspicious lack of the royal Gift. With the help of a mysterious, handsome wizard she must survive poison and evil dragons to claim her destiny and the legendary Blue Sword. Newbery Medal prequel to The Blue Sword.
American Gods by Neil Gaiman Bookseller: Katie
Genre: mythology-based fantasy
Suggested reading level: ages 15 up
When immigrants relocate to America, they bring their myths with them - along with their deities. Now new powers challenge near-forgotten gods for America's devotion and their very survival. Gaiman blends obscure lore, absurd humor, and perfectly nuanced characters to create one legendary road trip.
Savvy by Ingrid Law
Bookseller: Rachel
Genre: fantasy, coming of age
Suggested reading level: ages 9 up
The Beaumonts are an unusual family - on their 13th birthdays, they each discover a unique savvy, a special know-how. When Poppa is hospitalized in a distant town the day before Mibs turns 13, she is convinced that her hidden savvy can save him - if she could only get there in time.
The Mortal Instruments Trilogy: City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass byCassandra Clare
Bookseller: Katie
Genre: fantasy, supernatural romance, fans of the Twilight saga
Suggested reading level: ages 14 up
When Clary meets Shadowhunters Jace, Isabelle, and Alex, she's astonished to discover a world of fallen angels, demons, and demon-hunters. Full of mystical tattoos, arcane weapons, thwarted romance, prophecies, and plot twists.
Puppy Scrubby by Rich Frog
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Building Cards by Klutz
