The Best of 2010: Picture books

We meet again for another round of 2010's best books, this time for picture books. We stock so many they wrap around half of the store's walls, so I've been pulling my hair a bit trying to narrow down my list! This list by no means touches on all the many beautiful, humorous, daring books that came out this year, but they are some of the staff's favorites.


I've recently blogged about these first three serious sellers, and I wouldn't be surprised if any of these were to sport a Caldecott Medal or Honor by February.


Oliver Jeffers wows us again with the return of two friends in Up and Down. Chubby penguins, friendship tales, and gentle humor will never go out of style! Follow this link to my previous review.



David Wiesner never ceases to amaze adults and children alike with his lush paintings and intricate, imaginative scenes to pour over. The two lizard pals of Art & Max remind us just enough of overeager children to keep this story grounded as it veers in the fantastic and postmodern. I also reviewed this book last month.


You knew I was going to say it! My absolute lo-o-ove of the year is Sick Day for Amos McGee by Philip Stead. I've mentioned this book many times here, so if you haven't had the chance to befriend kindly Amos and his zoo animals, come over quickly! I've read this at least two hundred times this year, and I still giggle at the rhino and elephant taking the city bus. At my book club's Mock Caldecott meeting, this won by a veritable landslide. I hope that the folks on the committee also acknowledge how incredibly well done this book is!


Another title lauded by my book club was Here Comes the Garbage Barge by Jonah Winter and Red Nose Studio. While Sick Day for Amos McGee's appeal is partly nostalgia for the expressive animals of Garth Williams and Gyo Fujikawa, Garbage Barge has a wholly modern style. The inside of the dust jacket details the many steps of creating the artwork, from sketching and molding the clay characters to designing and photographing each page's scene. Since the sets were made from recycled goods, wire, or plain junk, it is an appropriate style for this account of a Long Island town's excess garbage (over 3,000 tons!) that was shipped and shunted around America's harbors.

Elisha Cooper had two gorgeous books out this year, Farm and Beaver Is Lost. I am particularly partial to Beaver is Lost because it's cityscape reminds me of Boston (even though I was told it is Chicago). The plot is a simple: a beaver on a river log gets taken to the city on a lumber truck and must find his way home, but it is the minimalist text - only the first and last page has words - lush watercolors and exceptional use of panels that propel each page turn. I love both abstract and realistic wordless picture books because they invite the child to participate in the story-telling, beyond any dreary "Sound it out" advice, they as just as capable, if not more imaginative, than adults in explaining what they see there.


Chris Haughton's Little Owl Lost puts a twist on the familiar "Are you my mother?" story, with a pink squirrel helping an owl who has fallen from his nest locate his mother. Young readers will like the exuberant thick colors, repetition, and humor (the owl describes his Mommy as "VERY BIG," in comparison to himself, leading the squirrel to conclude that a giant teal bear is his mother). There is enough excitement to warrant a satisfying reunion, with a sly hint that the owl may topple from the nest again...

One of our story time readers was very fond of reading Cats' Night Out by Caroline Stutson this spring. What child (or George staffer) doesn't dream of what animals do while we are asleep? The dancing cats here are an entertaining blend of realistic aloofness and cartoon cuteness, showcasing various fashions and types of dance in each spread. Young readers will revel in the fresh rhymes: "Ten cats line-dance, keep the beat/ in rhinestone boots on Easy Street", while older readers can follow the counting by pairs and find the numeral on each page.

Peter Brown has established himself as a producer of solid, entertainingly quirky picture books with Chowder, Fight of the Dodo, and The Curious Garden. This year shoppers of every age get a certain smirk, if not a full guffaw, from his latest, Children Make Terrible Pets. With a title as engaging as that, any reader is prepared to jump into this humorous tale of a girl bear who finds a wild squeaking child and wants to keep him as a pet. The reversal of a familiar story is carried well by cartoon speech bubbles, framed spreads, and surprisingly expressive bear faces.

We certainly love us some Marla Frazee - from as far back as Mrs Biddlebox (written by Linda Smith) through her well deserved Caldecott Honor for All the World (written by Liz Scanlon), and of course Clementine's chapter illustrations, Frazee captures children in such a way that amuse adults and respect kids. I wouldn't necessarily give The Boss Baby a Caldecott this year, but I do love to sell it to expecting mothers, soon-to-be big siblings, or anyone who appreciates tongue-in-cheek humor. Every illustration shines with loving detail, her signature fresh colors, and a good visual joke. My favorite page to show is the list of "perks" the boss of the family enjoys, especially the flight in the "private jet" (doorway bouncer) with his onesie suit's tie snapped up against his face.

My last pick of the year is not precisely a picture book, but its unique format is exactly I love it so. Bink & Gollie written Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee, illustrated by Tony Fucile, has the vocabulary and miniature chapters of a transitional chapter book, with the illustration pairing of an early reader/graphic novel medley. You could read this aloud to a young child or a beginning reader could read it to you, and both parties would be satisfied - a boon for any readers bored of the standard "fat cat, mouse in the house" rhymes or plodding plots. Lanky, intellectual Gollie and short, spirited Bink are a fresh take on the odd couple friendship.


I feel I've barely brushed the surface of picture books, but I couldn't possibly fit everything we love on here. If you are curious what my book club picked, our medal went to Sick Day for Amos McGee, with honors to Here Comes the Garbage Barge and Dark Emperor and Other Poems of the Night, written by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Rick Allen (an incredible pairing of poetry, art, and non-fiction), and strong affection for Little Rabbit and the Meanest Mother on Earth by Kate Klise (epitomizing the ideal story collaboration of pictures and words). We'll see on Monday what ALA chooses as the most distinguished of the year! (Here's hoping for Amos McGee...)

The Best of 2010: Chapter books and YA

The "Best Of.." wrap up: it's a staple of late December, whether it be radio countdowns, newspaper bestseller lists, or in our modern age, the blogosphere's top picks. I doubt I could ever come close to the humor and scope of Fuse #8's Golden Fuse Awards, but I will bend the rules a bit to list a few of our favorite books or authors we've discovered this year - no matter their published date. I'm sure frequent shoppers and blog readers have noticed trends in my staff picks or blog posts ("You love Robin McKinley and Terry Pratchett? I didn't quite hear that the first 20 mentions..."), so I will try to stretch beyond what you usually hear from me. (Sick Day for Amos McGee! Sick Day for Amos McGee! OK, it's out of my system for the day...but parentheses are not).

A few days ago I rediscovered Will Grayson, Will Grayson by John Green and David Levithan on my shelf and gleefully flipped through for some of my favorite scenes. These two authors have excellent solo novels as well as other co-author conspirings, but this joint effort combines and transcends the strengths and humors of both. The characters are well-developed, imperfectly lovable and have some of the funniest, sharpest repartee in contemporary fiction. I have a weakness for books with alternating voices, and that narrating tool is an impressive and sturdy vessel for the meeting of these two Will Graysons. Their worlds will collide, realign, and neither of them, or you, will be the same afterward. (Especially if you're like my roommate, who fell off the couch laughing at it). (ages 15 & up).


My latest contemporary fiction choice is one I mentioned in my holiday gift guide, but it is too good to be left off this list! Anna and the French Kiss by Stephanie Perkins has a bit of everything for various readers: the fierce ache of first love where the slightest touch sets off sparks; a developed, likable girl character who makes mistakes and comes into her own, and is now on my list of all-time favorite girl characters (which includes DJ Schwenk of Dairy Queen and Cimorene of Dealing with Dragons); and such effortless prose and love of Paris that fills me with a desire to pack my suitcase and throw myself headlong into an European adventure. My bottom line selling point is that Anna discovers Paris, and thus comes out of her shell, through touring the city's tiny cinemas on her mission to become a respected female film critic. (ages 14 & up).


Ah, dystopia. I have not neglected you! This year my loyalties are divided between Catherine Fisher's Incarceron and Ally Condie's Matched. Since I reviewed Matched in a holiday gift guide last month, I will focus on Incarceron here. This steampunk style British import alternates between two narrators (I know! I have a weakness): Finn, an epileptic prisoner of the vast, cognizant eponymous prison, and Claudia, the privileged but thoughtful daughter of Incarceron's warden. This is what all great fantasy adventures should be: a suspenseful blend of chase scenes, mysterious keys, lost memories and a just-complex-enough dissection of crime and punishment, class hierarchy, and social philosophy. The sequel Sapphique, named after the only man to have ever escaped the prison, has just hit shelves. (ages 12 & up).

Our book buyer Donna and I stand by the Alice series by Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. There are few books that can delve into an array of friendship troubles, body issues, boy drama, et cetera, through middle to high school, with the humor, tact, and respect for the reader as these. This year, along with the 21st installment Intensely Alice, Simon & Schuster has reprinted collections of Alice's freshman and sophomore years, I Like Him, He Likes Her and Not Like I Planned It This Way. The new covers and Twilight/Harry Potter-size heft will attract new readers as well as bring back familiar friends. Alice and her pals Elizabeth and Pamela remind me of why I like Steve Kluger's My Most Excellent Year so much: these interesting, "improbably wonderful" (thank you for the quote, former staffer Bethany!) individuals are the kind of people I would love to count as friends. (ages 12 & up).

When I was in middle school, I could not read enough historical fiction and adventure. I read bucket loads of Ann Rinaldi (Just saying the name of An Acquaintance with Darkness still gives me shivers) and I pined to be on board the Seahawk, too, in The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi. I know I would have loved Diane Lee Wilson's I Rode a Horse of Milk White Jade, then, too. Oyuna is overprotected and warned about bringing bad luck on her nomadic village ever since her foot was crushed by a horse. When Kublai Khan's soldiers commandeer her beautiful white horse, Oyuna disguises herself as a boy to stay with her. Alone in 14th century Mongolia, Oyuna must find her own path and her own luck. This adventure tale will appeal to fans of courageous heroines, horse stories, and underdog victories, all while breaking out of more familiar American-European historical fiction settings. (ages 9 & up).

Thirsty for new teen fantasy?

It's been two months since the New Moon movie adaptation was released - plenty of time to hit the multiple viewing overdose; and six months until Eclipse comes out. What's a vampire fiction lover to do now? Clearly, it's time for a round up of new fantasy adventure books for the Twilight/Harry Potter addict in your life. You can find most of these titles in our "Books with Bite" display in the chapter book room.

Supernatural Romance

Shiver by Maggie Stiefvater
This sophisticated fantasy follows Grace and too-cute Sam through their blossoming romance. There’s only one problem: Sam’s a werewolf. When the temperature drops, Sam and his pack transform from human to wolf, and each wolf only gets so many years before the change is permanent. To make matters worse, rogue werewolves roam the woods surrounding their small hometown, biting their neighbors and friends. Sam and Grace’s alternating narratives heighten both the character development and the sense of desperate suspense.

Vampires have been sexy and edgy for a good long time now, but why don't werewolves get any love? If you're a "Team Jacob" type, this is the read for you. I'm already antsy for the sequel Linger, which will be out in July. -- Katie

Captivate by Carrie Jones
The sequel to Need, Captivate returns to a rural part of Maine inhabited by pixies and weres. The shape-shifting weres are bound to protect humans from pixies, who are definitely baddies: they kidnap teenage boys for their dinners and force human women to be their queens. Zara lives uncomfortably in the middle; she's part-pixie herself, with a werewolf boyfriend. (I'm on a pro-werewolf campaign, apparently.) -- Katie

Rampant by Diana Peterfreund
As you may remember from an earlier post, the cover of this book grabbed me: Astrid’s intense glare, sword blade a la Graceling, and the unicorn in its reflection! From what I’d seen on the author’s blog, Rampant had gone through many covers, each seeming a completely different genre (my favorite might have been the romance one, with tongue-in-cheek tone nodding to The Princess Bride). The book did live up to its dramatic cover, and that is the key word here… shocking amounts of drama.

Astrid has been trying to ignore her mother’s tales of bloodthirsty, man-eating unicorns, and their ancestors who hunted them. It’s only when her boyfriend is gored by a lesser species of unicorn (by page ELEVEN) that Astrid must face the truth about these one-horned beasts. Astrid is speedily outcast from her comfortable social position – which makes her immediate packing off to unicorn-killer training camp in Rome a tiny bit more palatable. Once installed in the decrepit former convent, she meets an array of unicorn hunter descendants, from obsessed Cordelia, with a dark past, to Astrid’s cousin, Phil, who seems out for just adventure (and dates with Italian men). The characters are likable, and their discussions about the ecological and moral repercussions of hunting any beast to extinction and the problem of negotiating the commitment of being a virgin hunter with modern dating are treated surprisingly well. I did have trouble suspending disbelief in a world that was so quickly and roughly established, especially with the hurried conclusion and the almost caricature-like behaviors of some adults. But really, when it comes to killer unicorns and eating gelato with handsome Italian men, I’m willing to forgive some ridiculous drama – I was entertained, and that’s what counts.
-- Michelle

The Mortal Instruments Trilogy: City of Bones, City of Ash, and City of Glass by Cassandra Clare
When Clary's mother disappears, she's astonished to discover an underground world of fallen angels, demons, and demon-hunters - and her own family's part in it. Shadowhunters Jace, Isabelle and Alex promise to help her, but the price of their friendship is more danger and intrigue. Soon the lives of everyone Clary loves, from her mother and her best friend Simon, to her almost-dad Luke and her new-found allies, dangle dangerously in the balance between good and evil. The second and third volumes add inner demons to Clary's long list of adversaries as she's racked with remorse over the fate of a friend and forbidden desires. Magical creatures, mystical tattoos, arcane weapons, thwarted romance, prophecies and plot twists will have you wanting to be a Shadowhunter when you grow up. -- Katie

The Vampire Diaries series: The Awakening and The Struggle by L.J. Smith
Before Angel and Buffy, Edward and Bella came Stefan and Elena - a vampire with a conscience and his mortal girlfriend. Unlike Bella, who's forced to choose between two gentlemen, Elena is torn between Stefan and his bad-boy brother, Damon. The brothers' centuries-old feud puts Elena at risk, just as a malignant force descends upon their small town. Smith originally published the first book, The Awakening, in 1991, but the series was recently reissued with new photographic covers in conjunction with The Vampire Diaries TV show. The latest volume, The Return: Nightfall, was published early last year and will come out in paperback in May. -- Katie

For more forbidden romance, try:
Lips Touch Three Times by Laini Taylor
Nightworld and Dark Visions by L.J. Smith
Thirst by Christopher Pike (an omnibus of The Last Vampire series)

Fallen angel romance is the up-and-coming vampire romance...try:
Hush, Hush by Rebecca Fitzpatrick
Fallen by Lauren Kate

Dark Tales

The Knife of Never Letting Go and The Ask and the Answer by Patrick Ness
In a town with no women, where everyone can hear everyone else's thoughts, Todd is a month away from becoming a man. When he and his dog Manchee suddenly come across a silent spot in the Noise, though, everything Todd thought he knew about the world is proven wrong. Volumes 1 and 2 of the Chaos Walking series follow Todd, Manchee, and a girl named Viola along the dangerous and twisted path toward saving their world from falling into darkness. These unique and brilliantly written books expose the moral ambiguities of hatred and terrorism, the strength of loyalty and love, and package it all in a thrilling post-apocalyptic sci-fi narrative. -- Rachel

For more dark fantasy stories, try:
Good Neighbors: Kith and Kin by Holly Black and Ted Naifeh (graphic novel, faery)
Frozen Fire by Tim Bowler
Fell by David Clement-Davies (werewolves)
Forest of Hands and Teeth and the sequel The Dead-Tossed Waves, due in March, by Carrie Ryan (zombies)

Retellings

Ash by Malindo Lo
Ash is alone in the world; her parents are dead, her stepmother is cruel, and her only solace is a mysterious and beautiful stranger who walks with her in the Wood. That is, until she meets Kaisa, the King's Huntress. Now she must find a way to fulfill a bargain without betraying her heart. Cinderella as never before. -- Rachel

Another Faust by Daniel and Dina Nayeri
Before we really talk about this book, I have to confess that since I have not actually read Goethe’s Faust, I cannot make any legitimate comparisons. But really, from what I can tell of the original, Another Faust is not a retelling of Goethe, but a contemporary re-imagining of the question: What would you sell your soul for? A re-imagining that fuses supernatural drama with mean girl literature, creating a genre I haven’t encountered before.

Five children – desperate or lonely, poor or neglected – across the world disappear one night. No one notices. No one remembers they had even existed. Five years later, with the help of their mysterious governess Madame Vileroy, five teenagers walk in to elite Marlowe School and slowly, subtly wreak havoc with tricks that only begin with cheating, lying, and stealing. Each has a special gift bestowed by Vileroy, which they use to manipulate those around them, with varying consequences. I found the group’s complicated relationships the most fascinating, and repulsive, here. While their individual battles with their insecurities and selfish desires were detailed and of course, important to the plot, I was compelled by the tension between the fallen and the innocent sisters, the constant competition to be Vileroy’s favorite, and their cruel manipulations of each other and their peers. I don’t read the Gossip Girl novels or anything in that mean girl genre, but Another Faust seems like a raw look at that kind of self-preserving/self-harming behavior. I rarely felt much sympathy for the characters, even the more innocent ones, and at times I couldn’t believe the extent of their desperation and cruelness.

Still, I want to believe that’s the point: even if we readers consider ourselves relatively innocent, “evil” is not necessarily an extreme only a few succumb to, it’s a long path that can begin with some of humanity’s unfortunately natural emotions. I’m not sure that the dramatic cover matches the content, though I do like the glowing moths touch. The kind of audience that would be drawn to a photo of beautiful teenagers in elegant dress might like the petty school hierarchy, but not be taken in by the Devil-soul device. Likewise, the reader who may enjoy the supernatural aspects might avoid the vampy, prom night atmosphere. In the end, I wouldn’t call this book entertaining, per se, there was too much emotional manipulation for my taste, but it was interesting and certainly a creative genre blend. -- Michelle

For more spins on familiar fairy-tale motifs, try:
Crazy Beautiful by Lauren Baratz-Logstad (Beauty and the Beast)
Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan (Snow White and Rose Red; new in paperback in February)
Eyes Like Stars by Lisa Mantchev (Shakespeare)
The Swan Kingdom by Zoe Marriott

Make sure to revisit our retold fairy tale round-up for some of our other best-loved takes on these traditional tales.


We hope that slakes your thirst for the time being...

Nothin' left for me to do but dance.

My dance troupe is opening a studio this week (whee!), and I'm especially excited to start teaching children's classes later in the year. As I mentioned before, I've been dancing since childhood, so I'm always thrilled to get new dance-related merchandise in stock. If you frequent our dress-up rack, you're already familiar with our wide array of tutus and ballet slipper-style shoes, but we also have books, kits, and lots more for the young dancer in your life. I've had my eye out for potential costumes, books, and props for my future students; here are some true stars!

Books (Fiction and Nonfiction)
A Young Dancer: The Life of an Ailey Student by Iman Bright and Valerie Gadstone is a great addition to our dance book section because it features the diverse styles of ballet, jazz, West African dance, and modern -- all studied by one dancer! Since its founding in 1958, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has been recognized as not only a trailblazing dance company, but also an ambassador of African American culture. This is a look at the life of a student at the Ailey School, featuring behind-the-scenes photographs of Iman in the studio, in performance, and in her hectic non-dance life going to school, swimming, and playing the violin.

Another photographic picture book about dance is the brand-new Beautiful Ballerina. L0vely African American dancers from toddler to teen leap and piroutte their way into your heart through the photography by Susan Kuklin, alongside equally graceful verse by acclaimed poet Marilyn Nelson.

Sandra Boynton, master of adorably awkward animals, brings Little Pookie (of What's Wrong, Little Pookie? fame) back to boogie his way into our hearts yet again. Boyton uses her typically charming rhymes to instruct Little Pookie in the steps of the Little Pookie Shimmy. By the end of this toe-tapping board book, you'll have to get up and shimmy, too!

My best friend, librarian, and fellow dancer Bonnie recently visited, and on a tour of the store she was positively appalled to learn I had not yet read the Mo Willems masterpiece Elephants Cannot Dance. After she staged a dramatic reading, I was appropriately ashamed of myself! Poor Gerald valiantly tries to dance, but has come to the depressing conclusion that elephants simply cannot dance. Piggy, in a show of self-satisfied largess, assures Gerald that he can teach this elephant to dance -- but also give up after several tries. However, Gerald, smug Piggy, and the reader are in for a delightful surprise when other characters show up looking for a dance teacher!

You may be familiar with American Girl dolls and the accompanying historical fiction novels, but AG also has a whole line of empowering nonfiction! One of my favorites is Dance!, which I'll definitely be adding to my library to share with youngdancers. It's got tips on technique for lots of different dance forms, tricks for battling stage fright, encouragement for getting through tough dance challenges, and best of all, inspiration for letting your unique gifts shine through in your performance. Five motivational posters -- featuring girls of all body shapes and races dancing together! -- rounds out this great book.

Kits
A good activity for the now-frequent rainy days is Make Your Own Twirly Tutu by ChickenSocks (a division of Klutz -- not that dancers are often klutzy!). With Klutz's clear directions and provided supplies (and maybe just a little help), little ballerinas can make their very own tutus to twirl about in style!

The publisher Barron's, creator of all the awesome "Little Box" kits you've seen around the Hut and in the ChRoom (Little Box of Pirate Treasures and Little Box of Magic Tricks are two favorites!), has a whole new Box! The Little Box of Ballet will get started on your way to stardom with the Little Book of Ballet Steps and Little Book of Ballet Stories, and all the necessary accouterments to outfit a budding ballerina: tutu, headband, and ballet shoe charm for a bracelet or necklace.

Dress-Up Dolls
Our activity section boasts a huge company of ballet coloring books and paper dolls. Dover publishes a huge number of activity books starring both adult and child dancers -- some of whom are famous dancers (a la Ginger Rodgers and Fred Astaire) or portraying favorite roles (like "Odette"/"Odile" from Swan Lake or "Sugar Plum Fairy" in The Nutcracker. Ballerina paper dolls are the perfect portable ballerina activity for breaks between practices. We have I love the new Ballet Paper Dolls by Laughing Elephant, which are reproductions of a set from the 1950s. Two graceful ballerinas come with a full wardrobe of romantic-style tutus, plus their two pas de deux partners and a pretty balcony play scene.

There are lots of options for those not quite old enough for paper paper dolls as well! Melissa and Doug's magnetic wooden Nina Ballerina doll is a perfect choice for the preschool set; the sturdy wooden pieces are just right for little fingers. Nina would be a hit for my preballet students during downtime backstage at long performances or rehearsals! For dancers (and danseurs) slightly older, but still not ready for paper and scissors activities, check out the flexible magnetic dress-up ballerina dolls by MudPuppy; the cute tin contains two lovely dancers with their oodles of tutus and accessories, and four play scenes which take them from practice studio to stage. (Try them on the fridge, too!)

Another MudPuppy fave is the age 3+ Ballerina Sticker Play Set, which is the same concept in ColorForm format: vinyl cling stickers stick and restick to the provided scene, or on the fridge, or on the bedroom window, or on the bathroom mirror, or on the car window, or... The possibilities are endless for dress-up fun without any damage to the underlying surface.

Whether your little one is taking classes in ballet, jazz, hip-hop, tap, modern, Middle Eastern dance (I'm still hoping for a picture book for that one!), or just likes to spin around the kitchen floor, one of these dance-themed gifts is sure to inspire her or him to boogie down!

Short and sweet: The Best of the Short Story Section

Sometimes -- especially in summer, even when it's not particularly summery -- I just don't have the attention span for novel-length reading. But I can't stand being out and about with nothing to read; T ride, lunch breaks, and lounging around outside practically demand having a book (or two) on hand. The solution is one of these great collections of shorts, which can be read a story/essay per sitting if you're just feeling too antsy to sit still when there's sunshine to run around in. (Or summer rainstorm puddles to be splashed in, as the case may be.)

Multiple-Author Anthologies
Geektastic: Stories from the Nerd Herd, eds. Holly Black and Cecil Castellucci
Holly Black (author of The Modern Tales of Faerie and co-creator of the Spiderwick Chronicles) and Cecil Castellucci (author of Beige and creator of The Plain Janes graphic novels) may have "geek hearts," but they're hearts after my own. M.T. Anderson, big-name-Potter fan-turned-published-author Cassandra Clare, my literary crush Kelly Link, lord of the Nerdfighters John Green, and Garth Nix (winner of my love with his Abhorsen trilogy) and many others uncover the quirky secret world of geeks -- a world very familiar to us here at the George. From fanfiction to cosplay, theater geeks to Star Wars geeks, this collection pays loving tribute to "all things geeky."

Spellbound, ed. Diana Wynne Jones
The author of Howl's Moving Castle, The House of Many Ways, and (my personal pick) The Lives of Christopher Chant collects some of her own favorite fantasy stories. Featuring stories by the likes of Jane Yolen, C.S. Lewis, L. Frank Baum, Rudyard Kipling, and Eva Ibbotson. While several, including Jones's own contribution, are stand-alone stories, many of these shorts are excerpts from best-loved novels -- such as The Phantom Tollbooth and Five Children and It -- and will whet your appetite for great long fantasy.

Baseball Crazy: Ten Stories that Cover All the Bases, ed. Nancy E. Mercado
Baseball may or may not be the national pasttime, but it's certainly a Boston obsession. Celebrate baseball season with this anthology of short baseball-themed fiction by the likes of Jerry Spinelli, Joseph Bruchac, and Frank Portman, and Ron Koertge. Each piece is introduced with a baseball card-style look at the author's "career highlights." Feeling even baseball crazier? Check out our current baseball novel display in the chapter book room.

Guys Write for Guys Read, ed. Jon Scieszka
Jon Sciezka has an uncanny ability to turn anything he touches into awesome reading -- even when he's just editing, apparently. Of course, it helps to include writers like Gary Paulsen, Garth Nix, Walter Dean Meyers, Daniel Handler/"Lemony Snicket", Stephen King, Dan Gutman, Jack Gantos, Anthony Horowitz, Eoin Colfer, and Neil Gaiman. It also helps to have contributions by illustrators like Brett Helquist, Lane Smith, Timothy Basil Ering, David Macaulay, Mo Willems, Jarrett Krosoczka, Dav Pilkey, Dave McKean, Matt Groening, and Peter Sis. I doubt I need say more, but just in case: this is an all-star collection of stories on being a teenage guy with appeal for readers of any gender or age.

Firebirds Soaring, ed. Sharyn November
The third in this series of short fantasy and sci-fi -- or "speculative fiction," as fantasy imprint Firebird's editor Sharyn November calls it -- collects shorts by CG favorite authors Nancy Farmer, Jane Yolen, and Margot Lanagan... and many, many more! As in the first two volumes, November's selections (illustrated in lavish pencil drawings by Sandman artist Mike Dringenberg) span the possibilities of fantasy and sci-fi for YA readers by offering a mix of well-established authors and new names, our familiar world and those completely unlike ours, short short stories and novellas, new takes on old tales, distant pasts and distant futures. My pick for the best title here: "Fear and Loathing in Lalanna" by Nick O'Donnahue.

Single-Author Collections
M is for Magic by Neil Gaiman
As ever, my heart (and blog) belongs to Neil Gaiman, whose original short stories are delightful. This collection spans fantasy, sci-fi, nursery rhyme noir (you didn't know that was a genre, did you?), poetry, and retold fairy tales with Gaiman's characteristic charm. There are so many great shorts here it's hard to play favorites, but the sardonic "Sunbird" (about over-ambitious foodies), "The Price" (featuring a cat protecting a family from a supernatural enemy), and "Instructions" (a fairy tale survival guide in poetic form) are standouts. Best of all, there's a vignette from Neil's Newbery-winning Graveyard Book.

Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, More Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark, and Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones, retold by Alvin Schwartz
The first of these perennially best-selling collections, now over 25 years old and still scarin' strong, offers a great mix of urban legends (like "The Hook" and "The Babysitter"), rural folktales, and "jump stories" (like "The Big Toe"). Schwartz follows up his hit collection with two companion books, which are, if anything, even scarier. My favorite is #3, with creepfests galore -- poltergeists, murderous dolls, phantom hitchhikers, and wolf girls. Schwartz includes annotations on his sources and variations of the tales. Really, though, it's the illustrations by Stephen Gammell that continue to give me the heebie-jeebies after all these years. (If you're looking for something a little more summer camp cabin friendly, try the Ghost Stories Deck by S.E. Schlosser: fifty mini ghost stories on individual cards, each with a "scare rating." You can sort out all the scariest for your slumber party if you're feeling brave, or go with the lowest scare rating for a younger crowd who want the shivers.)

Short Essay Collections
This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women, eds. Jay Allison and Dan Gediman
NPR's show This I Believe, with roots in a CBS radio show of the 1950s, has produced this book of eighty essays by "remarkable men and women" from Albert Einstein and Eleanor Roosevelt to "the previously unknown." My favorites are "An Athlete of God" by Martha Graham (which includes one of the great dancer/choreographer's most famous pronouncements, "Movement never lies") and "The Power and Mystery of Naming Things" by Eve Ensler, but "Be Cool to the Pizza Dude" by English professor Sarah Adams is equally enlightening.

War Is... Soldiers, Survivors, and Storytellers Talk About War, ed. Marc Aronson and Patty Campbell
Fiction, essays, and news articles follow soldiers and civilians alike from the process of "deciding about war" through "experiencing war" to the "aftermath of war." Although Aronson and Campbell offer their opinion that war is "crazy... unbearable... delusion... impossible to win" but possibly "inevitable," these short, harrowing pieces speak for themselves. All other adjectives aside, without a doubt, "war is" worthy of the deadly serious consideration it receives here.

Red: Teenage Girls in America Write on What Fires Up Their Lives Today, ed. Amy Goldwasser
This book of essays by teen girls on topics ranging from eating disorders to activism to Johnny Depp is on my must-buy list. Girls between the ages of thirteen and eighteen responded to a call for short personal nonfiction pieces, and what resulted is an empowering and enlightening look into the world of teen girls. Whether you're currently living in that tumultuous and exhilarating world, love someone who is in it now, or have been there yourself, these essays give you an opportunity to hear girls' voices in a culture that routinely silences and dismisses them.

Listening is an Act of Love: A Celebration of American Life from the StoryCorps Project, ed. Dave Isay
The StoryCorps project posits that "listening is an act of love;" accordingly, they assist people in recording their own oral history. The joys and tragedies of ordinary American lives are captured first on tape and then on the page in this extraordinary collection. Here parents speak with their adult children, friends interview each other, and in an especially poignant segment, two inmates serving time together discuss the daily life of prisoners.

A post of things completely unrelated...(gasp!)

Today's grouping of goodies has no underlying theme (I feel so...unsupervised!): these toys are hand-picked for their mere incredible awesomeness!

The Best of the Baby Room

Doreen Cronin writes humorous animal stories like none other: Diary of a Worm got toddlers and parents chuckling way before Jeff Kinney hit the epistolary scene. And what's better than a good book about funny farm critters? A good book about funny farm critters IN a barn with toy farm critters! That's right: Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type now comes in board book format with a play barn and disgruntled cardboard animals inside!

Is your tyke almost ready to mobilize? Alex's Learn to Crawl Tunnel is a silky soft play space that encourages exploration. As kids will make hideouts of anything, this crawling tunnel (or "crunnel", which is more fun to say) is perfect for the littlest pioneers - and it collapses into its own bag for easy storage.


I've extolled the adorableness of Miyim's organic baby plush before, but they have taken cute to a new level with Lil Neighbors stroller toys. These simple chic animals in basic pastels have a squeaker in the belly and crinkly ears, packing a lot of punch for their easy traveling size. For even more "green baby" cuteness, try Russ's Simply Natural line: their cuddly animal puppets are made from all natural cotton and colored with vegetable dye.

The Best of the Middle Ground (ages 4 - 7)

International Playthings knows how to please the toddler crowd with their wide variety of new and classic toys. We've been selling their Transparent Marble Run like Sweet's Red Velvet cupcakes! Kids can build a maze out of the clear, colorful tubes and watch the real marbles roll.

Nothing says a party quite like a pinata! In addition to our Curious George ribbon pinatas from Unique, we now carry dinosaur, flower, and donkey pinatas (the kind that need a whomping stick). And with all the various little gateaus we have (maybe those tiny Japanese erasers?) you can stuff your pinata with sugar-free goodness.

Whether this summer means day or sleep-away camp or picnics and running wild in the backyard, Crocodile Creek EcoKids Drinking Bottles are a handy and stylish way to stay hydrated and be ecologically responsible. The stainless steel bottles come in the myriad colorful designs that Crocodile Creek products are known for: trucks, dinosaurs, butterflies, space, jungle, and my personal favorite, animal footprints!

The Best of the Chapter Book Room

Our (petite) book-buyer, Donna, had been begging the merch-buyer, Ellen, to purchase this particular toy for ages...and now we finally have them: Walkaroo Stilts! These stilts are sturdy and adjustable, perfect for any adventurous child. One of my favorite books downstairs, The Wild Girls by Pat Murphy, has a great scene with the girls learning to walk in stilts (ahh, metaphors).

You love Twister. You love the Mr. Men and Little Miss books. Their powers combine in the Travel Mr Men & Little Miss Twister Tube from BasicFun! Not only does this twister mat have the famous Hargreaves characters as the color dots, but it can be easily toted anywhere in its tube with the spinner on the tube's cap. Extreme awesomeness, right??

Game genius Hasbro has miniaturized its most popular games: you can now take Connect 4, Boggle, and Etch-a-Sketch Travel Games anywhere - just attach the game's carabiner to your bag or belt and you're ready for a good trip!


Like I said, merely incredibly awesome. You can bet my nephews and cousins (and the younger, sprier uncles and aunts)are going to love that pinata and twister mat at our family's 4th of July cookout...

Reading about reading: The Best of the Reference Section

Our reference section is home to a plethora of dictionaries, thesauri, encyclopedias, and the ever-popular DK Eyewitness series. But it seems to me that it doesn't get much love -- especially considering that it also includes a wide range of reference books on reading and children's literature. Whether your children (or yourself) are read-aloud age or reading-literary-classics age, we have a reference chock-full of great book recommendations, strategies and exercises to increase comprehension, and "stories behind the stories" to enrich the reading experience. Moment of truth: because I'm a bookseller, blogger/reviewer, and all-around children's lit lover, I have several of these in my personal library!

The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease
Trelease shares his research (and others') on the positive effects of reading aloud with children. He asserts that the more and the longer parents read to and with their children, the more beneficial the effects will be: higher IQ, better test scores, more active imaginations, more effective communication skills. Trelease suggests strategies for making time to read with children of all ages and integrating reading aloud with silent reading. Best of all, he includes an index of read-aloud greats accompanied by bibliographic information, reading or age level, subject, genre, and synopsis. (For more on reading aloud, revist my editorial from December.)

The New York Times Parent's Guide to the Best Books for Children by Eden Ross Lipton
This ginormous reference book is surprisingly accessible by virtue of its practical organization. Wordless books, picture books, story books, early chapter books, middle reading books, and young adult books each have their own sections illustrated with spot artwork. These sections are easily searchable by using the indices, which order the books by title, author, illustrator, age level, read-aloud appropriateness, or subject. The individual entries offer a summary and prizes won in addition to bibliographic information.

100 Best Books for Children by our friend Anita Silvey
If you've been on the blog at all in the last week or two, you know that Anita Silvey is a children's lit superstar, whom we place on a pedestal with The Rog and our patron saint of kids' books, editorial legend Ursula Nordstrom. Here's another opportunity to see Ms. Silvey's genius in action. This pocket-sized reference would be great to have on hand on a trip to the library or (ahem!) your favorite local independent bookseller, whereas her The Essential Guide to Children's Books and Their Creators or Lipton's Parent's Guide, both weighty tomes, would be better perused at home. However, rest assured that this slim volume recommends the one hundred very best books for toddlers to preteens through in-depth, extensive reviews by one of the very best brains in the field. For books beyond the preteen age, try Silvey's 500 Best Books for Teens.

Book Crush by Nancy Pearl
The librarian/author of Book Lust: Recommended Reading for Every Mood, Moment, and Reason turns her talents to children's books in this readable compendium of recommendations, divided by three age groups (youngest readers, middle grade readers, and teen readers) and quirky alphabetical subject headings (from "Ahh, Those Adorable Anthropomorphic Animals" to "What'd I Do to Deserve This Biography?"). The entries covering multiple books are -- pro -- personable and narrative, but -- con -- offer little information on individual titles beyond their subject grouping. Still, this is a great resource for those times when you or the loved one you're shopping for seem to have "read everything," or for when only another teen vampire romance/dragon fantasy/sassy-girl-protagonist picture book will do.

The Ultimate Teen Book Guide by Daniel Hahn and Leonie Flynn
The last of the "recommended reading" compilations I want to highlight here, this one is special because many of the reviewers are also bestselling authors. Meg Cabot, John Green, E. Lockhart, Eoin Colfer, Nancy Werlin, Christopher Paolini, and Anthony Horowitz are just a few of the contributors included in this guide. In addition to reviews you'll find lists of top tens, award winners, best of genre books, bestsellers, and more, and articles on everything from race in YA lit to romance novels for young adults.

The Rights of the Reader by Daniel Pennac, illustrated by Quentin Blake
When Rachel posted back in November about the rights of every reader and the rights of reluctant readers in particular, Daniel Pennac was the inspiration. This is a child-centered, thoughtful, and witty exploration of why bookworms love to read, and how adults can encourage the children in their lives to read without squashing that love. You can download and print a poster of the "10 Inalienable Rights of the Reader" for your very own!

Minders of Make-Believe: Idealists, Entrepreneurs, and the Shaping of American Children's Literature by Leonard Marcus
Leonard Marcus is another wicked geniusy figure in the children's lit universe; his particular focus is on the historical and cultural background of children's books and their creators. In his books Golden Legacy, A Caldecott Celebration, and Dear Genius: The Letters of Ursula Nordstrom, Marcus uncovers the little-known or entirely forgotten stories behind classic kids' books. Minders of Make-Believe is an examination of how the grown-ups who write, publish, market, and purchase children's books have definined not only children's literature but childhood itself. It's an academic, historical work which spans many eras and disciplines -- not exactly a beach read -- but as Daniel Handler/"Lemony Snicket" says in an awesome back-of-book blurb, "In the busy barnyard of children's literature, Leonard Marcus is Charlotte -- a calm, wise soul who weaves every strand into something meaningful and useful. (He does not, as far as I know, have eight legs.)" If you're interested in the historical or social aspects of children's literature, take a peek at Seth Lerer's Children's Literature: A Reader's History from Aesop to Harry Potter or Herbert Kohl's Should We Burn Babar?

L is for Lollygag: Quirky Words for a Clever Tongue by Chronicle Books
This unconventional dictionary produced by one of my favorite publishers offers tongue-twisting, mind-tickling vocabulary that will surprise even the most well-read. The design is brilliant, with the visual appearance of wacky words and their definitions often corresponding to their meanings. Illustrations and sidebars called "WordPlay" add to the whimsy. I ♥ the entry for shenanigans: devious tricks or mischevious behaviour. Although it is possible to engage in more than one shenanigan, there's more of an impact if you work up a bunch of them -- something the staffers here have learned well from our curious mascot. We should add the verb "shenanigate" to the dictionary!