And the publishing houses said, let there be lookalikes...

...Because booksellers need something to amuse themselves with. I like to think of it more as a test of memory, beyond the usual "I remember this book from my childhood about a pig named Horace, or maybe Norace, who..." request. We do love those games, and especially the excited customer response upon finding that special remembered book, but there's certainly something special about finding a lookalike.

Deb Caletti's new teen novel, The Six Rules of Maybe may look familiar...

..Because you saw that puffy vest and boardwalk on a paperback edition of:


You Shouldn't Have to Say Goodbye by Patricia Hermes.

Now that's enough internet s(m)urfing for this blogger, I hope you all go out and enjoy this lovely, lovely May Day weather - And wear sunscreen while you do it (My mum raised me well!).

Don't forget to swing by Harvard Square tomorrow for the annual Mayfair - dancing, music, great food, kids' train rides, and hot air balloon rides!

Booksellers and bloggers with a sense of humor...(Come sit by me!)

As Curious George is a member of New England Independent Booksellers Association ("NEIBA", and its children's division, NECBA), I am privy to daily e-mails that share reviews, customer queries, and the like from the always informative, frequently hilarious children's booksellers of the region. (Hello friends!)

My current favorite find from NEIBA-friends is the Most Overused Children's Book Plots from Parent Dish. For anyone who has ever spent even a single evening with a preschooler, this humorous list is certainly refreshing...and on target. I'm sure we could all come up a few more story lines we could live without reading again at bedtime. (This goes for grown up books as well as picture books!). But I will admit, I wouldn't mind taking a look at I Love You Like Snuggleblossoms, Baby Poison Dart Frog...


Just look at him! Now, just imagine that title illustrated by Jarrett Krosoczka or Christopher Wormell... (tee hee hee)

A true monkey business...is always monkeying around

Ever wondered what kind of hijinks go on behind the scenes in Curious George? Here's a taste of our monkey business...



Can you find George??




Our book buyer, Donna, likes to hide a George figurine around the store...and we would hide it in her office after she'd left for the day, until she decided to glue it in place!


There he is! Just look at his coy stance and sassy cowlick...


Spring is here, and that means, so are tiny chenille chicks! Unfortunately, some of them get a bit manhandled (chicken-handled?) and they go to this Elysian Field behind the counter.

Maybe someday we'll do a photo log Day in the Life - complete with a Book Crate Dance - and I can only hope that it would reach the fame (and utter awesomeness) of last year's SLJ's Battle of the Book's Katniss rap. (FYI, this year's Battle of the Kids' Books is just entering round two. I can't wait to see The Storm in the Barn vs Tales from Outer Suburbia!)

What an incredibly fun party! Thanks to everybody who came, and thanks to Sweet for generously donating their delicious cupcakes for us to decorate!

We've put some photos up on our Facebook page if you'd like to see some of what went on - I'm sure more will be coming soon. Let's cross our fingers and hope Neil Gaiman liked our tribute party and will come visit us!

All manner of fun!

How well do you know Pigeon? Test out your Mo Willems knowledge on this Pigeon quiz at Mental Floss. Even I couldn't beat the 3 minute clock, for all my pom-pom Pigeon making ways! Though I'd like to think it was due to a lack of an exclamation point rather than a lack of knowledge of Willems' oeuvre. Has this quiz whetted your thirst for Pigeon fun? Head over to Pigeon Presents! to get to know mo' 'bout Mo or play games like Elephant and Piggie Dance or Hot Dog Dress Up (you can put COOKIES on your 'dog!).

Speaking of oeuvres of funny men, another Roald Dahl classic, The Fantastic Mr. Fox, is slated to become a film, adapted by Wes Anderson, no less! You may remember his works for grown-ups: Darjeeling Limited, Royal Tenebaums, and The Life Aquatic, among others. Now imagine that same group of actors (Anjelica Houston, Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, and George Clooney as Mr. Fox himself) doing the voices for stop motion animation. This could be interesting! What will those wacky movie folks adapt next? Staffer Anne hypothesizes that Michel Gondry, of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, could be - or should be - the next indie director to take on a children's classic. Your thoughts?

In other news, the World Fantasy Convention Award Nominees have been announced, and quite a few children's and YA crossover titles are listed! Staff favorites The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, Tender Morsels by Margo Lanagan, and Pretty Monsters by Kelly Link are among the choices. While I do think at times that there an absurd amount of awards in the world, I hope that they can at least bring more deserved attention, and thus a wider readership, to great books.

And of course, no wrap up of news and internet tidbits would be complete without a Twilight story. In case you haven't heard, S Meyer may be getting sued for alleged plagiarism from an obscure vampire romance.

Until next time, in the far, far distant future perhaps, that I find something amusing...