Twenty by Jenny

In case you weren't already convinced that Jenny Brown is a rock star (for all you kidlitters), now you know for sure:

My Shelf Awareness email announced this morning that Jenny is kicking off her website Twenty by Jenny. She recommends books for specific age ranges and sends out a free monthly newsletter. The website is attractive, easy to navigate, and the art is fantastic.

Go check it out!

Laura to the Rescue!

Today....today, I tried to single-handedly save the publishing industry.  You're welcome.  Unfortunately, the indie bookstores received no help from me.

As many of you know, the publishing industry had a bad week (see Bowen Press' lovely post here), and I've been worried about my friends, wishing the best for them this holiday season.  In response to Black Wednesday and the general economic climate there have been several movements to encourage book-buying for the holidays, such as Books=Gifts.  I decided I would do what I could this season...which, obviously, isn't too much of a stretch given that I'm a librarian and try to give books anyway.  

Long story short, I had all kinds of Big Plans to go into Manhattan today and hit up Books of Wonder and then McNally Jackson.  Didn't happen for a variety of reasons.  So I went to Barnes

 and Noble instead, which is about 2 blocks from my apartment.  I'd feel bad for the indie guys, except that Shelf Awareness keeps reporting on these mom-and-pop places that are actually doing quite strong; it's the big guys that are tanking!  (Also see this hilarious article from Reading Reptile!  Thanks for the link, Sarah!)

So I went on a shopping spree and here was my haul*:

For my niece Nola:

     Big Words for Little People by Jamie Lee Curtis, illus by Laura Cornell (HarperCollins)

     The Dog Who Belonged to No One by Amy Hest, illus by Amy Bates (Abrams)

For Baby Sellwood (my yet-to-be-born nephew):

     Gallop! by Rufus Butler Seder (Workman)

     Good Night, Sweet Butterflies by Dawn Bentley, illus by Heather Cahoon (Little Simon)

For my nephew Preston:

     Tip Tip Dig Dig by Emma Garcia (Boxer)

For my niece Olivia:

     Big Words for Little People by Jamie Lee Curtis, illus by Laura Cornell (HarperCollins)

For my dad (who doesn't read my blog so I'm not spoiling it by sharing here):

     The Last Voyage of Columbus by Martin Dugard (Back Bay)

     So Others May Life: Coast Guard's Rescue Swimmers by Martha LaGuardia-Kotite (Lyons)

For my grandmother-in-law:

     New York Times Large-Print crossword puzzle book

For my brother-in-law:

     Dangerous Book for Boys by Conn and Hal Iggulden

For my brother:

     Can't share because I think he occasionally read this...but I did buy something for him

For my mother-in-law:

     See above...she got some goodies from B&N as well

For Adam:

    Too many of my friends and family read this!

For Kiddo: 

     One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish by Dr. Seuss (she has been obsessed with this book!)

     Betty Crocker's Cookbook for Boys and Girls

And naturally I couldn't leave without buying something for myself:

     Anne Taintor 2009 calendar

     Herbs & Spices: the Cook's Reference by Jill Norman (DK)

     The latest issue of La Cucina Italiana

Eat, drink, and READ!

* I've linked to all independent bookstores (Powells and Posman Books).  I may have needed to go Big Store today, but do try to go indie if you're able.

OT: Sense and Sensibility by Laura Lutz

From my daily Shelf Awareness –

This was quoted from Lori Andrews…an adult author…which doesn’t really have a place on this blog…but I just couldn’t resist. Here are her comments on the “book you’ve bought for the cover”:

In the Shakespeare aisle, I saw a book with a graphically beautiful cover. In large type it said, "Kenneth Branagh," and under that, Hamlet. In small type below the title, it said, "by William Shakespeare." I couldn't help but marvel at the audacity of Branagh giving himself top billing for the screenplay of Hamlet. I'm looking forward to publishing Lori Andrews's Crime and Punishment. ("Yeah, Fyodor and I were just tossing back vodkas one night and I came up with this great idea for a book about a destitute student and a miserly pawnbroker and, like, the book practically wrote itself.")



I don't know if this was the cover Andrews was talking about (it certainly isn't graphically beautiful); nevertheless, this makes me laugh. Can you imagine seeing "Chris Columbus" and then Harry Potter and the Sorceror's Stone...followed in small writing "by J.K. Rowling."

Short Round-up

Oy. I've been so behind in my blogging. I don't have time at work - and I think it might against company policy, maybe? - and I'm too busy with, you know, life when I'm at home. Better late than never, n'est-ce pas?

• I recently read a fantastic quote from John Constant of Elliott Bay Book Company – unfortunately, it completely escapes me where I read it (perhaps my daily Shelf Awareness email?). Everyone, meaning non-librarian types, asks me for the name of my favorite book. And I could never ever name just one. Well, Mr. Constant phrases it in such a way that I feel he understands me:
  
  "Does anyone over the age of 16 even have a favorite book? Claiming a favorite is only indicative of the fact that you haven't read enough: Out of the thousands of books that I've read, with the enormous palette of ideas and emotions they've represented, how could I choose only, say, five? Why not ask for a favorite orgasm, or laugh, or grain of sand?"
  


• These are about the coolest tribute to Halloween ever! Cannibal pumpkins, puking pumpkins, and the most disturbing – pumpkin giving birth. Check it out and get in the mood! Thanks to Your Neighborhood Librarian for the link.

• Thought the midnight book parties were a thing of the past once Harry graduated from Hogwarts? Not so. Powell’s Books in Portland is throwing a midnight party for Stephen Colbert’s new book I Am America (And So Can You!). The party is in a bar across the street from Powell’s and they’re decorating in red, white, and blue. Not to mention shooting “Truthiness” Tequila. See, NYC isn’t the only place with really, really cool stuff. Again, if you can handle that rain, move to Portland now. While you can still afford to do so.

I know, I know. This is a short post. Coming up? The NYT Dining section tomorrow, a photo of some local succulent mini-pears from New York, and a review of A Crooked Kind of Perfect by Linda Urban (Hint: I loved it).