Ghosts Of Booksellers Past
While these booksellers themselves aren't necessarily ghosts, their recommendations still stand even after they've left our stores.
A heartwarming and honest book which I admired from start to finish. Unpretentious and straightforward, this collection gives you a look at 20 different authors who explain why they chose to write about themselves. Some humble, others egotistical--all of these writers make valuable points about introspection, vulnerability, and the difficulties that come with exposing your life to others. There are surprising common threads that weave through the pages, but ultimately each author has a unique and noteworthy take on the subject of self-exposure. I found this book to be thought-provoking, analytical, and profound in the most delightfully candid way.
-- Stacy
This story combines historical fiction with the supernatural when a boy inherits the ghosts of his Russian noble family’s past. He faces the room that was empty since the death of his grandfather and learns about his life with the help of the people he’s left behind. The story addresses the lives of Russian noble families from when they were supported by serfs to servants and cossacks through the main character learning about his family history. The eerie drawings throughout show the boy as he comes to understand the mystery behind the ghosts in his family home.
-- Anna
As a tireless fan of fantasy and historical fiction this story had everything to reel me in, it’s set in Regency England, there’s magic and frivolousness. Jones brings feminist themes by featuring strong women making a living for themselves. A maid is a main character and conspirator with the protagonist; class lines are crossed as they are made meaningless through the friendship of the women.
The voice of Annis in your mind is a great thing to have if you’re struggling to figure out what you’re good at and what’s worth working hard for. She’s determined to do things her way, and she puts herself in danger for good reasons.
This story is suggested for ages twelve and up; it earned this rating most likely because it deals with the topic of unwanted advances from a man. The story sends a positive message that unwanted advances are serious, and that good friends take care of you and make you feel stronger if it happens. In this story, all the blame falls on the man, and the women of the story band together universally in their severe dismissal of him. If you’re ready to bring up this topic with your reader, regardless of age, then this book can serve as a safe place to start.
-- Anna
This memoir covers the difficult time in the artist’s life when she came out in the harsh world of figure skating and faced abuse and neglect in school and at home. Walden’s strength helped her find people who care about her and the art-making that helps her take care of herself. The book is hopeful, you hold in your hands proof that things get better.
-- Anna
Kelly Jones is excellent at mixing in the supernatural into daily life in a way that makes sense and is satisfying. The story unfolds nicely, and pulls you through to a satisfying reveal about the mysterious farm that sends the main character unusual chickens and lessons on how to take care of them. It’s written as a series of letters, which is a great device for a chapter book for this reading level. I think it could be less intimidating for younger readers because of it. I recommend this book for anyone who would like to learn about chickens or enjoy the fantasy of having them.
-- Anna
Jaundice and Kale Bland are kidnapped by a crew of women pirates. The girl's strategy for being in the middle of a fight scene early on in the story is to pretend to be asleep. Although these girls are so dull they are resistant to change,it's fun to watch as they are put in a strange experience. It's a great early chapter book for a 7 to 9 year old to read on their own or to read aloud at bed time with a 5 or 6 year old who's just starting to read on their own. The book is full of references of classical nautical tales, and some excellent illustrations. This is the first in a series and a great way to get a girl or boy with a great sense of humor into reading.
-- Anna
The messy, adventurous Antoinette and the gentle and thoughtful Paul are great examples of an extroverted child and an introverted child and how they can both learn from each others temperaments. The illustrations create a beautiful world in which the siblings have a very nice day together.
-- Anna
Margo Maloo is an intermediary between kids and the monsters of New York. A boy becomes her assistant once he meets her when he has trouble with the monster in his closet. Drew Weing is a great visual storyteller and smartly inserts these goofy goblins, ghosts and trolls into the overlooked spaces in the city.
-- Anna
Grandmas are important main characters in the lives of children, so I expect they will love seeing the adventures of a grandma who gets grumpy because no one will let her knit sweaters for all her grandchildren in peace. This story takes imaginative leaps to achieve comedic extremes and has a very satisfying ending. This is a picture book that's good for a 5 to 7 year old who would enjoy yelling the grandma's lines along with you.
-- Anna
Part of The Disgusting Critters series, this book explores the rat - a creature most symbolic for us New Yorkers. We blindly hate them! We love it when they show us what perseverance means when they are met with a fated pizza! Elise Gravel shows us the personality of the rat, and teaches us important facts about them. This way our idea of the rat can be backed up by facts as well as emotion. This book can be read at story time, or is a perfect early reader for your curious 6 to 9 year old.
-- Anna
Isabel, the girl with the parrot on her head, deals with her best friend moving away. She learns how to play on her own, and how to make new friends. It's a good book for children who are dealing with making friends and losing friends in particular, but also thinking about play as a whole. The illustrations are funny and sweet and the characters are diverse!
-- Anna
This picturebook is about a little girl that can't keep her dresses clean, no matter how hard she tries. It's silly and full of little messy disasters. Perfect to read with the little boy or girl who likes to go on little adventure and enjoys some slapstick comedy.
-- Anna
Ophelia gets pulled into an adventure in a big, strange museum where she has to save the Marvelous boy. Ophelia is timid and sweet, but she musters up all her bravery and kindness to save the boy, and the world. This story is good for reading aloud at bed time (it's only a little scary), or for a veracious reader to tackle alone. This is perfect for those who like fantasies and fairy tales.
-- Anna
This picture book uses text and image to represent the increasing size of things: house, neighborhood, city. Some are straight forward, but some are jokes like: mosquito, swarm and yikes! The concept of the book is simple, but the illustrations are worth spending time with and lifting the flap creates more interest and excitement. Even the end papers have flaps to lift!
-- Anna
This picture book talks about all the people who get the dinosaur into the museum and what kind of special job they have to help it get it looking the way you see it in an exhibition. It's great for giving context to a trip to the Natural History Museum, and for showing the reader a variety of meaningful jobs of adults. Paleontologists are excellent heroes for a kid to have.
-- Anna
The Mellops are a family of pigs that go on adventures. This story in particular sneaks information into the plot, and it can peak interest in geology and prehistory. In this book they go cave exploring and find artifacts and cave paintings!
-- Anna
This picturebook illustrates the poem of an Irish monk who wrote a poem about his white cat. The illustrations are done in watercolor and reference the illuminated manuscripts that the monk would have been working on. It's soothing and beautiful, a perfect choice for a bedtime story. It's also a good way to slowly introduce a child to their Irish heritage.
-- Anna
This book is about a fantasy video game that empowers young women gamers, and ends up teaching a lesson about global economics. It's a perfect compromise between story and substance. The Introduction should be read by the concerned parent but skipped by the reader.
-- Anna
The Sandwich Thief is about a boy trying to figure out who is stealing his lunch every day, it's hilariously written and illustrated, and it's a perfect early picture book for a funny kid that's getting braver about reading on their own!
-- Anna
This is my favorite new ABC book - it takes International Radiotelephony Spelling Alphabet (Alpha, Bravo, Charlie) and illustrates each letter! Illustrated by Isabelle Arsenault means that it's a work of art as well as a great picture book.
-- Anna
