August 12, 2008

If Andrew Lang is correct that "no knowledge comes amiss" to a person of letters, then it is clearly a matter of urgent responsibility to draw our attention to a plentiful source of knowledge regarding children's books, NECBA's (The New England Children's Booksellers Advisory Council) new home on the web. NECBA's website offers a world of Advance Reviews and Holiday Picks, made by New England's finest children's booksellers. Do I have some kind of personal angle here? Absolutely not. Other than currently being a Co-Chair of NECBA, along with the wonderful Vicky Uminowicz of Titcomb's Bookshop, and having personally created the website, I have no direct connection at all.

Here they are! Our weekly picks for the two best: two hardcover, two paperback, and two children's books. The very best new arrivals to leap out of the box and onto our shelves this week. Call or email us if you want more information on any of these titles, or to have us hold you a copy. Or stop in and check them out in person. We'd love to see you. Thanks as always for sharing your reading with us!


Book Cover Monsterology: The Complete Book of Monstrous Creatures
By Drake, Ernest
Steer, Dugald
Various
2008/08 - Candlewick Press (MA)
9780763639402 - Hardcover
List Price $19.99 - Your Price: $15.99
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Monsterology, the latest entry in Candlewick's stupendously popular interactive book series, is indeed such a Monster release that no one will notice if I slip it into the adult hardcover section, which only had one big title this week. All the cool stuff which made kids talk their parents into buying Dragonolgy, Egyptology, Wizardology, Pirateology and Mythology are to be discovered in Monsterology. Coolest new feature? A genuine sample of yeti fur....More

 

Book Cover The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Rule
By Frank, Thomas
2008/08 - Metropolitan Books
9780805079883 - Hardcover
List Price $25.00 - Your Price: $20.00
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What's The Matter With Kansas author Rich expand his critique of conservative politics with The Wrecking Crew....More

 

Book Cover Agent Zigzag: A True Story of Nazi Espionage, Love, and Betrayal
By Macintyre, Ben
2008/08 - Three Rivers Press (CA)
9780307353412 - Trade Paper
List Price $14.95 - Your Price: $11.96
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How happy we were to see a stack of Agent Zigzags staring up at us from a box this morning. Macintyre's excellent account of likable, fun loving, and cultivated safe cracker Eddie Chapman is fast paced and interesting throughout. Chapman was in an island prison over run by the Germans in World War II. His fluency in German convinced the Nazi's to make him into a formidable double agent. Though Chapman turned out to be patriotic, betraying his country never even occurred to him, he retained genuine friendships with his German handlers at all times. In Macintyre's capable hands Chapman's fascinating wartime career exposes the complexity of the human character with delightful regularity....More

 

Book Cover Bridge of Sighs
By Russo, Richard
2008/09 - Vintage Books USA
9781400030903 - Trade Paper
List Price $15.95 - Your Price: $12.76
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Random House will build a bridge of sighs if Russo's major novel doesn't do a bit better in paperback than it did in hardcover. Reviews were either very strong or very tepid for Bridge of Sighs which seems to have bred a "wait for paperback and see" attitude for many readers. Well, your moment has arrived....More

 

Book Cover Born to Read
By Sierra, Judy
Brown, Marc Tolon
2008/08 - Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
9780375846878 - Hardcover
List Price $16.99 - Your Price: $13.59
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The Wild About Books team has delivered the goods again here. This tribute to reading is packed with charm, humor and high spirits....More

 

Book Cover Turtle's Penguin Day
By Gorbachev, Valeri
2008/08 - Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young Readers
9780375843747 - Hardcover
List Price $16.99 - Your Price: $13.59
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Valeri Gorbachev has written many wonderful picture books, but Turtle's Penguin Day is our favorite so far. All of Gorbachev's warmth, and gentle insight is infused throughout this story of a young turtle whose wise teacher accommodates turtle's sweet obsession with penguins in a way that makes everyone happier and more knowledgeable. ...More

 

  
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