Staff Picks: Olivia and Rachel

If you don’t know where to start when it comes to the wide world of children’s literature, we’ve got your back! Reading staff picks is a great way to find a variety of books curated by devoted bookworms. This week, assistant bookseller Olivia and celebration facilitator Rachel share some of their favorites!

Olivia's Favorites

The Count of Monte Cristo

Revenge is a dish best served cold. The story of Edmond Dantė’s journey of revenge is certainly not one to miss! Love, justice, isolation, mercy, vengeance, forgiveness betrayal and so much more is packed into this classic read. Willingness to forgive, and the true meaning of revenge carry the reader along a roller-coaster of emotions to reach the final thought of: "all human wisdom is contained in these two words, 'Wait and Hope.’”

Ocean Meets Sky

It’s a good day for sailing.

Finn lives by the sea and the sea lives by him. Every time he looks out his window it’s a constant reminder of the stories his grandfather told him about the place where the ocean meets the sky. Where whales and jellyfish soar and birds and castles float. He’ll build his own ship and sail out to find this magical place himself!

Rachel's favorites

Rapunzel by Rachel Isadora

This book is such a great view on a well loved fairytale! The illustrations are beautiful.

Hidden Figures (the picture book!)

This was such a great read because of the history some of us never learned about. This true story encourages so many young girls (and guys) to literally shoot for the stars! Girl power!

Beautiful Books for Mom's Fall Shelf

If you stare lovingly at your bookshelves as often as I do, why not make them beautiful? Check out these stunning editions of our favorite classics that look like fall!

This beautiful copy of The Iliad from Penguin’s Clothbound Classics series captures the fiery intensity of seasonal change. The reds and oranges mimic autumn colors, while capturing the heat of Georgia Octobers.

Another from the Penguin Clothbound series (there will be several on here - they’re just so cozy!), this copy of Hound of the Baskervilles makes me feel like I’m wrapped in a sweater drinking hot tea. Plus, mysteries are always a great match for that thrilling and mysterious fall feeling.

This is the last one, I promise! I love the idea of a deep blue for fall - there is something about the cool, calm thoughtfulness of the season that this edition of Great Expectations (also from the Penguin Clothbound series) captures. Fall is for long conversations, and who better to have a long conversation with than Dickens?

I wish I could show every page of this beautiful edition of Song of Myself. Each page is full of stunning illustrations and words that swirl like leaves in the wind.

If you love the outdoors in autumn, these editions of the Little House on the Prairie series are for you. The covers feature designs etched into the wood of trees regional to predominant settings in each novel.

This is another hit from Penguin - this time, the Puffin in Bloom series with Rifle Paper Co. I love this edition because it conveys the hues of fall and all its somber notes without subduing the whimsy and excitement of the season.

If these books tickle your fall fancy, I have good news!

They’re all waiting for you in our online store. Find it here:

As always, happy reading!

Staff Picks: Lauren and Andie

If you don’t know where to start when it comes to the wide world of children’s literature, we’ve got your back! Reading staff picks a great way to find a variety of books curated by devoted bookworms. This week, manager Lauren and bookseller Andie share some of their favorites!

Lauren's Favorites

Little Leaders: Bold women in black history

I love how this book showcases important people we probably didn't learn about in history class (at least we didn't in mine). And those illustrations! Such a delightful little book. I can't wait for the others in this series to be released (coming in October).

The Serpent's secret

Typical teenager who wants to fit in trope meets snot covered demon. What's a girl to do to get her parent's back from an inter-dimensional prison? Kick some monster butt! 

The jackaby series: the dire king (#4)

This series is fun right from the get-go and ends with one of the best books ever. Seriously, if I could only read one book for the rest of my life it would be The Dire King. It has everything you could ever want in a book. 

Andie's favorites

Moby-dick: a babylit storybook

Moby-Dick is one of my all-time favorites, and now little ones can embark on the adventure, too! With fun and beautiful illustrations, this book is begging to be taken off the shelf for story time - or to be put back up for display.

The digger and the flower

This story's tenderness is perfect for a book aimed at boys. It teaches kids to notice beauty and cultivate love, and to let their vulnerabilities show, even if it might feel silly sometimes.

goldeline

This book has so much of what I love: fierce girls, magic, and a Southern Gothic feel. It's a story about commitment to what is true. (If the word "Hawthornian" doesn't scare you off, it has notes of The Scarlet Letter. If it does scare you, then this is nothing like Hawthorne, and you should definitely read it.)

Picture Books That Belong Together

Even books need a best friend! Whether you’re shopping for a pair or just have a kid with specific taste, we’ve got you covered. Here are some picture books that were meant to be together.

Uni the unicorn is told there’s no such thing as little girls! But no matter what the grown-up unicorns say, Uni believes that little girls are REAL. Somewhere there must be a smart, strong, wonderful, magical little girl waiting to be best friends. In fact, far away (but not too far away), a real little girl believes there is a unicorn waiting for her, too. This magical story of friendship reminds believers and nonbelievers alike that sometimes wishes really can come true.

Growing up in the ocean, Kelp has always assumed that he was a narwhal like the rest of his family. Sure, he’s always been a little bit different—his tusk isn’t as long, he’s not as good of a swimmer, and he really doesn’t enjoy the cuisine. Then one night, an extra strong current sweeps Kelp to the surface, where he spots a mysterious creature that looks just like him! Kelp discovers that he and the creature are actually unicorns. The revelation leaves him torn: is he a land narwhal or a sea unicorn? But perhaps, if Kelp is clever, he may find a way to have the best of both worlds.

Uni the Unicorn & Not Quite Narwhal

These two make legendary companions, and not just for obvious reasons. Both books share themes of yearning to belong and believing in yourself. The colorful, sleek illustrations do perfect justice to the magic within the pages. Also: unicorns. Duh!

A little girl dreams of having her very own pet. But what kind of animal would make the best companion? A mouse is too small, a cat is too ordinary, and a fish is too . . . wet! As she plays with her toy dinosaur, inspiration strikes. What about a real, live dinosaur? She could ride it to school. It would need lots of food to eat, a swimming pool to drink from, and a dino flap so it could come and go!

Today is Pet Club day. There will be cats and dogs and fish, but strictly no elephants are allowed. The Pet Club doesn’t understand that pets come in all shapes and sizes, just like friends. Now it is time for a boy and his tiny pet elephant to show them what it means to be a true friend.

If I Had a Dinosaur & Strictly No Elephants

These two titles are perfect for kids who love outlandish pets. The stories show the roles that imagination and empathy play in bonding with those different from you, and the adorable illustrations celebrate uniqueness.

A young astronaut is absolutely sure there is life to be found on Mars. He sets off on a solitary mission, determined to prove the naysayers wrong. But when he arrives, equipped with a package of cupcakes as a gift, he sees nothing but a nearly barren planet. Finally, he spies a single flower and packs it away to take back to Earth as proof that there is indeed life on Mars. But as he settles in for the journey home, he cracks open his cupcakes—only to discover that someone has eaten them all!

On August 6, 2012, the rover Curiosity touched down on the rocky surface of Mars — and now she’s ready to guide you through her journey firsthand. From idea to creation and beyond, this fact-filled, stylish book introduces readers to Curiosity and her mission: to discover more about the red planet and search for evidence of life. How did Curiosity get her name? What tools does she use to carry out her tasks? In her own voice, the popular NASA rover tells how and why she traveled more than 350,000,000 miles to explore a planet no human has ever visited . . . and what she’s been doing there.

Life On Mars & Curiosity: The Story of a Mars Rover

For little space adventurers, these two books are the perfect pair. Together they provide both a mythical and scientific look at the Red Planet. Plus, whimsical depictions of both Martians and robots?! Count me in!

A girl searches for fairies in her backyard and the woods beyond, following little clues and traces of magic. Fairies and other magical creatures can be found on every page, hidden among the flowers, trees and pebbles. But although readers can see them, the girl keeps searching, just one step behind... In the end, it is clear (both to the girl and readers) that there is magic all around, even when it's hidden in plain sight.

When Mae’s family moves to a new home, she wishes she could bring her garden with her. She’ll miss the apple trees, the daffodils, and chasing butterflies in the wavy grass. But there’s no room for a garden in the city. Or is there?

Mae’s story, gorgeously illustrated in watercolor, is a celebration of friendship, resilience in the face of change, and the magic of the natural world.

Backyard Fairies & Florette

Okay, so these two are a bit different. Backyard Fairies is about a lush backyard, while Florette is about the search for a garden. But aside from their visual elements, like their colorful paintings of the thriving world, these stories are similar in important ways. Both books teach the significance of finding wonder where you live, and both are about appreciating the magic in the easily-overlooked parts of life.

Insightfully sweet, with a gentle humor and poignancy, here is Oliver Jeffers' user's guide to life on Earth. He created it specially for his son, yet with a universality that embraces all children and their parents. Be it a complex view of our planet's terrain (bumpy, sharp, wet), a deep look at our place in space (it’s big), or a guide to all of humanity (don’t be fooled, we are all people), Oliver's signature wit and humor combine with a value system of kindness and tolerance to create a must-have book for parents.

Chris loves rockets and planets and pretending he's a brave astronaut, exploring the universe. Only one problem--at night, Chris doesn't feel so brave. He's afraid of the dark.

But when he watches the groundbreaking moon landing on TV, he realizes that space is the darkest dark there is--and the dark is beautiful and exciting, especially when you have big dreams to keep you company.

Here We Are & The Darkest Dark

These two are the perfect team for your little ones who are full of big wonder. Both books help to calm the very human fear of the unknown, and instead celebrate mystery and curiosity - on Earth and beyond. And kids will want to jump inside the beautiful, cosmic illustrations.

From the best ways to serve breakfast -- an elegant feast! -- to the ideal sleeping spot -- a majestic blanket fort, of course! -- Lola is inspired all day long.

Her dear companion Bear sometimes says she is just too much, but Lola is rich with imagination and originality, which even Bear will agree is AMAZING.The unstoppable Lola Dutch is about to show you how to make every day grand and full of fun. You'll love her so much! 

Princesses Wear Pants follows the unflappable Princess Penelope Pineapple, who knows how to get the job done while staying true to herself. Princess Penelope lives in a beautiful palace with a closet full of beautiful dresses. But being a princess is much, much more than beauty. In fact, every morning Princess Penelope runs right past her frilly dresses to choose from her beloved collection of pants!
 
What she wears each day depends on which job she has to do. Will she command the royal air force sporting her sequined flight suit? Will she find her zen in her yoga pants and favorite tee? Or, will she work in the kingdom’s vegetable garden with pocketed overalls for all of her tools?

Lola Dutch & Princesses Wear Pants

These two books go together like pink and sequins! They are full of heart and imagination, and the sweet stories celebrate the parts of girlhood that often garner eye rolls. Know a pink-lover with lots of personality? This pair is the perfect mix for them.

Staff Picks: Lily & McCartney

If you don’t know where to start when it comes to the wide world of children’s literature, we’ve got your back! Reading staff picks a great way to find a variety of books curated by devoted bookworms. This week, booksellers Lily and McCartney share some of their favorites!

Lily's Favorites

Peter and the starcatchers

Ever wonder how Peter Pan came to be? This origin story of the Boy Who Never Grows Up was my favorite as a young reader. It's a fantastic adventure filled with pirates, mermaids, magic, and beloved childhood characters! 

Franklin's Flying Bookshop

I can't decide what is more beautiful, the cover or the story itself. This book has the power to rekindle a love for reading with sweet, inspiring characters and reminds us that books connect us to the world, but stories can bind us together. A must read! 

McCartney's Favorites

The Land of Stories

This book is a fun read for those with a wild imagination! I am a fantasy enthusiast, myself, and loved the way the story incorporated familiar tales and gave them a new twist! 
 

Gaston

An adorable book with lovely illustrations. It teaches the importance of individuality and acceptance! 

For more favorites and recommendations from our wonderful staff, keep an eye on our blog. 

As always, happy reading!

Books that Feel Like Spring

Whether unconsciously or intentionally, we often gravitate toward books that evoke the season that surrounds us. Spring reads are breaths of fresh air. They clear away the winter gloom and fill the reader with a sense of hope that mirrors the bright blossoms of the season. 

Picture Books

When Mae’s family moves to a new home, she wishes she could bring her garden with her. She’ll miss the apple trees, the daffodils, and chasing butterflies in the wavy grass. But there’s no room for a garden in the city. Or is there?

The colorful illustrations and feeling of starting anew that this book brings will be sure to inspire you for spring. 

This story of a girl and a duckling who share a touching year together will melt hearts old and young. In this tenderly funny book, girl and duckling grow in their understanding of what it is to care for each other, discovering that love is as much about letting go as it is about holding tight. Children and parents together will adore this fond exploration of growing up while learning about the joys of love offered and love returned.

This book is a great celebration of the excitement and joy that comes from knowing spring will return. 

From the acclaimed author/artist of Beyond the Pond and Rulers of the Playgroundcomes a breathtaking new book. Each day, the big trucks go to work. They scoop and hoist and push. But when Digger discovers something growing in the rubble, he sets in motion a series of events that will change him, and the city, forever.

Is there any season better represented by tenderness, care, and new life? This book is the perfect spring read. 

Middle Grades Books

Orphaned Kit Tyler knows, as she gazes at the cold, bleak shores of Connecticut Colony, that her new home will never be like the shimmering Caribbean island she left behind. In her relatives' stern Puritan community, she feels like a tropical bird that has flown to the wrong part of the world, a bird that is now caged and lonely. The only place where Kit feels completely free is in the meadows, where she enjoys the company of the old Quaker woman known as the Witch of Blackbird Pond, and on occasion, her young sailor friend Nat. But when Kit's friendship with the "witch" is discovered, Kit is faced with suspicion, fear, and anger.

This historical fiction will make you want to spread out a picnic blanket in a meadow of your own.

Rafael has dreams. Every chance he gets he plays in the street games trying to build his skills, get noticed by scouts, and someday play Major League Baseball. Maya has worries. The bees are dying all over the world, and the company her father works for is responsible, making products that harm the environment. Follow Rafael and Maya in a story that shifts back and forth in time and place, from Rafael’s neighborhood in the Dominican Republic to present-day Minnesota, where Maya and her sister are following Rafael's first year in the minor leagues. In their own ways, Maya and Rafael search for hope, face difficult choices, and learn a secret the same secret that forever changes how they see the world.

Bees and baseball? Sounds like spring to me.

In the valley of Fruitless Mountain, a young girl named Minli spends her days working hard in the fields and her nights listening to her father spin fantastic tales about the Jade Dragon and the Old Man of the Moon. Minli's mother, tired of their poor life, chides him for filling her head with nonsense. But Minli believes these enchanting stories and embarks on an extraordinary journey to find the Old Man of the Moon and ask him how her family can change their fortune. She encounters an assorted cast of characters and magical creatures along the way, including a dragon who accompanies her on her quest.

Minli's hopefulness in this adventure is catching. You may just wander out into an adventure of your own.

Early Young Adult & Classics

A captivating tale, from bestselling and award-winning author, that reveals the healing power of duty and honour, love and honey.

Mirasol is a beekeeper, a honey-gatherer, with an ability to speak to the "earthlines"—the sentient parts of Willowlands, where she lives. The concerns of Master, Chalice, and Circle, who govern Willowlands, have nothing to do with her-until the current Master and Chalice die in a fire and leave no heirs to take their places. The Master's closest relative has been a priest of Fire for the past seven years; he is not quite human anymore. And then the Circle comes to Marisol and tells her that she is the new Chalice, and it will be up to her to bind the land and its people with a Master, the touch of whose hand can burn human flesh to the bone.

Bees again. Hope and life (both new and maintained) are key elements in this tale reminiscent of a fairy story. This is one that surprised me in my first reading, and I keep returning to it.

What happens when the most beautiful girl in the world marries the handsomest prince of all time and he turns out to be...well...a lot less than the man of her dreams? As a boy, William Goldman claims, he loved to hear his father read the S. Morgenstern classic, The Princess Bride. But as a grown-up he discovered that the boring parts were left out of good old Dad's recitation, and only the "good parts" reached his ears. Now Goldman does Dad one better. He's reconstructed the "Good Parts Version" to delight wise kids and wide-eyed grownups everywhere. What's it about? Fencing. Fighting. True Love. Strong Hate. Harsh Revenge. A Few Giants. Lots of Bad Men. Lots of Good Men. Five or Six Beautiful Women. Beasties Monstrous and Gentle. Some Swell Escapes and Captures. Death, Lies, Truth, Miracles. In short, it's about everything.

The Princess Bride is a book?! Inconceivable! And it's just as good as the movie.

Everyone's favorite redhead, the spunky Anne Shirley, begins her adventures at Green Gables, a farm outside Avonlea, Prince Edward Island. When the freckled girl realizes that the elderly Cuthberts wanted to adopt a boy instead, she begins to try to win them and, consequently, the reader, over.

If Anne Shirley is not the embodiment of hopefulness, then I don't know who is.