A Bookseller Recommends

You Wish by Mandy Hubbard

I've already enjoyed work by Mandy Hubbard before in the form of Ripple, and when I read the blurb for this book it sounded like fun. Oh boy, what it ever. When Kayla makes a wish on her sixteenth birthday - "I wish all my birthday wishes came true. Because they never freakin' do." - the next several days have her experiencing hot pink ponies, thousands of gumballs, life-sized Ken dolls, and so much more. But the race is on to stop the wishes because one year she wished to kiss Ben - the boy who is now her best friend's boyfriend. Kayla is a great character and Hubbard really gives her an excellent voice. I think this is also the first book I've seen "WTF" actually used and it is done in a very deserving fashion. I didn't want to put it down and laughed out loud on multiple occasions. If you want something fun and a little heartfelt, definitely pick this up.

Read the Epinions review here!

Notes from the playlist: "Way Too Far" by Korn

Posted by Nicole at Saturday, March 31, 2012 0 comments  

Labels: fiction, teens

Once Upon A Cool Motorcycle Dude by Kevin O'Malley

I saw this and had a laugh. It's one of those things you have to read immediately because you just need to know what the heck is going on inside of the pages. Here, a boy and a girl are stuck working together in order to tell a story - except the girl wants to go with a princess and the boy wants to go with a cool motorcycle guy. The typical "once upon a time" story gets all sorts of out of wack, leading toward the princess holding her own in awesome warrior fashion and an end that the two can finally (and begrudgingly) agree on. The End. It's a funny book that's bound to be an hit for families with boys and girls looking to get a good tale, as well as classrooms. Everyone will have a great time as they wonder just how this story will progress with the two storytellers trying to make their tale cooler than the other.

Read the Epinions review here!


Notes from the playlist: "Diamond Eyes (Boom-Lay Boom-Lay Boom)" by Shinedown

Posted by Nicole at Saturday, March 24, 2012 0 comments  

Labels: children's books, picture books

Archon by Sabrina Benulis

I know the author of this book and went to her reading of a passage as a part of her graduate program (as I was in the same one), so when I saw it on the shelves I got all excited. I knew she'd made the sale and was just waiting to read it. This is a world where the Ruin is upon us. One girl will bring it about...or will she? It's a world where Heaven and Hell collide on Earth with angels, demons, jinn, and more mixing together in an attempt to find the Archon - the one who could bring about the Ruin. What's more, angels aren't necessarily the good guys and the Archon doesn't even know who she is. If a bit of twisted theology is your style, then you may want to give Archon a good look.


Notes from the playlist: "Bully" by Shinedown

Posted by Nicole at Saturday, March 17, 2012 0 comments  

Labels: fantasy

Wiener Wolf by Jeff Crosby

While reorganizing our picture book section one day, I came across this goofy little story. I own a black smooth-hair dachshund like the one in this story, so I started giggling and decided this was something I had to look into. Our little protagonist lives with Granny. He has chew toys that squeak and even a sweater knitted just for him. But Wiener Dog wants something more. So when he sees a pack of wolves howling on TV, he decides that's his calling. He travels to a national park in order to become Wiener Wolf - but being Wiener Wolf means a few things he didn't expect. The illustrations in this book range from goofy to gorgeous, depending upon what Crosby wants to convey, but they're all very rich in detail and color. The story is cute and unexpected with a smart end that really does speak to the truth about dogs. Kids will love it for all these things - and don't forget to let them howl!


Notes from the playlist: "Footloose" by Kenny Loggins

Posted by Nicole at Saturday, March 10, 2012 0 comments  

Labels: children's books, picture books

Orange Pear Apple Bear by Emily Gravett

I recently got the go-ahead from my store manager to create a recommendation endcap (Nicole & Candy's Corner!) seeing as I am now one of the two Children's Leads. This is one of the books I put up there. It's a simple board book with just a few words involved - the cover pretty much says it all. But they get mixed up from time to time to create some fun things to say - "Apple, pear. Orange bear." - as well as some really cute illustrations. The illustrations are actually my favorite part. From balacing the fruit on his nose to looking surprised when he's labeled as "orange," the bear is clearly the star of this orange, appley, peary show. They're soft done in watercolors, a medium I always hold in high regard because in my opinion, they're darn hard to work with. See how your little one likes oranges, apples, pears, and of course, bears!


Notes from the playlist: "Stars" by Helen Jane Long

Posted by Nicole at Saturday, March 03, 2012 0 comments  

Labels: board books, children's books