Reading Resolutions 2013

Last year we had so much fun coming up with our reading resolutions that we decided to do it again. Here are our 2013 resolutions: the books we want to read, the new genres we’re exploring, and confessions about what we planned to read in 2012 and never got to. Enjoy!

I don’t need to look back at last year’s post to be reminded that I didn’t read most of the books on my 2012 resolutions list, they’re in a stack in my bedroom, mocking me every time they catch my eye (note to self: move that pile of mocking books). I won’t say I’ll never read them, I’m far too determined to give up yet. My overall goal for 2012 is to READ MORE, whether I’m reading books for work or books for fun. That said, I’m challenging myself to step outside my comfort zone and try some non-fiction. I’m not typically a non-fiction reader, but this year I’d really like to read Quiet: The Power of Introverts in a World That Can’t Stop Talking (I know, how can someone in sales be an introvert?!?!), and I need to find a book about “bees”. Yes, I’m thinking about beekeeping, so if any of you can recommend a good beginner’s guide all suggestions are welcome. And in the midst of all this I’ll remain open to great kid’s book suggestions from my brilliant booksellers. – Kate

A new year, a new resolution. But first a confession – I didn’t read any of the books I said I was going to read last year! (The Phantom Tollbooth, Bud, Not Buddy and The Book Thief) And, I don’t think I will be reading them any time soon. Horrible, I know, but so many new books are screaming to be read! This year I am taking the easy way out. No specific books to be read, just more pleasure reading to be done. More books about food, strong female memoirs and crime fiction. And more recommendations from friends and co-workers that get read, not just placed on the shelf! – Nic

My resolution is to read more for me. That means more grown up books, even though the stack of galleys & manuscripts keeps getting bigger. I’m finally starting to accept the fact that I can’t read our entire list & be OK with that. I just finished The End of Your Life Book Club (thank you Erin & others for suggesting it) and felt so rejuvenated & ready to tackle my fall 13 reading! – Dandy

My resolution this year is to start a book club. I’m embarrassed to admit that I’ve never been in one, let alone started one! I did a Ladies Night Out event last week with my local independent bookstore, Lorelei Books, and I was invited by some women who belong to a book club in a neighboring town to be a guest at their January meeting. They are reading The Shoemaker’s Wife by Adriana Trigiani and will be discussing the book over wine and Italian food at one of my favorite restaurants, so I gladly accepted their offer. I’m excited to experience my first book club get together, and I hope to get some pointers before I attempt to start a group here in Vicksburg this spring. Any recommendations for a great first book club book? I was thinking The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe–I’m reading it now and it seems like the perfect choice! – Sarah N.

I don’t want to sound like a luddite or an end-of-the-printed-word doomsayer, but my commitment this year is to read more books. Actual, printed-on-paper, single purpose, non-distracting books. I went on a cruise with my family this summer and pretty much gave over all of my electronics to my kids. There was no internet service (or, I should say, I declined to pay the exorbitant cruise prices for it) so the only thing I could have used them for was reading. And the only thing I read on my tablets are manuscripts for work. I had promised myself not to read for work on the cruise, so I brought a stack of books, some of which had been patiently waiting for my attention for a few years. It was glorious to read without messages about emails, Facebook and calendar appointments constantly popping up and distracting my already very distractible brain. The kid interruptions could not be helped – though the electronics they had helped stave them off! – Deanna

My reading resolution this year is to step outside my comfort zone and read more books that trusted book-loving friends recommend to me. After no fewer than three people told me that City of Thieves was one of their favorite books ever, I finally picked it up, only to realize that it was amazing! I’m reading David Benioff’s earlier book, The 25th Hour next, but it also alerted me to the fact that sometimes it pays to try a book that doesn’t seem like something you might typically enjoy. One of the same readers to recommend City of Thieves loved The Dog Stars, so I’m setting aside my fear of dystopian novels to give it a shot. Here’s to 2013 being the year I push myself to read more unexpected books! – Erin

What are your 2013 reading resolutions? We’d love to hear! Happy New Year, friends.

Guest Post: A Conversation with Mrs. Bunny

Today we have a special guest joining us at Random Acts of Reading!  Mrs. Bunny, one half of the sleuthing team who star in Polly Horvath’s delightful story Mr. and Mrs. Bunny—Detectives Extraordinaire! Bunnies are always smart and in style, so it’s always a good time to share a story about them.

Read on for the inside story on Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, their friends,  solving mysteries, knitting, napping and bunnies!

Tell us a little about Mr. and Mrs. Bunny―Detectives Extraordinaire! so readers can have a sense of what they have in store.

Mr. and Mrs. Bunny―Detectives Extraordinaire! (rightly named) is the almost completely true story of the time Mr. and Mrs. Bunny came across a fifth-grade girl named Madeline who was sitting on a hillside with a blanket over her head. Mr. Bunny wanted to give her a poke with a stick, but Mrs. Bunny (with her abundant supply of tact and charm) inveigled the information that Madeline’s parents had been kidnapped. By foxes! Because Mr. and Mrs. Bunny had recently bought fedoras, they were able to detect that sitting on a hillside with a blanket over your head was not the most efficient way to find your parents. Together with Madeline, they went in search of her parents, having many garlic bread, marmot, and hat-infused adventures. It is a thrilling tale. Mrs. Bunny has been asked to go on the college lecture circuit with it, but she has a lot of knitting to do.

What inspired you to become a writer? Did you feel limited by your being a bunny?

Well, I have always been a loquacious rabbit. Many is the time Mr. Bunny has asked me if I couldn’t just please shut up. And so I took pen in paw. Being a writing rabbit has its challenges. Ink is so difficult to get out of fur. But Mrs. Bunny is valiant. It is often an evening I write until my ears droop. Mr. Bunny calls to me to come to bed. You cannot possibly have any more to say, he insists. Perhaps not, I reply, but this has never stopped me.

On a perhaps controversial note, how do you feel about the portrayal of bunnies in human-written children’s books that came before you? Do you feel that bunnies have been accurately rendered?

Well, no, it is true, before Mrs. Bunny came along no one had quite been able to get inside the “bunny mentality,” as we like to call it. But this is a small matter when you consider how rabbits have been portrayed in human cookbooks.

Can you talk about your collaboration with Polly Horvath? How did you come to meet and work with such a renowned author of children’s books? What was your process like?

Who?

How did the two of you then manage to bring acclaimed illustrator Sophie Blackall on board?

As I heard the story, Lee Wade and Anne Schwartz, who worked on the human edition, lay at her feet and begged. When that didn’t work, they followed her around and threw donuts at her from behind pillars down in the subway stations. She agreed finally because she said she was tired of being glazed. Also she felt people thought it looked odd. She did not want to be known as the artist with the donut-throwing entourage.

You and Polly seem to share a love for the absurd and the satirical in your writing. What is it that draws you to tell these kinds of stories?

WHO? I cannot speak for anyone else, but my book is a stunningly—some might say grippingly—realistic account. If you don’t think marmots are really like that, might I suggest you spend more time at The Old Spaghetti Factory and less time at Le Cirque. Mr. Bunny says I do not always present an accurate picture of him. He seems to feel if he wrote the books he would appear in a better light. Carp, carp, carp.

Is this story, in fact, drawn from your own life or did you take some creative license when recounting the tale for readers?

Well, I think I’ve already made it clear that I write the truth. Not just the literal truth but also the poetic truth. The truth for rabbits, everywhere. The rabbits that cannot speak for themselves. The small furry hearts in the forest. The little rabbits, the big rabbits, the factory workers and toilers, the grape-picking rabbits, the award nominators, so seldom glorified, whose paws are wilted from filling in ballot forms. . . . Oh, did Mrs. Bunny say that? Scratch that last.

What do you hope that young readers (and adults) take away from Mr. and Mrs. Bunny―Detectives Extraordinaire!?

A keen desire for the sequel. And speaking of which . . .

Do you plan to continue writing? Can readers expect more stories of Mr. Bunny and your adventures? You two certainly lead an exciting life!

Yes. We have an almost frantic nap schedule. Mr. and Mrs. Bunny, when not making carrot cakes, knitting, and napping, like to shop for hats. Well, Mrs. Bunny does. How hats do inspire the bunny to new feats of greatness. And Mrs. Bunny plans to record them all. Mrs. Bunny cannot help writing. It is her calling. It is both her joy and her burden. Someday she hopes it will help her attain her childhood ambition of ruling the universe.

Many Thanks to Mrs. Bunny for joining us here today! We look forward to your next adventure.

Random Acts of Reading will be off next week to celebrate the holidays, make sure you join us on January 2nd for a fun post about our Reading Resolutions for 2013!

Happy Holidays to all!

Spring Sneak Peeks Part 2: Middle Grade & YA

We’re back with part two of our Spring Sneak Peeks. Today we are sharing some of our favorite new books for Middle Grade and YA readers that will be available in your favorite bookstore or library starting in January.

Navigating Early by Clare Vanderpool

Clare Vanderpool follows up her Newbery Award-Winning Moon Over Manifest with a wonderful stand alone book about two boys on an epic quest on the Appalachian Trail to find a bear, the number pi and maybe even find themselves. –Dandy

The Terrible Thing That Happened To Barnaby Brocket by John Boyne

John Boyne is a versatile author of children’s and adult novels, best known for the international bestseller The Boy in the Striped Pajamas. His most recent novels for young readers are modern parables about identity and fitting in a complicated world. The Terrible Thing That Happened to Barnaby Brockett is a worthy successor to his other works suitable for middle grade readers. Barnaby, our story’s hero, was plagued at birth by being born into a completely “normal” family in every way. Barnaby is normal according to the standards of society except he “floats” (gravity having little or no effect on him). His parents, Alistair and Eleanor, cannot accept this embarrassing fact about their son and do everything they can to change him or else. A stint at the Graveling Academy of Unwanted Children doesn’t do the trick so Barnaby is banished and forced to reconcile being different in a conformist world.

Barnaby is a prolific reader and identifies appropriately with the fictional heroes of Dickens, Dumas and Jules Verne, among others, all of them too in search of finding out who they are and their place in the world. Barnaby embarks on a quest journey taking him via hot air balloon and other means from his home in Sydney Australia to Brazil, Canada, Ireland and other outposts far from home. He meets up with all sorts of diverse characters, many of them worse off, and realizes being different is the real “normal”.

This story works on so many levels and, despite the grim circumstances of Barnaby’s life, is often very funny and touching. Kids will appreciate the adventure story itself, but I also think teachers can pull out valuable content pertaining to many of the contemporary social issues reeling communities today.

One Came Home by Amy Timberlake

When news of her sister’s death reaches Georgie, she refuses to accept it. When no one believes that the body brought home could not be her sister, she sets out on her own to prove it. Filled with fascinating facts about passenger pigeons and the real dangers of the road, this engaging historical fiction is an exciting read and great classroom tie-in. –Deanna

Rump: The True Story of Rumpelstiltskin by Liesl Shurtliff

12 year old Rump lives in a magical kingdom where your name is your destiny, and his is the butt of everyone’s joke. Follow Rump on his quest to discover his true name in this fantastical and funny retelling of Rumpelstiltskin. Chock full of interesting characters and tons of adventure, this middle grade novel will appeal to fans of classic fairytales and all of the re-imagined ones that are so popular right now! –Sarah N.

Young Adult

Strands of Bronze and Gold by Jane Nickerson

This exciting debut from young adult author Jane Nickerson is full of romance, mystery, and danger. A re-telling of the Bluebeard fairy tale, set in the pre-Civil War south on a lush plantation, it’s a quick, juicy novel I couldn’t put down. Sophia is a red-headed beauty, and an orphan taken in by her mysterious godfather Monsieur Bernard de Cressac. She is soon seduced by her new life of luxury, full of gorgeous clothes, rich food and staff to wait on her hand and foot. But her benefactor’s dark moods scare her, and the plantation feels full of history and ghosts. As she gets to know Cressac better, she starts to uncover the truth about his wives, all missing or dead, all crimson-haired like herself. This will appeal to older teens and to adults who enjoy well-written, Gothic romance. –Erin

Dualed by Elsie Chapman

In this gritty dystopia, every person born in the city of Kersh has a genetically engineered identical twin. When you come of age, you must kill your twin or be killed, creating a society of fighters. Every child is schooled in the art of warfare to give them a fighting chance. When West Grayer turns 15, it’s her turn to hunt. But what does it take to kill the person who just as easily could have been you? –Deanna

Not Exactly a Love Story by Audrey Coloumbis

Maybe it’s because I wish I was a child of the 70s. Or because I can’t resist a story in the vein of “You’ve Got Mail”—two strangers falling in love, blindly, brought together by something as enigmatic as a series of phone calls. Or maybe it’s because I just can’t get enough of her spot-on, clever, sometimes laugh-out-loud funny, always poignant writing. But I love, love, love, the new Young Adult novel by Audrey Coloumbis: Not Exactly a Love Story. Set to the disco-beat of the 1970s suburbs, Coloumbis introduces us to Vinnie, a high school kid dealing with some pretty incredible self-esteem issues, as well as his parent’s divorce, and a move from Queens to Long Island (where his mom has just bought a house with her new husband—his gym coach!). When he falls for the girl next door and attempts to introduce himself by telephone, Vinnie accidently takes on the alter-ego of Vincenzo in order to make it through the conversation. Eventually, a neighborly acquaintance forms by day while their phone calls continue by night– Vinnie’s true identity remaining a mystery during the latter. What ensues is a warm-hearted and thrilling novel about a young love in its early development and what can happen when you allow yourself to see what others see in you. I just adored this book and I guarantee all ages and all walks will love it as well. –Bobbie

The Tragedy Paper by Elizabeth LaBan

This novel quickly became a favorite of many of us. A contemporary story set at a private school, romance (and un-, or partially-requited love), intrigue, a mean-spirited teacher who assigns a challenging senior paper, and secrets, so many secrets! Think Thirteen Reasons Why meets Looking for Alaska, with a nod to the classic Ethan Fromm. Whether you’re 14 or 40 you’ll find this one hard to resist. –Kate

Thanks for joining us today at RAoReading, we hope your list of books to buy or borrow from the library in 2013 has some of our favorites on it.

Join us on Friday for a special guest post: A Conversation with Mrs. Bunny.

Please share your thoughts in our comments section.

Spring Sneak Peeks Part 1: Picture Books

I know, you’re just getting your holiday shopping done and here we come with a sneak peek of the new books coming to your favorite bookstore or library next year, but we simply couldn’t wait to share some of our favorites with our readers!

I Haiku You by Betsy Snyder

I’ve loved Betsy Snyder since we published her book Haiku Baby, so I was excited to see a sweet little hardcover book from her on the spring list called I Haiku You. Full of haikus about love, friendship and fun, this would be a great Valentine’s Day present for your loved ones, adult or child. My favorites are both romantic: “Love is in the air- everytime our hearts meet up, I get butterflies,” and silly: “You be my jelly, I’ll be your peanut butter- let’s stick together!” Betsy’s charming art, full of children riding bikes, learning at school, playing with pets and much more adds color and life to the poems. –Erin

Doug Unplugged by Dan Yaccarino

Why spend all day “plugged in” when you can get outside and experience the world? Doug the robot does just that in this sweet book that celebrates children’s natural curiosity. –Deanna

Ribbit by Rodrigo Folgueira, illustrated by Poly Bernatene

A group of frogs are having a pleasant morning in their pond when they notice a strange visitor: a large, pink pig that cries Ribbit! Offended that the pig may be making fun of them, the frogs enlist the opinion of the other animals in their community, including the wise old beetle that finally brings light to the situation when he poses that “Maybe he just wanted to make new friends.” In a fun, engaging story-time book (the words carry the interactive feel as the font sizes literally crescendo and decrescendo on the page), Rodrigo Folgueira discusses the importance of not jumping to conclusions and the fun that comes with seeking out a friend who is different. I loved it! –Bobbie

Bluebird  By Bob Staake

With no words at all Bob Staake has created a masterpiece of picture book art. A bluebird soars through a city and many different landscapes all the while delivering a gentle message about loneliness, bullying and the importance of friendship. Bob won a NYTimes Best Illustrated Award for The Red Lemon, and his art can frequently be seen on the cover of The New Yorker too. The perfect book for kids, families and grownups, too. –Kate

A SPLASH OF RED: The Life and Art of Horace Pippin by Jen Bryant,  Illustrated by Melissa Sweet

Horace Pippin was a self-taught African-American artist who was born in the late 19^th century and did not achieve fame for his work until later in his life. In fact, although he was drawing from the time he could walk, he did not submit his first work, an oil painting, until he was forty. The main reason: Horace suffered a serious injury to his right arm while serving his country during WWI. After he returned home from the war to Philadelphia, his injury hampered his ability to find work and to do what he loved most: create beautiful art. It was only after years of perseverance building up strength in his arm that he was able to create works for which he is best known. Horace’s masterworks, a mix of folk and primitive styles based on everyday objects, family memories, biblical stories etc. now hang in museums throughout America.

Horace’s inspirational life story needs a wider audience and I’m confident that Jen Bryant’s stirring narrative–combined with Melissa Sweet’s brilliant and vibrant re-creation of his artwork—will draw children, parents and teachers to this magnificent biographical picture book.  –Tim

Pirates vs. Cowboys by Aaron Reynolds, illustrated by David Barneda

Burnt Beard & his crew swagger into Old Cheyenne, but Black Bob McKraw & his posse aren’t very hospitable. To top it off, the pirates & cowboys can’t understand each other-not until Pegleg Highnoon comes in and saves the day. With phrases like “fair scrub and a swish” and ‘mangy hornswagglers” kids & parents alike will enjoy this book that begs to be read aloud! –Dandy

Snippet the Early Riser by Bethanie Murguia

Snippet the snail is an early riser, while the rest of his family loves to sleep in.  Sound familiar?  While his family is snoozing the morning away, he is wide awake and ready to race to the flowers, make leaf sculptures, and get piggyback rides. With the help of his bug friends, he tries and tries to wake up his family-but nothing works. Until Caterpillar gives him an idea… Tons of parents and little ones will relate to this sweet bedtime (or early morning) story and everyone will enjoy looking at the gorgeous watercolor illustrations. –Sarah N. 

Thanks for joining us at RAoReading today, please be sure to return on Wednesday for Part 2 of our Spring Sneak Peeks when we’ll be sharing some of our favorite Middle Grade and YA books!

Please share your thoughts in our comments section.

Gift Guide: For Audiobook Fans

For our last gift guide, we’re featuring audiobooks perfect for regular audio listeners, children or families looking for a great choice for long car trips. These are all great choices for kids 8-12, except for the final pick, which would be best suited for teens or adults who love well-written magical mysteries.

D’Aulaires’ Book of Greek Myths by Ingri and Edgar Parin D’Aulaire, read by Paul Newman, Sidney Poitier, Kathleen Turner and Matthew Broderick

Kids and adults will love this comprehensive overview of Greek mythology, narrated by some of the finest celebrity voice talent around. The audio begins with the Greek creation story and then moves to individual major and minor gods. The stories of the gods are vividly told, and once listened to, will not soon be forgotten. Children will be fascinated to learn the roots of literature, art and science that can all be found in these myths. And young readers who enjoy the Rick Riordan books will find even greater meaning in the origin stories!

Chomp by Carl Hiaasen, read by James Van Der Beek

A reality survival show, an animal wrangler, a mysterious disappearance and all of the strange, comic characters you typically find in Hiaasen’s books make this audiobook a winner for kids 8-12 or family road trips. Hiaasen’s books are a terrific blend of humorous situations, environmental messages and wacky hijinks and always feature smart, independent kids. James Van Der Beek, best known for “Dawson’s Creek,” is a skilled, funny narrator with a gift for voices, making this listen even more enjoyable.

Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead, read by Jesse Bernstein

Another great choice for an audiobook the whole family can listen to together, Rebecca Stead’s middle grade novel is a humorous and touching look at friendship, change, bullying and dealing with difficult family situations. Georges, new to a New York apartment building, befriends the mysterious Safer, who claims to be a spy. But as Safer pushes him to take risks he is less and less comfortable taking, Georges must decide if it’s worth it to take a stand and risk losing his only friend. Parents may guess some of the novel’s twists but kids will definitely find much to surprise them in this thoughtful read. Bernstein, the narrator, does a wonderful job breathing life to the main characters.

The Fire Chronicle by John Stephens, read by Jim Dale

If you haven’t read or listened to John Stephens’ thrilling first book in the Books of Beginning series, The Emerald Atlas, I would recommend starting with that first. But for the many fans of this series, you won’t want to miss this new book, narrated by one of the best audiobook narrators in the business, Jim Dale, best known for the Harry Potter series. (He also narrated the first book). This book is an adventurous romp through time, full of dwarves, elves and dragons. Kids will love siblings Kate, Michael and Emma and will be on the edge of their seats listening to the challenges they face courageously. This is a worthy sequel and will leave you clamoring for book three, and Dale’s narration makes the audio version even more exciting than the book.

The Diviners by Libba Bray, read by January LaVoy

Libba Bray has outdone herself with this first of four books, set in 1920’s New York. The atmosphere combined with history and her pitch perfect storytelling is making me take the long way home so I can keep listening. It’s a murder mystery with magic and  paranormal powers and evil and creepy characters in creepier situations that will totally give you the creeps and you still won’t want to stop listening. And bonus, reader January LaVoy may be the best I’ve heard, she truly brings every one of the large cast of characters to life. –Kate

We hope you have enjoyed our week of gift recommendations. If you are still searching for the right pick for that hard-to-buy-for reader in your life, you can ask us for our input via our Facebook page!

Holiday Gift Guide: For Adult Readers

Today’s gift guide features a few of my favorite picks for the adult readers on your holiday shopping list. These are choices sure to please readers of all types, from the fiction lover to the chef with a bold sense of humor!

I’ve devoted an entire blog post to the lovely memoir The End of Your Life Book Club by Will Schwalbe (you can read it here) but I couldn’t make a gift guide for adult readers without including the book I believe is the perfect choice for any recipient on your list. This moving story of Will’s relationship with his fascinating mother Mary Anne, their journey through her cancer treatment, and the two-person book club they formed to pass the time waiting at chemotherapy appointments is uplifting, thoughtful and poignant. Each chapter includes Will’s family story, but also serves as a book discussion of all kinds of reads, ranging from classics to new fiction. I created my own to-read list from the comprehensive title list at the back of the book and I’ve already read the book Will and Mary Anne chose to start their club, Crossing to Safety by Wallace Stegner. This is a terrific choice for friends, family members and your friends from book club!

J.R. Moehringer came to readers’ attention with his beloved memoir, The Tender Bar. He is back with his first novel, Sutton, a humorous, exciting and romantic look at notorious bank robber Willie Sutton. Sutton robbed banks so successfully for thirty years that he ended up on the FBI’s first Most Wanted list. Because he robbed banks that were considered bloodsucking and predatory at the time, and because he never fired a shot or harmed someone during a robbery, the public began to root for him, and when he was finally jailed for good in 1952, crowds of fans surrounded the jail cheering for his release. Moehringer is a gifted storyteller who brings Willie Sutton to life in this vivid mix of research and imagination. This would make a wonderful gift for the reader who enjoys adventure novels or American history.

For the non-fiction fan of books like Kitchen Confidential, I would recommend Heads in Beds by Jacob Tomsky. This eye-opening memoir of a career spent working in hotels luxurious and shabby, doing jobs ranging from valet to housekeeping to front desk, will shock and delight you. Tomsky’s expose of the hospitality industry will make you laugh and scare you a little, and he also provides helpful insider tips on how to get upgrades and free stuff, and also how to avoid having your luggage mishandled or your requests denied. This is a quick-paced, fascinating read.

Building Stories by Chris Ware is a book of sorts that you will want to give to those die-hard print fans in your life. It’s a graphic novel inside a keepsake box, with fourteen different books, magazines, pamphlets and even a Golden book, that, when put together, form the story of a Chicago apartment building and its occupants. The pieces make up the story as a whole, but readers can pick and choose where to begin. This is not a novelty item, it’s a moving story told in parts. It’s also hefty and gorgeous. This is sure to wow the most discriminating reader! If you want a peek at more of the box’s interior contents, you can see them here.

I had to include the parody/cookbook Fifty Shades of Chicken by FL Fowler for all Fifty Shades of Grey fans! This is an actual cookbook created by an acclaimed chef using a nom de plume, so the food is delicious (or “bound to be delicious!” as the clever tagline reads), but what makes it such a hilarious gift is the nonstop double entendres that tie into the Fifty Shades trilogy. The recipe titles range from the mildly racy, like Sticky Chicken Fingers, to the bolder Bacon-Bound Wings, to the much wilder Mustard-Spanked Chicken (and many more too mature to list here!). The photos are done in the same color palette and style as the books, and the cookbook’s back story is the transformation of an innocent free-range chicken who submits to a dominating chef and learns the thrill of becoming the main course. I guarantee this book will bring a smile to your recipient’s face!

Holiday Gift Guide: For YA Book Lovers

Continuing our series on holiday gift giving, see what books we recommend for the teens on your list, or for adults who love to read YA.  Books make great gifts! 

Ask the Passengers by A.S. King

If A.S. King started writing in chalk on the sidewalks in her hometown I would travel daily to read what she had written. She writes the novels that I wanted to read when I was a teenager and can still relate to now. (Aren’t we all still insecure 17 year olds occasionally?) Astrid Jones is keeping secrets, sending love to airplane passengers, breaking the mold and discovering real love within herself and others. Perfect for anyone trying to break free from the norms of society, seeking an honest look at the conflicts that teenagers face or just looking for an emotionally gripping read. Recommended for fans of John Green, David Levithan and Ellen Hopkins.

Boy 21 by Matthew Quick

Basketball, girlfriends, the Irish mob and more basketball. Oh, and a former basketball star that (after suffering a horrible tragedy) only answers to the name Boy21. Boy21, formerly called Russ, just moved to Finley’s neighborhood and Coach has asked Finley to convince Boy21 to join the team. What secrets is Coach keeping for Boy21? What secrets are Finley’s father and grandfather keeping from Finley? Can Finley balance basketball, college prep and his girlfriend? A word of warning – this is a book that will suck you in and force you to read it in one sitting. Keep the tissues close, I cried my way through the last 30 pages. Recommended for fans of Matt de la Pena and Walter Dean Myers.

Under the Bridge by Michael Harmon

Like, A.S. King, Michael Harmon writes the novels I wanted to read as a teen. He just GETS it. The language he uses might make parents cringe, but, let’s be honest, your teen is probably talking that way when you are out of earshot. The situations he puts teens in are also cringe worthy – drugs, gangs, dropping out of high school – but the hope and emotional connections between the characters make every cringe worth it. One of my favorite things about a Michael Harmon novel are the parents, they aren’t perfect Disney parents, they aren’t absent from the story, they are just normal every day parents trying to help make the lives of their children better. They fight, they punish and they congratulate. Skateboard culture may be the centerpiece for this story, but deeper than that is the relationship between the two brothers, Tate and Indy, as they struggle to stay afloat. Recommended for fans of A.S. King, Neal Shusterman and John Green.

Mystic City by Theo Lawrence

I’ve been describing this title as “Romeo and Juliet meets the X-Men” and I think that pretty much sums it up! Perfect for the romance reader that likes a little action and adventure in between the lovey-dovey scenes! Aria Rose finds herself betrothed to Thomas Foster – but she has no memory of falling in love with him. All Aria knows is that this marriage doesn’t feel right; her family has been feuding with the Foster family for as long as she can remember, what changed? Wondering about the X-Men piece? That is where Hunter comes in! I can’t say much more without giving away key pieces of the book, but I can tell you that the battle scene at the very end is worth every word! Recommended for fans of Lauren Kate, Ally Condie and Veronica Roth.

Holiday Gift Guide: Books for your Middle Grade Reader

This week we are running posts filled to the brim with ideas for the people on your holiday gift list. Today we’re featuring books for Middle Grade readers, great for independent reading and also for family read-aloud time.

Here are some of my favorites:

Liar & Spy by Rebecca Stead

I’ve been a fan of Rebecca Stead since we published her first book First Light, and was bowled over by her Newbery Award winning When You Reach Me. Well this author just gets better with every book, and Liar & Spy proves that. Circumstances have caused Georges (the s is silent) and his family to downsize. Immediately upon moving to their new apartment he’s intrigued by a sign on a door in the basement “Spy Club”, and here begins a chain of events and relationships that unfold in a remarkably subtle way, and you just have to keep reading to find out what’s next for Georges and his new friend Safer. Liar & Spy asks and answers big questions about friendship, trust, and family. It’s a remarkable read for any age.

Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School and Other Scary Things by Leonore Look, illustrated by Leuyen Pham

Alvin Ho is afraid of everything!  Seriously, he’s so afraid at school that he doesn’t talk. When he’s at home he’s not as afraid, he has his brother and sister and supportive and understanding parents and his loving Grandpa Gungun who always find a way to figure out what’s bothering Alvin and find a way to help him be a little bit braver. He also has two great friends who look out for him at school. Funny and sweet and real, Alvin Ho is a hero for anyone who gets nervous from time to time. There are currently 4 Alvin Ho books available with a new one coming in the Spring—join Alvin on his journey from worried to brave as he tackles scary things like camping, birthday parties, funerals and (gasp) a new baby in the family, you’ll be glad you did.

Chomp by Carl Hiaasen

Our young hero Wahoo Cray is the son of an animal wrangler in Florida–think gators, snakes, parrots, rats, monkeys & snappers. Then along comes  Derek Badger, “star” of a reality TV show, and though he doesn’t know it, he’s the creature who needs to be wrangled most of all. With his trademark hilarious view of both the good and bad of human nature, Hiaasen takes us along with Wahoo, his dad and a friend in need named Tuna, and shows us that good triumphs over crazy, one more time. And don’t forget about Hiaasen’s earlier novels, Hoot, Flush and Scat,all available in paperback, they make perfect stocking stuffers!

Rush for the Gold by John Feinstein

If you’ve got a sports loving boy or girl to buy for this holiday season John Feinstein’s books are just what you need! In Rush for the Gold our favorite young sportswriters Stevie and Susan Carol are back in another exciting sports-themed mystery from award winning real life sportswriter John Feinstein. This time our heroes are not only solving a mystery, but since Susan Carol is also an Olympic competitor she may be an unwitting pawn, and there may be more at stake than in their past adventures.  Don’t miss these earlier novels featuring Stevie and Susan Carol when the get involved in mysteries at the Final Four, the US Open, the World Series, the Army-Navy Game and the Super Bowl. With Feinstein’s insider’s view of sports these novels are as much fun for grown up sports fans as they are for young readers.

The Fire Chronicle by John Stephens

Siblings Kate, Michael and Emma who we met in The Emerald Atlas are back! We knew they would be, since as eventful as their adventures in that book were, it was only the beginning in the search for The Books of Beginning. They must continue their search for their parents but they are in danger. Dr. Pym has hidden them in The Edgar Allan Poe Home for Hopeless and Incorrigible Orphans (of course, they are neither hopeless nor incorrigible). They are discovered by their enemies, Kate goes missing and Michael & Emma are left to harness the power of The Book of Fire, or risk losing Kate forever. If you’re planning a long trip, check out the audiobook version of this story, read by Jim Dale! –Kate

Wonder by R.J. Palacio

A post with gift recommendations wouldn’t be complete without mentioning one of my favorite books of 2012, Wonder. This story about Auggie Pullman who been home schooled, because he was born with a facial deformity that has caused him to have many surgeries and is attending school for the first time starting in 5th grade, is a remarkable story of courage, trust, bullying, friendship and understanding that should be shared with every family you know.

Thanks for joining us today at RAOReading, and please join us again tomorrow for our Gift Guide to books for your Young Adult reader!

Holiday Gift Guide: Picture Books for the Whole Family

Throughout the rest of the year, we’ll be running occasional book-themed gift guides for different types of people on your holiday list.  Today we’re featuring picture books that are perfect for kids 3-6, family read-alouds, and educators. There were so many wonderful picture books out this year, it’s tough to pick just five, so I focused on books we may not have covered as extensively on this blog so far.

A Mary Blair Treasury of Golden Books is a bright, colorful collection of five of acclaimed illustrator Blair’s books, including the classics I Can Fly and The Up and Down Book. You may know her work from It’s a Small World at Disneyland, and she also created the concept art for Disney films “Peter Pan,” “Cinderella” and “Alice in Wonderland.” Though my own kids are past the board book stage, I bought myself a copy of this book just because I love her mid-century art so much! This would be much-loved by new parents and by retro art fans.

Who Pushed Humpty Dumpty? And Other Notorious Nursery Tale Mysteries is sure to become a favorite of parents who are tired of reading saccharine stories to their kids each night. In this hilarious book, Binky, a hard-boiled toad detective in a suit and fedora, cracks five nursery rhyme mysteries, including the case of who broke into the three bears’ home, the case of who murdered poor Humpty Dumpty and who poisoned Snow White. The text is a clever play on old noir detective stories and is perfectly paired with the cheeky art. This book is a great addition to the fractured fairy tale canon!

Where Do Diggers Sleep at Night? would be a wonderful gift for the little boy (or girl) who obsesses over cars and trucks and things that go. Do vehicles get tucked in at night? Do they get a bedtime song sung by their mommies or daddies? Small kids will love seeing trucks of all kinds engaging in some very familiar bedtime rituals. If you’ve read Goodnight, Goodnight Construction Site a few too many times, you’ll want to try out this fresh new take on a favorite childhood subject.

If you love the creative spirit of Rocket Writes a Story, you won’t want to miss Dog Loves Drawing. The adorable dog, first seen opening his own independent bookstore in Dog Loves Books, receives a very curious book in the mail. Instead of containing a story, it’s blank! As he doodles on the pages, he creates his own friends and adventures. This celebration of art would make an inspiring gift for kids or your child’s teacher.

And finally, every family’s collection of holiday books should include this gorgeous version of the Nutcracker, featuring art by the legendary Maurice Sendak. This classic edition is back in stores and Sendak’s art brings the haunting, whimsical Christmas tale to vivid life. Along with How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Polar Express, this book is a must-have family read-aloud for the merriest season.

We Ask a Book Blogger: What Books are on Your Holiday Wish List?

Each month, we present a panel of book bloggers with a question relating to children’s books and we share their views here on the blog.  If you missed last month’s post on backlist books our bloggers think kids should revisit, you can check it out here.

This month, I asked our bloggers what books they would most like to give and to receive this holiday season. I think you’ll find some gems on their lists to add to your own!

What books do I want to give most this year? For grown-ups I am recommending Debbie Harkness’ Discovery of Witches (in paperback) and Jonathan Evison’s Revised Fundamentals of Caregiving (in hardcover). For children, it’s anything by Bonny Becker (go Bear and Mouse!)and Jon Klassen and his sociopathic bear and fish. Liar and Spy, Daughter of Smoke and Bone, Wonder… I loved discovering them and hope others will love them as much as I did.

For myself? What do I want someone to give me? Gift cards to my very own bookstore so I can get the next Laini Taylor book, the next Maggie Stiefvater book. I can’t wait for the next Jordan Sonnenblick or Gabrielle Zevin, the newest Jeanne Birdsall. I’d love to have someone give me the time to read straight through all of the Mary Russell/Sherlock Holmes books by Laurie King, one right after the other.

Oh, wait! How about Age of Miracles and Ready Player One? And Beautiful Ruins, Prairie Evers, Boy 21? There were so many great books this year- Aren’t we happy that there are just as many readers? A little something for everyone!

– Rene, Notes from the Bedside Table

A wonderful book to share this holiday is The King’s Speech by Mark Logue and Peter Conradi.  After the success of the movie of the same name, many people are familiar with the story of King George and his speech therapist, Lionel Logue.  The movie just skims the story, though, and the book fills in many of the fascinating details.  If you know someone who loves audiobooks, the audio version of this book is expertly narrated by Simon Vance.  It might even be fun to give someone the book and the movie so they can compare the two.  This would be a great gift for history lovers and those who are fascinated with the British monarchy.

It’s very difficult for anyone to buy a book for me since I have so many and generally buy any that I want.  The one exception is graphic novels – for some reason they feel like a splurge to me.  Maybe because I can read them so quickly?  I’ve been wanting the Maus graphic novels, by Art Spiegelman, for a while and think they would make a great gift because I could learn something and enjoy the artwork as I read them.

– Kathy, Bermudaonion’s Weblog @bermudaonion

The book I’m most excited to give this year is Outcasts United by Warren St. John. It’s enthralling, informative, and emotionally engaging nonfiction for kids. It is appropriate for a wide range of ages (I’d say 8 and all the way up, because I loved it). But most importantly, this story about Luma Mufleh, a Jordanian woman who moved to the US and started coaching a soccer team of refugee kids, is inspiring. I like to gifts that bring out the best in people and give hope for the world; this is one of those books.

I’d love to receive Puppyhood: Life-sized Portraits of Puppies at 6 Weeks Old by J. Nichole Smith because 1) I don’t buy myself coffee table books and 2) this way I’d get all the cute puppies I ever wanted without having to train them, clean up after them, feed them, or worry about how big they’ll get.

– Tegan, TSquared Blog @ttigani

I hope to receive Scent of Magic by Maria V. Snyder, which comes out this December. I read the first book in the trilogy, Touch of Power, last year and can’t wait for the next installment.

I would love to give Valkyrie Rising by Ingrid Paulson to the right person. Not only does the book play with less commonly utilized mythology, but the novel proves that the concept of “strong woman” still has plenty of room for exploration. The story also surprised me again and again and made me feel at all the right moments.

– Rachel, Rachel Ann Hanley

Even though it was first published 15 years ago and its availability may be limited, I’ve always adored Caroline B. Cooney’s What Child is This? I would definitely give this book to any teen for Christmas. It’s a sweet story about a foster child’s secret wish and it explores the true meaning of family, and the true spirit of Christmas. The way the different characters’ lives intersect is breathtaking! Do you like books that send a chill of recognition down your spine during the big reveal? This is one of them.

For any winter holiday, if you’re looking for a new book from this season, I’d give Son by Lois Lowry to any teen who’s read and loved The Giver and its companion books. Taken as a quartet, the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. Lowry has created a stunning world that’s deeper and richer now that we’ve come full circle and learned the truth of Gabriel’s origins.

As for me, I’m hoping that someone in my family (hint hint) gives me The World of Downton Abbey!  I’m totally in love with this show.

– Joanne, My Brain on Books @booksnbrains

This holiday season I would love to give the following books out – To young readers I would give away Little Cub by Olivier Dunrea – I fell in love with this little bear and the old crotchety bear that finds him and takes him in.

For Middle Grade readers  (and maybe everyone), I want give out copies of The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate.  I love Ivan and his story and think all children should read it.

For Young Adult Readers, I loved Every Day by David Levithan.  This is a story that can appeal to a wide audience and Levithan’s main character A has some amazing insights on life.  I know that I can’t lose in giving this one out as a gift.

As for me, this is probably the first time, I can honestly say I don’t know what book I would want to receive.  I am thoroughly blessed to be surrounded by books and to have easy access to them.  So maybe the best gift of a book to me would be to give a book to a child who doesn’t have one.  Wondering which one to give?  Try one of the ones above.

– Alyson, Kid Lit Frenzy @alybee930

What books are you excited to give and to receive this holiday season? We’d love to hear!