Bookshop Gal

Minnesota Book Award Finalists

2012-01-30T13:31:00.000-08:00

The Finalists for the Minnesota Book Awards have been announced!

Here are the Finalists in the categories of Children's Literature and Young People's Literature:

Children's Literature

- BookSpeak! Poems About Books by Laura Purie Salas and illustrated by Josee Bisaillon.

- Friends: True Stories of Extraordinary Animal Friendships by Catherine Thimmesh.

- The Last Day of Kindergarten by Nancy Loewen and illustrated by Sachiko Yoshikawa.

- Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Beth Krommes.

Young People's Literature

- The Big Crunch by Pete Hautman

- The Books of Elsewhere: Spellbound by Jacqueline West

- The Tanglewood Terror by Kurtis Scaletta

- With or Without You by Brain Farrey

One Man (Woman) Down

2012-01-10T08:24:00.000-08:00

Four main people work at Micawber's. The two owners - Tom and Hans. Karen, who has been there since the beginning, and me. Plus, Tom's son Max helps out occasionally.

This makeup of people works pretty well. We have enough people to cover every shirt, plus times to work together.

Except every other January.

Karen spends the month of January in England every other year. Her husband is a professor of technical theater and brings a group of students to London for a month of study and fun. Karen goes along to participate and help chaperone. It's very cool.

But, this means we're down to three people (plus Max) at the store. This makes scheduling tricky. And it's rare that we get to work with anyone else.

This is a real challenge to small businesses everywhere.

Tom once said, "The biggest challenge to a small business is illness." (And vacation, I would add.) When someone calls in sick, it's not always easy to cover that shift.

This January, if one of us needs a day off, the other two have to work.

What this all comes down to is being flexible and willing to compromise.

Working with a slim staff has it's challenges, of course. But it also has it's benefits. We know each other very well. We can help each other out in a pinch. And we trust that everyone is committed to the store and doing a good job. Everyone has a little ownership in the endeavor.

And that is the biggest benefit to a small business.

Inventory Day

2012-01-02T14:37:00.000-08:00

Today was Inventory Day at the bookstore. This is the day - once a year - when we count every book in the store.

Since we're very "old school," we have paper tally sheets and clipboards. We write down the price and how many books there are at that price. It's labor intensive to say the least. Luckily, we have about 15 volunteers helping us each year.

Today, it took about 5 hours to inventory the entire store. That is, it took 5 hours to write down the number of books and their prices. Now it will take WEEKS to add up all the tally sheets and reach the total.

I'm glad Inventory Day only happens once a year!

A Quiet Week

2011-12-27T08:30:00.000-08:00

It's that weird week between Christmas and New Years.

Last week, leading up to Christmas, was a madhouse. In a good way. We were completely busy and it felt exciting and crazy at the same time. I love the busyness and energy of the holiday shopping season.

But I also love the quiet that comes after.

Yesterday, the day after Christmas, was quiet. The bookstore and I breathed a little deeper. People came in. We talked, just a bit. They browsed. It was leisurely. And nice.

Obviously, too much "leisurely" business would be very bad. But after the sometimes frenetic pace of holiday shopping, this week between Christmas and New Years is a nice change of pace.

Here's what I'm reading:

The Tower, the Zoo, and the Tortoise, by Julia Stuart, is a novel set in the Tower of London, about a Beefeater, his wife, and their 180 year-old pet tortoise. Someone has to look after the menagerie of exotic animals given to the Queen. It's Balthazar Jones' job to do so.

Did you know people actually live in the Tower of London? Would you want to, with all it's be-heading history?

Plus, as a side note, if you ever have a pet tortoise, or parrot, remember to bequeath them to a worthy person in your will. They will outlive you.

Rockin and Rollin

2011-12-13T18:33:00.000-08:00

Things have been Rockin and Rollin at the bookstore lately.

Things had better be Rockin and Rollin this time of year, or there's trouble.

Small, independent bookstores make a huge portion of their income during the holiday season. It's really very fun and amazing to see.

Grandparents looking for books for their grandkids. Adults choosing books for their parents. Kids picking up the book they want for Christmas and saying, "It's here. This is the one!"

Since I'm the main kid book buyer, I love helping people pick out the "perfect" book for their child, grandchild, niece, nephew, neighbor, etc.

We all have our favorite books that we love to hand-sell. But, I try to listen closely before making any suggestions.

What age is the child?

What does he/she like to read?

What about fantasy? Sports?

What would you say the child's reading level is? Beginning? Advanced?

What about content? Can he/she handle some scary stuff?

and on and on.

Then, with this information, I create a picture of the child in my mind. And try to pick out the "perfect" book to suggest.

Home for the Holidays

2011-12-07T14:21:00.000-08:00

I'm very glad to report that December is hopping at Micawber's so far! The first Saturday of each December is "Shop Home for the Holidays" in our neighborhood. All the local shops have special events and sales. Plus, there's a very cool sale with items by local artists. It's all very festive.

At Micawber's, the local elementary school is involved on the first Saturday. They provide treats and gift wrap books. They advertise to parents at the school and the school gets a percentage of the day's sales. Typically, this day is one of our biggest days of the year.

Here are a few of the Hot Sellers from this past Saturday:

The Invention of Hugo Cabret, by Brian Selznick.

Despite the fact that this is not a new book, Hugo Cabret has been hot this season. With the publication of Wonderstruck (also by Brian Selznick) and the release of Hugo, the movie, we have seen a resurgence of interest in this novel.

On the adult side, we've been selling a lot of The Art of Fielding, by Chad Harbach.

This is an "expansive, warm-hearted novel about ambition and its limits, about family and friendships and love, and about commitment to oneself and others." But, really, it's a book about baseball.

One of my favorite new books this season is Twelve Owls, by Laura Erickson.

I adore the woodcut illustrations by Betsy Bowen, and owls are awesome, so what's not to love about this book? Twelve Owls features, you guessed it, twelve different kinds of owls that inhabit Minnesota including the Barn owl, the Great horned owl, and the tiny, Northern Saw-whet owl. This book is great for older children and adults.

Tuck Everlasting

2011-11-18T07:52:00.000-08:00

Tuck Everlasting, by Natalie Babbitt was one of my favorite middle-grade novels when I was growing up.

It has magic, romance, danger and a little philosophy. Although, what I really liked at the time was the little romance.

Winnie Foster is a ten year-old girl who is sheltered and mostly left alone. She meets the Tuck family, who drank from a magic spring and will now live forever.

A stranger shows up wanting to find the magic spring and market it for his own gain. And the Tuck's are in danger.

In the end, Winnie must decide if she will drink from the spring and live forever. Or will she choose to live a regular, finite life?

What would it mean to live forever? Babbitt subtly asks, "Is this a gift or a curse?"

The reader is the one who must decide.

Top 50 Book Project

2011-11-08T07:02:00.000-08:00

In August, Hans, one of the co-owners of Micawber's began a project to gather a list of the Top 50 Books that independent booksellers love to hand-sell or just love in general.

It all began when a customer asked Hans to tell her 10 of his Top 100 books. Unknown to the customer, this simple question has led to something much larger. Hans has now collected over 50 lists from booksellers around the country.

The vast majority of books listed are adult titles, but there are some children's books included in the Top 50 lists. To see the complete lists, visit Han's Micawber's Blog.

Here's a sample of some of the children's Top 50 book titles:

A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

Chronicles of Narnia series by C.S. Lewis

Diary of a Wimpy Kid by Jeff Kinney

Good Night, Good Night Construction Site by Tom Lichtenheld

Good Night Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling

Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen

Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

Matilda by Roald Dahl

Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney

Owl Moon by Jane Yolen

Peter Pan by J.M. Barrie

Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

Time for Bed by Mem Fox

We Are in a Book! by Mo Willems

The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

What are some of your favorite children's books of all time?

The Book of Three - High Fantasy Classic

2011-11-02T07:17:00.000-07:00

The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander is one of my favorite fantasy novels for middle grade readers. It's the first book in the Prydain Chronicles series which consists of:

The Book of Three

The Black Cauldron

The Castle of Llyr

Taran Wanderer

The High King

This series is what I call High Fantasy. Think Lord of the Rings for younger kids. High Fantasy includes good vs. evil, hero quests, a medieval- like setting, and classic characters like witches, wizards, dragons and elves. There are no vampires or werewolves here.

Tarran, our young hero, goes from Assistant Pig Farmer to High King. Kids can relate to Taran's struggles and trials along the way, even if their own challenges take a very different form.

The Book of Three, and the entire Prydain Chronicles series, is especially good for boys, girls, and adults, who are smart and love classic, good vs. evil stories.

Plus, there's a giant cat. Who wouldn't want to ride around on a giant cat?

I Want My Hat Back

2011-10-25T09:14:00.000-07:00

Here's a new picture book by Jon Klassen called, I WANT MY HAT BACK, that will appeal to kids and parents, especially the snarky ones.

I WANT MY HAT BACK seems straight-forward and cute. A big bear wants his pointed, red hat back. It's missing and he sets off to find it. He asks an array of other animals if they've seen his hat. Makes sense. It's like a classic, cumulative tale that builds toward a satisfying end. But what an end!

Random House, the publisher, calls the end a "mischievous twist." It's mischievous alright. In fact, it's so surprising and funny, as in adults will think it's funny, that kids might miss it entirely. You can point out the twist to your kids, if you want to. Or just enjoy the juicy little twist yourself.

I highly recommend I WANT MY HAT BACK, especially if you appreciate subtle, sly humor.

New Books from MN Authors

2011-10-18T16:10:00.000-07:00

Every fall there's a new crop of great children's books by Minnesota authors. Here's a list of some of my favorites:

BookSpeak! by Laura Purdie Salas. This awesomely illustrated book is filled with poems about books themselves.

Hello, Minnesota! by Constance Van Hoven. Through the use of opposites, this sweet board book is a fun visit to all things Minnesotan.

The Tanglewood Terror by Kurtis Scaletta. This middle-grade novel is a mushroom mystery. Why are there so many glowing mushrooms sprouting up everywhere. And will they take over the town?

Love of the Game by John Coy. Here's the newest addition to Coy's middle grade series about four friends who love to play sports. This one's about football.

Swirl by Swirl by Joyce Sidman. This beautiful picture book explores swirl patterns in nature like snail shells and fiddleheads.

The House in the Night by Susan Marie Swanson. This 2009 Caldecott winner is now out in a board book format. Not all picture books work well as board books, but this one does. Happily.

Unforgettable by Loretta Ellsworth. This young adult novel is about a boy who remembers everything. Literally. Every event, every word, every number he's ever seen. Could this be a blessing or a curse?

Good Fall Reads

2011-10-11T11:49:00.000-07:00

It's definitely Fall - school's back in session, the leaves are turning and falling to the ground, & soon it will be Halloween.

Here is a photo of the "Books for Fall" table I put together recently at Micawber's. It includes one of my all-time favorites, OWL BABIES by Martin Waddell. It also features a new book by my friend David LaRochelle, THE HAUNTED HAMBURGER and OTHER GHOSTLY TALES.

THE HAUNTED HAMBURGER is about two little ghosts who won't go to bed and the spooky ghost stories their father tells them.

While the little ghosts find the stories scary, your child won't. They are funny and goofy. For example, can a ghost be used as a diaper? You'll have to read the book to find out!

Press Here

2011-10-03T10:46:00.000-07:00

Instead of being a lift-the-flap, scratch & sniff, pop-up, or a screen-driven iPad book, PRESS HERE by Herve Tullet is an interactive book that is entirely text and illustration driven. The simplicity and beauty of it is like a breath of fresh air.

With a simple yellow dot in the middle of a white page and the text suggestion "press here," children reach out with their finger and touch the dot. Then with a page turn, they see the result of their interaction. Now there are two yellow dots on the page.

With the press of a finger children can "magically" change the yellow dot to red, multiply the dots, or make them grow larger.

Chronicle Books, one of my favorite publishers, has done it again. They've published a creative, unique book for children that is as fun for adults as it is for kids.

Windy Day

2011-09-30T07:14:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was extremely windy in the Twin Cities.

At Micawber's we have two potted mums in front of the store.

I was watching the wild wind outside, when suddenly, one of the mum plants flew right out of the pot, root ball and all!

Talk about crazy windy.

(I bet you can tell which mum went for the ride.)

The Slayer Chronicles First Kill

2011-09-27T06:42:00.000-07:00

This past week I was fortunate to hear author Heather Brewer speak at a booksellers' breakfast.

Brewer is the author of the popular, young adult series The Chronicles of Vladimir Tod. Her newest book is the first in a new series, The Slayer Chronicles: First Kill, which is a spin-off of her Tod series.

Vladimir Tod is part vampire, but not the confident, sparkly kind. He isn't all that excited about being a vampire. Very few people know he's a vampire and his aunt brings him expired bags of donated blood so he doesn't have to kill anything. Really, he's an almost-regular kid trying to survive junior and senior high school.

Heather Brewer, the author, shared her experience of being constantly bullied and disliked throughout her school years. Even her dreams of wanting to be an author were squelched at every turn. Coming from a very small town in Michigan where everyone worked in an auto factory or as a waitress, wanting to be an author seemed unthinkable and unreachable.

Fortunately, Brewer found a safe haven at the public library. It was the only "bully-free zone" in town. But it wasn't until later, when one person - her husband - encouraged her to follow her dreams that she finally felt able to do so. And she did, in spades!

Brewer's latest book, The Slayer Chronicles: First Kill will fill in the "gaps" in the Vladimir Tod series. While Vladimir Tod takes place during the school years, The Slayer Chronicles take place during the summers in between. It will be fun for fans of Vladimir Tod to complete the story with The Slayer Chronicles, one summer at a time.

Wonderstruck

2011-09-21T05:35:00.000-07:00

As Children's Book Buyer at Micawber's Books, I talk with Sales Reps from different publishers, either in person or on the phone.

Today I'm meeting with our fabulous Scholastic Kids rep, Terribeth. She's from Kentucky and travels all the way to Minnesota to sell us books. Since Terribeth reps Scholastic books, I want to highlight a great new Scholastic title for kids.

WONDERSTRUCK is the newest book by Brian Selznick. It's the intersecting story of Ben and Rose, told 50 years apart. Ben, who is deaf, follows clues about his father's identity all the way to the American Museum of Natural History in New York City. Rose's story, told in pictures, also ends up at the museum where the two stories intersect in a surprising way.

Like THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET, Selznick's Caldecott-winning earlier novel, WONDERSTRUCK is 600+ pages of text and beautiful illustration. And like the earlier novel, WONDERSTRUCK is sure to be a beloved bestseller!

Castle

2011-09-16T06:19:00.000-07:00

September marks the beginning of school, the first fall leaves, and the Minnesota Renaissance Festival. The "Ren Fest" in Minnesota is one of the biggest renaissance festivals in the country. It runs over 7 weekends with different themes like "Highland Fling" and "Wine, Chocolate & Romance."

My family really likes attending the Renaissance Festival and we even wear costumes. I bought my husband an authentic Lord of Milan sword for his 30th birthday and he wears it to the Fest. (If you've never been to a renaissance festival you may not understand this part.)

Pretending to be a lady of the Renaissance makes me think about a great book. CASTLE by David Macaulay is a wonderful way to learn about the Middle Ages. His architectural drawings with authentic details bring a medieval castle to life. You learn about what life was like back then and the different kinds of jobs people had. I, for one, would not like to be a Dung Farmer.

I highly recommend this classic book for anyone interested in castles, medieval life or the Renaissance. It might inspire you to put on a costume and check out the Ren Fest.

Courage

2011-09-06T07:04:00.000-07:00

Courage by Bernard Waber is a wonderful book. While not specifically about the courage it takes to begin a new school year, it is very appropriate for any child facing trepidation about school.

Courage is about "awesome kinds" of courage and "everyday kinds" of courage. From "being the first to make up after an argument" to "tasting the vegetable before making a face."

There are serious examples of courage like being a firefighter. And more lighthearted examples like having two candy bars and saving one for another day.

Waber (of Lyle the Crocodile fame) uses simple text and colorful line drawings to perfectly show what courage means - both big and small. This book is reassuring in a gentle, encouraging way.

End-of-Summer Mysteries

2011-08-24T07:48:00.000-07:00

I love summer and it's sliding away too quickly. But, before it's over, there's still time to read a great mystery. While there are a lot of fun mysteries for kids and teens, this series is one of my favorites.

The Enola Holmes Mysteries by Nancy Springer are set in England, where Enola - sister of Sherlock Holmes - sets off alone to solve her own set of mysteries.

In the first book, The Case of the Missing Marquess, Enola discovers her mother has disappeared. She travels to London in disguise to find out what has happened. Along the way, she gets caught up in the kidnapping of a young marquess. Now she must piece together the clues and solve the mystery.

Kids, especially ages 8-12, will enjoy this mystery series. You'll be cheering for Enola Holmes all the way.

Zeal of Zebras

2011-08-15T07:04:00.000-07:00

My new favorite book of our recent arrivals is A ZEAL OF ZEBRAS by Woop Studios. This ABC book is published by Chronicle Books, one of my favorite publishers of well-designed, creative books.

A ZEAL OF ZEBRAS is "An Alphabet of Collective Nouns." In other words, those cool, often strange group names for certain kinds of animals. We all know about a Herd of Antelope or a Flock of Geese. But have you heard of an Aurora of Polar Bears? Or a Leap of Leopards?

Just guess what a group of cobras is called. Or Pandas. It's pretty cool! But, you'll have to look at the book to find out the answers.

A ZEAL OF ZEBRAS is graphically gorgeous and the collective nouns are surprising and fun. Adults and kids alike will enjoy this picture book.

Graduation Day

2011-06-05T18:33:00.001-07:00

As June rolls in, graduations roll out. This year, my youngest cousin graduates from high school. Her's will probably be the last high school graduation I attend until my own daughter's graduation! It's hard for me to fathom my child entering high school, much less graduating. So, I will choose to focus on graduations in general, which are always fun occasions to celebrate.

Here are some of my top picks for GRADUATION GIFT BOOKS:

F in Exams by Richard Benson - The book's subtitle is "The Very Best Totally Wrong Test Answers." It's hard to believe these are actual answers that real people gave on tests, but they are. That's what makes them so dang funny. This is the book I bought for my cousin and I had to buy one for myself too. (Jenny, ignore that last sentence if you are reading my blog.)

The Naked Roommate by Harlan Cohen - The title alone is intriguing and promises some laughs, but this book actually has some very good advice for those about to go off to college for the first time.

The Elements of Style: 50th Anniversary Edition by Strunk and White - OK, you may have been forced to buy this book at some point, but it's really quite helpful, especially for those would-be English majors. (Elements of Style is also available in a fancy, illustrated edition.)

Shoot for the Moon: Lessons on Life from a Dog Named Rudy by Corinne Humphrey - Here's my new feel-good, reach-for-the-stars, inspirational graduation book. It's simple yet lovely. Plus, it's based on a real-life rescue dog that overcame abuse and neglect with the help and love of his owner. (Have I mentioned I like dogs?)

Oh, the Places You'll Go by Dr. Seuss - This graduation gift favorite is back with a new sparkly-covered Party Edition. It's still a wonderful story with inspiration, honesty, and Dr. Seuss' rhythmic rhyme.

The Healthy College Cookbook by Alexandra Nimetz - Last buy not least, this cookbook is a great graduation gift. It's aimed at college students who will appreciate it's promise of being "Quick. Cheap. Easy."

Think Spring!

2011-03-04T13:12:00.000-08:00

Enough already with the snow, cold and ice. It's March and time to Think Spring! Time for some positive thoughts in the direction of sun, flowers, leaves on the trees, green grass, and mud.

Here are some great books to get you in the mood for springtime!

It's Spring by Linda Glaser - Cut-paper illustrations make this book look almost 3-D.

Hooray for Spring! by Kazuo Iwamura - Three young squirrels explore the spring world around them.

Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms by Julia Rawlinson - Fletcher, a cute little fox discovers spring.

Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit by Il Sung Na - I mentioned this book in my snow round-up. But it's worth a spring mention too. Super cute rabbit.

Make Way for Ducklings by Robert McCloskey - In this classic story, mama and papa duck need to find a safe place to raise their ducklings.

The Construction Alphabet Book by Jerry Pallotta - Because spring means the start of "construction season," here's a good book to read.

Mud by Mary Lyn Ray - This book, illustrated by Minnesota artist Lauren Stringer, celebrates a common spring phenomenon.

In My Meadow by Sara Gillingham - I love these little board books, many of which are perfect for spring.

The Tale of Peter Rabbit by Beatrix Potter - Another classic to get you into a springtime mood.

There's still plenty of snow on the ground here in Minnesota. But, the birds are singing every morning and the quality of light is much brighter. We are definitely heading in the right direction - toward Spring!

Snowy Books

2011-02-21T18:16:00.000-08:00

Yesterday and today, another foot of snow fell here in St. Paul. Our winter snow total so far is 73", which is far above the average of 52" a year. And it's not even March, which often is the snowiest month!

I have been doing plenty of complaining. But, I've decided to stop. Instead, I'm going to to list my favorite books about SNOW!

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats. I love how the little boy tries to keep a snowball in his coat pocket only to find a wet spot the next morning. (Note to would-be snowball keepers - Put it in the freezer.)

Snow by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Lauren Stringer. I love everything written by Cynthia Rylant. Also, Lauren Stringer is a local illustrator who is very talented.

Winter is the Warmest Season by Lauren Stringer. Stringer wrote and illustrated this book which is about all the warm aspects of winter like hot chocolate and roaring fires.

Grandmother Winter by Phyllis Root, illustrated by Beth Krommes. I love the woodcut illustrations in this book. Plus, Root's text is so lyrical.

Snow Rabbit, Spring Rabbit: A Book of Changing Seasons by Il Sung Na. This new picture book, which has lovely art (and a super cute rabbit character), shows what different animals do during the winter.

Katy and the Big Snow by Virginia Lee Burton. Another classic. We sure could use Katy and her snowplowing skills today!

Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin, illustrated by Mary Azarian. True story about Wilson Bentley, a man who studied and photographed snowflakes.

Flu Season

2011-02-01T18:09:00.000-08:00

It's February and Flu Season has arrived. My daughter and I are home sick with the flu. High temps, sore throat, cough, congestion, the works. Ugh!

Note to self: Get flu shot next year.

Being stuck at home in bed has one advantage - it's a good time to catch up on some reading. Here's what my 12 (almost 13) year-old daughter is reading:

Pandora Gets Angry by Carolyn Hennesy. This is the 5th book in a good series about Pandora and the seven evils that escape from the box she opens.

The Lost Hero by Rick Riordan. First book in his new series about Camp Half-Blood.

Here's what I'm reading:

The Luck of the Buttons by Anne Ylvisaker. I got an advance reader copy of Anne's new book and I'm just starting it now. It's about a "luckless" family and the one young Button whose luck begins to change. Anne is a friend and I'm excited to read her new novel.

In Cod We Trust by Eric Dregni. I asked for this one for Christmas. Eric and his wife, Katy, move to Trondheim, Norway for a year on a Fulbright Fellowship. While there, Katy gives birth to their first child, a boy named Eilif. Some of my own relatives come from (and still live in) Trondheim. I've never been there but my parents have and I'm checking it out vicariously through my folks and this book.

Time for some Theraflu and sleep. Good reading. Goodnight.

Holiday Happenings

2010-12-08T17:41:00.000-08:00

We are in full holiday swing at Micawber's. Today at work, the phone started ringing before we even opened and rarely stopped. There was a steady flow of people all day. And UPS delivered eight big boxes of special order books. It may be too soon to tell, but so far this holiday season seems busier than the last two years.

Are people feeling more fiscally confident? Are they just sick of not buying stuff? Or are people realizing how excellent books are as gifts? Whatever the reason, I am very happy that our little bookstore is busy.

The biggest seller so far is The Autobiography of Mark Twain, vol. 1, which we actually have in stock (for the moment), but they are going fast!! This is followed closely by Cleopatra: A Life by Stacy Schiff.

I love helping people find good books for gifts. Since I'm the "children's book person" at the store, I usually get questions like, "What's a good book for a 7 year old girl who is a good reader?" or "What's a good book for a boy who loved The Lightening Thief?"

But today I had a new challenge. A woman came in needing to buy five books for a gift exchange. This is the information she gave me:

- Man, 60's, likes military and mysteries

- Woman, 60's, doesn't read much

- Woman, 40's, eccentric

- Woman, 30's, interested in child psych

- Woman, 30's, likes Oprah books

I love a challenge! We walked around the store, I pulled out books, and we had a pile within 10 minutes. It was a lot of fun.

Here are our matches:

- Monuments Men by Robert Edsel

- Three Cups of Tea by Greg Mortenson

- Room by Emma Donoghue

- The Particular Sadness of Lemon Cake by Aimee Bender

- Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson

On the kid's side of things, today I recommended The Last Apprentice series, The Book of Three, Otis, The Alchemyst, Ivy and Bean, Best Pet of All, and The Carrot Seed, among many others.

If you need book recommendations, we are your people. We'll have your gift list taken care of in no time. Happy Holidays!

Bad Boy Obsession?

2010-11-30T17:08:00.000-08:00

I'm starting to think my 12 year old daughter has a bad boy obsession.

First, it was a fascination with Jesse James at the age of 8. We read books about Jesse, listened to songs about him, and went to the "Defeat of Jesse James Days" in Northfield, MN.

Then there was a brief pirate period. Followed quickly by a longer, and still ongoing, fascination with Al Capone, which resulted in a family vacation to Chicago.

Now, it's The Outsiders. Granted, who doesn't love The Outsiders? But my daughter is taking it a little far. She's on her second reading of the book in one week. Plus, she watched the movie three times over the weekend. Now, she's dressed in blue jeans, Converse tennies, a white t-shirt, an open blue button down with rolled up sleeves, and has fairly greasy hair (she needs a shower.) She looks vaguely like Soda Pop, who is the cutest one.

I'm all for reading great books and The Outsiders is among the best for junior high kids. Also, the movie version of The Outsiders is excellent. The author, S.E. Hinton, even makes an appearance in the movie as the blond nurse that Dallas yells at in the hospital.

I just wonder where this Outsiders obsession will bring us. A trip to Oklahoma? Too bad we didn't go to the Caribbean when she was into pirates. Now that would have been a good vacation.

If you've never read The Outsiders, go to your nearest independent bookstore or library ASAP and pick up a copy. You won't regret it.

I wonder which bad boy my daughter will find fascinating next? Machiavelli? Only time will tell.

Thanksgiving Books

2010-11-24T17:44:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is Thanksgiving and my thoughts turn to books. There are distinctly fewer Thanksgiving-related kids books than books about Christmas or even Halloween. But one book stands out for me as a unique and very cool book to read on Thanksgiving.

Sarah Morton's Day by Kate Waters is a book about a day in the life of Pilgrim girl, Sarah Morton. Using photos taken of costumed interpreters at Plimouth Plantation, a living history museum, Sarah Morton's Day brings a Pilgrim village to life.

While the book is not directly about Thanksgiving, it provides an excellent way of learning more about the Colonial English community in the 1600's. Instead of a cartoon version of Pilgrims and Indians sitting down together for a turkey dinner, this book could spark a real conversation about early English Americans and American Indians.

Incidentally, Plimouth Plantaion (in Plymouth, MA) offers a bicultural museum experience including history of the Wampanoag People. A good companion book to Sarah Morton's Day is Tapenum's Day by Kate Waters. Using the same historical-like photo concept, Tapenum's Day is about a Wampanoag boy during the time of the Pilgrims.

Both books are a little older - published in 1993 and 1996 - but are definitely worth looking up. They are a great way to "see" what life was like back in the Pilgrim days.

Garbage Trouble

2010-11-19T06:21:00.000-08:00

As some of you may know, last year I had a run-in with the Garbage Police. Late at night as I walked home, I would toss our bag of store garbage into the trash can on the sidewalk in front of our building. But I got caught! Not once, not twice, but three times, the Garbage Police struck! Our tall white kitchen garbage bag ended up back on the store's front steps. I was being reprimanded.

I never figured out the true identity of the Garbage Police, but I learned my lesson. I have been dutifully disposing our store garbage in the proper trash receptacle behind the building.

Until now . . .

The dumpster is broken; it's overflowing; it's crazy disgusting! Plus, the other day, a squirrel jumped out at me and nearly gave me a heart attack!

So, what do I do with that lone tall white kitchen garbage bag full of trash? I carry it home. I put it in my own trash can. No Garbage Police or scary squirrel can get me now. Plus, if I get attacked on the way home, I can always whack the offender with a full, stinky garbage bag.

P.S. This photo is NOT our actual store dumpster. It is meant as representational only. I don't want to incriminate the people who should be FIXING (hint, hint) the dumpster.

Winter's Here; Come On Inside

2010-11-16T06:15:00.000-08:00

After a very nice stretch of beautiful Fall weather, Winter has arrived in Minnesota. On Saturday, we got about 7 inches of wet, heavy snow. The paper said we received "a month's worth of snow in one day." Well, such is life on the great Northern plain. It's not like we didn't know snow was eventually coming. But, it was nice to be lulled for awhile.

I worked on Saturday (the Great Snow Day) and was convinced that traffic at the store would be so slow that I could literally fall asleep on the front counter and no one would notice. But, thankfully, that was not the case. We ended up having a steady flow of customers all day. In fact, five minutes before closing a couple came in that had never been there before and ended up buying about 12 books. Great way to end the day.

I am once again reminded of two things:

1. People in Minnesota are hardy. They don't let a little thing like 7 inches of heavy snow get in their way of a fun Saturday night.

2. Books and bookstores have a pull on people. When the weather outside is frightful, inside the cozy bookstore is delightful.

Strings Attached

2010-11-10T05:58:00.000-08:00

Last Friday, I had the opportunity to meet and eat dinner with Judy Blundell, award-winning author of What I Saw and How I Lied. She was in town promoting her forthcoming young adult novel, Strings Attached.

Under various pseudonyms, Blundell has authored over 100 New York Times best-selling titles. But, Blundell chose to use her real name for her two teen literary novels. Her first, What I Saw and How I Lied was awarded the National Book Award when it came out in 2008.

Strings Attached is Blundell's new novel, coming out in March 2011. I read the Advance Reader for Strings Attached and thoroughly enjoyed it. The book is set in Providence, Rhode Island and New York City during the 1950's. Kit Corrigan, a teenage girl with desire and talent for the stage, flees her family in Providence to "make it" in New York. She is totally unprepared and ends up accepting help from an unlikely source - the father of her estranged boyfriend. Unfortunately, Nate Benedict is a lawyer for the mob and any time you accept help from the mob, it comes with "strings attached."

I recommend this book for teens and adults interested in New York, the 1950's, gangsters, and Broadway. Blundell weaves just the right amount of history into this fast-paced, suspenseful story. Check it out (in March), I think you'll enjoy it!

Suzanne Collins

2010-11-06T15:30:00.000-07:00

I already have blogged extensively about The Hunger Games Trilogy and how fabulous the books are. But, I wanted to add this cool photo to the mix.

This is a picture of my daughter and Suzanne Collins at the Midwest Bookseller's Association, Children's Book Breakfast. Micawber's amazing Scholastic rep, Terribeth, gave me two tickets to sit at Suzanne Collins' table.

As Hans, my boss and co-owner of Micawber's says, "We don't pay very much but there are definite perks." Having breakfast with an author I greatly admire is definitely a perk.

Dick and Jane and Vampires

2010-11-04T06:33:00.000-07:00

When Pride and Prejudice and Zombies first came out, it was quirky and funny. Monsters infused into a classic was a unique and humorous idea. But now, many monsters later, I'm getting pretty sick of this new "genre." When I saw Android Karenina, I knew we had officially moved into the realm of "beating a dead horse."

But, then a new book arrived at the store: Dick and Jane and Vampires. Yes, it is once again a monster-infused classic. But, this time I'd like to believe it's laughing at itself. The original Dick and Jane books are goofy enough, but then throw in a vampire and it's pretty darn funny.

My favorite line is said by Jane: "Look out Mother! Look out behind you!" The illustration shows a black-cloaked vampire following mother into the sweet shop. It really is funny to read the stilted dialogue and see the original pictures, except there is a vampire lurking around.

I understand if you, like me, don't want to see another classic made into a monster- mashup. What's next, Moby Dragon? But, if you do get a chuckle out of quirky, tongue-in-cheek humor, you might want to check out Dick and Jane and Vampires. It's good for a laugh.

Baby Mamba!

2010-11-02T07:07:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday, October 30, we had a fun, "snakey" event at Micawber's. Author Kurtis Scaletta read from his new middle-grade novel, Mamba Point, and talked about his inspiration for writing the book. Also, in attendance was Kurtis' new baby boy, Byron, decked out in a baby mamba costume! Byron was so darn cute and not poisonous-looking at all.

This photo is of Kurtis and his unhappy, little mamba baby. Byron was probably upset because he didn't get any "snake snacks." The snacks available were gummy snakes (worms), straight pretzels, and Twix candy bars. Snakes, Sticks & Twix. I thought it was fairly clever.

The event was a lot of fun and Kurtis had much to say about the background for Mamba Point. Apparently, when Kurtis lived in Liberia as a kid, his neighborhood was called Mamba Point. Kurtis did have two encounters with deadly Black Mambas during his time in Africa. One was shortly after his arrival when, like Linus in the book, an African man came running at him with a machete raised high! Instead of attacking Kurtis (or Linus), the man hacked up a Mamba at the boy's feet. That just doesn't happen in St. Paul.

The other Black Mamba encounter was when one slithered right in front of Kurtis and a group of his friends. The boys all froze, which is appropriate when a Mamba is passing by. After the Mamba was gone, one boy said to Kurtis, "You looked like you wanted to touch it." Thus, another inspiration for Kurtis' character Linus, who does indeed touch a Black Mamba.

But, you'll have to read the book to find out what happens to Linus and the snake!

New Books by Minnesota Authors & Illustrators

2010-09-16T14:29:00.000-07:00

Fall is definitely here and so are many new children's books by Minnesota authors and illustrators!

Today I went to the store early. The kids' section has been getting out of control! So I rearranged the teen and middle grade books and created a new Minnesota table.

Here's a round up of some of the new kids' books by Minnesota authors and illustrators:

Picture Books:

BIG BELCHING BOG by Phyllis Root, illustrated by Betsy Bowen.

- Great combination of Phyllis' writing style and Betsy's woodcut illustrations.

A FABULOUS FAIR ALPHABET by Debra Frasier.

- The Minnesota State Fair is over, but you can hang on to it all through Debra's book.

THE SNEAKY SHEEP by Chris Monroe.

- Chris Monroe, of Monkey With A Toolbelt fame, has done it again.

HENRY AND THE BULLY by Nancy Carlson.

- This summer I saw some of Nancy's illustrations at the Chicago Institute of Art. Way to go Nancy!

THE PRINCESS AND HER PANTHER by Wendy Orr, illustrated by Lauren Stringer.

- Lauren does a great job with this imaginative picture book.

ONE PUP'S UP by Marsha Wilson Chall, illustrated by Henry Cole.

- The perfect simplicity of Marsha's text makes me jealous and very happy for her!

Chapter Books and Novels:

MAMBA POINT by Kurtis Scaletta.

- Kurtis lived in Liberia for awhile as a kid so he knows what he's talking about. But, unlike the protagonist, Kurtis did not communicate with black mambas, which is a good thing. We're having a snakey MAMBA POINT event at the store on Saturday, October 30 at 11:00 am.

JULIA GILLIAN AND THE DREAM OF THE DOG by Alison McGhee.

- This is the third book in the Julia Gillian series which takes place in Minneapolis.

BINK AND GOLLIE by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee, illustrated by Tony Fucile

- Just out, this fun collaboration between Kate and Alison is sure to be a hit!

THE BOOK OF ELSEWHERE: THE SHADOWS by Jacqueline West.

- This is the first book in a fun, new series.

MAGIC BELOW STAIRS by Caroline Stevermer.

- Here's a new Victorian fantasy for middle grade readers.

ELVIS AND OLIVE: SUPER DETECTIVES by Stephanie Watson.

- The two girl detectives are back with more mysteries to solve.

HAMSTER MAGIC by Lynne Jonell.

- Soon to be out. We're having a HAMSTER MAGIC event at the store on Saturday, October 16 at 11:00 am!

Wow! There are definitely a lot of great children's authors and illustrators from this state. If you're in the area, stop by Micawber's and check out our new display.

Dress Code

2010-09-06T17:43:00.000-07:00

Last week I suddenly noticed that I was the only person who ever wears shorts to work. I had a flash of doubt - was I too casual, too unprofessional? Not only was I wearing shorts that very day, but had been all summer long! It's been hot, so I naturally reach for shorts. But, perhaps I had crossed a line. Maybe I was violating the "professional booksellers dress code!" So I asked Hans.

Hans, as always, listened to my question and gave me his thoughtful response. Yes, I was indeed the only one to wear shorts at work, but he did not see a problem. As he put it, "there is no dress code problem here."

He went on to say that he had only seen Tom in shorts once, and it wasn't at work. And he doubted that Karen ever wore shorts. Hans said he likes shorts but had decided a while ago not to wear them to work.

Oh no, I thought. Hans likes shorts and he's not wearing them. It's because he wants to be professional! Now I felt sure that all summer long I had been committing a huge bookselling faux pas!

Hans, seeing that I was still concerned, relayed this story: Before Micawber's, Hans, Tom and Karen all worked at The Hungry Mind Bookstore (later named Ruminator). The bookstore was located very close to a small, liberal arts college and they sometimes employed college students at the store.

One year, there was a college employee on staff that did cross the dress code line. And he gave them no end of trouble because he just wouldn't be convinced that he was doing anything inappropriate. His dress code error? His professional bookseller blunder?

He refused to wear shoes.

I guess my shorts aren't so bad after all.

Mockingjay

2010-08-31T08:53:00.000-07:00

A week ago Tuesday, MOCKINGJAY by Suzanne Collins was released. I had the day off and I read the entire book in one day. It was excellent! MOCKINGJAY was a great conclusion to the very compelling, thought-provoking HUNGER GAMES series for teen and adult readers.

Two people recently asked me about the premise and message in these books. On the surface, THE HUNGER GAMES is about a televised competition where teenagers fight to the death. There can be only one winner of the Hunger Games. This sounds pretty gruesome. And it is.

But the story is about so much more. It's about human nature related to war and peace. It's about the lengths a government will go to to preserve its power and control. It's about the strength of human character in the face of evil. It's also a darn good, suspenseful adventure.

Katniss Everdeen, our heroine, volunteers to take the place of her younger sister in the Hunger Games. The Hunger Games, for anyone from District 12, usually means certain death. Thus, begins her journey from girl-who-provides-for-her-family to the Girl-On-Fire.

As Katniss continues to survive and gather supporters around the country, the revolutionary leaders want her to become their symbol, their Mockingjay. While the first two books deal primarily with the Hunger Games, the third book focuses on the growing resistance movement and ultimate revolution against the Capitol.

I will not give away the ending, but I'll say that it got me thinking. Thinking about what it means to be good or bad, right or wrong, and the question, "Does the end ever justify the means?" Katniss wonders these things too, and is empowered to act on her final convictions.

Al Capone's Chicago

2010-08-23T09:20:00.000-07:00

Last week, my family and I vacationed in the Windy City, aka Chicago. In case you're interested in where names come from, the "Windy City" does not refer to how much wind comes off Lake Michigan, but rather that early city promoters were called "wind bags" for their efforts to make Chicago seems greater than it was.

The name Chicago is a French derivation of an earlier Native American word that loosely means, "heap of big, stinking onions." Apparently there were a lot of wild onions and garlic in the area. This is also what I called my husband after he ate a particularly potent onion sandwich.

We were in Chicago for a specific reason - to learn more about Al Capone, the 20's and prohibition. My 12-year-old daughter continues her fascination with old-timey gangsters thus the Chicago vacation.

Our hotel, The Blackstone, is a historic hotel right on Michigan Avenue. Al Capone used to get his haircut in the barbershop there. The baseball bat scene from the UNTOUCHABLES movie was filmed at the hotel. The Blackstone offered a package called "Good to be a Gangster" which included a copy of the movie, a signed copy of a new book about Al Capone, and tickets to the Untouchables Tour of Chicago.

The Untouchables Tour was a highlight of our trip. The picture above shows one of our guides as we drove around town in a black school bus. We learned all about prohibition and Chicago crooks as we drove past historic places such as Al Capone's former headquarters and the site of the Valentine's Day Massacre. Pretty interesting, gruesome stuff, but these guys made it very compelling and fun.

The book we received, which my daughter is now reading, is worth a look for anyone interested in Al Capone, his rise to power, and eventual capture. It's called GET CAPONE by Jonathan Eig, published by Simon & Shuster.

Besides being hotter than hades the week we were there, Chicago was a lot of fun. We ate deep dish pizza, visited museums, rode the EL, and, of course, learned about Al Capone. And fortunately, it did not smell like rotting onions.

Summer Days

2010-07-05T12:22:00.000-07:00

It's already July and full summer here in Minnesota. Yesterday was the annual neighborhood parade complete with:

- Marching Girl Scouts (including me and my daughter),

- The Pig's Eye Jass Band,

- Patriotic Essay Winners riding in a convertible,

- Seniors from Park Home in their wheelchairs,

- The Anaphylactic and Food Allergy group,

- Friends of the Library,

- Some bagpipers,

- Some clowns,

- A fire engine,

- & lastly neighborhood kids on decorated bikes and wagons.

The rain held off and the parade was fun, as was the picnic that followed in the park. Ahhh. It's summer time. Time for some good summer reading.

I'm reading several summer books. One is FODOR'S CHICAGO 2010 because we're planning a trip in August. My daughter has a fascination (obsession) with Al Capone, so we'll be doing the Gangster Tour while we're there. To prepare, my daughter is reading AL CAPONE: A BIOGRAPHY by Luciano Iorizzo.

I, on the other hand, am working on THE NEW YORK TIMES MILD CROSSWORDS. These 150 "very easy puzzles" are fun because I can actually complete one with only two or three cheats! I'm obviously not a crossword master.

I'm also reading:

WOMEN, FOOD, AND GOD by Geneen Roth

WELL BEING by Tom Rath and Jim Harter

ON THE BLUE COMET by Rosemary Wells

ELVIS & OLIVE: SUPER DETECTIVES by Stephanie Watson

Whew! Like I told Hans the other day - we need to add an 8th day to each week just for reading! Wouldn't that be great? Happy summer reading everyone.

The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest

2010-04-20T09:36:00.000-07:00

I've said it before and I'll say it again. One of the best things about working at a bookstore is getting to read Advance Reader Copies of new books, especially highly anticipated ones like the new Stieg Larsson!

I just finished THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET'S NEST by Stieg Larsson. The American publication date is May 25, 2010. This is the third (and sadly, last) installment in Larsson's excellent mystery series starring Lisbeth Salander.

I devoured the book, just as I did the first two, but this time was different. I knew it was the last one. And not intended to be so.

As most Stieg Larsson fans know, Larsson died shortly after delivering the first three manuscripts to his Swedish publisher. But it was not supposed to be a trilogy. He apparently was planning to write a 10 book series. Unfortunately for us, that will never be.

Without giving anything away, I will say I was disappointed at the end of THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET'S NEST. It was a great "middle novel," meaning it moved us along and answered many questions raised at the end of the second book. But, by no means did this feel like a final book. Why? Way too many loose ends were left open.

There is a literary technique known as Checkov's gun that basically says, "If you place a rifle on the wall in chapter 1, it had better go off by the last chapter." In other words, when you include an intriguing plot element, you need to follow it through. In my opinion, Larsson skillfully laid out several "rifles" for us in the first two books, but some of these are never "fired." The epilogue in book three ties up a few loose ends, but not nearly enough.

I have heard rumor of a fourth partial manuscript by Larsson. But there may be a legal battle going on regarding it's ownership. We can only hope it is substantial enough to one day make a fourth novel in the series.

Until then, read THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET'S NEST with relish since it's the last chance you'll get, at least for a while.

Waiting for Baby

2010-04-13T08:45:00.001-07:00

At Micawber's, we are in a waiting game this week. When will Baby W show up? Han's wife is due on Saturday, but you never know with babies. They come when they feel like it.

Today I'm "on call" just in case. With all the excitement and anticipation, I bet Baby will decide to come late.

Either way, it's a great time for babies and new life and all things growing. Spring has definitely sprung and I can't say enough about how happy that makes me (and most Minnesotans)!

Last night was our first big thunderstorm. Today everything genuinely looks greener. And it smells good too.

So, hurry up Baby W! We can't wait to meet you and share Springtime with you.

The Garbage Police Strikes Twice

2010-04-07T08:06:00.000-07:00

There is a Garbage Police in our Micawber's neighborhood. And he (or she) has now struck twice!

Last week I was closing the store. It was around 8:30 pm and I had two small bags of garbage to take out. We are supposed to put our garbage in the big dumpster out back. But, I was heading the other way. And frankly, I don't love going to the dumpster at night. It's dark and creepy and recently I saw a rubber glove of unknown origin on the ground. Plus, when you share a dumpster with a restaurant, all manner of nasty can appear.

So, I took my two small bags of garbage with me out the front door when I left. I placed them into the garbage receptacle on the sidewalk and went home.

The next morning, poor Karen found the same two garbage bags plopped on Micawber's front stoop! They had been ravaged by squirrels. (Apparently, there was 1/2 a sandwich in one bag.)

She wondered if I had forgotten to throw the trash away. But, when I arrived at work that day, I assured everyone that I had indeed put the bags in the garbage can.

So, someone actually dug into the garbage can, took out our two bags, and put them on our front steps.

I felt embarrassed. Apparently someone had seen me throw our trash into the city garbage can on the sidewalk. I know these cans are primarily meant for lunch-time strollers, dog walkers and coffee drinkers, but I had no idea it was such an enormous deal to deposit two, small bags of garbage there as well. I was wrong.

That day I vowed to never put Micawber's garbage into the city can again. I am, once again, facing chicken guts and possible kidnappers in order to place our garbage in the correct receptacle.

I thought the garbage drama was over. But then, the Garbage Police (dare I say Trash Nazi) struck again!

Yesterday morning, I opened the store and found a single bag of garbage sitting on our front steps. When I questioned Hans about it, he admitted to hurriedly putting a bag in the sidewalk can the night before.

The ever-vigilant protector of the city waste had discovered the bag and brought it back home. This time I noticed there was an envelope in the bag that had our address right on it. Aaah. Perhaps the Garbage Police is not a nosy neighbor watching us each night, but rather the trash collector himself in the morning.

Either way, I am tempted (slightly) to put some garbage bags in the can, sleep overnight at the store, and catch the Garbage Police in action. This is probably the only way to find out his/her true identity. Remember, this is Minnesota so the garbage is placed on our steps without a note. Just a Minnesota reprimand to not use the city garbage cans.

13 Treasures

2010-03-29T18:53:00.001-07:00

This has been a good season for new children's books. One middle grade novel that arrived at the store today is 13 TREASURES by Michelle Harrison. I read the advance reader copy a couple months ago and really enjoyed it!

13 TREASURES is the story of Tanya who can see fairies, but wishes she didn't. They are not the kind, lovely little fairies you might imagine. These fairies tend to cause a lot of trouble (and sometimes actual pain) for Tanya. Tanya is sent to live with her grandmother in an old, secluded mansion near a strange town in Essex, England. Tanya begins to explore the mansion, the woods nearby, and encounters more fairies who torment her. And, of course, there are mysteries to solve along the way.

Harrison, who is from Essex, did a lot of research about fairy lore and myth for 13 TREASURES, which is her first book. One belief Harrison discovered, that makes its way into the book, is that wearing the color red helps protect you against fairies.

Luckily I like the color red and will be wearing it much more frequently now that I know its protective powers. I don't want to take any chances and perhaps meet some of the fairies Tanya encounters!

A Nest for Celeste

2010-03-05T06:15:00.000-08:00

As a bookseller and children's book buyer for Micawber's, I receive many ARCs each season. ARCs are Advance Reader Copies of books that are forthcoming. The idea is that publishers send booksellers ARCs in the hopes that they read the new books, buy them, and most importantly hand-sell them. The power of hand-selling is tremendous and publishers know this.

Unfortunately, there is no way any bookseller can read all the ARCs he/she receives. When I first started working at Micawber's, I was so excited by all the free books that I took stacks and stacks home. Now, a year and 1/2 later, my house, which already held hundreds of books, is threatening to explode! So, I'm being more choosy about which ARCs I take home with me.

The ARC I'm reading now is so delightful that I wanted to tell you about it. It's a middle grade reader by Henry Cole called A NEST FOR CELESTE. Cole is the illustrator of many books for children. He has also written and illustrated children's books including, JACK'S GARDEN which we have at the store.

A NEST FOR CELESTE reminds me of THE INVENTION OF HUGO CABRET by Brian Selznick, not because of subject matter, but because of format. Almost every page of the book has black and white illustrations that enhance the story. I love Cole's depiction of Celeste, the cute little mouse who is looking for a place to call home.

Celeste encounters many adventures and creatures (human and animal) along her path. Two humans that are central to the story are John James Audubon and his young assistant Joseph. I have always been interested in the real-life Audubon, of BIRDS OF AMERICA fame, and Cole weaves historical details into the story well.

A NEST FOR CELESTE is set in the 1820's on a plantation outside of New Orleans, Louisiana, where Audubon actually stayed for several months. But, the heart of the story is really about a little mouse named Celeste. And as Cole says himself, it's also "A Story About Art, Inspiration and the Meaning of Home."

A NEST FOR CELESTE was published in February 2010 and should be available now at your local, independent bookseller. If you like nature, history, art or cute little mice, you will definitely enjoy this book.

Welcome Back!

2010-02-26T07:46:00.001-08:00

Apparently I took January and most of February off from blogging, but I'm back!

So here is my rundown of all things Micawber's for January and February, 2010:

- Inventory Day! Once each year, at the beginning of January, we take stock of all the stock. This involves Hans asking all his friends and many relations to come help us out. We work in teams or solo. We take down EVERY book in the store and jot down the price and quantity.

Example: $16.99 /// (This means three books at $16.99.)

You get the idea. We start around 9 am and finish around 3 pm. We don't officially close the store, so a few brave souls venture in for a look around amidst the organized chaos. Inventory Day might sound like a drag, but it's actually kind of fun. At least it's fun one time a year.

- Karen goes to England every other year for the month of January and this was her year to go. She accompanies her husband and about 20 of his Hamline theater students for a month of study and fun on the emerald island.

This is what I noticed while Karen was gone:

1. 3 workers is not as good as 4 workers. Even in January, which is typically a slower month, I felt the lack of our 4th partner.

2. I helped with the filing while Karen was gone. I now have a much greater appreciation for that part of her job.

3. The guys were not as fastidious about cleaning in January. Luckily, we got a new vacuum cleaner and all is better now.

- I had surgery in February. As soon as we were back to 4 people, I went in for minor surgery and the store was back to 3 people for a while. Not only did they have to deal with a heavier work load, they also had to deal with . . .

- Lots of Water! There was a bad leak in the store ceiling while I was gone. It would come in periodic rushes from the apartment upstairs. Thank God it ended up being from the sink, not the toilet! It's all fixed now. And by some miracle, only three books were damaged.

Typically January and February are slow months in the book business. But, here at Micawber's we had lots of excitement!

Two Kings

2009-12-13T12:56:00.000-08:00

Last month, Micawber's sold books at two big Talking Volumes events at the Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul. On November 11, the guest author was Barbara Kingsolver. And on November 18, it was Audrey Niffenegger and Stephen King. Two Kings = Two Big Events!

I was at the Kingsolver event selling books before, during and after the show. We had arranged ahead of time for Barbara to sign some copies of her new book, THE LACUNA, which is her newest title. When it was time to go get the signed copies, I volunteered. I have long been a fan of hers and wanted the chance to meet her.

Hans and I walked back stage and down into the rather small green room below the Fitzgerald stage. (It smelled like Hot Artichoke Dip, which was not the smell I was expecting.)

There at the table sat Barbara Kingsolver with Kerry Miller going over a few last minute things. We gathered up the signed books as they chatted. We were ready to leave and they were still talking. I didn't want to miss this chance to meet her in person, so I (nicely) interrupted them.

"Hi, I'm Dara. I'm one of the booksellers from Micawber's selling your book tonight," I said.

"Oh. I'm Barbara," she answered, shaking my hand. "Nice to meet you."

The fact that she said, "I'm Barbara," in such a normal, down-to-earth-way made me like her even more. Of course, everyone there knew who she was. But she kindly said, "I'm Barbara," just the same.

We chatted briefly about the state of independent bookstores. She wanted to know how our store was faring.

I told her that I was low person on the totem pole, so the fact that I still had a job was a good sign.

She laughed.

I made Barbara Kindsolver laugh!

So, that really made my night. Her interview went very well. She is smart and articulate. Plus, the voice she did for Frida Kahlo was amazing!

I bought two (signed) copies of THE LACUNA - one for my mom for Christmas and one for me. (Mom, if you're reading this, ignore the last sentence.)

All in all, the Kingsolver event went very well!

The Stephen King event went well too, although differently. It was a bit of a well-organized, mad house. He doesn't "come out of hiding" very often, so a public appearance is a BIG deal. We sold a lot of his books, including all 250 copies of UNDER THE DOME that he agreed to sign ahead of time.

This is a busy time of year - for events and now for holiday shopping. I'm glad I had the chance to meet one of my favorite authors in person. That was a gift.

Best Books for Kids

2009-10-27T14:35:00.001-07:00

Recently a customer came in to order a stack of books for his children. He lives far outside the city so isn't able to dash to the store or library whenever he wants a new book for his kids. He wanted to create a home library of excellent books for his two young children. So, he came in with a long list.

Where did he come up with the children's book titles on his list? How did he figure out which were "the best books" for children? He was smart. He consulted someone who knows. He came in carrying a tattered copy of Anita Silvey's excellent reference book, 100 Best Books for Children: A Parent's Guide to Making the Right Choices for Your Young Reader, Toddler to Preteen.

Silvey arranges 100 Best Books for Children by age group. Each book listed comes with a short description. Silvey includes more than 100 good books, but stars her top 100.

Anita Silvey is a former children's publisher, Editor-in-Chief of The Horn Book Magazine, and is an expert on children's and young adult books.

Where her first book leaves off, her second book picks up. 500 Great Books for Teens is arranged thematically, which is perfect for teen readers. With categories ranging from "Adventure and Survival" to "Romance" to "Short Stories," there is something for everyone.

My only caveat is that it's important to use these books as a starting off point from which you build. 100 Best Books for Children was published in 2005 and 500 Great Books for Teens in 2006. Many excellent books for children have been published in the last several years. For the newest "Best Book" titles, you'll have to find additional sources for recommendations, such as a children's librarian or knowledgeable children's book seller.

When our customer came in with his copy of Silvey's book, he asked me to look through it and add my own recommendations. I highlighted the books I thought were wonderful and added some newer titles to the list. So, in the end, the books he bought started a diverse, and excellent, home library for his children.

And like I said before, reading the "Best of the Best" is wonderful. Every child should get that chance. But, don't be afraid to let a few "Less than Best" books in there too. No one was ever harmed by reading Captain Underpants. At least not that I know of:)

Newbery Prediction

2009-10-18T14:33:00.000-07:00

Recently, I was at a conference with several children's authors. While visiting, we compared notes about recent good reads. Kurtis Scaletta, friend and author of MUDVILLE, commented on a book he thought should win this year's Newbery Award. The Newbery Award is the "big kahuna" for children's novelists.

Kurtis was so adamant about this book that I immediately went out and bought a copy (from Micawber's) and read it in two days. The book is WHEN YOU REACH ME by Rebecca Stead.

WHEN YOU REACH ME is a middle grade novel set in 1970's New York City. I would call the genre "realistic fiction with a twist." Stead, who grew up in New York City (and lives there still) knows what she's talking about. It is so real. It's like you are living right there with Miranda, the 6th grade protagonist.

I love puzzles and Stead provides a compelling one in WHEN YOU REACH ME. Through a series of mysterious notes, Miranda must solve a puzzle that may affect the life of more than one person.

If you enjoy intelligent writing that feels "spot on" with its characters and setting, then I encourage you to pick up a copy of WHEN YOU REACH ME by Rebecca Stead.

Will it win the Newbery Award? I don't know. But I think it has a pretty good chance. At least Kurtis Scaletta feels strongly about it.

His best comment of the day was, "WHEN YOU REACH ME should win the Newbery. If I won the Newbery for MUDVILLE, I would almost want to tell them, "No. I can't accept it." I looked at him incredulously. He reiterated, "Almost."

Only A Witch Can Fly (in Fall)

2009-10-12T07:38:00.000-07:00

Two days ago - Saturday, October 10 - it snowed! OK, there wasn't much snow, but it still counts as the first snowfall of the season.

On Saturday, we also had a great children's event at the store. Alison McGhee visited us and read several of her books.

Going with a Fall/Halloween theme, Alison read her newest picture book, ONLY A WITCH CAN FLY. The illustrations, done by Taeeun Yoo, are unique and beautiful. Taeeun did wood cuts for each spread and used paint in the colors of black, green and rust. The overall affect feels like Fall at dusk to me.

Alison wrote ONLY A WITCH CAN FLY as a sestina poem. A sestina is a very structured form of poetry consisting of six six-line stanzas and a tercet (three lines). The same six words ends the lines of the six-line stanzas but in different orders. Overall, it's a complicated poem structure to write. But Alison does it very well. In fact, you don't even realize you're reading a structured poem. (I didn't know until Alison told us.) The poem form lends itself well to the feel of the book, which is quiet yet anticipatory.

Alison also read another witchy book she wrote titled A VERY BRAVE WITCH. This fun, little book is great for young witches and warlocks. The witch girl is warned against humans! But she is brave and, in the end, all is well on Halloween night.

At Micawber's we have a display table of Fall/Halloween books. But, I fear this season is rather short in Minnesota. Today, as I write, it's snowing again. And this time there is actual accumulation! I'm sure (I hope) it will melt in the next week or so, but I have to say, I'm just not ready for winter yet. Fall can be such a nice season - in weather and books. Let's keep it going a bit longer.

Rochester Barnes & Noble

2009-10-04T17:43:00.000-07:00

As an independent bookseller, I tend to avoid shopping at chain book stores like Barnes & Noble. Sometimes I'll go there to check out a particular section, but I go back to Micawber's - the independent bookstore where I work - to buy or order a book. But, this past weekend I saw the coolest Barnes & Noble in America and I had to share a photo with you.

The Barnes & Noble in Rochester, Minnesota is well worth a visit. It is situated in an old theater. Originally it was a live theater, then a movie theater with high domed ceilings. Then, a few years ago, some genius turned it into a unique, extremely cool B & N. This is not your run-of-the-mill, strip-mall type bookstore. With its high blue-sky ceiling, castle and medieval-like town buildings, and arches, it feels almost magical. The book arrangements and signage is typical B & N, but the overall feel is pretty amazing.

I was walking through the Rochester skyway on a rainy Friday, when BOOM, I entered this magical kingdom. I stopped in my tracks, took out my camera, and snapped some photos. The workers didn't seemed surprised. I bet they get a fair amount of that.

The overall affect was so surprising and delightful that it almost made me want to buy a book. Almost.

MBA Trade Show

2009-09-22T08:28:00.001-07:00

This upcoming weekend is the Midwest Booksellers Association (MBA) Trade Show in St. Paul. I'll be attending as a bookseller with Micawber's. Last year was my first year at MBA as a bookseller. Tom and I walked around together and met the sales reps from many, many publishers. It was a lot of fun because Tom has been in the business for over 30 years and basically knows everyone!

This year, I will also be attending two author meals - The Moveable Feast Lunch on Friday and the Children's Author's Breakfast on Saturday. The Moveable Feast Lunch works like this. You sit at a table and the authors rotate tables every 15 minutes. I won't meet all the authors, but I will receive signed copies of books by the authors that do visit my table.

Some of the Moveable Feast children's authors include Marion Dane Bauer, Janet Graber, Maggie Stiefvater, Patricia C. Wrede, and Kathy-jo Wargin. I'm especially interested in reading SHIVER, the new YA book by Maggie Stiefvater.

Then early Saturday morning, I return to MBA for the Children's breakfast and hear keynote authors M.T. Anderson, Neil Gaiman, Loren Long and Catherine Gilbert Murdock! I seriously can't wait to meet these folks. I absolutely loved THE GRAVEYARD BOOK by Neil Gaiman!

MBA, for me, is all about meeting authors and getting free books! (It's certainly not about the quality of the food, sad to say.) MBA is also about making connections. Since I'm now buying the children's books for Micawber's, I look forward to meeting with the children's sales reps, some of whom I've only met "over the phone."

The only bad thing about MBA is the rule against rolling carts, strollers (without babies inside), and suitcases on the Trade Show floor. Without rolling assistance, how will I possibly lug all my free books home:)?!

Lynne Jonell at Micawber's

2009-09-15T08:55:00.001-07:00

Fall is here and that means the beginning of a new year of Children's Author Events at Micawber's. This Saturday, September 19, 2009 at 1:00 pm is our first event.

Lynne Jonell, author of EMMY AND THE INCREDIBLE SHRINKING RAT and EMMY AND THE HOME FOR TROUBLED GIRLS will be our featured children's author. Lynne will read from her new middle-grade novel, THE SECRET OF ZOOM!

Come to Micawber's to meet Lynne, hear her read from her new book, enjoy some treats, and best of all, it's all free!

I hope to see you there - 1:00 pm this Saturday!

Micawber's Books

2238 Carter Avenue

St. Paul, MN 55108

(651) 646-5506

Art at Rice Creek

2009-09-07T14:46:00.000-07:00

This Sunday there is a fun event taking place at Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts in Fridley, Minnesota. It's called ART AT RICE CREEK. This family festival takes place Sunday, September 13 from 10:00 am - 4:00 pm. It will include art workshops, fine art, book readings, Henna painting, a quilt raffle, food, and performances by Chicks on Sticks, Heart of the Beast, Mother Banjo and more.

Plus, I will be there! Between 1:00 - 2:00 pm, Marie Olofsdotter and I will read from our children's books. There will be an ASL interpreter there to interpret our readings. Marie Olofsdotter is a fine artist, illustrator, author and more. Her children's books include SOFIA AND THE HEARTMENDER. I will be reading MURIEL'S RED SWEATER. Muriel, the duck, will also make an appearance. (I wonder how the ASL interpreter does with "duck-speak"?)

This is the 30th year of Banfill-Locke, which is a community arts center offering classes in writing, drawing, painting, and textiles for adults and youth. They also host a Friday Night Reading Series. They are located at:

Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts

6666 East Rive Road

Fridley, MN 55432

Stop by if you have time this Sunday! The event is free and good for the entire family. Say "Hi" if you're there. I'd love to meet you!

Closing Time

2009-08-26T20:51:00.001-07:00

This summer I've been working the closing shift frequently at Micawber's. Typically, I like to work a variety - some days, evenings, weekends. But, because of summer schedules and child care, I've been working a lot of nights.

At first I wasn't happy about this. I like spending the evening with my family. I like being home after dinner. But, working the evening shift is growing on me. I've been able to observe the nightly flow of life in our little neighborhood.

Right around 5:30 pm there is a distinct drop in customer traffic. I call it the dinner drop. That's when I typically eat my own dinner. As the evening progresses, there are always people walking by, and I can usually guess where they are headed and if they will stop in.

The people I don't recognize who are dressed up - usually couples or multi-generational groups - are headed to Muffeletta for dinner. People walking their dog, baby or self will not stop in if there are head phones involved or anyone crying. People who park, hop out alone and hustle down the sidewalk are on a mission. They are taking a quick stop into the Little Wine Shop for some beer or wine. They won't come into the bookstore because they have somewhere to go.

The strolling people are different. They will likely come inside. If they are dressed up and I don't recognize them, they are most likely waiting for their Muffeletta seating time. If they are in casual clothes and I don't recognize them, they have heard about the bookstore or the neighborhood or were just shopping at Bibelot and thought they would stop in.

If it's someone in casual clothes and I do recognize them, they are very likely to come into the store. Most likely, the reason they are walking down the sidewalk is to come to Micawber's.

Evening traffic in the store mainly consists of:

1. People picking up their special order book after we called to tell them it was in,

2. Parents getting a last-minute birthday present for their kid's friend,

3. People buying vacation reading for a vacation that starts tomorrow,

4. People who have never been to Micawber's but have heard it was really nice and wanted to check it out before they have dinner at Muffeletta,

5. Women picking up their book club book that they need to read by next week,

6. College students (or people new to the neighborhood) who would want to hang out (if only we had wireless.)

Of course, there are many exceptions to the above list. We have a wide and wonderful range of customers and friends at Micawber's.

Despite having to work late, take out the trash, and hoping the computer doesn't crash and delay my trip home, I've come to appreciate the nightly ebb and flow of our neighborhood and evening bookselling, in general.

Girl Who Played With Fire (again)

2009-08-13T19:00:00.000-07:00

I just finished the book. I have only three things to say:

1. The book ended with a big cliff-hanger. (Not uncommon for middle books of a trilogy.)

2. I simply can not wait a whole year for Book #3: THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNETS' NEST. (I may have to order a copy from England. Or beg the publisher for an Advance Reader copy now!)

3. I am feeling sad that Stieg Larsson died. I would have enjoyed reading a lot more of his work.

That's it. I fear if I say anything else I will have said too much.

Read it.

Everything For A Dog

2009-08-06T14:28:00.000-07:00

Last night I met with my Book Club. We are three friends (Jenny, Wendy and me) and have been meeting monthly to discuss books for over 10 years. This month we read EVERYTHING FOR A DOG, the forthcoming middle grade novel by Ann M. Martin. Last year, we read A DOG'S LIFE, also by Martin, and loved it. So, we wanted to read the companion book, which comes out in September 2009 from Feiwel and Friends.

EVERYTHING FOR A DOG follows the journey of Bone, brother of Squirrel, the main character in A DOG'S LIFE. Bone and Squirrel are dogs. They begin life in a garden shed. Then, one day, when their mother does not return, they set off together. Soon, they are separated and do not meet again. Squirrel's tale is told from a first-person(dog) perspective in A DOG'S LIFE. And, boy, does Martin nail Squirrel's perspective!

Jenny, Wendy and I all agree that Ann M. Martin's greatest strength is her ability to think (and write) like a dog. She doesn't place human emotions and sensibilities onto her dog characters. Rather, she excellently channels her "inner-dog" to create a very real, very believable doggie perspective. It's actually quite extraordinary.

I met Ann Martin once at a school reading event. She showed slides of her pets, including her beloved dog. Anyone who meets her (or reads her books) can tell she knows and loves dogs. As a dog-owner and lover myself, I can really relate to her characters - both dog and human.

EVERYTHING FOR A DOG is Bone's story, but is also the story of two boys who love dogs. It's told in three parts - Bone, Charlie, and Henry. Bone tells his part in first-person. Charlie's story is told in 3rd person, present tense. Henry's is 3rd person, past tense. This might seem confusing, but as you read it, it all flows together. In fact, Jenny and Wendy didn't even notice the point of view shifts.

At Book Club, we all enjoyed reading EVERYTHING FOR A DOG. Ann Martin's inclusion of the two central human characters provides an even deeper understanding of the world of dogs and the people who love them. The three different narrative strains come together seamlessly in the end. And the end is very satisfying.

The only negative comment we had at Book Club was that it took awhile to get to the "new" material. The first couple Bone chapters feel too repetitive of the first book, A DOG'S LIFE. We wanted a quicker summary of the first book's events so we could move to Bone's new story more quickly.

Overall, EVERYTHING FOR A DOG is an excellent read for dog lovers of any age. If you are an adult and love dogs, you need to read this book. Just because it's labeled "for kids," don't shy away. Our Book Club agreed EVERYTHING FOR A DOG was a good read for any age.

Girl Who Played With Fire

2009-07-30T08:46:00.000-07:00

OK, I'm on a Stieg Larsson kick right now. I just started THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE last night and had to blog right away. It's so good already (and I'm only on page 56). Lisbeth Salander is kicking butt already. And a certain heinous minor character from the last book has reared his ugly head. I hope Salander kicks his butt good this time. But, I'm a little worried. He's digging up information on her.

As in THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, Larsson does not shy away from the grittier topics. Something really horrible happened to Salander when she was young. You get a glimpse right away in the prologue. But the full extent is not known yet. And I feel a little sick about it. I don't want to know what it is. Yet, I need to know what it is. And the #@&%@!! who did it (whatever it is) will need to suffer greatly by the end of the book. (Or at least by the end of the series.)

By the way, the last book in the trilogy now has a title. It will be called THE GIRL WHO KICKED THE HORNET'S NEST. Seems appropriate. Pub date still to be announced.

A while back in my neighborhood, there was a creepy guy driving around asking girls for directions and then flashing them. Everyone was in an uproar, rightly so. I remember talking to a group of kids one day and saying, "I hope that guy tries something when I'm around." The kids were astonished. I responded, "That guy's worst nightmare would be a pack of moms!"

I was definitely channeling my "Inner-Salander" that day. It surfaces, whenever kids are put in potential danger. I can completely relate to some of her impulses. Others impulses, not so much. She is an awesome character and I can't wait to see what she does next.

I'd better go - gotta read! Oh, and by the way, the creep in the car did get caught. I heard through the grape vine that when he called his wife from jail, all she said was, "Not again." Sometimes real life is as strange as fiction.

Fire

2009-07-20T18:41:00.000-07:00

While on vacation last week, I had the pleasure of reading an advance copy of FIRE by Kristin Cashore. This Young Adult novel is a companion book to GRACELING, which came out last year. I loved GRACELING so I was very eager to read FIRE. Cashore did not disappoint.

I immensely enjoy the world Cashore has created. It is medieval-like with castles, long bows and horses to ride. Her female characters (in both books) are very unique, yet believable. They both struggle with immense power. They also have weaknesses. In the end, both lead female characters have to come to terms with who they are and how they use their power.

Fire, the main character in FIRE, is called a "Monster" and can control people's minds. Her main struggle is how to use (or not use) her ability. I love the description of Fire and wish I could see her "in real life."

Another hallmark of Cashore's two novels is the romantic tension. The developing relationship between Fire and Prince Brigan is intense and believable. Cashore does not shy away from sex (although it's not explicit), so her books are definitely for the teen (and up) reader.

There is only one character that is in both novels. GRACELING and FIRE are companion books set in the same world, but you don't need to read one before the other. The only thing I will say about the one common character is that I intensely hate him. This, of course, means that Cashore has done an excellent job creating him.

I highly recommend both GRACELING and FIRE for any teen and older reader who enjoys medieval type fantasy with unique characters and strong female leads. Both books are well worth the read!

(FIRE comes out October 5, 2009. GRACELING comes out in paperback September 7, 2009.)

Girl With The Dragon Tattoo

2009-07-14T16:53:00.000-07:00

I have finally come up for air. I finished THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO this afternoon. It is good. Very good!

Larsson has created an intriguing, smart, gritty mystery that is almost impossible to put down. Once I started, I couldn't stop. I had to know what was going to happen. My family and I are on vacation. I think they were starting to wonder if I would ever join them in activities.

I'm in northern Minnesota, almost to Canada. Today is a bit dreary. We are one of very few people on this lake. We are surrounded by woods and water. Basically, the environment around me is about as Swedish as you can get in the continental United States. The perfect setting to read THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO.

I wish Larsson was alive today. I wish I could ask him some questions. (I have many.) The best I can do is dive into the second book, THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE. Which, luckily for me, comes out very soon.

If you enjoy a well-written, intelligent mystery that does not shy away from tough topics, this is the book you must read. For added affect, you might want to go to a Boreal forest and wait for rain. The experience will be very satisfying.

Vacation Reading

2009-07-09T12:28:00.001-07:00

I'm headed up north to a cabin for a week. (In Minnesota, this is what you do in summer.) And, of course, I'm bringing a load of books with me to read. Two books are on the top of my pile.

THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO, by Stieg Larsson. The paperback just came out and has been flying off the shelves at Micawber's. Tom read the galley long ago and loved it. He has been talking it up ever since. I started the first few pages to get a feel for it. And I can tell it's going to be good. The only thing that made me stop was the fact that once I really get into it (Tom warns) I won't be able to put it down. So, I'm waiting till I get up north and find a comfy chair.

It's a mystery set in Larsson's native Sweden. But don't let any ideas about stoic northerners worry you. This is a thriller, not a "cozy" as we say. It's definitely on the gritty side and very smart. Larsson died shortly after delivering the trilogy of manuscripts. According to his bio, Larsson was a "leading expert on antidemocratic right-wing extremist and Nazi organizations." It makes me wonder how he really died.

For those of you who have already read Larsson's book and are eager for #2. Your wait will be short-lived. THE GIRL WHO PLAYED WITH FIRE comes out July 28.

The second book on my pile is a YA novel, FIRE, by Kristin Cashore. I mentioned it in my Fall Novel blog but it's worth mentioning again. I loved GRACELING, Cashore's first novel and I recommend it to every 14 + girl who walks through our doors. FIRE is a prequel set in the same universe as GRACELING with one common character. I can only guess who it is. But I'm thinking it might be the "bad guy" from GRACELING.

For those of you who want to check out GRACELING, it comes out in paperback this September. But if you just can't wait, we still have a couple hardcover copies at the store. FIRE will be officially released on October 5, 2009. But I'm going to read it now. Ahhh, the pleasures of working at a bookstore and getting to read the books early!

Whatever is on your stack of Vacation Reading, have fun and don't forget your sunscreen.

4th of July Fun

2009-07-05T12:44:00.001-07:00

Yesterday was one of the rare days that Micawber's is closed. It was the 4th of July and time for the annual parade and festivities in the St. Anthony Park neighborhood.

Every year, the celebration begins with the parade at 11:00 am. Some of the groups taking part in the parade this year included:

• The Boy and Girl Scouts

• The residents of the local nursing home (being pushed in their wheelchairs)

• The Neighbors for Peace

• The Anaphylaxis and Food Allergy Association

• Our local dentists

• The school band and orchestra kids

• The State Fair Gophers

• Some slightly frightening clowns

• Chris Coleman, our mayor

• Senator, Ellen Anderson

• The Library Association

• & some guys in kilts bringing up the rear with bagpipes.

Then everyone heads down to Langford park for picnics, music, readings from the patriotic essay winners, games, pony rides, and more.

This year, I sat with family and friends under the big pine trees in the park. We had a picnic and then broke out the cards and poker chips. We played 5 card draw and commented on our close proximity to the fragrant ponies. When the sky opened up and rain poured down, it was time to go. But, what a fun day!

If you have never been to St. Anthony Park on the 4th of July, I highly recommend you come sometime. It's like a small town celebration in the middle of the city. Apparently it's the only parade in St. Paul. And maybe next year Micawber's will have a float in the parade. I mean hey, if the Seed Art people can be in the parade, so can we. (I'll just have to convince Tom, Hans and Karen that it's a good idea.)

New Fall Novels

2009-06-30T18:49:00.000-07:00

Even though it's the beginning of summer - not even July yet - we at Micawber's are buying our fall books from publishers. As we prop open the door to welcome visitors, we are thinking about what will sell as the leaves turn color and, later, when snow covers the branches.

It's exciting to see all the children's publishers' fall catalogs. They traditionally pull out some big books for this season, and it's no surprise. Fall leads into the holiday season, which is the biggest selling season for independent book stores like Micawber's.

I have been getting my ARCs in the mail. These Advance Reader Copies are what everyone will see on the shelves come September and October. Right now, I'm particularly excited about these four new novels:

• Fire by Kristin Cashore (Dial - Oct. 2009)

This is a prequel (of sorts) to Cashore's earlier, spectacular novel Graceling (which comes out in paperback this fall.) You don't have to read one first because they can stand alone. But, I bet once you read one, you'll want to read the other, and fast!

• Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl (Little, Brown - Dec. 2009)

I'll just say it's set in the South, it involves a boy, a new girl, a curse, and some very interesting family members. I read it and I predict it's going to be BIG this fall!

• The Maze Runner by James Dashner (Delacorte - Oct. 2009)

When the book rep sold me this book, she said it gave her the same feeling she had when she first read The Book Thief. Not because of similar subject matter, but because of the magnitude and quality of the book. Author, Dashner, has described The Maze Runner as a modern Lord of the Flies. It promises to be a very compelling read!

• The Blue Shoe by Roderick Townley (Knopf - Oct. 2009)

I admit, I love this book already just because of the subtitle and artwork. And seriously, what's not to love about Mary GrandPre's art and a subtile that reads "A Tale of Thievery, Villainy, Sorcery, and Shoes." Plus, the first printing will be in BLUE ink! Bring it on!

That's it for now, but look for more news soon on great fall picture books!

Summertime

2009-06-19T09:29:00.001-07:00

It's summertime in Minnesota. Finally. Of course, when summer actually shows up, it arrives full steam ahead. And I mean steam! It's been humid lately. Maybe in comparison to say, the Rain Forest, it's not so bad. But, 80's and humid feels pretty darn hot.

At the store, we have two air conditioners, but I hate window air conditioners. It always feels closed in and stuffy. (I get enough of that all winter.) I want the windows and doors wide open! Let in that air, even if it comes with a little wetness. It reminds us that we are alive. We can sweat! We can feel heat. Our skin contains moisture. No need for hand lotion for at least a couple months. So what if we need 2 showers a day to cool off. This is good! I know there are people who disagree with me, but when you have 7 months of winter, a little heat feels good. Enjoy it people. It won't last long.

My parents live "Up North" in Minnesota, almost in Canada, all year round. My father likes to say, "We have two seasons up here. Winter and Winter's Coming." Laugh all you want, but it's too close for my comfort.

So, what does a Minnesotan do on a long, hot summer day? Find a good spot in the shade, with a beverage of your choice and READ! Right now I'm reading ANIMAL, VEGETABLE, MIRACLE by Barbara Kingsolver. It's a very good read. And inspiring. I feel the urge to shop at the Farmer's Market and raise chickens in my backyard. I kid you not. Ask my poor husband. Every spring, I get a hankerin for some live furry or feathery thing. A couple years ago, it was for chickens. Cute, colorful, pet-like (I hear) and dang!, you get fresh eggs every day! But, still there are no chickens in my backyard. My husband REALLY didn't go for the idea. The main reason - chicken poop. He is such an urbanite. So, I have settled for my own little garden. It's nowhere the size of Barbara's, but it should produce some produce. By the end of the summer, I'll be eating a big, yummy salad from my own garden while reading under a tree. Ahhhh, summer.

Books and Baseball

2009-06-10T20:46:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday I had a fun opportunity - I read my book at a Saint Paul Saints baseball game! The Saints have a program called The Reading Tree that happens at Sunday home games. A local children's author reads from his or her book and a ball player talks about the importance of reading. It's an all around good thing.

Sunday was a double header because of a rain out the night before. So the plan was for me to read between the games. We got there half way through the first game. If you haven't been to a Saints game, you really need to go sometime. In addition to a great game (Saints won) we also had fun watching Mudonna the mascot, the Nerd, Press Guy, the Lumberjack and of course, Slumhog Millionaire, the little pig who brings out balls to the umpire between innings. It was a lot of fun, if a little cloudy and cold that day.

When the game was almost over, I was led down to the field. It was fun to hear the announcer tell the crowd that Dara Dokas, a local children's author, was going to be reading her book, Muriel's Sweater. (Somehow "Red" was dropped from the title.) But he pronounced my name correctly!

We walked out onto the field and a small crowd of kids and parents followed. A ball player, Andrew Bennett, joined us. Andrew and I sat on chairs and I read my book. Then Andrew talked about why reading is important. He also said his favorite book growing up was The Lord of the Rings. And he said he has a lot of time to read on the team bus. Muriel, the duck puppet, made an appearance and then Andrew signed baseballs.

I know the kids were really there for the ball player, but hey, it was fun to read my book and see the game (for free). Plus, I got to meet Slumhog Millionaire (aka Freckles) the pig!

John Coy at Micawbers

2009-05-07T08:03:00.000-07:00

This Saturday, May 9 at 1:00 pm, John Coy will be visiting Micawber's Books. John Coy is the author of many books for children. His newest book is a Middle Grade novel titled TOP OF THE ORDER. It's a book about baseball and friendship. John will be reading from TOP OF THE ORDER on Saturday.

John will also read from one of his picture books, TWO OLD POTATOES AND ME. This book is now out in paperback and is a great one for the season. A father and daughter plant some old, seemingly useless, potatoes. But old potatoes with eyes and sprouts turn into new, delicious potatoes. John does a great job reading this book with kids.

Come by the store if you can this Saturday. You can meet John Coy, enjoy some treats and take home a surprise spring-time gift. I won't tell you what the gift is. You'll have to come and find out.

The Birds and the Bees

2009-05-02T11:54:00.000-07:00

I was recently reminded that "love" is in the air each spring. This led me to think about those sometimes awkward conversations with our children about "the birds and the bees." To help parents discuss sex and where babies come from, there are a couple books I highly recommend.

It's So Amazing! A Book about Eggs, Sperm, Birth, Babies and Families by Robie Harris is a great, straight-forward book (with touches of humor) about where babies come from. The pictures are realistic cartoons. The discussion is very open, but geared for younger kids. This book is good for ages 7 and up.

It's Perfectly Normal: Changing Bodies, Growing Up, Sex and Sexual Health by Robie Harris is a good book for the next stage in the parent-child sex discussions. The books says it's for ages 10 and up, but I recommend it for ages 12 and up. Every child is different (as is every family) so you may want to check it out first. Once again the pictures are realistic cartoon drawings. The topics are important ones for middle school/junior high age kids. It deals with topics such as sexual orientation, pregnancy, sexually transmitted diseases and sexual abuse.

If having "the talk" gives you cold sweats of fear, or if your child thinks talking with you about this stuff is "sooo embarrassing!" you might want to try getting the book and casually leaving it somewhere like in the bathroom. That's what I did with It's So Amazing! and I notice that it's getting read. This, of course, doesn't take the place of "the talk" but it might help initiate a good discussion or two.

On a related topic, as our children grow up they need good information about personal hygiene and their changing bodies. I highly recommend that every parent get their girl a copy of The Care and Keeping of You by the American Girl Library. It's a wonderful book that deals with taking care of a girl's body from brushing her teeth to her first bra and getting her period. It is excellent information for girls ages 9-12.

That's it for my growing-up round-up. Hopefully, when your child next asks a tricky question, you can confidently reach for one of these books and say, "Well, I'm glad you asked."

Spring Fever

2009-04-24T07:34:00.000-07:00

Spring has sprung and I have a bad case of Spring Fever. That's my excuse for not blogging for the past two weeks. So, here is a round-up of the goings-ons as of late. And there has been a lot of goings-ons.

• On Saturday, April 11, Micawber's hosted children's author Laura Purdie Salas as our April "Second Saturdays" special guest. Laura read from her new picture book, STAMPEDE! Poems to Celebrate the Wild Side of School. A small, but enthusiastic group enjoyed her poems as well as the fun animal activities that followed. Kids measured how long their "wing span" was in comparison to flamingoes and flying foxes. Kids also measured how far they could leap. (In case you were wondering, I can jump as far as a squirrel.)

• On Thursday, April 16 the four Micawber's booksellers held a Book Chat. Periodically we invite people to come listen to us talk about our most recent favorite books. The three books I talked about were The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman, Mudville by Kurtis Scaletta and Katie Loves the Kittens, by John Himmelman. If you haven't read any of these books, RUN to your local bookstore (or library) and give them a look. The Graveyard Book and Mudville are novels for kids (and adults!) and Katie Loves the Kittens is a very cute and funny picture book about Katie (a dog) and the new kittens in her life.

• Speaking of dogs, my family now has a second dog. Apparently I thought we didn't have enough to do! Lily, a 3 year-old Shih-Tzu, has joined Lucia, our 11 year-old Wheaten Terrier, Cheech, our crazy cat, and Otter, our rabbit as official pets in the Dokas household. I admit, last week I told Paul (my husband) that we may have crossed the line into ONE PET TOO MANY land. Like I said, I have Spring Fever and that includes little, furry, new babies. AKA a new dog.

• Last but not least, Laura Pudie Salas and I have been doing book talks together called Animal Antics. It has been a lot of fun! It is also a lot of work - we have four Animal Antics this week alone! One was pretty much a disaster (not because of us) and the others have gone very well. Today we are off to the Saint Anthony Park Library to do story time. And tomorrow, Saturday April 25 we will be doing Animal Antics at the Como Zoo. Come by at 12:30 if you want to catch our "show."

That's all for now. Enjoy the Spring weather. I know I am!

The Smell of Books

2009-04-02T18:54:00.000-07:00

I have a very keen sense of smell. I always have. It can be a blessing and a curse, as you can imagine. But, in relationship to my work, it has been a delight. From day one, I have loved the smell of Micawber's. Is it the old floors? The ancient shelves? Is it all the books? Most likely it's some wonderful combination of all these things and more.

Every day, especially first thing in the morning, I love to open the front door and breathe in the smell of the place. I thought I was the only one who had this special olfactory relationship with the store. But I was wrong.

Just this week, two people commented on the smell of Micawber's. A customer entered the store, breathed deep and sighed, "I love to come here. It smells so good." And later, my daughter told me she loves how Micawber's smells. I was amazed. Perhaps my sniffer isn't so unique after all. Or perhaps it's the power of all those books.

Have you ever opened up a brand new book, buried your nose in the crease and breathed deep? I bet you have. It's a great smell. Now imagine a whole bunch of those new books in a store that knows about books, that's old with books. That's what makes the smell of Micawber's so appealing. No Kindle 2 will ever smell as good.

So next time you're in the neighborhood, stop by for a smell. You'll be glad you did.

Fan Mail

2009-03-18T17:45:00.000-07:00

Yippee Skippee! I got my first ever Fan Mail this week! Granted, it was clearly an "assignment" given by a teacher. But, none-the-less, it was still Fan Mail.

Last Sunday I did an author event at The Red Balloon bookstore in St. Paul. It was a lot of fun. While I was there, I was given a packet of letters from the students of St. Paul Open School. I used to work at St. Paul Open School many years ago as an English and drama teacher. The elementary students at Open School recently read my book, MURIEL'S RED SWEATER, and then wrote to me about the book.

Here are a few of my favorite letters:

"Dear Dara,

Thank you for letting us read the book you wrote. My favorite part was everything. Love, R."

(This letter included a big picture of a duck wearing a red sweater.)

"Dear Dara Dokas,

Thank you for the book. It was funny when she was unraveled. I can't believe I'm writing to a writer and really going to send it. Sincerely, your friend, K."

"Dear Dara Dokas,

We read your book. We was so happy because we like your book. Best Friend Forever, S."

"Dear Dara,

I love your book and the pictures are so funny. When I look at the pictures they make me laugh. Thank you. P."

"Dear Dara Dokas,

I really like your book: MURIEL'S RED SWEATER! By C."

(The picture at the bottom shows a big, happy sun and two people. Over one person it says "me" and over the other it says "you.")

I could go on and on. The letters were so sweet. I'm writing a note back to the students at Open School to tell them how much I enjoyed their letters. And I hope in school, they can write and illustrate books of their own!

It's at times like these when I feel so lucky to be a children's writer. It can't get much better than that.

Mud & Baseball

2009-03-11T18:09:00.000-07:00

I just finished, MUDVILLE, a debut young adult novel by local author Kurtis Scaletta. And it was great! I have to admit, it took me a little while to pick up the book because I thought - It's about baseball and I don't really care all that much about baseball. And you know what? It is about baseball, but it's more importantly about character.

The main character, Roy, and his father live in Moundville, where it has been raining constantly for the last 22 years, ever since Moundville played baseball against rival town Sinister Bend. Now, Roy comes home from baseball camp (in a sunny town) to find a boy about his age sitting on his couch. It's Sturgis, a lanky boy with scars and a prosthetic ear. And he's staying!

Will it ever stop raining? Will they ever play ball again in Moundville? What happened to the people of Sinister Bend? And who the heck is Sturgis? I won't say anymore, except read the book to find out what happens. You won't be disappointed.

And if you'd like to meet the author, Kurtis will be at Micawber's this Saturday, March 14 at 1:00 pm. Come by to hear him read from MUDVILLE, meet "Chuck" the baseball-loving puppet, and eat some baseball-related treats. Can you ask for anything more?

P.S. Kurtis loves cats. In this photo, one of his many cats is chewing on his manuscript!

Radiator Blues

2009-03-04T14:31:00.001-08:00

March is a goofy month for weather in Minnesota. Some days feel so warm and sunny that I'm convinced Spring is just around the corner. Then we get nailed with a huge snow storm. I have to remind myself that March is still WINTER! In fact, statistically, March is the snowiest month in Minnesota. I'm seriously hoping that will not be the case this year.

Today, though, is beautiful - warm(ish) and sunny. With lots of windows in the store, it's nice to look out and see the sun. It's also nice to see people walking by without falling down (which has happened several times this Winter!) But with the changing weather, comes an internal store conundrum. The radiators.

I can't say for sure, but I'm convinced that the building owners (who will remain nameless) decided to turn down the heat to save money. This works fine on those nice March days I was talking about. But on the cold, snowy days - not so much!

So now I have the Radiator Blues. Some days at work it's so cold, I have to put my coat back on. We call the "powers that be" and sometimes the radiators begin to creak back to life. But other days, they just stand there like frozen behemoths, good for nothing except collecting dust.

The other day a book rep came to sell us books. He is a good friend and knows our store well. He arrived that chilly day with several layers and never took off his coat. He said, "I changed into warmer clothes when I remembered I was going to Micawber's today." Nice.

Even the customers notice from time to time. Luckily, not very often. So, what can a cold bookseller do? Do what my mother always told me. Dress in layers. And I mean layers. At least 3 or 4 to be safe.

So, if you're in the neighborhood, come on in. We have comfy chairs and lots of great books. Just remember to wear your jacket.

Here are some late-winter children's book recommendations:

Snow! by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Lauren Stringer

Snow Day by Komako Sakai

The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats

Hooray for Snow! by Kazuo Iwamura

And for those of you (like me) who can't wait for Spring:

Fletcher and the Springtime Blossoms by Julia Rawlinson and Tiphanie Beeke

Take care and cozy up with a good book!

Nancy Carlson visits Micawber's

2009-02-18T19:16:00.000-08:00

Last Saturday, Nancy Carlson was the featured children's author/illustrator at Micawber's for our "Second Saturdays" series. Carlson has written and illustrated many books for children and is currently working on her 60th book! Some of her best known books include, I Like Me! and Look Out Kindergarten, Here I Come! Nancy's characters are well-loved. Characters like Henry the mouse, Harriet the dog, and Louanne Pig are beloved by many. Her characters go through familiar ups and downs of being a child from starting school, being the new kid, and trying out for the team.

Carlson says, "All my characters are based on someone I know." When asked which character is her favorite, she can't decide. "But Harriet is most like me," she replies. Harriet is also the first character she created.

On Saturday, Nancy read two books about Henry the mouse: Henry and the Valentine Surprise and Henry's Amazing Imagination! She also read her brand new book, Think Happy!, (which is technically not even out yet, but which we had several copies of anyway.) Of all her recent books, Carlson says she is most proud of Think Happy! because of the great message and also because of the perseverance it took to get it published.

I would have guessed that almost everything Nancy Carlson writes and illustrates would get published. But that is not necessarily the case. Carlson says that she publishes about 20% of what she works on each year. Luckily for all of us, she is very dedicated to her work so we can continue to enjoy her books for many years to come!

The Book is Launched

2009-02-12T12:32:00.000-08:00

Muriel's Red Sweater is officially launched! We had the publication party last Saturday at Micawber's and it was a lot of fun. There were balloons and cake. I read the book and Muriel, the duck puppet, visited everyone. Many people came to help celebrate. Thanks to everyone who could make it. I really appreciate it.

I have to admit, at 15 minutes to 2:00, there were only my husband, daughter and about two other people there. I began to worry that no one else would come. But right at 2:00 pm, the doors opened and people flooded in. There ended up being about 60 people or so at the event, which was wonderful!

I had so much fun welcoming Muriel into the world, with the help of so many of my friends. What a great day! By the end of it all, I was pretty tired. In fact, I went to bed at 8:00 pm that night!

So, now it's been exactly a week since Muriel's release. At the store we've sold 54 copies at last count. Do I check each day I work? You bet! Also, last night on Amazon, Muriel's Red Sweater was the #44 best selling book! OK, OK. I must clarify. It was #44 in the sub-category of "Ducks and Other Waterfowl" under "Animals" under "Children's Books" under "Books." It was number 100,000 something overall. But I was pretty happy!

I just checked again, and it's currently #79 in "Ducks and Other Waterfowl." And 200,000 something overall. I had better get cracking with my global-marketing campaign! Amazon updates their ranking every hour. If I was a little more OCD, I'd be checking every hour. Since I'm not, I'll only check once (or twice or three times max) each day.

But in all seriousness, I am very happy with how the release and launch of Muriel's Red Sweater has gone. And what better thing to celebrate during a dreary February then a new, fun children's book in the world? I can't think of a thing.

Muriel's Red Sweater

2009-02-04T17:10:00.000-08:00

Tomorrow is the official release date for Muriel's Red Sweater! I am very excited about the publication of my second picture book. It feels like a very long time in coming for my book "baby." And it has been.

Many years ago, I woke up in the middle of the night with an idea for this book. I already knew I wanted to write a "circle story" where the main character starts and ends in the same physical place but with some big change. But I didn't know what the story would be. It was my dream that got me started. I dreamt about a duck who was so distracted that she didn't notice her sweater unraveling as she ran around town. That was the beginning.

Now, many years (and many revisions) later, Muriel - that original duck - is finally appearing in the world. And we are going to help her celebrate! There will be a publication party at Micawber's this Saturday, February 7 at 2:00 pm to kick off the book's release.

I am pleased to say that Muriel's Red Sweater has already gotten some good attention. Kirkus Review wrote, "Dokas provides a mystery for the youngest set to unravel . . . (it is) a pleasure for honing observation skills."

If you like a good picture book mystery, check it out! It's a fun, colorful, detailed book that I believe kids (and adults) will enjoy reading over and over. Hooray!

Caldecott Kudos

2009-01-28T17:22:00.000-08:00

The big news this week is the announcement by the ALA (American Library Association) of the 2009 Caldecott and Newberry Medal winners.

Drum roll please ......... The winner of the 2009 Caldecott Medal is THE HOUSE IN THE NIGHT by Susan Marie Swanson and illustrated by Beth Krommes. The Caldecott announcement is always big news, but this year it's especially exciting because Susan Marie Swanson is one of "our own." Susan Marie lives two blocks from Micawber's and is a frequent customer. Not only is she Minnesotan, but a neighborhood gal too. Hooray for Susan Marie Swanson!

Susan Marie's husband stopped into the store yesterday. He said how happy they were and how the phone was ringing off the hook. But I don't think he understands yet how dramatically their life is about to change. For one thing, THE HOUSE IN THE NIGHT is currently (as of this hour) ranked # 37 on Amazon for all books and is in the #1 spot for Picture Books. This is HUGE! Do you know how many books are on Amazon? Well, it's a lot. And to be ranked in the top 50 is amazing!

So, Susan Marie Swanson from down the street, is about to become a very well-known person in the writing world. And did I mention that her book is great? It totally deserves the award. Beth Krommes scratch art is wonderful. Another book that I love that Beth illustrated is called GRANDMOTHER WINTER by Phyllis Root (also a Minnesotan). You should buy both of these books. You will not be disappointed.

And by the way, the 2009 Newberry Medal went to Neil Gaiman for THE GRAVEYARD BOOK. Gaiman is also a "local" author. He lives just across the border in Wisconsin. Yea for Neil Gaiman who also totally deserves this medal!

I once heard an editor from New York say, "There must be something in the water up there because there are so many good writers." I have to agree. But I don't think it's the water. I think it's the winter. But, that's another blog altogether. Bye for now and happy reading!

Hello From Florida

2009-01-21T10:09:00.001-08:00

I'm writing today from sunny Florida! My daughter and I are down here for the week taking a break from sub-zero temperatures. But before you start thinking we are lounging pool side or wading in the Gulf, let me tell you a few things. It is COLD here in Florida this week. I know cold is all very relative. In comparison to Minnesota, it's practically balmy at 50 degrees. But gimme a break, 50 degrees in Florida!

January is a great month for discounts and fewer tourists, but there's no guarantee the weather will be in the 70's and 80's. Go in March if you want to be sure. But, despite the relative coolness, Juliana and I are having a great time. Monday we went to the Ringling Museum and estate. We had the uber-tour of the entire Ringling Mansion and it was amazing! Also, on the veranda we saw a famous person being protected by four, foreign-speaking body guards. The "person-in-need-of-protecting" was a very tall, beautiful blond woman with her two little blond boys. I did not catch enough of the conversation to figure out what language they were speaking and when I ventured closer for a better listen, one of the body guards gave me a serious stare-down. I backed off. So, we probably saw a princess of some northern European country, but I can't say for sure.

Yesterday, we went for a freezing tour of the Myakka State Park. We did not see a single alligator because it was too dang cold. They were all deep in the water trying to stay warm. We did see many birds including Osprey, Egrets, Great Blue Herons and Black Vultures. The park's wild pigs and bobcats were also in hiding that day.

We'll be here till Saturday and the weather report is promising. It should be 70 by Friday. So, we may get one day by the pool or on the beach. Only time will tell. Until next week, Adieu. And stay warm!

It's Cold Outside!

2009-01-14T18:30:00.001-08:00

It is very, very cold here in Minnesota this week. Tonight it will be 20 below zero. And that's not even with wind chill. All week it's been below zero most of the day. This is bad news for several reasons. Micawber's, as you know, is an old, wonderful shop. But, those ancient radiators just aren't up for the job on days like today. In other words, it's COLD in the store.

Today, a customer brought in four of those instant hand warmer things that you put in your boots while skiing or in your pockets at football games. Well, I cracked one of those babies open and had it in my pocket all day long. I think the customer brought them in as a joke, but not really. You know it's bad when customers not only leave their coats on but their hats and mittens too.

Another negative aspect of this super-cold weather is the fact that my dog, Lucia, refuses to go pee outside. She doesn't want to put her little tushy down near the cold snow. So, she holds it and holds it. Luckily, she does not pee in the house, but I'm sure she's going to develop a bladder infection one of these cold days. When I finally get her outside, we walk around and around in the freezing cold. She starts walking on three legs and limping. It's truly pitiful. I try to explain to her that the quicker she goes, the quicker she gets back into the nice, warm house. But for some reason, she doesn't seem to get this logic.

Speaking of Lucia, my dog made a guest appearance at our "Second Saturday" children's book event last Saturday at the store. Children's author & illustrator, David LaRochelle, was at Micawber's reading his great book, THE BEST PET OF ALL. The theme of the day was "pets" so Lucia was our representative pet. She graciously let the children brush her and pet her and give her treats. (I'm sure the treat-eating part was very difficult for her.) The event was a success. David did a wonderful job speaking to the group and he illustrated a "castle story" right on the spot with the kids. It was a lot of fun!

Next Wednesday, I'll be writing from someplace warm and sunny. No, not in my imagination. My daughter and I are running away to Florida for a week. I need to thaw out a bit before I can face the rest of winter. So, as long as I can find WiFi somewhere, there will be a blog post.

Parting thought - stay warm, people. It's cold outside!

It's a New Year!

2009-01-07T18:44:00.000-08:00

Whew! It's January and I survived my first "holiday season" at the bookstore. December was quite a rush - of activity and excitement. I am happy to report that people still bought books as gifts. The way I figure it, in this economy, people still wanted to give some kind of gift to loved ones. The book lovers will always buy books. But perhaps this year some of the former "big-screen TV purchasers" opted for a good book instead. Whatever the reason, we were kept busy at Micawber's in December and I am happy for it.

Now we are into January and the pace of things has slowed down. After any rushed, exciting time, it's nice to have a little quiet time to regroup. So, I too will regroup. I have been quite lax in my blogging as of late. For that, I apologize. With any new year comes New Year's Resolutions. So here is my online resolution. In addition to cutting back on caffeine, exercising more, and watching fewer episodes of Law & Order, I resolve to be a consistent blogger. I will blog every week on Wednesday. (And if I have a little something extra to say, I'll add it on another day.) So, let the New Year Begin!

This Saturday at Micawber's is the second installment of our "Second Saturdays" children's book event series that I created for the bookstore. Each "Second Saturday" has a theme and features a children's author &/or illustrator. This Saturday, January 10 has a "Pets" theme. David LaRochelle will read from his award-winning book, The Best Pet of All. He will also lead the group in creating an original "Castle Story." I have seen him do this activity and it is great! In addition, we'll have treats and a special guest appearance by my dog, Lucia. Lucia will be our representative "pet" and will graciously allow all the little kids to brush, pet and hug her. That reminds me that I need to make a grooming appointment for Lucia this week. (She smells BAD! We don't want to scare the little children away.)

On the writing front, I have News - News - News!

The publication of my picture book, Muriel's Red Sweater, is fast approaching. The big day is February 5, 2009! That's less than a month. Yikes! My writing friend, Laura Purdie Salas, and I got together today to work on marketing ideas for our upcoming books. Laura's picture book, Stampede, comes out April 10, 2009. In addition to hatching plans for our individual books, we have been brainstorming ways to promote our books together. Working together on marketing and promotion over the last several months has been a great way to expand our ideas, be creative and have some fun while we're at it. Look for future announcements on our upcoming book appearances together.

Have a great week and see you next Wednesday!

When Nature Calls

2008-12-10T18:06:00.000-08:00

Yep, you guessed it. This entry is about what to do "when nature calls" and you are the only one working. Frankly, before I worked at the bookstore, I never really considered this dilemma for employees of small shops. When working alone, what do you do when you have to use the facilities? Do you say, "Pardon me Madam, but I have to excuse myself for a moment." Or do you deny nature, ending up uncomfortable and with a possible bladder infection? Or do you do what I did? Make a break for it when no one's around and hope for the best.

I was working alone one evening. It was quiet. No customers. I checked outside the window. No one was approaching on the sidewalk. So I ran. Quick as I could, I took care of nature's call. Then, after quickly washing up, I jumped back into the store to see if anyone had appeared while I was indisposed. It was quiet. I had not heard the bell on the door jingle. I was alone.

I breathed a sigh of relief. I had accomplished my goal without any problem. I felt a bit leisurely for a moment. I brushed my hair. I put on chap stick. As I was rubbing on hand lotion, I heard a small "ahem." My heart clenched. I was NOT alone! Someone had come in while I was in the bathroom and was waiting for me as I primped and preened.

I ran back into the store. "Oh. I'm so sorry! I didn't realize anyone was here. How can I help you?" I felt embarrassed. This woman so obviously knew what I was up to and was probably embarrassed herself to interrupt me. But, fortunately her universal sound for "excuse me" had gotten my attention.

I helped her find the book she was looking for and she left happy with her purchase. I laughed to myself (and at myself) when she was gone. What a goofy thing. But such is life in a small store. You do what you have to do. And I did.

I just hope next time, I realize someone is there right away. Or better yet, I make it back out before anyone even knows. Or I could always make a little sign that says "Back in 3 minutes" and lock the door.

Whatever I decide to do, I'll remind myself to not feel embarrassed. Life happens. Nature calls and you have to respond.

Yellowrocket

2008-11-24T12:58:00.000-08:00

Last week, we hosted a reading by poet Todd Boss. His new book, Yellowrocket, just came out from W.W. Norton & Company. And it is wonderful! The collection is divided into six sections dealing with themes such as family & farming, marriage, children and loneliness.

The title comes from the Yellow Rocket plant that grew on Todd's childhood farm. The story of how his family acquired the farm is remarkable. And Todd's poem, Yellowrocket, captures the essence of that experience.

Boss writes, "Never buy a farm in winter." In winter, their brand new 80 acres were covered in beautiful, white snow. But in spring, snow melted to reveal 80 acres of trash.

Unwitting heirs, we'd

come into a garden

overgrown with plastic

diapers and broken

furniture tangled in

burdock and brambles

and thistle.

And Yellow Rocket. Todd's reading brought me there. I could feel the cold and despair of looking out over 80 acres of garbage. My hands felt chapped and bleeding just listening to him speak of picking up all that trash and hauling it to the dump. He writes:

Had holes been coins,

our gloves and boots

would've jangled.

That evening at Micawber's, Todd also read a poem about the house he used to live in only two blocks from the bookstore. Todd lived in the neighborhood and, in fact, managed Micawber's for a short time. Most of the local houses are nearly 100 years old. I understood this poem completely, thinking about my own old house.

My house is Small and Almost

a hundred years old. Inside,

the oaken posts and beams

make the living room seem

like a glade. When friends

pronounce it comfortable,

it's 1910 that comforts them,

and nothing I have done.

There must be a room

in the human heart

that's older than the body.

And it's good to be there

in that foursquare cathedral

where nothing has changed

since before we were made.

I highly recommend Todd Boss' new collection of poems. Yellowrocket is thoughtful, honest, and very poignant. And if you have a chance to hear him read his work, do it. You'll be glad you did.

Let it Snow!

2008-11-12T09:03:00.000-08:00

Yes, there is snow on the ground here in Minnesota. When I woke up this morning, the world had turned white with an inch of heavy, wet snow covering the grass, branches and my neighbor's garage roof. I wasn't sure how to feel about it actually. In one way, I hate snow because it means Winter is truly here (for the next 6 months). It means shoveling, wetness, and mucky roads. But newly fallen snow also means pure, clean beauty. It means watching my daughter and my dog frolicking in the fluffy stuff. It means ice skating and sledding soon to come. I am all for snow - eventually. Just not too early.

What does snow and winter mean for me at Micawber's? Our little neighborhood does winter well. The area around the bookstore is beautiful in all seasons, but in winter the lights come on and it twinkles at night. With dark coming so early, a little twinkle is nice. And inside the store, it is getting cozy. The colder and wetter it is outside, the warmer and more welcoming it feels inside. I have already heard customers sigh when they enter the store. They shake off the chill, or the rain drops, and breathe deep. For a time, they are in a warm, safe place filled with books and light and soft music. There are comfy chairs next to floor lamps to sit in. The store invites you to get comfortable and stay for awhile.

This is my first winter working at Micawber's, but I think I'm going to like it. Being inside with all those books while it snows and blows outside, will be comforting indeed. And luckily for me, there's a coffee shop right across the street that makes great hot chocolate. Let it snow!

What Time Change?

2008-11-03T18:24:00.000-08:00

I consider myself to be a fairly with-it person. I'm generally very organized, can multi-task and stay "on top of the ball." Then something happens - like tonight - that reminds me that I am not infallible. In fact, sometimes I do something that's just plain dumb.

We all know that as of Sunday, Daylight Savings Time ended and we all turned our clocks back 1 hour. Like the "with-it" person I am, I reset all the clocks in our house, including the microwave and answering machine. But, apparently there was one clock I forgot to change - my wristwatch.

Tonight, I closed the bookstore an hour early by mistake. I shut the door and locked it at exactly 8 pm (according to my wristwatch.) I shut off the lights, ran the reports and took out the trash. I was very efficient and orderly. On my way home, I called my husband. He said, "Why are you coming home? It's only 7:30." I was astounded. I hate messing up. But, I do. And I did.

Being an honest (and embarrassed) person, I called Tom, one of the owners, and confessed. He laughed and told me to forget about going back. There wasn't much I could do at that point. I felt like a fool. I was a fool. But, luckily I work for and with great people. Even the most "with-it" person messes up from time to time.

Well, you can probably guess that my wristwatch now displays the accurate time. I am, once again, a totally organized, multi-tasking wiz! (That is, until I make another silly mistake.)

Friends - Old and New

2008-11-02T14:43:00.000-08:00

Yesterday at the bookstore, I reconnected with an old friend that I haven't seen since I was 9 years old. Working at Micawber's has provided me with surprising chances to reconnect with old friends. And it certainly has brought in many new friends as well.

Our local paper, The Bugle, started a new series called "The People in Your Neighborhood." Each month, they will highlight a local business and someone who works there. So, that person who routinely serves me a Mocho IceCrema at Dunn Brothers might actually be an up and coming singer and I just didn't know it. (This, in fact, is true. And I will die young if I keep ordering IceCremas.) Or, it will be fun to learn how Jeff at The Little Wine Shop got so knowledgeable about wine and beer.

The new series began in November and featured our bookstore, Micawber's. I was the one working when Dave showed up to do the article. Thus, I am featured, along with Micawber's. It's been fun having people I've known for years comment on the article. "Fun story." "When's your book coming out?" "I didn't know you grew up here." But it's also been interesting to have people I don't know come into the shop and say, "You're Dara. I saw you in The Bugle." New friends to be sure. One person even said I was a "local celebrity." That's a bit much. But if it brings new people into the store to say, "Hi," and check out our books, then great.

But the best part is that the article brought in a very unexpected friend. My childhood pal, Tanya, was in town visiting her father when she saw the Bugle article. Tanya and I haven't seen each other since we were in 4th grade, but when she walked into Micawber's yesterday afternoon I completely recognized her face. It's funny how we change and we don't. We hugged each other. I met her husband and little boy. We reminisced about singing together in choir and playing at each other's houses. It was great to reconnect with a friend from so long ago. And it was because of the store and the story.

Having worked at the bookstore for almost three months now, I have met many new friends. People who come in regularly and those who stop in just now and again. I've enjoyed learning their names and a little bit about them. One man spent a good half hour telling me about his trip to Alaska on a cruise ship. It was a quiet afternoon and he talked and talked. Finally, when another customer arrived, he said goodbye and left. I am sad to say that I never learned his name. So, the next time he comes in to look at the big Titanic book in the front window, I'll start things out right and say, "Hi. I'm Dara. Welcome back to Micawber's."

Micawber's in the Morning

2008-10-28T09:19:00.001-07:00

I love opening at Micawber's. Arriving early in the morning, I unlock the old wooden door and push my way into the quiet of the store. I turn on a single light, the ancient chandelier above the cash register. All else is still dark. The wooden floor is very old. The wood slats don't match up the way they once did. The patina is a weathered grey. An oriental rug covers one section. It looks weathered too, but comfortable. I breathe in the smells of the store - old wood and books. It's a good smell. I am quiet as I walk around getting ready for the day. Once the store opens, we will have music on in the background. Irish music, most likely, if I'm in charge. A local vocalist perhaps if Hans makes the selection. Tom might choose the Blind Boys of Alabama. And if Karen opens the store, you can bet you'll hear classical music from the radio.

But, not now. When I am here alone in the morning, I don't turn on music. I don't hum or sing. I am simply quiet, along with the store itself. We are both still waking up. Upstairs, I hear faint sounds of someone getting ready for work - walking across the floor, turning on the faucet. There is an apartment above us. I'll forget this fact for the rest of the day, but in the morning I am reminded that there is life overhead.

Now that it's October, the ancient radiators have hissed back to life. It is warm again in the store. I walk around straightening books, checking the displays. In the kid's section, I rearrange the big bear where kids love to snuggle. I walk past the two old armchairs that are falling apart, but are still so comfy. Every day people plop down in those chairs and stay awhile. In fiction, there is a fireplace mantel. It took me a month to realize there is no actual fireplace in the store, just a very beautiful, wooden mantel with a mirror. It's a great place to display books. People have offered us money for it. But, it belongs in the store.

There are boxes of books by the back door. Returns mostly. One of these days - soon - we'll get to them. But, there are always other things to do. More important things. I walk around the huge, heavy wooden tables laden with new titles. They are great for books. Terrible to move. I vacuum the tiny leaves off the wooden floor and oriental rug. The vacuum seems to just blow the leaves around, not wanting to actually take them away.

It's almost time to open the store. I look up at the old clock hanging above the register. I laugh, forgetting, and check my wristwatch. It's always noon on the store clock. It stopped long ago. I walk around now turning on all the lights. It's time to fully wake up and invite people in. The one plant - a bonsai of some kind - has water. But, that is not my job. Someone else makes sure the bonsai lives.

It's ten o-clock in the morning now. All the lights are on, the books straightened, the little leaves vacuumed and the register ready. I turn on the music. And I unlock the door. We - the store and I - are ready for a new day.

Trade Shows & Free Books

2008-10-23T08:14:00.000-07:00

Every September the Midwest Booksellers Association (MBA) holds its annual convention in St. Paul. There are workshops and sessions for booksellers, meals with authors, and a Trade Show open all day Saturday. I have attended the trade show once as an author when my first book, Remembering Mama, came out in 2002. I sat at the Augsburg table and signed copies of my books to give away to booksellers. It was fun, but a bit overwhelming.

This year I attended MBA as a bookseller. It was an entirely different experience. The whole purpose of the trade show is to get booksellers interested in buying new titles from various publishers. Every big publisher is there and many, many small ones. I had the opportunity to walk around the trade show with Tom (one of my bosses) who has been in the book business for over 30 years. Tom knew just about everyone and they knew him. It was a huge learning experience for me. I met the reps from many publishing houses. They are the men and women who actually sell the books to the bookstores. They travel all around meeting with book buyers at their stores. Or they call and make phone appointments several times a year to sell books for the upcoming season.

Books are generally published in three seasons - Fall, Spring and Summer. Fall runs September through December and is usually when the biggest books are released. Holiday book buying should never be underestimated for a small, independent bookstore. December book sales alone can equal sales in several other months combined. The Spring season runs January through April. And Summer covers May through August. Right now, we are in the middle of the Fall season, but we are buying books for Spring. You always have to work a season ahead. All the new titles in the store this Fall were ordered last summer.

So, at the MBA trade show, the publishers were primarily highlighting their Spring books. And they don't just talk about them; they give free copies away! Tom, the seasoned book buyer, took just a couple books. I, on the other hand, took so many free books that by noon I was dragging my bag on the floor because I could no longer carry it. MBA made a rule a few years ago that no wheeled bags (aka luggage) were allowed on the trade show floor. Neither were baby strollers, unless they contained actual babies. People were going crazy grabbing free books. Now, you can only take what you can carry (or drag).

Also a note on etiquette. It amazes me how people can get when free things are being offered. Granted, I accepted a lot of free books. But all of them were offered to me. I never grabbed a book from a publisher's table. Bad etiquette. And, these books are meant for us to read and enjoy (and hopefully buy tons of copies). Apparently some book sellers actually bring their free copies back to their shops and sell them. Bad form people! Accept your free books and be happy.

So, have I read all my free books yet? No. And, I have so many that I'll be giving many of them away to members of my book club and writer's group. I can only have so many stacks of books on my kitchen table. We need to eat somewhere.

The MBA convention was a great way to kick off my book selling career. I felt like a real professional! And was treated like one, too. But next year I've got to find a stroller (with a real baby in it) to hold all my books. This year, my shoulder was just killing me.

Poetry and Tattoos

2008-10-21T14:35:00.001-07:00

Last night, at Micawber's, we had a poetry reading by Raymond McDaniel. He read from his new collection, Saltwater Empire, published by Coffee House Press. McDaniel teaches at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor which is my alma mater. It was fun to talk "U of M" with him. But I could tell from his wee-bit of an accent (and the fact that he said "Ya'all") that he was not a Michigan native. Turns out he is originally from the Florida Panhandle and has lived several places in the south, including New Orleans. My favorite of his poems where his first person poems from the voice of displaced persons after Hurricane Katrina. Very moving.

But he also had lots of anecdotes about his own life. One in particular caught my attention. Where he grew up there was a tattoo parlor that brilliantly advertised "Tattoos while you wait." Now, I don't know about you, but I'd like to see a permanent tattoo done while you didn't wait. So, I started thinking about tattoos. Full disclosure for all my readers - Bookshop Gal has a tattoo. I never intended to have a tattoo. But, when I turned 40 I decided a tattoo was what I needed for my new decade. (The real deal is that I couldn't afford a sports car.) So, now I have a sun tattoo on my right foot. And let me tell you, it hurt like a son-of-a-gun. I was waiting alright. And waiting. And waiting for it be over. I might sound like a wimp, but I was truly concentrating on not passing out. So, when I turn 50 I might just have to get the sports car instead.

You all know we sell books at Micawber's, but what you might not know is that we also sell tattoos. Yes, we do. We sell lots of these little Dover books for $1.50 each. Some have little stories, some stickers, and apparently others have temporary tattoos. The way I found out is through a customer. She recently turned 50 and wanted a permanent tattoo. After further consideration, she decided against it. But, she still wanted a tattoo. She found the answer at our shop. The Dover tattoo books have flowers and designs - things an adult might want to paste on her body. No SpongeBob SquarePants or Thomas the Train tattoos at our store! So, every month she comes in to buy a new book of tattoos and puts a new one on her ankle each week. It's an ever-changing, non-permanent tattoo. Not like a sun on the foot.

So, if you've been considering a tattoo but aren't sure about the permanency or pain factors, I recommend checking out the little Dover tattoo books. They could be just the thing you're looking for. And you can try one on yourself "while you wait."

Bookshop Gal Begins

2008-10-20T08:49:00.001-07:00

Welcome to my blog. I began my career as a bookseller in August 2008, just a couple months ago. I'm a children's picture book author and a former English and drama teacher. I'm thrilled to be working at Micawber's Books, the bookshop in my neighborhood. What a great way to see several sides of the book world - writing, buying and selling. And in my few short months of bookselling, I've noticed many curious things about working at a small, independent bookstore. I've met loads of wonderful (and interesting) people and I've unpacked even more boxes filled with great books. So, I wanted to share my thoughts and observations with you.

We are a small bookshop with a long history. Micawber's has been around for over 30 years. The current owners have owned Micawber's for 5 + years. There are only four regular booksellers. Tom and Hans, the owners. Karen and myself. And, occasionally Tommy and Maura help out. Since it's so small, we do it all. Unpack, shelve, help customers find books, sell books using the finicky register, order books, call customers, set up displays, visit with everyone who walks through our door, vacuum, dust and take out the trash. I even had to remove the poor dead bird (my first casualty) after he flew in and crashed into the front window.

For those of you who think working at a bookstore includes loads of time to lounge around and read, think again. This is one of the most physical jobs I've ever had. (And I've been an Elementary Teacher.) It's also one of the most rewarding jobs I've ever had.

I'll reveal all (well almost all) in my blog so you can be a part of the bookshop too. Like Cheers, it's a place where everyone (well at least Tom, Hans and Karen) knows your name. I'm still learning customer's names and the job of being a bookseller. Come along for the ride as I begin this new adventure.