Introducing The Kids Book Review Club at The Bookstore

The Bookstore is proud to introduce its new children's program: The Kids Book Review Club: Book Reviews by Kids for Kids! We'll be launching the program in May, starting with the second graders from Lincoln School.

Any child who loves to read and write book reviews is eligible to join. We will keep your book reviews in a special Kids Book Review Club Binder at The Bookstore, and publish them from time to time on our blog. We have official membership cards for anyone who turns in a review to the store, whether in person or by e-mail to justthebookstore@gmail.com.

The Lincoln School second grade book reviews will be featured in a rotating window and table display at The Bookstore from May 8th through May 22nd. Any student book reviewer who stops in The Bookstore during that time will receive a membership card and a small treat. Their family will receive 10% off all purchases during their visit. The book reviewers have also been invited to make an optional oral presentation on Thursday, May 13th and Thursday, May 20th between 4:00 and 6:30pm. Reviewers are asked to sign up for a specific one-half hour time slot by e-mail.

If there are any other classrooms that would like to participate in a similar program, please let us know! Children are also welcome to participate on an individual basis or in connection with their usual summer reading program. Who knows? Some day they could grow up to be a famous book reviewer! And then they can say it all started here. . . .

Here is a sample of some of our Kids Book Reviews:

Kids Book Reviews


Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen
Reviewer: Maddie
A lion comes to the library! What will happen to the people? Will they be eaten or no? Hope not! My favorite part was when the lion came to the library. The lion comes and everyone is scared. I like this part because I love lions. I recommend this book to people who like animals. It is a good book. It's a favorite!





The Cat in the Hat by Dr. Seuss
Reviewer: Zak
The Cat in the Hat is an interesting book by Dr. Seuss. He comes and plays with the kids that live there. It shows people how to have fun. My favorite part is the cat juggling stuff. I connected to this part when I tried to juggle.
I recommend this book to people who like Dr. Seuss because he has a lot of imagination from just doodling pictures. You should read this book because it's a good book.



And to Think I Saw it On Mulberry Street by Dr. Seuss
Reviewer: Rory
And to Think I Saw It On Mulberry Street is about this boy who only sees a donkey pulling a man in a wagon on the way to school and back. But he keeps imagining it bigger and bigger. And the author is . . . Dr. Seuss.
I imagined every day how cars would look like in the future. If wagons were real then and if they had any lakes. But the Awesomest part is when theirs a band on it a man sitting on Teeny tinny house and the President watching. I recommend this book to anyone who like crazy wiled stores. Dr. Seuss took me and might take you into this little guys imagination. So if you're looking for a crazy story you should read this book!

Escape by Paul Dowswell

Reviewer: Yusuf

Escape is by Paul Dowswell. It is a book about notorious people who escaped from all different jails. Some people had to travel by ship to get away. My favorite part is in Break Out of Alcatraz, chapter when they made a power drill out of . . . What you may ask read this book and find out. There trying to make a tool for digging so first they use a spoon and a couple of other stuff. Then they got a little chip and some advice. I like this part because they use the drill when other people play there instrument. So they are muted out. I recommend this book for anyone who has a spirit of adventure! Paul Dowswell takes us to and shows us all the famous escapes. You should read this book to find out about the great escapes.

Keep checking our blog for more Kids Book Reviews. All Lincoln School second graders' reviews will be published during the month of May.

Author Kelly O'Connor McNees Pays a Visit

I love Twitter.

One day I'm tweeting about how much I enjoyed a new April release, and the next week the author comes to pay us a visit at The Bookstore. And that's how Twitter friends can become friends IRL.

Pictured here is Kelly O'Connor McNees signing copies of her debut novel, The Lost Summer of Lousia May Alcott (Amy Einhorn Books; IndieNext List Notable for April 2010). We had a great afternoon chatting about books - at one point she even got to play "Bookseller For A Day" and help us try to find a book for a customer who'd heard "something on NPR."

We have a few extra signed copies in stock if you hurry in. You'll see in the background of this photo that her book has already earned a blue "staff pick" card, as well as a Book Blogger Bookmark from @devourerofbooks, our favorite area book blogger. As I said on my staff pick card, this book is for "anyone who would rather read and write than do laundry." I can only hope that describes you.

The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott will make a fantastic book club discussion book - we even got started on a discussion of our own yesterday - about the sacrifices women make or refuse to make as they try to figure out how to balance work, love, family and laundry. I'd recommend it to fans of Little Women, those who enjoyed Geraldine Brooks' wonderful book March, as well as anyone who simply enjoys a smart, sweet love story. If that's you, I promise you'll love it.

I'd love to tell you more, but I've been putting off laundry all day. Ah yes, the balancing act.

The 1st Annual Downtown Glen Ellyn Bookfest

Featured Author Events
Downtown Glen Ellyn Bookfest
June 19, 2010

The Bookstore, along with the Glen Ellyn Public Library and the Downtown Glen Ellyn Alliance, is pleased to announce the following line-up of Featured Authors at the 1st Annual Downtown Glen Ellyn Bookfest. For questions, please call The Bookstore at (630) 469-2891.

In addition to this stellar list of Featured Authors, there are many other free programs and events planned for the Bookfest, including book signings, workshops, storytimes, a poetry slam and a 50 Hour Team Readathon in celebration of The Bookstore's 50th Anniversary in 2010. For a preliminary schedule, go to the Downtown Glen Ellyn Alliance website, which will continue to be updated. For additional updates, follow the Bookfest on www.Twitter.com/@GEBookfest or on Facebook.

Elizabeth Berg

New York Times Bestselling Author

Keynote Speaker

June 19, 2010 at 3pm

Glenbard West High School Auditorium

670 Crescent Blvd., Glen Ellyn

(Ticketed event, book signing to follow)

Tickets include a copy of her latest book, The Last Time I Saw You, a lovely book that follows five characters as they prepare for and attend their 45th high school reunion. Tickets are $25.00 and are available online or at The Bookstore, 475 N. Main St., Glen Ellyn, IL 60137. Online tickets may be redeemed at The Bookstore for a copy of the book any time after April 6th, otherwise it will be available for pick-up at the Auditorium on the date of the event. If you do not require a copy of the book, you may substitute a $25.00 gift certificate to The Bookstore. Questions? Please call The Bookstore at (630) 469-2891.

Charlene Ann Baumbich
Author, Speaker, Humorist
Author of Stray Affections and more
Introducing and Welcoming Elizabeth Berg
Featured Author & Humorist:

"Get Lit" Happy Hour
4-6pm, Tap House Grill, 411 N. Main St.

(Event open to the public, book signing)

Stephanie Cowell

Author of Claude and Camille: A Monet Novel, Marrying Mozart, and more
Featured Author Luncheon at Bistro Monet

June 19th, 11:30- 1pm (followed by book signing)

Bistro Monet, 462 N. Park Blvd.

This is a ticketed event at a charming local French Bistro, which includes a special price fixe menu (inspired by the Paris Bistros Monet himself frequented!) and a copy of Claude and Camille. Tickets are $50 and may be purchased at The Bookstore or online. If you choose to purchase your ticket online, you may pick up your book at The Bookstore at any time prior to the event, otherwise they will be available at Bistro Monet at the time of the luncheon. If you do not require a copy of the book, you may substitute a $25.00 gift certificate to The Bookstore.

Melanie Benjamin

Author of Alice I Have Been

Featured Author Discussion with Kelly O'Connor McNees:

"Risky Business: Writing About Literary Icons"

June 19th at 1:30pm

Glen Ellyn Public Library, 400 Duane Street
(Free event open to the public; book signing to follow)

Kelly O'Connor McNees

Author of The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott
Featured Author Discussion with M. Benjamin:

"Risky Business: Writing About Literary Icons"

June 19th at 1:30pm

Glen Ellyn Public Library, 400 Duane Street

(Free event open to the public; book signing to follow)

Pamela Ferdinand
Journalist and Co-Author of Three Wishes: Our True Story of Good Friends, Crushing Heartbreak and Astonishing Luck on Our Way to Love and Motherhood
Featured Author Appearance and Book Signing:

"Bagels at The Bookstore"

June 19th, 10am-11:30am

The Bookstore, 475 N. Main St.
(Open to the public; free bagels & coffee)

Valerie Laken
Author of Dream House
Book Talk and Signing
Renaissance Art Studio
481 N. Main St.
Time to be announced
(Open and free to the public)

Glennette Tiley Turner

Author of numerous adults and children's books including The Underground Railroad In Illinois and An Apple for Harriet Tubman

Featured Author Talk: "Local Underground Railroad History"
10-11am, Glen Ellyn Public Library

400 Duane Street

(Open and free to the public, book signing)

Marianne Malone
Artist and Author of Sixty-Eight Rooms

Featured Author - Family Lunch and Art Workshop

June 19th, 11am-1pm

Glen Oak Restaurant

479 Pennsylvania Ave., Glen Ellyn

(Book signing available)

This is a ticketed event that includes a fixed-price menu and one copy of the book per family. Marianne Malone will discuss her inspiration for the book, which is about children who time travel through the Thorne Miniature Rooms at The Art Institute of Chicago. The event will include a special art project for all of the children, supplies and guidance provided. Tickets are not yet available, but will be sold at The Bookstore and on the Downtown Alliance website.

Billy Lombardo
Author of The Man With Two Arms, How To Hold A Woman

Featured Author -Family Dinner Event: "Baseball Books"

June 19th, 6-8pm

Bells & Whistles Snackery

405 N. Main St.

This is a ticketed event, featuring a fixed price dinner at an old-fashioned independent family restaurant and soda shop. The theme is baseball for fans of all ages. Billy Lombardo will speak about his book, which is about a "Baseball Dad" and his son, who becomes an ambidextrous pitcher for the Chicago Cubs. Tickets include one copy of The Man With Two Arms per family. Tickets are not yet available, but will soon be sold on the Downtown Glen Ellyn Alliance website. Questions? Call The Bookstore at (630) 469-2891.

J.A. Konrath
Author and Writing Instructor, COD

Author of numerous novels featuring Lieutenant Jacqueline "Jack" Daniels, including: Whiskey Sour, Fuzzy Navel, Shot of Tequila and Cherry Bomb.
Featured Author at "Get Lit" Happy Hour

4-6pm, Tap House Grill, 411 N. Main St.

(Open to public, book signing available)

Tony Romano

Author of When the World Was Young and If You Eat You Never Die

Featured Author: Italian Dinner Event

6-8pm

Details available soon

Bob Raczka

Artist and Author of numerous children's books:

No One Saw, Art Is... , Summer Wonders and many more

Featured Author: "Kids Love Art Books!"

9:30-10:30am, Glen Ellyn Public Library

400 Duane Street, Glen Ellyn

(Open to the public; book signing available)

We hope you're as excited as we are about this outstanding list of Featured Authors who will be coming to Glen Ellyn for the 1st Annual Downtown Glen Ellyn Bookfest. Help make Glen Ellyn "A Village That Celebrates Books!"

Elizabeth Berg: The Last Time I Saw You

We couldn't be more excited about the recent release of Elizabeth Berg's newest book, The Last Time I Saw You. Elizabeth Berg will be coming to Glen Ellyn this summer for an appearance at the 1st Annual Downtown Glen Ellyn Bookfest on June 19th.

Elizabeth Berg is the Keynote Speaker at the GE Bookfest and will be speaking at the Glenbard West High School Auditorium at 3:00pm, where she will be introduced by Glen Ellyn's own local author, Charlene Baumbich.

Tickets for Berg's appearance and book signing are available at the Downtown Glen Ellyn website, or are available in person at The Bookstore. The ticket price includes a copy of the book, which may be claimed at The Bookstore at any time prior to the event (bring your ticket). All remaining book orders will be distributed at check-in at the event. If you have any questions, just call The Bookstore at (630) 469-2891.

The Bookstore staff has already enjoyed an advance copy of the book, so we can tell you a little bit about it already. It's based on five different characters who are preparing to go to their 40th high school reunion. Anyone thinking about a reunion can relate to this book, whether you're getting ready for your 5th or your 50th. As is always the case with Elizabeth Berg's fiction, her characters are real and authentic. They have a way of giving you those familiar "me too" moments of self-recognition. One of my favorite scenes is between a mother and her 20-something daughter who is giving wardrobe advice for the reunion. I've been there, and Elizabeth Berg captures the daughter's tone perfectly (sweet or condescending? -- so hard to tell sometimes).

We heartily recommend this book to our customers, and think it will make a wonderful Mother's Day gift. (In fact, why not buy your mom a ticket to this and some of the other wonderful events at The Bookfest, and spend the day together? Fun coincidence: it's the same day as the Glen Ellyn Garden Walk.) Another great idea? Invite some of your old high school friends and share some good laughs about some of your own bad reunions!

Elizabeth was kind enough to answer a few of my questions about her book and her appearance at the GE Bookfest, and I'm happy to share the Q & A here:

Margie: I love the title of your new book: The Last Time I Saw You. It implies change, whether good or bad, and it's so open-ended. It invites us to think back to our own high school years and fill in the blank. If one of your former high school classmates said that to you now, how might they complete the sentence? Would it make you cringe or would it make you smile?

Elizabeth: Oh jeez. they'd probably say, "The last time I saw you, you were wearing cat-eye glasses and asking teachers questions like, "What is truth?" I'm embarrassed to say I actually did ask my poor history teacher that. We weren't even talking about anything like that. I just wanted him to say, "Well, what do you think it is?" and then I could answer by saying what I'd recently heard a very smart friend of mine say: "Truth is what you believe."

Margie: The book revolves around the characters' 40th High School reunion, but it will be the last reunion for this group so it feels like the stakes are raised. It's now or never. Do you think that's what motivated the characters to step up and connect? What does that say about our daily lives?

Elizabeth: There is something about last chances, isn't there? So yes, I do think it was a motivating force for all the characters to show up at their reunion. As for what it says about our daily lives, maybe it brings into focus the fact that we pass up a lot of opportunities until our backs are to the wall.

Margie: I absolutely loved the character Lester, who is an incredibly devoted veterinarian. He's the kind of doctor you dream of having, whether it's for our pets or our human family. At the same time, however, you can see that Lester's devotion comes at least in part from a sad and lonely place. It makes you wonder how often brilliant work really does spring from loss. Your thoughts?

Elizabeth: I think this is an astute observation. Lester would be a good vet because he is a kind and sensitive person and he's nuts about animals. But the degree of his devotion does indeed have to do with the fact that his work is substitute for another kind of love in his life. He's not quite sure he really wants. I think some people choose to have work be the love of their life. Or the work that they choose leaves no room for anything else and they don't have a problem with that. Most of us, of course, need the love and care of another individual, and we need to offer the same in return.

Margie: When you come to the Downtown Glen Ellyn Bookfest on June 19th, you'll be speaking at the Glenbard West High School Auditorium just a couple of weeks after the Class of 2010 graduates. I'm sure their 40th reunion in 2050 is unimaginable to them. What kind of graduation advice would some of the characters in The Last Time I Saw You offer them? (Dorothy the newly divorced one, Pete the heartthrob, Mary Alice the excluded one, Candy the beauty, or Lester the quiet vet?)

Elizabeth:

Dorothy: As much as you are able, drop the pretense. As early as you can, learn to be who you really are. Also: men are not all they're cranked up to be. Grandchildren are.

Pete: Always wear short shirts, even when you get old.

Mary Alice: The best things do not always come from obvious places. In fact, they hardly ever do. Life is capable of surprising you in the most unexpected of ways, no matter who you are or how old you are. Learn to trust the unknown and to always have hope in the future.

Candy: See and respect yourself first. Then you can love the whole world.

Lester: If you get a dog, get a big one. If you profess to love someone, make a habit of showing them that love every single day. Try to live your life looking forward not backward.


Margie: Thanks, Elizabeth!



I hope you're as excited as I am to welcome Elizabeth Berg to Glen Ellyn. See you at the Bookfest on June 19th! Any questions, just call us at (630) 469-2891 or e-mail us at justbook475@yahoo.com.

The Boox Toar Staph Suffer a Sudden Death at Glen Ellyn's Spellapalooza

Pictured here is The Bookstore's Spellapalooza team "Boox Toar Staph" consisting of Julia Berg (Glenbard West teen employee), Sue Kowalski and Margie White, standing next to the vexing two minute timer after their sudden death loss in the final round of the village spelling bee.

Spellapalooza is an annual benefit for the Glen Ellyn Children's Resource Center, which provides literacy and life skill assistance to children living in low-income households in Glen Ellyn. More than half of the students served are refugees, representing families from 14 different countries in North and South America, Europe, Asia and Africa. Funds raised at the event will be used to support the Center's after-school and summer literacy programs.

It's a cause that's worth embarrassing yourself for. At first, we entered the spelling bee with the humble wish that we wouldn't be the first team eliminated. Then, as we proceeded beyond the first and second round and into the third, our adrenaline started to surge and we realized we really wanted to win!

Sometimes it's luck and sometimes it's skill, but in the end we found ourselves in the sudden death finals pitted against last year's Co-winners, "Spellin' for Ellen," consisting of Heidi Hann, Diana Visco and Gail Minkus. In a new twist this year, each final team was given two minutes to spell as many words correctly as possible. The Boox Toar Staph won the coin toss and chose to go second, but that still didn't help. We missed the first three words, and after that, we were crazy with stress and the ticking of the timer. Our final word was "formaldehyde," which we'll always remember is spelled with an "e."

Our congratulations and admiration goes to "Spellin' for Ellen," who have some really stellar spelling skills! Our special thanks goes to team member Julia Berg, our spokesperson at the microphone who showed great poise and calm under pressure. Thanks also to all of our supporters and cheerleaders, especially Jenny Fisher who cheered us on with party horns and customized Bookstore cookies. (The best part of Spellapalooza is the Team Spirit Award, which encourages crazy costumes and cowbells in the audience.)

I'm already looking forward to next year!

Cinco de Mayo With A Literary Twist: Luis Urrea at The Bookstore

The Bookstore is thrilled to be hosting a unique Cinco de Mayo Celebration with Luis Alberto Urrea on May 5th at 7pm, featuring margaritas, appetizers and stories among friends.

We'll be celebrating Luis' newest book, Mr. Mendoza's Paintbrush (April 2010), a graphic novel based on the first short story in Urrea's Six Kinds of Sky (2002). Luis teamed up with muralist Christopher Cardinale to retell the story set in Rosario, Mexico, the town that Luis visited in the summers when he was growing up in Tijuana and San Diego. It's the kind of town that's full of "cousins and excitement and magical adventures and very pretty girls." Sounds like there's some good stories there!

Local book clubs are also excited to have the chance to talk with Luis about Into the Beautiful North (2009), a girl-power road trip story about a group of funny and brave young Mexicans who travel to the United States (all the way to Kankakee, Illinois) to recruit immigrants to return to Mexico and help them save their village. It's a fabulous book that challenges immigration stereotypes with a sense of humor and poetic insight. This would make a great selection for your May book club meeting if you haven't read it yet. Then you can come and chat with the author over margaritas and salsa.

We're also hoping to hear a little bit about Luis' current project, a sequel to The Hummingbird's Daughter (2005), his magical epic, and of course, his Pulitzer-prize nominated nonfiction title, The Devil's Highway.

So if you enjoy a little literary levity, please join us for this unique Cinco de Mayo. Please call (630) 469-2891 or e-mail justbook475@yahoo.com to register. Book clubs can register as a group with an estimated head count. Purchase of at least one of Luis' books is required, but trust me, you'll want them all!

Brought to you in partnership with our sponsor, Chicks 'n Salsa, a local, independently-owned Mexican restaurant in Glen Ellyn.

Introducing: Book Blogger Bookmarks at The Bookstore

The Bookstore had a recent visit from local book blogger Jen Karsbaek ("Devourer of Books") along with her adorable son Daniel. Even if Daniel is only 8 months old, he's already following in his mom's footsteps. He couldn't resist trying to devour his favorite board books - everything goes in his mouth!

What a fun visit. We swapped ARC's, talked about our favorite books and discussed book blogs. Oh, and we snuggled with Daniel, who chatted up a storm himself. No surprise he loves The Bookstore.

Then we gave Jen a little surprise - her very own book recommendation bookmarks. Kind of like our blue staff pick cards, but with a flair. They feature a photo of Jen in her wedding dress. (in which she is, of course, reading!)

Anyway, Jen had fun distributing her new bookmarks throughout the store, enjoying one of the best perks of being an indie bookseller. Our customers will benefit too! The more personal recommendations in our books, the better they sell. And as much as we'd like to, The Bookstore staff just can't read everything! We encourage our customers to check out Jen's blog for great book reviews, give-aways, challenges and guest bloggers. Follow her on Twitter as @devourerofbooks.

So thanks, Jen! Any other book bloggers out there who'd like to visit and get their own Book Blogger Bookmarks, let us know! We'd love to be one of the stops on your "Book Blogger Indie Tour."

In fact, we just happen to have a bookmark ready for Rebecca @bookladysblog, who has a crazy category for books/authors she really, really likes. (As the bookmark says, if you have to ask you might not want to know. Just a little crazy book blogger humor!)

Book Buzz at The Bookstore's 10th Annual Book Group NIght

Pictured here are Jane, Jenny and Margie at The Bookstore's 10th Annual Book Group Night, holding some books that they just "couldn't put down."

In case you couldn't make it, we're posting a list of staff picks we discussed that night, along with a list of favorites from the local book clubs. If your club didn't make it, or if your favorite isn't listed below, feel free to add a comment with your own book club recommendation!

Jane's Picks:

Generosity by Richard Powers (paperback 8/10)

Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier (hardcover 1/10)

Saving Cee Cee Honeycutt (hardcover 1/10)

The Little Stranger by Sarah Waters (paperback 5/10)

Strength in What Remains by Tracy Kidder (paperback 5/10)

Stray Affections by Charlene Baumbich (paperback)

When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead (Newbery 2010, hardcover)

Jenny's Picks:

The Crying Tree by Naseem Rekha (paperback 6/10)

Delicate Edible Birds by Lauren Groff (hardcover 1/09)

Spooner by Pete Dexter (hardcover 9/09)

Under This Unbroken Sky by Shandi Mitchell (hardcover 9/09)

Peace by Richard Bausch (paperback)

A Fraction of the Whole by Steve Toltz (paperback)

Sue's Picks:

Ms. Hempl Chronicles by Sarah Shun-Lie Bynum (paperback)

Someone Knows My Name by Lawrence Hill (paperback)

The Housekeeper and the Professor by Yoko Ogawa (paperback)

Last Night in Twisted River by John Irving (paperback 6/10)

This Is Where I Leave You By Jonathan Tropper (paperback 6/10)

Let The Great World Spin by Colum McCann (NBA 2009, paperback)

Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese (paperback)

Margie's Picks:

Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin (hardcover 1/10)

The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi Durrow (hardcover 2/10)

Where the God of Love Hangs Out by Amy Bloom (hardcover 1/10)

One Amazing Thing by Chitra Divakaruni (hardcover 2/10)

Homer and Langley by E.L. Doctorow (paperback 8/10)

The Postmistress by Sarah Blake (hardcover 2/10)

The Hummingbird's Daughter by Luis Urrea (paperback)

Even More Picks:

Litte Bee by Chris Cleave (paperback 2/10)

A Short History of Women by Kate Walbert (paperback 6/10)

Manhood for Amateurs by Michael Chabon (paperback 5/10)

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot (2/10)

Half the Sky by Sheryl WuDunn (paperback 6/10)

A Gate at the Stairs by Lorrie Moore (paperback 9/10)

31 Hours by Masha Hamilton (hardcover 9/09)

Wolf Hall by Hilary Mantel (Booker Prize 2009, hardcover)

Notes from the Underwire by Quinn Cummings (paperback)

Union Atlantic by Adam Haslett (hardcover 2/10)

Your Book Club Favorites:

Little Bee by Chris Cleave

Let the Great World Spin by Colum McCann

31 Hours by Masha Hamilton

Those Who Save Us by Jenna Blum

Sarah's Key by Tatiana Rosnay

Same Kind of Different as Me by Ron Hall

Moonflower Vine by Jetta Carleton

Still Alice by Lisa Genova

Bel Canto by Ann Patchett

We'd love to make this an ongoing list, so whenever you have a great book club discussion, just post a comment here or send us an e-mail (justbook475@yahoo.com) and we'll add it to the list!

The Votes Have Been Counted, and the Winner Is?

The Bookstore's Customer Favorite for the Decade, 2000-2009: Harry Potter!

After all the votes were counted, the clear winner was Harry Potter, pictured here "on the podium" with its very own gold medal. It couldn't happen to a nicer book.

We decided to combine all votes, rather than have a separate children's category. After all, many adults enjoy kids and young adult titles from Harry Potter to Twilight. You can tell from the handwriting on the ballots that many of the Harry Potter votes were from adults. (There was a surge of support from the slightly messier kids' ballots for Gregor the Overlander!)

For parents like me, some of our favorite memories over the last decade have come from sharing the excitement over the Harry Potter books with our children, who literally grew up with Harry and Hermione. My kids and I were so impatient to read the newest book that we were unwilling to share - I had to buy one book for each of us. We'd drag our sleeping bags out onto the front porch, and read with flashlights until the wee hours of the night. It was magical.

Some might argue that it's not fair, after all, the Harry Potter series had four books released in the past decade, from Goblet of Fire to Deathly Hallows. But still, we've only closed Main Street for one book in the history of The Bookstore: Harry Potter. Everyone at The Bookstore dreams that some day, there will be another book that can close Main Street at midnight. Until then, Harry Potter stands alone on the podium.

Bringing home the silver medal: Bel Canto by Ann Patchett, a personal favorite. After that, we were surprised how varied the vote was; the vast majority of books received only one or two votes. Which really confirms what we try to do here at The Bookstore, and that is to find the perfect book for the right reader. We can't wait to do it for another decade . . . and beyond.

The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi Durrow

I can't wait to help spread the word about this wonderful book by Heidi W. Durrow. It's the debut work of a young author who has already won the Bellwether Prize for Fiction, an award founded by Barbara Kingsolver to recognize works of fiction that promote social justice.

It's the coming of age story of a young biracial girl who is the sole survivor of a mysterious family tragedy. Rachel moves from Chicago to her grandmother's house in a mostly black neighborhood of Portland, Oregon. Her father is an African-American GI who met her Danish mother while on leave in Europe. Rachel is trying to figure out who she is, where she fits in, and how to make sense of her history. It's the story of every girl, but yet so much more complicated. It's tender and gentle, but difficult, poignant and thought-provoking.

Life isn't easy for Rachel, a light brown-skinned, half-African-American-half-Danish girl with bright blue eyes and "nappy hair." Her new friends accuse her of "talking white." This novel explores what it's like to live a life that requires so many hyphens. It makes you wonder: why do we still categorize people when we live in a modern melting pot world? Aren't we all a mix of something? And it's often not just black or white.

But still, young Rachel's task is more difficult than most. When she explains she is half Danish, people respond: "oh, really?" with that tone of voice that makes it a challenge. One of my favorite scenes is when Rachel is invited to a Scandinavian family dinner with a friend. Food is family, memory and heritage, and Rachel needs a good taste of kartoffel , bonner and aguker salat after a long, lonely fast from her Danish mother's cooking. Rachel thinks: "I don't want the Danish in me to be something that time makes me leave behind." It makes you want to raise your glass and give a hearty "Skal!" to this wonderful girl.

The book has haunting parallels with Nella Larsen's Passing, the 1929 story of a biracial woman who died in a mysterious fall out of a window. I'm already planning to order a copy of that book for follow-up reading.

The Girl Who Fell From the Sky would make a great discussion for a book club, or a great cross-over for teens. I had the chance to meet Heidi Durrow at the ABA's Winter Institute, and she's as nice as she is smart. I'm happy to put her book on the Staff Pick shelf at The Bookstore.

What's Your Favorite Book of the Decade?

Let's Vote!
























From now until February 18th, polls will be open for The Bookstore's Favorite Book of the Decade. You can place your vote here on the blog (see the sidebar), or you can fill out a ballot at the store.


It might take you some time to think about it. Unless you're really good about keeping book lists, you might wonder, what have I read? What did I love? It's fun to think about. Maybe you'll have time to meet with your book club yet this month to talk about it.


That's why we went through The Bookstore's computer to put together a list of our bestselling titles over the last 10 years, both paperbacks and hardcovers. We also brainstormed about some of our favorite staff picks over the last decade. Just e-mail justbook475@yahoo.com with your selection. The ballot box in the store is strictly write-in, but there is a list of ideas at the counter too.


Bookstore Bestsellers 2000-2009 (Hardcover Fiction/Paperback Fiction):

2009: Little Bee/ Olive Kitteridge

2008: The Art of Racing in the Rain / The Shack

2007: 1,000 Splendid Suns/ Water for Elephants

2006: Water for Elephants/ Snow Flower and the Secret Fan

2005: The Mermaid Chair/ The Kite Runner

2004: The Five People You Meet in Heaven/ Dearest Dorothy Are We There Yet?

2003: The Da Vinci Code/ The Secret Life of Bees

2002: The Secret Life of Bees/Empire Falls

2001: A Common Life (Mitford)/ The Ladies Auxilliary

2000: Friendship Cake/ The Red Tent

A Few Favorite Bookstore Staff Picks 2000-2009
Suite Francaise, Peace Like a River, Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close, History of Love, The Known World, The Time Traveler's Wife, What is the What, Rope Walk, The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society, People of the Book, The Inheritance of Loss, Gilead, March, Middlesex, The Corrections, The Road, The Hours, Interpreter of Maladies, Unaccustomed Earth, Atonement, Echo Maker, Let the Great World Spin, (not to mention kids and teen books like Harry Potter, Percy Jackson and Twilight . . .)


Plenty of ideas out there, and hopefully more of your own. So vote already!

Our Wonderful Event with Melanie Benjamin

Tweeps at our Melanie Benjamin Party on Thursday, January 28th: Sue Kowalski (@suejustbooks), Melanie Benjamin (@melanieben) and Jen Karsbaek (@devourerofbooks). Like the mom in most family photo albums, I'm not in the photo (Margie White, @justbooks).


It was a great night at The Bookstore. We had a great turnout, we had plenty of food and wine, we ordered enough books (whew!) and we squeezed tons of people in our little store without the Fire Chief finding out.

Melanie did a fabulous job chatting about the background to her book, Alice I Have Been. You can tell she loved the research she did on Lewis Caroll, because she's a fountain of really juicy information. She's also a great public speaker, with a nice theatrical presence. When she read a passage from her book, you get the feeling she could actually play Alice on stage.

Customers have been calling and stopping by to thank us for a wonderful evening. But I don't feel like The Bookstore deserves any thanks at all. It's authors like Melanie who deserve all the thanks. They're the ones who have the imagination and the talent and the artistry to put their stories on the page. They're the ones who make the sacrifices to do what they love; they rarely get rich and make a pittance on each book. They schlepp around the country on book tours because that's what it takes to generate sales, when all they really want to do is sit down, be still, and tell us another story.

So here's to Melanie and all the writers out there. If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't be here. You guys keep writing, and we'll keep selling.

Alice I Have Been by Melanie Benjamin: Wondering about Wonderland

What fun it is to be selling this book!


First of all, Melanie Benjamin is a local author and friend of The Bookstore. She's gotten some great press over the last couple of weeks, so a lot of people come in already planning to buy the book. Then there are those who see our fun Alice In Wonderland window display and come inside to ask about it. And finally (these are my favorites) there those who just saunter in to browse. Next thing you know, we've handsold the book and they've signed up for our book signing party! (Details below.)

In our chat-ups with our customers, we love sharing the story behind this book. Melanie Benjamin says she was inspired to write Alice I Have Been when she went to an exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago. (This is when our customers smile. Isn't a train ride down to the Art Institute just the best way to spend a day?) Anyway, several years ago there was a photo exhibit that featured the photos of Lewis Carroll. Melanie saw a photograph of Alice Liddell, the girl who inspired Lewis Carroll to write Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. Melanie says that the photograph haunted her and made her uncomfortable. It sparked her imagination and made her wonder about Wonderland.


I used to wonder about Wonderland myself. As a child, I'd found it unsettling, a little creepy. Alice was always shrinking and growing and getting into these nightmarish situations. Kind of like Kafka for kids. (But of course, I was a pretty wimpy kid. I was also freaked out by the flying monkeys in the Wizard of Oz.)


As an adult, however, I read Alice in Wonderland and I see Alice, not the craziness that surrounds her. I see a curious, independent young girl who defies stereotypes, exercises her powers of reason, and speaks her mind. She learns how to adapt to her surroundings and seeks to establish order out of the chaos. And to think that Lewis Carroll created such a strong female character nearly 150 years ago - in the middle of the Victorian era. It gets curious and curiouser!


So who was the real Alice and what exactly was her relationship to Charles Dodgson, the real Lewis Carroll? We'll never know, but we do know there was mystery and scandal. Was the scandal the result of an overprotective Victorian society, or was their relationship inappropriate? The photo at the Art Institute (shown in the book) really makes you wonder.


Thanks to that day at the Art Institute, Melanie's curiosity and imagination were sparked. She knew it would be great raw material for a book. There was mystery, scandal, a literary icon, and a rich story begging to be told. With an innate talent for writing historical fiction and a sense of womanly wisdom, Melanie imagined Alice's story. And not only what happened when Alice was a child, but also what kind of young woman she was and how the scandal changed her life forever. As Alice becomes an older woman coping with loss and regret, we feel like we've aged and suffered with her. Melanie has created a wonderful character, just like Lewis Carroll did so long ago.


We hope you agree that Melanie and her new book deserve a party! Please join us at The Bookstore on Thursday, January 28th at 7pm for a signing and celebration. Melanie will speak about the book, and we'll toast to her success. To register, please call (630) 469-2891 or e-mail justbook475@yahoo.com. Purchase of the book or an equivalent gift certificate is required. You can stop in and pick up the book early, as long as your book has our sticker on it, you'll be welcome to join in the festivities!


Finally, we've decorated our window in honor of Melanie and Alice I Have Been. Come downtown and check out our own Alice in Wonderland, who seems to be enjoying Melanie's new book!

Remarkable Creatures, Remarkable Women

Tracy Chevalier, the author of Girl With a Pearl Earring, has written a new novel and I'm thrilled to add it to our Staff Pick shelf at The Bookstore. It's hard to beat a book like Pearl Earring, and I don't think any of her other novels have matched it until now. Remarkable Creatures is a remarkable read.

It's a beautiful piece of historical fiction based on the life of Mary Anning, a 19th century working-class fossil hunter in southern England who discovered the world's first ichthyosaur at the age of eleven. Her discoveries are still on display at the Natural History Museum in London.

The book explores and celebrates Mary Anning's scientific curiousity, which was considered an improper pursuit for women of that era and an unacceptable challenge to religion. The book also examines the complicated, cross-cultural friendship and rivalry between Mary Anning and Elizabeth Philpot, an unmarried upper-class woman twenty years her senior. The women shared a fascination with fossils and the search for recognition in a world that marginalized women.

Book clubs will enjoy the distinctly feminist edge. The Geological Society of London didn't permit women members, so when Elizabeth Philpot seeks to participate in one of their meetings, she is forced to sit and listen on the backstairs.

Lord Henley, who owned the cliffs in which Mary Anning discovered her first ichthyosaur, attempted to claim ownership over the specimen: "It belongs to me. Besides which, Mary Anning is a female. She is a spare part. I have to represent her, as indeed I do many Lyme residents who cannot represent themselves." (It's enough to make you want to travel in time to give him a reparative kick to the shins. Represent this.)

Chevalier tosses out plenty of issues for great book club discussions. Mary Anning and Elizabeth Philpot had a mutual admiration that crossed into envy. Have you ever had a moment with a dear friend that crossed over into a no-man's land of anger and jealousy? You instantly regret it but you don't know how to take your words back and retrieve what you had.

The religious issues that were stirred up by Mary Anning's scientific discoveries are still unresolved centuries later. We'd still like to be able to reconcile the bible's story of creation with our knowledge of evolution; we still wonder where God's hand ends and nature's begins.

Mary Anning's and Elizabeth Philpot's interest in fossils became more than just a hobby or a pastime. It became their vocation and their identity in a world where women weren't supposed to have either. However, they paid a price for their passion. Neither ever married and were viewed by closed-minded villagers with superstition and derision. Would you be willing to risk acceptance to pursue your passion? Do you have a secret interest that you're embarassed to embrace? What kind of childhood collections are hidden away in your closet that you can't bring yourself to throw out?

Speaking of childhood collections, I have a special connection to this book that made it particularly enchanting to me. My son had a sweet boyhood passion for dinosaurs. We took him to the Field Museum to welcome Dinosaur Sue, we played paleontonogist with coral, rocks and shells discovered on the beach, and we helped him amass an enormous collection of plastic toy dinosaurs at great cost from museum gift shops.

We were horribly permissive parents, allowing him to watch Jurassic Park as a mere toddler. Remember the scene when the velociraptor ripped off the lawyer's head as he sat in the outhouse? My son was completely unfazed. He turned to me and said very matter-of-factly: "Dino num-num." He slept in dino PJ's, he ate dino chicken nuggets, and proudly wore a brightly colored felt hat with Stegasaurus spikes. His toy dinos had nicknames like Steggie, Rexie, Cera and Compie. Ah, the wonder years.

After I read this book, I went down to the basement, dug out my son's old plastic bin of toy dinosaurs and arranged them all on the ping pong table. And then I had a really good cry over things of wonder -- like childhood curiosities, the passage of time, and evolution, both large and small.

My son even had an ichthyosaurus. Mary Anning would be proud.

Just the Bookstore's Top Ten Staff Picks for 2009

Our Top Shared Staff Picks for 2009:
























As our loyal customers know, these books have been front and center on our Staff Pick Shelf at The Bookstore ever since their release. The staff doesn't always agree, but on these four picks we do. Chances are if you've been to the store you've heard at least one of us sing the praises of these books.


To celebrate the New Year we've put together a list of our Top Ten Staff Picks for 2009, and starting in January, we'll be asking our customers to vote for their top ten as well. And then, because we're just a little wacked out on lists, we thought we'd take a customer poll on The Bookstore's Book of The Decade. Details will be in our January newsletter.

You might notice we didn't limit ourselves to just 10. Whether it's indecision or a common rebellious streak, we each have at least 11. You might also notice how much our lists overlap. Part of this is because of the way we share our favorite reads (passing from hand to hand: "You HAVE to read this!") Another reason? They're just great reads - stop in with your Christmas gift certificates and pick some up!


Margie (twitter.com/@justbooks)
1. Little Bee/Chris Cleave
2. The Gate at The Stairs/Lorrie Moore
3. Let the Great World Spin/Colum McCann
4. Homer & Langley/E. L. Doctorow
5. Wolf Hall/Hilary Mantel
6. The Anthologist/Nicholson Baker
7. A Short History of Women/Kate Walbert
8. 31 Hours/Masha Hamilton
9. Delicate Edible Birds/Lauren Groff
10. Generosity/Richard Powers
11. Manhood for Amateurs/Michael Chabon
(Can I just keep going? How can I possibly say that one book is #10 but another isn't? How can you make a finite list out of something as magical as a good read? I also loved Family Album/Penelope Lively, Home/Marilynne Robinson, Zeitoun/Dave Eggers, Last Night in Montreal/Emily St. John Mandel, Love and Obstacles/Aleksandar Hemon, Strength in What Remains/Tracy Kidder, and about 90% of what Sue's putting on her list.)

Sue (twitter.com/@suejustbooks)
1. Little Bee/Chris Cleve
2. The Gate at the Stairs/Lorrie Moore
3. Let the Great World Spin/Colum McCann
4. A Short History of Women/Kate Walbert
5. Last Night in Twisted River/John Irving
6. The Wilderness/Samantha Harvey
7. Waiting for Columbus/Thomas Trofimuk
8. 31 Hours/Masha Hamilton
9. The Song is You/Arthur Philips
10. The Believers/Zoe Heller
11. Delicate Edible Birds/Lauren Groff
Tied: The Housekeeper and the Professor/Yoko Agawa

Jenny (despite our efforts, Jenny's a Twitter hold-out)
1. Little Bee/Chris Cleave
2. Labor Day/Joyce Maynard
3. Under the Dome/Stephen King
4. The Crying Tree/Naseem Rakha
5. 31 Hours/Masha Hamilton
6. The Gate at the Stairs/Lorrie Moore
7. Delicate Edible Birds/Lauren Groff
8. Under This Unbroken Sky/Shandi Mitchell
9. Strength in What Remains/Tracy Kidder
10. That Old Cape Magic/Richard Russo
11. Say You're One of Them/Ukem Akpan



And to all you naysayers who don't like lists, or who can't believe what idiots we are to have missed your favorite book (fill in the blank), please leave a comment. And stay tuned for the poll results in January, when our customers will get the last word. As they always do!

Gift Idea for Dad: When the Game Was Ours by Larry Bird & Magic Johnson

If the dad, your husband, or man in your life loves old-school basketball before the days of Michael, Shaq and Kobe, then this is a great gift idea.


Larry Bird and Magic Johnson tell the story of three decades of basketball rivalry that started with the 1979 NCAA Championship game in Salt Lake City, Utah, still the most watched college basketball game in television history. Chances are your dad not only remembers that game , but knows where he was and what the final score was. (75-64, Michigan State).

Stop by The Bookstore and pick up a copy for Dad. ($26.00 hardcover.) We'll even wrap it for you. Call ahead (630) 469-2891 or e-mail justbook475@yahoo.com and we can have it waiting for you!