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“Page 106 is the very best page in the book and should be enlarged and framed!” . . . Booker T.
“NO! Page 109 is the one that people should spend time staring at and use for their screen saver” . . . Walter Dean
“HOLD THE PHONE! Check out the guy on the bottom of page 111. Winner, Winner, Chicken Dinner.” . . . Trini Lopez
Book recommended by the unbiased cats of Wild Rumpus
I felt something get caught in my throat. My eyes welled with tears. And I knew this would be a book for my grandson. For those ages 1-99, it is an offering of hope so elusive in present times. “‘What do you want to be when you grow up?’ ‘Kind,’ said the boy.’” Fans of Winnie-the-Pooh will love the brilliance of the seemingly simple text brimming with profundity. Sweet, but not too sweet. Perfect. Like cake.
Carmelle
What would you do if you were stuck on a spaceship with only yourself? Astronaut Ijon Tichy’s solo space mission goes awry when he gets caught in an interstellar time loop. If that wasn’t strange enough, future and past versions of himself keep popping up. Now Ijon must put all his minds together to escape. Brought to new life with mesmerizing watercolors, this graphic novel rendition of Stanislaw Lem’s absurd short story is sure to delight established science-fiction nerds and emerging enthusiasts alike.
Claire
Calling all logophiles and wordsmiths: this is the book for you. This compact collection presents words from days of yore accompanied by sumptuous Renaissance/Neoclassic art and quippy examples of how each word can be used in a modern context. Lost Words can serve as a guide to spice up your causerie (informal chat) or be enjoyed as a quick read while you latibulate (hide in a corner) in your favorite snuggery (cozy place) with your grimalkin (cat).
Claire
Bookish families, rejoice! From two New York Times Book Review editors comes a dynamic, easily digestible guide to fostering children’s love of reading. The authors organize their practical (literary party favors!) and often myth-busting (yes, comics count!) advice into short sections that busy parents can breeze through during fleeting free moments. They also provide up-to-date, diverse lists of recommended books organized not only into reading levels but also into topics like “Books that Make Us Laugh” and “Kindness and Empathy.” Full-color illustrations make this an attractive as well as a useful gift for your favorite family of readers.
Leigh
What would you get if you took Hamlet and boiled it down to the absolute minimum amount of text necessary to convey the story? And you cast the main character as a gloomy bunny holding a handbag? You would get Look Hamlet by Barbro Lindgren and Anna Höglund. This darkly hilarious gem of a book concisely tells the story of Shakespeare's tragic Danish prince with just a handful of words to accompany its morose, Edward Gorey-esque illustrations. Pithy. Brief. Excellent.
As a book lover, finding a little tome that is not only charming and cute, but also describes your love for books is an absolute treat! That is exactly how I felt as I picked up The I Wonder Bookstore. This cheery story chronicles the day in the life of a bookseller who only sells books about books. We get a glimpse into each of his recommendations he gives his customers, all of which are cheeky, witty, and absurd stories surrounding interactions with books, both real and imaginary. Recently translated from the original Japanese, this book will fill you with delight, not unlike the books within it! Crack it open, take a whiff of that new book smell, and read on!
Heather
In this fascinating introduction to animal migration around the globe, mesmerizing illustrations and poetic language let us see and hear the movement of wildebeests, European eels, and monarch butterflies as they travel by land, sea, and sky. In the end, we consider the most migratory of all creatures—people—and ask why we, too, undertake amazing journeys. Less a comprehensive encyclopedia than an engaging point of departure, this book is sure to captivate naturalists both young
and old.Katie
Looking for a global adventure this holiday season? Allow Martin’s stunning watercolor illustrations to transport you to the streets of Hong Kong, New Delhi, Moscow, Reykjavik, and more. Explore the millions of vending machines of Tokyo,
the stray cats of Cairo, and the botecos of Rio de Janeiro. An informative, funny, vibrant, and curiositysatisfying gift for people of all ages!Kara
Calling all adventurers and seekers of the mysterious and unexplained: have we got the perfect guide for you! Travel the world and discover places and phenomena you’ve never heard of—sometimes near your own home town! From the creators of Atlas Obscura comes the wonderful young explorer’s edition by the same name. It’s easy to lose yourself in Joy Ang’s luscious illustrations, depicting dozens of
bizarre occurrences and beautiful mysteries, both natural and man-made. Want to learn about a cave full of crystals that weigh more than ten elephants? Or a lake full of skeletons? How about a place called Snake Island? This book has got you covered. Put on your explorer’s hat and get reading!Heather
Kalman’s is a jewel of a cake book! Hers is full of homemade pleasures for any
occasion whether it be a “let’s celebrate!” or a “something sweet to soothe a soul.” Flour, butter, sugar, eggs, stories, and art are all folded in with care. Sweet memories of baking and frosting with kids is such a simple delight. And serving cake almost becomes a holy event—“I made this for you!” As food writer Barbara Scott-Goodman says, “Welcome to Cake.”Ellen
Each holiday season, I try to find a gift that might be appreciated long beyond the
holidays. This year, it’s this massive and elegant collection of poetry. A perfect family gift, a lovely tradition and a challenge: who can memorize a poem a week? A month? What if each person in your family could take a turn bringing the day’s poem to the dinner table—to be read aloud, or better still, recited from memory!
Learning a poem ‘by heart’ is infinitely more satisfying than memorizing
passwords or numbers, and it engages the heart and the brain in a
philosophical question and answer period. That said, I need to go brush up
on my Robert Frost: “Two roads diverged in a yellow wood…”Collette
Acclaimed nature writer Sy Montgomery relates thirteen pivotal moments in her life’s journey, each viewed through the lens of a significant animal encounter, ranging from terrier to emu to octopus. Her sense of awe and devotion are infectious and the accumulated result is a sincere but never simplistic sojourn inside “the wildness that keeps us sane and whole, the wild, delicious hunger for life.” With magnificent two-color design and lush, playful illustrations by Rebecca Green, this is a heartwarming and tactile treasure for critterlovers and anyone seeking effective relief from despair and irony.
Theo
Go on a journey around the calendar with this stunning anthology of folktales from around the globe. With fifty-two folktales, there are stories for every holiday and occasion, from classics like East of the Sun, West of the Moon and The Frog Prince to new tales like Father Frost and The Gifts of the North Wind. Spend Thanksgiving in West Africa and Valentine’s Day in Korea. Learn about new holidays and traditions from cultures different from your own; a treat for every reader and a beautiful book to be enjoyed all year round.
Julia