The Night Fairy is the newest book from Newbery Award Winner Laura Amy Schlitz is all about Flory the night fairy. She loves her wings–until a horrid bat mistakes her for an insect and her wings are ruined. She lands in a giant’s garden and makes a home in a birdhouse. Angry at the bats, angry at the night, and angry at herself, Flory decides she won’t be a night fairy anymore–she’ll be a day fairy. She slowly learns that some things are more important than vanity. This book has beautiful illustrations and is perfect for anywhere from a first grader to third grader.

Wondrous Strange  and Darklight by Lesley Livingston are the first two books in a fairies series centering around plays of Shakespeare, and personally, I thought they were so much fun. I actually I spent my whole day yesterday reading the second book, Darklight. Lesley has definitely hit her stride with this book and I am hoping I can get the review copy for the final book in the trilogy ASAP!!! There’s not much I can give away about plot, but what I can say is that I love that main character Kelley Winslow is empowered and rash. I mean, she’s a teenager, that’s how she’s supposed to be. Yet, she doesn’t cower just because she is a girl or because she is young. I love that! Definitely a good continuation to the story and I think it makes me love this trilogy even more. Age: 12+

Richard Peck, Newbery Award Winner and author of Season of Gifts, and Chuck Galey, illustrator of numerous books including Jazz Cats, came by the store the other day. Richard signed some of his books that we had on hand, but it was just so much fun to meet him.

Meeting authors is one of my favorite parts of this job. When Kami and Margie came to sign their bestseller Beautiful Creatures (We still have SIGNED COPIES!!!), I got to sit down to dinner with them and pick their brains. So much fun!!

We actually have a whole bunch of young adult and children’s book authors coming this spring and for each one, I get so nervous about meeting them. I mean, these people made it! They got their books published! And I revert back to the shy little girl I used to be. Here are some of our Oz events coming up:

Tuesday, February 23 @ 5:00 – Leaving Gee’s Bend by Irene Latham. This book is set 1932 in Gee’s Bend, Alabama, when the main character, Ludelphia Bennett is only 10. Her mother is pregnant and when the baby comes early, her mother gets sick. Ludelphia decides that she will brave the river to get to the town of Camden where the closest doctor lives. Along the way, she works on a quilt made with pieces of fabric she finds along the way. “Every quilt has a story,” Ludelphia’s mom says, and Ludelphia’s quilt will tell her story. This book is absolutely precious and perfect for kids from 4th grade to 6th grade. The voice of Ludelphia is simply and perfectly written. This book is also a great way to introduce a young adult to the quilting culture of Gee’s Bend.

Tuesday, March 2 @ 5:00 – Hex Hall by Rachel Hawkins. On our glorious snow day last Friday, I devoured this well written book and immediately fell in love with Sophie and her world. Sophie is a 15 year old witch, born to a warlock dad and human mom, she has lived a pretty normal life. That is until she tries to help a friend at prom with a love spell that goes horribly wrong. Her dad sentences her to Hecate Hall (fondly nicknamed Hex Hall), a school for witches, shapeshifters, and fairies who have threatened their kind by showing their magic to humans. Bored and angry, she is determined not to like Hex Hall, but everything is not as it seems here, like the ghost that keeps appearing to Sophie and the girl that was suspiciously killed last year. A mix of Percy Jackson and Libba Bray’s A Great and Terrible Beauty, girls (and boys) from 6th grade and up will be clamoring for more–this book is only the first in the series. Come get your book and meet the author on its release date!!

More signings that are coming soon! More on them closer to their signing dates!

Saturday, March 6 @ STORYTIME (10:00) – Growing Patterns by Sarah Campbell.

Saturday, March 13 @ 12:00 – The Weeb Book by Robert Maxwell.

Saturday, April 3 @ STORYTIME (10:30) and again at 12:00 – Flying Lessons by Gilbert Ford.

Thursday, April 8 @ 5:00 – Undead Much by Stacey Jay.

Saturday, April 10 @ 1:00 – Princess for Hire by Lindsey Leavitt.

Tuesday, April 13 @ 5:00 – Warriors: Fading Echoes (Omen of the Stars, Book 2) by Erin Hunter

A Million Shades of Gray by Cynthia Kadohata, author of Cracker and Newbery winner for Kira Kira

Thirteen-year-old Y’Tin wants to be an elephant trainer more than anything in the world. His father has given him permission to train Lady, a wild elephant living with his Dega tribe in the Central Highlands of South Vietnam. Not long after Y’Tin begins training Lady, the North Vietnamese attack this village. Y’Tin’s world is shattered, the peaceful countryside as he knew it is gone, he must now face the dangerous situations of living in the jungle, and make decisions on his own. Through all of this Y’Tin is determined to keep his dream alive. (Young Adult, ages 10 and up)

by Kelly Pickerill

Maggie and I both started reading this page-turner last night; this morning at work we confessed to each other that we both of us stayed up into the wee hours with reading lights devouring page after page until we couldn’t keep our eyes open anymore!

Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl have captivated us with their story of sixteen-year-old Ethan Wate, who has grown tired of the stress of being a cool kid JV basketball player in his small school in the small town of Gatlin, South Carolina.  On the first day of his sophomore year, he hears the rumor the whole town is buzzing about: Old Man Ravenwood, the town recluse, has taken in his mysterious niece, the pale-skinned, dark-haired, captivating beauty Lena Duchannes.

Ethan hopes Lena’s arrival in Gatlin will be the release from the tedium of small-town life he so desperately needs, but from the first time he sees her, her dark hair blowing out the window of her uncle’s hearse, he realizes that she may end up having more of an impact on his life than he could imagine.

Could Lena have something to do with the recurring dream he keeps having, one where a girl is falling and he can’t quite reach her?  A girl who is faceless, yet leaves behind the indelible smell of rosemary and lemons and the memory of green sparks?  A girl he instinctively knows he can’t live without?

Come to our event for this great debut, a young adult book for the young at heart, all of you who are fans of the Twilight series or southern Gothic romances.  It’s Thursday evening (the 28th) starting at 5pm.  To reserve a signed copy, click here.

Watch the book trailer from Little, Brown

Ok, this is the day I have been waiting for: Award Announcement Day! The three I am most excited about are the Newbery, Caldecott, and Orbis Pitus award winners. When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead won the 2010 Newbery Award, The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney won the 2010 Caldecott Award, and The Secret World of Walter Anderson by Hester Bass, illustrated by E. B. Lewis won the 2010 Orbis Pitus Award. What is so cool about The Secret World of Walter Anderson is that we have Signed Copies!! Now, just so you are completely informed, below is a list of some of the winners that I think are great, the name of the award AND what each award actually is. Hope it helps!

Caldecott Award: This award is given for most distinguished American picture book for children.

• Winner: The Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney
• Honor: All the World by Elizabeth Scanlon, illustrated by Marlee Frazier
• Honor: Red Sings From Treetops: A Year in Colors by Joyce Sidman, illustrated by Pamela Zagarenski

Orbis Pictus Award: This award is given to the best nonfiction book for children. 

• Winner: The Secret World of Walter Anderson by Hester Bass, illustrated by E. B. Lewis

Newbery Award: This award is given for most outstanding contribution to children’s literature.

• Winner: When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead
• Honor: Claudette Colvin: Twice Toward Justice by Phillip Hoose
• Honor: The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly
• Honor: Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

Michael L. Printz: This award is given for excellence in literature written for young adults.

• Winner: Going Bovine by Libba Bray
• Honor: The Monstrumologist by Rick Yancey

Pura Belpré (Author): This award is given to a Latino writer whose children’s book best portrays, affirms and celebrates the Latino cultural experience.

• Winner: Return to Sender by Julia Alvarez

William C. Morris: This award honors a book written by a first-time author for young adults.

• Winner: Flash Burnout by L. K. Madigan

Alex Awards: This award is given to the 10 best adult books that appeal to teen audiences.

• Winner: The Magicians by Lev Grossman
• Winner: Stitches by David Small
• Winner: Tunneling to the Center of the Earth by Kevin Wilson

This by far is not all of the awards announced today, but these are my favorites. You can see more about the ALA’s awards and the NCTE’s awards by clicking on the links attached to each groups’ name at the beginning of this sentence.

The River by Mary Jane Beaufrand
Veronica Severance (Ronnie) is a teenager who must move from her beloved rural Oregon to a remote area in which she feels cut off from everyone she loves. Ronnie babysits Karen, a young girl who has a great sense of adventure–Ronnie enjoys going on some of these adventures. Later while out for a run, Ronnie discovers Karen’s body in the Santiam River. Because of the close relationship that she has formed with Karen, Ronnie feels compelled to uncover the truth of what has happened. The River is a story of murder, obsession, and secrets that will keep you interested until the very end. A page turner. Look for this one in February! (Teen readers, ages 12 and up)

Lady Macbeth’s Daughter by Lisa Klein author of Ophelia
Lisa Klein invented the character of Albia, daughter loved by Lady Macbeth and rejected because of physical deformity by her father, Macbeth. You will read about the witches who save her from death and her own struggles with accepting that she has the sight, that her parents are Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, and that she despises all of their wickedness. Klein keeps you well entertained and as always with Macbeth, there will be murder. (Teen readers, ages 12 and up)

If you enjoyed The Red Necklace you will enjoy its sequel: The Silver Blade. The year is 1794; Gardner takes the characters Yan and Sido through a tale of magic, adventure, betrayal and romance during the French Revolution. This one will keep you on your toes until the end. (Teen readers, ages 12 and up)

Catherine Gillbert Murdock’s first novel: Dairy Queen is a delightful story about a fifteen-year-old girl (D. J.), who is a great athlete with a wonderful sense of humor; however, she has difficulty expressing herself. Murdock has followed this novel with two others–Off Season and Front and Center. By the time you read Front and Center, you will realize that D.J. has faced many challenges in her life and has what it takes to be a good leader on and off the court or field. I think you will find these to be an enjoyable read. (Teen readers, ages 12 and up)

This is a story about Zeeta, a 15-year-old girl who has been traveling around the world with her mother all of her life–rarely do they live in one country for more than a year. Zeeta keeps a journal of all her travels, each country has its own color. Indigo is the color for Ecuador. Zeeta thinks she wants to live in a home, have a father and a normal life. When this opportunity begins to present itself, she soon has second thoughts—well maybe not. In the meantime, Zeeta meets a young man, Wendell, who asks Zeeta to help him find his birth parents–this pursuit brings adventure and danger to Zeeta’s life.  Enjoy!! (Teen readers, ages 12 and up)

This book came in the other day, and I can’t wait to get my hands on it! I was getting more information on it, and came across this trailer for the book, a growing trend in young adult and teen books. See what you think. I think it looks pretty fantastic.
Beautiful Creatures Trailer