kid stuff holiday spectacular 2009

kid stuff
holiday spectacular

watchung booksellers

your community bookstore
54 Fairfield Street Watchung Plaza Montclair, NJ 07042

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(973) 744-7177

www.watchungbooksellers.com

kids picks, reviews & news

december 2009

Dear Friends,

This holiday season it's important to count your blessings and take stock of what's important. At watchung booksellers, we are grateful for all of you! Thank you for being such loyal customers in these hard times. Your support is what keeps us going and we want to serve you as best as we can. We are ready to help you find the perfect book for your friends and family. We can also help you fill out a wish list so people can get you the perfect birthday or holiday gift!

Today's email is not only special because of this shopping season, but also because it marks the one year anniversary of watchung bookseller's kids' newsletter. Hopefully you've noticed our additions over the year, specifically the tween blast book reviews and Q & A's on recent releases. We have been fine-tuning and improving this content, but would love to hear your feedback. If you have any suggestions, send them our way and we'll work hard to include them.

Remember, don't go crazy this year! Make us your one-stop shopping destination.

Can't wait to see you,

Carolyn, Jeanne, Margot, Marina, Marisela, and Nicole

kids Q & A

The Witch's Guide to Cooking with Children

by Keith McGowan

Interviewee Jaqueline Landi: Age 9, 4th grade student and book lover

Interviewer: Marisela Santiago, grownup, mom and bookseller

Jackie, when you first heard the title, what did you think the book would be about?
Basically, I thought the book would be about a witch trying to cook some kids.

How did that make you feel?
It made me interested in how the witch would actually cook the kids, what would she do to get them? Would she trap them, lure them, steal them? Then I also wondered what the kids would do to defend themselves.

What were some of your thoughts and feelings as you read the book?
I really kept thinking about the witch as I was reading the book.
When the kids first met the witch, a dog was holding a bone in his mouth. One of the kids thought the bone looked human and it was. This was kind of scary for me. It seemed weird that someone who had a human bone with her would be so friendly and welcoming. It made me wonder what kind of person this was. Of course, in the end, the witch is not friendly at all.

What was your favorite part of the book?
When the kids snuck into the witch's house and discovered all her possessions, like her glasses that she had that made her house look nice and new, and her journal. It was a very exciting part of the book - they had to sneak out of the window... they almost got caught!

Who is your favorite character?
Connie is my favorite character. She seems like she depends on her brother a lot and she cares a lot about him. She seems like a good sister. I think I'm a good sister too so I liked that.

Did you know that this book is based on an old fairytale?
Yes, after a while I could see it was related to Hansel and Gretel. But I did not realize it until the kids read the witch's journal. I have also seen the movie of Hansel and Gretel - it was a good movie.

If you could pick three words to describe this book, what would they be?
Exciting, adventurous and scary. It really keeps your attention throughout the story.

What are some other books that you have loved?
The 39 Clues is a series I really enjoyed, I love Goosebumps, and I also love non-fiction books like a book I just read about Lewis and Clark and their discoveries and adventures.

Would you recommend this book to other kids?
Yes, definitely.

What kind of kids will love this book?
I think kids all ages, between 7 and 11 will love this book. It's not too scary for the younger kids. Any kids who like adventures and mysteries - the kids really are solving the mystery of who the witch really is.

tween blast! book review

The Maze Runner
by James Dashner

reviewed by Aaron Stagoff-Belfort

      When Thomas wakes up he finds himself in a box surrounded by teenage kids. The weird thing is he has no recollection of how he got there. Thomas soon finds out he is stuck in a horrifying and confusing new world where he is surrounded by shifting mazes. And the secret to escape is locked up deep inside his mind. The Maze Runner is a brilliant thriller by James Dashner (author of 13th Reality) that will have you begging for more.

      When Thomas finds himself in a box in the ground he quickly has to adapt. He is pulled into a world where no one can remember what happened in their life before the maze, only brief flashes of insignificant images. Thomas joins a group of adolescents who are stuck in the Maze, led by a hot head named Alby. At first Thomas is extremely upset and confused, since he can't remember how he got there. Unfortunately for him, things will only get worse.

      Thomas quickly befriends a boy named Chuck, a slopper, one of the low-level jobs in the maze.   The children in the maze lead as normal a life as possible, following rules and holding jobs. Thomas is immediately fascinated by the most important job, maze runner. The maze runners are the best of the best, children who are selected by the leaders of the community to run all day and map out the impossible maze, and to try and find a way out.

      Unfortunately, the kids have no idea what's in store for them. One day, someone new is dropped off in the box. This would be normal, except there are several problems. The kid is a girl, the first in the maze and also the second in the last week. The children are used to getting one a month. But there is an even bigger problem. The girl is dead. Or so they think.

      The Maze Runner was a very interesting book. I give it an 8.5 out of 10. The only reason it gets an 8.5 is because of the slow beginning. Once it picked up it was an extremely exciting book with lots of unexpected twists and turns. The ending leaves you hanging but is very suspenseful and makes you beg for the sequel, which should hit stores in fall of 2010.

      You feel like you are walking in the characters' shoes even though you never get to know most of them extremely well. You learn nothing of Thomas and his past but that is part of the story line of the book. The book includes lots of details and describes most things well. But, you don't feel that the monsters Dashner describes in the story, grievers, are quite as ferocious as they are supposed to be. Still, there is much more good then bad in this book.

      Again, the beginning starts a little slow but once it picks up you can do nothing but go along for the ride. You will get completely hooked by this book, and can feel the characters anger, pain and excitement as they fight for their lives in the winding maze they inhabit.
      This book draws startling parallels to another book I reviewed, The Hunger Games, because of character similarities and the fact that the kids are in a maze and have to kill or be killed. Also, both groups of kids are either specially selected or trained to fight, and end up battling against the totalitarian government that created them. I think that The Maze Runner will receive the same critical acclaim that The Hunger Games did and could be a breakout book of 2010.

      The Maze Runner is for kids 10 and up. It isn't incredibly long, only about 350 pages, but has some gore and lots of action as the kids fight monsters and other opponents. My biggest criticism is that the book ended, and that I have to wait for the sequel, The Scorch Trials, which hits shelves in the fall of 2010.

carolyn's holiday round-up

There seems to be a plethera of fun "underdog"
books for 9-12 year olds.
The Nerds by Michael Buckley create a spy network, the Hero's of Powerless Mathew Cody might change your meaning of the word, the misfits of Dweebs by Aaron Starmer have their own fun and even those with special fears form a comraderie in

School of Fear by Gitty Daneshvari.

There are four new stand-out books of magic and fantasy - Poisons of Caux by Susannah Appelbaum, Dani Noir by Nova Ren Suma, Sylvie and the Songman by Tim Binding and the Blue Shoe by Roderick Townley. Poisons, tasters, herbs, movies, and music all come into the story lines! The Potato Chip Puzzles by Eric Berlin combines mystery and actual puzzles to solve while Ottoline & the Yellow Cat and the sequel Ottoline Goes to School by Chris Riddle offers fantastic drawings paired with a clever text. Some very beautiful historical fiction novels this season - both Daughters of the Sea by Kathryn Lasky and Evolution of Calpurnia Tate by Jacqueline Kelly use the natural world as a backdrop for strong female characters.

fathersday

What are the stand out Pop-Ups this year? Mo Willems, Big Frog Can't Fit In, is just... well....Mo! Eric Carle's Very Hungry Caterpillar is just as beautiful as you would hope it to be, and the Sports Illustrated Pop Up? Are you ready? It actually features Montclair's own David Tyree and his NY Giants amazing Super Bowl catch.

fathersday

Life Size Zoo by Teruyuki Komiya was read by all of the staff when it first came in. Fantastic life size photographs of animals - too cool. And the human body is also life size in My Silly Body by Paul Hanson. The kids version of the Italian cookbook Silver Spoon is just like all things Italian - bello! I must mention the Fabulous Feud of Gilbert and Sullivan and Gertrude is Gertrude is... both by Jonah Winter for writing such cool books about two fascinating relationships in the worlds of art and music. For inquisitive minds we have Really, Really Big Questions by Dr. Stephen Law and National Geographic's Beginner's United States Atlas. A Gift of Days: The Greatest Words to Live By and Looking Like Me.

life size zoo

The picture books. Where to start? You Are the First Kid on Mars by Patrick O'Brien, a must for the Star Wars only fan. The thrill of a simple grilled cheese sandwich is celebrated in The Duchess of Whimsy by Randall de Seve. The illustrations of It's a Secret by John Burningham are subtely brilliant. Loren Long has another wonderful book about Otis, who is one special tractor. Other favorites in no particular order are Iggy Peck, Architect by Andrea Beaty, Moon Rabbit by Natalie Russell, the Curious Garden by Peter Brown, A Visitor for Bear by Bonny Becker, and, and, and.....there is nothing like a picture
book.

first kid mars

"The" Christmas book this year is undoubtedly Christmas Magic by Lauren Thompson which is as simple and lovely as Christmas should be. You must check out The House by J. Patrick Lewis and the Lion and the Mouse by Jerry Pinkney - gorgeous, one of a kind books.

Dynamic Dozen Tween Book Group Update

Our November selection was an engaging, well written mystery taking place in the historic city of London. "The London Eye Mystery", by Siobhan Dowd has the brother and sister team of Ted and Kat investigating the disappearance of their cousin Salim. Salim was last seen riding the colossal London Eye, the world's largest observation wheel. Was Salim kidnapped, did he runaway....read it and see if you can solve this intriguing mystery. You won't be disappointed.

For a change of pace our December meeting will be a chance for all the girls, including me, to share their literary talents with the group. Each tween will write an original short story and read it to the gathering. I am sure we have many budding authors in our midst. I look forward to hearing all of them.

January's book pick is "The Magician's Elephant", by Kate Di Camillo. This is another tour de force by the author of the award-winning "Tales of Desperaux".

We all wish you a magical holiday season filled with moments of pure wonder.

Warm regards,

Diane Franciose
Book Group Facilitator

Save 20%	Please present this coupon and receive a 20% discount on the YA Expert FAVORITE Holiday Pick, Fallen. If you can't print this coupon, just mention the newsletter when you come in.
Offer Expires: December 17, 2009