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In this issue...
Thank You to Rachel M.
Win Zorro Goodies!
Win Wimpy Kid Goodies
Max & Ruby- 20% Off!
August Events
Fiction
Young Adult
Science & Nature
Middle Grade
Young Readers
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August Events:
8/2 - Steven Bredice (Burlington)

8/8
- Knit Night - Crocheters, too! (Essex)

8/9 - Joshua Masters (Burlington)

8/18 - S.J. Richard (Burlington)

8/28 - Daniel Lusk & David Huddle (Burlington)

8/30 - Discoveries in Wine: Argentina (Essex)

 

 A Thank You to Rachel M.
Rachel M. recently moved to the Pacific Northwest after five years as Cafe Manager at Phoenix Books Essex.

 When the store opened back in October 2007, Rachel was tasked with
turning a bunch of book people into baristas. And boy, were we resistant, at least at first. Rachel was ever calm and patient, telling us that coffee drinks are all just different combinations of
the same basic ingredients--coffee, milk, and flavorings--and that
even though the espresso machine looked like something out of a science fiction movie and cost more than some of our cars, we would neither kill the machine nor be killed by it.

She was our Espresso-to-English Dictionary, teaching us how to
interpret requests for "skinny half-caff grande double mochas with
extra whip". I was amazed by the number loyal customers who followed Rachel from her tiny coffee shop to Phoenix Books. It was easy to see why: she steams and froths and mixes effortlessly, delivering caffeine-deprived souls exactly the drinks they order, in precisely the way that they like. Rachel further worked her special brand of magic in our tiny kitchen, crafting soups and sandwiches that customers rave about.

Though she was initially hired to manage the café, Rachel quickly
became a top-notch bookseller, one of the most talented I have worked with. Need a book for a ten-year-old boy? Ask Rachel. Can't identify that weird moth on the window? Again, ask Rachel. Her boundless love for the outdoors spilled over into everything she did at Phoenix, from her favorite books, to her search for eco-friendly options for our café, to her annual Newt Night.

While we will miss her dearly here in Essex, our loss is the Pacific Northwest's gain. I can't wait to hear about all of the amazing things she'll
accomplish in her new home. You just know that any woman as resilient, kind, smart, and resourceful as Rachel is going to be a raging success
wherever she goes.

With appreciation and love,
Beth

P.S. Rachel, send us a picture of Bigfoot when you find her!
   

 

   

kidspicks  Win Zorro Goodies!

Enter to win at
Phoenix Books Burlington or Essex!


We love Zorro and MisterBud!  We love them so much, that we're giving away copies of Say Hello to Zorro, the new Zorro Gets an Outfit, as well as "Read Together Every Day" Zorro and MisterBud posters. Stop by to learn more! 

   




kidspicks  Win Wimpy Kid Goodies!

Enter to win at
Phoenix Books Burlington or Essex!


Did you know there's a new Wimpy Kid movie coming out this August?  Celebrate by stopping by Phoenix Books Essex or Burlington to stock up on your favorite Wimpy Kid books and enter to win goodies!

   




kidspicks  20% Off
August is
Max & Ruby
Month!


20% Off* Select Books by Rosemary Wells  

Rosemary was born in New York City and raised on the New Jersey shore. She grew up in a home that was always filled with books, dogs, classical music, and other things her parents held in great esteem.

 

Speaking about her youth, Rosemary recalls, "New Jersey was farm country and I spent much of my time outdoors, running around the woods behind our house and playing baseball with the neighbor's kids... I was born during a golden age of childhood in our country's history. And, I was lucky because my parents were happy and they supported all that I wanted to do. They had both been in the theater and understood the arts from the inside. We had a houseful of wonderful books. Reading stories aloud was as much a part of my childhood as the air I breathed."  

     

*Discount only applies at Phoenix's "brick-and-mortar" locations.

   



Not Sure What
to Read Next?  

Check Out Our Staff Picks Online! 

Check out some of our personal favorites online, at phoenixbooks.biz.  Once you find the book you'd love, give us a ring at 872-7111 in Essex or 448-3350 in Burlington so we can check the shelves and put one on hold just for you.



Time To Declare
  

Ready to declare your support for your local, independent bookstore?  Ask us about the Phoenix Book Club next time you're at the register, or visit joinphoenix.com!  
 
 
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Thank you for choosing local and indie!
Books! 
at the Essex
Shoppes & Cinema
21 Essex Way #407
Essex, VT 05452
802.872.7111

Downtown Burlington
191 Bank Street
Burlington, VT 05401
802.448.3350

Essex Store Hours:
Mon-Fri: 9am-8pm
Saturday:  10am-8pm
Sunday:    11am-6pm

Burlington Store Hours:
Mon-Thurs: 10am-9pm
Fri-Sat: 10am-10pm
Sunday: 11am-6pm
(Subject to change.)
Join Our Mailing List!
 August 2012
Dear Friends, 

The lazy days of summer are flying by:  Why not make time stand still with a good book?  We'd love to help you find your next great read, and - since we now have locations in both Essex and Burlington - it's easier than ever to visit Phoenix Books!

In this issue, you'll find our latest favorite titles for all ages - including plenty of picks to get your youngest readers excited for school.  You can also find all the news on our August events - and two exciting giveaways going on in both Essex and Burlington.  See you among the shelves!

Sincerely,

Mike, Renee, Beth, Billy, Christy, Colleen, Dan, Deb, Donna, Evelyn, Heather, Kari, Kathy, Kelly, Kit, Kristen, Leigh Ann, Nick D., Nick L., Phil, Rachel F., Rachel O., Richard, Sarah, Scout, Sean, Tod, and Wendy


kidspicks  YOU'RE INVITED TO...  

Steven Bredice: Snap
Thursday, August 2nd at 7:00pm
Phoenix Books Burlington
 

In Steven's debut novel, Snap, cryptozoology meets horror when old friends on a fishing expedition attract the wrath of a giant snapping turtle. Or do they? "There have been books about giant and out-of-place animals going amok...for many years. Most of them are irritatingly formulaic, and can be dismissed fairly easily. This book takes the genre into exciting new realms... It is far more philosophical, and indeed deep, than most books of this genre," says Jonathan Downes of Fortean Fiction. Steven Bredice is a Williston attorney who grew up in Montpelier and graduated from Middlebury College.  He lives in Jeffersonville with his wife and three small children.  Snap is his first novel.

 

Joshua Masters: American Psalms
Thursday, August 9th at 7:00pm
Phoenix Books Burlington
 

Joshua Masters' new book, American Psalms, "challenges Christian patriots to put aside personal agendas, prejudices and partisanship, and pray for our leaders as God commands," says Mike Huckabee, author of A Simple Government. American Psalms takes the reader on a one-year journey of spiritual growth with weekly prayers for the nation, psalms for special days of prayers, relevant teachings to enhance your perspective and worksheets designed to promote prayer for America's leaders. Accredited by the Christian & Missionary Alliance, Masters is a Christian speaker, artist and author. Born in Littleton, New Hampshire, he lives in Essex, Vermont with his wife, Gina Masters, and their dog, Franklin.   

 

S.J. Richard: The Peacemaker
Saturday, August 18th at 7:00pm
Phoenix Books Burlington
 

Join us in welcoming local author S.J. Richard for a reading of her new historical novel, The Peacemaker! S.J. Richard is a graduate of Marist College, where she studied the art of racking up student loans. She worked for several New England newspapers while exploring the dynamics of not having a savings account and methods of living off the kindness of tolerant relatives. She won top honors from the New England Press Association in the late 1990s for her reporting and feature writing.   

 

Daniel Lusk and David Huddle:
An Evening of Poetry and Story
 

Tuesday, August 28th at 7:00pm
Phoenix Books Burlington
 

Daniel Lusk is author of Lake Studies: Meditations on Lake Champlain and Kissing the Ground: New & Selected Poems . He writes poems whose physicality reflects work in packing plants, on farms and ranches, and whose contemplative poetics betray his love of nature as well as his education in philosophy and religion and his background in the arts.
Currently a Distinguished Visiting Professor of Creative Writing at Hollins University in Virginia, David Huddle taught for thirty-eight years at the University of Vermont and continues to teach at the Bread Loaf School of English. He has published seventeen books of fiction, poetry, and essays. His most recent novel is Nothing Can Make Me Do This.

  

Discoveries in Wine: Argentina
Thursday, August 30th at 6:00pm

Phoenix Books Essex

Our wine guide, Kelly, will reveal to us the magical vineyards of Mendoza, the dazzling wines of female winemaker, Susana Balbo, and a few surprises too. Come and experience Argentine Malbec at its best. We will also sample local foods that pair well with each wine. Kelly has worked extensively with Argentine wineries and is excited to share her favorites with you! The cost for this event is $30 plus tax, and registration is required.  You can register online or in person at Phoenix Books Essex.  This event is for adults aged 21 or older only, and all attendees MUST present an acceptable photo ID with their ticket receipt when they arrive for the event.   
 
Books will be available for purchase and to have signed at all author events.  
kidspicks  FICTION PICKS
Romance, Murder, and Magic


Broken Harbor, by Tana French 

 The mesmerizing fourth novel of the Dublin murder squad by New York Times bestselling author Tana French. Mick "Scorcher" Kennedy, the brash cop from Tana French's bestselling Faithful Place, plays by the book and plays hard. That's what's made him the Murder squad's top detective--and that's what puts the biggest case of the year into his hands. On one of the half-built, half-abandoned "luxury" developments that litter Ireland, Patrick Spain and his two young children are dead. His wife, Jenny, is in intensive care. At first, Scorcher and his rookie partner, Richie, think it's going to be an easy solve, but too many things can't be explained... (Hardcover)  

 

    

The Empty Glass, by J. I. Baker 

In the early-morning hours of August 5, 1962, Los Angeles County deputy coroner Ben Fitzgerald arrives at the home of the world's most famous movie star, now lying dead in her bedroom, naked and still clutching a telephone. There he discovers "The Book of Secrets" - Marilyn Monroe's diary - revealing a doomed love affair with a man she refers to only as "The General." In the following days, Ben unravels a wide-ranging cover-up and some heartbreaking truths about the fragile, luminous woman behind the celebrity. Soon the sinister and surreal accounts in "The Book of Secrets" bleed into Ben's own life, and he finds himself, like Monroe, trapped in a deepening paranoid conspiracy. (Hardcover.) 

  

Shadow of Night, by Deborah Harkness 

Now, picking up from A Discovery of Witches' cliffhanger ending, Shadow of Night plunges Diana and Matthew into Elizabethan London, a world of spies, subterfuge, and a coterie of Matthew's old friends, the mysterious School of Night that includes Christopher Marlowe and Walter Raleigh. Here, Diana must locate a witch to tutor her in magic, Matthew is forced to confront a past he thought he had put to rest, and the mystery of Ashmole 782 deepens. Deborah Harkness has crafted a gripping journey through a world of alchemy, time travel, and magical discoveries, delivering one of the most hotly anticipated novels of the season. (Hardcover.)

 

kidpicks  YOUNG ADULT PICKS
Dystopia, Dragons, and Redemption

 

Between the Lines
,
by Jodi Picoult & Samantha Van Leer
 

Delilah is a bit of a loner who prefers spending her time in the school library with her head in a book--one book in particular. Between the Lines may be a fairy tale, but it feels real. Prince Oliver is brave, adventurous, and loving. He really speaks to Delilah. And then one day Oliver actually speaks to her. Turns out, Oliver is more than a one-dimensional storybook prince. He's a restless teen who feels trapped by his literary existence and hates that his entire life is predetermined. He's sure there's more for him out there in the real world, and Delilah might just be his key to freedom...(Hardcover.) 


Where Things Come Back
,  
by John Corey Whaley
Beth's staff pick!
 

Winner of the 2012 Michael L. Printz and William C. Morris Awards, this poignant and hilarious story of loss and redemption "explores the process of grief, second chances, and even the meaning of life" (Kirkus Reviews). In the remarkable, bizarre, and heart-wrenching summer before Cullen Witter's senior year of high school, he is forced to examine everything he thinks he understands about his small and painfully dull Arkansas town. Meanwhile, the crisis of faith spawned by a young missionary's disillusion in Africa prompts a frantic search for meaning that has far-reaching consequences. As distant as the two stories initially seem, they are woven together through masterful plotting and merge in a surprising and harrowing climax. (Paperback.)   

 

Glow,
by Amy Kathleen Ryan
 

The Empyrean is the only home 15-year-old Waverly has ever known. As members of the first generation to be successfully conceived in deep space, she and her boyfriend Kieran will be pioneers of New Earth. Waverly knows she must marry young in order to have children who can carry on the mission, and Kieran, the handsome captain-to-be, has everything Waverly could want in a husband. But there's a part of Waverly that wants more from life than marriage... and she is secretly intrigued by the shy, darkly brilliant Seth.  (Paperback.) 

 

Spark,
by Amy Kathleen Ryan
 

After a desperate escape from the enemy ship, Waverly has finally made it back to the Empyrean. The memory of home has been keeping her alive for the past months... but home is nothing like she left it. Forced to leave their captive parents behind on the New Horizon, she's returned only to find that Kieran has become a strict leader and turned the crew against Seth. What happened to the Kieran she thought she knew? Now Waverly's not sure whom she can trust. And the one person she wants to believe in is darkly brilliant Seth, the ship's supposed enemy. Waverly knows that the situation will only get worse until they can rescue their parents - but how? (Hardcover.)


The Forsaken
 ,  
by Lisa M. Stasse
 

As an obedient orphan of the U.N.A. (the super-country that was once Mexico, the U.S., and Canada), Alenna learned at an early age to blend in and be quiet--having your parents taken by the police will do that to a girl. But Alenna can't help but stand out when she fails a test that all sixteen-year-olds have to take: The test says she has a high capacity for brutal violence, and so she is sent to The Wheel, an island where all would-be criminals end up. The life expectancy of prisoners on The Wheel is just two years, but with dirty, violent, and chaotic conditions, the time seems a lot longer as Alenna is forced to deal with civil wars for land ownership and machines that snatch kids out of their makeshift homes. (Hardcover.)

 

Seraphina,   

by Rachel Hartman

Four decades of peace have done little to ease the mistrust between humans and dragons in the kingdom of Goredd. Folding themselves into human shape, dragons attend court as ambassadors, and lend their rational, mathematical minds to universities as scholars and teachers. As the treaty's anniversary draws near, however, tensions are high. Seraphina Dombegh has reason to fear both sides. An unusually gifted musician, she joins the court just as a member of the royal family is murdered--in suspiciously draconian fashion. Seraphina is drawn into the investigation, partnering with the captain of the Queen's Guard, the dangerously perceptive Prince Lucian Kiggs. While they begin to uncover hints of a sinister plot to destroy the peace, Seraphina struggles to protect her own secret, the secret behind her musical gift, one so terrible that its discovery could mean her very life. (Hardcover.)


kidpicks  SCIENCE AND NATURE PICK
Studying a Survivor

 

Moonbird
, by Phillip Hoose
Beth's staff pick!
 

B95 is a robin-sized shorebird called a "rufa." Each February he joins a flock that lifts off from Tierra del Fuego, headed for breeding grounds in the Canadian Arctic, nine thousand miles away. Late in the summer, he begins the return journey. B95 can fly for days without eating or sleeping, but eventually he must descend to refuel and rest. However, recent changes at ancient refueling stations along his migratory circuit--changes caused mostly by human activity--have reduced the food available and made it harder for the birds to reach. And so, since 1995, when B95 was first captured and banded, the worldwide "rufa "population has collapsed by nearly 80 percent. Most perish somewhere along the great hemispheric circuit, but the Moonbird wings on. He has been seen as recently as November 2011, which makes him nearly twenty years old. Shaking their heads, scientists ask themselves: How can this one bird make it year after year when so many others fall?

 

National Book Award-winning author Phillip Hoose takes us around the hemisphere with the world's most celebrated shorebird, showing the obstacles "rufa" red knots face, introducing a worldwide team of scientists and conservationists trying to save them, and offering insights about what we can do to help shorebirds before it's too late. With inspiring prose, thorough research, and stirring images, Hoose explores the tragedy of extinction through the triumph of a single bird. (Ages 10-15+)

 

kidpicks  MIDDLE GRADE PICKS & BEGINNING READERS
Getting Ready for Back to School

 

School!

by Kate McMullan & George Booth 
Abby Birthday, Sid Down, Viola Fuss, Dewey Haveto, and many more! This heavily illustrated, full-color, fabulously designed young chapter book is a must-have, back-to-school title that chronicles the very simple story of Ron Faster--as he learns some important lessons about life--during his adventures on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday in a most unusual school. (Paperback.)


Lego Ninjago Fight the Power of the Snakes Brickmaster
  
Young aspiring ninjas are encouraged to create even more of their own LEGO Ninjago adventures with this second amazing set. LEGO Ninjago Fight the Power of the Snakes Brickmaster will include a set of bricks, two minifigures, and an exciting adventure story book packed with building instructions to help children to build fun models with hidden features and transformations! Join the ninjas on their most exciting adventure yet as they battle Lord Garmadon and his fearless army in DK's all new LEGO Ninjago Fight the Power of the Snakes Brickmaster!  
 
Books of Elsewhere: The Second Spy,
by Jacqueline West
Rachel O's Staff Pick! 

Some terrifying things have happened to Olive in the old stone house, but none as scary as starting junior high. Or so she thinks. When she plummets through a hole in her backyard, though, she realizes two things that may change her mind: First, the wicked Annabelle McMartin is back. Second, there's a secret underground that unlocks not one but two of Elsewhere's biggest, most powerful, most dangerous forces yet. But with the house's guardian cats acting suspicious, her best friend threatening to move away, and her ally Morton starting to rebel, Olive isn't sure where to turn. Will she figure it out in time? Or will she be lured into Elsewhere, and trapped there for good? (Hardcover.)  

  

Magic Tree House: A Perfect Time for Panda  
by Mary Pope Osborne
 

Time-traveling brother-and-sister team Jack and Annie have to find a certain kind of food--the fourth thing needed to save Merlin's beloved penguin, Penny. The magic tree house whisks them off to a village in the mountains of southeast China, close to a world-famous panda reserve. Will it be their easiest adventure yet? Not a chance! Jack and Annie don't know it, but they've arrived on the day of a historic earthquake! How will Jack and Annie survive when the giant quake strikes? Will they be able to rescue the pandas? And how will they ever get back to the tree house so that they can fulfill their quest to save Penny as well?(Hardcover.) 

  

Magic Tree House: Pandas and Other Endangered Species   

by Mary Pope Osborne

When Jack and Annie got back from their adventure in Magic Tree House #48: A Perfect Time for Pandas they had lots of questions. What do pandas eat? Where do they live? Why are snow leopards so scarce? How can we help? Find out the answers to these questions and more as Jack and Annie track the facts. Filled with up-to-date information, photos, illustrations, and fun tidbits from Jack and Annie, the Magic Tree House Fact Trackers are the perfect way for kids to find out more about the topics they discovered in their favorite Magic Tree House adventures. (Paperback.) 
 

  

kidpicks  RAISING PASSIONATE READERS
Back To School Titles for Young Readers

 

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

by William Joyce, Joe Bluhm

The book that inspired the Academy Award-winning short film, from New York Times bestselling author and beloved visionary William Joyce.

Stunningly brought to life by William Joyce, one of the preeminent creators in children's literature, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore is a modern masterpiece, showing that in today's world of traditional books, eBooks, and apps, it's story that we truly celebrate--and this story, no matter "how" you tell it, begs to be read again and again.(Picture Book Hardcover.)

  



Don't Forget, God Bless Our Troops
 
by Jill Biden 
Inspired by her own granddaughter Natalie, Vice President Joe Biden's wife, Jill, tells a story through a child's eyes of what family life is like when a parent is at war across the world.When her father leaves for a year of being at war, Natalie knows that she will miss him. Natalie is proud of her father, but there is nothing to stop her from wishing he was home. Some things do help her feel better. Natalie works with her Nana to send her dad and the other service men and women cookies and treats they have made. Natalie, her mom, and her brother can see and talk to Dad over the computer, and the kindness of friends at school and at church help her feel supported and loved. But there is nothing like the day when her Dad comes home at last. (Picture Book Hardcover.)

  

 
123 Peas
by Keith Baker

 The peas are back in this counting-themed follow-up to the New York Times bestselling LMNO Peas.Meet the peas--the 1-2-3 Peas! Come along as they count from one to one hundred in this pea-filled picture book that's packed with bright, bold numbers and playful number-themed scenes. These tiny green mathematicians will have young readers everywhere calling for more peas, please! (Picture Book Hardcover.)  

  

Rocket Writes a Story
by Tad Hills

Rocket loves books and he wants to make his own, but he can't think of a story. Encouraged by the little yellow bird to look closely at the world around him for inspiration, Rocket sets out on a journey. Along the way he discovers small details that he has never noticed before, a timid baby owl who becomes his friend, and an idea for a story. This book is sure to appeal to kids, parents, teachers, and librarians.(Picture Book Hardcover.)



Little Nelly's Big Book
 
by Pippa Goodhart & Andy Rowland 
When Nelly reads a description of mice in a book, she is convinced that she is a mouse. After all, she is gray, has big ears, and a thin tail. But then she meets some other mice, and her confusion only grows. Why are they smaller than she is? And why can't she do the same things the other mice do? Only a trip to the zoo will set this mixed up animal tale straight ... or will it? This delightfully funny story about mistaken identities is sure to get giggles from young listeners. (Picture Book Hardcover.)

   

  

 
Marco Goes to School
by Roz Chast

Marco is the busiest bird, and it's time he goes to school! There is so much to do at school, from lessons to lunch to building a block tower to the moon! But Marco soon learns that his plans for the day may be just a bit too ambitious. Luckily, school has one extra surprise for him--and that's a new friend! In Marco's latest wacky adventure, acclaimed cartoonist Roz Chast proves that it's not getting to the moon that counts--it's the friends we make along the way. (Picture Book Hardcover.)   

 
You Are My Wonders
by Maryann Cusimano Love & Satomi Ichikawa

No one captures the essence of our most cherished relationships quite like Maryann Cusimano Love and Satomi Ichikawa. Whether parent and child or grandparent and grandchild, Maryann's tender, playful text and Satomi's childlike, colorful illustrations are nothing less than odes to these universal bonds. Now the two shine their spotlight on students and teachers, enriching each other through storytelling, art, music, and of course, guidance. Perfect and reassuring for the youngest of students, You Are My Wonders is sure to be a hit at story time at home or in the classroom. (Picture Book Hardcover.)