|
Visit our Store
| |
Bookshelf
11429 Donner Pass Rd. #2
Westgate Shopping Center
Truckee
800-959-5083
530-582-0515
Now located 3 doors down from Wild Cherries coffee shop. Come see us!
|
|
|
Dear Book Lover,
Spring has sprung, and, while supplies last, get your Very Hungry Caterpillar Antennae with the purchase of any Eric Carle hardcover book.
There's lots more new in the store, so come by and get our latest picks. We are starting to think about summer reading as well, so when you get your list of recommended reading, please share it with us, and we will share our picks with you.
On  Tuesday, May 13, at 3 pm, stop in for a short presentation by Mark Seaton, author of
Mark the Mountain Guide, and
Mark the Mountain Guide and the Compass Adventure. Suggested ages 5-8.
And we are excited to let you know we will be "Finding Waldo" at local businesses in July! Stay tuned for more information.
|
|
|
Children's Picture Books
 Clara and Davie by Patricia Polacco
A true story of young Clara Barton who became the founder of the American Red Cross. Growing up, Clara loved nature and animals and was very close to her older brother Davie, who taught her lessons about the outdoors. Clara was an excellent student, but because of her lisp, which drew teasing from her classmates, she was kept at home to be taught. Even some of her older siblings punished her because of her "lazy tongue", but Davie was always by her side encouraging her in every way, showing her how to treat and heal their sick farm animals. When Davie has an accident breaking both his legs and leaving him close to death, it was Clara who nursed him back to health. Polacco's moving story, enhanced by her beautiful illustrations, is about love, loyalty, and courage between a sister and brother. Clara became one of America's most famous nurses and is a distant relative of the author. Ages 5 to 9. (Scholastic Press, $17.99) Reviewed by Carol
 Hi-Koo! A Year Of Seasons by John J Muth
Wow! Hi,Koo is an amazingly creative book! Author Muth explains in the preface that haiku is a Japanese poetic form that "is like an instant captured in words -- using sensory images." Koo, the panda, leads us through the seasons with whimsical illustrations and haiku. Children will be able to hear the form of the haiku with perfectly chosen words. Parents and teachers will delight in sharing Hi-Koo! with their children. It's a gift for all ages. (Scholastic, $17.99) Reviewed by Carolin
 How to Babysit a Grandma by Jean Reagan Grandmas often babysit their granddaughters, but what if the role is reversed and a sleepover for a young one at Grandma's house brings fun to keep Grandma busy. You're guaranteed to become an expert grandma-sitter if you let this clever book help you check out ways to keep Grandma "on her toes": what to do at the park, read a book, share your tricks to make a yummy dinner, or choose a new place to sleep when it's time for lights out. From the time you're dropped off to be lucky enough to babysit Grandma and sleep over, you'll find the hardest part is goodbye time asking "When can I babysit again?" Lee Wildish brings clever colorful illustrations to this delightful story for ages 4 to 8, which is a companion to How to Babysit a Grandpa. (Alfred A. Knopf, $16.99) Reviewed by Carol
 Joy in Mudville By Bob Raczka Can a girl play baseball as well as any boy? Reminiscent of Casey at the Bat, this story in rhyme tells of the day following mighty Casey's strike-out, slipping the Mudville Nine into second place. This game is crucial, and in the eighth inning Casey's hit clears the fence putting Mudville in the lead. But in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, their pitcher walks three batters and the skipper is faced with a decision. The relief pitchers aren't the best, so who can take the mound? Can Joy, a "she", and a rookie just off the farm, save the game and bring joy to Mudville again? With clever illustrations by Glin Dibley, including the famous poem Casey at the Bat by Ernest Lawrence Thayer, this story will delight children ages 4 to 8. (Lerner, $17.95) Reviewed by Carol
 Journey by Aaron Becker Journey, the 2013 Caldecott winner, is a picture book that beautifully illustrates what a lonely little girl, a red crayon, and a wonderful imagination can create. By simply drawing an arched door on her bedroom wall, the child enters a spectacular world of adventure. The beauty of a true picture book is that the illustrations tell the story and a child's imagination takes it from there. Each page is a treasure! (Candlewick Press, $15.95) Reviewed by Carolin
 Little Poems for Tiny Ears
by Lin Oliver
This delightful book is the perfect collection of original poems for parents or family members to introduce babies or toddlers to poetry. Beautifully illustrated by Tomie de Paola, these poems celebrate everyday things such as playing peekaboo, splashing at bath time, changing diapers, and bedtime cuddling. Looking for a best gift for a baby shower or a little one's first birthday? Nothing could be better than this book that captures magic moments of fun being new in the world. Ages 3 and up. (Penguin, $16.00) Reviewed by Carol
 Locomotive by Brian Floca The 2014 Caldecott winner, Locomotive, is a treasure for all ages. Train lovers and those who enjoy history told as a story, will be fascinated with the tale of a family who heads West in the summer of 1869 on the Pacific Railroad. The sights and sounds of this adventure come alive for the reader through the illustrations. You and your child will discover familiar landscapes as Truckee was an important link in the creation of the Transcontinental Railroad. Each time you read this beautiful story, you will discover something new. Children and adults alike will learn and understand the rich history of the railroad and the development of the locomotive. It's amazing the story illustrations can tell! Ages 4 and up. (Atheneum Books, $17.99) Reviewed by Carolin
Maple
by Lori Nichols
Every once in a while a delightful little book comes along that warms your heart. Maple is a wonderful story, simply illustrated that you and your child will want to read again and again. It's about a baby named Maple, and a tree that is planted when she is a baby. You will realize that Maple tells how memories are made and how we grow with the years and the seasons. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a tree of your own that shares your name? What a gift! (Penguin Books, $16.99) Reviewed by Carolin
Trouper
by Meg Kearney
Based on a true story inspired by the author's own dog's amazing rescue. Trouper is a 3-legged dog that runs with a mob of mutts, tipping over trash cans, barking and fighting over scraps and dodging stones thrown by mean kids. One day the dogcatcher traps the mob and takes them to a place filled with dogs locked in cages. Every day Trouper waits for someone to give him a good home; waits and waits until he is the only one left. Will someone with a kind heart have a home for a 3-legged dog? A heartwarming story for ages preschool to 3 years old with beautiful artwork by E. B. Lewis.(Scholastic Press, $16.99). Reviewed by Carol
|
|
Recommended Reading for Ages 8-12
Emil and the Detectives
by Erich Kastner
This early 20th century German classic children's story has been a longtime favorite of mine and has delighted me in reading it again in this new modern translation by W. Martin, with a forward by Maurice Sendak. When Emil takes his first train ride from his small home in New Town to Berlin to visit relatives, he is very excited but a little nervous. In his coat pocket is pinned a substantial amount of money to deliver to his grandmother. Emil is very polite and grown-up and impresses his fellow train passengers. He naps and dreams during the ride, but upon his arrival, finding he has departed at the wrong station, he checks his pocket and finds the money gone. He knows who stole the money: the man in the bowler hat, the train passenger who had offered him a chocolate bar. How can Emil face his grandmother without the money? He must catch the thief, but he needs help. And so begins this clever money-retrieving adventure. Highly recommended for ages 8 to 12. (Overlook Press, $12.99) Reviewed by Carol
Is It Night or Day?
by Fern Schumer Chapman
In 1938, when anti-semitism is beginning to take hold in Germany, the Westerfeld family plans to escape from their small village and find a new home in America. But family members become divided by allegience to their homeland and a decision is made to send 12-year-old Edith to live with her uncle Jacob in Chicago. Traveling alone across the Atlantic, Edith finds friendships with other children seeking refuge in a new country. Upon her arrival she finds an aunt that treats her like a maid, and when she enters school she suffers prejudice as an "enemy alien". Edith's ties to Germany and her parents finally become severed when she finds their dreams of freedom are extinguished when she is told they have died in a concentration camp. The author brings her voice to this fictionalized account of her mother's journey through an immigration experience. An engaging view for readers ages 10-13 in a memoir-like novel about life as a young immigrant. Highly recommended. (Square Fish, $6.99). Reviewed by Carol
 The Pet War
by Allan Woodrow
This is a hilarious story about battles of dog versus cat and brother versus sister. 11-year-old Otto wants a dog while his 12-year-old sister, Lexi, wants a cat; but their mother, a nurse who works long hours, wants neither. Otto begs and promises what he will do to take care of his dog. Lexi campaigns in another direction: researching cats and making posters and graphs with all the reasons cats make better pets. Mom's one question is: Who is going to pay for everything? Pets are expensive. Then the war begins. Otto and Lexi agree that whoever can raise enough money will decide which pet they get, and surprisingly their mother goes along with the plan. Can Otto and Lexi survive the ugliness of a battle, or will they ruin everything in the fight to defeat each other? The battle lines have been drawn and The Pet War begins. An amusingly clever story for ages 8 to 12. (Scholastic Press, $16.99). Reviewed by Carol
Shadow
by Michael Morpurgo
Fourteen year old Aman is surviving in an Afghan cave with his mother while the horrors of war bear down on them. When Shadow, a loyal spaniel shows up, the dog gives Aman the courage he needs most. Aman, his mother, and Shadow leave the cave with hopes of escaping to England, but at a check point their journey encounters trouble and Shadow runs away after being shot by the police. Although Aman and his mother make their way to a new life in Engand, they don't find the freedom they hoped for. And what of Shadow? A moving story of war, love of family, and loyalty. Ages 8 to 12. (Square Fish, $6.99) Reviewed by Carol
|
|
Kids Non-Fiction
Stars and Planets: Glow in the Dark
by DK Publishing
What a great book for children to blast off into space! It starts at the very edge of the solar system, page-by-colorful-page, traveling all the way to the Sun, Saturn's rings, storms on Jupiter, and volcanoes on Venus, while you dive through an asteroid belt and explore planets' moons. With die-cuts, images, labels, descriptions, and fun facts, plus a poster and a glow-in-the-dark sheet of stickers, this is the ultimate way to explore space for ages 5 to 8. (DK Publishing, $19.99) Reviewed by Carol
Stolen Into Slavery: The True Story of Solomon Northrup, Free Black Man
by Judith and Dennis Pradin
The authors bring this book to young readers ages 8 and up, based on the life of Solomon Northrup whose story was told in his autobiography 12 Years a Slave. In 1841, Northrup was a free black man from New York who found himself kidnapped, chained, and sold into slavery and sent to Louisiana. Northrup had papers proving him to be a free man, but when trying to prove himself free, he found the papers were gone. He survived twelve years of bondage enduring hardships of slave life until he was rescued from a southern cotton plantation by friends from New York. This is a compelling story with little known pieces of history that will attract young readers. Adults should enjoy reading Northrup's 12 Years a Slave and then plan an adult/young reader discussion about what touched each one about this account. Both books highly recommended. (National Geographic, $9.99) Reviewed by Carol
|
|
Young Adult
 Grasshopper Jungle by Andrew Smith
This is a really smart novel, dystopian in flavor, about the Truth as told by historian Austin, a pubescent 17 year-old teenager. And be forewarned, it is told in the slang of a 17 year old teenage boy, and what this teenager really is thinking about all the time, his girlfriend, his best friend Robby (he loves them both), and giant bugs who are let loose accidentally by bullies of said Austin-- giant bugs that only think about two things. It is the beginning of the end of the world, highly original in concept and rated R for sex, violence and the rest, and teenage boys will love it. I did really enjoy the mind of Austin and this original, thought-provoking novel. Ages 14 and up. (Dutton, $18.99) Reviewed by Debbie
 Independent Study: The Testing, Book 2 by Joelle Charbonneau
In the series debut, Cia was chosen by the United Commonwealth government as one of the brightest graduates of the colonies as a promising leader to revitalize postwar civilization. In this second book, Cia enters her freshman year at the university, but the government has tried to erase her memory from earlier brutal horrors. She now attempts to expose the truth behind the government, a move that puts her in danger as the Commonwealth is depending on her. A page-turner for fans of dystopian ficiton who have enjoyed the Hunger Games and Divergent series. I can't wait for the conclusion in Graduation Day coming in June 2014! (Houghton Mifflin, $17.99) Reviewed by Carol and also a Deb pick!
 What We Saw at Night
by Jacquelyn Mitchard
A suspenseful thriller for teens with an intriguing plot. Allie, Juliet, and Rob are the "tres compadres". 16-year-olds afflicted with Xeroderme Pigmentosum, or XP, a fatal allergy to sunlight. Forced to live in the parallel universe of the "night country" surrounded by "daytimers". The three become active in Parkour, the stunt-sport of scaling and leaping off tall buildings while risking their lives during the dead of darkness. But one night Allie witnesses what could be a murder, drawing Juliet and Rob into a secret involving the people she trusts the most. This novel, for ages 14 and up, brings twists at every turn for teen readers. Now in paperback. (Soho Teen, $9.99). Reviewed by Carol
What We Lost in the Dark
by Jacquelyn Mitchard
In this sequel to
What We Saw at Night,
the story returns to the small town of Iron Harbor, Minnesota and the "tres compadres"; Allie, Juliet and Rob, friends who are afflicted with XP, a fatal allergy to sunlight. Allie has recently lost her best friend Juliet, one of the trio, who reportedly committed suicide...or could her death been a murder? Allie is obsessed by Juliet's disappearance and is determined to find the cause. Is her friend's disappearance in any way connected to Garret Tabor, a son of the family founder of the famous XP clinic, that until now has kept the trio alive? When Allie is free diving in Lake Michigan she discovers a terrible secret and is determined to make those responsible pay. Can Allie's discovery be connected to Juliet's disappearance and can Garrett be involved? This is a good teen thriller, but first you must read the beginning story now out in paperback. (Soho Teen, $17.99). Reviewed by Carol
 We Were Liars by E. Lockhart This is a novel about the children of beautiful people who summer on a private New England island-- a dark story about a group of four friends -- the Liars -- Cadence, Mirren, Johnny and Gat. And summer fifteen, when Cadence's parents divorce and her life changes. Somehow that summer turned deadly and Cadence can't remember what happened. Two years later she returns to Beechwood Island and her friends looking for answers. The writing will pull you in with its spare prose and you will want to know what happened to this perfect family. Ages 12 and up. (Delacorte Press, $17.99) Reviewed by Debbie  Willow
by Tonya Cherie Hegamin
In 1848, Willow is an educated 15 year-old slave girl living on a plantation a short distance south of the Mason-Dixon line and facing a difficult choice: bondage or freedom. Taught to read and write, with loyalty to her master, Willow fears the rebel slave runaways until she meets 17 year-old Cato, a free born black man on the other side of the line. Cato's mission is to bring fugitive slaves to freedom and when Willow's and Cato's lives cross, there are life-changing decisions to be made by both of them. This is a coming-of-age story about the ways a person can be enslaved and the need to become emancipated. Grades 7 and up. (Candlewick Press, $16.99) Reviewed by Carol
|
Gift Cards/Certificates and IndieBound
 Gift cards are always a welcome gift for a reader, who can then choose exactly what they want. Our booksellers are always ready with a great book suggestion for adults and children. 
IndieBound is about supporting Independent bookstores and other businesses, and celebrating what makes them unique. It's about reaching out, it's about raising awareness, and it's about taking pride in your community.
|
|
|
|
|
Deborah Lane
Bookshelf Stores Inc
|
|
|
