What We're Reading: Current Picks from the Watermark Staff

Watermark Teacher Feature – August 13, 2008
 
In this issue:
 
UPCOMING EVENTS:
* “Breaking Dawn” discussion this Friday
* Political writer Thomas Frank next week
* Picture book author Sherry Galloway Willis
* September KMUW Literary Feast
* Novelist Ethan Canin
* TEACHER APPRECIATION DAY!!!
* Children’s author Lois Ruby in October
 
FRESH TITLES:
* "Bats at the Library" by Brian Lies
* "Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox" by Eoin Colfer
* The "Kiki Strike” books by Kirsten Miller
* "The Alchemyst" and "The Magician" by Michael Scott
* “The Manny Files” by Christian Burch
* “Drama: Entrances & Exits” by Paul Ruditis
 
-
 
This and previous issues of Teacher Feature are available on the Watermark Web site. You can read on-line, complete with pictures and clickable links, here: www.watermarkbooks.com/teach.html

-

Greetings & salutations,

Are you all ready for a the new school year? What's that you say? Bring it on? Well, all right then! Let's get started.

This back-to-school issue is rich with reviews of middle-school titles, including a new Artemis Fowl and the great Kiki Strike, a young lady you won't want to miss.

(Next issue, we'll see a new crop of early chapter books. Anticipate.) Also, I have free bookplates signed by Eoin Colfer for anyone who would like a copy of "Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox."

We’re now taking pre-orders for Christopher Paolini’s heavily anticipated “Brisingr,” set to be released on September 20. That same day will also be Watermark's annual Teacher Appreciation Day (which is for classroom teachers and educators of all stripes). Please mark your calendars now, and plan to join us. I'll have more info on the programming, free giveaways, and special discounts we'll have on offer. It's always a hoot.

My very best wishes on the new school year!
 
-
 
UPCOMING WATERMARK EVENTS
 

Breaking Dawn discussion: Friday, August 15. 6:00-7:00 p.m.
 
Come discuss the thrills and revelations in Stephenie Meyer's newest novel in Watermark’s Twilight Circle! We'll also show off some other books that are favorites of Twilight fans.
 
 
Thomas Frank reading & signing: Thursday, August 21. 7:00 p.m.
 
Thomas Frank, author of the political bestseller “What's the Matter With Kansas?” will speak and sign copes of his headline-making new book “The Wrecking Crew: How Conservatives Rule.” To reserve a copy, call (316) 682-1181.
 
 
Sherry Galloway Willis book signing: Sunday, August 24. 2:00 p.m.
 
Children’s author Sherry Galloway Willis sign copies of her new picture book “Cowboy Tad, the Triangle Man,” a story of one brave cowboy who faces his fears and finds true friendship. (It’s an eLIVE book, meaning each printed copy contains a special code redeemable for the free download of the audio version of the book!)
 
 
KMUW Literary Feast: Friday, September 5. 7:00 p.m.
 
Our dinner-and-book-discussion series is the most delicious book club in town! September’s book is the novel “The Story of a Marriage” by Andrew Sean Greer. Tickets are available in the book store or by calling (316) 682-1181. Places are limited, so we recommend getting your ticket early. Read about the book and author on KMUW’s Web site: http://www.kmuw.org/LiteraryFeasts.html
 
 
Ethan Canin reading & signing: Thursday, September 11. 7:00 p.m.
 
Midwestern novelist Ethan Canin will read and sign his new novel “America, America,” the sweeping story of one man's rise to political power during the Nixon era. It’s one of the most talked-about novels of the year. Call to reserve a copy: (316) 682-1181.
 
 
Watermark's Teacher Appreciation Day: Saturday, September 20.

Special discounts. Free books, posters, study guides, and swag. The opportunity to browse catalogs for great educational materials. Mark your calendars, tell your teacher friends, and read next issue for more details. We love our educators, and we love to show it!
 
 
Lois Ruby reading & Signing: Saturday, Oct. 11. 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon.
 
Lois Ruby, beloved children's writer and author of “Shanghai Shadows,” will appear for a morning reading and book signing for her newest book, “The Secret of Laurel Oaks.” Due out the first week of September, it’s a wonderfully spooky ghost story set in Louisiana’s past and present. Ruby found inspiration for the book on a visit to a reputedly haunted plantation listed by the Smithsonian Institution as one of the most haunted sites in the U.S. It’s a great, smart book for the Halloween season!
 
 
For a full listing of Watermark events, including book clubs and art openings, visit the Events page of our Web site at: http://www.watermarkbooks.com/events.html

-
 
FRESH TITLES
 
Picture books:
 
"Bats at the Library" by Brian Lies (Houghton Mifflin, 9780618999231, $16.00, for ages 4 to 8) From the author of the wonderful “Bats at the Beach” picture book comes this silly, shadowy exploration of a cozy library at night. You’ll especially love the library’s many take-offs on classic book titles, including “Goodnight Sun” and “Make Way for Batlings.” It’s a real winner: Read review
 
 
Middle-readers fiction:
 
"Artemis Fowl: The Time Paradox" by Eoin Colfer (Hyperion Books for Children, 9781423108368, $17.99, for ages 9 and older) Young criminal mastermind Artemis Fowl learns about the consequences of his villainy in this clever, funny, exciting, and faery-filled adventure story. This hilarious series stays strong from book to book: Read review
 

"Kiki Strike: Inside the Shadow City" and "Kiki Strike: The Empress's Tomb" by Kirsten Miller (Bloomsbury USA Children's Books, 9781599900926 and 9781599900476, $7.95 and $16.95, for ages 9 and older) Recommended to me by a local school librarian (thank you, Barb!), this adventure series features six skillful young girls in stories that mix the sleuthing of Nancy Drew with the spelunking fun of Indiana Jones. They’ve run a bit below the radar, but they deserve to be put into the hands of young readers who want mysteries and fearless heroines: Read review

 
"The Alchemyst" and "The Magician" by Michael Scott (Delacorte Books for Young Readers, ISBNs 9780385736008 and 9780385733588, $8.99 and $16.99, for ages 12 and up) Perfect for fans of Percy Jackson and Artemis Fowl, this rising series follows young siblings caught up in an immortal battle over a priceless book of priceless alchemical recipes: Read review
 
 
“The Manny Files” by Christian Burch (Aladdin Mix, 9781416955344, $6.99, ages 9 to infinity) The funniest book I’ve read this year, this is a tale of a young family and their quirky male nanny. It’s full of strong sibling moments, family laughs, and three generations of hysterical relatives. It’s also a great portrait of a quiet and reflective young boy who marches to his own drummer: Read review
 
 
Young adult reads:
 
“Drama! Entrances and Exits” by Paul Ruditis (Simon Pulse, 9781416959069, $8.99, 256 pages, for ages 12 and up) This frothy series has all the draw of teen chick lit (school cliques, friendship squabbles, light romance) with the added nutrition of bright humor and a serious focus on theatre, writing, and acting. Someone needs to turn it into a CW show, stat: Read review

-

Past reviews and archived issues of Teacher Feature can be read on-line on the Watermark Web site at: http://www.watermarkbooks.com/teacharchives.html

-
 
Later educators,
 
Mark David Bradshaw

Click here for the Teacher Feature Archives

Peruse back issues of teacher feature since its inception in April 2003.