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What We're Reading:
Current Picks from the Watermark Staff
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Watermark Teacher Feature – August 27, 2008
In this issue:
* Teacher Appreciation Day details
UPCOMING EVENTS:
* September KMUW Literary Feast
* New day-time book club: Hot & Popular
* Novelist Ethan Canin
* Novelist Curtis Sittenfeld
* Children’s author Lois Ruby in October
FRESH TITLES:
* “Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things” by Lenore Look
* “Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Writing Thank-you Notes” by Peggy Gifford
* “Going, Going Gone! With the Pain & the Great One” by Judy Blume
* "Bad Kitty Gets a Bath" by Nick Bruel
* “The Dragon in the Sock Drawer” by Kate Klimo
* “Runaways: Dead End Kids” by Joss Whedon & Michael Ryan
INDIE NEXT: Fall 2008 Children’s List
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Okay, folks, here’s the 411 on Watermark’s Teacher Appreciation Day:
(And if you’re wondering what a “411” is, the truth is that I don’t know either,
but it’s what the all cool kids say, and I always try to follow their lead.)
Here’s what we have in store.
* A universal 25% educator discount for bookstore items (with just a few
piddly exceptions): Items for your schools & classrooms, books for you, games
and toys, the whole works.
* Freebies: Free posters, educator guides, sample books, and more
giveaways I haven’t even tagged yet because, seriously, the shelf is SO FULL
right now. Don’t miss out.
* Catalog Trunk Show: We’ll have a station set up where you can sit and
browse catalogs from select children’s and educational publishers and place
orders for the titles and items that interest you.
* Door Prizes: Put your name in the hat as you arrive and enjoy a chance
to win one of our awesome book bundles. These prizes are the mother lode of cool
stuff, and Carolyn always does a great job of giving them that Fancy Nancy
polish.
* Personal Shopping: We’ll have our crack team of children’s and YA
booksellers present to help you collect the books on your list, make good
suggestions, and show you any awesome finds you might have missed. Feel free to
call or write ahead of time and have us work up lists of recommendations
selected to meet your particular needs--the earlier the better, of course. (And
if we decide to call our crack team “The A-Team,” I totally have dibs on being
Murdock.)
* Lunchtime Roundtable: As in previous years, your lunch is on us. We’ll
meet downstairs at 11:30 for a meal and a sit-down discussion. Please bring the
names of your favorite recent school and book-club reads, your greatest finds,
and your questions for fellow educators and book-people. It’ll be a hoot!
To RESERVE A SPOT for lunch, please e-mail
beth.golay@watermarkbooks.com
Lunch spaces are limited.
Activities and giveaways will run from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Shopping, of
course, will be available all day!
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UPCOMING WATERMARK EVENTS
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
Tuesday, September 9. Hot & Popular Book Club. 10:00 a.m.
Watermark has a new morning book club! We’re poised to read and discuss
high-quality bestsellers over our morning coffee. Tell your friends, your
grandma, and any young parents who need to get out of the house to come be hot
and popular with us. This first month's book is “Here If You Need Me” by Kate
Braestrup. The meeting will be led by yours truly.
Ethan Canin reading & signing: Thursday, September 11. 7:00 p.m.
Midwestern novelist Ethan Canin will read from 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. 10:00 a.m. to
3:00 p.m.
Special discounts. Free books, posters, study guides, and swag. The opportunity
to browse catalogs for great educational materials. Personal shopping and a free
roundtable lunch. Read descriptions above. Mark your calendars, tell your
teacher friends, and RSVP for lunch to
beth.golay@watermarkbooks.com
Thursday, September 18: Curtis Sittenfeld reading & signing. 7:00 p.m.
Watermark will host novelist Curtis Sittenfeld for an evening reading and
signing of her new book, “American Wife,” a novel loosely inspired by the life
of Laura Bush.
It's the sweeping story of a private, self-conscious girl who grows up to find
herself thrust into the public glare, where she is forced to face contradictions
in her life that were years in the making. Sittenfeld is the New York Times
bestselling author of “Prep” and “The Man of My Dreams.” “American Wife” will be
released September 2, 2008. To pre-order or reserve a copy, call (316) 682-1181.
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
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FRESH TITLES
Beginning chapter books:
* “Alvin Ho: Allergic to Girls, School, and Other Scary Things” by Lenore
Look, illus. by LeUyen Pham (Schwartz & Wade, 9780375839146, $15.99, 176
pages, for ages 7 to 10) Alvin Ho is a great new early-chapter-book character
with special appeal for young boys. If your readers like the “Stink” books, they
shouldn’t miss Alvin Ho.
Read review:
http://www.watermarkbooks.com/review0808-012.html
* "Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Writing Thank-you Notes" by Peggy Gifford
(Schwartz & Wade, 9780375842702, $12.99, 176 pages) The charming star of "Moxy
Maxwell Does Not Love Stuart Little" returns and reaches new heights of
procrastination as she tries to avoid her holiday thank-you notes at ALL COSTS.
It’s delightful fun!
Read review:
http://www.watermarkbooks.com/review0808-006.html
* "Going, Going, Gone! With the Pain & the Great One" by Judy Blume (Delacorte
Books for Young Readers, 9780385733076, $12.99, 128 pages) Brother-and-sister
squabbles return again in another winning book sequel about two early-grades
siblings who only like each other when no one else is looking.
Read review:
http://www.watermarkbooks.com/review0808-007.html
* "Bad Kitty Gets a Bath" by Nick Bruel (Roaring Brook Press,
9781596433410, $12.95) The feline hero of the “Bad Kitty” picture books moves
into chapter-book territory with this very, very funny exploration of cats and
the natural enemy dreaded by all cat owners: the bath-time.
Read review:
http://www.watermarkbooks.com/review0808-010.html
Middle-readers fiction:
* “The Dragon in the Sock Drawer: Dragon Keepers #1” by Kate Klimo
(Random House Books for Young Readers, 9780375855870, $14.99, for ages 8 to 12)
Two cousins find a hatching dragon egg and must soon learn what to feed their
new friend and how to protect it from a rogue dragon hunter. This book is lively
fun and has great themes about caring for pets.
Read review:
http://www.watermarkbooks.com/review0808-009.html
Young adult & teen reads:
* “Runaways: Dead End Kids” by Joss Whedon & Michael Ryan (Marvel Comics,
9780785128533, $19.99 hardcover, for 12 and up) The single best graphic novel
series for young adults has a new volume out! The day after Watermark re-opened
from its re-model, we had a steady stream of savvy youngsters lined up for this
newly released installment. Find out what makes them such ardent fans.
Read review:
http://www.watermarkbooks.com/review0808-013.html
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INDIE NEXT: Fall 2008 Children’s List
Want more new picks from independent booksellers? The Indie Bound fall list is
now available on-line at:
http://www.indiebound.org/kids-indie-next-list
This list, which used to go by the name “Booksense,” is compiled from
booksellers nationwide (including a pick in this issue from Watermark for an
upcoming title). Full-color printed copies are available in the bookstore. Ask
for one the next time you’re in.
Later educators,
Mark David Bradshaw
Click here for the Teacher Feature Archives
Peruse
back issues of teacher feature since its inception in April
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