This issue's special - 30% off

September 21, 2004

In this issue:

Autumn is here!
Seasonal Displays/Teacher Featured Book by Jan Brett
Ben Mikaelsen/Readers' Favorites
Events
"The Monster Trap" by Dean Morrissey
"Ish" by Peter H. Reynolds
"Langston's Train Ride"
"Maggie's Door" by Patricia Reilly Giff
Comfort me with Apples

Greetings from Gaylene,

It's official, as of today fall is here. Though Mother Nature made us doubt
its arrival the past week or so, the  shorter days are making a believer of
me.  It's such a pretty time of year and a good time to savor not only the
sights and smells of nature, but new books to read and share.

Check out our seasonal book displays for Halloween themed books, Election
oriented books, the books in Teacher Feature, books for our featured Author
Events, and the many new books arriving daily.  Our shelves are over
flowing!  Speaking of the Teacher Feature display, this issue's Teacher
Featured Book is Jan Brett's latest: The Umbrella (published by Putnam,
ISBN: 0399242155; $16.99 regular price, with discount $11.90 plus tax). This
book has a different setting then her other books, the tropical rain forest.
The boy Carlos takes the reader with him into the rain forest of Costa Rica,
encountering the many forms of wildlife and plant life on his way.  Jan
Brett's amazing illustrations make it a trip worth taking!  Another popular
author has a new book as well:  Brian Jacques' "Rakkety Tam" from the
Redwall Series is new in the store.

____

Ben Mikaelsen is a popular author with middle aged readers, and he will be
in the area next week, speaking to students, teachers and librarians.
Thursday night, September 23, at 7:00 p.m. adults are invited to hear him
speak at the Allison Middle School Auditorium on the topic of "Working with
At-Risk Students".  Watermark will have books available for purchase, which
Mr. Mikaelsen will autograph after his presentation.  "Touching Spirit
Bear,"  "Red Midnight,"  and "Petey" are just a few of his books.

Last issue's first response of reader's favorites was the book just
mentioned, "Petey" by Ben Mikaelsen.  Barbara Keltner says "Petey" is a
favorite of my middle school students and me. EVERY student who starts it
comes back after finishing it, wanting another book like it--but it's so
special that I don't know of another one to suggest that's sufficiently
"like" it to satisfy them!!"  Thanks, Barbara. (She won a free lunch for
responding first).  One of Robin Eshelman's favorites has always been "The
LIttle House" by  Virginia Lee Burton, which she's read to her own children
and during summer vacations to Boston and New York.  What's one of your
favorites? Let's change the category this time a bit and make it a book
about fall.   Remember, there is a FREE lunch involved! (You don't know what
a good deal a free lunch at Watermark is. Talk about the ultimate
temptation....surround yourself with wonderful books and on top of it, the
smell of baking bread and other wonderful things being made in the cafe).
And this time it will be a drawing for the lunch instead of first response,
since some people don't see this the day it comes out.

October Events:

October 1-3, Holiday Galleria.  Support Literacy and shop for the Holidays
at the same time!  Century II Exhibition Hall. Tickets available at Watermark Books

October 4, 7:00 p.m. Reading & Signing by Mike Hayes, author of "Plains
Crazy"

October 9, 2:00 p.m. Signing of "Dinner is Served" by Regina Franklin-Bayse

October 10, 3:00 p.m. Bill West will sign his book "Your Garageanous Zone"

October 14,  4:00-5:00 p.m. at Watermark.  Happy Birthday Tomie dePaola!!!
Purchase a copy of his new book "Guess Who's Coming to Santa's for Dinner"
and receive a ticket to the signing.  Call me if you have questions!

October 23, 10:00 a.m. June Rae Wood, author of "Man Who Loved Clowns" and "Turtle on a Fencepost" will be at Watermark to sign books and visit with readers.

October 28, 7:00 p.m. Reading and Signing by A.B. Hollingsworth of "University Boulevard"
____

Now, on to the new books.....

"The Monster Trap" by Dean Morrissey (published by Harper Collins, ISBN
0060524987, $16.99) is not really a Halloween book, but it could be used as
such at that time of year for a kinder, gentler Halloween story.  Paddy is
staying with his grandfather for a few days, and after listening to "Monster
Radio Theatre," Paddy is certain he hears monsters.  Pop decides to build a
monster trap to relieve his grandson's fears.  Pop builds a succession of
monster traps, each more elaborate then the one before, connecting the
"bafflesnatch to the flubbernut and the snogmuddle through the plim flaps"
(This is my kind of technical terminology!)  This was one spectacular
monster trap!  That night both Pop and Paddy went to see what was happening, and found monsters everywhere having the time of their lives.  Pop's monster trap was more like a monster amusement park, so they turned it into a monster party!  After that, Paddy still had trouble sleeping, but not from
fear--from too much company!  (By the way, these are the cutest monsters
you've ever seen) For ages 5 and up.

____

"Ish" by Peter H. Reynolds (Candlewick Press, ISBN 076362344X, $14.00) is a
book every art teacher should have.  I just bought one for my son, who next
week teaches his first lessons with real, live fourth and fifth grade
students as a student art teacher.  Ramon loved to draw, anywhere, anytime
but he was being ridiculed for his drawings, which didn't look realistic to
his brother Leon.  After much frustration and many crumpled pieces of paper,
Ramon said, "I'm done".  His little sister, who was watching him draw,
picked up the piece of paper he had crumpled and ran.  Running after his
sister, Ramon discovered in his sister's room, a literal gallery of his
crumpled pictures taped to the walls.   He first tried to explain that a
certain picture was supposed to be a vase of flowers, to which his sister
responded, "Well, it looks vase-ISH". Obviously, his sister admired his work
even though his brother didn't.   Ramon realized all his drawings looked
"ISH".  "Thinking ish-ly allowed his ideas to flow freely".  Art is a
creative, expressive endeavor, and this little book points out how freeing
it can be to let go of thinking inside the box.

____

"Langston's Train Ride" by Robert Burleigh, illustrated by Leonard Jenkins
( published by Orchard Books, ISBN 0439 3529398, $16.95 is a lovely book
that focuses on the realization of dreams.  Poet Langston Hughes, a
prominent figure in the Harlem Renaissance and one time resident of Kansas,
is the subject of this book.  Specifically, the book addresses the moment
when Langston Hughes came to believe in himself as a writer.   "Maybe we're
all part of a big river that flows from way back to here.  And from here
to--who knows where?"  L. Hughes

____


4th to 8th grade fans of "Nory Ryan's Song" by Newbery award winning author
Patricia Reilly Giff, will not want to miss her new book "Maggie's Door"
(Wendy Lamb Books, ISBN:  0385326580, $15.95) which follows Nory's journey
to America, along with her friend Sean Red Mallon, his mother and the little
brother Patch.  They endure great hardship with a single mindedness of
purpose in reaching their goal:  Nory's sister Maggie's door in Brooklyn,
NY.  Historical events such as the potato famine, grueling poverty, and the
treacherous journey may seem disturbing, but will remind the reader of the
strength of the human spirit.  The stories of Nory and Sean are kept
separated through alternating chapters, telling a story of endurance and a
shared dream.

____

In the midst of the fall frenzy of back to school activities, soccer games,
and a break-neck pace, remember to stop and smell the apples!  Yes, I do
mean apples, not roses.  Today I am remembering the apple trees we had when
I grew up and how the apples smelled and tasted when I got off the school
bus!  What brings a smile to your face as you think of Septembers past?
I'll leave you with that thought to ponder!

Until Next Time,


Gaylene


 

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