From last week's Book Sense bestseller lists, available at booksense.com, here are the recommended titles, which are also Book Sense Picks:
Hardcover
The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly (Atria, $23, 0743298853). "David, a 12-year-old mourning the death of his mother, enters another world where every fairy tale lives. A world that encompasses many things we wish for: beauty, wonder, adventure, and redemption--as well as many of our fears: loss, danger, hopelessness. [The] incredible writing draws you into this story of stories, which is ultimately about hope."--Amy Loewy, Garden District Book Shop, New Orleans, La.
American Bloomsbury: Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Margaret Fuller, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Henry David Thoreau: Their Lives, Their Loves, Their Work by Susan Cheever (S&S, $26, 0743264614). "This is a fascinating account of the enclave of literary genius that was mid-19th century Concord, Massachusetts. If we have forgotten why these authors are the beloved paragons of American Literature, Susan Cheever reminds us."--Pepper Parker, Vintage Books, Vancouver, Wash.
Paperback
Clay: The History and Evolution of Humankind's Relationship with Earth's Most Primal Element by Suzanne Staubach (Berkley, $14, 0425212092). "Who would imagine that a book on dirt could be so interesting? Consider the potter's wheel as the first machine, which in its evolution has produced vessels for cooking and eating, tablets for recording the human story, bricks for walls and buildings, and endless other uses. You'll never look at a handful of mud in the same way again."--Fran Keilty, Hickory Stick Bookshop, Washington Depot, Conn. [Editor's note: the author is also known in the business as Suzy Staubach, the delightful manager of the general books division at the UConn Co-op in Storrs, Conn.]
For Babies and Preschoolers
ABC Sing-Along by Teddy Slater, illustrated by Lisa Chauncy Guida (Cartwheel, $12.99, 0439853575). "Featuring a different song for each letter of the alphabet, each sung to a popular tune, this is a great new book for preschool kids."--Julie Gaston, Butterfly Books, De Pere, Wis.
Not a Box by Antoinette Portis (HarperCollins, $12.99, 0061123226). "For every child who has ever eagerly confiscated a cardboard box and enjoyed some of the many things a box can be with a little touch of imagination."--Karlene Rearick, The Alphabet Garden, Cheshire, Conn.
[Many thanks to Book Sense and the ABA!]
Hardcover
The Book of Lost Things by John Connolly (Atria, $23, 0743298853). "David, a 12-year-old mourning the death of his mother, enters another world where every fairy tale lives. A world that encompasses many things we wish for: beauty, wonder, adventure, and redemption--as well as many of our fears: loss, danger, hopelessness. [The] incredible writing draws you into this story of stories, which is ultimately about hope."--Amy Loewy, Garden District Book Shop, New Orleans, La.
American Bloomsbury: Louisa May Alcott, Ralph Waldo Emerson, Margaret Fuller, Nathaniel Hawthorne, and Henry David Thoreau: Their Lives, Their Loves, Their Work by Susan Cheever (S&S, $26, 0743264614). "This is a fascinating account of the enclave of literary genius that was mid-19th century Concord, Massachusetts. If we have forgotten why these authors are the beloved paragons of American Literature, Susan Cheever reminds us."--Pepper Parker, Vintage Books, Vancouver, Wash.
Paperback
Clay: The History and Evolution of Humankind's Relationship with Earth's Most Primal Element by Suzanne Staubach (Berkley, $14, 0425212092). "Who would imagine that a book on dirt could be so interesting? Consider the potter's wheel as the first machine, which in its evolution has produced vessels for cooking and eating, tablets for recording the human story, bricks for walls and buildings, and endless other uses. You'll never look at a handful of mud in the same way again."--Fran Keilty, Hickory Stick Bookshop, Washington Depot, Conn. [Editor's note: the author is also known in the business as Suzy Staubach, the delightful manager of the general books division at the UConn Co-op in Storrs, Conn.]
For Babies and Preschoolers
ABC Sing-Along by Teddy Slater, illustrated by Lisa Chauncy Guida (Cartwheel, $12.99, 0439853575). "Featuring a different song for each letter of the alphabet, each sung to a popular tune, this is a great new book for preschool kids."--Julie Gaston, Butterfly Books, De Pere, Wis.
Not a Box by Antoinette Portis (HarperCollins, $12.99, 0061123226). "For every child who has ever eagerly confiscated a cardboard box and enjoyed some of the many things a box can be with a little touch of imagination."--Karlene Rearick, The Alphabet Garden, Cheshire, Conn.
[Many thanks to Book Sense and the ABA!]