From the Midwest Booksellers Association: three recent Midwest Connections picks. Under this marketing program, the association and member stores promote booksellers' handselling favorites that have a strong Midwest regional appeal:
A Dog Named Christmas by Greg Kincaid (Doubleday, $14.95, 9780385525985/0385525982), which follows a developmentally challenged young man living with his parents who convinces his hometown to care for dogs from a local animal shelter during the holiday season. Eileen Fescoe of Book Mouse in Ottawa, Ill., commented: "To my great fortune I received a copy of this super little book at the MBA annual meeting and I got to talk to Greg Kincaid. As soon as I got home I read this lovely, touching and funny book. It is super and will generate terrific sales all holiday season. Thanks."
This Water Goes North by Dennis Weidemann (Manitenahk Books, $21.95, 9780979685200/0979685206). Janet Hart, manager of Book People in Sioux City, Iowa, called this book "a wonderful adventure story for readers of any age. In 1979, four young and rather inexperienced Iowans had a vision of making a 1,400-mile trek from the winding Red River in Minnesota, across the scary 300-mile Lake Winnipeg, through 400 more miles of backcountry to reach the Hudson Bay. And they did it--no sponsors, no cell phones, no GPS, just good fortune, a few angels, and good people they met along the way. The weather, though rough at many times, did not defeat them, and their positive outlook and camaraderie kept the expedition on track. I found the book to be an enjoyable read and have gladly handsold it to a variety of our customers."
Snow by Cynthia Rylant, illustrated by Lauren Stringer (Harcourt Children's Books, $17, 9780152053031/0152053034). Jessica Knopik of R Books in Dickinson, N.D., said, "This beautifully illustrated and wonderfully written story for children both young and old gives new meaning to all of the different types of snow one may see."
