Best of Best 2007: More Staff Favorites from the Book Beat
Our Gift guide is also viewable at the Backroom Blog and in our newsletter archives.
Beautiful Picture Books (& Toys) for Ages 3-8 Years
Little Fur Family Fur Edition » There was a little fur family/warm as toast/smaller than most/in little fur coats/and they lived in a warm wooden tree. The Little Fur Family tells the story of a little fur child’s day in the woods. The day ends when his big fur parents tuck him in bed “all soft and warm,” and sing him to sleep with a lovely bedtime song. Cuddle up to a classic with this timeless story! Garth William’s soft illustrations join Margaret Wise Brown’s rhythmic text to create a gentle lullaby. Bound in imitation fur, Little Fur Family is sure to comfort and delight. First published in 1946, a timeless classic. Fur covered board, $12.99
Little Fur Family Little Fur Child Doll almost 5 inches tall! » A soft chenille Little Fur Child with embroidered eyes. He is dressed in a little furry yellow coat and a little furry hat with a ribbon tie. His furry boots have crimson soles and trim. Finely detailed, embroidered and wonderful to hold in small hands. Doll is 4 3/4″ tall. There was a Little Fur Family warm as toast/ smaller than most/in little fur coast/and they lived in a warm wooden tree… $10.99
Baby Bear, Baby Bear, What Do You See? » This final collaboration by a gifted duo focuses on 10 animals native to America. The language includes actions typical of the creature highlighted- “Blue heron, blue heron, what do you see?/I see a prairie dog digging by me.†The animals, in colorful collages set against stark white backgrounds, strut, slide, glide, and hoot across the full spreads. A terrific read-aloud destined to rank high with the other titles by Bill Martin and Eric Carle. Baby Bear is sure to become a lasting classic, this finely crafted picture book will make a great addition to a first library, a great early read-a-loud. Hardcover, $16.95
The Snowy Day and Whistle For Wille DVD and Book Gift Set » The 1963 Caledecott Medal winner, The Snowy Day, Ezra Jack Keats’s lushly illustrated story of Peter, a young boy experiencing the year’s first snowfall, has delighted millions of readers. When Whistle for Willie, featuring Peter and his dog Willie, followed in 1964, the New York Times wrote, “Mr. Keats’ illustrations boldly, colorfully capture the child, his city world, and the shimmering heat of a summer’s day.†These two classics are now available together in a striking package. Complete with a DVD that includes a fillm of each book, this is a must have gift for the holidays. Hardcover $19.99
You’re All My Favorites: Book and Toy Gift Set » From the team who brought us beloved Big and Little Nutbrown Hare comes a tale that answers a timeless question with the ultimate reassurance — and offers the perfect way for parents to remind their own little cubs how very much each one is loved. Now in a deluxe gift edition featuring a hardcover storybook and three plush figures. deluxe gift set, $15.99
First the Egg » is deceptively simple: It opens with an egg cutout, which, with a page turn, becomes a plump yellow chick; tadpole morphs into frog; seed grows into flower. But Seeger adds a metafictional twist: “word†segues into a handwritten draft of the story we’re in the process of reading. A daub of pigment similarly evolves into a painted landscape incorporating chicken, frog and flower. Seeger’s final pages bring us full circle: the chicken returns to its nest and lays “the egg!†(The book’s front and back covers playfully continue the chicken-egg conundrum.) New York Times top 10, 2007,Hardcover $14.95
Red Butterfly: How a Princess Smuggled the Secret of Silk Out of China “Noyes tries to imagine what might have driven a heartsick young princess to give up China’s precious secret. ‘I am a child with my hair yet cut across my forehead, but soon I will marry the king of far Khotan. . . . The night court hums with poets. Scroll painters stretch white silk. . . . I would give every silver hairpin, every jade carving and gold ornament for one brush of southern mist, one windy, silken promise — that home be with me always.’ Sophie Blackall did the pictures, light and bright as butterflies, in Chinese ink and watercolors.†— The Washington Post Hardcover, $16.99
The Mitten Board Book » Children ask for this classic story by Jan Brett time and again. Niki loses his white mitten in the snow and the forest animals (including a bear!) burrow inside until a tiny mouse causes the mitten to burst. With The Mitten Board Book you can focus on the following language and literacy skills: * Vocabulary development * Concept knowledge * Making predictions * Sequencing * Problem solving * Complete and complex sentences * Past-tense verb forms * Pronouns The artwork is divine and the humorous story puts kids on the edge of their seats. Board book $7.99
Mitten House and Storybook Doll set » A difficult storytelling set to find for the classic story “The Mitten House” that young children love to hear told. It contains a nice soft fur mitten and nine small forest animals which are also finger-puppets. The mitten is about 5×9″ and the dolls are 1-3″ tall. Several versions are available in book form including The Mitten by Jan Brett noted above.
The Three Snow Bears » The Goldilocks story takes a fine twist when an endearing snow bear family and a curious Inuit girl meet center stage in Jan Brett’s stunning paintings of a land where the Inuits and the animals share the amazing Arrctic landscape. No one draws animals like Jane Brett — her newest masterpiece, hardcover $16.99
Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity » Her Daddy in tow, Trixie hurries off to school to show off her one-of-a-kind Knuffle Bunny to her classmates; but an awful surprise awaits her: someone else has the exact same bunny!Thus begins an exciting, frustrating, and ultimately revelatory twenty-four hours of squabbling, teacher-enforced bunny “time-outs,†bedtime realizations, late-night phone calls, and a special middle-of-the-night encounter.
KNUFFLE BUNNY 12 1/4″ PLUSH DOLL » Knuffle Bunny, from Caldecott Honor Award Winning Knuffle Bunny: A Cautionary Tale by Mo Willems, has embroidered eyes, a velvet nose, and luxurious soft velour, bean-filled body with ears lined with shiny velvet and a chenille tail. This Knuffle BUnny is so soft and lovable he is sure to never get lost. 12 1/2″ plush.
DELICIOUS! Cat, Squirrel, and Duck have a very serious problem: there are no ripe pumpkins in the garden for their favorite soup! They’ll have to make something else, but while Cat and Squirrel are willing to experiment, all Duck wants is pumpkin soup. He won’t even try a taste of the fish soup or mushroom soup, and the beet soup his friends make is the last straw— “I’m not eating that,†he says. “It’s pink!†Can Cat and Squirrel find a way to please their fussy friend? This follow-up to the popular Pumpkin Soup and A Pipkin of Pepper is a perfect story about a picky eater, illustrated with rich, expressive paintings in which children will find much to discover—and it includes a recipe for pink soup!
Frida Kahlo 7″ Doll » With soulful eyes, a distinctive eyebrow, and a playful smile, Frida dons a richly colored and detailed Mexican dress made of pink, silk-like shantung with a white organza pinafore and a ruffled apron over it. She also features soft hair gathered into two pony tails, glimmering blue ribbons that frame her face, and a vibrant green bow of sparkling organza attached to the back of her dress. The most beautiful Frida Kahlo doll we’ve seen, 7″ tall.
GLASS SLIPPER, GOLD SANDAL: A Worldwide Cinderella » Once upon a time, in Mexico… in Zimbabwe… in India… there lived a girl whose stepmother made her sleep on the hearthstones. In Iraq, knowing she’d urged her father to remarry, she tells herself, “I picked up the scorpion with my own hand” and vows not to complain about her lot. In Russia, crying in hunger, she’s fed by a cow pouring honey from its horn. In Indonesia, she receives a golden sarong to dance in from the mouth of a crocodile…
Gorgeously illustrated, Glass Slipper, Gold Sand, braids a gathering of Cinderella tales into one–a hymn to the rich variety of our cultures and the chameleon quality of stories to change their clothes while keeping their essence. Endings don’t get any happier than in this global tour de force. New York Times Notable, 2007, Booksense pick, Hardcover, $16.95, ages 5 and up.
Guess How Much I Love You with free DVD » one of the most beloved stories. This children’s classic has touched the lives of readers around the world. To celebrate its 15th birthday, Candlewick Press is delighted to make this special offer on a limited time basis. This special edition comes with the FREE Storytime Animated DVD that will be cherished for years to come. We wish you and yours all the joy we have known in the sharing of it – to the moon and back! Hardcover+ Animated DVD $15.95
Do Onto Otters: A Book of Manners » Mr. Rabbit’s new neighbors are Otters. OTTERS! But he doesn’t know anything about Otters. Will they get along? Will they be friends? Just treat otters the same way you’d like them to treat you, advises wise Mr. Owl. And so begins Mr. Rabbit’s reflection on good manners. In her smart, quirky style Laurie Keller highlights how to be a good friend and neighbor—just follow the Golden Rule! Hardcover, $16.95
Good Enough to Eat » This is a tall tale with all the earmarks of becoming a classic. The story is engaging, both humorous and a little scary, and the illustrations, from the woebegone look on the girl’s face to the ghastly gulpings of the gluttonous ogre, are captivating. “It’s a subtle message about how we treat the poor, and how those we sacrifice can come back to get the last laugh, but as a picture book story it is excellent on its surface story alone. The text itself, written with a breezy feel that never drags, contains little rhymed couplets to help propel things along much like a Grimm tale. The familiarity of the text still leaves me feeling like I’ve read it somewhere before, but not in a bad way.”–Starred Kirkus Review, Hardcover, $16.
Langston Hughes: The Dream Keeper and Other Poems 75th Anniversary Edition » The Dream Keeper, the great African-American writer Langston Hughes’s only collection of poems for children, includes some of his best loved works. It is being reissued in a handsome hardcover edition in celebration of its 75th anniversary. Filled with elegant scratchboard illustrations by Caldecott Honor winner Brian Pinkey, and featuring an introduction by noted children’s poet Lee Bennett Hopkins, this gift edition is sure to be cherished by young readers and longtime poetry lovers alike. All ages, hardcover $16.99
Let it Shine: Three Favorite Spirituals » This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine. Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine. With a kaleidoscope of color and cut paper, Hans Christian Anderson Award nominee and two-time Coretta Scott King Award winner Ashley Bryan celebrates three favorite spirituals: “This Little Light of Mine,” “Oh, When the Saints Go Marching In,” and “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands.” The power of these beloved songs simply emanates through his joyous interpretations. Come, sing, and celebrate! Hardcover, $16.99
The Wall: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain » The Wall is a Masterpiece – a great treat for art fans, the book is a fascinating look at life under communism in Prague and the liberation of spirit through art and music. “I was born at the beginning of it all, on the Red side—the Communist side—of the Iron Curtain.†Through annotated illustrations, journals, maps, and dreamscapes, Peter SÃs shows what life was like for a child who loved to draw, proudly wore the red scarf of a Young Pioneer, stood guard at the giant statue of Stalin, and believed whatever he was told to believe. By joining memory and history, SÃs takes us on his extraordinary journey: from infant with paintbrush in hand to young man borne aloft by the wings of his art. Hardcover, Ages 8 and up.
Young Pele: Soccer’s First Star » How did a poor boy named Edson—who kicked rocks down roads and dribbled balls made from rags—go on to become the greatest soccer player of all time? While other kids memorized letters, Edson memorized the scores of soccer matches. And when Edson finally played in a youth soccer tournament in the town of Bauru, Brazil, he focused on only one thing from the moment the whistle blew: the goal. Here is the story of the boy who overcame tremendous odds to become the world champion soccer star Pelé. Hardcover, $16.99
Freckleface Strawberry » If you have freckles, you can try these things: 1) Make them go away. Unless scrubbing doesn’t work. 2) Cover them up. Unless your mom yells at you for using a marker. 3) Disappear. Um, where’d you go? Oh, there you are. There’s one other thing you can do: 4) LIVE WITH THEM! Because after all, the things that make you different also make you YOU. From acclaimed actress Julianne Moore and award-winning illustrator LeUyen Pham comes a delightful story of a little girl who’s different … just like everybody else. Hardcover, $16.95
Incredible Book Eating Boy » Like many children, Henry loves books. But Henry doesn’t like to read books, he likes to eat them. Big books, picture books, reference books . . . if it has pages, Henry chews them up and swallows (but red ones are his favorite). And the more he eats, the smarter he gets—he’s on his way to being the smartest boy in the world! But one day he feels sick to his stomach. And the information is so jumbled up inside, he can’t digest it! Can Henry find a way to enjoy books without using his teeth? With a stunning new artistic style and a die-cut surprise, Oliver Jeffers celebrates the joys of reading in this charming and quirky picture book. It’s almost good enough to eat. Hardcover, $16.99
Fancy Nancy and the Posh Puppy » Fancy Nancy is back! And when her family decides to get a dog, she’s certain she can be fancier than ever. After all, a papillon—a small, delicate, fluffy dog—is the ultimate accessory. But her family wants a large, plain dog. How unglamorous! With Fancy Nancy’s trademark humor and warmth, Nancy discovers that real fanciness does not depend simply on appearance but more on a genuine joie de vivre, which is a fancy phrase for having lots of fun. Hardcover, $16.99
Best of the Best: Great Reading for Young Adults
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I am Not Joey Pigza (signed copies) » I have always loved Joey as a character. Despite his ricocheting attention span and crazy impulses, he is always trying. He understands better than his parents that you have to know and like yourself before you can change for the better and you cannot do it for someone else. He is full of love for his mother, his granny and his dogs and he wants to forgive and love his dad. The Joey Pigza books are classics. Joey is a character for the ages. We cheer for him because he is just a wonderful kid. -Book Blog, starred reviews in PW, Kirkus, a limited amount of signed books are available, hardcover, $16. ages 10 and up. | ||
Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You » “Not since The Catcher in the Rye has a novel captured the deep and almost physical ache of adolescent existential sadness as trenchantly as the perfectly titled Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You. You don’t have to be eighteen to relate to James Dunfour Sveck and his sense of alienation from a world he doesn’t understand, nor to be profoundly moved by his story. Told with compassion, insight, humor, and hope, Someday This Pain Will Be Useful to You deserves to be read by readers of all ages for years to come. I would have loved it as a teenager, and I love it now.” —James Howe, author of The Misfits “Deliciously vital right from the start … a piece of vocal virtuosity and possibly Cameron’s best book … The novel possesses too much emotional complexity and artfulness of construction to exclude adult readers … Stunning.” —New York Review of Books, Hardcover, $16.00, ages 14 and up.
The Puzzling World of Winston Breen » “First-time newbie kidlit book author Eric Berlin (a crossword creator for The New York Times) is a fan of puzzles. Such a fan, in fact, that he’s worked them into the narrative of, “The Puzzling World of Winston Breen.†You have an old-fashioned treasure hunt on the one hand, puzzles galore on the other, and some fun dialogue, memorable characters, and an action sequence or two just for spice. Hard to resist.” — Fusse Blog,
Chock full of puzzles to solve, some involving the mystery and others Winston runs into along the way, this treasure hunt will keep readers challenged right to the end. Even the cover of this book is a puzzle — a new “Da Vinci Code” for kids. Hardcover, $16.95
Emma-Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree » If you took “The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time” and “Ida B . . . and Her Plans to Maximize Fun, Avoid Disaster, and (Possibly) Save the World” and put them in a middle-grade blender, you would have the book “Emma- Jean Lazarus Fell Out of a Tree.” Quirky, honest, and written by first-time author Lauren Tarshis, this is a tender story about what happens when a girl who has long stood in the social shadows gets a taste of what its like to connect with kids her own age.
“The plot meshes well with the setting, a close-up of school social life. Future Jane Austen fans will appreciate the subtle humor, minute observations, and snapshot of the unwritten class structure that governs 12-year-old behavior. Get this into the right hands by recommending it as a read-aloud for kids lucky enough to be read to in later elementary or early middle school.” – Faith Brautigan, Librarian – Hardcover, $16.95
Revolution is Not a Dinner Party » “Based on the author’s family’s experiences in China during the Cultural Revolution under Mao, this tells of one family’s losses in that turbulent era. The narrator Ling is a little child at the beginning of her story, and as her family faces more and more hardship, she gets older and tougher. Ling is the only child of a loving father who is a doctor and a mother who works at the hospital too. As the story begins, they enjoy a wonderful life together. Soon, however, they are accused of being enemies of the people and theircomfortable life gets harder and harder… The title is taken from a saying of Chairman Mao. Compestine does a good job giving young YA readers a realistic picture of what that period of history meant to individuals caught in the political nightmare. Certainly those with a Chinese heritage will find the story important to understand their own family history. –Claire Rosser, KLIATT, Hardcover, $16.00 ages 10 and up.
Life and Art of Wayne Thiebaud One of the giants of American art, Wayne Thiebaud was at first unappreciated because of the everyday subject matter of his paintings. His tasty hot dogs, delectable cakes, dizzy streets, and sleepy deltas have since become icons of twentieth century art. Now young readers have the chance to explore the development of a fascinating artist while delighting in the very child-friendly art that has made him so acclaimed. With her deft touch, critically-acclaimed non-fiction author Susan Rubin tells the story of the man behind the masterpieces. A great accessable introduction to the fabulous art of Thiebaud; recommended for all ages, an inspiring art book with superb illustrations, Hardcover, $15.95, ages 12 and up.
Beyond the Spiderwick Chronicles: Book One, The Nixies Song » Here’s some new fantasy fun from the creator’s of the The Spiderwick Chronicles. Now they leave the old-fashioned charm of New England far behind and head south for some fiendish faerie fun in the hot Florida sun. Eleven-year-old Nicholas Vargas only thinks his life has been turned upside down after his developer father remarries and moves his new wife and daughter into the soon-to-be completed Mangrove Hollow. Great text and artwork for ages 7 and up — We at Book Beat were among the earliest fans of this thrilling adventure/fantasy series, soon to be made into a movie in early 2008. Hardcover, 160 pps, illustrated, Hardcover $10.99
The Daring Book for Girls » This is the manual for everything that girls need to know — and that doesn’t mean sewing buttonholes! Whether it’s female heroes in history, secret note-passing skills, science projects, friendship bracelets, double dutch, cats cradle, the perfect cartwheel or the eternal mystery of what boys are thinking, this book has it all.
“I think that a daring girl likes to do challenging and hard things because she thinks they are fun. She loves adventure and learns from always trying new things. I think challenges help you grow, even though they can be really frustrating. This book helps with the frustration because it explains some things about activities that you might not know, which provides solutions to problems. A daring girl has to be able to solve problems and not let frustration hold her back. Otherwise, she won’t know about new things and won’t grow and become better at stuff. That would take away a lot of adventure and fun!” — Online review by a Girl Scout from Hip Mama
The Dangerous Book for Boys The bestselling book for every boy from eight to eighty, covering essential boyhood skills such as building tree houses, learning how to fish, finding true north, and even answering the age old question of what the big deal with girls is. “In this age of video games and cell phones, there must still be a place for knots, tree houses, and stories of incredible courage. The one thing that we always say about childhood is that we seemed to have more time back then. This book will help you recapture those Sunday afternoons and long summers — because they’re still long if you know how to look at them.” — by authors of the Dangerous Book for Boys
The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian » Heartbreaking, funny, and beautifully written, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, which is based on the author’s own experiences, coupled with poignant drawings that reflect the character’s art, chronicles the contemporary adolescence of one Native American boy as he attempts to break away from the life he was destined to live. Now getting rave reviews– it just won the National Book Award for Young Adults. Hardcover, $16.99
The Aurora County All-Stars » Acclaimed author Deborah Wiles has created an utterly enchanting book about baseball, Walt Whitman’s poetry, a friend’s betrayal, and a chaotic anniversary pageant. Mysteries are revealed, friendships are healed, and everyone, from youngest to oldest, learns something about love, community . . . and baseball. This is one of Colleen’s all time “sleeper favorites” of the year. Don’t miss it! Hardcover, $16.00
Graphic Wonders
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Complete Persepolis: Now a Major Motion Picture »Here, in one volume: Marjane Satrapi’s best-selling, internationally acclaimed memoir-in-comic-strips. Persepolis is the story of Satrapi’s unforgettable childhood and coming of age within a large and loving family in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution; of the contradictions between private life and public life in a country plagued by political upheaval; of her high school years in Vienna facing the trails of adolescence far from her family; of her homecoming—both sweet and terrible; and, finally, of her self-imposed exile from her beloved homeland. It is the chronicle of a girlhood and adolescence at once outrageous and familiar, a young life entwined with the history of her country yet filled with the universal trials and joys of growing up. trade paperback $24.95 | ||
MW » “MW is a story that will make you think, and will probably make you unhappy about a segment of mankind, and will thrill you in ways that feel uncomfortable. It’s a major graphic novel by a major creator, grappling with the nature of evil in a way that superhero comics only wish they could. And it’s presented in a form nearly transparent to Western readers.” –Brian Cirulnick. This willfully “anti-Tezuka” achievement from the master’s own pen nevertheless pulsates with his unique genius. Hardcover, 584 pps, $24.95
MANGA: The Complete Guide » • Reviews of more than 900 manga series • Ratings from 0 to 4 stars • Guidelines for age-appropriateness • Number of series volumes • Background info on series and artists THE ONE-STOP RESOURCE FOR CHOOSING BETWEEN THE BEST AND THE REST! Whether you’re new to the world of manga-style graphic novels or a longtime reader on the lookout for the next hot series, here’s a comprehensive guide to the wide, wonderful world of Japanese comics! • Incisive, full-length reviews of stories and artwork • paperback, $19.95
Quality Lit Gifts:
WHAT IS THE WHAT » Dave Eggers’s “What Is the What” is, like “Huckleberry Finn,” a picaresque novel of adolescence. But the injustices, horrors and follies that Huck encounters on his raft trip down the Mississippi would have seemed like glimpses of heaven to Eggers’s hero, whose odyssey from his village in the southern Sudan to temporary shelter in Ethiopia to a vast refugee camp in Kenya and finally to Atlanta is a nightmare of chaos and carnage punctuated by periods of relative peace lasting just long enough for him to catch his breath. –New York Times, $15.95 paperback
Elmore Leonard’s 10 Rules of Writing » “These are the rules I’ve picked up along the way to help me remain invisible when I’m writing a book, to help me show rather than tell what’s taking place in the story.”—Elmore Leonard
For aspiring writers and lovers of the written word, this concise guide breaks down the writing process with simplicity and clarity. From adjectives and exclamation points to dialect and hoopetedoodle, Elmore Leonard explains what to avoid, what to aspire to, and what to do when it sounds like “writing” (rewrite). Beautifully designed, filled with free-flowing, elegant illustrations and specially priced, Elmore Leonard’s 10 Rules of Writing is the perfect writer’s—and reader’s—gift. Hardcover, $14.95
RASHOMON » This collection features a brilliant new translation of the Japanese master’s stories, from the source for the movie Rashomon to his later, more autobiographical writings. Akutagawa wrote almost all his central works in the ten years before his suicide. His early short pieces were carefully plotted historical tales, but toward the end of his short life, he focused more on his own emotional state and contemporary settings. Paperback, $15.00
Just for Fun, Curiosa & Beyond Fun:
BORN STANDING UP A COMIC’S LIFE by Steve Martin, A thoroughly enjoyable and revelatory read, this memoir of Martin’s early days as a hard-working, budding comedian reminds us he was the originator of a comedy style we now take for granted: absurd, ironic, and full of non sequiturs. This book is yet more proof of Martin’s incredible talent. Illustrated throughout with black-and-white photographs collected by Martin, this book is instantly compelling visually and a spectacularly good read. “one of the best books about comedy and being a comedian ever written” -Jerry Seinfeld. Hardcover, $25.
Deluxe Librarian Action Figure- Nancy Pearl Plus! » Yeah, you’ve seen the action figure of Nancy Pearl and her controversial shushing finger. This is the same but better. First of all, she’s wearing red, which is an oddly loud color for a library, wouldn’t you say? She’s packaged in a library diorama box with all kinds of cool accessories… Computer, book cart, reference desk and stacks of books. And for those of you who loved the shushing action, just push the button on her back and thrill at the strict and efficient be quiet-ness. Really works!
How to Be a Nonconformist » In the 1960s, teen-ager Elissa Karg used to take the train from her home in Connecticut to hang out in Greenwich village where the air was filled with the influences of Bob Dylan, Andy Warhol, Timothy Leary, and many others. Long hair, pierced ears, and flowered shirts were newly in vogue. War protests and sidewalk art shows were everywhere. Elissa used these experiences as the basis for How To Be a Nonconformist, first published in 1967. The book couples intricate pen and ink drawings with captions that describe the period perfectly. Now, forty years later, Onzo Media has published a much-needed new edition of How To Be a Nonconformist.
YOGA: A SET OF 50 CARDS » This 50-card deck of full-color yoga photos and step-by-step instructions allows even the novice to create custom routines for a great body workout. Each card features a pose and instructions, and an introductory gatefold shows you how to combine the poses into routines for different needs. This is a perfect way to practice yoga while traveling, at the office, or to complement the full routines in the book. Glenda Twining is the author of Yoga Turns Back the Clock and Yoga Fights Flab. She is a yoga instructor in Dallas, Texas. $12.99
Good Luck TROLL Jack-in-the-box wind-up » Some think Trolls are the ugly. We think they’re kinda cute, plus they give you good luck. This new medium sized Jack-in-the-Box has shocking retro pinkhair. An original DAM Troll pops out for good luck when the music finishes playing. Plays the traditional “Pop Goes the Weasel” and comes in an open box. We don’t claim you’ll win the lotto but it will have your kids screaming with glee. Recommended Ages: 3 yrs and up
The Great Artists Finger Puppet Boxed Set » What would these greats say to each other? What would they say to you? Now you can be playwright, actor and director, putting on countless productions. Each set comes in a box that easily converts to a puppet theatre. The Great Artist set includes Monet, Dali, Van Gogh and Frida Kahlo. They’re magnetic, so when you’re done, you can stick them to the fridge!
For the Art & Music Lover:
Aaron Douglas: African American Modernist In paintings, murals, and book illustrations, Aaron Douglas (1899–1979) produced the most powerful visual legacy of the Harlem Renaissance, prompting the philosopher and writer Alain Locke to dub him the “father of Black American art.†Working from a politicized concept of personal identity and a utopian vision of the future, the artist made a lasting impact on American art history and on the nation’s cultural heritage. Douglas’s role, as well as that of the Harlem Renaissance in general, in the evolution of American modernism deserves close scholarly attention, which it finally receives in this beautifully illustrated book. exhibition catalog, Hardcover, $60.00
Sympathy for the Devil: Art and Rock and Roll Since 1967 » looks at the intimate and inspired relationship between the visual arts and rock-and-roll culture, charting their intersection through works of art, album covers, music videos, and other materials. Organized regionally by cultural centers including London, New York, Los Angeles, and Cologne, the essays examine rock and roll’s style, celebrity, and identity politics in art; the experience, energy, and sense of devotion rock music inspires; and the dual role that many individuals play in both the sonic and visual realms.Hardcover, $50.00
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ipe That Clock Off Your Faceby Brian Belott . One of the coolest DVDs of the year resides inside this unassumimg cut-and-paste collaged up artist sketchbook. The images, over 1000 of ’em are all truthfull, absurd and unforgettable snap shots; mistakes, pets, cheerleaders, backyard birthday parties and you-name-it can be found in this classic disfunctional family album. The soundtrack is a maniacal organ polka and roller rink background music that matches the relentless drone of the visuals. The entire production is a hilarious ride that will have you glued to the screen awaiting the each new catastrophe around the corner. The perfect holiday anti-film. $35.00
Joseph Cornell: Navigating the Imagination Joseph Cornell (1903–1972) was a self-taught yet highly sophisticated artist who is celebrated for his pioneering achievement in collage, assemblage, and film. Cornell’s lyrical compositions combine found materials in ways that reflect a very personal exploration of art and culture and that represent his belief in art as an uplifting voyage into the imagination. This stunning book is published to accompany the first retrospective of the artist’s work in twenty-six years. Hardcover, $65.00
Art: A World History The history of art in the palm of your hand! This lavishly illustrated and super-condensed history of world art is the perfect gift for any art lover. A pocket-sized book bursting with 900 illustrations, it takes the reader from the beginnings of art in prehistory to the contemporary scene. A small museum’s worth of information that fits in a purse or backpack. Paper boards, $19.95
Grit, Noise and Revolution: The Birth of Detroit Rock N Roll (paperback edition) From the early days of John Lee Hooker to the heyday of Motown and beyond, Detroit has enjoyed a long reputation as one of the crucibles of American pop music. In Grit, Noise, and Revolution, David Carson turns the spotlight on those hard-rocking, long-haired musicians—influenced by Detroit’s R&B heritage—who ultimately helped change the face of rock ‘n’ roll. Carson tells the story of some of the great garage-inspired, blue-collar Motor City rock ‘n’ roll bands that exemplified the Detroit rock sound, paperback $17.95
Richard Avedon: Portrait of a Family » Legendary photographer Richard Avedon provides an intimate look at the Kennedy family on the eve of John F. Kennedys inauguration. The accompanying text details all aspects of the sitting and examines what the photographs reveal about each member of the family and their relationships to one another. Hardcover, 128pps $29.95
Andre Kertesz: Polaroids » Taken in Kertész’s apartment just north of New York’s Washington Square, many of these photographs were shot either from his window or in the windowsill. We see a fertile mind at work, combining personal objects into striking still lifes set against cityscape backgrounds, reflected and transformed in glass surfaces. These photographs are a testament to the genius of the photographer’s eye as manifested in the simple Polaroid. Andre Kertesz came to Polaroid photography late in life, but unlike other masters of the 20th Century who used it experimentally to work with form and color, he approached it existentially and it saved his life. Hardcover, 88 color, $35.00
Silent Movies: The Birth of Film and the Triumph of Movie Culture »SILENT MOVIES captures the greatest directors and actors and their immortal films. SILENT MOVIES also looks at the technology of early film, the use of color photography, and the restoration work being spearheaded by some of Hollywood’s most important directors, such as Martin Scorsese and Francis Ford Coppola. Richly illustrated from the Library of Congress’s extensive collection of posters, paper prints, film stills, and memorabilia-most of which have never been in print-SILENT MOVIES is an important work of history that will also be a sought-after gift book for all lovers of film. Hardcover, $45.00
Ansel Adams: 400 PhotographsThis collection presents the full spectrum Adams’
greatest work in a single volume for the first time. The photographs are arranged chronologically into five major periods in order to convey Adams’ development as an artist-from his first photographs made in Yosemite and the High Sierra in 1916 to his work in the National Parks in the 1940s up to his last important photographs from the 1960s. An introduction and brief essays on selected images provide information about Adams’ life, document the evolution of his technique, and give voice to his artistic vision. Hardcover, $40.
Cool Yule Stocking Stuffers: Stop by soon and check out our wild windups, folk art, Mexican imports, African beadwork & sculpture, noir, cult and strange DVDs, classic blues, jazz, experimental & holiday music, magical spectacles, “Infinity Light Tunnel Bling” and more…
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