On November 19, we enjoyed a socially distanced event with Kerri Arsenault, author of Mill Town. Kerri had a wonderful childhood growing up in Mexico, Maine where her parents, relatives, and several generations before them, were employed by the local paper mill. As an adult, Kerri learned that the financial security that came from that work came with a cost to the health of the people and the environment. Mill Town is part memoir, part investigative journalism. It explores the impact of big business and life of the middle class. Here is a video of our conversation.
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I love children's books. I love reading them and I love looking at the illustrations. It's a beautiful marriage of the written word and art. As a matter-of-fact, many children's book illustrators are some of my favorite fine artists, too! This week, I thought it would be fun to chose 5 children's books for Fab Fiction Friday. Here's this week's picks:
HOW TO BE A PIRATE by Isaac Fitzgerald and illustrated by Brigette Barrager
Cece dreams of being a pirate, but when the neighborhood boys tell her she can't, she doesn't know where to begin. She turns to her Grandpa who uses his tattoos to show her all of the traits she would need to have to be a pirate. Together their journey helps build Cece's confidence and along the way, she discovers that she has all sorts of wonderful qualities - especially the ones she needs to be a pirate. This vibrantly illustrated children's book is fun to read with your special kiddo and is a fantastic reminder to children to recognize all the wonderful traits that they have. Grandpas are pretty awesome, too!
THE MAINE BIRTHDAY BOOK
by Tonya Shevenell and illustrated by Laura Winslow
This book is a celebration of Maine and all of its animals — just in time for Maine's bicentennial year. Dirigo the chickadee asks his animal friends to join him for his birthday, but he needs their help in deciding on what to wish for. This beautiful book explores all of Maine's counties, the animals, geography and magic of Maine. Bogan Books has signed copies, too!
Available in store only.
CLIFFORD GOES TO KINDEGARTEN
written and illustrated by Norman Bridwell
Who doesn't love Clifford the Big Red Dog? Clifford joins Emily Elizabeth on her first day of kindergarten. She has so many first day jitters, but with Clifford by her side, she discovers how fun school can be! This is a perfect pick for all of the little ones starting out on a new school year adventure!
WE WILL ROCK OUR CLASSMATES
written and illustrated by Ryan T. Higgins
Penelope is everybody's favorite little dinosaur and she's back! This time Penelope wants to join the school talent show where she can show her friends that she loves being a rock star. Children will cheer for Penelope as she overcomes her nerves and joins up with her friends. Ryan Higgins' illustrations are energetic and expressive. Kids will enjoy how funny his storytelling is and you are sure to find this as one of your family's favorite reads. Limited supply of signed copies available at the bookshop.
BUY UNSIGNED BOOKS HERE
HUM AND SWISH
written and illustrated by Matt Meyers
We always love our time at the beach - even during a pandemic! Matt Meyers' beautifully illustrated Hum and Swish brings the ocean to your home where you can watch Jaime as she builds something on the beach. As people walk by and ask her what she's making, they don't seem to understand that she's just enjoying what she is doing, but she really doesn't know where it is going yet. Finally, a new friend comes by who shares Jaime's love of creating without direction. This is a wonderful quiet time book to settle in and cozy up.
PARIS IS ALWAYS A GOOD IDEA by Jen McKinlay
In stock in store and online
This is the kind of romcom I love. A little exotic, but not Hangover in Bangkok exotic (parlez vous français?); some meat in the plot (see what I did there?); and a warm belly full of flutters. 💕
So here's the story line - Chelsea Martin has become a work-a-holic - burying the loss of her mother in the very work she does for the American Cancer Coalition. After her father announces that he is remarrying, Chelsea needs to finally admit to herself that her life stopped seven years ago after her mother passed away. So, she's off! Off to find Colin in Ireland, Jean Claude in France, and Marcellino in Italy. She hopes that one of these three men who stole her heart away years ago will do so again.
And of course, there's a twist, but you'll have to discover that one out for yourself. Fast easy read - perfect after a hard week of work.
SEX AND VANITY by Kevin Kwan
In stock in store and online
Remember Crazy Rich Asians? Ya? Well, this isn't that story, but Kevin Kwan did write this one, too. 😁
The very first morning Lucie sets eyes on George Zao, she can't stand him. As a matter-of-fact, she hates everything about him - especially when he kissed her in the dark Roman ruins. Of course they were caught by her snobby cousin who mockingly accused Lucie of being attracted to him because he is Chinese - just like her mom. Lucie has always sublimated the Asian side of herself in favor of the white side, and she adamantly denies having feeling for George. Fast forward a few years, and Lucie sees George while weekending with her fiancé. Suddenly old feelings surface and Lucie finds herself in a web of deceit.
This is a modern love story entwined with a Kardashian lifestyle. Great for a weekend at the beach or under the covers in a rainstorm.
WHAT YOU WISH FOR by Katherine Center
In stock in store and onlin
One of our best selling titles that came through the booskhop last year was Things You Save in a Fire. Katherine Center is now back with her new release, What You Wish For - just in time for the new school year.
Samantha Casey loves her new job as the school librarian. The kids and her school family give her a joy for living that was missing in her life. Little did she anticipate that the new school principal is Duncan Carpenter who lives by rules and regulations. Sam knows that he wasn't always that way because she knew him before. Before - when she loved him and he didn't see her. As much as it irritates her to have him there, she also realizes that he might be the best thing for the school. But the harder Duncan tries to be someone he's not in his efforts to save the school, he begins to destroy it. As chaos brews around them, Sam and Duncan need to be honest with themselves and each other.
LUSTER by Raven Leilani
In stock in store and online
YOUNG ADULT PICK #12 NYT Best Seller List
This is the type of read that snags you the moment you read the first line. It has depth. It also has sex. A great combo for a great read.
Spoiler alert: Life is messy, and so is Luster - but in a good way. It's vulnerable and honest. But enough of my thoughts. Here's the scoop:
Edie is stumbling her way through her twenties—sharing a subpar apartment in Bushwick, clocking in and
out of her admin job, making a series of inappropriate sexual choices. She is also haltingly, fitfully giving heat and air to the art that simmers inside her. And then she meets Eric, a digital archivist with a family in New Jersey, including an autopsist wife who has agreed to an open marriage—withrules.
As if navigating the constantly shifting landscapes of contemporary sexual manners and racial politics weren’t hard enough, Edie finds herself unemployed and invited into Eric’s home—though not by Eric. She becomes a hesitant ally to his wife and a de facto role model to his adopted daughter. Edie may be the only Black woman young Akila knows.
Irresistibly unruly and strikingly beautiful, razor-sharp and slyly comic, sexually charged and utterly absorbing, Raven Leilani’sLusteris a portrait of a young woman trying to make sense of her life—her hunger, her anger—in a tumultuous era. It is also a haunting, aching description of how hard it is to believe in your own talent, and the unexpected influences that bring us into ourselves along the way.
NO OFFENSE by Meg Cabot
In stock in store and online
Clever, hilarious, and fun, No Offense will tug at readers’ heartstrings and make them fall in love with Little Bridge Island and its unique characters.
A broken engagement only gaveMolly Montgomery additional incentive to follow her dream job from the Colorado Rockies to the Florida Keys. Now, as Little Bridge Island Public Library's head of children's services, Molly hopes the messiest thing in her life will be her sticky-note covered desk. But fate--in the form of a newborn left in the restroom--has other ideas. So does the sheriff who comes to investigate the "abandonment".
John would be pretty irritated if one of his deputies had a desk as disorderly as Molly’s. Good thing she doesn’t work for him, considering how attracted he is to her. Molly’s lilting librarian voice makes even the saltiest remarks go down sweeter, which is bad as long as she’s a witness but might be good once the case is solved—provided he hasn’t gotten on her last nerve by then. Recently divorced, John has been having trouble adjusting to single life as well as single parenthood. But something in Molly’s beautiful smile gives John hope that his old life on Little Bridge might suddenly hold new promise—if only they can get over their differences.
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