So many of you have told me that you love (and miss seeing!) the birdhouses I’ve made using picture books, so I thought I’d post a few more here every now and again, for your viewing pleasure.... Read the rest of this post

This video (which doesn’t seem to want to embed here, sorry) has been making the rounds recently, and we love it. It was created by Dorling Kindersley UK for a sales conference, and everyone... Read the rest of this post

One of the absolute joys in owning a bookstore is the kids. I’m especially fond of three-and-four-year-olds who have embraced reading to such a degree that want to share their newfound love with... Read the rest of this post

Our store had the great, great honor of playing host to Rebecca Stead for two school visits and one public event when Random House graciously sent her our way at the beginning of last month. We... Read the rest of this post

You know those obscure picture books you read as a child over and over again? The ones that delighted or haunted you, that stayed with you over the years, that helped form you as a... Read the rest of this post

Here’s this year’s first installment of the 2010 children’s books that have received starred reviews from (in alphabetical order) Booklist, The Bulletin of the Center for Children’s... Read the rest of this post

Yesterday, I spent seven long hours waiting at JFK Airport, trying to get back home from a quick weekend away in Florida. When faced with so many hours in an airport, I don’t read. I people... Read the rest of this post

Many moons ago, Sandy Lemon, one of the local teachers I have the great pleasure of working with, introduced me to CricketSam, her husband’s blog about life as a stay-at-home dad caring for... Read the rest of this post

Some would say the secret to a good book fair is not to do them. Fewer and fewer independent stores are doing in-school book fairs these days because the cost/benefit ratio is dwindling to such a... Read the rest of this post

Some would say the secret to a good book fair is not to do them. Fewer and fewer independent stores are doing in-school book fairs these days because the cost/benefit ratio is dwindling to such a... Read the rest of this post

We all know that this summer’s big book will be the third and final book in the Hunger Games series, Mockingjay. The release date is five months away and already the price wars have begun for... Read the rest of this post

This post isn’t about beautiful books, but about books that have been transformed into other art forms. When some artists look at books, they see possibilities even beyond the worlds invented by... Read the rest of this post

Bookstores don’t have events only at the store. Events now come in all shapes and sizes and in all venues. This spring and summer we’re having a variety of events off-site. I’ll mention them... Read the rest of this post

Writing is a strange and often humbling business. You hang your own personal thoughts, opinions, ideas, and observations in a place where the world can see them, and sometimes the world responds... Read the rest of this post

No, you’re not seeing double. New photos of spines have been uploaded in this version of the ghost post from Monday. Since the blog tool changeover at PW caused this post not to be listed in the... Read the rest of this post

Alison Morris alerted me to this book reading video from Ocoee Middle School in Ocoee, Florida. The Black Eyed Peas would be proud. I just love these kids, all happy and reading. It’s wonderful... Read the rest of this post

I am in love. With an axe-wielding police officer and his flute-wielding partner. Yes, I said “flute-wielding.” But really the flute is a recorder. And the flute-wielder is actually a... Read the rest of this post

At a NECBA meeting last week, the lunch talk turned to staff picks. All the stores have them and all said how much of an anchor they are to the store. Independent bookstore customers are trained... Read the rest of this post

So many booksellers and librarians weighed in on book spines in my recent post, What You Wish They Knew: A Conversation Between Authors, Publishing Folks, and Booksellers, that I realized this... Read the rest of this post

On the eve of a major winter storm, my thoughts turn toward shopping patterns in bad weather. Our store is in Vermont, so we’ve got snow, often lots of it for long periods of time. Do folks hole... Read the rest of this post

On Friday night we had our first ever teen appreciation night, and what fun it was. There was no author, no activity, just seven pizzas (which the school paid for) and twenty kids who wanted to... Read the rest of this post

Here are two programs to help you best your worst self. Or at least your most procrastinating self. This post is for the writers (and editors, booksellers, teachers and librarians) who want to... Read the rest of this post

Booksellers can sometimes toil in isolation. We work in our stores and live in our communities, but meaningful contact with other booksellers can be difficult to achieve except at the trade shows,... Read the rest of this post

If an independent bookseller can't get a book for a customer, but it's available somewhere else, say Abe.com (Advanced Book Exchange), alibris.com ... Read the rest of this post

If an independent bookseller can’t get a book for a customer, but it’s available somewhere else, say Abe.com (Advanced Book Exchange), alibris.com or, don’t say it, amazon.com, what’s... Read the rest of this post