Epistolary Novels

Having recently read both The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society (Shaffer and Barrows) and 84, Charing Cross Road (Hanff)--both excellent books; I highly recommend them!--I got to thinking about books written in letters, as both of these are. It wasn't hard to think of several more, for all ages.

For teens there is Daddy Long-Legs, by Jean Webster. I reviewed this one once before, so you can read more about it here. Then there is Karen Hesse's Letters from Rifka, about a twelve-year-old girl fleeing Russia with her family in 1919. Rifka knows that her letters will never reach her cousin, whom she is writing to, so this book is more like a diary than a true epistolary novel, but I thought it worth including here anyway. And for a more modern version of the epistolary style, there is the TTYL series by Lauren Myracle. These books (TTYL, TTFN, and L8R G8R) are written entirely as a series of instant message conversations between three teen girls.

There are a few selections for middle-grade readers, as well, including P.S. Longer Letter Later and Snail Mail No More, both by Paula Danziger and Ann M. Martin; Dear Mr. Henshaw, the Newbery winner by Beverly Cleary; and the Regarding the... series by Kate Klise. The latter is a little different in that the books include things like newspaper clippings among the letters.

And lastly, I even found an epistolary picture book--two, actually: Dear Mrs. LaRue and LaRue for Mayor, by Mark Teague, which are composed of letters from a dog to his owner.

I'm sure there are more--let me know if you've read others! I love to write letters, which is probably why these books have such appeal for me; I'm dreaming of the day when I can exchange long, witty letters with anonymous Englishmen who send me books and invite me to visit their country and stay with their family or the old woman next door. A girl can dream, right?

Don't Let the Pigeon Be the Principal!

If you're a fan of the Pigeon books by Mo Willems, take a few minutes to watch this video put together by the first grade class of Parkview Elementary. Very well done--Pigeon sounds just like I imagined! (HT: Fuse #8.)

Dawn Aldrich Signing

Join us on Thursday, April 30th, at 4:00 PM to meet Dawn Aldrich, author of the picture book Auntie's House.

Told from the child's perspective, Auntie's House answers the universal questions of every child left in the care of someone other than a parent: "What will I do all day long? Are there fun things to do here? Will Mommy come back for me?"

Dawn Aldrich is a native to New England. She resides in Connecticut with her husband, Peter. Together they've raised two adult children and have one granddaughter. She holds an Associates Degree in Radio & TV Communications from Endicott College and a Bachelor's Degree in Christian Education from Houghton College.

What just arrived...

I just had the pleasure of checking in a few books that look really good. The first one I pulled out of the box was Nana Cracks the Case!, by Kathleen Lane. The back cover reads, "Nanas, you see, are not supposed to become backhoe operators or marine biologists or circus performers (actually Nana did not join the circus, she only substituted while the trapeze artist recovered from a broken leg), and they must never--because they are so very fragile, you see--become detectives." Tell me you don't want to read the book now! I sure do. It even has a reversible cover, "perfect for sneaky detective work!"

The next one was called Escape Under the Forever Sky, by Eve Yohalem. It's about a girl who is the daughter of the American ambassador to Ethiopia, and she gets kidnapped. It is apparently based on a true story, and looks riveting. (I read a few pages in the middle. Now I want to read the whole thing.)

Finally, for you fans of Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Jen Corace, a book called Little Oink. Similar to their book Little Hoot, in which an owl wishes he could go to bed earlier, Little Oink is about a piglet who wishes his parents would let him clean his room. Cute!

Kids Heart Authors

Mark your calendars--Valentine's Day, 2009 is going to be a special day at The Alphabet Garden and independent bookstores all over New England! From 10-12 on February 14, over 100 authors of children's books will be gathering at local bookstores to sign books and talk with young fans.

The Alphabet Garden is privileged to have seven authors coming that day:
Tony Abbott (Secrets of Droon)
Leslie Bulion (The Trouble With Rules)
Kate Duke (Archeologists Dig for Clues)
Kathleen Kudlinski (Boy, Were We Wrong About the Solar System!)
Donna Marie Merritt (Too-Tall Tina)
Pegi Deitz Shea (Patience Wright: America's First Sculptor & Revolutionary Spy)
And Cheshire's very own A.C.E. Bauer (No Castles Here)!

Check out Kids Heart Authors for more information--and if you're reading this, but don't live near us, check out the listing of participating indies to find a store near you!

My Little Girl

Those of you who remember Julia Denos from when she worked at The Alphabet Garden might be interested to know that she has illustrated another book. Written by Tim McGraw, My Little Girl tells the story of a little girl's day out with her dad and the fun they have just being together.

The Dog Who Belonged to No One

I have another cozy fall book for you today. This one is about a dog who, as the title says, belonged to no one, and a "little slip of a girl named Lia" who spends her time helping her parents in their bakery. Both dog and girl are lonely, with no one in particular to call a friend, until they meet one rainy night. Amy Hest tells their story in an interesting parallel fashion--a bit about the dog, a bit about the girl, and so on until their paths cross. There's nothing really surprising about the plot, but it's the kind of story I would enjoy reading to a child on a rainy day while curled up on a comfy chair with a blanket and maybe some homemade cookies fresh out of the oven. A sweet and cozy kind of book.

The Little Yellow Leaf

"It was autumn. In the hush of the forest a lone yellow leaf clung to the branch of a great oak tree." So begins Carin Berger's story of The Little Yellow Leaf. This leaf is afraid to fall like all the other leaves. He insists he's "not ready," as the autumn passes and snow falls. But then he notices another leaf, a little red leaf, still hanging on just like him, and together they are finally able to let go.

I think the reason I like this story so much is because I can so relate to that little yellow leaf, feeling like I'm not ready. And I know the reassurance that comes of finding a friend who feels the same way. But I can also imagine not liking this book if it weren't so well done--if the text were not as gentle or the illustrations so original. I love that mixed-media style--cut paper and paint and probably some materials I don't know enough to identify--and I love how these illustrations capture the feel of fall and early winter.

Nancy Elizabeth Wallace

We were pleased to have Nancy Elizabeth Wallace visit us last week. She is the author and illustrator of many picture books, including Leaves! Leaves! Leaves!; Apples, Apples, Apples; Paperwhite; Fly, Monarch! Fly!; Alphabet House; Look! Look! Look!; and many more.
During her visit, Ms. Wallace showed us some of the different kinds of paper she uses, including those recycled paper things you get with coffee--she used one of those for a road in one of her books.The kids who attended were also able to try their hand at some paper art by making butterfly magnets.

Summer Reading Program Finale!

This is the last week to come in and report the books you've read this summer. Next Saturday, August 23rd, at noon, we will hold an End of Summer Celebration. Join us for a book signing with M.W. Penn, author of Sidney the Silly Who Only Eats 6; face painting; a craft activity; and of course, the grand prize drawing of a $50 gift certificate to The Alphabet Garden!

Mark your calendars now and plan to come out for this fun event!

Star Wars: The Clone Wars

So apparently there's a new Star Wars movie coming out? An animated one? I guess I'm a little out of the loop, because I didn't know about it until I checked all these books in. We have a Clone Wars Galactic Photobook, Clone Wars chapter books for two different levels, two early-reader books (levels 1 and 2), an activity book, a sticker book, a picture book, and The Clone Wars: The Visual Guide! Wow. My brothers would have gone crazy for these back in their Star Wars-obsessed phase.

A Babysitter for Billy Bear

We just got in A Babysitter for Billy Bear, by Miriam Moss; it is a sweet book that would be great for preparing a young child for the experience of staying home with a babysitter for the first time. Moss's gentle prose follows Billy Bear through the evening as his mother gets him ready for bed and then goes to her pottery class, leaving him with a friend. He can't sleep, and goes downstairs, telling the babysitter he is worried his mother won't be able to find her way home in the dark. She reassures him, showing him the streetlights and the moon and stars, and he goes to sleep. Nothing groundbreaking, but the story would help to get a child comfortable with the idea of going to bed without Mom.

A Visitor for Bear

Bear has a sign on his door: "No visitors allowed." One day a mouse comes for a visit. Bear tells him he is against the rule--no visitors allowed! The mouse, however, is persistent. Finally Bear gives in to the mouse's request for a fire in the fireplace and a cup of tea--on the condition that the mouse leave immediately after. But Bear is in for a surprise. The mouse compliments his fire and his headstand skills and laughs at his jokes! Suddenly visitors don't seem like such a bad idea, after all. The noble mouse, however, is determined to hold up his end of the bargain by leaving right away.

"Don't go!" wailed Bear, throwing his body across the path.
"But I gave you my word," said the mouse, pointing at the "No Visitors" sign.
"Oh, that!" cried Bear, pulling down the sign and tearing it up. "That's for salesmen. Not for friends."

And... they all lived happily ever after.

I don't think there is anything about this book I don't like. It would be fun to read aloud, exaggerating Bear's comically dramatic responses to finding the mouse, yet again, in his house. And the illustrations are lovely--large, simple, warm and homey.

Best suited for ages 2-5.

Snoring Beauty

Snoring Beauty, by Bruce Hale, is a fun retelling of the story of Sleeping Beauty. Instead of pricking her finger on a spinning wheel, the princess is run over by a pie cart and turned into a sleeping dragon--and must be awakened by a quince!

Violet the Pilot

Violet isn't like the other kids at her school. She wears greasy coveralls and plays with wrenches instead of dolls. Violet is a mechanical genius who likes to build flying machines in her spare time out of parts she scavenges from the junkyard next door. Her parents don't mind, as long as she wears a sweater and doesn't crash into the house, but the rest of the town just thinks she's weird until one day she and her flying machine are in exactly the right place at the right time.

Violet the Pilot is brightly colored and cheerful; a fun read for kids 5 and up!

Pigeon Plush!

The Alphabet Garden now carries a stuffed toy of everyone's favorite Pigeon! And when you squeeze him, he yells, "Let me drive the bus!" in true Pigeon style. (Pigeon books are written and illustrated by Mo Willems and include Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late!, and The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog.)

We also now have plushes of the unicorn from Claire and the Unicorn, by B.G. Hennessy; Pretzel from the book of the same name by H.A. Rey; and Maisy from the books by Lucy Cousins.

Valentine's Day Books

Looking for a book to give your valentine? We have several options for you.

A few of my favorites:

Pat the Bunny: Bunny Kisses is a touch-and-feel board book, with a button that makes a kissing noise when you press it. Very sweet!

Fancy Nancy Loves, Loves, Loves!, by Jane O'Connor, is a reusable sticker book featuring everyone's cherished (that's a fancy word for favorite) fancy girl, Nancy.



Hug Time, by Patrick McDonnell, was just published in November. It tells the story of a kitten who was "so filled with love he wanted to give the whole world a hug."


Another one I like is I Like You, by Sandol Stoddard Warburg, an ode to best friends of all ages. "I like you because..." the book begins, and lists reason after reason, ending finally with "I guess I just like you because I like you."

What To Do About Alice?

(Written by Barbara Kerley and illustrated by Edwin Fotheringham.)

I like it.

I like the subject. I didn't remember much about Alice Roosevelt from history lessons before I read this book tonight, but she seems a very interesting person. Now I want to know more.

I like the writing. Take this part: "Her mother had died in 1884, two days after Alice was born. Father was sad. Everyone was sad for Alice. But she didn't remember her mother. She did not want to grow up hearing them say, 'the poor little thing!' She wanted to see how high the springs sprang on her grandparents' favorite sofa."

I like the illustrations. Never heard of Edwin Fotheringham (what a name!) before, but I like his style. I especially like this illustration:

just because those sixteen girls in two straight lines and "Miss Spence" remind me so much of Miss Clavel and her twelve little girls in two straight lines (one of which was Madeline)!

Guess What I Found in Dragon Wood

Guess What I Found in Dragon Wood, by Timothy Knapman, is one of my favorite new picture books. It's always nice when a book lives up to the expectation generated by a nice cover, as this one does. Narrated by a dragon, it tells the story of how he meets a Benjamin and takes it to school one day, to the curiosity of all the other dragons. The Benjamin explains to the dragons about his home, and even teaches them a very strange game--soccer! Eventually, though, he has to go home. His dragon friend takes him home--the other dragons are all too scared--and returns with more surprising details of the strange world of the Benjamins.

After-Christmas Titles

I hope you all had a lovely Christmas and were granted many new books to take you into the new year!

Today is the on-sale date for a few new books:

One is a new picture book version of The Ugly Duckling, retold by Stephen Mitchell and beautifully illustrated by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher.



Another is Dark River, the second book in the Warriors: Power of Three series, written by Erin Hunter for grades 4-6.




My personal favorite, though, is The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane, by Kate DiCamillo, which is now out in paperback. This is a story similar to The Velveteen Rabbit in that it is about a toy rabbit, love, and loss. However, I think that The Velveteen Rabbit can be rather abstract and not always easy to understand, while Edward Tulane is more straightforward and equally beautiful.

All three are now available at The Alphabet Garden. Call (203) 439-7766 to reserve a copy!