Liz Moore heads up the Children's Department here at the Book Stall and loves books for all ages.

Hello Readers,

To every time of year there is joy in being a bookseller, but fall is really the most exciting. Back to school means some of the best books of the year land on our shelves, and we get the privilege of hosting some of their esteemed authors! It is difficult to decide which ones to tell you about, but I have selected a few winners.

I love the classic picture books and always delight in seeing the new old favorites—Babar’s USA for example. And here’s some exciting news: The grandson of Ludwig Bemelmans continues the wonderful tradition of the Madeline books with a brand new title, Madeline and the Cats of Rome. Miss Clavel and the 12 little girls are off to Rome. There they encounter beautiful sights, a bit of adventure, and many cats! Depicted with vibrant watercolors, and written in lively verse, this one is worth the (almost 50-year!) wait.

Gearing up for the presidential election, there is a very special volume for the entire family (and the classroom) called Our White House. Created by the National Children’s Book and Literacy Alliance, this compilation features essays, poems, short stories, speeches, and more, offered by a remarkable constellation of talented children’s authors and illustrators. An introduction by David McCullough begins this beautiful and engaging collection of literature on our country’s presidential residence.

One of my very favorite first-time author’s books of the last couple of years is Green Glass Sea by Ellen Klages. To my great satisfaction, she has just released its follow up, White Sands, Red Menace. The year is 1946 and Dewey Kerrigan’s life has once again changed dramatically. She has moved with the Gordon family, including her friend/sister Suze, to the White Sands Missile Range where Dr. Gordon is working on moon rockets, while Mrs. Gordon is putting her efforts into stopping the atomic bomb. Things are just getting back to sort of normal when a big surprise arises. I was so happy to be with Dewey again in this equally-as-good-as–the-first novel.

Lastly, Polly Horvath, author of The Trolls and Everything on a Waffle and winner of the National Book Award and  a Newbery Honor, has a another book, again full of colorful characters. My One Hundred Adventures is the story of 12-year-old Jane. Living by the sea with her mother and siblings, Jane pines for more than her ordinary life; she wants adventure. And adventure is what she gets (some good, some questionable). But through all of it, she is learning to see the world in her own way—she is growing up, an adventure in and of itself. A charming, lovely story by a true talent.

 The shelves are bursting with life; Come in and check it out! See you soon.

Liz