Dear Friend of Book Beat,
In this update are some additional book categories, new arrivals and gift ideas from our "Best of the Season" picks - In case you missed our earlier gift guide you can view the complete list at: Book Beat News & Events.
J.K. ROWLING HOT RELEASE THIS THURSDAY, Dec., 4th:
The Tales of Beedle the Bard (Hardcover) » The Tales of Beedle the Bard, a Wizarding classic, first came to Muggle readers’ attention in the book known as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. Now, thanks to Hermione Granger’s new translation from the ancient runes, we present this stunning edition with an introduction, notes, and illustrations by J. K. Rowling, and extensive commentary by Albus Dumbledore. Never before have Muggles been privy to these richly imaginative tales: “The Wizard and the Hopping Pot,” “The Fountain of Fair Fortune,” “The Warlock’s Hairy Heart,” “Babbitty Rabbitty and Her Cackling Stump,” and of course, “The Tale of the Three Brothers.” But not only are they the equal of fairy tales we now know and love, reading them gives new insight into the world of Harry Potter. The Tales of Beedle the Bard will be Discounted 20%.
A MAGICAL GIFT FOR ALL AGES:
A Roomful of Questions (Hardcover) » Tracy Gallup's latest book is a wonderful pastiche of surreal art and words, taking the reader on an inward journey -into an exploration of the heart. Reminiscent of the quiet yet penetrating works of Emily Dickinson, Elizabeth Bishop, Cooper Edens and M.B. Goffstein, Gallup's clear and precise language fits snugly inside this simple and poetic visual presentation.
The soft and magical artwork is also contemplative - allowing the viewers imagination to fill in the blanks and make their own connections. The book is a journey of questions and puzzles, bending the rules and genres of what a book can be and how it functions. A wonderful small and smart gift to treasure for all ages. Read the Ann Arbor News Review: A bookful of success: Tracy Gallup.
BEST BOOKS FOR YOUNGER READERS:
Cup for Everyone (Hardcover) » Beautifully illustrated and heartwarming, A Cup for Everyone is a picture book that shows the lengths we go to to help the ones we love.
Pucca's father is the best cup-maker in town. Everyone owns one of his handmade cups. But when his father begins to run out of customers, sales begin to slow down, and he must leave town to sell his cups elsewhere, leaving Pucca all alone. So Pucca decides to take matters into his own hands.
Fanny (hardcover, signed) » "All Fanny wants in the world is a Connie doll, but Mom says "NO!" But no one ever said she couldn't make one instead! With some scissors, glue, and her craft box in hand, Fanny sets out to replicate Connie, but it's Annabelle who is the result of her efforts. A little lopsided and a little unkempt, Annabelle turns out to be the companion Fanny has always wanted.... The soft watercolor illustrations show this protagonist to be an independent thinker as well as a talented seamstress. Sometimes not following the crowd can have unexpectedly wonderful results.
Houndsley and Catina and the Quiet Time (Hardcover) » The first snow of winter has fallen, and Houndsley is very happy, as he loves the quiet time. Catina does not like the quiet time, however, and she does not enjoy being snowed in. What about all her plans for the day? What if their evening concert has to be canceled? With a bit of pretending, a few books and board games, a flourish of creativity, and some time to dream, Houndsley helps Catina let go of her worries and enjoy the snowy day, wherever it might take them.
Snow Day (Hardcover) » A young rabbit wakes up to wonderful news: A snow day! School is canceled, and the day that follows is rich with the magic and delight of the falling snow. And yet there is longing too, as the young rabbit and his mother wait for news of his father, grounded on a plane in a faraway city.... The news that his father will be home tomorrow gives the book a peaceful, comforting, and perfect ending.
Snow Party (Hardcover) » "When the first snow of the year coincides with winter solstice, it's a magical convergence so powerful that snow people come from far and wide to celebrate. 'Hooray for winter! Hooray for snow!' cheers the crowd in a lantern-lit forest clearing, and by the time the last page is turned, even kids in the Sunbelt will be cheering as well. In his picture book debut, Jones provides an emotional and fantasy counterpoint to the quiet intensity of Ziefert's (Who Said Moo?) reportorial text. -- Publisher's Weekly
Christmas Farm (Hardcover) » An evocative celebration of Christmas trees.
When Wilma decides that her garden needs a new beginning, she gathers string, scissors, shovels, sixty-two dozen balsam seedlings, and Parker, her five-year-old neighbor. Year after year, Wilma and Parker nurture their trees, keeping careful count of how many they plant, how many perish, and how many grow to become Christmas trees.
Amazing Peace: A Christmas Poem (Hardcover and CD) » In this beautiful, deeply moving poem, Maya Angelou inspires us to embrace the peace and promise of Christmas, so that hope and love can once again light up our holidays and the world. “Angels and Mortals, Believers and Nonbelievers, look heavenward,” she writes, “and speak the word aloud. Peace.”
This is a comforting book that gets to the heart of what Christmas should mean. As an added treat, Angelou reads the poem on the accompanying CD.
Brava, Strega Nona!: A Heartwarming Pop-Up Book » "Tomie dePaola's STREGA NONA has been loved by generations of children's book readers, but they've never seen her like this! In six spreads of pop-up magnificence, paper engineered by the renowned #1 NEW YORK TIMES bestselling team of Sabuda and Reinhart, Strega Nona shares her words of wisdom for leading a magical life, all rendered in Tomie dePaola's classic style. With doors to open, tabs to pull, and a host of other interactive features, readers will be drawn into Strega Nona's world in a way they've never been before. BRAVA, STREGA NONA! is a glorious celebration of important values that will introduce a whole new generation of readers to this lovable character."
Fantasy For Young Adult Readers:
Kronos Chronicles #01: The Cabinet of Wonders (Hardcover) » "Add this heady mix of history and enchantment to the season's list of astonishingly accomplished first novels: in Rutkowski's multilayered version of late — 16th-century Bohemia, magicians coexist with peasants and courtiers, a tribe of gypsies use specially endowed 'ghost' fingers, and the fate of Europe hangs on the schemes of an evil prince. As the novel opens, a metalworker with extraordinary gifts has returned from Prince Rodolfo's palace in Prague, having finished his commission to build a magical clock.... Infusions of folklore (and Rutkowski's embellishments of them) don't slow the fast plot but more deeply entrance readers. Ages 10 — up." Publishers Weekly (Starred Review)
Theodosia and the Staff of Osiris (Hardcover) » "A sure bet for Harry Potter fans." (Booklist )
Theodosia Throckmorton is in a fix. Allowed to attend a reception given by one of the directors of her parents' museum, she stumbles across Mr. Tetley of the British Museum—in most unusual circumstances! Since Theo has last seen him in a showdown in an ancient Egyptian tomb, his reappearance could mean only one thing: the Serpents of Chaos are back. Once again Theodosia will have to take on secret societies, evil curses, and dark magic too sinister to imagine, especially if it falls into the wrong hands.
My One Hundred Adventures (Hardcover) » THE WINNER OF a National Book Award, a Newbery Honor, and countless other awards has written her richest, most spirited book yet, filled with characters that readers will love, and never forget.
"[A] witty, wise and wonderful novel." -- starred Kirkus review
“Unconventionality is Horvath’s stock and trade, but here the high quirkiness quotient rests easily against Jane’s inner story with its honest, childlike core.” -- starred Booklist
MOXY LEARNS A LESSON:
Moxy Maxwell Does Not Love Writing Thank-You Notes (Hardcover) » Starred Review, Kirkus Reviews, July 1, 2008: "Resourceful and resilient, Moxy is a pleasure to meet again."
Moxy is not thrilled that she must write a thank-you note for each of her Christmas gifts or she will not be allowed to attend a Hollywood bash with her long-absent father. After her father cancels at the last minute, Moxy is forced to deal with the reality of a situation she doesn't want to accept.
Art & Photography:
Susan Meiselas: In History (Hardcover) » "How do you reconcile the demands of professionalism with those of human compassion? To her credit and that of the exhibition, Ms. Meiselas — whose coverage of the Sandinista revolution in Nicaragua in 1978 and ’79 made her one of the world’s most celebrated and criticized war correspondents — does not try to duck the question. On the contrary, the tension between opportunism and conscience emerges more or less inadvertently as the main interest of the exhibition — to the point that it trumps its ostensible subjects."--The New York Times
After Photography (Hardcover) » examines the myriad ways in which the digital revolution has fundamentally altered the way we receive visual information, from photos of news events taken by ordinary people on cell phones to the widespread use of image surveillance. In a world beset by critical problems and ambiguous boundaries, Fred Ritchin argues that it is time to begin energetically exploring the possibilities created by digital innovations and to use them to better understand our rapidly changing world.
KRAZY! The Delirious World of Anime + Comics + Video Games + Art (paperback) » Comics! Cartoons! Anime! Manga! Graphic novels! Video games! This vibrant and engaging book, catalog to a landmark exhibition, celebrates the variety and growing significance of visual pop culture. Stunningly illustrated with eye-popping art, KRAZY! investigates the uniqueness of these forms while considering the ways they interconnect. Curated by many of the artists who first brought these forms to the public's attention, this volume features commentary and interviews with Maus author Art Spiegelman...
I.M. Pei Complete Works (Hardcover) » "...a comprehensive survey of concrete, glass, stone and steel masterworks created over a span of 50 years." ~Home & Design Sourcebook
"...showcases Pei's transcendent work in over 50 projects, culminating in the commission he is currently completing." ~Bal Harbour
"Sketches, plans and photographs from multiple vantage points provide insight into Pei's technique, but it is the frankness of Pei himself...that distinguishes this compendium." ~The Washington Post
Cy Twombly: Cycles and Seasons (Hardcover) » A serious comprehensive overview of Cy Twombly's art has been much in demand for many years, and in this publication we at last have one. Accompanying a major touring retrospective to mark Twombly's eightieth year, it surveys a vast output of paintings, drawings and sculpture by an artist whose indifference to supposed distinctions between Pop and abstraction, between writing, drawing and painting, and between literature and art had, for many years, brought his work severe neglect.
A Documentary Look at a Lost Era
At Maxwell Street: Chicago's Historic Marketplace Recalled in Words and Photographs (Hardcover and DVD) » Maxwell Street was influential in making us who we are. By preserving the memory of Maxwell Street s past, Chicagoans of today give a gift of heritage to future generations. -- Studs Terkel
A DVD version of the award winning film is included in the book, about 50 minutes in length, along with additional compelling images of life on the street. Bill Stamets, a columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, writes an essay on the DVD for the book, and he says of Palazzolo and his film, "That street and this artist shared a kindred hustle and humor ... All manner of social occasions and minor rituals have drawn his attention for over forty years..."
Seven Days in the Art World (Hardcover) » "The hot, hip contemporary art world, argues sociologist Thornton, is a cluster of intermingling subcultures unified by the belief, whether genuine or feigned, that nothing is more important than the art itself. It is a conviction, she asserts, that has transformed contemporary art into a kind of alternative religion for atheists. Thornton, a contributor to Artforum.com and the New Yorker, presents an astute and often entertaining ethnography of this status-driven world... -- Publisher's Weekly
Grapefruit: A Book of Instructions and Drawings by Yoko Ono (Hardcover) » Back in print for the first time in nearly thirty years, here is Yoko Ono's whimsical, delightful, subversive, startling book of instructions for art and for life. "Burn this book after you've read it." -- Yoko "A dream you dream alone may be a dream, but a dream two people dream together is a reality." "This is the greatest book I've ever burned." -- John
Video of Yoko Ono reading pieces from GRAPEFRUIT
How to Make a Happening (CD) » "Simple in construction, yet profound in context, How to Make a Happening is Allan Kaprow delivering 11 rules on how, and how not, to make a Happening, an movement begun by Kaprow in the late fifties that is known for its unpredictability, open scores, and constantly-evolving form.
"On the first track, Kaprow speaks plainly into a microphone, delivering a private cut-to-the-chase style instruction on Happenings that is both informative and contradictory. Kaprow, known as a great teacher of the avant-garde (from Rutgers to Cal Arts to finally University of California, San Diego), delivers both a practical and theoretical how-to with an oftentimes dead-pan humor." limited edition of 500 in hand-silkscreened jewel box.
Good for Giggles: 
Stuff White People Like: A Guide to the Unique Taste of Millions (paperback) » “The author of "Stuff White People Like" skewers the sacred cows of lefty Caucasian culture, from the Prius to David Sedaris. . . . It gently mocks the habits and pretensions ofurbane, educated, left-leaning whites, skewering their passion for Barack Obama and public transportation (as long as it's not a bus), their idle threats to move to Canada, and joy in playing children's games as adults. Kickball, anyone?” –Salon.com
“A handy reference guide with which you can check just how white you are. Hint: If you like only documentaries and think your child is gifted, you glow in the dark, buddy.” –NY Daily News
Visit the website: Stuff White People Like
More Information Than You Require (Hardcover) » The bestselling author of The Areas of My Expertise — also known as The Daily Show's "Resident Expert" and the PC in the iconic Mac ads — picks up exactly where his first book left off. Exactly.
Like its predecessor, More Information than You Require compiles incredibly handy made up facts into brief articles, overlong lists, frighteningly complex charts, and beguiling narratives on new and familiar themes such as: * THE PAST (because there is always more) * THE FUTURE (because they say there is still some left to discuss) * THE METHOD BY WHICH WE "ELECT" OUR PRESIDENTS (as this will be happening soon) * THE STRANGE OKAPI (an actual animal) *
Stress Weiner » Who needs medication and therapy when you’ve got a Stress Wiener? Next time you feel your blood pressure start to rise, just squeeze this 5-1/2" (14 cm) long, foam rubber hot dog and you’ll feel better in no time! Comes in its own bag with illustrated topper.
Santa Dreidel (a curious wooden toy) » Celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah with this 2¾" (7 cm) tall wooden Santa Dreidel. Imagine the fun you’ll have playing the dreidel game by the light of the menorah while you wait for Santa to climb down the chimney with his sack full of gifts! Each side features a different Christmas symbol (Santa, Christmas tree, candy cane, reindeer). Sure to confound and confuse both Jews and Gentiles! Clamshell blister with illustrated card.
Visit our backroom blog and dig into over 50 of our best reading group discussion books from the past decade, plus: What is Obama Reading? Thinking Photography, Collectable Art & Photography books and more...
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