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Powell's Staff:
Five Book Friday: In Memoriam
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Every year, the booksellers at Powell’s submit their Top Fives: their five favorite books that were released in 2023. It’s a list that, when put together, shows just how varied and interesting the book tastes of Powell’s booksellers are. I highly recommend digging into the recommendations — we would never lead you astray — but today...
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Brontez Purnell:
Powell’s Q&A: Brontez Purnell, author of ‘Ten Bridges I’ve Burnt’
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Rachael P.:
Starter Pack: Where to Begin with Ursula K. Le Guin
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Customer Comments
Becky Laney has commented on (15) products
Theatre Illuminata 01 Eyes Like Stars
by
Lisa Mantchev
Becky Laney
, June 04, 2009
What can I say about this one to do it justice? I loved it. Well, more to the point I LOVED it. It's a fun fantasy novel--a romance--that is satisfying and playful and oh-so-right. Our heroine, Beatrice, has grown up in the theatre. But not just any theatre, no, the only home she has ever known is home to every stage character ever written--all the plays ever penned. Her best friends are fairies--perhaps you've read about them before, for they are found in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Her love interest? The man of her dreams? A minor character from A Little Mermaid. Her love-to-hate, hate-to-love enemy? Ariel from The Tempest. When we first meet Beatrice, she's in trouble. The Theatre Manager has decided that it is time for Beatrice to go. His excuse? She's not contributing to the theatre. She--and others along side her--plead with him; he grants her a few more days to prove that she has what it takes, that she belongs there. Her idea? To be a director! Though their productions generally never require a director--after all the originals know their lines backwards and forwards and then some--but if she were to change it up, change it around...then...maybe just maybe she'd find her place. Thus she seeks to recreate Hamlet...to give it an ancient Egyptian setting. But life is never this easy, right? You know there are bound to be conflicts! I am not going to say much more. I don't want to spoil it. But it is oh-so-magical. It is fun and playful. It is giddy-making.
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Sprout
by
Dale Peck
Becky Laney
, May 27, 2009
Meet Sprout. The green-haired wonder of a boy who doesn't have it all figured out. He's got some things figured out: he knows he's gay; he knows his father is an alcoholic. But he doesn't have his life all figured out. (Does anybody? If they say they do, are they are lying?) Since his mom died, Sprout's life has been, well, weird. Sprout is an eccentric teen, no doubt. And it's more than just his green hair. One teacher, Mrs. Miller, notices his genius, his gift for writing, his gift with words. She sees in him a chance to win big. The essay-writing contest. He just needs some polishing, something that she's more than willing to do day after summer day. And since Sprout isn't that popular a kid, he's got the time to spare. Will a summer spent in private with the teacher change a boy's life forever? Maybe, maybe not. The narrative is practically perfect. Wit. Humor. Heart. This book has everything that I needed and wanted. Loved the writing of this one.
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Chosen One
by
Carol Lynch Williams
Becky Laney
, May 12, 2009
This one had me at hello, with that first sentence. Even if I wasn't already persuaded by the premise--which I was. (The premise: "Thirteen-year-old Kyra has grown up in an isolated community without questioning the fact that her father has three wives and she has twenty brothers and sisters. Or at least without questioning them much--if you don't count her secret visits to the Mobile Library on Wheels to read forbidden books, or her meetings with the boy she hopes to choose for herself instead of having a man chosen for her. But when the Prophet decrees that Kyra must marry her sixty-year old uncle--who already has six wives--Kyra must make a desperate choice in the face of violence and her own fears of losing her family.") Several things caught my eye. Primarily the part about her love of reading despite the fact that all books are forbidden...to her and the others in her commune. For it is this love of reading that sustains her, that gives her hope, that gives her joy, that gives her normalcy. Small though it may seem, it is this act of disobedience, this strange-confidence of approaching the outside world, of speaking even briefly with an outsider, that is a catalyst in her life. If you love books, you'll relate to Kyra. She names a handful of books throughout. The book shows her discovering these books, these characters. Kyra was out walking outside the boundaries of her community when she first notices the mobile library. Two or three weeks she notices him driving by. The third week, he stops. And that changes everything...for better or worse. But this book isn't just a book about a girl who loves to read...it's a book about a girl who's in love with a boy. Joshua Jackson. Their love innocent and pure as it may be is forbidden. Kyra--just thirteen--has been ordered by the Prophet and the elders to marry her uncle. Or else. Or else her family will pay the price for her 'sins'. No one in her family--her father or her mothers--wants to see her married to her creepy-old-uncle. But none are really willing to sacrifice that much for her. This book is well-written; fascinating; compelling; powerful. I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend this one. I just loved it. Loved Kyra. Loved her story. It's an emotional roller coaster, no doubt, but definitely worth it!
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Ten Days & Nine Nights An Adoption Story
by
Yumi Heo
Becky Laney
, May 12, 2009
Ten Days and Nine Nights is an adoption story. It's a sweet countdown of days (and nights) for the whole family as they await the newest member of the family to arrive. Our little heroine is a young girl. She and her father wait at home while her mother goes on a very special trip. Here's how it starts off, "I mark a circle on the calendar. I have ten days and nine nights. Daddy and I say goodbye to Mommy. I have nine days and eight nights." It continues on with everyone in the family joining in this special countdown celebration. One of my favorite scenes? Her practicing holding a baby (doll). The text reads, "I practice. I have six days and five nights." But this isn't a one-sided story--though the text focuses on life back at home--the illustrations show the mother on her journey. The steps she is taking day by day. There are so many things that I enjoyed about this one. It's sweet. It's satisfying. It's simple. It's refreshing. I love the illustrations. They're just so right for this tale. (Which is only right since Yumi Heo is both the author and the illustrator.)
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Grizzly Dad
by
Joanna Harrison
Becky Laney
, May 12, 2009
This one is one that had me at hello. Perhaps it was the art. Perhaps it was the playful story. I just know I loved it. Here's how it starts off, "Dad woke up in a grrrrizzly mood! All morning he grrroaned and grrrizzled...and grrrumped! And then he went back to bed. . . He was just like a bear with a sore head." Our narrator is a little boy, a cute little boy I might add, and when he wakes up his father, what he discovers is that his dad IS a bear. What's it like to have a great big bear of a father? Read and see for yourself in this playful tale. I wouldn't question you if you had doubts about this one. After all, this premise could be disappointing if it was in another author's hands. But I enjoyed it. It was fun. It was playful. It worked. This little boy is just having the best time imagining his dad as a great big bear. And for me, it was charming to see imagination at work. What really, really convinced me on this one is the art. So trust me on this one and try it yourself.
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The Love We Share Without Knowing
by
Christopher Barzak
Becky Laney
, April 14, 2009
Have you seen Because of Winn Dixie? Do you remember the scenes where the librarian is sharing hard candy with Opal? And Opal is then sharing this candy with others? How every single person has a different way of describing how the candy tastes? That's what this novel was like. That's what this novel was trying to do, in my humble opinion, capture the 101 different flavors of life itself. This isn't your traditional novel. If you know that going in, I think you will appreciate it more. Think of it more as a collection of loosely woven short stories. Some stories are more 'connected' than others. The stories share a common thread or two--mainly that of theme. To sum it up in one word: Humanity. What it means to be human, to experience the ups and downs, highs and lows of being human. Love. Loss. Pain. Anger. Bitterness. Frustration. Disappointment. Heartache. Homesickness. Loneliness. Some stories are darker than others. Some seem to be without hope or redemption. Others are more uplifting. What they all have in common, however, is the Barzak touch. He, quite simply, has a way with words. Even if you don't like where the story is going, he keeps you so in love with the words on the page, that you just have to keep reading. All of the stories are set in Japan.
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Black Book Of Secrets
by
F E Higgins
Becky Laney
, April 14, 2009
"When I opened my eyes I knew that nothing in my miserable life prior to that moment could possibly be as bad as what was about to happen." And our narrator, Ludlow Fitch*, wasn't lying. What his parents had planned for him? So not good! Just thinking about it makes my jaws ache! Fortunately for both of us, he is able to make a daring dash of an escape. After a rather close call, Ludlow finds himself escaping the City and going away...where...he doesn't know. But anyplace has to be better than where he's been, right? Where Ludlow ends up is in the company of Joe Zabbidou** in his pawn shop of secrets. Both Joe and Ludlow are new to the village of Pagus Parvus. And their destinies are tied together now. Ludlow becomes an apprentice of sort. It's a good thing Ludlow knows how to read and write and has such good penmanship! For Joe has a very special job in mind for the boy. Pagus Parvus is an interesting little place with plenty of interesting people. It's a town full of secrets. And that's just what Joe is in the market for. Good and juicy secrets. You unburden your soul, tell Old Joe all while Ludlow records it all in his black book, and in exchange....you leave with a nice sum of money. Enough money to make a difference. But can old Joe be trusted? What does he want with all those secrets? What is he hoping to gain out of the exchange? Was Ludlow right to trust him? This one is just deliciously atmospheric. I loved everything about it: the setting, the characterizations, the language. (Especially the names.) I can only imagine this one would be fun to hear aloud. *Don't you just love that name? **Again, an awesome, awesome name!
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Zombie Queen Of Newbury High
by
Amanda Ashby
Becky Laney
, April 14, 2009
Fun but ever-predictable, this one is a light-hearted read that I tended to enjoy. Predictability. It isn't always a bad thing. Yes, I knew who our heroine would end up falling for by page seven--and I can guess you might as well. But did I enjoy it? Yes. Mostly. Mia is a not-so-popular girl who wants to hold onto her popular boyfriend. Despite the fact that they've been dating for several weeks--five dates and counting--she's insecure in the relationship. Feels threatened, and perhaps rightfully so since her guy is being pursued by a cheerleader who doesn't know the word no. So Mia and her best friend, Candice, seek out a spell--a love spell--to keep Rob, her boyfriend, right where he belongs: by her side. But this spell has some unintended side effects. It's not a love spell at all. And it doesn't just effect Rob--it infects the whole senior class and the teachers who were present at the senior assembly. Fortunately for Mia, someone is there, a witness to it all. Someone who will do anything and everything to keep the situation contained. His name is Chase. And for better or worse, Mia and Chase have to work together or life could get very very messy.
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Jessicas Guide To Dating On The Dark Side
by
Beth Fantaskey
Becky Laney
, April 14, 2009
Jessica, our heroine, never set out to fall in love with a vampire. It wasn't on her to do list. It wasn't a fantasy of hers--not by a long shot--but such is the case when a strange--but strangely handsome--guy appears in her life claiming to be an 'exchange' student. The truth? The two were betrothed back when they were infants back in Romania. Before Jessica (then named Antanasia) became an orphan. Before she was adopted by an American couple and taken to the states to live. Our hero, Lucius Vladescu, is here to remind her that not only are they supposed to be engaged...she is really, truly a vampire princess. But she's not a vampire yet. Does she want to be a vampire princess? Not at first. No, her crush is the ever-adorable but oh-so-ordinary Jake Zinn. And she's more than thrilled that Jake seems to be crushing on her too. But Lucius is ever-lurking about. Watching. Protecting. Generally being creepy and in the way. But ever-so-slowly, Jessica starts liking her lurker-would-be-lover. Starts being tempted by his charms--craves his touch, his kiss, his bite. But as she starts falling for him, he begins having second thoughts. Does he really want to turn Jessica into a vampire? Isn't her American upbringing a major weakness in being a vampire? Isn't she unsuited to the task of ruling as a vampire? Why would he want to do this to her? The more he resists, the more she desires. It also helps things along that he begins dating another girl, Faith, that her desire (Jessica's desire) is magnified by jealousy. If he is going to be biting anyone's neck, it should be her neck. This is another will-he/won't-he vampire romance.
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Horrid Henrys Stinkbomb
by
Francesca Simon
Becky Laney
, April 14, 2009
If you're looking for funny chapter books to share with your kids, look no further than Horrid Henry. Each book contains four stories about Horrid Henry and his friends and family. (Featuring characters like Perfect Peter, Moody Margaret, Sour Susan, and Clever Clare.) This chapter book includes these four stories: Horrid Henry Reads A Book, Horrid Henry's Stinkbomb, Horrid Henry's School Project, and Horrid Henry's Sleepover. My favorite from these four is Horrid Henry Reads A Book. Because as horrid as Henry is, he's clever and imaginative in how he goes about it! Henry isn't perfect, he doesn't necessarily follow the rules, and he rarely minds authority, but he's just so likable. I highly recommend this series of chapter books. I only wish I'd known of them sooner!
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Horrid Henry & the Mega Mean Time Machine
by
Francesca Simon
Becky Laney
, April 14, 2009
Out of the four Horrid Henry titles I've read so far, this may just be my favorite and my best. There is something about Horrid Henry--the character--that I just love. True, he's a bit horrid--has a mean streak and a good dose of stubborness--but he's just so darn lovable! This chapter book contains four stories: Horrid Henry's Hike, Horrid Henry and the Mega-Mean Time Machine, Perfect Peter's Revenge, and Horrid Henry Dines At Restaurant Le Posh. Horrid Henry has a brother, Perfect Peter, and in the story Horrid Henry and the Mega-Mean Time Machine, Horrid Henry pulls off the perfect prank for his perfectly gullible younger brother. A prank involving among other things a cardboard box. It's funny. But Perfect Peter tries--and a bit imperfectly at that--to get his revenge in the follow-up story! Through it all, I just enjoyed myself. I think this is a great series of chapter books for kids.
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Horrid Henry Tricks The Tooth Fairy
by
Francesca Simon
Becky Laney
, April 14, 2009
I've already mentioned how much I love Horrid Henry in my review of the chapter book, Horrid Henry, but let me just briefly restate how much I love this series by Francesca Simon. These books are funny--really funny--and just pure delight to read. It's easy to see how they could get kids excited about reading. (They'd also make great read-alouds, for these books are just as enjoyable if you're an adult!) This chapter book includes four stories: Horrid Henry Tricks the Tooth Fairy, Horrid Henry's Wedding, Moody Margaret Moves In, Horrid Henry's New Teacher. If I *had* to pick a favorite, I'd say that Moody Margaret Moves In is my favorite and my best. It had me laughing the hardest. Horrid Henry seems a bit more horrid than usual as is revealed in Horrid Henry's Wedding and Horrid Henry's New Teacher. But even if he is a bit horrid, it's hard not to like him!
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Horrid Henry
by
Simon, Francesca
Becky Laney
, April 14, 2009
I've met a new friend and his name is Henry, Horrid Henry. Until I picked up this wonderful little chapter book by Francesca Simon, I was clueless to this gem of a series. Turns out, Horrid Henry is quite popular--especially in the UK! This first includes four stories: Horrid Henry's Perfect Day, Horrid Henry's Dance Class, Horrid Henry and Moody Margaret, and Horrid Henry's Holiday. Each story is funny, seriously funny. There is something about Henry that is just so darn lovable. I don't know if every reader can relate. After all, there might be a few Perfect Peters and Moody Margarets lurking about. But whether you're loving Henry, or loving-to-hate Henry, I think you'll enjoy what you find here! I think the thing that I love best about Henry is his voice. Francesca Simon gets what it means to be a kid, to think like a kid, to talk like a kid, to act like a kid. Everything is just so right.
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Jumped
by
Rit Williams Garcia
Becky Laney
, April 14, 2009
Wow. Rita Wialliams-Garcia not only had me at hello--hooked from the very first paragraph--she kept amazing me time and time again. What a book this is! Jumped is the story of three girls. Three teens who are so very different from one another. But who--on one fateful day--just happen to intersect. Leticia. Trina. Dominique. One bully. One victim. One witness. (Note, I didn't say who was who!) The book is narrated by all three, they take turns revealing the events of one day in high school. And oh what a world of difference there is in the perspectives! It brings to mind so many questions. As each girl shares her perspective, the reader gets an inside glimpse into her life. A glimpse that reveals the inner struggles and emotional waves that each tries to hide from others--in a way. This novel made me think, really think, and that's a good thing. I'd definitely recommend this book. It treats the subject of girl violence in a very compelling--always gripping--and authentic way.
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Dork Diaries 01 Tales from a Not So Fabulous Life
by
Rachel Renee Russell
Becky Laney
, April 14, 2009
Eighth grade can certainly be traumatic, with humiliations building and building upon one another until you feel like your very life is over. But as Dork Diaries shows, it can also have its redemptive moments. Meet Nikki. An eighth grader who's new and feeling out of sorts. It doesn't help that her locker is by the ever-popular would-be goddess, MacKenzie. And that MacKenzie--just by being herself--can intimidate just about anyone into doing her bidding. But life isn't all bad, Nikki discovers two friends--Chloe and Zoe--and a potential love interest, Brandon. Can this would-be-artist find her time to shine? Written in journal-format, Dork Diaries is a fun little book combining art (sketches) and narrative (diary entries). The book covers it all--the angst and the sometime joys that comes from being that age, from discovering things for the first time.
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