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New Books Added October 23, 2008

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The Various Haunts of Men

By Susan Hill

This is the beginning of a new mystery series for Susan Hill, featuring Simon Serrailler, police detective in the British cathedral town of Lafferton. It is our favorite discovery of the last year or so…a complex story, with a large cast of fully drawn characters and a riveting story line. “Hill is a master storyteller with real talent for building atmosphere and suspense. Readers will be instantly drawn to her likable characters and beautiful landscape and will be carried along by the plot, right up to the shocking final twist. Fans of British mysteries will love this new series and Simon Serrailler as well. Highly recommended. “–Library Journal. Our highest recommendation, too! Hardcover, was $24.95, now $8.99.

Women & Dogs

By Judith Watt and Peter Dyer

This is a fascinating and fun collection of photographs, history, and anecdotes, featuring eighty superb images of some of the world's most famous and fascinating women, drawn from contemporary and archival sources, each accompanied by a story about the relationship between the woman and her dog (or dogs). A dog lover's dream, as well as a unique slice of social and fashion history. Paper, was $15, now $6.99.

Men & Dogs

By Judith watt and Peter Dyer

Very similar to the above title. Because men love their dogs, too.

Paper, was $15, now $6.99.

Rosemary and Bitter Oranges: Growing Up in a Tuscan Kitchen

By Patrizia Chen

Patrizia Chen's family's house and sumptuous garden in the Italian seaside town of Livorno are at the center of this captivating book that weaves together simple, delicious recipes with a love of home, family, nature, custom, and, above all, food. The family cook, Emilia, a feisty, temperamental woman from a nearby fishing village, dutifully produces bland white dishes for every family meal, as dictated by Patrizia's grandfather. But behind the kitchen door it's a different story. One day seven-year-old Patrizia is led by a wonderful smell into the kitchen, where Emilia is preparing a spicy red sauce bursting with garlic and onion. With one bite, Patrizia becomes hooked. In the spacious, sun-drenched kitchen and adjoining herb garden, Emilia takes Patrizia under her wing, disclosing the secrets of her favorite Tuscan dishes. Through vivid descriptions and charming anecdotes, Chen brings to life the white Carrara marble terraces, the coal-burning stoves, antique roses, and sacks of chestnut flour that fill the family house, kitchen, and garden. This delightful and evocative narrative will welcome you into the heart of Patrizia's Tuscan home and allow you to bring the robust flavors of Emilia's cooking into your own kitchen. Hardcover, was $24, now $7.99.

Funny You Should Say That: Amusing Remarks from Cicero to the Simpsons

Compiled and edited by Andrew Martin

Here is a dazzling survey of the funniest remarks, quips and observations from Ancient Rome, the Bible, and Chaucer right up to The Simpsons and The Office. Sort of a Bartlett’s for the humorous. Paper, was $17.95, now $7.99.

The Best of the Nation:

Selections from the Independent Magazine of Politics and Culture

edited by Victor Navasky and Katrina Vanden Heuval

For 135 years The Nation magazine has embodied the critical spirit of dissenting journalism, giving voice to the passionate witnesses whose engagement with today's controversies has startled, provoked, and entertained. As E. L. Doctorow wrote of The Nation, "The editors never published anything less than what was urgently on their minds." Here is Patricia Williams on the Million Man March; Tony Kushner on gay liberation; William Styron on Prozac and Halcion; Susan Sontag on Bosnia; Jonathan Schell on the case for abolishing nuclear weapons; and Erica Jong's response to the Modern Library's list of the past century's 100 greatest books. Paper, was $18.95, now $7.99.

Two Histories of England (in one volume)

One by Charles Dickens, one by Jane Austen

Hardcover, was $16.95

In these two forgotten gems of English literature, Jane Austen and Charles Dickens offer delightful, irreverent histories of their native land. When she was only sixteen years old, Jane Austen composed her bitingly satirical "History of England" for performance in her family's drawing room. A startling and precocious example of her celebrated wit--not to mention a brilliant social commentary--this lively piece sweeps rapidly across almost four centuries of British monarchy. In rambunctious and wickedly funny prose, Austen's critique spans from Henry IV to Charles I, from Richard III to Mary Queen of Scots, offering a fierce parody of the kind of biased history that young ladies of Austen's time were being forced to study. Reproduced here in its entirety, this is a rare, tantalizing look at the great novelist's budding talent, and an extraordinary bit of literary history that lay unpublished for more than 130 years. Charles Dickens's "A Child's History of England," by contrast, was written and published at the height of its author's considerable fame. A gory and dramatic account, full of villains and heroes, the essay was originally intended as a study-piece for his children, but in fact represented a sly, unconventional countertext to the more straitlaced historical canon. Dickens's exciting, flamboyant narrative is hugely evocative, both of the history he describes and of the time in which he himself was writing. With an insightful introduction by bestselling historian David Starkey, "Two Histories of England" brings together, in a single, irresistible volume, these remarkable--and remarkably overlooked--literary treasures by two of the world's most beloved writers. Hardcover, was $16.95, now $7.99.

The Holiday Season 

By Michael Knight

Simultaneously hilarious and heartbreaking, these two novellas: The Holiday Season and Love at the End of the Year, are tender ruminations on the nature of family, the power of love, and a particularly complicated time of year. Two wonderful stories, both in the literary tradition of The New Yorker, both set in the Mobile/Fairhope area. Hardcover, was $18, now $6.99.   

A Child's Anthology of Poetry

The simple pleasures of reading and listening to poetry are unforgettable memories of childhood, and, for young minds, poetry is the gateway to an interest in language and storytelling. By bringing together essential classic children's poems with the best of modern and contemporary international poetry, "A Child's Anthology of Poetry" is a delightful and indispensable introduction to literature and life for the young reader. Hardcover, was $23.95, now $9.99.

Human Croquet    

By Kate Atkinson

A NYT Notable Book of the Year
Part fairy tale, part mystery, part coming-of-age novel, this novel tells the story of Isobel Fairfax, a girl growing up in a typical 1960s British suburb. But Lythe was once the heart of an Elizabethan feudal estate and home to a young English tutor named William Shakespeare, and as Isobel investigates the strange history of her family, her neighbors, and her village, she occasionally gets caught in Shakespearean time warps. Meanwhile, she gets closer to the shocking truths about her missing mother, her war-hero father, and the hidden lives of her close friends and classmates. A stunning feat of imagination and storytelling, "Human Croquet "is rich with the disappointments and possibilities every family shares. Paper, was $15, now $5.99.

Alabama, Off the Beaten Path

Whether you're a visitor or a local looking for something different let Alabama Off the Beaten Path show you the Heart of Dixie you never knew existed. Walk through a giant kaleidoscope of color as you explore the stalagmites, stalactites, and looking-glass lakes of the Sequoyah Caverns; visit with some 400 exotic and endangered animals at Animal House Zoological Park; or witness the birth of a car from start-up to drive-away at the Mercedes-Benz Visitor Center. So if you've "been there, done that" one too many times, get off the main road and venture Off the Beaten Path. Paper, was $13.95, now $6.99.

Alabama Trivia 

Alabama Trivia is the who, what, when, where and how book of Alabama, filled from cover to cover with interesting questions and answers of well-known and not so well-known facts about the colorful state of Alabama. This book is designed to provide hours of entertainment and education concerning the history, culture, people and places of this fascinating state. They're all here! Great for home, office, classroom use, parties and gift-giving. Plus Alabama Trivia is readily adaptable for use with trivia format games.    Paper, was $7.99, now $3.99.

Homesick   

By Sela Ward

Though best known today as a TV star, Sela Ward considers herself first and foremost a small-town girl. The eldest of four children, she was raised by a father who helped her believe in herself, and by a mother who taught her a sense of the importance of virtues like self-respect, grace, and sacrifice. In her hometown of Meridian, Mississippi, within a tightly-knit community of neighbors and kin, Sela learned ways that would remain with her throughout life -- humble virtues that were "forged in the hearth of a loving home." After graduating from the University of Alabama, Sela left the South in search of the excitement of cities like New York and Los Angeles, and the creative rewards of an acting career. But as she started her own family, she found herself pining for the comforts of her small-town childhood -- she and her husband built a second home on a Mississippi farm, where she and her family could retreat several times each year, and became involved in restoring the vitality of the hometown she remembered so fondly. Hardcover, was $24.95, now $7.99.

Daughter of York

By Anne Easter Smith

History tells us that the intelligent, wealthy, and powerful Margaret of York had everything any woman could want, except for love. The acclaimed author of "A Rose for the Crown" takes us between the lines of history and into her heart. It is 1461: Edward, son of Richard of York, ascends to the throne, and his willful sister, Margaret, immediately becomes a pawn in European politics as Edward negotiates her marriage. The young Margaret falls deeply in love with Anthony Woodville, the married brother of Edward's queen, Elizabeth. But Edward has arranged for his sister to wed Charles, son of the Duke of Burgundy, and soon Margaret is setting sail for her new life. Her official escort: Anthony Woodville. Margaret of York eventually commanded the respect and admiration of much of Europe, but it appears to history that she had no emotional intimate. Anne Easter Smith's rare gift for storytelling and her extensive research reveal the love that burned at the center of Margaret's life, adding a new dimension to the story of one of the fifteenth century's most powerful women. Paper, was $16.95, now $6.99.

An Irish Country Doctor

By Patrick Taylor

In this charming and engrossing tale, a recent medical school graduate arrives in a rural Irish village to be an assistant to an older physician. The young doctor soon finds out more about life--and love--than he ever imagined back in medical school. Ballybucklebo is long way from Belfast, and Barry is quick to discover that he still has a lot to learn about the quirks and traditions of country life. But with pluck and compassion and only the slightest touch of blarney, he will find out more about life--and love--than he ever imagined back in medical school. It is a charming and engrossing tale that will captivate readers from the very first page--and leave them yearning to visit the Irish countryside of days gone by. Hardcover, was $24.95, now $7.99.

The First Christmas 

By Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan

Two of today's top Jesus scholars, Marcus J. Borg and John Dominic Crossan, join forces to show how history has biased our reading of the nativity story as it appears in the gospels of Matthew and Luke. As they did for Easter in their previous book, "The Last Week," here they explore the beginning of the life of Christ, peeling away the sentimentalism that has built up over the last two thousand years around this most well known of all stories to reveal the truth of what the gospels actually say. Borg and Crossan help us to see this well-known narrative afresh by answering the question, "What do these stories mean?" in the context of both the first century and the twenty-first century. They successfully show that the Christmas story, read in its original context, is far richer and more challenging than people imagine.   Hardcover, was $22.95, now $7.99.   

General Lee's Army: From Victory to Collapse

By Joseph Glatthar

Astonishingly, after 150 years of scholarship, there are still some major surprises about the Army of Northern Virginia. Renowned historian Joseph T. Glatthaar draws on an impressive range of sources assembled over two decades -- from letters and diaries, to official war records, to a new, definitive database of statistics -- to rewrite the history of the Civil War's most important army and, indeed, of the war itself. He takes readers from the home front to the heart of the most famous battles of the war: Manassas, the Peninsula campaign, Antietam, Gettysburg, all the way to the final surrender at Appomattox. General Lee's Army penetrates headquarters tents and winter shanties, eliciting the officers' plans, wishes, and prayers; it portrays a world of life, death, healing, and hardship; it investigates the South's commitment to the war and its gradual erosion; and it depicts and analyzes Lee's men in triumph and defeat. Hardcover, was $35, now $9.99.

Catopia: A Cat Compendium

By Anne Mortimer

In this spectacular novelty book, cat lovers of all ages will find a treasure trove of information, folklore, tips, and anecdotes. It includes a novelty item on every spread, such as cat bookplates, fact-filled booklets, and a cat zodiac wheel. Hardcover, was $19.99. now $9.99.

Preserves: Jams, Pickles, and Liqueurs

By Lindy Wildsmith

Delicious recipes for jams, pickles, and other preserves that bring out the best in fruits and vegetables- Your family will adore Lindy Wildsmith's inspired preserves--and if you can manage not to eat them all, they'll make much appreciated gifts for friends- Preserving is an old-fashioned tradition, but these up-to-the-minute recipes will please the most modern palates. Hardcover, was $12.95, now $5.99.

Letters of E.B.White

Edited by Dorothy Lobrano Guth, and revised and updated by Martha White and with a foreword by John Updike. These letters are, of course, beautifully written but above all personal, precise, and honest. They evoke E.B. White's life in New York and in Maine at every stage of his life. They are full of memorable characters: White's family, the New Yorker staff and contributors, literary types and show business people, farmers from Maine and sophisticates from New York-Katherine S. White, Harold Ross, James Thurber, Alexander Woolcott, Groucho Marx, John Updike, and many, many more. Each decade has its own look and taste and feel. Places, too-from Belgrade (Maine) to Turtle Bay (NYC) to the S.S. Buford, Alaska-bound in 1923-are brought to life in White's descriptions. There is no other book of letters to compare with this; it is a book to treasure and savor at one's leisure. As White wrote in this book, "A man who publishes his letters becomes nudist-nothing shields him from the world's gaze except his bare skin....a man who has written a letter is stuck with it for all time." Hardcover, was $35, now $9.99.

A Theological Miscellany: 160 Pages of Odd, Merry, Essentially Inessential Facts, Figures, and Tidbits about Christianity

By T.J. McTavish

For anyone who has ever been embarrassed by their ignorance on such topics as Calvinism and the pope comes a maddeningly addictive cornucopia of trivia that will keep readers glued to its pages. Paper, was $9.99, now $4.99.

A Biblical Miscellany: 176 Pages of Offbeat, Zesty, Vitally Unnecessary Facts, Figures, and Tidbits about the Bible

Bt T.J. McTavish

Using both wit and candor, McTavish informs as well as entertains, leading readers down a path of enlightenment--or at least of trivial revelation--and doling out tidbits on the Bible along the way. Paper, was $9.99, now $4.99.

Emily Post's the Guide to Good Manners for Kids

By Peggy Post

Written by the third generation of the most trusted name in etiquette, this kid-friendly guide to good manners explains how to do the right thing in just about any situation, from slumber parties to trips to the mall. Hardcover, was $16.99, now $7.99.

The Life of Our Lord: Written for His Children During the Years 1846 to 1849

By Charles Dickens

First published in 1934, this simple narrative, written by Dickens for his children, expresses the author's great faith and humility by retelling the story of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus. Hardcover, was $14.95, now $6.99.

Four Seasons in Rome: On Twins, Insomnia, and the Biggest Funeral in the History of the World

By Anthoiny Doerr

Anthony Doerr has received many awards -- from the New York Public Library, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the American Library Association. Then came the Rome Prize, one of the most prestigious awards from the American Academy of Arts and Letters, and with it a stipend and a writing studio in Rome for a year. Doerr learned of the award the day he and his wife returned from the hospital with newborn twins. Exquisitely observed, Four Seasons in Rome describes Doerr's varied adventures in one of the most enchanting cities in the world. He reads Pliny, Dante, and Keats -- the chroniclers of Rome who came before him -- and visits the piazzas, temples, and ancient cisterns they describe. He attends the vigil of a dying Pope John Paul II and takes his twins to the Pantheon in December to wait for snow to fall through the oculus. He and his family are embraced by the butchers, grocers, and bakers of the neighborhood, whose clamor of stories and idiosyncratic child-rearing advice is as compelling as the city itself. This intimate and revelatory book is a celebration of Rome, a wondrous look at new parenthood, and a fascinating story of a writer's craft -- the process by which he transforms what he sees and experiences into sentences. Hardcover, was $24, now $7.99.

Raven Black

By Ann Cleeves

Long a celebrated crime writer in Britain, Ann Cleeves' fame went international when she won the coveted Duncan Lawrie Dagger for this amazing suspense novel. Cleeves' detective, Inspector Jimmy Perez, is a very private and perceptive man whose bailiwick is a remote hamlet in the Shetland Islands. It is a cold January morning and Shetland lies beneath a deep layer of snow. Trudging home, Fran Hunter's eye is drawn to a splash of color on the frozen ground, ravens circling above. It is the strangled body of her teenage neighbor. The locals on the quiet island stubbornly focus their gaze on one man---loner and simpleton Magnus Tait. But when detective Jimmy Perez and his colleagues from the mainland insist on opening out the investigation, a veil of suspicion and fear is thrown over the entire community. For the first time in years, neighbors nervously lock their doors, while a killer lives on in their midst. Ann Cleeves is sure to dazzle U.S. mystery readers with this unforgettable series debut. Hardcover, was $24.95, now $7.99.

Thistle and Twigg

By Mary Saums

Jane Thistle is a widow who has just settled down in Tullulah, Alabama, after a long and happy life with her husband, a career military officer whose job took them all over the world. But now that she's on her own, she's just as happy to have found this delightful small Southern town to call home. Her new best friend is Phoebe Twigg, also a widow, who has lived in Alabama all her life. Phoebe is about as different as could be from the worldly and refined Jane Thistle, but her colorful personality and warm, welcoming Southern nature make them quite a team. The two ladies become fast friends when they stumble on a dead body while on a walk in the woods near Jane's new house. Jane and Phoebe quickly become partners in investigation in Mary Saums's funny and charming---and surprising---debut mystery. Hardcover, was $23.95, now $7.99.

We are new fans of Zoë Sharp, who is an expert at page-turning thrills:

First Drop

By Zoë Sharp

Dubbed today’s best action heroine by Lee Child, British Army veteran Charlie Fox, now a bodyguard-for-hire, only has to baby-sit the gawky 15-year-old son of a rich computer programmer. The last thing she or anyone expects is that the kids father and entourage will disappear. Hardcover, was $23.95, now $7.99.

Second Shot

By Zoë Sharp

Simone Kerse had just become a lottery millionaire but never lived long enough to enjoy her riches. Charlie was supposed to keep Simone's troublesome ex-boyfriend at bay and accompany her on a trip to track down the father Simone had never really known---a relatively low-risk job. But Simone's father has secrets in his past that are about to come back and haunt him, and the arrival of his long-lost daughter may be the catalyst that blows his whole world apart. But the closer Charlie gets to the truth, the bigger threat she becomes. Only this time she's in no fit state to protect anyone, least of all herself.... Hardcover, was $23.95, now $7.99.

The Bob Dylan Scrapbook: 1956-1966

Lavishly illustrated and spectacularly packaged in a slipcased scrapbook, this chronicle of the early years of Bob Dylan includes rare photographs, removable documents, reproductions of memorabilia, and materials drawn from the new documentary film directed by Martin Scorsese. Includes a 60-minute audio CD. Hardcover, was $45, now $17.99.

The Cornbread Book: A Love Story with Recipes

By Jeremy Jackson

Be it ever so humble, there's nothing quite like cornbread--America's unofficial official bread. Filled with humorous, little-known lore, "The Cornbread Book" offers 50 original recipes for both classics and new treats. Hardcover, was $14.95, now $6.99.

American Bee: The National Spelling Bee and the Culture of Word Nerds

By James Maguire

Every spring after a starting pool of 10 million kids narrows to 250 finalists, America's top young spellers face off in a nail-biting contest. This narrative book immerses the reader in a unique subculture, portraying the endearing fraternity of brilliant, eccentric young word nerds who vie for a gold trophy, a hefty check, and a glorious moment of national fame. Hardcover, was $24.95, now $7.99.

A Book of Blue Flowers

By Robert Geneve

Perhaps the most uncommon color among plants, blue echoes the sky and adds a welcome accent to any garden. Greatly sought after by plant breeders, blues from pale lavender to powder blue add depth and tranquility to the gardener's palette. Noting that blue flowers are more common in high-altitude meadows and stream beds, the author suggests that this may account for their popularity in the cool gardens of northern Europe. But there are suitable choices for every climate in the hundreds of blue-flowered plants available. This helpful survey is illustrated with more than 150 color photos of blue flowers from gardens around the world, making it both a practical and an inspirational book for gardeners everywhere. From Timber Press. Paper, was $24.95, now $9.99.

Christopher Lloyd's Garden Flowers: Perennials, Bulbs, Grasses, Ferns

By Christopher Lloyd

Christopher Lloyd knows perennials as well as anyone else alive. Now available in paperback, this book represents the fruit of Lloyd's lifetime study of perennials. Genus by genus, he sets down everything he has learned, thought, seen, tried, liked, or regretted about them, individually or in combination. He is formidably knowledgeable, iconoclastic, opinionated, and always entertaining. Any gardener will find themselves opening this book time and again with pleasure and the frequent thought, "I MUST grow this one, too." From Timber Press. Paper, was $29.95, now $12.99.

Perennial Garden Design

By Michael King

Perennials can form a key part of a garden's structure and are dynamic and colorful plants whose forms and textures can be used to alter moods and influence the way we respond to and use a garden. The first section of this book shows how to create garden schemes with perennials, and the second section looks at the best perennials for year-round planting and color effect. A third section considers how to use perennials in different styles of garden. The book is completed by a list of perennials for special purposes, and an A-Z directory with practical tips on all the plants included in the earlier chapters. From Timber Press. Hardcover, was $34.95, now $12.99.

Chasing Matisse

By James Morgan

This sparkling and witty travelogue/biography/memoir by a two-time NYT notable book author is a middle-aged coming-of-age quest with a clever difference--the author recreates his own life by following in the footsteps of the indomitable, versatile artist, Matisse. Hardcover, was $25, now $7.99.

Greetings from E Street: The Story of Bruce Springsteen

By Bob Santelli

"Greetings from E Street" celebrates the passionately loved group that has been entertaining the world for 35 years. Written with their cooperation, this fully illustrated informal biography combines rare photographs with 30 removable facsimiles of E Street memorabilia, including Bruce Springsteen's first business card and hand-written set list, and even two fabulous posters. Longtime band intimate Robert Santelli captures the ecstatic highs and devastating lows on the E Street Band's roller coaster ride to stardom. He follows the band from the early days in Asbury Park, New Jersey, to the critical acclaim of "Born to Run," the mania of "Born in the U.S.A." and international touring, and each member's unique projects. Throughout, the band's signature combination of friendship, humor, and stellar musicianship is revealed in stories, snapshots, and the ephemera of life of the road. Warm and personal, "Greetings from E Street" is a postcard from the most famous address in rock and roll. Hardcover, was $35, now $15.99.

The Oxford American Writer's Thesaurus

This brand new thesaurus from Oxford, the most trusted name in reference, is the first to be developed by writers, for writers. In addition to the more than 300,000 synonyms and 10,000 antonyms found in the thesaurus, each of our distinguished editorial board members (including David Auburn, Michael Dirda, David Lehman, Stephin Merritt, Francine Prose, Zadie Smith, Jean Strouse, David Foster Wallace, and Simon Winchester) has contributed frank, funny, thoughtful, and, most of all, word-wise mini-essays on words that they particularly love, hate, admire, or are just plain puzzled by. Special paper edition, $9.99.

A Pig in Provence: Good Food and Simple Pleasures in the South of France

By Georgeanne Brennan

Thirty years ago, this award-winning author and her family set out to realize the dream of a peaceful, rural existence. This evocative and passionate memoir--filled with delicious recipes and local color--describes her life cooking and living in the South of France. Hardcover, was $24.95, now $7.99.

Scary Stories

Illustrated by Barry Moser

Goose bumps along your arms, the hairs rising on the back of your neck, these are the sure signs you're immersed in a great scary story. Featuring classic stories by such timeless authors as Edgar Allan Poe, O. Henry, Bram Stoker, Washington Irving, H. P. Lovecraft, Ambrose Bierce, and H. G. Wells, this spellbinding collection also includes modern masterpieces by contemporary legends like Stephen King, Roald Dahl, Shirley Jackson, Joyce Carol Oates, and Ray Bradbury. Celebrated artist Barry Moser's twenty unforgettable engravings capture all the suspense and horror in these brilliant stories, making this a deluxe illustrated edition that readers of all ages will want to return to again and again...if they dare! Hardcover, was $16.95, now $7.99.

Who Was the Man in the Iron Mask? And Other Historical Enigmas

By Hugh Ross Williamson

Who was Elizabeth the First’s true father? Did Buckingham poison James I? And who was the Man in the Iron Mask? These and a host of other tantalizing age-old mysteries that have caused speculation and scandal through the centuries are explored in this intriguing book. Using techniques of modern detection, Hugh Ross Williamson re-evaluates the evidence, examines character and motive, and uses the known facts of the cases to come up with solutions both intriguing and controversial. Shattering myths and propaganda, he exposes a grisly array of murder, lies, intrigue, and conspiracies. Discover the political frame-up surrounding the Gunpowder Plot, the secret identity of Charles the First’s executioner, Elizabeth the First’s involvement in the murder of her lover's wife, and much more. Paper, was $15, now $6.99.

AND NOW FOR THE YOUNGER SET :

Angelina at the Palace

By Katherine Holabird

Angelina has been invited to dance at the Royal Palace in Mouseland. Things don't seem to be going her way until the dancing begins. She proves to be the perfect teacher for the princesses, and together they perform a magical fairy ballet. Hardcover, was $12.99, now $6.99.

Honky-Tonk Heroes & Hillbilly Angels: The Pioneers of Country & Western Music

By Laura Levine and Holy George-Warren

Here’s what Rosanne Cash said about this one: “Warren and Levine have collaborated again and created a beautiful and compelling book about the iconic figures of Country music. This is a book ostensibly for children, but it is packed with so much concise and clear biographical information, and is illustrated with striking museum quality folk paintings, that it belongs in adult libraries as well. A really delightful book.” Hardcover, was $16, now $7.99.

Annie and the Wild Animals

By Jan Brett

When Annie's cat disappears, she attempts friendship with a variety of unsuitable woodland animals. "The pictures hold countless surprises. Indisputably, this is a work of wonder that deserves highest honors."--"Publishers Weekly." Board book, was $7.95, now $3.99.

The Lights of Christmas

By Joanne Barkan

The magical lights of Christmas twinkle on every spread of this beautifully illustrated book. With a press of a button, readers can make the colored lights flash and sparkle on a Christmas tree, on the houses in town, and in Santa's workshop. Hardcover, was $12.99, now $5.99.

The Story of Little Black Sambo

By Helen Bannerman with illustrations by Christopher Bing

New illustrations for this classic; and very well done, too. Hardcover, was $17.95, now $7.99.

Mind Your Manners!

By Diane Goode

With rules lifted in the vernacular from an early 19th-century primer (the full text of the rules is appended) and uproarious pictures that do most of the storytelling, this is a lively and wonderful celebration of good manners. Hardcover, was $16, now $6.99.

The Pigeon Loves Things That Go!

By Mo Willems

In Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, the pigeon dreamed of driving the titular bus. In this board book, readers will see him deliriously emoting at the thought of driving a plane, a train, a car, and more, all in his uproariously over-the-top style. Who doesn’t love the Pigeon? Board book, was $6.99, now $2.99.

Wynken, Blynken, & Nod

By Eugene Field, illustrated by Johanna Westerman

Here’s the Publishers Weekly review: “Inspired by Field's bedtime poem with its night sky of "twinkling foam," Westerman (The Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat) conjures forth an eerie, luminous sea- and sky-scape, aglitter with splendid silver "herring fish" stars. Three children and their cat enact the roles of Field's fishermen as they sail off in a wooden shoe boat, its sail made from a patched sheet. While not surrealistic, the characters and setting are thoroughly dreamlike. The artist's predominantly blue-green palette influences not only the pictures of the sea and moon, but also the children's faces. They stare like ghostly sleepwalkers, their countenances reflecting the blue of the sky, while the crater-mottled moon floats off through the sea's ruffled waves. Westerman's inventive design elements (the real bedroom's quilt and decor are similar to the visual motifs in the dreamscape) provide a soothing accompaniment for the familiar text, a staple for bedtime reading.” Hardcover, was $15.95, now $7.99.

Liu and the Bird: A Journey in Chinese

By Catherine Louis

A 2006 IBBY Honor List title, this innovative book combines the story of Liu who goes off to visit her grandfather with a rebus-style look at the evolution of Chinese written language from pictures to today's modern calligraphy characters. You can read them, play with them, and dream about them. This book is sure to please children and adults of all backgrounds with its peek into this fascinating topic. Hardcover, was $16.95, now $7.99.

The Nutcracker

By E.T.A. Hoffman and illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger

Newly illustrated by a Hans Christian Andersen Medalist, this retelling of "The Nutcracker" contains stunning illustrations filled with wit, whimsy, and magic that transport readers to the darkest reaches and brightest beauty of this fairytale world. Hardcover, was $15.95, now $7.99.

Noah's Ark

Illustrated by Lisbeth Zwerger

This new version of Noah's ark, faithful to the spirit and content of the Bible text, is graced with stylish and distinctive illustrations by internationally acclaimed artist Lisbeth Zwerger. Fanciful yet reverent, her full-page pictures and charming vignettes offer an imaginative interpretation of this favorite Old Testament story. Hardcover, was $16.95, now $7.99.

All Things Bright and Beautiful

By Cecil Frances Alexander , illustrated by Anna Vojtech

Written in 1848, this beloved hymn celebrating the wonders of Creation, is given new life in Anna Vojtech's glowing interpretation. Lushly detailed paintings follow two children and their frisky pup through a bucolic landscape of meadows, hills, rivers, streams and woods. Throughout the seasons, the youngsters explore and enjoy the wealth of treasures to be found--"things bright and beautiful, great and small, wise and wonderful, the glory of it all. Hardcover, was $16.50, now $7.99.

Llama Llama Mad at Mama

By Anna Dewdney

This fun-to-read follow-up to the popular Llama Llama Red Pajama finds Llama Llama and Mama heading to Shop-O-Rama, where shopping soon becomes a drama. Can you see why this is a great read-aloud book? Hardcover, was $15.99, now $7.99.

Froggy Rides a Bike

By Jonathan London

Riding a bike can be hard! After a long day, and a few bumps and bruises, Froggy finally learns to ride in this reassuring reminder that practice makes perfect. Hardcover, was $15.99, now $6.99.

Snowmen at Night

By Caralyn and Mark Buehner

Have you ever built a snowman and discovered the next day that his grin has gotten a little crooked, or his tree-branch arms have moved? And you've wondered . . . what do snowmen do at night? This delightful wintertime tale reveals all! Caralyn Buehner's witty, imaginative verse offers many amusing details about the secret life of snowmen and where they go at night, while Mark Buehner's roly-poly snowmen are bursting with personality and charm. Hardcover, was $15.99, now $7.99.

Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening

By Robert Frost, with illustrations by Susan Jeffers

Frost's well-known poem takes on new life in this first picture-book adaptation, available as a special gift edition. The silent beauty of a snowy night shines through Jeffers's artwork, making this an ideal introduction of poetry to younger readers. Hardcover, was $15.99, now $6.99.

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