New Kids' Next List is Out. Two Boswellians Offer Recs, but That's Nothing Compared to Some Other Bookstores.

Did you ever look at your desk and think, "Maybe this is why I'm having trouble getting things done." So I took a look at my desk and thought, "Perhaps is time for my irregularly scheduled cleanup."

Many things popped up. Our friend John's list of all the retailers on Downer, listed every ten years from 1927, when Harry W. Schwartz opened his bookstore here, through 1997, when Schwartz reopened in our current space, more or less.

I found many trade magazines, Indie Next listfliers, and many things I printed out that seemed urgent, but now I forget why. The Kids' Next recommendations flier has recommendations from both Halley and Hannah. 

Peanut, by Ayun Halliday, with illustrations by Paul Hoppe (Schwartz & Wade)
“This graphic novel follows Sadie, a 10th grader, who has just transferred to a new school. To make herself appear more interesting, Sadie fakes a peanut allergy, which ends up landing her a boyfriend and a group of interested friends in spite of her duplicity. Peanut is incredibly accurate in its depiction of teenage life, including language and emotions, but it also remarkably portrays the ignorance of food allergies to non-sufferers. An important book on many levels.” —Halley Pucker

Falling Kingdoms, by Morgan Rhodes (Razorbill)
“What's the difference between those who are raised to be great and those who need to become great? Falling Kingdoms follows four teenagers, some royal, on their paths towards becoming legends in their own lands. Subterfuge, magic, battles, and politics collide as their disconnected lives begin to intertwine in ways that the reader cannot predict. I can't wait to read the next one!”
—Hannah Johnson-Breimeier

Yes, we know that Hannah's rec still says Next Chapter on the website. We're hoping it's corrected soon

The #1 book for the season is:

Colin Fischer, by Ashley Edward Miller and Zack Stentz
“Colin Fischer has Asperger’s syndrome and struggles to connect with his fellow high school students and to understand the world around him. However, his observational skills make him the ideal person to figure out how a loaded gun ended up on the floor of the school cafeteria. Colin Fischer is told from the unique perspective of a character who sees things differently and whose observations offer a humorous view on high school culture.” —Rebecca Olson, Saturn Booksellers, Gaylord, MI

Hannah wants to know why all the Asperger and Autism books are about boys. If you have good picks about girls on the spectrum, please let us know.

For some reason, it's harder for the ABA to get booksellers to quote kids books, or maybe there are just so many more titles on the list, being seasonal, that folks repeat. I like to check who got the most quotes. It helps if your names starts with a J or M.

Counting down to the most:
Meaghan Beasely of Island Bookstore in North Carolina, three recs,
Melissa Oates of Fiction Addiction in South Carolina, three recs,
Janice Hunsche of Kaleidosaurus Books in Indiana, three recs,
Julie Baker of Eight Cousins in Massachusetts, four rec,
Marika McCoola of Odyssey Bookshop in Massachusetts, five recs!

Would you want one of these folks as your personal bookseller? They are reading like crazy. Pick up a flier a Boswell or visit the website here.