With all the recent press for a certain bedtime book that promises to send tots to sleep by virtue of repetition and, perhaps, dullness, that send children into a sort of hypnosis, I thought it might be helpful to compile a list of beautiful, timeless books that soothe little ones into dreamland without boring them there. These book recommendations come directly from the mouths of parents and grandparents with vast amounts of experience in the please-go-to-sleep trenches.
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As we head into Labor Day weekend, many people will be spending time at the beach or a lake with friends and family. For me, Labor Day is the last weekend to curl up in the sun and read. I will be spending time with friends on Lake Champlain, and the only thing I’ve packed so far are books. The summer is the only time that it’s okay to sit outside and not do anything but read, so I’m going to park myself in a deck chair and do just that. Continue reading →

With the Fall Season within hailing distance we are fortunate to be joined today by Autumn herself, who, though pressed for time, has agreed to share her top children’s book picks with us.
Kenny: Hello there, Autumn.
Autumn: Hi there yourself, Kenny.
Kenny: You mentioned to me how tight for time you were so I’ll just throw out one quick question before we begin. In the book industry Fall is the most important season, while for many people in the general public Summer is the most synonymous season for reading. How do you weigh the interest in gift-giving as opposed to the act of reading itself?
Autumn: We Seasons all understand the ebb and flow of these matters. Christmas gifts become winter reading. The books coming out in the summer all hope to sell well in the Fall. Indeed all books hope to sell well in the Fall — it’s just that those published in the Fall are more honest about it.
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Every day, shipments arrive, many of which contain damaged books. We have to call the publishers to report the damages, and they issue credits or — occasionally — send a call tag for the more expensive items that arrive damaged. Damages are expensive for publishers and cost bookstores processing time and disgruntled customers (often, it seems that the $40 hardcover special order is the one that arrives with a torn dustjacket, squished corner, or bent boards).
Often, these damages are caused by preventable packing errors. Today, we had a paperback easy reader arrive curled in half because whoever closed the box during packing had folded the book into one of the flaps.

Often, book jackets are torn because of the way books slide and collide in the box. This one also came in today, from a different warehouse:
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