ShelfTalker: A Children's Bookseller's Blog

February 9, 2010 | Link This | Email this | Comments (3)

One of the single most charming things I've ever seen is this video, in which actor Brian Cox teaches a bit of Shakespeare to toddler Theo, who does a jolly good job with the material! Enjoy.

February 3, 2010 | Link This | Email this | Comments (2)

Poet Taylor Mali is pretty well known in educator circles, and I'm guessing half the world's teachers have his poem "What Teachers Make" taped to their walls. (If they don't, they should.) It was only recently, though, that I discovered his poem "Reading Allowed," which is too good NOT to share here.

Embedded below is a video of Taylor reading "Reading Allowed" aloud. I will warn those of you watching at work that, um, the start of this poem is pretty sexy. If you're worried someone will overhear and be offended, keep the volume low at the beginning, then turn it up! If you're worried someone will see you blushing, then...Read More

February 2, 2010 | Link This | Email this | Comments (11)

Warning: Inappropriate humor! (But I just can't help myself...)

Today I discovered that whenever someone purchases Mo Willems' book The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog from our store, the title is truncated on their receipt, so it looks as though they've purchased a book that is, um, not appropriate for the picture book section. (Take the last 4 letters off the title above and you'll see what I mean.)

Inappropriate as it may be, I can't help picturing the image, rendered in Mo's playful style, that might appear on the cover of such a book. Or the text balloons on the interior, which (to be honest) wouldn't have to change that much from those in the Pigeon books. Here's a page from Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus, so you can, um, see what I mean...

...Read More

January 27, 2010 | Link This | Email this | Comments (28)

After months of promising you a proper post about Gareth's and my wedding, today's the day I deliver. What follows is a snapshot of our wedding day, with an emphasis on the more "bookish" elements. While books weren't exactly the theme of the day, we couldn't help but include them!



If after you read this you want still more info. about how the day went and (better still) more photos of what it looked like, visit the beautiful wedding blog Green Wedding Shoes, where our wedding is being featured today, and read the post about our wedding written by our amazing photogr...Read More

January 15, 2010 | Link This | Email this | Comments (3)

Sure, you're accustomed to promoting books in tune with Presidents' Day (Feb. 15th this year), and National Poetry Month in April. But when was the last time you tied titles to National Bird-Feeding Month (January) or brought out your manners-themed stock for International Civility Month (May)? 

With the help of Chase's Calendar of Events and the McGraw-Hill website, I've included a few "Special Month" designations below that seemed like they might lend themselves to some unique and/or entertaining in-store displays, library events, and/or publisher/author marketing opportunities. You should read over the complete list of ...Read More