From Houston, Valerie Koehler, owner of Blue Willow Bookshop, sends word of what’s hot at her store this summer.
We’ve done well with the picture-book and board-book editions of Otis by Loren Long. Otis is a lovable tractor who befriends a calf. It’s a sweet story about the power of friendship. Long’s retro illustrations remind us of Robert Lawson’s art in The Story of Ferdinand. With the cutest plush Otis from MerryMakers, this has been a hit for us. It makes a wonderful toddler gift.
Another picture book that is selling well is This Plus That: Life’s Little Equations by Amy Krause Rosenthal, illustrated by Jen Corace. We sold it all through May and June as an end-of-school gift for teachers, and right through the summer to families, and we have it on our back-to-school table. Who can resist Rosenthal’s playfulness and sheer joy? The book offers a great jumping-off point for more combinations that families and classrooms can have fun creating.
A middle-grade reader we’re enjoying selling is How Lamar’s Bad Prank Won a Bubba-Sized Trophy by Crystal Allen. It helps that she is a local author. This is a humorous book suited for both boys and girls. It stars an African-American boy whose drive for attention gets him into hysterical situations. The novel moves along quickly, so it has been a hit with reluctant readers.
And a teen series that we’ve been selling well is Michael Scott’s The Secrets of the Immortal Nicholas Flamel, which began with The Alchemyst. The fifth and latest book is Warlock. The series combines magic with science, is extremely well written, and has fascinating historical characters. Scott’s knowledge of history really shines. We like to share his Web site with new fans, since it provides back stories that fill in the details. This series makes a great adult crossover as well.
