Linda Higham, owner of The Storyteller in Lafayette, Calif., talks about a handful of books that her staff is enjoying selling this fall—all with strong boy appeal.
A book that really rings little boys’ bells is Your New Jett-Pup Owner’s Manual by David Gordon. A machine is delivered to a kid’s house in a wooden crate, and after a description of its mechanical aspects and some nonfiction info about space travel, the book takes readers off on a time-travel trip. The book has mechanical drawings and diagrams that almost look like blueprints. Both the story and the illustrations are interesting and really lots of fun.
One of our very favorite books that is a steady backlist seller is Left for Dead: A Young Man’s Search for Justice for the USS Indianapolis by Pete Nelson, about a boy who uncovers the true story of the aftermath of the USS Indianapolis’s sinking during World War II. Because of his investigation, he ended up appearing before Congress and the decision to court-martial the ship’s captain was reversed. It’s a great story, and one of our staff members single-handedly sells a couple of copies of this book a week. We’re really behind it.
Another backlist book that is a favorite of our staff is Betty G. Birney’s The Seven Wonders of Sassafras Springs, which we carry in paperback. I’d say it’s a go-to book for all of us. A boy is intrigued by the Seven Wonders of the World, and his father promises him that he’ll reward him with a trip if he can find seven wonders in his Midwest hometown. He takes on the challenge and learns about the history of his town’s long-time residents. It’s a wonderful book to help build kids’ interest in local history and encourage a sense of community. Teachers love it for that reason. We handsell this to kids who have an interest in history.
A particular favorite of mine is Okay for Now by Gary Schmidt, which is just a terrific read. It brings back one of the secondary characters from The Wednesday Wars. A boy who has a troubled family life moves to a new community. He is one of those kids who’s an outcast in school and he knows it will be a real challenge for him. The thing I like about the story is the way the boy adjusts. He finds new friends and a sense of community as he learns about some of the older people in his town.
I will do a special display of Okay for Now and Jack Gantos’s Dead End in Norvelt, which has some similarities, since it is about a boy whose father doesn’t seem to understand him who gets involved in his community. Both novels go nicely together and send good messages to kids. We will definitely be handselling both of them. We hear a lot of parents say there are so many books for girls but not many for boys. But these are books that really capture boys’ experiences. They are books that don’t hit kids over the head, but send a subtle message about growing up and relating with other kids and family. Both are great stories that readers can easily absorb.
