Book Recommendations Newsletter - November 2010
GiftLit has the perfect gifts for the holiday season - book-of-the-month
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bookplates and offer the flexibility to substitute any book. Best of all,
10% of GiftLit’s profits go to organizations that promote literacy.
Books offer an enduring value and in the words of storyteller Garrison
Keillor, "A book is a gift you can open again and again."
November Book Recommendations
Children's Book Recommendations
Mr. Elephanter
by Lark Pien – This charming, quirky picture book by acclaimed cartoonist Lark Pien introduces Mr. Elephanter, a loving caregiver to an adorable group of baby elephants. Part of our Great New Picture Books Age 2-5 collection.
Children Make Terrible Pets
by Peter Brown – New York Times-bestselling author Peter Brown delivers a humorous and heartwarming twist on the classic first pet story about a young bear and her favorite pet boy. Part of our Great New Picture Books Age 5-8 collection.
Funny Business (Guys Read)
by Jon Scieszka – This wonderful compilation of funny short stories from some of today's top writers, including Kate DiCamillo, Jack Gantos, and Eoin Colfer is guaranteed to amuse and is ideal for reluctant readers. Part of our Favorites for Boys Age 8-10 collection.
Touch Blue
by Cynthia Lord – The Newbery Honor winner of Rules introduces Tess, a plucky, articulate girl from coastal Maine, in this tightly woven and uplifting story about loss, luck, family, and belonging. Part of our Favorites for Girls Age 10-12 collection.
Trash
by Andy Mulligan – Three teen boys, who scrape by living and picking trash in the city dump, discover a mysterious bag that triggers a chain of events that involves a secret code, a corrupt politician, and a search for stolen money in this suspenseful adventure and social justice story. Part of our Favorites for Boys Age 12-14 collection.
Teen Book Recommendations
Matched (Matched Trilogy)
by Ally Condie – Deftly exploring the sacrifices inherent in freedom of choice, Condie's enthralling plot weaves a tale of a world where Society dictates everything: where to work, when to die, and most importantly to Cassia as she turns 17, who to marry. Part of our Fiction for Teen Girls collection.
The Odyssey
by Gareth Hinds – This vivid and exciting graphic novel that masterfully blends art and storytelling is a worthy new interpretation of Homer's epic. Part of our Graphic Novels for Teens collection.
Adult Book Recommendations
To the End of the Land
by David Grossman – This powerful meditation on war, friendship, and family written by acclaimed Israeli author Grossman, whose own son was killed during the 2006 Israel-Lebanon conflict, is a scorching antiwar novel told directly from the heart. Part of our Great New Hardcover Fiction collection.
The Tiger: A True Story of Vengeance and Survival
by John Vaillant – An unforgettable true account of the gripping hunt for a man-eating Amur, or Siberian, tiger across Russia's Far East, this story engages readers on political, socioeconomic, and conservation fronts. Part of our Favorites for Men collection.
The Good Daughters
by Joyce Maynard – Told in the alternating voices of Ruth and Dana, this exquisite novel chronicles the unlikely ways two women's lives parallel until past secrets force them to reevaluate themselves and each other. Part of our Favorites for Women collection.
Where Good Ideas Come from: The Natural History of Innovation
by Steven Johnson – Bestselling author Johnson delivers a sweeping look at innovation that tells the exciting and encouraging story of how the ideas are born that push careers, lives, society, and culture forward. Part of our Great New Hardcover Nonfiction collection.
Tartine Bread
by Chad Robertson – From the co-owner of the famous Tartine Bakery in San Francisco, this gorgeous cookbook offers step-by-step inspiration to baking world class breads, with additional recipes to provide ideas for using every delicious morsel. Part of our Cooking & Entertaining collection.
Family Book Recommendations
The Casebook of Victor Frankenstein
by
Peter Ackroyd – Set in 19th-century London, this clever retelling of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein imagines an unlikely friendship between the monomaniacal Victor Frankenstein and the atheist and poet Percy Shelley that results in their ambitious exploration of creation and life. Part of our Parent & Teen Paperback Fiction collection.
Family Meals: Creating Traditions in the Kitchen ( Williams-Sonoma )
by Maria Helm Sinskey – From an award-winning chef, author and mother, this creative cookbook filled with traditions, family-friendly recipes, and fun culinary projects will inspire parents and kids to gather in the kitchen to cook. Part of our Family Activities Ages 8-14 collection.
We hope you share our love of literature and passion to inspire people of all ages to read and will consider GiftLit for your next gift purchase.
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