April 20, 2000 The Book Sense 76 for May/June 2000 Bookstore downloadable files: MayJune76.zip mayjune.pdf The Book Sense 76 Why 76? Independence * 1776 * Independents Independent bookstores for independent minds. More choice and diversity. Books across many areas of interest, from a wide range of publishers. Based on years and years of knowledge and passionate reading, hundreds of independent booksellers nominate their favorite new and old books, and from that, 76 eclectic and diverse books of quality are chosen every two months. Not the usual bestsellers! But with our support and yours, they could be. Let's discover new voices together, the great writers of tomorrow today. May and June 2000 Top Ten Vote-Getters Children's Books Great New Summer Reading Community and Change Cookbooks Fiction in Paperback (great for reading groups) Page Two New Fiction in Hardcover History and Memoir Mystery, Crime Fiction and Fantasy Poetry Travel In a Category of Their Own (Great Grad Gifts?) Book Sense Book of the Year Finalists These are the Top Ten Vote-Getters for this May/June Book Sense 76, as tallied from hundreds of recommendations from independent booksellers. For each book, one of the many enthusiastic nominations was chosen to represent it as follows: The top vote-getter, just published: BEE SEASON, by Myla Goldberg (Doubleday, $22.95, 0385498799) "The protagonist of this first novel is a heretofore unremarkable nine-year old girl who is revealed to be a spelling prodigy. With the revelation of this talent comes an unraveling of the family, with each individual trying desperately to find his or her own version of God. This novel is beautifully written and draws the reader into the world of this young girl, the compelling world of Jewish mysticism, Spelling Bee politics, family dynamics, and deep secrets. Absolutely amazing!"--Cathy Langer, Tattered Cover, Denver, CO A delightful new children's book came in a close second: THE WARLORD'S PUZZLE, by Virginia Walton Pilegard; illus. by Nicholas Debon (Pelican Pub., $14.95, 1565544951) "This is a great story about the origin of everyone's favorite Chinese brain-teaser--the tangram puzzle. The illustrations are terrific!"--Wendi Gratz, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Cincinnati, OH A book from three months back has developed great word-of-mouth: STORM RIDERS, by Craig Lesley (Picador USA, $24, 0312245548) "Lesley's semi-autobiographical novel is a book for our time. Full of suspense and heartbreak, it is the story of an Oregon man who becomes the foster father of a young Tlingit boy. It is a profoundly disturbing and ultimately satisfying read."--Mary Gleysteen, Eagle Harbor Books, Bainbridge Island, WA The first trade paperback in this top 10: POACHERS, by Tom Franklin (HarperPerennial, $12 paper, 0688177719; due out late May) "Move over Larry Brown; Pete Dexter, shove off; make way for a brand new voice in American writing. This collection of stories is too good for words! Franklin's landscape is tough and rugged--hunters, factory workers, the swamps and backwoods. The forests are lush with toxic places, the cities home to the damned, and the hills are just loaded with schemers, bunglers, and misanthropes. This is the two-fisted real deal."--Robert Segedy, McIntyre's, Pittsboro, NC The first non-fiction book in this top 10: SWEEPING CHANGES: Discovering the Joy of Zen in Everyday Tasks, by Gary Thorp (Walker, $19, 0802713602) "Thorp uses the Zen ideal of being present in every moment as a way of examining the simple pleasures of life. Whether washing dishes, cleaning the oven, or sweeping the floor, this book reminds us how the simplest acts can take on great significance if we only pay attention."--Cathy Keibler, Hawley-Cooke Booksellers, Lexington, KY This book from 1996 is a big bookseller favorite�and a great reading group book: SPARROW, by Mary Doria Russell (Fawcett, $12 paper, 0449912558) "It takes all of our persuasive power to interest people in a book whose subject is a visit to an alien planet by Jesuit priests, but we have been rewarded time and again for doing so. The unforgettable characters make this a truly memorable and thought-provoking book."--Paula Dutko, Bookland of Maine, Saco, ME RENATO'S LUCK, by Jeff Shapiro (HarperCollins, $24, 0060194189) "Renato Tizzoni has lost his taste for life. He is the waterworks man for the small village of Sant'Angelo D'Asso in Tuscany, a village soon to be flooded. Propelled by a dream of a gold-ringed hand that he assumes to be the Pope's, he begins a quest to recover his losses, to change his fortune. The simplicity and humor of this lovely story immediately connect you to its engaging characters."--Sarah Thoren, The Northshire Bookstore, Manchester Center, VT WHITE TEETH, by Zadie Smith (Random House, $25, 0375501851) "Set a novel in postwar London. Make the characters English, Bengali, Jamaican, all desperate to assimilate (especially the English). Track them over 50 years. Stir in women's liberation, religious fundamentalism, reefer madness, genetic mice, Jehovah's Witnesses. The result is a wickedly funny comic novel by a writer who may well be the literary love child of Evelyn Waugh and Fay Weldon."--Matt Lage, Iowa Book Company, Iowa City, IA SECRET KNOWLEDGE OF WATER, by Craig Childs (Sasquatch, $23.95, 1570611599) "The author studies, chases, and flees water in a place most people think is completely dry: the Arizona desert during a drought. Using a highly metaphorical and silky smooth style, he writes about water as an entity with desires, needs, knowledge, and intentions. The book is full of personality--both the author's and the water's--and Childs is patient, tenacious, and tender."--Katherine Sotol, Elliott Bay Book Company, Seattle, WA FEAST OF LOVE, by Charles Baxter (Pantheon, $24, 0375410198) "What a book! You will immediately be drawn into this Midsummer Nights Dream-like novel set in current-day Ann Arbor. This richly developed story is about ordinary people whose seemingly ordinary lives intersect in ways that are extraordinary."--Adrian Newell, Warwick's, La Jolla, CA Do you have family and friends around the country? TREAT THEM TO A BOOK SENSE GIFT CERTIFICATE! WELCOME AT OVER 1,100 INDEPENDENT BOOKSTORES AROUND AMERICA! The Book Sense Gift Certificate is available for purchase and redemption at over 1,100 independent bookstores in all 50 states, plus Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands! This is great for Mother's Day, Father's Day, and Graduation gifts. Support your local independent bookstore while treating a loved one to a visit to an independent bookstore in their community. A directory of independent bookstores with Book Sense--complete with names, addresses, and phone numbers--is available at 1-888-BOOKSENSE and online at BookSense.com. Maps are downloadable at bigyellow.com. Ask your bookseller for a list of towns and cities with independent bookstores with Book Sense. Children's Books Bookseller Picks of the Best New Ones AMERICA'S CHAMPION SWIMMER: Gertrude Ederle, by David Adler; illus. by Terry Widener (Harcourt, $16, 0152019693) Ages 4-8. "This one passed the goosebumps test! Children will cheer, and girls will feel especially proud of this athlete who won three medals at the 1924 Paris Olympics an d went on to do what no woman had ever done--swim the English Channel. That she did it in two hours less than any man made reporters declare that the myth of the weaker sex was 'shattered and shattered forever.' Widener's colorful paintings capture the spirit of the stirring text. Bravo!"--Linda Bubon, Women & Children First, Chicago, IL BEMBO'S ZOO, by Roberto de Vicq de Cumptich (Holt, $17.95, 080506382X) Ages 4-8. "This is not your usual alphabet book. It is a visual explosion of letters and shapes--literally. Text is combined to make the animals for each letter. We've even looked at it upside down and enjoyed it!"--Melanie Chrismer, Blue Willow Bookshop, Houston, TX A CAKE FOR HERBIE, by Petra Mathers (Atheneum, $15, 0689830173) Ages 4-8. "Petra's books, featuring Lottie the chicken, gently discuss hard-to-handle feelings that young children may be having for the first time (jealousy, humiliation, feeling left out) in a loving way. We love Lottie!"--Roberta Dyer, Broadway Books, Portland, OR CLICK CLACK MOO: Cows That Type, by Doreen Cronin; illus. by Betsy Lewin (Simon & Schuster, $15, 0689832133) Ages 4-8. "Seems that the cows have learned to type and are demanding electric blankets. Next the chickens get in on the act with their own demands, and finally the ducks. It is just a hoot!"--Susan Danner, Danner's Books, Muncie, IN GIRLS THINK OF EVERYTHING: Stories of Ingenious Inventions by Women, by Catherine Thimmesh; illus. by Melissa Sweet (Houghton Mifflin, $16, 0395937442) Ages 9-12. "This book is a necessary collection of the stories of women who invented the Snugli, Liquid Paper, and more. Their creations are some of the most enduring (the windshield wiper) and the most loved (the chocolate-chip cookie). Thimmesh thoroughly researched each inventor's story and, when possible, interviewed each. The book is complemented by Sweet's wacky collages."--Amanda Himle, The Red Balloon Bookshop, St. Paul, MN HENNY PENNY, by Jane Wattenberg (Scholastic, $15.95, 0439078172) Ages 4-8. "This is a truly wonderful, updated version of the classic tale. Full of alliteration and puns; hilarious for young and old!"--Susy Lacer, St. Helen's Bookshop, St Helens, OR HOW DO DINOSAURS SAY GOODNIGHT?, by Jane Yolen; illus. by Mark Teague (Scholastic, $15.95, 0590316818) Ages 4-8. "This is one of those perfect matches of author and illustrator. Yolen and Teague have created a wonderful goodnight book for both the toddler and beleaguered parent. A slightly retro-looking cast of moms and dads attempt to put to bed a group of reluctant dinos. Every child will recognize his or her own particular form of protest ...and smile."--Leslie Reiner, Inkwood Books, Tampa, FL OH MY BABY, LITTLE ONE, by Kathi Appelt; illus. by Jane Dyer (Harcourt, $16, 0152000410) Ages 4-8. "Chosen as a staff pick the day it arrived in our store. Written in engaging rhyme, it is a perfect read aloud! And Jane Dyer's illustrations are, as always, enchanting."--Patsy Madden, Bennett Books, Wyckoff, NJ THE SECRETS OF THE STONES: A Folktale, by Robert San Souci; illus. by James Ransome (Phylis Fogelman Books, $16.99, 0803716400) "The illustrations are stunning in this wonderful retelling of a folktale that originated in the Congo, and was retold in Arkansas, about two little stones that are actually enchanted children."--Jane Stroh, The Bookstore, Glen Ellyn, IL A great Mother's Day gift--WILL YOU STILL BE MY DAUGHTER?, by Carol Lynn Pearson; illus. by Kathleen Peterson (Gibbs Smith, $9.95, 0879059591) "I love this little book about mothers and daughters; it's a gem. Affirming that our differences can make us stronger, and that daughters can grow into friends, Pearson uses the story of an oak tree and an acorn in this charming little fable that will make you choke up a little and even shed a tear. In the end, you are left with a warm heart, a big smile, and the impulse to share this book with every mom and daughter you know." --Rita Williams, Books of Aurora, Aurora, OH Wild About Harry??? Reserve your copy of the Harry Potter #4 at your local independent bookstores now!!!!!! It's due out July 8!!!!! Meantime, ask your local independent store wizard for other great reading along the same vein, see our official "If you love Harry Potter, you'll love�" list of recommended reading at BookSense.com, and check out the following. Great New Summer Reading BAT 6, by Virginia Euwer Wolff (Scholastic, $4.99 paper, 0590898000) For ages 9-12. "This was the best book I read last year, adult or children's. The story of small-town America right after World War II told in the words of girls who should have had only their annual softball game on their minds. But in the aftermath of war there are undercurrents that adults won't talk about and 12-year-olds can't put into words. Stunningly simple and profound. Lots of classroom and family discussions could revolve around all that is said and unsaid in these girls' lives."--Marjorie Bowman, Davis-Kidd Booksellers, Memphis, TN (Also an audiobook.) BECAUSE OF WINN-DIXIE, by Kate Dicamillo (Candlewick, $15.99, 0763607762 ) Ages 9-12. "The narrator of this stunning novel speaks in a voice that is clear, strong, and enchanting. Just as the scruffy but lovable dog, Winn-Dixie, changes Opal's life, she changes the reader's. By the end of the book, you're glad you've met her."--Beth Puffer, Bank Street Books, New York, NY THE DRAGON OF LONELY ISLAND, by Rebecca Rupp (Candlewick, $15.95, 0763604089) Ages 9-12. "Three kids vacation on their great-aunt's island; she's left them a key and some hints about something special on the island. They discover a three-headed dragon that has been alive for thousands of years. Each head takes turns telling them about an adventure from its past -- one adventure takes place in ancient China, another on a pirate ship, and the third flying around the world. The writing is funny and lively; kids from 6 to 10 are crazy about it. It has the charm and timeless appeal of a minor classic."--Elizabeth Bluemle, Flying Pig Children's Books, Charlotte, VT KIT'S WILDERNESS, by David Almond (Delacorte, $16.99, 0385326653) Young Adult. "In this story, Kit follows his troubled friend, David, down a dark road into their ancestral past. With the strength of his family's love, and the guidance of his grandfather's stories, Kit is able to help David find the goodness and compassion that resides within; an exceptional book for young adults that is not to be missed."--Judy Hobbs, Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park, WA (Also an audibook.) Community and Change 25. ORDINARY RESURRECTIONS, by Jonathan Kozol (Crown, $25, 051770000X) "Kozol, the great academic theorist and social commentator, once again has learned a lot from a group of very real, funny and resilient kids. And what he learns tells us even more about the ability of the human spirit to thrive in the most desperate surroundings, how faith plays a role in keeping that human spirit alive, how people are basically forgiving and helpful. When you listen to these children, you get stuck not so much on the horrors that surround them, but the joy with which they greet every day. It is a powerful book, and one that will reverberate in all areas of the culture: schools, churches, politics--everywhere! READ IT."--Kim Ricketts, University Bookstore, Seattle, WA (Also an audiobook.) 26. PAY IT FORWARD: A Novel, by Catherine Hyde (Simon, $23, 0684862719) "From the mouth of a child comes a realistic plan to change the world for the better. This book will touch you deeply, and it may even convince you to start 'paying it forward.'"--Kathryn Keicher, Quail Ridge Books, Raleigh, NC (Also an audiobook.) Cookbooks A great Father's Day gift--THE HERBFARM COOKBOOK: A Guide to the Vivid Flavors of Fresh Herbs, by Jerry Traunfeld (Scribner, $40, 0684839768) "Traunfeld has put his treasured Herbfarm recipes into a cookbook at long last. This cookbook goes beyond recipes into the world of elegant and informative writing. Peruse for extraordinary and simple recipes or use as a handy guide for growing and preparing your own fresh herbs."--Tiffany Schindler, Third Place Books, Lake Forest Park, WA HOW IT ALL VEGAN!: Irresistible Recipes for an Animal-Free Diet, by Tanya Barnard & Sarah Kramer (Arsenal Pulp Press, $15.95 paper, 1551520672) "Easily one of the coolest cookbooks ever. Quick, easy recipes packed with vegan goodness as well as the hippest layout to hit the page. Also has a comprehensive listing of what is hidden inside the foods we eat (or choose not to)."--Michael Kelley, Bookshop Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA Fiction in Paperback (great for reading groups) BATTLE CREEK, by Scott Lasser (HarperPerennial, $14 paper, 0688177638; due in June) "A wonderful first novel about a semi-pro baseball team in the Midwest on the verge of its first championship. However, Manager Gil Davison has to contend with a dying father, some young players, and an estranged son. Intelligent and compelling fiction, and a great baseball book as well."--Mark LaFramboise, Politics & Prose, Washington, DC BODEGA DREAMS, by Ernesto Quinonez (Vintage, $12 paper, 0375705899) "What's in a name? For Willie Bodega, everything depends on a name. In a world filled with drug dealers, families, thugs, and students, Bodega emerges as a modern-day Gatsby who reinvents himself in hopes of remaking his community. An inspiring look into pushing people towards the impossible and watching what unravels. Quinonez will go down in history as having turned F. Scott Fitzgerald upright on his feet!"--Francisco Cardona, Modern Times Bookstore, San Francisco, CA THE CHISELLERS, by Brendan O'Carroll (Plume, $11.95 paper, 0452281229) "The second in the Mrs. Browne trilogy is as delightful as THE MAMMY, the first. Agnes Browne fans will love hearing more of her determined and indomitable Dublin life, alone with the adventures of her seven children. Lovely and laugh-out-loud funny."--Cindy Heidemann, U. of Oregon Bookstore, Eugene, OR CEREUS BLOOMS AT NIGHT, by Shani Mootoo (Bard, $14 paper, 0380731991) "This book took the international literary world by storm when it was first published in 1996. Set on a fictional Caribbean island, Mootoo's stunning novel unravels the epic life story of Mala Ramchandin and her infinitely complex family. Out remarked that Mootoo 'employs myth and magic reminiscent of Isabel Allende,' and I would only add that she embellishes Allende's style with some very queer twists. Part mystery, part love story, this book explores gender, sexuality, identity, and post-colonialism without a trace of didacticism, but with a great deal of tender and exquisite beauty."--Catherine Sameh, In Other Words Women's Books and Resources, Portland, OR THE COLONY OF UNREQUITED DREAMS, by Wayne Johnston (Anchor, $14 paper, 0385495439) "This is a deft and thoroughly engaging fictionalized account of one of the world's least known countries--Newfoundland--and the men who walked its harsh terrain to unite its people."--Tabatha Henning, McKinzey-White Booksellers, Colorado Springs, CO And "I loved this book. A love story and historical novel, but more importantly a very well-crafted and enthralling tale."--Jean Westcott, Olsson's Books and Records, Arlington, VA CRAZY LADIES, by Michael Lee West (HarperPerennial, $14 paper, 0060977744) "This is one of the store's favorites. We sold a copy to Rebecca Wells, and sold Wells' Little Altars to this author, so we believe fans of the Ya Ya books will love Crazy Ladies. Our store book club is reading it for the May meeting--so we can reread it and laugh once more."--Mary Gay Shipley, That Bookstore in Blytheville, AK HUMMINGBIRD HOUSE, by Patricia Henley (MacMurray & Beck, $13 paper, 1878448986) "OK!! My favorite book of 1999 is now out in paperback! Henley creates a landscape of haunted/ing inhabitants between the boundaries of sorrow and consolation. This heartbreaking story of an American midwife caught up in the madness of war in Central America is told with immediacy and passion, but there is also sweetness, hope, and every form of love here. You will not emerge untouched."--Bobby Tichenor, Annie Blooms Books, Portland, OR (This book was a finalist for the National Book Award last year.) MY DOG TULIP, by J. R. Ackerley (NYRB Classics, $12.95 paper, 0940322110) Actually, this is nonfiction, but still great for reading groups. "This is one of literature's greatest love stories, truly! From the humorously harrowing search for an understanding vet to frantic matchmaking episodes, Ackerley's memoir is full of wit and charm, poignancy and wisdom, as it recalls his 16-plus years with his rambunctious and beloved Alsatian. Thank goodness this book is back in print!--Herman Fong, The Odyssey Bookshop, South Hadley, MA THE NIGHT INSPECTOR, by Frederick Busch (Ballantine, $14 paper, 0449006158) "A man so wounded by war that he wears a mask to cover the part of his face that isn't there prowls post-Civil-War New York City. His companion is none other than Herman Melville, fallen into obscurity and now a night inspector on the Hudson. (For Hudson read Styx.) What happens on the river is the stuff of darkest nightmares."--Betsy Burton, The King's English Bookshop, Salt Lake City, UT NOBODY'S FOOL, by Richard Russo (Vintage, $14 paper, 06797533338) "Wry, witty, and poignant. The characters and plot will captivate you from the start, and although it is a serious story, Russo creates some of the best 'laugh until you cry' moments ever written."--Paulette Zander, The Happy Carrot Bookshop, Old Lyme, CT THE RINGS OF SATURN AND THE EMIGRANTS, by W. G. Sebald (New Directions, $14 paper, 0811214133) "Two highly unusual fictional travelogues which are both entertaining and enlightening. After I read this, I had to go back and read his first book for more."--Deal Safrit, Literary Bookpost, Salisbury, NC SOMETIMES THE SOUL: Two Novellas of Sicily, by Gioia Timpanelli (Vintage, $12 paper, 0375707220) "Timpanelli is a professional storyteller who has brought all her lyricism to these two novellas infused with traditional tales. The book informs and enchants the reader, and the writing is so beautiful that I read this book aloud to myself to just so I could hear the language."--Janice King, The Golden Notebook, Woodstock, NY STRONG FOR POTATOES, by Cynthia Thayer (St. Martin's/Griffin, $12.95 paper, 0312200277) "If you like Barbara Kingsolver, you will enjoy this engrossing tale of a very strong young woman and her wonderful grandfather, who passes along the way of his ancestors."--Sue Carita, Toadstool Bookshop, Milford, NH TAPPING THE SOURCE, by Kem Nunn (Four Walls Eight Windows, $12.95 paper, 1568581629) "This fits into the One of the Best First Novels I've Ever Read category. I read it in 1984 when it was originally published, and it's just been reissued. It chronicles the search by a young man from a tiny California desert town for his older sister who has disappeared among the surfing crowd in Huntington Beach. It's about the tension between bikers and surfers, good and evil, outlaws and groupies--all the important stuff. It's gritty, nasty, and right on the mark."--Henry Berliner, Foundry Bookstore, New Haven, CT Continued on page 2. Topics: News - Books, Book Sense,