Holiday Staff Picks 2019
Once Upon A Time favorites for everyone on your list!
Click the image below to open a PDF with links directly to each book or scroll down the page to view our entire list.
For the Littlest Reader:
Who says Ho, Ho, Ho | Long Ago on a Silent Night | You are Light | One to Ten L.A.
For Readers Ages 4 to 8:
Penny and Her Sled | Snail and Worm All Day | Home in the Woods | Great Santa Stakeout
For Middle Readers:
Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation | Words on Fire | Cog | Mac. B Kid Spy #1: Mac Undercover
For Young Adults:
Lovely War | Slay | Frankly in Love | Sorcery of Thorns
For the Young at Heart:
This Tender Land | The Starless Sea | Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? | Rough Magic
For the Whole Family:
50 California Hikes with Kids | Mog Time | Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire: Illustrated Edition | Through the Water Curtain
For the Audiobook Listener:
The Golden Compass | The Fifth Season | Heart of Thorns | The Thief
For Everyone:
Traditional Gift Card | Online Gift Code | Digital Audiobook Gift
$7.99
ISBN: 9781684376469
Availability: Coming from our Warehouse. Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Highlights Press - October 1st, 2019
For the littlest reader
$17.99
ISBN: 9781338277722
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Orchard Books - September 3rd, 2019
For the littlest reader
Signed copies available!
$15.99
ISBN: 9781536201154
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Candlewick Studio - March 26th, 2019
For the littlest reader
$10.95
ISBN: 9781938093494
Availability: Not Available - Possibly Out of Print
Published: duopress - April 12th, 2016
For the littlest reader
$14.99
ISBN: 9780062934536
Availability: Coming from our Warehouse. Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Greenwillow Books - October 29th, 2019
For readers ages 4 to 8
Signed copies available!
$16.99
ISBN: 9780358063643
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: HMH Books for Young Readers - September 24th, 2019
For readers ages 4 to 8
Signed copies available!
$17.99
ISBN: 9780399162909
Availability: Coming from our Warehouse. Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Nancy Paulsen Books - October 1st, 2019
For readers ages 4 to 8
Signed copies available!
$17.99
ISBN: 9781338169980
Availability: Coming from our Warehouse. Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Arthur A. Levine Books - September 3rd, 2019
For readers ages 4 to 8
Signed copies available!
$17.99
ISBN: 9781534424760
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers - September 17th, 2019
For middle readers
Signed copies available!
$17.99
ISBN: 9781338275476
Availability: Coming from our Warehouse. Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Scholastic Press - October 1st, 2019
For middle readers
Signed copies available!
Nielsen's always first-rate historical fiction, this one about the early 20th century Lithuanian struggle against the Cossack occupation and censorship of Lithuanian culture, traditions and banning of books, hums along at a pace which will endear action/adventure fans into turning pages. Some scary situations -- beatings, villages set on fire and constant surveillance -- make the book a better fit for at least ages 9 and up.
— From Staff Picks by Maureen
$16.99
ISBN: 9780062686077
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: HarperCollins - October 1st, 2019
For middle readers
Signed copies available!
$12.99
ISBN: 9781338143591
Availability: Coming from our Warehouse. Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Orchard Books - September 11th, 2018
For middle readers
Signed copies available!
$18.99
ISBN: 9780451469939
Availability: Coming from our Warehouse. Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Viking Books for Young Readers - March 5th, 2019
For young adults
Signed copies available!
$18.99
ISBN: 9781534445420
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Simon Pulse - September 24th, 2019
For young adults
Gamers get ready! Kiera is your normal student dealing with friends, boyfriend, and school, except she is also the game developer behind a secret multiplayer online role-playing card game, SLAY. But when the game is exposed to the media, people want to tear down the safe space she has created. I loved the game play, energy, family dynamics and the few chapters told from different players perspectives. A great action packed book that can be given to so many people. For ages 13 and up. I want to SLAY!
— From Staff Picks by Jessica
$18.99
ISBN: 9781984812209
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers - September 10th, 2019
For young adults
Signed copies available!
Funny, nerdy, relatable, and honest, Frankly in Love is about a high school boy who begins a fake relationship in order to deceive his strict Korean parents about the fact he is not dating a Korean girl. With a strong sense of SoCal life, this is great for readers ages 14 and up.
- From Staff Picks by Jessica
$17.99
ISBN: 9781481497619
Availability: Coming from our Warehouse. Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Margaret K. McElderry Books - June 4th, 2019
For young adults
This is the book you have been craving for! How can you go wrong with librarian warriors? Strong-willed orphan, Elizabeth Scrivener, lives for her job as an apprentice librarian at Summershall, home of a Great Library in the kingdom of Austermeer. Her knack of getting into wee troubles has brought her to the attention of Magister Thorn, who, with the help of his demon, Silas, enter unwittingly as a team investigating murders, prized grimoire disappearances and an otherworldly plot to sabotage the kingdom. With deft characters, clever plotting, fast action, plus a hint of romance, hand this terrific, high fantasy to fans of Leigh Bardugo. Sorcery of Thorns is an outstanding follow up to Rogerson’s star debut, An Enchantment of Ravens.
— From Staff Picks by Maureen
$27.00
ISBN: 9781476749297
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Atria Books - September 3rd, 2019
For the young at heart
Signed copies available!
Once upon a time there was a storyteller, whose stories existed in the land of many lakes – that boundless region called Minnesota, where hardy souls have made their living on the water, fertile land and in cities. This storyteller, William Kent Krueger, weaves his stories with characters so rich, so real and so human, the tale leaps off the page and buries deep into your soul. “This Tender Land” is simply a magnificent example of Krueger’s extraordinary gift as a writer. You will find it hard to put down, or even after finishing, hard to stop thinking of Odie, Albert, Mose and Emmy – your guides down the winding rivers in this book. Truly, a masterpiece.
— From Staff Picks by Maureen
$28.95
ISBN: 9780385541213
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Doubleday - November 5th, 2019
For the young at heart
If you haven't heard Jessica talk about The Starless Sea yet, you will soon. This is her new favorite adult book of the year! From the author who brought us The Night Circus comes a wonderful new story disguised as a game wrapped in a puzzle secured with a bee, a key, and a sword.
Will you open the door?
- From Staff Picks by Jessica
$25.95
ISBN: 9780393652703
Availability: Coming from our Warehouse. Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: W. W. Norton & Company - September 10th, 2019
For the young at heart
$25.00
ISBN: 9781948226196
Availability: Coming from our Warehouse. Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Catapult - May 7th, 2019
For the young at heart
In this season of strong, brave women, Maureen's absolute favorite memoir - Rough Magic by Lara Prior-Palmer - is not to be missed. It's about Lara's naiveté in trying to win the grueling, soul-wrenching World's Loneliest Horse Race in Mongolia, with nary a thought of preparation. This is for fans of Cherly Strayand's Wild and MacDonald's H is for Hawk and is writing at it's finest!
— From Staff Picks by Maureen
$19.95
ISBN: 9781604698701
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Timber Press - October 29th, 2019
For the whole family
Signed copies available!
$24.99
ISBN: 9780008336981
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: HarperCollins Children's Books - October 15th, 2019
For the whole family
$47.99
ISBN: 9780545791427
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Arthur A. Levine Books - October 8th, 2019
For the whole family
$20.00
ISBN: 9781782692003
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Pushkin Children's Books - October 8th, 2019
For the whole family
$8.99
ISBN: 9780440418320
Availability: Coming from our Warehouse. Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Yearling - May 22nd, 2001
For the audiobook listener
$15.99
ISBN: 9780316229296
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Orbit - August 4th, 2015
For the audiobook listener
$10.99
ISBN: 9780062447692
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Katherine Tegen Books - July 23rd, 2019
For the audiobook listener
$10.99
ISBN: 9780062642967
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Greenwillow Books - February 28th, 2017
For the audiobook listener
I remembered reading The Thief as a kid and being blown away by the story. With my Libro.fm membership I decided to experience the story again by listening to it and I will say it is now one of my go to audiobook recommendations. A rich mix of fantasy, intrigue, character, and unforgettable moments all expertly narrated by Steve West. This whole series is perfect for readers who want a more sophisticated fantasy.
Staff Picks
Great adventure tale about 13-year old Francie as she survives in the Oregon wilderness – alone – for nearly 2 weeks after her family gets lost on a road trip from British Columbia to the Grand Canyon. After both parents – separately – go opposite ways trying to find help, Francie calls up all her wits, ingenuity and luck to endure harsh elements, animal encounters, lack of food & water and her own, sometimes raw, emotions. Readers will be rooting for Feisty Francie in this fast paced, can’t-put-down survival story. - Review by Maureen
