Book News

By Robin F.Whitten

Teens seem to regard summertime reading in two ways -- as the opportunity to read for pleasure and to choose books freely or as the burden of a required "summer reading list" (which comes complete with nagging parents). Audiobooks can offer solutions for both camps, as well as the family traveling with teenagers on long car trips.

Book Sense 76 picks continue to be the books of choice for network morning shows' book clubs. On Thursday, July 11, ABC News' Good Morning America aired the second installment of its monthly "Read This!" segment, in which one book club recommends a book of its choice to another book club and GMA viewers.

Based on the last four weeks of sales from over 300 independent bookstores across America.

Again, some gems with passionate recommendations that I thought some of you would like to consider for stock.

Carl
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Paperback originals -- they are prominent on the Book Sense Bestseller and 76 lists, on the pages of distinguished book reviews, most certainly in shoppers’ hands, and in the beach bags and suitcases of those planning their summer reading. Have they always been there, or are we seeing a burgeoning new sales and marketing idea? Some of the major publishers of these paperback originals discussed with BTW what types of authors are appropriate for this format and why.

The USA Today book club has chosen Walter Mosley’s Bad Boy Brawly Brown as its latest selection. The newspaper announced its third choice -- and the first cloth title -- in its July 2 edition.

Based on the last four weeks of sales from over 300 independent bookstores across America.

Next week: Business Books

Selection Comes One Week After GMA Book Club Taps 76 Pick

Oates was a runaway #1 pick.

The Summer Teen pad is going to press and will be in the July box, but a PDF will be posted at BookWeb.org soon, in the event you’d like to print and photocopy some sooner.

P.S. The Mystery 76 Top Ten is mailing now, and the top five will be featured in a USA Today snapshot on Wednesday, July 3!

Carl
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Author Michael Gerber is not afraid of being sued over the publication of his new book, Barry Trotter and the Unauthorized Parody. He is a first-time author who is still working a day job to make ends meet. "The worst thing that could happen to me is my cats would be jointly owned by Warner Brothers and Scholastic," Gerber said during a program at the American Library Association convention in Atlanta on Monday.

Titles Not Selected for the Children’s Book Sense 76, But Still Worthy of Attention

This is strictly if you are interested in discovering a sleeper or two that might turn into a nice stock item or handsell. I just can’t bear to let these passionate recommendations go unrecognized in some fashion. Enjoy.

Carl
[email protected]

Arranged in age sequence:

Pulpwood Queens recommend Ann Packer’s The Dive from Clausen’s Pier

On April 25, Wyoming's Teton County Board of Education (TCBE) voted 4-2 to ban Julius Lester’s When Dad Killed Mom (Silver Whistle) from the Jackson Hole Middle School (JHMS) library. However, after much attention from local media and the book’s author, district policy is being "reviewed and re-written so that incidents like this will not happen again," Board member Zia Yasrobie told BTW via e-mail.

The Southeast Booksellers Association (SEBA) recently announced the winners of the SEBA Book Awards. The winners of the 2002 awards will be honored at the "Rep Appreciation, Book Awards, and More Celebration" at Books & Books in Coral Gables, Florida on Thursday, September 19. The Awards are given to recognize the year's best books either by a Southern author or set in the South.

This year’s winners are: