What Rachel Wants to Buy This Week - Episode 13

Summer heat also means summer rain--so this week I picked a couple of fun indoor items that I'd love to spend a rainy day playing with. :)


"Ocean World" Puzzle Ball by Ravensburger
240 pieces
$26.95
Located in the Chapter Book Room

The easiest part of a puzzle are the corner and edge pieces, right? Well, here's a puzzle with an added challenge--it's a globe, so there aren't any convenient corner or edge pieces. You've got to rely on your wits alone for this one! It even comes with a display holder to keep it from rolling away when you're finished, and it doesn't take up a ton of room while you're working on it the way a traditional puzzle does--you can take your time, and not get yelled at for using up too much table space. I might have to start out slow, though, with the dinosaur-themed Junior Puzzle Ball, 96 pieces, for ages 6 and up. :)


Two-Tune TV by Fisher Price
12 months and up
$31.95
Located in the Baby Room

I'm a sucker for retro toys, and Fisher Price has never let me down. They've delved back into the 60's and brought out this TV music box that I can't resist! Just turn the knob to wind it, and it plays "Row Row Row Your Boat" and "London Bridge is Falling Down" while a tableau of cute retro children slowly moves across the screen. It's just the sort of thing to put any tired child (or me...) to sleep.



That's it for this week--see you next time, and let's hope it's sunny!

Extraordinarily Fantastical Staff Picks

It seems that a fair amount of our staff has been reading fantasy novels of late (perhaps to escape this monsoon-like weather?), so let's make the most of it with a sampling platter of our latest and favorite fantasy picks! Of course, you can always backtrack to larger round-ups such as Katie's revisioned fairy-tales, vampires and zombies galore or even the YA crossover appeal for more "fantastical" choices.

The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya by Nagaru Tanigawa


Bookseller: Rachel
Genre: science fiction/fantasy, school story
Suggested reading level: ages 11 up

When Haruhi announces that she's looking for aliens, time-travelers, and espers, Kyon thinks she's crazy. Little does he know that his life is about to get complicated - and it will be up to him to save the world from destruction if Haruhi gets bored. The first of a hit series in Japan, now in English for the first time!

The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer

Bookseller: Katie
Genre: dystopian/sci-fi
Suggested reading level: ages 12 up

Matt learns he is a clone, created to provide replacement body parts for 140 year old drug lord El Patrón. Unlike most clones (called "eejits"), Matt still has his intelligence - and he'll definitely need it to escape from El Patrón's estate into the equally dangerous world outside.

The Hero and the Crown by Robin McKinley


Bookseller: Michelle
Genre: high fantasy; for fans of Graceling
Suggested reading level: ages 13 up

Aerin is a princess of Damar, but she is feared by the court because of her foreign mother and her own suspicious lack of the royal Gift. With the help of a mysterious, handsome wizard she must survive poison and evil dragons to claim her destiny and the legendary Blue Sword. Newbery Medal prequel to The Blue Sword.

American Gods by Neil Gaiman

Bookseller: Katie
Genre: mythology-based fantasy
Suggested reading level: ages 15 up

When immigrants relocate to America, they bring their myths with them - along with their deities. Now new powers challenge near-forgotten gods for America's devotion and their very survival. Gaiman blends obscure lore, absurd humor, and perfectly nuanced characters to create one legendary road trip.

Savvy by Ingrid Law


Bookseller: Rachel
Genre: fantasy, coming of age
Suggested reading level: ages 9 up

The Beaumonts are an unusual family - on their 13th birthdays, they each discover a unique savvy, a special know-how. When Poppa is hospitalized in a distant town the day before Mibs turns 13, she is convinced that her hidden savvy can save him - if she chould only get there in time.

The Mortal Instruments Trilogy: City of Bones, City of Ashes, City of Glass by Cassandra Clare

Bookseller: Katie
Genre: fantasy, supernatural romance, fans of the Twilight saga
Suggested reading level: ages 14 up

When Clary meets Shadowhunters Jace, Isabelle, and Alex, she's astonished to discover a world of fallen angels, demons, and demon-hunters. Full of mystical tattoos, arcane weapons, thwarted romance, prophecies, and plot twists.

More movies, musicals, and bad puns than you can shake a wand at

There is an incredible amount of children's and teen books being adapted into all manner of performances, I'm having trouble keeping track of everything I want to see! To help myself, and you, too, of course, here is a list to pencil into the calendar...

Staff favorite technogeek-thriller Little Brother by Cory Doctorow has been adapted for the stage at Chicago's Griffin Theatre. The show runs through July 19th, and you can even meet Doctorow after the July 9th performance. After PW reported interestingly mixed reviews, I can only hope it will come out closer to Boston someday...

I doubt I even need to call more attention to it, but the 6th film installment of the world's favorite wizard premieres July 15th. If you still haven't seen the trailer, try the official website: Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince. The bookclub some of us staffers belong to is trying to plan a bookclub-cum-Potter meeting, probably discussing our latest books (ghost stories!) in line - we'll see how that pans out! Now, where did I leave my Luna glasses?

I almost didn't even know about Cloudy With a Chance of Meatballs becoming a movie - but I am pretty excited that Bruce Campbell is contributing his voice talents to this classic picture book tale! It's slated to premiere September 18th.

Another eagerly anticipated children's film is the adaptation of Maurice Sendak's Where the Wild Things Are which roars into theaters October 16th. From Spike Jonze, the director of such bizarre films as Being John Malkovich and Adaptation, it certainly promises to be wild. I hope that after the movie they serve everyone a hot supper. (My puns are awful, aren't they?)

Because there is no such thing as enough Neil Gaiman, there is now a Coraline musical at the MCC Theater in New York. It's a one man show (!) by Stephen Merritt closing July 5 but may perhaps travel (pick us, pick us!).

While Katie geeks out over Gaiman, I'm swooning over director Tim Burton's latest work...Alice in Wonderland! One of my favorite directors with one of my favorite stories?! Heaven! Over at USA Today you can tour a scene and Cast Photos, featuring, of course, Johnny Depp and Helena Bonham Carter. Oh, yum, I can barely wait until March 2010.

Kate DiCamillo's heartwarming chapter book had already been adapted for the screen in 2005, now Because of Winn-Dixie becomes a musical, with a live Winn-Dixie trained by Bill Berloni, trainer of Annie's Sandy. PW says there are no set filming schedules yet.

Are those still not enough to satiate your movie thirst? Try free movies in the park in Brookline - July 13th The Princess Bride and July 27th E.T., and in Boston August 14 Inkheart at the Hatch Shell. Be prepared for a chance of rain, though probably not (soy) meatballs.

I love seeing how books translate into different mediums - and it's certainly fun to see your favorite story retold (Alice! Squeal!) - I just hope those movie folks continue to create new stories, too.

What Rachel Wants to Buy This Week - Episode 12

I got up this morning and was shocked to discover that June is nearly over. Summer's in full swing, and I want to enjoy every minute of it! That's what inspired this week's picks.


Mombo Snake Bug House by Sunny Patch (for Melissa and Doug)
$15.95
Located around the Hut

Everyone knows that summertime means critter collecting--lightning bugs, beetles, frogs, lizards, butterflies...the list goes on and on. Of course, you need somewhere to put all those critters, and this bug house is the perfect place! It's colorful, easy to carry and easy to open, and the sturdy mesh enclosure lets in plenty of air while still being close-knit enough to keep smaller friends from wandering off. The inside of the house also sports a snake motif and a twig with a cute chameleon clinging to it, providing perching and climbing space for guests! Most importantly, the base of the house offers a constant reminder--"Be Good to Bugs."


Tiger Grrrr Playball by Crocodile Creek
$9.95
Located in ball baskets on both floors

This multipurpose 7" ball is great for all kinds of outdoor fun--springy enough for volleyball or four square, light enough for (relatively) painless dodgeball, and a middle size that's great for kickball or soccer with a wide age range of players. The best part, though, is the retro tiger face and the big "grrrr" in contrasting colors. I had to resist playing with it in the store, but I can just imagine how cool this ball will look rolling around or how easy it'll be to spot in the air. I think this might be just the thing to bring along to a 4th of July party next weekend!


That's it for this episode--now go outside and have some fun!!

A post of things completely unrelated...(gasp!)

Today's grouping of goodies has no underlying theme (I feel so...unsupervised!): these toys are hand-picked for their mere incredible awesomeness!

The Best of the Baby Room

Doreen Cronin writes humorous animal stories like none other: Diary of a Worm got toddlers and parents chuckling way before Jeff Kinney hit the epistolary scene. And what's better than a good book about funny farm critters? A good book about funny farm critters IN a barn with toy farm critters! That's right: Click, Clack, Moo: Cows That Type now comes in board book format with a play barn and disgruntled cardboard animals inside!

Is your tyke almost ready to mobilize? Alex's Learn to Crawl Tunnel is a silky soft play space that encourages exploration. As kids will make hideouts of anything, this crawling tunnel (or "crunnel", which is more fun to say) is perfect for the littlest pioneers - and it collapses into its own bag for easy storage.


I've extolled the adorableness of Miyim's organic baby plush before, but they have taken cute to a new level with Lil Neighbors stroller toys. These simple chic animals in basic pastels have a squeaker in the belly and crinkly ears, packing a lot of punch for their easy traveling size. For even more "green baby" cuteness, try Russ's Simply Natural line: their cuddly animal puppets are made from all natural cotton and colored with vegetable dye.

The Best of the Middle Ground (ages 4 - 7)

International Playthings knows how to please the toddler crowd with their wide variety of new and classic toys. We've been selling their Transparent Marble Run like Sweet's Red Velvet cupcakes! Kids can build a maze out of the clear, colorful tubes and watch the real marbles roll.

Nothing says a party quite like a pinata! In addition to our Curious George ribbon pinatas from Unique, we now carry dinosaur, flower, and donkey pinatas (the kind that need a whomping stick). And with all the various little gateaus we have (maybe those tiny Japanese erasers?) you can stuff your pinata with sugar-free goodness.

Whether this summer means day or sleep-away camp or picnics and running wild in the backyard, Crocodile Creek EcoKids Drinking Bottles are a handy and stylish way to stay hydrated and be ecologically responsible. The stainless steel bottles come in the myriad colorful designs that Crocodile Creek products are known for: trucks, dinosaurs, butterflies, space, jungle, and my personal favorite, animal footprints!

The Best of the Chapter Book Room

Our (petite) book-buyer, Donna, had been begging the merch-buyer, Ellen, to purchase this particular toy for ages...and now we finally have them: Walkaroo Stilts! These stilts are sturdy and adjustable, perfect for any adventurous child. One of my favorite books downstairs, The Wild Girls by Pat Murphy, has a great scene with the girls learning to walk in stilts (ahh, metaphors).

You love Twister. You love the Mr. Men and Little Miss books. Their powers combine in the Travel Mr Men & Little Miss Twister Tube from BasicFun! Not only does this twister mat have the famous Hargreaves characters as the color dots, but it can be easily toted anywhere in its tube with the spinner on the tube's cap. Extreme awesomeness, right??

Game genius Hasbro has miniaturized its most popular games: you can now take Connect 4, Boggle, and Etch-a-Sketch Travel Games anywhere - just attach the game's carabiner to your bag or belt and you're ready for a good trip!


Like I said, merely incredibly awesome. You can bet my nephews and cousins (and the younger, sprier uncles and aunts)are going to love that pinata and twister mat at our family's 4th of July cookout...

Do, do do, do do, do do... summer readin'

Ah, summer. Time for sprinklers and sparklers and, of course, summer reading lists. Whether you're already gearing up for fall classes (eek -- say it ain't so!) or just loungin' poolside, now's a great time to break out those lists.

Your local library will be a hotspot of reading activity over the summer, with reading lists, incentive programs, activities, and events to keep kiddos bookishly busy. The Cambridge Public Library has a Summer Reading Program for kids of all ages. The Brookline Public Library, where I volunteer one day a week, has both a kid's program called Starship Adventure and a Teen Summer "Express Yourself" program -- which I'm excited to help with! Hello Cupcake decorating? Hello, I am so there.

The BPL has a compilation of local schools' reading lists posted on their website, which is downloadable as a PDF for your printing convenience. If you or your kiddo were a little less than punctual returning books last summer -- and believe me, as someone who averages 30-40 items checked out at once from my library, I don't judge -- you may be worried about returning to the library this year. Luckily, last fall the BPL forgave all debt owed in fines by kids, up through high school seniors! If you've been a stellar patron since then (or if you've been avoiding the library with chagrin), you're good to go.

I know it's hard to return a library book on time when it's become a favorite, or when you just haven't gotten to it yet but you know you'll love it once you do. Then it's a perfect time to come into your local independent children's bookstore (nudge nudge) and take those titles home with you! Whether you're looking for a title from a school or library reading list, an old favorite you're replacing because it went back to the library or got read to pieces, or something new and exciting for beach reading (or by-flashlight summer storm reading), we're happy to help you find it.

We're also working on some reading programs of our own, including book clubs and kid reviews. PLEASE feel free to give us suggestions here, at our Facebook page, in the store, or by carrier Pigeon. (Be sure to outfit him with aviator cap, scarf, and ginormous goggles for those giant peepers before sending him on a mission, though -- safety first!) You can also email us a link to your child's summer reading list.

We want to know what kinds of activities and events you want to see at Curious George!

O Frabjous Day! Calloo! Callay!

It's certainly been a jungle over here lately! Thanks for bearing with our somewhat infrequent posts while we undergo some store changes. We're still committed to telling you about all the awesome books, authors, and events in and around the store, we should back up to speed very soon. In the meantime, I have some great news to share today...


The über restaurant guide Zagat really liked our "Curious George Never Dines Without Consulting His Zagat" window: we won first place in their promotional contest and they're treating our whole staff to a delicious evening meal! Now, the only trouble is deciding on which illustrious establishment to have said delicious evening meal. If you see a large, rowdy crowd of your favorite booksellers out in Cambridge in the next few weeks, come say hello!

I sneaked a peek at the Nickelodeon Parents' Picks... thanks to you, so far we're leading as Best Boston Book Store. There's still 28 days left to vote, so get over there if you haven't yet! We love you, you love us, we love you even more!

I think I've used up my allowance of exclamation points for the day, so take care, until next time.

The Pigeon wants a puppy! Puppy-dog pairings

This morning, cutting across the dog park on the way to the bus stop, I saw an adorable Australian Shepherd who inspired a fit of profound puppy-envy. Apartment living is great for my kitty, but I have a feeling a dog wouldn't be so thrilled by it! I may opt for this little guy:

Luckily, if you too have wanted a puppy "forever -- at least since last Tuesday," the George has lots of puppy plush and books that won't dig holes in the yard, chew on your shoes, or have an "accident" on Grandma's Persian carpet.

The Obamas wanted a puppy! And they got one, but it took a long time and a lot of searching to find the right one. Both Now Hiring: White House Dog by Gina Lehner Bazer and Which Puppy? by Kate Feiffer portray the Obamas' search for the perfect pooch with wit and warmth. Pair either with a Douglas Cuddle Portugese Water Dog and you have a present fit for a First Daughter!


My favorite pet book of all time, Peter McCarty's Hondo and Fabian, features a cat and dog combo which is not to be missed! While their owners take doggie Hondo to the beach -- the "cat's away," so to speak -- kitty Fabian stays at home to "play" with the baby. Their typical pet hijinks are made hilarious by their expressive faces and McCarty's tongue-in-cheek narration: The follow-up to this Caldecott Honor book is Fabian Escapes, in which Fabian has his own day out. While we haven't yet seen any official Hondos or Fabians, our store favorite plush brand Jellycat has some snuggable dudes who'd be happy to read along with you! Their pear-shaped, bottom-heavy bodies make for great comfort-cuddling on grey days and great reading companions any day.

Bookseller Miruna has delcared Russ's "Misty Bichon Frise" the Dog of the Day... every day for several weeks running.

While she knows her son (and store mascot baby) Luca is even more huggable -- and will hug back! -- she wanted me to blog about D.o.t.D. Misty to immortalize his cuteness factor.

One more choice for the puppy-impaired: when you can't have a puppy, at least you can have a...

Staff Picks Hot Out of the Oven

Looking for a book you can know you/your niece/your neighbor/your son's playmate hasn't read yet? Here are the chapter book room staff's favorites of our new titles.

The Forest of Hands and Teeth by Carrie Ryan
Bookseller: Rachel
Genre: fantasy, zombies
Suggested reading level: ages 13 and up

Mary has always lived in the village, where the Sisterhood makes the rules and the Guardians watch the borders. When the Unconsecrated invade, infecting anyone they can catch, Mary must defy what she’s been taught to escape and find the truth. You won’t be able to put this gripping read down!

Thirteenth Child by Patricia C. Wrede
Bookseller: Michelle
Genre: fantasy, twin story
Suggested reading level: ages 12 and up

Eff copes with the stigma of being the 13th child, twin of the seventh son of a seventh son, in the wild frontier of a magical America (“Columbia”) in the 1840s. Like most Wrede novels, there is equal adventure, reimagined mythological creatures (steam dragons!), exciting plot twists, and coming-of-age revelations. I look forward to the rest of the Frontier Magic series, but it stands quite well on its own.

The Anatomy of Wings by Karen Foxlee
Bookseller: Katie
Genre: contemporary realistic fiction, family tragedy
Suggested reading level: ages 15 and up

Jennifer might understand how her older sister Beth died, but she doesn’t understand why. Jennifer’s story alternates between the present and the past, and her narrative with her family members’ and neighbors’ perspectives, as she tries to uncover the truth of Beth’s final months from a few unlikely clues.

Marcelo in the Real World by Francisco Stork
Bookseller: Michelle
Genre: realistic fiction; for fans of Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time
Suggested reading level: ages 12 and up

This summer, Marcelo wants to continue living in his tree house and work with the ponies at his school, but his father wants him to experience the “real world” by working in his law firm – and our unique hero learns more than either of them bargained for. (Fun local fact: It’s set in Boston!)

If I Stay by Gayle Forman
Bookseller: Rachel
Genre: fantastic reality, tragedy
Suggested reading level: ages 13 and up

Mia must choose between Julliard and her devoted boyfriend, until her parents are killed in a brutal car crash that leaves Mia critically injured. Ejected from her body, Mia's consciousness watches her loved ones keep vigil, now faced with a choice between dying or having the courage to live.

What Rachel Wants to Buy This Week - Episode 11

I'm getting back in touch with my own childhood this week, with two awesome new takes on classic toys that I loved.

Picnic Basket Fill & Spill by Melissa and Doug
$21.95
Located in the Baby Room

My mom is fond of telling people that my favorite toy for the first bunch of years of my life was the good old Balls in a Bowl (Fisher Price, I think). It's so old that it's not immediately findable online, to my surprise. Anyway, the point is that I've always enjoyed spilling little things out of big containers, which is half the reason why this picnic basket is so appealing. What's the other half of the reason, you ask? The food has FACES! It just doesn't get cuter than a fuzzy bottle of grape soda that smiles at you when you dump it on the floor. I'm sure every toddler out there will agree with me on that one.


Pandabo by HaPe International
$16.95
Located downstairs in the Chapter Book Room

Pandabo is all about balance and simplicity--you take one wobbly panda, a pile of bamboo sticks, a die that tells you how many to stack on your turn, and you wind up with a really fun stacking game that resembles Jenga in reverse. The part that clinches it for me with Pandabo, though, is that it's 100% natural bamboo, and includes a little booklet with info on bamboo plants and the UNESCO international toy workshop which produced Pandabo's design. This game would make a great gift for green-conscious families, and comes in an attractive tube with a carrying handle.

See you next time for another episode!