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Book review: 'The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry' by Gabrielle Zevin

8/19/2015

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“You know everything you need to know about a person from the answer to the question, 'What is your favorite book?'"  ― The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry

It's quotes like that one that make The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry so beloved and memorable. Like any good bibliophile, I can't pass up a book about books, but this one is unlike any other I have ever read. 
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I give this book:
★★★★★

The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry introduces you to a grieving (in the form of grumpy) independent bookstore owner named – you got it – A.J. Fikry. After the death of his wife, A.J. has no real interest in doing anything besides working in his store, getting drunk off cheap wine and surviving on microwaveable meals. When one of his most valuable books goes missing, A.J. pretty much gives up hope for a happy ending ... that is, until a small and very surprising gift is left for him in the bookstore and changes his life forever.

With foreshadowing that is so subtle you almost can't notice it, the pages of the book follow A.J.'s life along with a few other key people on Alice Island, including a determined sales rep, a friendly police chief, an adulterous author and more. Like most books that I find myself connected to, this story unfolds much like that of life – one event at a time and somehow also all at once.

Complete with a booklist of it's own, The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry covers a lot of literary ground. Just when you think you know where the story is going – just when your attention is focused on one aspect of the story – author Gabrielle Zevin mixes things up. It is this lifelike unpredictability that  makes the work such a wonder.
While it may seem a bit redundant or obvious, I recommend this book to anyone who loves to read. After all, it's really A.J.'s connection to the written word that draws you into the story and keeps you there –at least it sure did for me.

“The words you can’t find, you borrow. We read to know we’re not alone. We read because we are alone. We read and we are not alone. We are not alone. My life is in these books, he wants to tell her. Read these and know my heart. We are not quite novels. The analogy he is looking for is almost there. We are not quite short stories. At this point, his life is seeming closest to that. In the end, we are collected works.” ― The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry
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Libraries aren't the only ones with summer reading programs

8/5/2015

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It's somehow already August (!?!) and that means the summer is going to be over before we know it! But don't break out the back to school supplies just yet – there's still plenty of time for trips to the beach, weekend getaways and, of course, summer visits to your local library!

It's no secret that summertime is when public libraries shine most. Ask any youth services librarian and they will tell you it's hands down their busiest time of year. Not only do summer reading programs like those offered by libraries decrease the effects of summer slide, they also are a great opportunity for kids (and adults) to foster their love of literacy and win some cool prizes in the process!

Of course, libraries aren't the only ones with some awesome summer reading programs – and there is still time to take advantage of many of them before those trees change from green to brown. Here are a few other neat summer reading programs going on across the nation.

Barnes and Noble Summer Reading Program 2015

This year Barnes & Nobel's Summer Reading Program, "Imagination's Destination," rewards children in grades 1-6 for reading eight books over the summer by giving them another book for free! There is a wide variety of free books to choose from, but hurry up and get reading! This chance to win a free book ends September 7th.
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Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge 2015

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The Scholastic Summer Reading Challenge asks kids to "Power Up and Read" to set a new world reading record! Kids go online to log their reading minutes where they'll also be able to take weekly challenges and earn rewards. The elementary and middle schools who log the most minutes win visits from authors Michael Northrop (Trapped, the TombQuest series) and Varian Johnson (The Great Greene Heist, Saving Maddie), respectively. But don't delay –
this reading challenge ends September 4th.

Sylvan's Book Adventure Reading Program

OK, so this one isn't technically a summer reading program because it goes on all year long – but how great is that?! Book Adventure tests children's reading comprehension by asking them to take quizzes about the books they read. After they've gotten all the questions right on the quiz (one retake is allowed), they'll be awarded points which can be traded in for prizes such as temporary tattoos, a chocolate bar, a free three-month subscription to Highlights and more!
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So what are you waiting for? Pick up a book and get reading today!

Click here to discover more summer reading programs!

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Independent bookstores get present from best-selling author

12/17/2014

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Apparently it's not just Santa Claus who's making a Naughty or Nice list this time of year. Earlier this week, best-selling author James Patterson announced that he's been making one too, but instead of toys, the 81 indie booksellers on his list received $473,000 in donations.

"The extra cash comes courtesy of million-selling author and literary patron James Patterson, who announced Monday that he has given $473,000 to 81 independent sellers around the country in the third round of his campaign to keep local stores in business. Since launching the program a year ago, he has given more than $1 million to 178 sellers. The money is dispersed in response to specific requests, such as a letter from Left Bank that said Patterson's donation would allow the store to 'breathe a huge sigh of relief as we invest the money we make selling books back into our community.'" – The Associated Press 

This donation is the third installment in Patterson’s $1 million #SaveOurBooks campaign aimed toward supporting independent bookstores in 2014.

According to the author's website, he will continue to support indie booksellers in 2015 in addition to championing a new initiative centered on supporting school libraries and inspiring children to become lifelong readers.

"'In terms of my charities' effectiveness, I know that a couple of hundred bookstores, thousands of student teachers, and hundreds of thousands of kids who received books from me in schools are better off for it,'" Patterson said. "'From my point of view, that's hard to beat.'" – The Associated Press

If you are interested in joining Patterson in his honorable quest to #SaveOurBooks please sign the petition and help spread the word on your social media accounts!
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James Patterson, the best-selling author of the Alex Cross series and numerous other thrillers.
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A glance into some of the country's coolest bookstores

11/12/2014

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Have you ever been to a bookstore that just completely blew your mind? I'm not talking about Barnes & Nobel here, folks – I'm talking small, local and independent bookstores.

I recently saw this BuzzFeed Books article called "44 Great American Bookstores Every Book Lover Must Visit," and it got me thinking about some of the most unique and interesting bookstores I've ever been to.

Number one on my personal list of favorites is probably City Lights Books in San Francisco – a bookstore and publishing house that I had the pleasure of visiting for the first time back in September. City Lights is best known for publishing Allen Ginsberg's "Howl" and defending the work against obscenity charges in a high-profile legal case in the '50s. The eclectic bookstore sits across the alley from Vesuvio Café, a bar where high-profile writers such as Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, Dylan Thomas and more used to get drunk and write (sounds like a pretty good time to me)!

Complete with an entire upstairs floor dedicated to poetry alone, City Lights is definitely a must-visit bookstore on the Golden Coast. One of the best things about the store is its attitude – which is so easily reflected in its second-floor windows, as seen in the photo below.
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City Lights Books, located at 261 Columbus Ave. at Broadway in San Francisco. Photo retrieved from Wikipedia.
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Another one of my favorite independent bookstores is much closer to home. NovelTea Bookstore, located located at 5700 6th Ave. in the heart of downtown Kenosha, Wis., combines two of my favorite things: books and tea! 

The small local business offers great deals on used and new books, as well as fresh and delicious looseleaf tea and tea accessories (last time I was there I had an amazing plum oolong, which I highly recommend). Another plus about the shop? You can donate your "unwanted" or already-read books to the store to get a hefty discount off your next purchase! 
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What are some of your favorite bookstores? Share them with me in the comments, on Facebook or on Twitter using #TessaFoxReads. 
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    Author

    Tessa Fox is a 26-year-old Early Literacy Librarian at the Grayslake Area Public Library in Grayslake, Illinois. After working in the journalism and publishing fields, Tessa decided to dedicate her life to books and public librarianship, and went back to school to get her Master's in Library and Information Science from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, where she graduated in December 2016. Tessa has been working in public libraries for the past four years.


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