820 LaSalle St.
Ottawa, IL
(815) 433-7323
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The Book Mouse Crew
(from
left) Rachel Kwit, Jan Hartman, owner Eileen Fesco, Josh Margowski,
Rachel Hettrick, and Maria Granados. (Missing from this picture are
Becca Bornac, Liz Bandstra, and Wahku Ragan.)
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Tales from the Front Counter
Next
week Rachel Kwit and I will be meeting with 500 booksellers in sunny
(What!) San Jose, California. It's the annual booksellers' Winter
Institute --three days of classes on everything from e-books to
buy-local movements. We'll hear the latest from the publishers on
wonderful new authors and books. (Is the Ape House
from Sarah Gruen really coming out this fall? Stephenie: Is Edward's
book coming out soonest?) It's a great opportunity to hear from other
booksellers on what's happening around the country. (Rachel has never
seen an ocean, so we hope to take CALtrain to Fisherman's Wharf.) I'll
fill you in on what's going on in the book biz in next month's
newsletter.
Okay, I promised to list in this newsletter my top
picks for book clubbers and other book lovers. These books will be hot
all during the cold months of winter and early spring. If you don't read
them you'll hear about them from so many friends that you'll soon be in
the store (or library) asking for them. Here they are in no particular
order:
The Girl Who Fell to Earth by Heidi W. Durrow (Another winner from Algonquin, home of Water for Elephants author, Sarah Gruen; This is the 2009 Bellweather Prize winner. )
Leisure Seeker by Michael Zandoorian (This will be huge in paper; due out in Feb.! See my review in the last March's newsletter at www.bookmouse.org)
A Reliable Wife
by Robert Goolrick (A wealthy, lonely, Wisconsin man advertises for a
wife and what a blizzard of emotions and plot twists ensue after her
arrival. Great book. It keeps selling out nationwide.)
Physick Book of Deliverance Dane
by Katherine Howe (A modern day Salem witch story by a descendant of
Salem "witches". Great debut novel. See my review in the June
newsletter.)
The Help by Kathryn Stockett (February WCMY1430 Book Club pick.)
The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister (Attention Foodies - a cooking school novel. Perfect vacation or snowy day reading.)
Little Bee by Clive Barker (Out in paper this month. Two strong women. One devastating choice.)
Let the Great World Spin
by Colum McCann (Intertwined stories of New York residents tied
together by the daring tightrope walk of Phillipe Petit between the
World Trade Center Towers. Touching, compelling and, nationwide
bestselling.)
What are you planning on reading over the next few months?
Read On!
Eileen Fesco
Book Mouse Owner
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Special
Events |
 
Annual Pet Project Cutest Pet Contest
February 13, 2010
More details coming soon to our website
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Mondays at the Mouse:
The Dead in the Dead of Winter
With all the undead in the media it's hard
to ignore such a prevailing topic. Starting Monday, February 15th at 6
p.m. and going until March 15th the Book Mouse will be hosting various
one-hour-long events to get you acquainted with the droves of dead.
February 15 -- A Live Mortician!
Nelson Nussbaum from the Ottawa Funeral Home
will discuss all things mortuary, i.e., the preparation of the dead. In
the future we will take a field trip to the Ottawa Funeral Home.
February 22 -- Writing about Zombies
Itching to tell a story about your brush with
the undead? We're bringing back an expert and an author, David
Youngquist, to discuss the practical applications of zombies in
storytelling.
March 1 -- Zombie Plans
Everyone needs one when the teething masses
of zombies crawl out of the woodwork. It's okay if you don't have one
though because even the best plans can go wrong. That's why we're
bringing in a military expert to discuss basic military survival and
what our nation can do for you if such an outbreak occurs.
March 8 -- Night of the Quiz
Maria and Josh at the Book Mouse have
assembled an A-List of questions about the undead. Test your knowledge
against others in a free-for-all trivia night. Prizes will be given to
the top three competitors. On top of that we will be hosting a live web
chat with Max Brooks and Richelle Mead!
March 15 -- Vampire Books
Maria will be hosting a group discussion on
all the latest on hottest titles dealing with vampires. Young Adult
author, Elizabeth McDonald, will be our special guest. She has written a
series of books on vampires and zombies.
We will meet every Monday at 6 p.m.
from February 15th through March 15th.
We'll see you there . . . if you dare!
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In the meantime, you can get your paranormal fix
by continuing to meet with this fun and popular group:
The Paranormal Odyssey series was so popular the
attendees have decided to keep meeting. The next meeting will be on
February 5th at 6:30 p.m. at a new location: 925 Ottawa Ave. The group
plans on meeting monthly on the first Friday of each month at 6:30 p.m.
and same location. For more information contact Kelly Meagher
at 815-257-5067 or David Youngquist at davidystep@hotmail.com.
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Who loves Dr. Seuss?  We do!
Mark your calendars for the
Fourth Annual Dr. Seuss-athon
Saturday, March 6
1-3 p.m.
Remember to check our website for
up to the moment information!
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ILLINOIS VALLEY QUILT GUILD AND THE BOOK MOUSE PRESENT
JENNIFER CHIAVERINI
AUTHOR OF THE ELM CREEK QUILT SERIES
March 20, 2010
Tickets available at the Book Mouse and online at
www.illinoisvalleyquiltguild.com
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Fear not!
Due to our recent winter weather, children's authors
Julia Durango, Carolyn Crimi and Andrea Beatty
- a.k.a. Three Silly Chicks -
had to reschedule their visit to the Book Mouse.
Please join us on
Saturday, May 8th from 10 a.m. to noon
for fun and giggles
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| Did you know? |
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The Heritage River Writers Poetry Group began in early 2006 as an
off-shoot of the Reddick's Library Writers Café. After that disbanded,
several of us poetry writers decided we'd meet as a group. In 2008, we
had our very first reading at Starved Rock, with 6 members reading
original poetry. That first group included a midget car racer, a Harley
rider, an NBC Emmy award winner, a published author, an educator, and a
college student! We've met on a regular basis ever since and have read
at various locations in additon to Starved Rock, including Common
Grounds, Reddick Library, and The Book Mouse. Recently we went as a
group to hear the poet laureate of Illinois speak. Currently we meet at
6:30pm on the last Wednesday of the month, at The Book Mouse. Please
feel free to join us or contact us for more information.
-Josh
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| Notable New Releases |
| (Rather
than just listing titles as we have done in the past, we are providing a
brief description of these titles. It does make the newsletter a tad
lengthier, so in future newsletters we will direct you to the website
for these descriptions. Enjoy!)
Here's a list of hot new releases due out late January and February. Call the store today to reserve your copy!
Jan. 29 The School of Essential Ingredients by Erica Bauermeister
 The School of Essential Ingredients
follows the lives of eight students who gather in Lillian's Restaurant
every Monday night for cooking class. It soon becomes clear, however,
that each one seeks a recipe for something beyond the kitchen. Students
include Claire, a young mother struggling with the demands of her
family; Antonia, an Italian kitchen designer learning to adapt to life
in America; and Tom, a widower mourning the loss of his wife to breast
cancer. Chef Lillian, a woman whose connection with food is both soulful
and exacting, helps them to create dishes whose flavor and techniques
expand beyond the restaurant and into the secret corners of her
students' lives. (If you love the Food Network, you'll love this
book.) $15.00
Feb. 1 Secrets of Eden by Chris Bohjalian
 From the bestselling author of The Double Bind, Midwives, and Skeletons at the Feast comes a novel of shattered faith, intimate secrets, and the delicate nature of sacrifice.
"There," says Alice Hayward to Reverend Stephen Drew, just after her
baptism, and just before going home to the husband who will kill her
that evening and then shoot himself. Drew, tortured by the cryptic
finality of that short utterance, feels his faith in God slipping away
and is saved from despair only by a meeting with Heather Laurent, the
author of wildly successful, inspirational books about . . . angels.
Secrets of Eden
is both a haunting literary thriller and a deeply evocative testament
to the inner complexities that mark all of our lives. Once again Chris
Bohjalian has given us a riveting page-turner in which nothing is
precisely what it seems. As one character remarks, "Believe no one.
Trust no one. Assume all of our stories are suspect." $25.00
Feb. 1 Shadow Tag by Louise Erdrich
When Irene America discovers that her husband, Gil, has been reading
her diary, she begins a secret Blue Notebook, stashed securely in a
safe-deposit box. There she records the truth about her life and her
marriage, while turning her Red Diary-hidden where Gil will find it-into
a manipulative farce. Alternating between these two records,
complemented by unflinching third-person narration, Shadow Tag is an eerily gripping read.
As her home increasingly becomes a place of violence and secrets, and
she drifts into alcoholism, Irene moves to end her marriage. But her
attachment to Gil is filled with shadowy need and delicious ironies. In
brilliantly controlled prose, Shadow Tag fearlessly explores
the complex nature of love, the fluid boundaries of identity, and one
family's struggle for survival and redemption. This is an intense and
heart-wrenching story of a troubled marriage and a family in
disarray-and a radical departure from Erdrich's previous acclaimed
work. $25.99
Feb. 1 Worst Case by James Patterson
Detective Michael Bennett, a kidnapping, New York City, love interest?;
another non-stop thriller from Patterson. $27.99
Feb. 1 Making the Rounds with Oscar: The Extraordinary Gift of an Ordinary Cat by Dr. David Dosa
Making Rounds with Oscar is the story of an
unusual cat, the patients he serves, their caregivers, and of one doctor
who learns how to listen. Heartfelt, inspiring, and full of the humor
and pathos, this book allows readers to take a walk into a world rarely
seen from the outside, a world we often misunderstand. $23.99
Feb. 9 Leisure Seeker by Michael Zandorian (Eileen's staff pick in hard cover last March)
Ella is dying of cancer and her husband of 50 years
has Alzheimer's. Before the end comes, Ella loads up their RV,
"Leisure Seeker," and with John at the wheel they head out of Detroit
toward Route 66 for one last grand road trip to Disneyland. Against
doctors' orders and without consulting their family, Ella has decided
that it's better to go out strong than to stay and be prodded, scanned
and needled to death. With her little blue pills to take away the
"discomfort" and the slide carousels to enjoy with John in the evenings,
they roam the great frontage road of America. John's precious moments
of clarity during the trip are treasures to both Ella and the reader.
You'll fall in love with feisty Ella and her observations on love, loss
and a life well-lived. $13.99
Feb. 9 A Dark Matter by Peter Straub
The master of horror and suspense returns with a terrifying tome that will keep you tossing and turning. $26.95
Feb. 9 The Postmistress by Sarah Blake (see Eileen's Staff Pick this month)
Feb. 16 Little Bee by Chris Cleave 
On
the dust jacket of this marvelous book one is warned not to share the
details of the story with someone who has not read the book but to tell
them it is a must-read. The skinny-it is about two strong women, one of
whom makes a difficult decision. I look forward to reading Incendiary by this same author. $14.00
Feb. 16 The Girl Who Fell From the Sky by Heidi W. Durrow
The winner of the Bellweather Prize for best fiction manuscript
addressing issues of social justice. This debut novel tells the story of
Rachel, the daughter of a Danish mother and a black G.I., who becomes
the sole survivor of a family tragedy. With her strict African-American
grandmother as her new guardian, Rachel moves to a mostly black
community, where her light brown skin, blue eyes, and beauty bring mixed
attention her way. Growing up in the 1980s, she learns to swallow her
overwhelming grief and confronts her identity as a bi-racial young woman
in a world that wants to see her as either black or white.
$22.95
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Special Notice: The Pacific by Hugh Ambrose
is due out March 2. Book Mouse is getting a
limited number of signed copies of this book.
Call 815-433-7323 to reserve your copy.
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In this companion to the HBO miniseries-executive
produced by Tom Hanks, Steven Spielberg, and Gary Goetzman-Hugh Ambrose
reveals the intertwined odysseys of four U.S. Marines and a U.S. Navy
carrier pilot during World War II.
Between America's retreat
from China in late November 1941 and the moment General MacArthur's
airplane touched down on the Japanese mainland in August of 1945, five
men connected by happenstance fought the key battles of the war against
Japan. From the debacle in Bataan, to the miracle at Midway and the
relentless vortex of Guadalcanal, their solemn oaths to their country
later led one to the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot and the others to the
coral strongholds of Peleliu, the black terraces of Iwo Jima and the
killing fields of Okinawa, until at last the survivors enjoyed a
triumphant, yet uneasy, return home.
 In
The Pacific, Hugh Ambrose focuses on the real-life stories of the five
men who put their lives on the line for our country. To deepen the story
revealed in the miniseries and go beyond it, the book dares to chart a
great ocean of enmity known as The Pacific and the brave men who fought.
Some considered war a profession, others enlisted as citizen soldiers.
Each man served in a different part of the war, but their respective
duties required every ounce of their courage and their strength to
defeat an enemy who preferred suicide to surrender. The medals for valor
which were pinned on three of them came at a shocking price-a price
paid in full by all. $35.00
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 Turning the Pages
Here's what our staff are reading.
Select one of these staff favorites and receive 20% off your purchase. |
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| Eileen's Pick |
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by Sarah Blake |
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It's 1940 and the USA is seeking to avoid involvement in the war in
Europe. In London, radio gal reporter, Frankie Bard, is working with
Edward R. Murrow reporting on the blitz and the round-up of the Jewish
people. She is trying to get the world to pay attention. Meanwhile, in
small town off the coast of Massachusetts, Frank scans the waters for
German U-boats, newlywed Emma waits for husband to return from London
and the town's postmistress, Iris, fails to deliver a letter. With
parallels to today's world, this story grabs you with the first
sentence.
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| Eileen's Pick |
by Noah Boyd
The Bricklayer
is a heart-pounding new entrant to the classic thriller market. Steve
Vail was the go-to-guy for all the toughest of FBI cases until he was
let go. Retired and working as a mason, he's called upon to come back
to the Bureau to deal with an unstoppable killing machine and an
unsolvable case. If you love a great puzzle, an enigmatic hero and
horrific killing this is your book. Great debut. Noah Boyd is a
20-year veteran of the FBI and he presently works on cold cases. He's
the real deal.
back to top pick |
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| Maria's Pick |
| Forever . . .
by Judy Blume |
There's a first for everything. When you build up something in
your mind -- really imagine it, wish for it -- sometimes, when it
actually happens, it doesn't live up to your expectations. True love is
nothing like that. Especially not for Katherine and Michael, who can't
get enough of each other. Their relationship is unique: sincere,
intense, and fun all at the same time. Although they haven't been
together all that long, they know it's serious. A whole world opens up
as young passion and sexuality bloom. But it's senior year of high
school, and there are big changes ahead. Michael and Katherine are
destined for another big "first": a decision. Is this the love of a
lifetime, or the very beginning of a lifetime of love?
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| Rachel K's Pick |
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by Justine Larbalestier |
Micah is a newcomer to her high school in New York. She's not
the average girl painted in makeup bubbling with personality. In fact,
she resembles more of a boy. So much so that the other students believe
she is in fact a boy. She says no different while leaving other untruths
unanswered. Micah is a liar. That is her talent; her escape in life.
When her secret boyfriend is murdered, no one believes she had nothing
to do with it. Micah says she is writing her story honestly, but readers
soon find that her web of lies has left her with out any concept of
truth.
Readers may find this book predictable, but others may appreciate the character's twisted delusional mind. Liar is a different story with some compelling original thought.
back to top pick
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| Josh's Pick |
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by John Connolly |
You know that large hadron collider they have over in Europe?
The one that could bring about the destruction of the world? Well it
just so happens that it didn't create a black hole per se, but rather a
portal. A portal that leads straight to Hell! That's right, and it's
up to a boy and his dog to stop the gates from opening and releasing the
foulest, darkest, evilest being in the universe, from a not so nice
place.
Written in a unique style, I describe this book as written by a
hyper-intelligent 12 year-old with A.D.D. A very fun read filled with
lots of interesting facts and trivia. This is sure to be a book both
kids and adults can sink their teeth into.
back to top pick
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| Wahku's Pick |
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Boys, Girls and Other Hazardous Materials
by Rosalind Wiseman |
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I picked up this book because I couldn't resist the title. I stayed up
until 12:30 on a school night because I couldn't resist the characters.
As a middle school teacher, I appreciated the realistic situations the
students got themselves into. I ached with Charlie as she tries to
confide in teachers who seem to worry more about their own popularity
than their students' well-being. Wiseman wrote Queen Been & Wannabees, which was the basis for the movie Mean Girls.
In this novel, she shows us that girls are not the only ones that
teenagers need to worry about . . . there are a whole lot of hazards in
life.
back to top pick
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| Liz's Pick |
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Where the Sidewalk Ends
by Shel Silverstein |
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I chose Where the Sidewalk Ends because I love to read poems. My
favorite poem in the book is "Where the Sidewalk Ends" because it's a
good poem and I like the way it rhymes. I would recommend this book to
anyone who loves poetry because Shel Silverstein is a superb poet.
back to top pick
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| Becca's Pick |
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Flowers in the Attic
by V. C. Andrews |
When the Dollangager's father passes away Chris, Cathy, Cory,
and Carrie are forced to live in their grandmother's attic while their
mother tries to figure out what to do without her husband. The
children's grandmother, who is caring for them, is very strict and
punishes them for almost anything. They are not allowed to step foot
outside and as they grow older they realize the seriousness of their
situation, while facing many challenges that are difficult to
overcome. After years in the attic they become desperate to get out of
the attic and will do anything to escape.
I would recommend this book because it is very suspenseful and has an unexpected ending.
back to top pick
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| Rachel H's Pick |
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Of All The Stupid Things
by Alexandra Diaz |
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Of All The Stupid Things is a book about forbidden romance that almost tears apart a friendship. Tara, Whitney, and Pinkey have been friends since as long as they could remember, but when Reilly comes to town that changes as Tara falls for Reilly. Can their friendship survive this? Will anything ever be the same again?
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| It Happened at the Book Mouse! |
 Isn't Sonny Boy a great helper?
These two shoppers were seen in December shopping. I wonder if it
was for someone on their list . . . or if they were working on their own
wish list!?
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Have you seen this hat before? Here is Tom Wilcox modeling a town favorite. Yabba-dabba-doo!
Richard and Duncan Osmund created doggie
treats to sell at the Book Mouse with all the money going to Pet
Project! Thanks for helping out all those animals.
These little carolers were seen and heard
spreading Christmas cheer all around town one cold December day.
Their spirit and smiles sure kept everyone feeling warm.
Weren't the ice sculptures incredible?
Can you guess which was our favorite?!
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Ongoing 
Events |
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WCMY 1430 Book Club
February's Pick is The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Last Tuesday of the month from 9:20-10 a.m.
Toddler Time
Toddlers age 2-5 and their parents are invited for stories and wiggles
3rd Saturday of the month from 10:30-11 a.m.
All players and those who are interested in learning are welcome
2nd & 4th Fridays from 7-10 p.m.
Teen Book Club
Check our website for more information
Heritage River Writers
poetry group
Last Wednesdays at 6:30 p.m.
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| Take Note ! |
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If your not-for-profit organization would like to
host an event in our store, give us a call and let's
chat about it.
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Here's
What 
You
Just Did! |
BY SHOPPING AT AN INDEPENDENT BOOK STORE
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1) You kept dollars in our economy
2) You embraced what makes us unique
3) You created local jobs
4) You helped the environment
5) You nurtured community
6) You conserved tax dollars
7) You created more choice
8) You took advantage of our expertise
9) You invested in entrepreneurship
10) You made us a destination
Thank you!
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Don't see a favorite title on our shelves?
Ordering is easy!
Just call the Book Mouse at
(815) 433-7323
or visit our website at
We always love to hear from you,
so feel free to
This newsletter is produced by the Book Mouse,
Ottawa's independent book store,
and edited by Wahku Ragan.
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