820 LaSalle St.
Ottawa, IL
(815) 433-7323
Books for All
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These
cuties had on the latest in head coverings---fashionable, functional
and fun. They were looking for presents in the Book Mouse.
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SPECIAL EVENTS
 On Saturday, December 18th, CASA volunteers will be on hand to wrap your gifts for a donation. Support CASA and have them wrap your presents. Such a deal!
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 This
Sunday, December 19th, is 10% Back Day at the Book Mouse. We will
donate donate 10% of everything we make this day to the local chapter of
Easter Seals.
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Did you know you can keep the money in Ottawa rather than sending it to Amazon?
You
can order printed books, audio books and e-books online from the Book
Mouse. You have access to 4.5 million titles from the Book Mouse. The
books can be shipped to you or you can have them shipped to the Book
Mouse.
Go to www.bookmouse.org , Click on My Account, Click on Create New Account, and Fill in all the necessary blanks and click on the button 'Create New Account' at the bottom of the page.
After you
have set up an account you can add any books you see on the website to
your cart. You can also search for unlisted books in the search bar.
When you are ready, proceed to checkout. Fill in all of your necessary
billing and contact information, choose your shipping method, then
submit your order. Viola! You have just purchased a book online and
given your business to the Book Mouse. Quick, fast and convenient!
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Tales from the Front Counter
My
snow man informed me last Saturday that winter had arrived. I love
snow. If it's going to be cold bring on the snow I say.
As
long as people have enough warning to stock up on the basics: milk,
cocoa, cookies and books we booksellers love the inclement weather. You
want something to do if you're going to be cooped up inside
--especially something to occupy the little ones. Bad weather is good
business for the book vendor. So, let it snow, let it snow.
If
you're casting about for a book to read I've listed below a selection of
the top sellers for 2010 (as of Nov 28) from around the independent
bookstores. You can see the complete list of Indie Bestsellers for
2010, including the bestselling children's books, on bookmouse.org.
Fiction (all formats)
1. The Help by Kathryn Stockett
2. All the Stieg Larsson books.
3. Little Bee by Chris Cleave
4. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen
5. Cutting for Stone by A. Verghese
6. The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
7. Squirrel Seeks Chimpmunk by David Sedaris
8. A Reliable Wife by Robert Goolrick
9. The Lacuna by Barbara Kingsolver
10. Half Broke Horses by Jeannette Walls
Nonfiction (all formats)
1. Eat, Pray, Love and Committed by Elizabeth Gilbert
2. The Big Short by Michael Lewis
3. Three Cups of Tea and Stones Into Schools by Greg Mortenson
4. Women, Food and God by Geneen Roth
5. Food Rules by Michael Pollan
6. Mennonite in a Little Black Dress by Rhoda Janzen
7. Game Change by John Heilermann
8. The Glass Castle by Jeannette Walls
9. The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
10. The Lost City of Z by David Grann
Have a blessed, delight-filled and peaceful holiday.
Eileen Fesco
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| Staff Picks (all staff picks are 20% off) |
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Eileen's Picks
Moonlight Mile by Dennis Lehane
Boston PIs Patrick Kenzie and Angie Gennaro are back again in another taut thriller by Dennis Lehane, author of ShutterIsland and MysticRiver.
One critic wrote that one should read this book before it gets made
into a movie. The dialogue is witty, the protagonists are entrancing
and the plot will challenge you to out-guess the PIs as they face
ethical, moral and legal dilemmas. You can read the book that sets up
this story, Gone Baby Gone but you'll be fine starting here.
 Liz's pick
Children Make Terrible Pets
If
you want to read a book that twists things around, you'll like Children
Make Terrible Pets by Peter Brown. Lucy, a little bear, is out in the
woods and comes upon a small boy who only squeaks. She immediately falls
in love with the little one, takes him home, and gets permission from
her mom (with conditions) to keep Squeaker. As you may guess, Lucy
discovers that having a child as a pet is a lot of work. This book has a
happy ending for the boy and leaves you with a spark of hope for Lucy
finding a new pet. The pages are uniquely illustrated with the text made
to look like it is printed on construction paper. I think you'll have
fun reading this delightful story.
Rachel H's Pick
 Cleaving: A Story of Meat, Marriage and Obsession
By the author of Julie and Julia, Cleaving is a good new read. Everyone knows Julie Powell as the woman who cooked her way through Julia Child's book, Mastering the Art of French Cooking.
Now she has to face up to her own problems. She's been unfaithful to
her husband, and her boyfriend has called off their relationship.
Desperate to try her hand at something new, Julie decides to try life as
an apprentice butcher.
Becca's Pick
 Virals by Kathy Reichs
When
Tory moves in with her father on a remote island after her mother dies,
she is content spending time with her fellow "science nerds" and only
friends, Ben, Hi, and Shelton.
But when the gang finds an old dog tag, they are lead to a secret lab
were they are exposed to a special kind of parvovirus that is as
contagious to humans as it is to dogs. They all begin to notice an
extreme heighten in their senses. As the teens search for answers to
what is happening to them, they come face to face with killers who chase
after them. This novel is suspenseful and fun to read since it is told
from the perspective of a teenage girl. At the end, you'll be begging
for the next installment to the Virals series!
Angie's Pick
Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia
This
is the 2nd book in the Caster Chronicles. It picks up right where it
left off with Macoon's funeral. New characters are introduced and new
questions arise. Is Lena turning into a Dark Caster? Why is Ethan able to talk to Lena
threw thought? What part is Ethan's mom playing in his life? These
are just some of the questions that come about during Ethan's journey to
find Lena
after she runs away with a new guy, John, leaving him heart broken.
Does he stay in the boat or jump in the water to save her? You have to
read to find out!
Rachel K's Pick
 The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot
Travel
back in time to the segregated south, to a poor tobacco farmer, wife
and, mother of five kids, Henrietta Lacks. A women who's cells
revolutionized medicine as we know it. Her cells are HeLa. The first
cells ever to be immortal.
This is the sleeper bestseller of 2010. On December 12 it was named as one of the NYT's 2010 top 10 books of the year.
Beau's Pick
 Hero by Mike Lupica
This
is Billy's story. Billy doesn't know it, but his dad was a superhero,
the real kind of superhero. All he knows is that when his dad's plane
crashes, it was no accident, and he will find out what happened. He also
knows that things seem to be changing. This was a good read and I would
recommend to all children, especially boys, who want to get away for a
while. The story is full of adventure, action and has lots of fight
scenes. It also shows the ways Bllly has to grow up and it shows his
growing independence. Billy learns to trust himself and to do what is
right. It's a unique coming of age story, probably the only one with
superheros!
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| A few gift recommendations |
Nature Lovers
- A birdfeeder and food from Home Hardware or Brothers and a backyard bird watching guide.
History Buffs
- New James Sawnson Book Bloody Crimes,
- Mark Twain's Autobiography (we waited 100 years and now Vol. 1 is out)
- Rail Rivals (who was the king of railroading?)
- Any of a few new books on the Korean War, and WWII
New Fiction
We have Shreve, Clancy, Patterson, Parker, Koontz, Cussler, Paretsky, Flagg, Steel, Roberts, Jordan, Sedaris, Picoult, Follett, Franzen, Kingsolver, Beaton, Albert, White, Grisham, King, and , of course, Mr. Larsson
Biography
Keith Richards, Michael
Caine, Carol Brunett, Jane Adams, Russell Brand, Sarah Palin, Kim
Kardashian, Cleopatra, Nora Ephron, Teddy Roosevelt, Lawrence of Arabi,
Knuffle Bunny, Rudolph and Olivia.
Adventure
Ride the big waves,
descend the deepest caves, drink a pint in a pub, or eat pasta on the
palazzo; you can read about K2 climbs, rock falls, fast stallions, and
many kinds of roadtrips, headtrips and side trips for you imagination.
Stocking Stuffers
- new line of incense
- mouse pads
- poetry magnets
- bookmarks
- CDs
- Chatpacks
-Little Lady GaGa book
- funny magnets and buttons.
Let us help you.
We'll wrap your presents and give you a cookie. Smile. You'll skate through this holiday just fine.
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Ongoing 
Events |
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The
first Monday of every month, at 5 p.m. , is Beau's Book Club. It meets
at the store on January 3th. We are asking the boys to make
recommendations for the up-coming couple of months. Please call the
store 815-433-7323 or e-mail us with your suggestions. The club is for
5th-8th grade boys. Call Beau at the Book Mouse for more info at
815-433-7323.
 Every third Saturday is Toddler Time from 10:30 - 11:00 a.m. Nana Jan and Miss Rachel welcome all toddlers ages 2-5. Our Toddler Time theme for the month of December is Christmas and the Grinch will be making an appearance. For January the topic will be mittens and winter.
 The last Tuesday of every month is the WCMY1430 Radio Book Club from 9:15 to 10:00 a.m. December's selection is Christmas in Illinois
by James Ballowe. Lsten in as the Reddick Library's Kathy Clair and
the Book Mouse's Eileen Fesco join radio personalities Jay LeSeure and
Karen Rhodes to discuss the book. Phone in and add your two cents, too.
The
last Wednesday of every month the Heritage River Writers Poetry Group
meets at 6:00 p.m. All poets and aspiring poets are invited to attend.
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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 locally-owned, independent book store,
and edited by Eileen Fesco.
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