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.) |
| Did you know? |
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The online store has hit several bumps over the past few months but now everything is in working order.
- Go to www.bookmouse.indiebound.com
- Click on 'My Account'
- Click on 'Create New Account'
- 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
Don't you love this great weather for reading? I just finished filling the birdfeeders and putting out a couple of old apples and some corn for the squirrels and deer. We're due to get a bit more snow this week but there's hope. The crocuses are up in Washington Park.
It was a nice break to spend 4 days at the booksellers meeting in San Jose, CA last month. (You'll see a few photos from the trip later in this newsletter.) All the buzz at the meeting was about the major developments in e-reading. Many booksellers, including ourselves, are selling e-books on our web sites. Though the number of avid readers who use e-readers like the Nook, Kindle, I-Pod, etc. are still just 8% of the total readers it is a growing group. As schools and libraries look at supplying their students and patrons with e-readers it will start to accelerate the numbers of people using e-readers. (Can dogs eat e-readers?)
The American Booksellers Association is working hard to prevent a monopoly in the e-reader field. If this occurs with Amazon and their Kindle it looks dim for the booksellers and publishers. While booksellers gathered in San Jose publishers like Macmillan went toe to toe with Amazon trying to protect their authors and employees by demanding the right to set the "safety net" price for their books so they aren't crushed by the big boxers (both digital and store fronts) who are using books as loss leaders. Pushing back, Amazon removed the "Buy" button from all of the Macmillan books. It was called the Amazon hissyfit. What if Amazon decides it only wants to sell Libertarian books or decides to eliminate all books with a mouse as the main character(!)? It does have some 1984ish overtones. We were all heartened by the announcement of the availability of the Apple I-Pad. The I-Pad will be out in a few weeks and Apple estimates they will have more than 12 million sold by the end of 2011. With Apple in the game it keeps the competitive door open for all e-book sellers.
Books are different. A free market, with no one body controlling what is or is not published and distributed, is worth fighting for. All these titans of industry will fight the big battles and we independent booksellers will adapt but also try to maintain what is special about a hometown bookstore. We want to be a comfortable and welcoming place to gather and browse a broad selection of books, staffed by well-informed readers and with a cute furry animal or two bopping around. We thank you for your support of the Book Mouse.
Eileen Fesco
Book Mouse Owner
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| Special Events |
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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.
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'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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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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| Notable New Releases |
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(FC- fiction and NF - Non-fiction)
MARCH 2nd
- The Pacific by Hugh Ambrose
(The Book Mouse will have signed copies of this book available to the first 6 customers who contact us. Call 815-433-7323 to reserve your copy.)
 House Rules by Jodi Picoult (FC)
 The Cross Gardener by Jason F. Wright
Mourning the tragic and sudden loss of his wife and unborn child, John meets a man touching up the white paint on the cross at the accident scene, and his conversations and travels with the mysterious man change his life. For those readers who enjoyed The Shack by William Young.
MARCH 9th
- The Story of Stuff: How Our Obsession with Stuff Is Trashing the Planet, Our Communities, and Our Health-and a Vision for Change by Annie Leonard (NF)
- Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang by Chelsea Handler (NF) Cover your kid's ears, Chelsea is baaaack.
 - Every day in Tuscany by Frances Mayes
More stories from warm, delicious, bella Tuscany. (NF)
- The Weed That Strings the Hangman's Bag by Alan Bradley
The inimitable Flavia de Luce returns. (FC)
March 16
- The Long Way Home: An Immigrant Generation and the Crucible of War by
 David Laskin
Author of The Childrens' Blizzard, Laskin covers here the experience 12 European immigrants from childhood to Ellis Island through WWI. (NF)
- Capitol Betrayal by William Bernhardt (FC)
Political thriller to warm us up.
- The Spellmans Strike Again by Lisa Lutz (FC)
The Spellman's saga winds up. Is there a dentist in the picture?
March 23
- Bite Me: A Love Story by Christopher Moore (FC)
Who can stop the vampire cat?
- Annual Pet Project Cutest Pet Contest
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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 |
Drive: The Surprising Truth About What Motivates Us
by Daniel H. Pink
The novels I carefully selected to read on the plane to the booksellers meeting in San Jose ended up in my suitcase which was stowed in the belly of the plane. So, at a book store in the Midway terminal I bought Drive by Daniel Pink. He was to be the keynote speaker at our meeting. Usually more of a fiction reader, I tend keep up on business trends by reading trade publications and bookselling web sites. But, with the prospect of 4+ hours of uninterrupted reading I figured this would be the perfect opportunity to read a page-learner rather than a page-turner. (Yes, I was expecting Mr. Pink's book to be a tad dry.) Well, I was pleasantly challenged by his book right from the start. He presents some very provocactive arguments for putting aside the traditional practices we use to motivate employees/students/family and look at what the science has been showing us for the past 40 years. With one fascinating example after another he very persuasively presents his ideas of true motivators---autonomy, mastery and purpose. I believe any organization would find this to be very instructive book.
Daniel H. Pink is the author of several bestselling books about the changing world of work. His articles on business and technology appear in many publications, including the New York Times, Harvard Business Review, Fast Company, and Wired, where he is a contributing editor. He has provided analysis of business trends on CNN, CNBC, ABC, NPR, and other networks in the U.S. and abroad.
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| Eileen's Pick |
Buyology: Truth and Lies About Why We Buy
by Martin Lindstrom
On the return trip I decided to skim through a book we just got in the store titled Buyology by Martin Lindstrom. In the noble profession of bookselling one likes to focus on enjoying and sharing wonderful "reads" but when it comes right down to it we are not only book lovers we are saleswomen and men. If you can't sell books you will not be in the book business for very long --- library science, perhaps, but not book selling. I figured, especially since I do not have a marketing department, that I should take a little time and read up on the latest in marketing theory. If you are interested in a rather scary book on what motivates people to buy stuff this is your read. The author used MRI technology to examine why people do the things they do. He quickly debunks the notion that consumer survey responses are an accurate reflection of future actions. Our subconscious, illustrated as activity in different parts of our brain, is a much more precise indicator of what we are "really thinking". He describes study after study that chillingly shows us what are our "buy drivers". To get a glimpse into this whole 1984ish school of mind manipulation, you could start with this slim work by Martin Lindstrom.
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| Maria's Pick |
Numbers
by Rachel Ward
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10102001. That's Jem's mother's number. Jem saw it whenever she  looked into her mother's eyes, but it wasn't until four years after the woman's fatal heroin overdose when Jem was 11 that she realized that the number was the date her mother would die. It's not just that number that the teen sees-she knows when everyone will die by looking into their eyes. Isolating herself from the rest of humanity seems to be the only solution until Spider, a freakishly tall, twitchy mess of a boy, refuses to leave her alone. In spite of the fact that she knows his death date is only months away, she can't resist his overtures of friendship. One afternoon, while ditching school, they head for the London Eye tourist attraction. When Jem realizes that several people standing in line are fated to die that very day, she panics and takes off. Newspapers and television pick up the story, and Jem and Spider, targeted as the terrorists responsible for destroying the Eye, or at the very least, witnesses. They then go on the run in a stolen car.
Ward's debut novel is gritty, bold, and utterly unique. Jem's isolation and pain, hidden beneath a veneer of toughness, are palpable, and the ending is a real shocker.
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| Rachel K's Pick |
Bell Jar
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by Sylvia Plath
Ester Greenwood is a college girl with, what she thinks, a promising future. Her whole life consisted of straight A's--a strict diet for studying and achieving. Her social life is uneventful and dull. When Ester wins an internship in New York for a well- known magazine, she quickly realizes she is much different from all the other contestants. She feels detached and inadequate. She's not as smart as all the other girls. Her experience with men is minimal to say the least--a weakness realized by a boy she thought she loved. Along with all the social awkwardness, Ester begins to suffer from insomnia and depression which only worsens when she is not accepted into a very remote writing class. When her internship ends she spends her days with her mother. Ester begins feel that everyday activities such as getting dressed is meaningless. Soon her she finds herself undergoing electric shock therapy which leads to events which spiral her even deeper into the confines of her bell jar. What is her bell jar? Will she lose her insanity forever or will is she still able to find hope in such an unforgiving world?
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| Rachel K's Pick |
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by Joe Peacock
Joe Peacock is a normal guy, but the events of his life always seem to  spiral out of control. His birthday's are usually spent in hospitals or in deep seclusion from the chaos that ensues him. If he happens to feel adventurous something is bound to burn down or die. Mentally Incontinent is a very funny, witty book. I laughed at every essay. It was such a quick read. This book is not for readers who like soft spoken words or clean humor. Joe Peacock is profane but his stories are told almost in a way that your sitting with him and a bunch of friends. He is one of the guys who happens to tell great stories. This book is perfect for the David Sedaris fan or just for a good laugh.
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| Josh's Pick |
The Stranger
by Max Frei |
Max Frei is a bestselling author in Russia. His book is truly enchanting. It starts off with one Max who can only fall asleep during the day. As he describes how this hurts any chances of an early successful life "due to the fact that all the luck gets handed out when he is finally going to sleep." That was until the day Max met a Sir Juffin Hully in his dreams. Then the lines get blurred and Max begins living a dream world as none other than Sir Max the Nocturnal Representative. Going on adventures against man and mirror alike, Sir Max turns into quite the barbarous detective and quickly rumors spread about his greatness. All too good to be real... right?
Max Frei paints a vivid picture and then throws you into it. The Stranger mus- read fantasy book this year.
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| Wahku's Pick |
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The Rules of Survival
by Nancy Werlin
"Everybody seems to agree that the instinct and responsibility of all  humans is to take care of themselves first," writes Matt to his youngest sister Emmy. She is only nine and too young to know the whole story of the physical and mental abuse their mother, Nikki, has put them through. He wonders, though, if Emmy needs to know everything - even the time Nikki kidnapped Emmy. Murdoch McIlvane, one of Nikki's many boyfriends, offers the children a glimmer of hope that someone else cares about their survival, but Nikki scares him away. This book is not as graphic or as hard to read as A Child Called It, but this National Book Award Finalist ultimately should inspire all of us to overcome our everyday obstacles and open our eyes to the lives many children are forced to endure at the hands of people who are supposed to protect them. The good news, as Matt reminds us, is that "the survivor gets to tell the story."
I highly recommend this book for mature young adults and "tall people" alike.
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| Liz's Pick |
The Indian in the Cupboard
by Lynne Reid Banks |
This book is a very nice book to read. It is about a boy who can bring figurines to life with the magic cupboard he gets for his birthday. I thought this book was very interesting as the boy found out about the cupboards magic. I recommend this book to anyone who likes a good story!
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| Rachel H's Pick |
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In a Heartbeat
by Loretta Andrews
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In a Heartbeat, by Loretta Andrews, was an amazing book. It was given to me as a new unknown book that I could read and review and I read it all in one sitting. The story is told by Eagan and Amelia, two teenage girls connected by life and death. Eagan is a young up-and-coming figure skater with a promising future ahead of her. However, her charmed life hides a rift with her mother, whose skating dreams never came to pass. Amelia is a young girl who has been very sick for six years. Without a heart transplant, she will die within three months. When Eagan enters the rink for her competition, she does not know that a small mistake in her program will cost her her life. When Amelia enters the hospital for her transplant, she does not know that before long she will have an interest in skating, an interest that came with her new heart, Eagan's heart.
The two different narratives make this story impossible to put down. I recommend this book to everyone who has a heart. back to top pick |
| It Happened at the Book Mouse! |
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The OHS Drama Club was featured at the Fourth Annual Dr. Seussathon under the direction of Rachel Hettrick. They performed a few songs from Seussical, the Musical.
Dr. Seussathon (Check April's newsletter for photos)
Don't forget St. Patrick's Day is 3/17!
Chuck Spets "Lets hope we have seen the last of the harsh winter."
Our trip to the Booksellers Meeting in San Jose, CA.
Rachel and I took a road trip to San Francisco and took in the sights at Fisheman's Wharf and Chinatown. It was Rachel's first time seeing an ocean (well, pretty close) and the first time to a Chinese restaurant. The sea gull is lucky to be alive. It almost flew off with my chocolate chip cookie. It was quick but I was quicker!
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Ongoing 
Events |
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March 15
- At 6 p.m. Dead in the Dead of Winter talks.
March 20
- Jenniffer Chiaverini 10 a.m. at Zion Lutheran Church. co-sponsored by the Illinois Valley Quilt Guild. Tickets are available at the store.
March 20
- Toddler Time, 10:30 - 11 a.m.
April 6
- Dinner Talk with Sylvia Shults, Location TBA. Tickets will soon be available at the store. She'll discuss her book, Ghosts of the Illinois River.
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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!
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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 Ariel Pellett.
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