As I’m sure you’ve all been waiting with bated breath about what will take place in our grand Caldecott competition (details about said competition found here)– ladies and gentlemen and other gentlebookcreatures, allow me to introduce who I am sure will be the front runners in this competition. Mirette with her death-defying feats of balance! Sylvester with his death-defying trick of turning into a rock when threatened (but, ah, also being unable to unturn himself back–but that’s irrelevant)! The nameless ox-cart man with absolutely no death-defying feats whatsoever but with solid family values and an excellent work ethic!

Let’s start with brave little Mirette. Mirette on the High Wire won the Caldecott in 1993, just in time for me to dive in and become obsessed with it while I was learning to read. Written and illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully, this beautiful book is about a little girl in France who stumbles across a high-wire walker practicing his art while he is staying at her mother’s inn. Mirette is obsessed. She has to learn how to walk on the wire too! And as you probably have guessed already, she does, and she does it marvelously. I don’t want to give away too much, so suffice it to say, she RULES at the high-wire by the end. So here’s my case for Mirette: she is nimble like a cat, y’all. She’s also a sassy redhead who doesn’t give up, so she’s a fierce competitor. Bring it on Emily Grossenbacher, Queen of Oz. Mirette will crush your contestants.

Next in the ring is the ever-industrious Ox-Cart Man (winner in 1980 and written by Donald Hall and illustrated by the incredible Barbara Cooney). This nameless colonial family man lives off of the land, makes all of the stuff that he uses to live off of the land, then proceeds to sell all of the things that he made and all leftovers of the food from the land he lives off of, and then starts all over again the next year. BAM. I have nothing else to say about this. Wilderness god. If you’re stuck in a bind, stick with this fellow. But ask his wife first– she’s pretty intimidating too.

Lastly but not leastly, Sylvester and that dang magic pebble. Sylvester and the Magic Pebble won the Caldecott for William Steig in 1970, so I can’t play the nostalgia card like I did with Mirette and tell you that this marvelous book was released just as I was beginning my love affair with books. I wasn’t even a twinkle in my father’s eye in 1970 y’all. I’m very young. But being this young has it’s advantages, namely that I still remember how obsessed I was with this book when I was a tiny thing– like three weeks ago. So Sylvester finds this pebble that turns out to be magic and then immediately turns himself into a rock when he sees an angry lion heading his way. What an ass. (Pun intended. I know. I’m sorry.) Sylvester had to stay a rock for quite some time before his parents randomly find the rock that is Sylvester and have a picnic on it, in turn waking up Sylvester and reuniting their family. Sylvester was a tough pick for me because he was really quite dumb, but in the end, William Steig is hilarious and you always want any kind of magic stone or crystal in your corner– it might come in handy later.

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Everybody gird your loins, it’s awards season. Now, before you pish posh me right out of the blogosphere, let me clarify: I am not referring to the star-studded televised awards in which the skimpily dressed (or in some cases, robed in billowing garments of raw meat) win lovely golden figurines. I am instead speaking of the lesser-known but infinitely more edifying youth book awards! Ah yes, the Newbery — spelled with only one stupid ‘r’, forever embarrassing us when we write it out incorrectly in front of other book people — and oh yes, yes yes! The Caldecott. Easier to spell, better to look at, and bucket tons of fun to read, because who are we kidding, you are never too old for a good picture book.

Jon Klassen recently won that hallowed golden sticker with his sparsely written, adorably simple book This Is Not My Hat. How we oohed and ahhed over that book. And then we thought, (and by we, I actually mean Emily, but since I am writing the introductory blog, I shall therefore take credit for all the things ever) “What if all these books had to fight it out?” All these tried and true picture books from the last 75 years, such wonderful stories and pictures- if they had to duke it out who would win? Which would be the one book to rule them all? (and in the darkness bind them….mwa ha ha)

So here’s how it’s going to work. Since we are now looking at 75 years worth of Caldecott winners, we couldn’t realistically throw them all in a ring and watch them fight it out. We’re weeding out the weak. No paperbacks! And no out of print books! Sorry OPs, you’re basically a contestant who has already died. Our condolences. Also, since you may or may not realize this, books are inanimate objects that cannot literally punch or bite each other; therefore, a few Lemurians will be taking on the roles of sponsors, bringing to the front their best contenders.

In a series of four blogs we will choose the winning-est books of them all and determine the fiercest. You think Make Way for Ducklings was cute? Wait till you get a load of Madeline rescuing Genevieve. Oh wait, Where the Wild Things Are is the best book you’ve ever read? Psh, you must have missed the time Sylvester found that magic pebble. Because we will be so heavily invested in our own contestants (I’ll be in the corner with the Ox-Cart Man rubbing his shoulders and preparing him to give the ‘ole haymaker to that Girl Who Loved Wild Horses), we are hoping that you, our esteemed readers, will offer your impartial opinions on who you think the winner should be in the comments for each blog. If you already have a winner in mind, shout it out now –or forever hold your peace.

Bear with me here. If this sounds crazy, that’s because it is. But really, if you are either writing this blog or reading it (and if you are neither of the two then you are MAGIC) then you are a little crazy, and book crazy is the best crazy. What we’re proposing is this: Let’s do it. Let’s actually take that ridiculous question posed by Emily and put it into practice, Catching Fire style. We’ll pit the winners against each other and see who is the one ring–I mean book to rule them all.

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Sarah Nasif is our Random House rep. She recently returned from a trip to the Big Apple, and was willing to share some of what she saw.

Last month I took a trip to the Random House offices in New York and thought it would be fun to share some photos from the trip with my fellow Lemuria shoppers. I don’t get to visit our headquarters very often and am always fascinated when I do, so I want to give you a little behind the scenes peak into where great books are published.

(Photos taken by my co-worker Erin and originally run with captions on my work blog Random Acts of Reading.)

Our office building is right in the heart of Midtown Manhattan, just a half block down from where “The Late Show” films and very close to Times Square. It’s a busy, bustling neighborhood. Because we were in town for such a short visit, we saw a lot of this small area and not much else!

This never ceases to amaze: first editions of every book we’ve published line the walls in the Random House lobby. For book-lovers, it’s pretty much heaven.

While I was in NYC I got to sit in on our Spring 2014 List Launch Meeting.  This is where all of our editors present the books they are working on for future publication.  Usually I am on the phone listening in to the meeting so it was great to hear from the editors in person.  I want to share a few of the books that I’m really excited about, but fair warning that it will be a year before you can find these on the shelves in OZ; luckily all of these authors have great books already in print!

I was excited to see so many awesome picture books on our Spring ‘14 list but one highlight for me was a new book by Il Sung Na, one of my favorite author/illustrators for little ones (click here to read my last post about this author).  His latest picture book for babies, aptly named A Book of Babies, does not disappoint.  The artwork is incredibly adorable and will be another great gift book for new babies.

Carl Hiaasen is always a hit among his kid and adult readers, and he has a new book for middle graders that is titled after and features his infamous reoccurring character, Skink.  Look for this in March of 2014.

One of my favorite books of 2012 was Seraphina, an award winning novel by former bookseller Rachel Hartman, and a great new addition to the fantasy/sci fi genre, so I was thrilled to hear about the second book in the series, schedule for publication in April of 2014.  This is for teens and adults who love stories about strong female characters, dragons and rich fantasy worlds.

If you’re interested in any of these and would like a chance to read an ARC (advanced readers copy), talk to Emily in OZ about their galley program!

Remember that time that I was super obnoxious and kept nagging you guys about coming to events? Well, I’m sticking to my guns on this. Later this week we will be having an event for the release of Melissa Meyer’s book Scarlet (the second in The Lunar Chronicles, a futuristic series that takes on some old school Grimm’s fairy tales). We are so excited about this, and just to show you how much we as Lemurians actually love the books we sell to you, I’ll turn this over to Lizzie so she can tell you about the first fantastic book in Meyer’s series, Cinder. Lizzie is one of our favorite Oz-lings who works so hard side by side with us to bring you guys books that we think you’ll love. (And arguably has the best hair this side of the Mississippi)

As a reader, I know how skeptical a new and unknown book can make you feel. Will it be good? Is it worth my time? And let’s face it, this especially holds true with young-adult novels. I’ll admit it. There are a lot of young-adult novels published that shouldn’t have seen the light of day. I myself  am an incredibly picky reader. I also speak my mind, so you can trust me to give you an honest opinion, with that in mind let’s talk about Cinder by Marissa Meyer.

Hmmm…. Where to begin? I guess I’ll just dive right in and tell you what I think. Cinder. Is. A. Super. Fun. Read. I mean it! It really is. The story definitely sounds a little strange at first. Cinder is a robotic, futuristic Cinderella growing up in New Bejing where a nasty incurable plague is sweeping through the Earth. This first installment in The Lunar Chronicles has everything you expect to see in the Cinderella story: an evil stepmother, a down on her luck orphan, a handsome and charming prince, and of course, a ball. But where Meyer really makes this story have staying power is the addition of the Lunar people. In this new world, people have colonized the moon, except now they consider it the planet Luna. And living up there has changed them in basic ways that really spice up this story and make sure you are never quite sure which way it could go. I’m not saying it’s some great American classic or anything, but it is something that will make you want to curl up on the couch with some blankets and keep reading until you finish. At least, that’s what I did. All because there are no long, boring lulls. Cinder is quick paced, exciting, and easy to read.

Let me guess, right now you’re probably thinking: “Can I trust this random girl I don’t know and listen to her advice? It is her job, after all, as a bookseller to try and make this book sound like something I would want to buy. How can I know that she’s telling me the truth?” Well, guess what, you can. Because if I were just trying to blindly sell you this book I would say something like, “it’s amazing and has great reviews… best book ever”, and blah blah blah. But I’m not.  I’m not going to tell you it’s the best book ever. Cinder won’t bring you to tears or make you question life and its many uncertainties or anything like that. Want to know why? Because that’s NOT WHAT IT’S FOR. It’s not meant to affect you in any deep, personal way, but it will make you laugh and smile. Maybe, even, a little, girlish giggle will escape your lips.

There are a lot of different methods used to pick out a new book. One of my favorite quotes from an unknown author says, “Choosing a book is a lot like finding a date. Sometimes your eyes connect from across the room and there’s an instant spark. Sometimes a friend tells you all about them and sets you up, and sometimes it’s an entirely aesthetic choice that may or may not be a total disaster. Sometimes it’s hard to describe exactly how you ended up hand in hand but there you are.” Cinder is definitely worth a first date. For sure.

And maybe some of you out there have already found this book on your own, or had a friend tell you about it, but for those of you who haven’t read this book yet, please let me be the friend who tells you it’s a really fun book that you should read. Come on. Give it a chance.

And then come meet Marissa Meyer this Thursday, February 7th at 5:00 here at the bookstore. You won’t regret it.

As we have mentioned before, we have these amazing reps from most publishers whose books we sell. Here to comment on some of her favorite books is Sarah Nasif, my wonderfully amazing Random House Children’s Books rep. She will be joining us montly to help us spread the word about children’s books:

Hello Lemuria Bookstore and Oz Blog readers! I’m a book rep for Random House Children’s Books, a Mississippi resident (I live in Vicksburg), a wife and mom, and a regular customer at Lemuria and Oz. I also help run a book blog called Random Acts of Reading with my fellow reps. You can check us out here for author interviews, book buzz and all sorts of cool industry insider stuff. I’m thrilled that Emily has agreed to let me contribute, and I hope that I can help you discover some new favorites along the way!

Today, I want to share what I’ve been reading to my 7 month old daughter, Mia. As you can imagine there is no shortage of books in our house, but we tend to pick a few favorites and read them over and over. While I know the repetition is good for her, I try to switch it up every week or two for my own sake!

One board book that I have been reading to her since she was born and have not gotten tired of yet is A Book of Sleep by Il Sung Na. This sweet bedtime board book explores a variety of animals’ sleep habits and the illustrations are just gorgeous. It is also available in hardcover picture book format if your child has moved past the phase of trying to eat the book rather than read the book, which mine has not! Snow Rabbit Spring Rabbit is another favorite by this author, and it’s just out this month in board book format. Since we don’t get much snow in Mississippi, this book is a great way to introduce your little one to the winter season.

Sandra Boynton is a no brainer when it comes to baby shower gifts and we have a stack of her board books lining our shelves. What’s Wrong, Little Pookie is our new favorite – it makes me laugh every time I read it which sends Mia into fits of giggles. Little Pookie’s mom is trying to figure out what’s bothering him but she just can’t seem to guess right, and by the end Pookie has forgotten!

A fellow rep sent me a copy of one of her family favorites before Mia was born and it has quickly become one of ours. I am a Bunny by Ole Risom, illustrated by Richard Scarry is a classic about nature and the seasons. Its tall skinny size stands out fascinates Mia. She has just started turning the pages which makes her momma proud!