Perfectly positioned for Poetry Month and Earth Day, Poetrees is a poetry book, an art book, and a science primer all in one. From the humble seed to the Giant Sequoia there’s sure to be an ode to your favorite forest giant.
PoetreesPoetrees by Douglas Florian, (List Price: $8.99, Beach Lane Books, 9781665957946, April 2024)
Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina
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Just below the canopy built on sticks and stilts, thats where you’ll find treehouse town With sunset lookout towers, nooks for books, and soft willow tree beds treehouse town has something for everyone. Snuggle up, with a sweet story and illustrations that have stories of their own, this one is the perfect read-together.
Treehouse Town by Gideon Sterer, (List Price: $18.99, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 9780316592628, February 2024)
Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Raeford, North Carolina
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OOOh La La! Escargot, the adorable French gastropod, is back for another adventure. Today is Snailentine’s Day, and Escargot is (slowly) on the way to a tres bonne fete with canapés, crudités, dancing, and beautiful cards to exchange with the one who makes you feel magnifique! Silly, fun, and just a little French, Escargot is sure to become a giggle-inducing read-together favorite.
Love, Escargot by Dashka Slater, (List Price: $8.99, Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), 9780374391492, November 2023)
Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina
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Jill McCorkle has a heart the size of her beloved North Carolina and nowhere is that more evident than in the pages of her writing. Old Crimes is a story collection drenched with her perceptiveness of the human condition. Each story is as strong as the one before, telling of past mistakes shaping lives. These are absolutely fulfilling, engrossing, and brilliantly crafted.
Old Crimes by Jill McCorkle, (List Price: $27, Algonquin Books, 9781616209735, January 2024)
Reviewed by Damita Nocton, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina
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Getting a new pet is always a delicate negotiation between the pet want-er and the ultimate pet-care-for-er. This delightful new tail tale from kids nonfiction genius Stacy McAnulty hilariously yet poignantly digs into the how, what, when, and why of pet ownership. Fun for anyone considering adding a furry family member.
I Want 100 Dogs by Stacy McAnulty, (List Price: $17.99, Chronicle Books, 9781797214405, October 2023)
Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina
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You can almost smell the salt marsh in this stunning homage to Gullah culture, father-son love, and Okra. With art reminiscent of Lois Ehlert or Faith Ringold this one is a must for all young southern foodies.
Okra Stew by Natalie Daise, (List Price: 19.99, Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), 9781250849663, October 2023)
Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina
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Gracie Byrne is a has a real way with words, so when she finds a blank journal in the drawer of her new house, of course she writes in it and the result leaves her, well, kind of speechless. The Totally True Story of Gracie Byrne perfectly captures the perplexing world of high school, the complex nature of families, and the giddy delight of basorexia. I learned a few new words, grooved on the 1980’s vibe, and absolutely wish I had been in High School with Gracie Byrne.
The Totally True Story of Gracie Byrne by Shannon Takaoka, (List Price: 19.99, Candlewick, 9781536228786, October 2023)
Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina
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Long gone are the days of perusing encyclopedias for fun random information, but Information Junkies unite! Now we have Stuff Kids Should Know, a spin off from the wildly popular podcast of the same name that provides curious kids a place to discover amazing random information. Stack them up. These make the perfect holiday gift.
Stuff Kids Should Know by Chuck Bryant, (List Price: 19.99, Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), 9781250622440, August 2023)
Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina
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In the end, and in the beginning, all we really have are our stories. In Ghost Boys, Jerome’s story, Sarah’s story, Grandma’s and Kim’s and Emmett’s stories are all one: The story that only the living can make the world better. This story, their story will haunt the reader long long long past the final page. Sure to be a winner this award season, Ghost Boys is an absolute must-read.
Ghost Boys by Jewel Parker Rhodes, (List Price: 7.99, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 9780316262262, September 2019)
Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina
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A July 2023 Read This Next! Book
Beautiful music is in the ear of the beholder and in this stunning picture book from the author/illustrator of LaLa’s words, that ear is a chorus of cats! Both a celebration of music and of new musicians, this one is sure to become a storytime favorite.
When Rubin Plays by Gracey Zhang, (List Price: $18.99, Orchard Books, 9781338648263, July 2023)
Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina
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Ghost stories around the fire are almost requisite activities at most summer camps, but what if you realized that the monsters at your camp were actually your fellow campers? That’s just what happens to Sylvie in this hilarious slightly spooky summer sleepaway tale that’s the perfect read for a long summer night.
Monster Camp by Sarah Henning, (List Price: 17.99, Margaret K. McElderry Books, 9781665930055, May 2023)
Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina
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Frog tongues, dandelion puffs, snowflakes, All wonders of the world. This charming giftable nature guide/storybook encourages readers to slow down and enjoy all the amazing things in the natural world.
Slow Down and Be Here Now by Laura Brand, (List Price: 22.99, Magic Cat, 9781419765971, March 2023)
Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina
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Holly Goldberg Sloan has written the PERFECT beach book. With a little family drama, a handsome stranger who can rewire a crumbling hotel, a recent widow trying to help her three children find their place in the world, resident chickens, a beach ( of course) and a wicked twist that strikes out of the blue, Pieces of Blue begs to be in every beach bag this summer.
Pieces of Blue by Holly Goldberg Sloan, (List Price: 28.99, Flatiron Books, 9781250847300, May 2023)
Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina
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A May 2023 Read This Next! Title
Ziggy is just a regular kid. Well, a regular kid who encounters talking coyotes, singing frogs, prophesying snakes, truth-telling horses, a very interesting Grandma, and Nunnehi- spirits who protect those of Cherokee descent. Funny, sad, wise, and jam-packed with adventure, Ziggy’s story, The Storyteller, may be the very best book you’ll read in 2023.
The Storyteller by Brandon Hobson, (List Price: 17.99, Scholastic Press, 9781338797268, May 2023)
Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina
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Practically Perfect for Poetry month, this pants filled picture book will tickle the funny bone of preschoolers and parents alike!
Animals in Pants by Suzy Levinson, (List Price: 17.99, Cameron Kids, 9781951836627, April 2023)
Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina
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