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BWI’s Best-sellers for Children: by Lori Fennel

Lori Fennel

Juvenile/YA’s post—10/30/09
I am pleased to announce a new list feature: monthly lists of our top-selling juvenile titles. To kick it off, I have posted in the Juvenile Special Topics section of our Bibliographies three ranked-by-quantity lists of our best-selling titles so far this year, in paperback, hardcover and board book. While it may come as a bit of a surprise that an older Fly Guy title, There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed Fly Guy, is at the top of the hardcover list (it does cost only $5.99, so easy to stock up), it’s no surprise to see these series among the rest of the top ten: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Percy Jackson, Fancy Nancy and Elephant and Piggie. Interestingly, Kate DiCamillo’s The Magician’s Elephant is the sole non-series title there. Going forward, my plan is to post lists of top sellers from the past month — it will be fun to see how quickly the titles change.

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Bonnet Romances and the Amish: by Kim Stack

Kim Stack

Adult Fiction post—10/30/09
Ever wish that your life were more straightforward and the pace slower? Do you look around at the complexities of modern day living and wish there were simpler ways to find love in your life? I suspect these wishes prompt the fascination with the Amish and their plain living. Readers with an interest in the “bonnet romance” (a reference to the traditional Plain head covering of the Amish women) enjoy the stories of down-to-earth life and love found within the closed Amish communities or with a forbidden “outsider.” These books can also appeal to the reader who enjoys inspirational romance stories. Beverly Lewis will finish The Seasons of Grace trilogy with The Telling next April. Cindy Woodsmall’s Hope of Refuge is a recent release in this genre, and reviewers say it is a lovely portrayal of the Amish region. As popular as this setting is in the romance genre, there are also mystery and suspense titles available with Amish settings. I have mingled some on my list of Amish Settings fiction.

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Video Games - Newly Added: by Erin Stachowiak

Erin Stachowiak

Video Games post—10/30/09
It seems that video game releases always amp up right before the big Christmas push. It’s like the video game studios wait for this time of year to release the best and brightest. I don’t blame them, but it sure is a drain on my pocket change to keep up! This list includes some of the best video game titles that are coming out this fall. All ages and platforms that we carry, which include Nintendo Wii, PS2, PS3 and XBox 360, are included. Some of the major standouts (and the games I’m either currently playing, or will be playing in the coming months) are Brutal Legend, Katamari Forever, Super Mario Bros. Wii, Lego Rock Band and Need For Speed: Shift.

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This month, we sit down with Ken Burns

Ken Burns has been making films for more than 30 years. Since the Academy Award-nominated Brooklyn Bridge in 1982, Ken has gone on to direct and produce some of the most acclaimed historical documentaries ever made. The late historian Stephen Ambrose said of his films, “More Americans get their history from Ken Burns than any other source.” Burns’ documentaries have been nominated for two Academy Awards (Brooklyn Bridge in 1982 and The Statue of Liberty in 1986) and have won seven Emmy Awards, mostly from The Civil War and Baseball.

Recent Interviews

BWI’s Collection Development Department has had the pleasure of sharing some time with several of today’s top authors, artists and illustrators.

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