Books: December 2006 Archives

To say these are exclusively for the wee ones would be misleading. I've read and enjoyed each one. A few were written for kids but transcend that limitation, and others, well, think of it as your duty as aunt, uncle, or cousin to help shape the young, malleable aesthetic of a teen/preteen in your life.

For the wild ones (or the ones who wish they were wild):

Cathy's Book: If Found Call 650-266-8233
by Sean Stewart and Jordan Weisman

This book took a lot of heat for alleged "product placement," whatever you think about the color of Cathy's lipstick, it's a fun, adventurous read for preteen girls and even for those who managed to escape adolescence.

For those who still believe that fairy tales are beautiful:

I, Coriander
by Sally Gardner

Get her hooked on historical fiction early with a splash of magic. Although the ending might not hold up to an adult's expectation, the book as a whole is captivating.

For the punk-in-training:

Bazaar Bizarre: Not Your Granny's Crafts!
by Greg Der Ananian

Greg's been craftin' long before these other books were mere twinkles in the eye. To prove it, he cross-stitched the cover. Really. Inside there is a range of crafts designed to teach the basics, so you, ahem, your loved one will be ready to tackle any project. (better buy two... just in case)

For the romantic/goth/comic enthusiast:

The Illustrated Dracula
by Bram Stoker, illustrations by Jae Lee

The horror classic that started it all gets 40 illustrations from comics master Jae Lee.

A very nice companion to ...

The Illustrated Jane Eyre
by Charlotte Bronte, illustrations by Dame Darcy

Get her hooked on feminism and d.i.y. all in one handy volume! Underground comic grrl Dame Darcy eloquently accompanies Bronte's famous prose.

For the religously minded:

Seek Find: The Bible for All People
by American Bible Society

Yep, the Good Book with a pretty cover. They'll be the envy of the youth group (oh wait ...)

Subway Reads is off for the holidays today, so today's installment will probably be the last. Happy hunting ...

Find your local bookseller here.

Second in a series, today's Subway Reads tackles a genre that receives a lot of attention in area shops. For the New York book lover.

For the intrepid:

Forgotten New York: Views of a Lost Metropolis
by Kevin Walsh

A handy (if heavy) guidebook to the bits and pieces of old New York that still remain, despite today's development. Just pick a neighborhood and let Walsh, of ForgottenNY.com be your guide.

For the oh-so-exclusive:

Patchwork Planet
by Kate Milford and Jonathan Lethem

Milford's rich photography of the "real New York" (i.e. ungentrified) accompanied by Brooklyn-fave Lethem's anecdotes and stories. This book is only available at BookCourt, so it's sure to impress your friends, and thanks to ListenMissy for the tip!

For the nostalgic and/or young at heart:

This is New York
by Miroslav Sasek

Yes, it makes the word ubiquitous redundant, but sometimes the world gets together and decides a book is good. This is that book.

For those with a love of little black books:

Not for Tourists 2007 Guide to New York City
by Jane Pirone (editor)

Just because it says NFT, doesn't mean you can't pawn your visiting relatives off with it ...

For the sentimental:

Poetry in Motion: 100 Poems from the Subways and Buses
by Molly Peacock, Elise Paschen, and Neil Neches (editors)

A collection of the amazing poems that appear above our heads every day on our commutes and, hopefully, bring us a small moment of peace.

Find your local bookseller here. Tomorrow we explore gifts for the under-18 set.

Originally envisioned as a five-part series, the Subway Reads Holiday Gift Guide is off to a belated start due to some technical problems (what? you have to use ctrl + s?). In the hopes of freeing up some time for the million holiday parties this week we present our top gifts for everyone on your list. Today's list is for the animal lover ...

For the sophisticated ones with a sense of humor:

William Wegman: Funney/Strange
by Joan Simon and William Wegman

Yeah, Wegman's all about the puppies. But the Brooklyn Museum's retrospective proved that his range of talent extends beyond his most famous works.

For those with a slightly twisted outlook:

The Book of Bunny Suicides
by Andy Riley

Little fluffy bunnies that just don't want to live anymore.

For those who take their jobs as owner (ahem, parent) seriously:

Planet Dog: A Doglopedia
by Sandra Choron and Harry Choron

A compendium of everything dog.

For those who like to keep their distance:

To See Every Bird on Earth: A Father, A Son, and A Lifetime Obsession
by Dan Koeppel

That subtitle pretty much sums it up.

For the fun blonde at the dog park:

Dog Stars: Astrology for Dog Lovers
by Sherene Schostak and Wendy Lam

Will the stars align for Fido in 2007? Find out with this astrology guide for the dog lover who has everything.

For everyone else:

Sock Monkey Dreams: Daily Life at the Red Heel Monkey Shelter
by Whitney Shroyer, Letitia Walker, and Michael Traister

Captivating enough for kids, witty enough for 20 and 30-somethings, and charming enough for those over 50.

To find your local bookseller, click here! Tomorrow we'll scour the shelves for the best in New York books.

This week's F train seemed to be on a more erratic schedule than usual. Perhaps that's why there seemed to be more books on laps and over elbows than usual. Below, this week's roundup:

Everyone Dies: A Kevin Kerney Novel
by Michael McGarrity

Loose Woman: Poems
by Sandra Cisneros

Hot Stuff
by Carly Phillips

Whatever It Takes: How Professional Learning Communities Respond When Kids Don't Learn
by Rebecca DuFour, Robert Eaker, Gayle Karhanek, and Richard DuFour

The Decameron
by Giovanni Boccaccio

Brooklyn Ramblings has scanned in a page of How to Be a New Yorker by Joan and Leslie Rich from 1964. The whole list is great, but my favorite was number 8.

It seemed appropriate to spy a fellow commuter delving into My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud'homme. It's a book high on my to-read list, and one that has picked up many accolades this year, including a warm review from The New York Times.

On Thursday, Alex Prud'homme, Julia Child's grand-nephew and her coauthor will be reading from the book and telling stories of his famous great-aunt in Grand Central Terminal. I've been told there will be free Provençal goodies to be munched while you listen.

When: Thursday, December 7, 2006, 6:00 p.m.
Where: O&CO store in Grand Central Terminal, Graybar Passage--Lexington Avenue & 42nd Street

The other four winner of last week's Subway Reads lottery after the jump.