Memorial Day Melissa and Doug Special!

Melissa and Doug items don't generally get discounted, but here is your golden opportunity! Get a 20% discount on in-store and special-order Melissa and Doug products on Monday, 26 May 2014 from 12:00pm to 5:00pm. Special orders must be made in the store and picked up in the store.

The Watermelon Seed

The Watermelon Seed

By Greg Pizzoli

What happens when you swallow a watermelon seed? Will it grow in your stomach? Will vines come out of your ears? Would you never eat watermelon again?

Picture Book

Once Upon A Cool Motorcycle Dude

Once Upon A Cool Motorcycle Dude

By Kevin O'Malley

What starts out as a school project, turns into a mash up of a "he-said, she-said" fairy tale. Pink tradition has Princess Tenderheart broken hearted over the loss of her ponies while the cool motorcycle dude is battling a monster with a volcanic backdrop. Who will win ~ tradition or coolness?

Picture Book

Open This Little Book

Open This Little Book

By Jesse Klausmeier

What a cute and colorful book! As the book colors change so do their sizes and you're left with a tiny little blue book. As each friend finishes their book, the covers are closed until end of yours. Eight books in one!

Picture Book

Boy Meets Dog: A Word Adventure Game

Boy Meets Dog: A Word Adventure Game

By Valerie Wyatt

If you only change one letter, then amazing things could happen. Boys can turn to toys. Mooses could  by mouses. Tiny becomes huge and black becomes white. All it takes is one letter at a time. Find out in Boy Meets Dog and see what other words you can change!

Picture Book

Little Red Writing

Little Red Writing

By Joan Holub

Follow along with Little Red Pencil as she takes her basket of 15 red words and sets out on a story. Along the way she got lost in the dark descriptive forest, squeezed out too many glue words and was rescued by "suddenly" and friends. In the middle of her story, something exciting happened and she got scared and threw words. She wound her way all through pencil school to Principal Granny's office where she found the grumpiest, growliest...well, you're just going to have to read it find out. This is a WONDERFUL book about building a story and how words work. This would also be good for older children who are having with writing.

Picture Book

What's Your Favorite Animal?

What's Your Favorite Animal?

By Eric Carle and friends

Eric Carle likes geen bean hiding cats. Lane Smith likes elephants that show off their smarts. Susan Jeffers loves the purest of white horses. Nick Bruel really likes octopuses despite how Kitty feels about it. What is your favorite animal? Maybe it might be a favorite of your favorite author's too!

Picture Book

The Days The Crayons Quit

The Day The Crayons Quit

By Drew Daywalt

Duncan is a little boy with a big problem. Instead of crayons, he has a stack of letters. Each one of Duncan's crayons have issues. From red who is used too much to pink who is not used at all to peach who would like it's wrapping back. Each crayon writes a letter of complaint, but in the end a masterpiece would not be complete without each one.

Picture Book

If You Could Be Mine

If You Could Be Mine

By Sara Farizan

Ages: Grades 10-12

WARNING: Mature Content

Their mothers were childhood friends split by a decision between a marriage of love and a marriage of obligation. Nasrin and Sahar have been friends since childhood and face a similar decision, but with worse consequences lurking in the background. Their love is cruelly forbidden and despised. If caught, they risk death. If You Could Be Mine by Sara Farizan unlocks a hidden and sometimes seedy subculture in Iran. A world in which the government will fund gender reassignments "Because they are trying to fix us...". It is also a book of desperation, growing up and knowing when to let go. 

By the end of this book, all I could say was "wow". It is a taboo topic, but one that shouldn't be ignored. I did question whether to post a review of this book because I felt it may controversial, but the book was well written, highly emotional and poignant in today's society. Many parts of the book are for mature audiences. I encourage parents to read the book first and make their own decision whether their child is capable of comprehending this topic. I also encourage parents to follow up with an open dialogue. Bottom line ~ it's a really good book, but read it with an open mind and an open heart.

This Week's Picks: 12 May

Ah-Ha

By Jeff Mack

Ages: 3-5 years

Frog is nestling into the pond when he is caught! Aahh! But alas, he escapes! Ah ha! Many creatures are out to get frog and his escapes are narrow. This is a really cute book that simply uses only two letters.

Lemonade War

By Jacqueline Davies

Ages: 9-12

Evan Treski is good with people. His younger sister Jessie is not. Jessie Treski is good at math. Her older brother Evan is not. The summer before Evan's fourth grade year, a letter arrives in the mail announcing Jessie's advance into the fourth grade. The two siblings will be in fourth grade together. The lemonade war ensues and the one that makes the most money wins. The Lemonade War is full of life related math problems, marketing tips and each chapter begins with a marketing term and it's definition. Lemonade War is a series: The Lemonade Crime, The Bell Bandit, The Candy Smash and The Magic Trap

The Truth About Forever

By Sarah Dessen

Ages: 12 and up

On the outside Macy Queen looks like she is coping with the loss of her father. Her grades are good and she's doing all the things that are expected of her. She goes into her summer with plans of working at the library information desk and studying for the SATs in the evening while her boyfriend is off at "Brain Camp". Never did she image herself working at Wish Catering and never did she expect to meet someone like Wes who is her complete opposite. Macy thought her life ended with the death of her father, but all ends are really new beginnings.

The Divorce Papers

By Susan Rieger

Ages: Adult

Sophie Diehl is working for a New England law firm as a young associate. Her specialty is criminal law rather than family law. She would rather work with those behind bars than those going through divorce. While the other associates out of town, Sophie is called upon to interview a high-profile client. Sophie agrees, but only if her part is through after the interview. The client develops a fondness for Sophie and asks her to handle her divorce. The whole book is told through emails, memos, letters, legal papers and articles to bring the reader inside the story.

Happy Mother's Day!

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms near and far!!

“Be a Mother who is committed to loving her children into standing on higher ground than the enviroment surrounding them. Mothers are endowed with a love that is unlike any other love on the face of the earth.”

- Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Author

Nov 23, 1911 - Apr 6, 2004

MD Black-Eyed Susan Winners For 2013-2014

The votes have been counted and here are your winners!!

Picture Books
Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds

Grades 4-6
Ungifted by Gordon Korman

Graphic Novels
Sidekicks by Dan Santat

Grades 6-9
Wonder by R. J. Palacio

Grades 9-12
The Fault In Our Stars by John Green

If you're not familiar with the Black-Eyed Susans, then let me tell ya a little bit about them. They are selected by a group of librarians who read A LOT of books to nominate a handful every year. The books are read by students, generally through their schools, and then the students vote on their favorite. The schools tally their votes and send them in to the Maryland Association of School Librarians who collect the votes and announce the winners! If your school doesn't participate in the program, then why not suggest it to your media specialist!! I really enjoy reading the MD Black-Eyed Susan books and encourage everyone, both young and old, to read at least a few. They make great books to read with your kids!!!

Congratulations to all the winners and thank you to the students who voted, the media specialists who participate and make this program great and the MASL for working so hard to put this program together. It's a great way to find some great books! Happy Reading!!

Edgewater Books has a lot of MD BES available and if you're looking for next year's pick, then please ask. They can always be quickly ordered for ya!

PS - Next year's nominees are listed on the BES page at the top of this page.

Day 5 - Screen-Free Week Idea

Give back to others. Help someone out. Volunteer to do something for your community. Bake some cookies and give them to your local fire department. Offer to read at a senior center. Go to the SPCA and offer to walk a few dogs. I'm pretty sure that they would love to spend some time playing with a few kids. Do you like cats? Venture over to their cat section and spend some time playing with the kitties. Pick out some new recipes and help Mom or Dad cook dinner. Read to a younger sibling or to a young neighbor. Offer to wash a senior's car or take their dog for a walk. Helping out someone not only makes life a little easier for that person, but it makes you feel great that you did something for someone else!

Day 4 - Screen-Free Week Idea

Before iPads and Xboxes, there were board games. Believe it or not, they are still around and are a real change of pace. There are many games that are perfect for families with kids of all ages from little ones (Candy Land) and bigger ones (Life). Board games can be educational as well. Life is a great game to learn about money and life's little happenings. My kids find it really funny when they have "children". Chess and checkers teach strategy and learning forethought. Risk is a good one for older kids. Hangman is great tool for spelling and parcheesi is a great thinking game too. A favorite of my family's is mancala, but it's a two-player game. Cards are fun too and there is a variety of good card games. Stay away from the one called 52 Card Pick-Up. I've been fooled way too many times with that one! Older brother...geesh! So dig around in those attics and basements or hop over to Target and browse their board game selection. One other tip, games are great to take outdoors!!

Day 3 - Screen-Free Week Idea

Writing is great way to take some stress out of Screen-Free Week. Start a journal and write about all the fun things you are doing while free from screens. I've had a journal for about 10 years and it's turned into a New Year's tradition. Every year on the 1st, I start a new journal. You could try your hand at the Great American Novel! Write a story and show your teacher or try to get it published in a local publication. Have you heard of pen pals? This is when you write letters back-and-forth to people your own age with similar interests. It's very interesting to write letters overseas and find out how others live. There are many pen pal websites where you can find a pen pal and get writing. It's very fun to receive letters in the mail!! Finally, you could write letters to family members or jot down a few verses of poetry. There are all kinds of things to do with a mere pencil and a piece of paper.

Day 2 - Screen-Free Week Idea

READ!!! Personally, I find reading to be a wonderful use of time AND if you go outside and read in the sunshine, then you get a tan/Vitamin D and a great story. It doesn't get much better! Screen-Free Week is an amazing time to catch up on some of those books you've been dying to get to and it's also a great time to get some books read for your Sweet 16 or Strive for 25. Edgewater Books has an incredible selection of great books to help you out. Magazines are also great options. Did you know magazines are still around? My personal fave...National Geographic. Yes, I read it. Cover to cover. The photography is outstanding and the articles take me to places I'll probably never go and teach me about things I've never thought of. There are other great mags though. Try a teen mag for the girls or Boys Life for the boys. National Geographic Kids is a great magazine for both boys and girls. 

Day 1 - Screen-Free Week Idea

Music soothes the savage beast! Music soothes the soul! Maybe music will tame the urge to turn on the TV or video game! Take some time to listen to your favorite tunes. Maybe even memorize the lyrics. Be adventurous and find some music that you wouldn't normally listen to. You WOULD NOT believe the many different types of music that is out there!! Here are some ideas:

- Calypso

- Blues

- Reggae

- Swing

- Big Band

- Different eras (20's, 30's, 40's, 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's, 90's)

- Grunge

- Punk

- Metal

- Speed Metal

- Alternative

- R&B

- Bluegrass

You just find a new favorite!

PS - Another fun thing to do with music, write a twisted tune. A twisted tune is using a popular song and writing new lyrics for it. It can be serious or silly or themed, like a song about washing the dog.

Screen-Free Week!

Edgewater Books is sponsoring a Screen-Free Week - 5-11 May. What is this you say? Very simple...turn off the screens! Video games. TVs. Smartphones. All those screens on all of our little gadgets that keep us from enjoying life that's moving around us and each other! May is a great time for Screen-Free Week because it's gorgeous outside and after a winter like we've had, it has got to feel good to get outside.

If your school isn't participating in Screen-Free Week, then stop by the store and pick up a pledge sheet. Turn in the signed pledge sheet and receive a free book (up to a $5 value and 1 per family).

Need some Screen-Free Ideas? Then keep reading!

Selfie Sunday - A Wrinkle In Time

A Wrinkle In Time

By Madeline L'Engle

I read this book to help my son in 6th grade when he had to read it. What a pleasant surprise it was! I REALLY enjoyed it. It was rather science fictiony and time travelly. Almost a geek book which is right up my alley. If you don't know, then I'll tell ya it's about some kids who are trying to find their father who disappeared quite a while ago. They time travel with three older ladies through space and visit distant lands. A Wrinkle In Time was originally written in 1962 and is a must have for any library!

THE MEANING OF MAGGIE by Megan Jean Sovern

The Meaning of Maggie Coming Soon - 6 May 2014

The Meaning of Maggie

By Megan Jean Sovern

I REALLY enjoyed this book! It was a quick and easy read and the main character, Maggie, was so easy to fall for. The Meaning of Maggie is Megan Jean Sovern's first novel and is about soon-to-be 

12 year-old Maggie. Maggie is a very conscientious young lady who is staring change in the face and having a bit of trouble trying to acclimate. Her Dad's legs and arms started to fall asleep and now he's in a wheelchair and has just quit his job to stay home full time while Mom goes to work every day. It's a big adjustment for Maggie, her mom and her two older sisters, Tiffany and Layla. There's also something else going on that Maggie just can't put her finger on. To help her Dad, Maggie decides to do her science project on her Dad's disease. Science projects need solutions though and Maggie learns that there is no solution to MS. Sitting in the hospital waiting room with her mom and sisters, Maggie also learns that there are no answers to MS either.

I thought this was a wonderful and sometimes comical read about a very serious disease that effects so many people both young and old. Make sure to read the footnotes in this story! The Meaning of Maggie is recommended for ages 8-12 and I would imagine to be a good conversation starter for a child who lives with someone struggling with MS. So pull up your bootstraps, prepare yourself for time travel and enjoy The Meaning of Maggie by Megan Jean Sovern!

Ages 8-12