Category: Literature

Top 11 Indie Bookstores of 2023📚🥂

December 29, 2023

Armed with coffee, road trip snacks and an eclectic Spotify playlist we began 2023 traveling the midwest in search of Indie Bookshops. Most of our destinations were day trips excluding The Drama Book Shop in New York. Each bookshop was welcoming and offered a carefully curated selection of literature, author events, and sometimes coffee. For your next Indie Bookshop adventure, please consider visiting the following bookshops. They will graciously welcome and assist in securing your next read and/or addition to your TBR.

  —-Jenn

Top 11 Indie Bookshops of 2023 📚🥂

  1. Anderson’s Bookshop, Downers Grove & Naperville, Illinois (2 locations)
  2. Harvey’s Tales, Geneva, Illinois
  3. Boswell Book Company, Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  4. Forever Books, St. Joseph’s, Michigan
  5. The Book Nook of Saugatuck, Saugatuck, Michigan
  6. The Drama Book Shop, New York, New York
  7. Prairie Lights, Iowa City, Iowa
  8. Schuler Books, Ann Arbor Michigan (4 locations)
  9. Hello Books, South Haven Michigan
  10. Bookends and Beginnings, Evanston, Illinois
  11. This is a Bookstore & Bookbug, Kalamazoo, Michigan

**Please note: At this time, I am not affiliated with the bookshops linked above (wink, wink I would love the opportunity). Direct links are included for your convenience.

Indie Suggestions for    2024

*Please include Bookshop Name & Location.

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A Cozy Christmas

December 11, 2023

Merry Christmas Dearest Readers.

Christmas lights sparkle and shine. Strangers exchange smiles and warm greetings. Music rings out with hope and joy. Snow blankets our town. Well, maybe not yet, but I can smell it. It’s coming. Our small village celebrates with festive lights; a skating rink; and jolly festivities on the weekend. Next to the village hall, Santa greets visitors with a sparkle in his eyes. When you see him, remember to make a Christmas wish. Do you still believe in Christmas magic? I do.

Cozy up with some cocoa and a relaxing read. I compiled a morsel of my favorite Christmas reads. Jan Brett, Matt Tavares and Charles Dickens are near to my heart and hold fond memories of Christmas past.

  1. Gingerbread Baby, by Jan Brett
  2. Gingerbread Christmas, by Jan Brett
  3. Home for Christmas, by Jan Brett
  4. The Night Before Christmas, by Jan Brett
  5. The Nutcracker, by Jan Brett
  6. There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Bell!, by Lucille Colandro
  7. Shall I Knit You a Hat? By Kate Klise
  8. The Wish Tree, by Kyo Maclear
  9. Magic Tree House: Christmas in Camelot, by Mary Pope Osborne
  10. Share Some Kindness, Bring Some Light, by Apryl Stott
  11. The Carpenter’s Gift: A Christmas Tale about the Rockefeller Center Tree, by David Rubel
  12. Olive the Other Reindeer, by Vivian Walsh and J. Otto Seibold
  13. Dasher, by Matt Tavares
  14. Dasher Can’t Wait for Christmas, by Matt Tavares
  15. Red and Lulu, by Matt Tavares
  16. Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree, by Robert Barry
  17. A Christmas Carol and Other Christmas Writings, by Charles Dickens

Merry Christmas and Warmest Wishes for the New Year.

—-Jenn 🎅🏼

**Please note: At this time, I am not affiliated with the bookshop linked above (wink, wink I would love the opportunity). Direct links are included for your convenience.

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The Book Nook of Saugatuck, MI

Sunday, October 8, 2023

Dearest Readers,

This is a love letter to The Book Nook of Saugatuck, MI. Your cozy bookshop has stolen my heart. On your shelves are gently read picture books, novels, and treasures waiting to whisked away. When we arrived, we were warmly greeted by the bookshop owner. We perused the shelves and assorted trinkets. On this particular excursion, I located four books written by Patricia Polacco, which I proudly purchased and are now part of my ever growing collection of classroom literature.

I look forward to future expeditions and discovering new treasures to share with my students.

Forever yours,

Jenn 📚💕

The Book Nook of Saugatuck, 242 Butler St, Saugatuck, MI 

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Authors, Coffee & Adventures Galore

October 3, 2023

Authors, coffee and adventures galore!

Over the past several weekends, I have attended various Author Talks (thank you Anderson Bookshop) and explored Indie bookshops in Iowa and Michigan. Each adventure brought epic tales and jaw dropping encounters. These are tales best told over a second and third cup of coffee. Since its officially fall, make mine a pumpkin cold brew with a side order of pumpkin loaf.

Check back for future posts on:

Author Talks courtesy of Anderson’s Bookshop:

  • Cara Mentzel & Idina Menzel
  • Catherine Applegate & Gennifer Choldenke
  • Rick Riordan & Daniel Jose Older

Indie Bookshops:

  • Prairie Lights, Iowa City, Iowa
  • Schuler Books, Ann Arbor Michigan
  • Hello Books, South Haven Michigan

—Jenn

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Fork

Tuesday, September 5, 2023

It’s was late Sunday night and we just arrived home from a long day trip to Michigan. Before leaving St. Joesph, we picked up carryout for dinner. Our meal came with an extra plastic fork, which neither of us needed at the time. I’m that person. Yup. Let’s save it for later. You know. Just in case. We might be able to put it to use.

Now, look closer. Some may say, “Jenn, it’s just a disposable fork wrapped in plastic.” Is it? I see a digging tool for sand at the beach. Or maybe, this fork could be used to eat that unexpected cake in a parking lot at the grocery store. You might have a rough day. Don’t judge. We all have done it or thought about it. Nonetheless, let’s agree there are a million uses for that disposable fork. After all, it’s a fork.

Alright, take that fork a step further. What if our student(s) are like the plastic fork? Let’s say he/she is “wrapped in plastic.” A little different. Maybe it’s their odd sense of humor. Or, maybe no one has been able to reach them. They’re out there. Not quite like the other scholars. Different. Embrace them! These “forks” are the dreamers; the creative minds; and the out-of-box thinkers. I have a passion for the “forks.” Embrace them. Find a way to reach them. Our world needs them.

One last step. Are you still with me? Awesome! There are authors and illustrators that have written picture books for dreamers and out-of-box thinkers. If you happen by Anderson’s Bookshop or another Indie Bookstore, stop in and pick up any (or all) of the following books for a great classroom read aloud. Here goes…a long over due list of picture books/chapter books that celebrate our students and their uniqueness.

*Please note: At this time, I am not affiliated with the bookshop links above (wink, wink I would love the opportunity). Direct links are included for your convenience.

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Back to School 🍎📚

Wednesday, July 26, 2023

Coffee brewed. Rae Dunn mug selected. Make It Happen. It’s my third cup of dark roast coffee. No cream. No sugar. Bitter and dark. It’s a day for ambitious endeavors. I am sorting through books for the first week of school. There are a plethora of picture and chapter books to choose from. Kindness; classroom expectations; growth mindset, and social emotional learning are only a handful of topics that will be covered the initial weeks of school.

First pass through the bookcase complete. Will this list change? Oh, yes! We have a couple more weeks before returning. There is just enough time to finish reading one more chapter book. In the meantime, coffee is brewing and pages are turning.

Picture Books

  1. School’s First Day of School, by Adam Rex
  2. Do Unto Otters: A Book of Manners, by Laurie Keller
  3. What are Words Really?, by Alexi Lubomirski
  4. Be Kind, by Pat Zietlow Miller
  5. The Smart Cookie, by Jory John
  6. What do you do with a Chance?, by Kobi Yamada
  7. Maybe: A Story About the Endless Potential in all of us, by Kobi Yamada
  8. The Book With No Pictures, by B.J. Novak
  9. I Don’t Care, by Julie Fogliano
  10. Noodle and the No Bones Day, by Jonathan Graziano
  11. Wordy Birdy, by Tammi Sauer
  12. Wordy Birdy Meets Mr. Cougarpants, by Tami Sauer
  13. I Wonder, by K.A. Holt
  14. After the Fall, by Dan Santat
  15. When Things Aren’t Going Right, Go Left, by Peter Reynolds
  16. The World’s Best Class Plant, by Audrey Vernick

Breakfast & A Book Read Aloud

Breakfast & A Book organically developed last school year. While eating breakfast in the classroom, students listen to a chapter book read aloud. As a class, we “sample” three chapter books and take a class vote. The winning chapter book is then read and discussed over breakfast. It’s also an incentive to arrive at school on time. If you’re tardy, then you miss the story. Do I leave the story on a cliffhanger? You betcha!

One of these lovelies will be selected as the first chapter book read aloud of the school year. It is always a challenging decision. Last year, my students had a wicked sense of humor. They were comedians. Loved to giggle and laugh. Second graders are ridiculously silly.

  • The Chocolate Touch, by Patrick Skene Catling
  • Wishtree, by Katherine Applegate
  • The Trouble With Chickens, by Doreen Cronin
  • Frindle, by Andrew Clements
  • Gooney Bird Greene, by Lois Lowry
  • Charlie & the Chocolate Factory, by Roald Dahl

*Please note that bookshop links will be shared at a later time.

Please share your favorite back to school read aloud.

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Red Flags

Wednesday, July 19, 2023

On Sunday, we arrived at St. Joesph beach in Michigan only to find the dreaded red flag waving strong. Overcast and dangerous waves. No swimming today. It was the perfect day to relax and read on the beach.

After several hours of baking in partial sun and reading, we made our way through the local shops. Our first stop was Cabanas for some delicious Black Cherry ice cream. Afterwards, we strolled and browsed the local shops. A visit would not be complete without stopping by the local independent bookstore Forever Books. As you walk in, you are greeted with the fragrance of possibility. While browsing, I came across two exceptional picture books. The Legend of Sleeping Bear is beautifully written and illustrated. I’m looking forward to integrating this lovely into my classroom. Caldecott Medalist Sophie Blackall’s Hello Lighthouse was the second lakeside treasure that I discovered. Hello Lighthouse “is a luminous tribute to a steadfast lighthouse and its reassuring light.”

Picture Books

The Legend of Sleeping Bear, by Kathy-jo Wargin

Hello Lighthouse, by Sophie Blackall

**Please note: At this time, I am not affiliated with the bookshop linked above (wink, wink I would love the opportunity). Direct links are included for your convenience.

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