In honor of Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year's, this is the last issue of Shelf Awareness Pro for 2023. We hope everyone has a much-needed rest after yet another unusual year, and we wish all a bright, happy New Year. We'll see you again on Tuesday, January 2, 2024. (Feel free to send your holiday sales news and highlights, with pictures if possible, to news@shelf-awareness.com.)
For Bookends & Beginnings in Evanston, Ill., it has been an odd season, reported owner Nina Barrett. It is the shop's first year in a new location, so she's "not sure what my new normal is," but things have been slower than last holiday season. Barrett also pointed to a bit of a "strange vibe" out there this year, which is evident not only in her store but also in the neighborhood.
Part of it, she continued, may be some of the books people are buying this year, which include political books like Liz Cheney's Oath and Honor and Heather Cox Richardson's Democracy Awakening, as well as books about Israel and Palestine and the war in Ukraine.
And while there hasn't been a "runaway bestseller," this year, there are a few books Barrett is chasing, such as Oath and Honor, Margaret Renkl's The Comfort of Crows, Paul Murray's The Bee Sting, and Ilyon Woo's Master Slave Husband Wife. Other popular titles include Ann Patchett's Tom Lake, Jeff Tweedy's World Within a Song, and "all of Claire Keegan."
In an unusual turn, "there's no cookbook I'm chasing," Barrett said, though cookbooks in general are selling well. Jason Hammel's The Lula Cafe Cookbook, about a cafe in Chicago, is particularly popular.
One thing that has been "pretty thrilling," Barrett added, is the number of odd, eccentric titles that have been selling this year. Rather than show up fixated on specific titles, many shoppers seem to be taking the time to browse and explore. Perhaps the most remarkable case has been The Scythian Empire by Christopher I. Beckwith, which has turned into a mini-hit for the store.
Traditionally, the store has tended to avoid doing author events in December, but this year Bookends & Beginnings has hosted several major off-site events that have buoyed the season, Barrett said. The new location also features a small bar, and doing things like a Jane Austen-themed trivia night has helped.
Asked about supply-chain issues, Barrett said it hasn't felt "like a real problem this year." She and her team have become "conditioned" to have a timetable, and are now very attuned to the signals of when they should jump on a particular book. Aside from instances where even the publisher was taken by surprise, "things have been pretty good."
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Lane Jacobson, owner of Paulina Springs Books in Sisters, Ore., said this holiday season has been "pretty comparable" to past years, with a big rush the weekend of Black Friday/Small Business Saturday followed by a dip that slowly picks up before "the floodgates open" roughly two weeks before Christmas. This year, Jacobson noted, the store "turned the corner" on the 14th.
Given that the store had such a strong holiday season in 2022, Jacobson was not expecting "too much of a bump" this year, but Paulina Springs Books has been up 12% in December and up more than 19% since November 1. For the year, the store is up "just over 12%."
The store's bestselling title this season has been The Huntress by Kate Quinn, which has been the store's #1 bestseller for the last few years. On Tuesday, The Huntress "even edged out Iron Flame by a few copies." Comfort of Crows is in third place, and beyond that top three, "sales have been spread pretty evenly across holiday catalog titles, 2023 staff favorites, and our evergreen backlist titles."
Jacobson reported that he and his team haven't had any issues keeping items in stock. They were diligent about getting holiday orders in early and, being in a relatively rural area, they've "always benefited from our community being a bit more leisurely in their expectations and timelines." Rather than arrive at the store with selections from one year-end list or another, the store's customers are generally "happy to be directed toward comp titles and to be handsold on stuff they haven't heard of."
On the subject of weather and other external factors that can impact holiday shopping, Jacobson said there haven't been any closures or shipping delays due to weather this season. However, it's been a "windy and rainy December so far," and the team has discovered a few new, small leaks above the store's children's room. But, "considering that in the last few years we've had ceiling cave-ins and flooding in that area, we're considering this a win." --Alex Mutter
Barnes & Noble is returning to Georgetown in Washington, D.C., next year, to the large, three-story location it vacated in 2011, the Georgetowner reported. The site on M Street has 33,754 square feet of space and was most recently leased by Nike; the returning B&N will have a café.
B&N CEO James Daunt said, "We couldn't be more pleased to return to Georgetown. There is no better example of the changing fortunes of physical bookstores, and Barnes & Noble specifically, than to reopen in this magnificent building at the heart of Georgetown."
David Dochter of Dochter & Alexander, which represented the owner, said, "The Georgetown market has experienced a renaissance following Covid with many new brands and a lower vacancy rate than prior to Covid. It demonstrates that we can continue to be bullish about this market as a walkable vibrant neighborhood with a strong projection of success."
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B&N also plans to open a bookstore in Panama City Beach, Fla., in the Pier Park North retail center, the center's co-owner, the St. Joe Company, announced. The store should open in early spring 2024.
"Pier Park North has a strong collection of retail, dining and service businesses, and we are thrilled to add a Barnes & Noble bookstore to the mix," Samantha Walton, director of commercial sales and leasing for St. Joe, said, "We're confident that there is truly something for everyone here, and we're happy to be able to add to the variety of options for shoppers."
Other stores in the center include the Fresh Market, Dick's Sporting Goods, World Market, Orangetheory Fitness, Rooms to Go, PetSmart, and more.
Longtime staff member Myles Mickle is in the process of buying Village Square Booksellers, Bellows Falls, Vt., from Alan and Pat Fowler, "who have been the driving force behind the bookstore since 2000," the Brattleboro Reformer reported.
Mickle, who has worked at the bookshop for seven years, said the sale will likely be completed in early January: "We're waiting for the state and a rubber stamp from the lawyers."
The Fowlers are going to retire and will continue their volunteer work in the area. Both have been very involved in the community, with Alan Fowler devoting his energy to Main Street Arts in Saxtons River and Pat Fowler to the Bellows Falls Historical Society. "I'm going back to my original career as an archivist," she said.
Mickle and his husband, Jon Midura, are purchasing the business and plan to both continue what the Fowlers established and to expand. Midura will stay in his position at the Windham Antiques Center in Bellows Falls.
"I'm happy to take over the business," Mickle said. "We're keeping the same name, the same services." He wants to expand the children's toy department downstairs, in an area that was used primarily for storage. "Books will have room to expand. We're going to bring it back to retail.... We'll do most of the work ourselves."
Pat Fowler said that since the Covid-19 pandemic, which forced the bookstore to close for a while, the store has rebounded strongly, and people are using the website to order books more, especially younger customers. Village Square Booksellers has also hosted meetings of various groups, including the local Democrats and the board of civil authority, as well as a knitting group, regular poetry readings, and a writing group.
"The bookstore is a huge part of the community," said Mickle.
Applications open January 8 for BincTank, the Book Industry Charitable Foundation's business incubator program launched earlier this year to increase equity in bookstore ownership by supporting entrepreneurs from historically underrepresented communities.
Binc is looking for BIPOC entrepreneurs who want to open mission-driven bookstores in their communities. Bookmobiles, pop-ups, and traditional bricks-and-mortar stores are eligible so long as they have not yet opened or have been open no more than six months from the time of application. Bookstores looking to move from one model to another, such as a pop-up store opening a bricks-and-mortar storefront, are eligible. Stores that are online-only are not eligible.
Applicants should have a mission statement for their business, be able to describe their business and their intended customers, and identify potential partners or organizations that will offer support.
Ken White, BincTank's program manager, said: "BincTank supports entrepreneurs who are BIPOC identified. The ideal candidate is one who intends to open their store in a community of color that is not already being served by a bookstore. They will also be mission driven and feel compelled to open a bookstore as a way of solving some problem or inequity in their community. We encourage all BIPOC entrepreneurs interested in opening a bookstore in their community to apply."
Applications will be open until January 20. The full guidelines can be found here.
In other Binc news, because the number of book and comic people requesting help this year has far surpassed the number of financial assistance grants in 2022, the organization needs to raise $50,000 before the end of the year to ensure that it can provide help to all who need it.
To help, Binc board members have decided to match the next $8,600 in gifts dollar for dollar, doubling the power and impact of donations received.
In addition, in an offer available until December 31, Binc supporters will get an audiobook of their choice from Libro.fm. Those making a $100 donation will get one audiobook credit; for $500 and more, they receive three audiobook credits.
Binc noted that this year so far, it has provided 338 emergency relief grants to book and comic sellers and their families compared to 295 in 2022, a 15% increase. Some of the grants include money for mental health and wellness support.
Binc executive director Pam French said, "The need for help in the book and comic community continues to grow and the personal hardships book and comic people are facing are more difficult in both size and scope. We need to close the gap by raising more than $50,000 before the end of the year. We are so grateful for the commitment and passion of our board of directors. Every member made an extra gift this year so we could offer this final matching gift challenge."
To donate and have the donation matched for greater impact, click here.
Cleary's Bookstore, a new and used bookstore with titles for all ages, opened earlier this month in Mount Holly, N.C., the Gaston Gazette reported.
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| Cleary's owner Alison Sheridan with North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper. | |
Store owner Alison Sheridan, who has a master's degree in publishing and previously worked for Penguin Random House as well as at University Book Store in Seattle, Wash., described her vision for the store as a "place for readers of all ages to find their favorite books and either continue their love of literature or discover the joy of reading."
The bookstore came about quickly--Sheridan created her business plan in July and signed a lease at 105 N. Main St. in September. Though she was able to get the bookstore open in time for the holidays, she noted that it's still a work in progress, with more fixtures yet to be set up and more work to be done on the children's room.
She'll start hosting events next year, with the store's first author signing scheduled for January 19 with local author Christy Healy. Other event plans include book club meetings and storytime sessions.
Sheridan named the bookstore after Beverly Cleary, telling the Gazette: "Her entire mission in life was basically just to get books in kids' hands so that they would learn to love reading as much as she did, because she was a librarian from the Pacific Northwest. And her mission is very aligned with mine. Just kind of promoting a culture of reading, because I think that reading is the best way for you to find a sense of the world without having to leave your room."
The Mount Holly community has proven to be full of readers who are "so excited to have bookstores. They're so excited to spend their days at the shop and reading, and we've had a lot of families locally that are regulars already."
Riverbend Bookstore, a nearly 10,000-square-foot store coming to Crystal City, Mo., is aiming to open early next year, MyMoInfo reported.
Store owners Steve and Caroline Meyers had hoped to open the bookstore--which will sell predominantly used books along with a selection of new titles, DVDs, music, and games--over the summer, but renovations have taken longer than expected.
The Meyerses were frequent customers at Books Galore, a used bookstore in a neighboring town, and when Books Galore closed in 2022 the couple decided to open a store of their own. They also purchased most of Books Galore's remaining inventory, about 50,000 items in total.
While they have not yet set an official opening date, the Meyerses plan to have the store open by mid-January. It will be located at 521 North Truman Blvd.
Wicked Good Books, Salem, Mass., shared a photo on Facebook of a "special visitor today!"
"Well, at the Bookloft they say that the Grinch's bookshelf grew three sizes that day!" The Bookloft, Great Barrington, Mass., shared a photo of the shop's latest sidewalk chalkboard art, describing it as "one of the coolest chalkboards that my colleague Max creates on a regular basis. This one has received many smiles and laughs from patrons."
"All is calm at WordPlay as we get ready to welcome customers this morning," WordPlay, Wardenville, W.Va., posted on Facebook. "We love our little bookshop--and we love YOU for supporting us. Thanks for making it a priority to shop local for the holidays--and all year long! We're open every day, now through December 24. Hope to see you soon!"
Independent Publishers Group has added five new publishers for sales and distribution:
Momentum Press, which was founded in 2007 and focuses on engineering, applied science, and technology. It aims to reach practitioners, researchers, educational faculty and engineering, science and industry students. (Effective last November 1, by IPG's academic and professional division, Eurospan, exclusively in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Oceania.)
The phazelFOZ Company, which features the whimsical art and humorous stories of author DJ Corchin, whose books focus on communication, kindness, and social-emotional awareness. (Effective last December 1, for print titles in the U.S. and Canada.)
Hummingbird Press, which publishes books for children, educators, and families, and has the mission of promoting virtues and values in a relatable way, fostering collective growth. (Effective January 1, worldwide, excluding Asia.)
Manohar Books, which has offered scholarly publications in the social sciences for the last 55 years, focusing on India and South Asia. Manohar also collaborates with many institutions in India and abroad. (Effective January 1, with Eurospan distributing worldwide, excluding South Asia.)
Zophorus Books, which publishes scholarly works on the history and architecture of 18th-century India. (Effective January 1, by Eurospan, worldwide.)
Cammi Kaneko has joined Open Road Integrated Media as marketing logistics coordinator.
The Murder of Andrew Johnson by Burt Solomon (Forge Books), the third title in the John Hay Mysteries series.
Friday, December 22:
Today Show: Darnell Ferguson, co-author of SuperChef Family Cookbook (Tyndale House, $19.99, 9781496462282).
Tuesday, December 26:
The View repeat: Kenan Thompson, author of When I Was Your Age: Life Lessons, Funny Stories & Questionable Parenting Advice from a Professional Clown (Harper, $30, 9780063348066).
Friday, December 29:
The View repeat: Mark Harmon, co-author of Ghosts of Honolulu: A Japanese Spy, A Japanese American Spy Hunter, and the Untold Story of Pearl Harbor (Harper Select, $29.99, 9781400337019).
Book TV airs on C-Span 2 this weekend from 8 a.m. Saturday to 8 a.m. Monday and focuses on political and historical books as well as the book industry. The following are highlights for this coming weekend. For more information, go to Book TV's website.
Sunday, December 24
8 a.m. Peter Prichard, author of Killing Grace: A Vietnam War Mystery (River Grove Books, $21.95, 9781632997258). (Re-airs Sunday at 8 p.m.)
8:55 a.m. Leon Aron, author of Riding the Tiger: Vladimir Putin's Russia and the Uses of War (AEI Press, $25, 9780844750545). (Re-airs Sunday at 8:55 p.m.)
11 a.m. Zeke Faux, author of Number Go Up: Inside Crypto's Wild Rise and Staggering Fall (Crown Currency, $28.99, 9780593443811). (Re-airs Sunday at 11 p.m.)
12:05 p.m. Luana Marques, author of Bold Move: A 3-Step Plan to Transform Anxiety into Power (HarperOne, $29.99, 9780063277014).
1 p.m. to 7:10 p.m. Coverage of the 2023 Wisconsin Book Festival. Highlights include:
7:10 p.m. Thomas P.M Barnett, author of America's New Map: Restoring Our Global Leadership in an Era of Climate Change and Demographic Collapse (BenBella Books, $31.95, 9781637744291).
Selected new titles appearing next Tuesday, December 26:
Irish Milkshake Murder by Carlene O'Connor, Petty Ehrhart and Liz Ireland (Kensington, $27, 9781496745033) contains three Irish cozy mysteries.
Valdemar by Mercedes Lackey (DAW, $29, 9780756417390) concludes the Founding of Valdemar fantasy trilogy.
Dinner Tonight: 100 Simple, Healthy Recipes for Every Night of the Week by Alex Snodgrass (Morrow, $35, 9780063278479) is part of the Defined Dish cookbook series.
Rich AF: The Winning Money Mindset That Will Change Your Life by Vivian Tu (Portfolio, $29, 9780593714911) gives TikTok financial advice.
Calm Your Mind with Food: A Revolutionary Guide to Controlling Your Anxiety by Uma Naidoo (Little, Brown Spark, $30, 9780316502092) explores dietary solutions to mental health.
Mistress of Life and Death: The Dark Journey of Maria Mandl, Head Overseer of the Women's Camp at Auschwitz-Birkenau by Susan J. Eischeid (Citadel, $28, 9780806542850) is the biography of a Nazi hanged in 1948.
Ruthless Vows by Rebecca Ross (Wednesday Books, $20, 9781250857453) concludes the Letters of Enchantment YA fantasy series.
Paperbacks:
The Accidental Superpower: Ten Years On by Peter Zeihan (Twelve, $21.99, 9781538767344).
Melody by Helen Hardt (Waterhouse Press, $16.99, 9781642633764).
The Fearless One by Lori Foster (Canary Street Press, $9.99, 9781335517135).
Deep Fried Death: A Country Store Mystery by Maddie Day (Kensington, $8.99, 9781496742261).
Familia: A Riveting and Unforgettable Novel of Sisterhood by Lauren E. Rico (Kensington, $17.95, 9781496744647).
Second Duke's the Charm by Kate Bateman (St. Martin's Paperbacks, $8.99, 9781250907363).
From last week's Indie bestseller lists, available at IndieBound.org, here are the recommended titles, which are also Indie Next Great Reads:
Hardcover
The Other Half: A Novel by Charlotte Vassell (Anchor, $27, 9780593685945). "First in a series about British Detective Camus Beauchamp, this mystery takes us into London's high society to solve the murder of one of the gentry's 'It' girls. DI Beauchamp is intriguing--I'm looking forward to more of his cases." --Camille Kovach, Completely Booked, Murrysville, Pa.
Inheritance: The Lost Bride Trilogy #1 by Nora Roberts (St. Martin's Press, $30, 9781250288325). "This book has it all. Not only is the storyline wonderful, but the characters fit it perfectly and are well developed. There's a reason why Nora Roberts is considered the queen of romance: no one does it better. This is a winner." --Sandi Cararo, The Book Dragon, Staunton, Va.
Paperback
Calamity by Constance Fay (Bramble, $18.99, 9781250330413). "A great debut that will appeal to a large audience. The characters feel real, and it's great to read sci-fi with romance that doesn't feel forced. I'll recommend this to fantasy romance readers who are looking to branch out." --Scott Patnesky, Tattered Cover Book Store, Denver, Colo.
Ages 4 to 8
Unflappable by Matthew Ward, illus. by Scott Magoon (Clarion Books, $19.99, 9780358400059). "We are birds--we do not give up! is a slogan that needs to go on a T-shirt. This is the kind of funny, empowering message I want out of my picture book literature. Unflappable is as charming as it gets. Highly recommend!" --Rebecca Waesch, Joseph-Beth Booksellers, Cincinnati, Ohio
Ages 8 to 12: An Indies Introduce Title
Tagging Freedom by Rhonda Roumani (Union Square Kids, $16.99, 9781454950714). "Where Kareem is toying with jail and near-death, Sam is just trying to stay out of her bully's way. But art brings everyone together in a way that made me breathe a sigh of relief. A fantastic road map for useful activism, and great storytelling!" --Jamie McCauley, R.J. Julia Booksellers, Madison, Conn.
Teen Readers
The Scarlet Alchemist by Kylie Lee Baker (Inkyard Press, $19.99, 9781335458018). "I fell in love with The Scarlet Alchemist. Zilan was a wonderful, terrible delight to read. She is ambitious and unflinching; her callous personality stands out, yet she's someone I unerringly rooted for. I eagerly await another installment." --Anna Koennecke, The Open Door Bookstore, Schenectady, N.Y.
[Many thanks to IndieBound and the ABA!]
Worry by Alexandra Tanner (Scribner, $27 hardcover, 304p., 9781668018613, March 26, 2024)
A darkly comical literary debut, Worry by Alexander Tanner follows a millennial pushed to the brink by a world of absurdity and her own vacant response to it, in a timely mashup of Ottessa Moshfegh's desensitized characters and Sally Rooney's attention to complex social (de)attachment.
It's 2019, and the world is on the verge of Covid-19, but no one knows it yet. Twenty-eight-year-old Jules is living alone at the end of a once-serious relationship, doom-scrolling mommy-blogger content, and focusing on her anxiety to avoid writing. When her younger sister, Poppy, comes to stay indefinitely, Jules has a new annoyance to fixate on. Jules is the only one who knows that Poppy attempted suicide last year, and with Poppy's lifelong hives flaring up again, Jules is primed to see her sister as a walking problem. Soon, the whole world seems to be spiraling into chaos, with Jules's judgmental mother latching onto online conspiracy theories and Poppy becoming obsessed with her new, three-legged, adopted dog, Amy Klobuchar. Amidst it all, Jules likes to imagine she's the only sane one, and yet sanity begins to feel increasingly like detaching herself from everyone she loves (hates), including Poppy.
Relentlessly timely, Worry is a time capsule of a novel that captures a moment not yet over. With dogs named after political candidates and fortune-cookie astrology-spouting startups, the details Tanner infuses in Jules's world are both recognizable and surreal, an uncanny, funhouse mirror of reality. And while its characters are exhaustingly erudite--their dialogue perfectly laden with mental health discourse and politically correct buzz phrases--Tanner pulls off the highwire act of both letting readers think they know more than Jules, while simultaneously making them stare at their own reflection.
Beneath the novel's shiny armor of whip-smart, satirical everydayness, though, beats a surprisingly vulnerable heart, one made most visible in the novel's shockingly climactic ending. But while Tanner saves much of the novel's heartrending, emotional appeal for its conclusion, readers can catch glimpses of this soft underbelly throughout. For example, when the two sisters fight over Amy Klobuchar's adoption, Jules tells her sister (not for the first time), "I hate you"--only to dissolve into tears and, in narration, admit "I don't hate Poppy, and I don't hate the dog, but I do fear my own emptiness." Consuming this novel in a world no longer on the brink of disaster but deep in the abyss of it, readers will find themselves familiar with this fear, and both startled and touched by Tanner's depiction of it. --Alice Martin, freelance writer and editor
Shelf Talker: A tragicomic portrait of urban millennial life, Worry is a timely mashup of Ottessa Moshfegh's desensitized characters and Sally Rooney's attention to complex social (de)attachment.
"What I say is, a bookstore isn't a bookstore without a cat or dog," author Neil Gaiman once observed. Well, not really. As you all know, what he actually wrote in American Gods was: "What I say is, a town isn't a town without a bookstore. It may call itself a town, but unless it's got a bookstore, it knows it's not fooling a soul." But you get my point.
In fact, a Fast Company article this week, headlined "All the ways offices got better in 2023," did report that "many companies know that bringing a pet to work is one of those small mixes of joy and convenience that can make an employee's life a notch or two better."
Indie booksellers have known this all along, of course. Unfortunately, I never worked in a bookstore that had a resident cat or dog, so in the spirit of the holiday season I couldn't think of a better way to celebrate this last column of the year than by sharing the gift of a few posts I've been collecting recently from booksellers about their dogs and cats. Enjoy!
Cats
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| At Janke Book Store | |
Janke Book Store, Wausau, Wis.: "Read! Read to your cats!"
Deadtime Stories, Lansing, Mich.: "Just a couple mystery boxes left! I'm kiddddiiiiing... there's only one mystery box left. And it doesn't include living creatures, sorry. I'm contractually obligated to care for these two for the rest of their lives."
Keaton & Lloyd Bookshop, Rome, N.Y.: "We're going to be collecting cat care supplies to benefit kitties in need right here in Downtown Rome! Please stop by with a can of food, some treats, etc. All contributions are greatly appreciated!"
From My Shelf Books & Gifts, Wellsboro, Pa.: "Huck & Finn, Bookstore Cats being extra cute."
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| At Deadtime Stories | |
Kona Stories, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii: "Look who stopped by to sign books and visit Loki! @saraackermanbooks An autographed copy makes a great gift."
Lock City Books, Lockport, N.Y.: "Come meet Cotton at Lock City Books."
The Haunted Book Shop, Mobile, Ala.: "Mr. Bingley wants y'all to know we'll be open tomorrow (Wednesday! 11-6!) so he can get more head scritches in before Christmas."
Librairie l'arbre à lettres, Paris, France: "In love with BD! We have a guest at The Letter Tree. Meet Shelby a.k.a. Bibou our new bookseller. But beware, he is a fierce, swift and growling beast."
Split Rock Books, Cold Spring, N.Y.: "The most disgruntled model with some of Jen's end of year picks. The holiday season can be stressful for retail workers, please bring treats and ask about our bookseller's favorite reads of the year."
Dogs
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| At Exile in Bookville | |
Exile in Bookville, Chicago, Ill.: "Welcome to Exile in Dogville! Leo, featured here, has renamed us. When you are this cute, you can get away with anything!"
Chevalier's Books, Los Angeles, Calif.: "Not book related but definitely book related: Please bring us your dogs so we can give them treats and tell them how much we love them. Emma made this dog smile :-)."
Roebling Books & Coffee, Covington, Ky.: "New merch just dropped! Rory inspired and approved. If you're a regular at our Covington location, chances are you've met and fallen in love with this sweet pup."
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| At Bluestocking Social | |
Bluestocking Social, Evansville, Ind.: "We're getting closer and closer to Christmas, and Santa Paws (and your booksellers) want to remind you that books and art supplies are always a good gift idea. Not sure what they'd like? We also have gift cards! Shop local with your underground indie bookstore!"
Burke's Book Store, Memphis, Tenn.: "Pup of the day: this is Otis."
Village Books, the Woodlands, Tex.: "Oso has chosen his favorite calendar for 2024!"
Maze Books, Rockford, Ill.: "To Katie, Thanks for the moose stuffed animal. I have been carrying it around every day and I love to show it off to Dave and Kim. Sincerely, Pickle."
Furever homes
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| At Cupboard Maker Books | |
This holiday gathering wouldn’t be complete unless we gave a shout-out to the many bookstores that work closely with animal shelters to find furever homes for cats and dogs, including:
Otis & Clementine's Books & Coffee, Upper Tantallon, Nova Scotia, Canada: "Seamus can't wait to meet his new friends--a bonded adult pair arriving this evening to the bookstore."
Two Birds Books, Santa Cruz, Calif.: "How amazing would it be to get Charlotte, Granville, Blu, and China all settled into their forever homes this holiday season?"
And to all... a happy ending:
Cupboard Maker Books: "Congratulations and Merry Christmas Lila! You've found your Forever Home. We thank everyone who loved, commented on, and shared Miss Lila's story when it went up the other morning. You're going to have a wonderful life sweet girl. (((Hugs))) We thank every Castaway Critters volunteer who helps make each rescue and adoption possible."
Happy Holidays, furry booksellers everywhere!
