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 Subscribe here!Get PowellsBooks.Kids in your inbox every month! Concerned about privacy?Click here to read about Powells.com email policy. Bobbing for books: Can you believe it's October already? Here in Portland, the leaves are blowing, the wind is howling, the rain is falling, and that pumpkin you just saw looks a bit macabre. What better time to come inside the City of Books and find a warm, dry corner to tuck yourself into? In this month's newsletter, you'll meet authors, learn about new fall books, and salute Edward Gorey. We'll also get you ready for Halloween with our hand-picked list of scary stories, talk about our favorite Judaica books for kids, and tell you about past and future author events here in the Portland area. Leaves change color in the fall because trees stop making chlorophyll, a green pigment that helps plants turn sunlight into food.  KIDS' Q&A: DAVID LEVITHAN AND RACHEL COHNNaomi and Ely's No Kiss List is the second collaboration between the talented authors/good friends Rachel Cohn and David Levithan. Similar to their first work, Nick and Norah's Infinite Playlist, No Kiss is a quick-witted, amusing read about the disparity between two best friends in Manhattan. Read our funny Q&A with the authors to find out what famous song Rachel's grandpa wrote (or so she thought), and why David doesn't feed his pets. And purchase Naomi and Ely's No Kiss List at 30% off.  KIDS' Q&A: K. L. GOINGK. L. Going is the author of the award-winning young adult book, Fat Kid Rules the World. Her newest book, The Garden of Eve, mixes eerie magical realism with a deeply resonating story that beautifully explores grief, healing, and growth. Did you know that Going has an unsettling obsession with ketchup or that she used to manage an independent bookstore? Learn more about this extraordinary author in her Q&A and purchase The Garden of Eve at 30% off the cover price.  KIDS' Q&A: MARKUS ZUSAKMarkus Zusak's The Book Thief is a powerful and challenging story about a girl living in Germany during WWII. The New York Times wrote, "The Book Thief will be appreciated for Mr. Zusak's audacity, also on display in his earlier I Am the Messenger. It will be widely read and admired because it tells a story in which books become treasures. And because there's no arguing with a sentiment like that." Read our Q&A with this bright, young Australian author to find out what he's thinking of writing next. And purchase The Book Thief at 30% off the cover price. Monarch butterflies fly thousands of miles south during the fall season, all the way to Mexico.
We were entranced by Jerry Spinelli's Stargirl, so we got out our dancing shoes in celebration of the sequel, Love, Stargirl. Continuing the saga of Stargirl after she leaves Arizona — and Leo — behind. The big difference in the new novel is that it is told from Stargirl's perspective. While Stargirl seemed mysterious, even ethereal, when seen through the eyes of her friend Leo, the mystery dissolves in this follow-up to reveal a girl who is just as vulnerable and confused about growing up as most teenagers. Read how Spinelli decided to write the sequel and much more in our Q&A here, then end the suspense by buying Love, Stargirl at 30% off the cover price. With your purchase, you'll receive a free bookplate signed by Spinelli! Or buy a boxed set of both books, also at 30% off, and receive a signed bookplate and free Stargirl journal!  BOOKS FOR AUTUMN Some of our nicest childhood memories of fall include sipping hot cider, carving pumpkins, and designing intricate nature scenes out of different kinds of colorful leaves. Well, maybe not that last part... but they would have if we had a copy of Look What I Did with a Leaf by Morteza Sohi. Sohi's book outlines how to collect leaves and fashion them into beautiful crafty masterpieces. Speaking of leaves, there's the classic Leaf Man by Lois Ehlert, which includes its own beautiful leafy illustrations and poetic text. What else can a child craft into a masterpiece? In Bob Staake's humorous board book This Is Not a Pumpkin, the author explains that pumpkins never smile, but jack-o-lanterns do. For detailed instruction in how to create a jack-o-lantern, read Ken Robbins's Pumpkins, an elegant book full of rich photographs. Last, but not least, there's Autumn: An Alphabet Acrostic by Steven Schnur. This book covers just about everything we love about the season, from acorns to crackling fires, red apples to sleeping under a warm quilt on a cold night. Check all our cozy books for fall here.  KIDS' Q&A: RICHELLE MEADSince Halloween is her favorite holiday, and she's written a vampire novel for young adults, we couldn't resist featuring Richelle Mead and her book Vampire Academy in this month's newsletter. It tells the tale of a half-vampire girl navigating the perils of high school while bodyguarding her best friend who happens to be a vampire princess... need we say more? Read Richelle's Q&A here and purchase Vampire Academy at 30% off — if you dare! Edward Gorey is famous for writing and illustrating sinister tales about pale-faced characters living in a bleak world. When asked why his books were so dark, Gorey answered, "Sunny, funny nonsense for children — oh, how boring, boring, boring." The Gashlycrumb Tinies is a chilling and hilarious journey through the alphabet unlike anything seen on Sesame Street. Gorey's books have been an inspiration for several new Halloween books out this season. Our favorite, Skelly the Skeleton Girl by Jimmy Pickering features a little skeleton who goes searching for the owner of a bone she finds in her house. The Curious Demise of a Contrary Cat by Lynne Berry is a fun read-aloud book and Mucumber McGee and the Half-Eaten Hot Dog by Patrick Loehr is an eccentric tale of sibling woes. Browse our featured aisle, highlighting all our favorite Gorey-esque titles. HALLOWEEN BOOKS: SCARY (AND OTHERWISE) STORIES
Remember trick-or-treating? Remember that one house you were afraid to approach because of the dark, creepy porch and the looming figure in the doorway? Being scared out of your wits, and telling your friends about it the next day at school? What would Halloween be without scary stories? The following spine-tinglers will scare you silly. We've also included some not-so-scary stories for the younger set, so please enjoy. Behold our Halloween picks:
 KIDS' Q&A: LESLIE MCGUIRKLeslie McGuirk has worked extensively in Japan, designing everything from T-shirts to teapots. She also writes adorable books for kids including her newest, Tucker's Spooky Halloween, a board book about a cute little dog who wants to be scary. This book is sure to delight small children who are experiencing the first thrills of Halloween dress-up. Read her fun Q&A here and buy Tucker at 30% off. JUDAICA FOR KIDS
The Jewish High Holy Days represent a people coming together for reflection and celebration and to express their joyous faith. In honor of the holidays, we have assembled some of our favorite Judaica books for kids. The Keeping Quilt by Patricia Polacco is a personal tribute to several generations of the author's family, illustrated in masterful charcoal drawings. Five Little Gefiltes by Dave Horowitz and Ten Old Men and a Mouse by Cary Fagan are two humorous picture books that capture the essence of Jewish culture. All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor is a great middle grade book about five immigrant sisters living in New York before World War I. Isaac Bashevis Singer's A Day of Pleasure: Stories of a Boy Growing Up in Warsaw is one of my personal all-time favorites; a true young adult classic. Lastly, The Golden Rule by Ilene Cooper is a beautifully illustrated work that celebrates the universal theme of compassion. Check out our entire aisle of children's Judaica here. AUTHOR EVENTS FOR KIDS
KIDS' BESTSELLERSA few weeks ago a couple of us went to the Mo Willems author event at our Cedar Hills Crossing location in nearby Beaverton. After purchasing ice cream at the mall's creamery, we took our seats to discover kids all around us, holding their favorite Willems book, carrying stuffed pigeons, and stirring with anticipation for their favorite author to arrive. "I'm Mo Willems and I'm a tax attorney," said Willems, as he approached the podium. The kids caught on fast; "Nooooo, you're not!" they roared. After he read from Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity and I Am Invited to a Party! he signed books for almost an hour. One child brought her doll that she had named "Mo Willems" to be signed, and he graciously obliged. The event was wonderful and made me realize how important these author signings are, not just for children, but for the community as a whole. Check out these amazing children's events coming soon to our Cedar Hills Crossing location: Susan Patron on October 12; Michael Hoeye, October 19; and, Jimmy Pickering, October 29; all begin at 7:00 p.m. And don't be surprised to see three full-grown women in the seats behind you, devouring ice cream and stirring with anticipation.
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