I went to the annual Westerly Book Fair last week. It’s a tradition now, so I had to go. I wasn’t nine months pregnant and just about to give birth, so this year’s sale certainly lacked the ooomph of 2009’s. The selection wasn’t that much better than 2010’s sale (a rather lackluster affair), but the sale was held at the library this year, rather than the YMCA, making it seem a little better.
Here’s what I bought.
- Rilla of Ingleside by L.M. Montgomery: For some reason, I thought this was a rare book that I simply had to own, but it’s just the last in the Anne of Green Gables series and not particularly hard to find. Well, it could still be good. You just never know.
- The White Deer by James Thurber: Though I already own a copy of this book, I’ve never read it. This new copy is a first edition!
- Bed-knob and Broomstick by Mary Norton: I couldn’t remember if I owned a copy, so I bought this one. As it turns out, I do already have one, but it’s softcover. This hardback may prove to be better.
- Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo: This is on the top 100 children’s book list, so I’ve been meaning to read it. Now I’ve got a copy handy, so no excuses!
- The Magician’s Elephant by Kate DiCamillo: Why not? She’s a proven author (see #4), so it’s probably decent.
- The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper: Another from the top 100 list (see #4).
- Crosbie’s Dictionary of Riddles by John S. Crosbie: Yay! A riddle book!
- The Little Riddle Book: Yet more riddles! Yay more!
- Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon : I figured (rightly) that this was the book that The King and I was based on. I thought it might be a fun read.
- Eek! There’s a Mouse in the House by Wong Herbert Yee: This one was for Marshall. The title was fitting given the recent invasion of mice in our house. (Thank God for Peeps, our huntress supreme!)
- Toes are to Tickle by Shen Roddie: This is a cute book for kids. I do wish, though, that it didn’t reinforce the idea that chairs are for climbing. (They’re really not, Marshall. They’re for sitting.)