"No book is worth reading at the age of ten which is not equally worth reading at the age of fifty."
             -C.S. Lewis
   
Town House Books is pleased to offer a variety of programs for children, parents and educators. A 20% discount is extended to educators on children's books for use in the classroom.  
   


Owner David Hunt dives into the new Harry Potter at our July 2007midnight unveiling.


Staff members, Eileen and Sarah, at our Harry Potter unveiling in July.

 
   
Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award  
   
2007 Caudill Winner  

Sarah Weeks
So B. It (HarperCollins, $6.99)
The winner of the 2007 Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award is So B. It by Sarah Weeks. Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins and Hachiko Waits by Leslea Newman were the runners up. Congratulations to all!

2008 Caudill Award Winner will be announced March 2008.

View additional information about the Award.

   
What is the Award?  


The Rebecca Caudill Young Readers' Book Award was developed to encourage children and young adults to read for personal satisfaction. It is an Illinois award for outstanding literature for young people and is sponsored by the Illinois Reading Council, the Illinois School Library Media Association, and the Illinois Association of Teachers of English.

  • Books are nominated by children in grades 4-8.
  • A master list of 20 titles is sent to participating elementary and middle schools.
  • Students read the books on the list and vote for their favorites each February.
  • Votes are sent to the award committee, which compiles the final tally.
  • The winning title is announced in March.
  • Postcards announcing the winner are mailed to each participating school or library.
  • A plaque is given to the author of the winning book.
  • Public libraries may sponsor the program if the schools in the area choose not to do so.
Our Children's Room.
   

Town House Favorite Kids Titles

In celebration of our thirtieth birthday in September, 2004, we put our heads together to try to come up with thirty of our Town House favorites. It’s almost impossible to narrow the list to thirty from the thousands of titles we love. It wasn’t easy leaving many cherished titles out, but here are a few highlights we want to celebrate. For the rest of our list of thirty see our Favorites page.

 
   
Love that Dog by Sharon Creech (Harper Collins, $5.99)
Miss Stretchberry, Jack, and the poems from room 105 will steal your heart in this amazing little book about a young boy's discovery of poetry and feelings. You won't get through it without a smile or a tear. (Ages 7 +)
   

The Van Gogh Café by Cynthia Rylant (Harcourt, $15)
If you've never had the pleasure of reading anything by Cynthia Rylant then start with this absolute gem. The Van Gogh Café is a diner where magical things happen for Marc and his daughter, Clara, who is ten years old and believes that “anything might happen.” You'll believe, too, in the power & joy of Rylant's writing. (Ages 7+)

 
   
Grandad’s Prayers for the Earth by Douglas Wood (Candlewick, $16.99)
Douglas Wood draws from his own childhood experience to give readers a memorable perspective on nature and prayer. This is a rare picture book, with luminous illustrations by P.J. Lynch, for anyone who has ever had a woods to walk, a prayer to whisper, or a hero to love. (All ages)
   

A Story for Bear by Dennis Hasley (Harcourt, $16)
A magical fantasy that celebrates the wonders of reading. A young bear makes an unlikely friend whose books and stories touch him even though he cannot understand their words. Illuminated by Jim LaMarche's glorious illustrations, this book makes an enchanting read-aloud. ( Ages 3-7)

   
Fire Bringer by David Clement-Davies (Penguin Putnam, $6.99)
In a Scotland beset with Norse invaders, the deer — the Herla — are fighting their own war. In this grand and gripping book, with its echoes of myth and legend, the author creates a classic hero tale set in a society that is at once convincingly animal and a sharp reflection of humankind. (Ages 10+)
   

Previously Reviewed in our Newsletters

That Girl Lucy Moon
by Amy Timberlake (Hyperion, $15.99)

That Girl Lucy Moon is about a 12-year-old girl, named Lucy Moon, who is fighting a battle against corruption in her community and struggling to find herself. Lucy faces Miss Ilene Viola Wiggins (a woman who controls Turtle Rock, Minnesota through her philanthropic giving) when Miss Wiggins fences the community sledding hill. Lucy also struggles with adolescence, her friends changing, and a mother who leaves on a trip and doesn't seem to be coming back. There's also a good bit about all the goings on in the town of Turtle Rock, Minnesota. You won't want to miss this delightful, irrepressible heroine! Amy visited Town House in September 2006 and has a webpage about her trip. Check it out! – Heidi

 
   
   

Diary of a Wombat
by Jackie French (Clarion, $14.00)

In this delightful diary, an Australian wombat chronicles his favorite activities - eating, sleeping, digging holes - and training his new human neighbors. This cute little guy's antics will have you leaving oats and carrots on your back step! (Ages 3-7)

  
   

Stanley, Flat Again
by Jeff Brown (Harper Collins, $14.99)

In this delightful sequel to Flat Stanley, Stanley Lambchop finds he's gone flat again, and this time blowing him up with the hose doesn't work to make him round. Kids will laugh out loud as they discover that heroes come in all shapes and sizes. ( Ages 7-10)
   

Ben Franklin's Almanac
by Candace Fleming (Simon & Schuster, $19.95)

Combining biography, cartoons, etchings and memorabilia in an exceptional scrapbook format, this biography paints a vivid picture of Ben Franklin's many accomplishments in eighteenth century America. ( Ages 7-10)
   
The Little Engine that Could
by Watty Piper (Philomel,$17.99)
 A beautifully re-illustrated edition of one of the most popular children's books of all time. The art by Loren Long is exuberant and modern for a whole new generation of readers while maintaining the classic feel of the original version. Wally Piper's text remains unchanged, recalling for all of us the famous refrain "I think I can– I think I can". This is a must for every young child's library.
   
Holiday Book Reviews for Kids  
   
Caralyn Buehner
Snowmen at Christmas (Dial, $16.99)
A delightful companion to the bestselling Snowmen at Night, Carolyn and Mark Buehner have created another whimsical look as snow people, snow dogs, snow reindeer and a snow Santa all prepare for the big day. Snappy, rhyming text makes this a great read aloud.
   

MaryAnn Cusimano Love
Satomi Ichikawa
You Are My Miracle (Philomel, $15.99)
 Just in time for the holidays, the creators of Your Are My I Love You have created a book with warm, glowing illustrations and a gentle rhyme that is sure to become an instant favorite for little ones, parents, and grandparents:

"I am your old stories;
you are my make-believe.
I am your go to sleep;
you are my Christmas Eve."
   
Here's what our young adults are recommending...

Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer
Tired of waiting for the next Harry Potter? Try Artemis Fowl.
Twelve-year-old Artemis, who lives in London in 2012, is a master mind whose skills rival those of Sherlock Holmes or James Bond. But he meets his match when he kidnaps fairy Captain Holly Short of the LEPrecon and holds her hostage demanding ransom to replace his family's fortunes. Look out Harry - here comes Artemis!
-Reviewed by Jeff Johnson
   
Hope was Here by Joan Bauer
Sixteen-year-old Hope and her aunt Addie are moving again, this time to a small town in Wisconsin, having lost their New York City diner and their jobs when their partner cleans out the cash register and leaves them behind. Now they must restart their lives at the Welcome Stairways Diner. What happens as Hope meets politics, corruption, and her own past head-on is at the heart of this laugh-out-loud story about honor, trust, and serving up your best.
-Reviewed by Melinda Studer
   
Great Books
Look for these titles on our shelves ...		  
   
Picture Books  
Love Is
by Wendy Halperin
(All ages)		  
Combines a well-known New Testament passage with dazzling and intricate watercolors to bring us a lavish celebration of true love.  
   
Sophie's Masterpiece
by Eileen Spinelli
(Ages 4-7)		  
A charming tale of an exceptionally gifted spider and the lengths she's willing to go to share her gifts. Illustrated by Jane Dyer.  
   
Pieces
by Anna Hines
(Ages 5 and up)		  
Nineteen handmade quilts grace the pages of this collection of seasonal poems which include a fascinating note on the making of the quilts.  
   
Fiction  
Castaways of the Flying Dutchman
by Brian Jacques
  
From the best-selling author of Redwall comes this rousing tale of the young boy and his dog who were trapped on the legendary ghost ship.  
   
School Story
by Andrew Clements
(Ages 8-12)		  
Another winning novel from the best-selling author of Frindle, The Landry News, and The Janitor's Boy.  
   
A Sailor Returns
by Theodore Taylor
(Ages 8+)		  
From the author of the best-selling classic, The Cay, comes the unforgettable story of a lonely boy who learns the true meaning of family love from his long-lost grandfather.  
   
Non-Fiction  
The Good Fight
by Stephen Ambrose
(Ages 10+)		  
One of the finest historians of our time brings us an unprecedented chronicle of U.S. involvement in World War II.  
Guts
by Gary Paulsen
(Age 12+)		  
Ideal for lovers of the Brian books, Paulsen reveals the true stories that inspired his series that began with Hatchet.  
 

For other reviews see our other review pages:

 
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