Move over AIG and BIg Three Auto

Save the publishing industry!

The current economic crisis is hurting industries across the board. The one that concerns this blog has just experienced a particularly bad October. Moonrat explains it much better at her blog. It has to do with bookstores returning so much inventory to the publishers that an entire year's profit has been wiped out at some smaller houses.

As a book lover and hopeful future author, I ask that you consider buying books as gifts this season. And since I'm nothing but helpful, here is a list of suggestions, totally subjective with no discernible common factor except that I think they're well-written, entertaining, and just plain good.

Multicultural books
chapter books and early middle grade

• Rickshaw girl by Mitali Perkins
• The Year of the Rat by Grace Lin
• The No No Boys by Teresa Funke (hot off the press!)
  
• A Single Shard by Linda Sue Park

young adult

• Good Enough by Paula Yoo

Books that may appeal to boys
chapter books and middle grade

• Dodger and Me by Jordan Sonnenblick
• Humpty Dumpty Jr. : Hardbolied Detective series by Paul Hindman and Nate Evans
• Five Ancestors series by Jeff Stone

Books about strong sibling relationships
middle grade

• The Penderwicks (and sequel) by Jeanne Birdsall
  
• Saffy's Angels (and sequels) bu Hilary McKay

Poetry books for children

• Poetry Speaks to Children
• Birds on a Wire by J. Patrick Lewis

Books for doglovers (who also love lyrical writing)

• The Underneath by Kathi Appelt
  
• The Story of Edgar Sawtelle by David Wroblewski