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Stuff Kids Should Know by Chuck Bryant

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Stuff Kids Should Know by Chuck Bryant
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Long gone are the days of perusing encyclopedias for fun random information, but Information Junkies unite! Now we have Stuff Kids Should Know, a spin off from the wildly popular podcast of the same name that provides curious kids a place to discover amazing random information. Stack them up. These make the perfect holiday gift.

Stuff Kids Should Know by Chuck Bryant, (List Price: 19.99, Henry Holt and Co. (BYR), 9781250622440, August 2023)

Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes

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Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes
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In the end, and in the beginning, all we really have are our stories. In Ghost Boys, Jerome’s story, Sarah’s story, Grandma’s and Kim’s and Emmett’s stories are all one: The story that only the living can make the world better. This story, their story will haunt the reader long long long past the final page. Sure to be a winner this award season, Ghost Boys is an absolute must-read.

Ghost Boys by Jewel Parker Rhodes, (List Price: 7.99, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 9780316262262, September 2019)

Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

When Rubin Plays by Gracey Zhang

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When Rubin Plays by Gracey Zhang
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A July 2023 Read This Next! Book

Beautiful music is in the ear of the beholder and in this stunning picture book from the author/illustrator of LaLa’s words, that ear is a chorus of cats! Both a celebration of music and of new musicians, this one is sure to become a storytime favorite.

When Rubin Plays by Gracey Zhang, (List Price: $18.99, Orchard Books, 9781338648263, July 2023)

Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

Monster Camp by Sarah Henning

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Monster Camp by Sarah Henning
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Ghost stories around the fire are almost requisite activities at most summer camps, but what if you realized that the monsters at your camp were actually your fellow campers? That’s just what happens to Sylvie in this hilarious slightly spooky summer sleepaway tale that’s the perfect read for a long summer night.

Monster Camp by Sarah Henning, (List Price: 17.99, Margaret K. McElderry Books, 9781665930055, May 2023)

Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

Slow Down and Be Here Now by Laura Brand

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Slow Down and Be Here Now by Laura Brand
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Frog tongues, dandelion puffs, snowflakes, All wonders of the world. This charming giftable nature guide/storybook encourages readers to slow down and enjoy all the amazing things in the natural world.

Slow Down and Be Here Now by Laura Brand, (List Price: 22.99, Magic Cat, 9781419765971, March 2023)

Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

Pieces of Blue by Holly Goldberg Sloan

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Pieces of Blue by Holly Goldberg Sloan
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Holly Goldberg Sloan has written the PERFECT beach book. With a little family drama, a handsome stranger who can rewire a crumbling hotel, a recent widow trying to help her three children find their place in the world, resident chickens, a beach ( of course) and a wicked twist that strikes out of the blue, Pieces of Blue begs to be in every beach bag this summer.

Pieces of Blue by Holly Goldberg Sloan, (List Price: 28.99, Flatiron Books, 9781250847300, May 2023)

Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

The Storyteller by Brandon Hobson

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The Storyteller by Brandon Hobson
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A May 2023 Read This Next! Title

Ziggy is just a regular kid. Well, a regular kid who encounters talking coyotes, singing frogs, prophesying snakes, truth-telling horses, a very interesting Grandma, and Nunnehi- spirits who protect those of Cherokee descent. Funny, sad, wise, and jam-packed with adventure, Ziggy’s story, The Storyteller, may be the very best book you’ll read in 2023.

The Storyteller by Brandon Hobson, (List Price: 17.99, Scholastic Press, 9781338797268, May 2023)

Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

What Happens Next?: Talent Show Troubles by Jess Smart Smiley

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What Happens Next?: Talent Show Troubles by Jess Smart Smiley
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A Choose your own adventure graphic novel with ZOMBIES!!! Can a book actually get more fun than this? Sure to be a hit with graphic novel fans looking for a little something new, What Happens Next may actually be that young readers are clamoring for the next book in this fun new series.

What Happens Next?: Talent Show Troubles by Jess Smart Smiley, (List Price: 12.99, First Second, 9781250889263, April 2023)

Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

Above Ground by Clint Smith

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Above Ground by Clint Smith
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An April 2023 Read This Next! Title

Above Ground is a poetry collection that is a heartfelt ode to fatherhood. These poems are imbued with the love, joy, wonder, and uncertainties that accompany being a parent. They also delve into family and ancestry, history and race, turmoil, and above all, hope. This is an important collection that I will highly recommend.

Above Ground by Clint Smith, (List Price: $27, Little, Brown and Company, 9780316543033, April 2023)

Reviewed by Damita Nocton, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

Seven Faceless Saints by M.K. Lobb

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Seven Faceless Saints by M.K. Lobb
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Wow, what a beautifully written book that deals with a lot of complex issues while still feeling like a wonderful fantasy novel. What was so beautiful you may ask? First of all, the characters. Normally I find childhood bestfriends/lovers turned enemies to be very unbelievable but M.K. Lobb found the best way to do it. Roz and Damian were very believable characters with trauma that manifests in very different ways. PTSD isn’t always hiding in a corner or freaking out at loud noises. Second of all, the plot of which I’d say there are really two plot lines and then a third of when they finally converge together. A murder mystery and a rebellion don’t really seem to fit together until they finally do and I was excited for every second. This book didn’t feel like it was almost 400 pages because I just kept wanting to find out what happened next. Third of all, that twist. The villain of this story honestly blind-sided me. I went for the obvious choice because no one else met the qualifications for the big bad. Now don’t get me wrong, my guess was a very terrible person but they just weren’t the real villain we were looking for. This book also handled multiple POVs very well. There’s really only two POVs for this book, Damian and Roz, and they don’t spend time recapping events that happened in the other character’s chapter, they just move on with a maybe a line saying "I don’t know what they’re thinking so I’m just going to continue to solve this mystery" and that was it. Which I really appreciate. I don’t like being told things and M.K. Lobb delivered the story brilliantly.

Seven Faceless Saints by M.K. Lobb, (List Price: $19.99, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 9780316386883, February 2023)

Reviewed by Cass W, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

All the Beauty in the World by Patrick Bringley

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All the Beauty in the World : The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me by Patrick Bringley
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A February 2023 Read This Next! Title

Patrick Bringley becomes a guard at The Metropolitan Museum of Art after his brother dies and he can’t handle the day to day stress of his former job. Spending his days in the midst of some of the most beautiful art in the world, he slowly heals from his grief. This book provides a behind the scenes look at everyday life in the museum and I loved it. And there is a reference list of the art mentioned in the book which can then be viewed online.

All the Beauty in the World : The Metropolitan Museum of Art and Me by Patrick Bringley (List Price: $27.99, Simon & Schuster, 9781982163303, February 2023)

Beth Carpenter from The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

The Kindest Red by Ibtihaj Muhammad

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The Kindest Red by Ibtihaj Muhammad
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So often, when people are asked what they would wish for, they reply “World Peace.” In The Kindest Red, Faizah wishes for “World Kindness,” and isn’t that really the first step to world peace? This simple picture book with a big message is just perfect for families or classrooms looking to celebrate diversity and personal responsibility.

The Kindest Red by Ibtihaj Muhammad, (List Price: $19.99, Bloomsbury YA, 9780759555709, February 2023)

Reviewed by Angie Tally, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

The Creative Act by Rick Rubin

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The Creative Act by Rick Rubin
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The Creative Act: A Way of Being is a thoughtful exploration of life, how we live, how we think, how we are influence and obviously, how we create. Organized in very readable small chunks- this book is something to appeal to people wanting to shop in the religious section, personal growth as well as arts and music. Profound insights into how we exist are revealed throughout the book wordsmith into attractively consumable bites. By the end of the book, the reader will be inspired and possibly changed forever. This is a book for all ages but also is a book that will be the absolute best graduation gift of 2023.

The Creative Act by Rick Rubin, (List Price: $32, Penguin Press, 9780593652886, January 2023)

Reviewed by Kimberly Daniels, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

The Witcher: Ronin (Manga) by Rafal Jaki

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The Witcher: Ronin (Manga) by Rafal Jaki
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I had been anticipating The Witcher Ronin for months and pre-ordered it. I was super excited to see Geralt as a ronin and the book didn’t disappoint in that regard. I loved the new Japanese yokai we got to explore in this Manga but with the familiar storyline we all know and love. I was expecting a little more for the book, so that made me a bit sad, but I overall enjoyed what we did get to see in this first installment.

The Witcher: Ronin (Manga) by Rafal Jaki, (List Price: $19.99, Dark Horse Manga, 9781506733500, December 2022)

Reviewed by Cass W, The Country Bookshop in Southern Pines, North Carolina

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