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Books & Libraries

Book Buzz: Dear Bookstore by Emily Arrow

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Emily Arrow, photo courtesy the authorIn every place I’ve lived bookstores have been the first places to feel like home—especially Parnassus Books in Nashville, where I led weekly storytime sing-alongs for years, and Green Bean Books in Portland, Ore., where I spent countless hours soaking in the magic of a truly community-centered shop. Bookstores are havens for readers, writers, and dreamers who crave“discovery, community, and belonging. Dear Bookstore is my love letter to them.

― Emily Arrow, Interview, Publishers Weekly

Dear Bookstore by Emily Arrow

What booksellers are saying about Dear Bookstore

  • A love song to independent bookstores everywhere, but also inspired by the beloved brick and mortar indie bookstore, Parnassus Books, in Nashville, Tennessee. Arrow reminds readers and listeners of all ages of the mutual benefits of supporting local.
      ― Holly Kitchings, Court Street Books in Florence, Alabama | BUY

  • Be still my beating heart! A love letter to bookstores and the people who inhabit them, I get teary eyed thinking about this story. Gentle and tender words paired with illustrations so soft they glow, obsessed is an understatement!
      ― Grace Sullivan, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia | BUY

  • Well, good lord. If my indie bookstore ever needed a marketing brouchure, I’d just buy these in bulk. Easiest pre-order I’ve ever made for my shop – oh, and I nearly cried towards the end when she runs to the store to make sure it is still there as so many use screens now…
      ― Alissa Redmond, South Main Book Company in Salisbury, North Carolina | BUY

  • An incredibly sweet picture book that illustrates so well, in images and words, the vital role bookstores play in our lives.
      ― Beth Bissmeyer, Carmichael’s Bookstore in Louisville, Kentucky | BUY

About Emily Arrow

Emily Arrow (she/they) is an award-winning children’s songwriter, author, and educator known for crafting meaningful stories and songs. Her music albums include Sing Along with Emily Arrow and the Storytime Singalong series. Alongside her ukulele companion, Bow, Emily Arrow aims to inspire young minds, encouraging them to embrace and share their own unique voices. She enjoys going on walks with her dog and partner and finding cozy corners in independent bookshops for reading. Emily Arrow resides in Los Angeles.

Geneviève Godbout is the illustrator of many picture books, including The Pink Umbrella by Amélie Callot, Wherever You’ll Be by Ariella Prince Guttman, and If I Couldn’t Be Anne by Kallie George. Her work has appeared in the Society of Illustrators Original Art Exhibit in New York and on Christmas and holiday stamps for the Canadian postal service. Geneviève Godbout lives in Montreal.

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All the Books by Hayley Rocco

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All the Books by Hayley Rocco
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Piper Waterstone loves her books! She loves them so much, she wants to keep them with her forever. When she discovers the library, she learns the art of sharing and friendship in this beautiful picture book.

All the Books by Hayley Rocco, (List Price: $18.99, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 9780316512749, October 2024)

Reviewed by Rae Ann Parker, Parnassus Books in Nashville, Tennessee

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Dreamers by Yuyi Morales

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Dreamers by Yuyi Morales
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Gorgeous, timely, and moving; each and every page of Dreamers is a masterpiece. The story is my favorite part because it is familiar, and yet, I’ve never seen it so dazzlingly portrayed. It’s a subtle and sweetly told vignette in the life of an immigrant that I think will spur important conversations for little readers.

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales, (List Price: $18.99, Neal Porter Books, 9780823440559, September 2018)

Reviewed by Cristina Russell, Books & Books in Coral Gables, Florida

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This Book Won’t Burn by Samira Ahmed

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This Book Won't Burn by Samira Ahmed
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An incredibly timely read! Noor Khan has moved to a new town and is dismayed to discover that many of her new school’s library books have been pulled from the shelf. As she mobilizes her new classmates to fight back, she realizes she might actually be in danger. I loved the way Samira Ahmed cites real books that have been banned over the past few years throughout the book. Perfect for teens to read alongside Fahrenheit 451!

This Book Won’t Burn by Samira Ahmed, (List Price: $18.99, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 9780316547840, May 2024)

Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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No Cats in the Library by Lauren Emmons

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No Cats in the Library by Lauren Emmons
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Easily one of the most precious picture books I’ve ever seen!!!! Clarisse is a sweet little stray who loves books, and the library calls to her. The only problem – she isn’t allowed in! Lovingly illustrated, the happy ending to this book made me tear up for sure.

No Cats in the Library by Lauren Emmons, (List Price: $18.99, Simon & Schuster/Paula Wiseman Books, 9781665933681, March 2024)

Reviewed by Jordan April, Flyleaf Books in Chapel Hill, North Carolina

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The Christmas Book Flood by Emily Kilgore

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The Christmas Book Flood by Emily Kilgore
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I only found out a few years ago that there is a whole holiday in Iceland celebrating books! Jólabókaflóð (yo-la-bok-a-flot) roughly translates to “Christmas book flood”. Every year Icelandic folks search the shelves for the perfect book gift to give on Christmas Eve and then they read their treasures all night often curled up with loved ones or joyfully solo! What could be more delightful??? Kilgore’s dancing text and the lively collage art of illustrator Kitty Moss make you want to join in the fun. Start a holiday tradition of your own with this perfect little book!

The Christmas Book Flood by Emily Kilgore (List Price: $18.99, Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR), 9780374388997, November 2022)

Reviewed by Kelly Justice, Fountain Bookstore in Richmond, Virginia

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Good Night, Little Bookstore by Amy Cherrix

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Good Night, Little Bookstore by Amy Cherrix
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There’s so much to love about Good Night, Little Bookstore! A charming, delightful bedtime story and an ode to the little bookstores that nurture big dreams.

Good Night, Little Bookstore by Amy Cherrix, (List Price: $17.99, Candlewick, 9781536212518, September 2022)

Reviewed by Stephanie Jones-Byrne, Malaprops Bookstore/Cafe in Asheville, North Carolina

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Everything in Its Place by Pauline David-Sax

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Everything in Its Place by Pauline David-Sax
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This is a quiet and sweet story that’s perfect for readers of all ages; it truly feels like a picture book for any reader. It perfectly captures the way books can cure loneliness. I loved the combination of collage and colored-pencil illustrations.

Everything in Its Place by Pauline David-Sax, (List Price: $17.99, Doubleday Books for Young Readers, 9780593378823, July 2022)

Reviewed by Kate Storhoff, Bookmarks in Winston-Salem, North Carolina

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