The Chuckanut Reader - Winter 2024-2025

Dear Reader,

The legacy and tradition of bookstores and libraries began (in recorded history, anyway) in 300 B.C. when the Alexandrian Library was founded. Since then, the history of bookselling has had a tumultuous professional history. In 1810, Napoleon created a system in which a would-be bookseller had to apply for a license and supply four references testifying to his morality and ability to perform the job. They've faced the threat of wars, fires, floods, barbarian hordes, and religious fervor. More recently, booksellers have the challenges of the competition of online sales, declining reading statistics, erosion of communities due to those online sales, and book banning. And yet the rate of new independent bookstores opening is at an all-time high. The strongest communities have bookstores and libraries at their heart. They are places where every community member can escape to and feel a sense of calm connection and pursue lifelong learning. The bookseller has a sacred role in this; they are those unique people that bring that desire to work with communities, with schools, and with each individual on their journey in this life. They are flexible enough to be friendly and helpful and yet withstand the ups and downs of retail, listening compassionately and without prejudice. Consider this during the holidays as our booksellers carry forward this time-honored legacy, working extremely hard to brighten your day and bring a smile to your face.

– Kelly, Paul, Sarah, and the Entire Village Books and Paper Dreams Family

The Chuckanut Reader • Winter 2024-25

Publisher: Village Books and Paper Dreams

Production & Design: Kelly Carbert

Contributors: Kiana Allen, Rae Baitx, Rick Bramham, Anna Brown, Bee Cabezas, Kendra Calitri, Kelly Carbert, Caitriona Cassel, Erin Chervenock, Adelaide Conover, Erica Davis, Gaye Davis, Stephanie Dethlefs, Nathen Dooley, Sydney Durst, Kelly Evert, Paul Hanson, Chloe Hovind, Sarah Hutton, Megan Jenkins, Will Jenkins, Hannah Kayser, Kat Kayser, Sean Kearney, Sam Lewis, Anne Lillis, Troy Luginbill, Grace McCall, Asher McElroy, Isabella McFrazier, Emily Miller, Rez Miller, Maddie Musquiz, Alex Nyberg, Megan Perkins, Laura Picco, Tova Portmann-Bown, Chloe Quan, Sophie Richmond, Lillian Roberts, Mary Roy, Carolina Santana, James Smith, Kellen Smith, Allison Stalnaker, Kirsty Sullivan, Laney Turner, Courtney Velthuizen, Heather Williams, Korina Yost

Cover: There's no place like Fairhaven in the winter - join us!

See scottwardart.com to see more of his wonderful work!

Content except art & book covers ©Village Books 2024 Printed by the Lynden Tribune on paper made from 50% post-consumer waste.

In This Issue...

Village Books and Paper Dreams Annual

Giving Tree

Books for Local Kids and Families in Need

For over two decades Village Books has partnered with local non-profits that provide services for at-risk populations through our Giving Tree and now Round It Up donation programs.

During the Holiday season, we reach out to our customers to hand-pick books that go directly to our community. The books that you purchase for the Giving Tree program are offered at a 20% discount! These books are then separated based on the needs of the organizations and delivered in the few weeks before Christmas.

In 2023 alone, our wonderful customers allowed us to provide almost 1,500 books to to local children in need. Thanks for your participation!

Your November & December Round It Up donations will go to our Giving Tree Program - Thank You!

Round your purchases up to the nearest dollar and make a difference!

Though we stock thousands and thousands of titles, we cannot carry everything on our shelves. Our friendly, knowledgeable booksellers are happy to get any available book for you.

• in person seven days a week

• by phone:

• or shop 24 hours a day online at villagebooks.com

Check out the fantastic giving suggestions in our Holiday Catalog!

The Best of the Independent Northwest

Fairhaven & Lynden

& Paper

Sunday, November 17

Get a Jump on Your Holiday Shopping!

You Are Invited to join us for day of Shopping and Festivities

Grab your holiday shopping list and head to Village Books and Paper Dreams in both Fairhaven and Lynden for our annual Holiday Open House! Visit different stations throughout the store for an opportunity to spin the wheel for prizes and discounts.

Throughout the day, we'll have "Book Walks" where you'll have the chance to win even MORE prizes! Join us and get a jump on your holiday shopping.

See You There!

Festivities: 10am-5pm in Fairhaven & Lynden

STAFF

GIVING IDEAS

Let the staff of Village Books and Paper Dreams help you pick out just the right gift!

Totally Bamboo

"Totally Bamboo cutting boards are beautiful and can be used for food prep, as a charcuterie board, or even wall art. I have had mine for years and it still looks great! Bonus, Totally Bamboo is a USA certified woman owned business."

A Great Gift

The Art Thief: A True Story of Love, Crime, and a Dangerous Obsession by Michael Finkel

–Kelly E.

"Perfect for the true crime fan, history buff, armchair traveler, or art lover. This story is truly unbelievable!" –Sarah

Look for our giving recommendations sprinkled throughout this edition of the Reader.

HONORING VETERANS

Monday, November 11

On Veterans Day, we offer a storewide 20% off discount for veterans and active military members with I.D. at both Village Books and Paper Dreams in Fairhaven and Lynden. Thank you so much for your service.

An Inconceivable Evening with CARY ELWES

Get Ready For an Evening That’s So Good, It’s Inconceivable!

Saturday, February 22, 3pm On the Mount Baker

Theatre Main Stage

Join Cary Elwes (you may know him as Westley) for a behind-the-scenes look at life on and off the set of the cult classic, The Princess Bride. After a screening of the iconic movie, Elwes will engage in a moderated discussion revealing never-before-shared secrets and tales of inconceivable antics! Limited seating available.

Dragons and Mythical Beasts LIVE

Sunday, March 16, 3pm

Enter into a magical world of myths and legends —direct from London’s West End. From the creators of the international smash hit Dinosaur World Live, who bring spectacular puppets to life, this award-winning show is back in the U.S. by popular demand. Don’t miss this spell-binding adventure live on the historic MBT Main Stage! There will be a 20-minute meet & greet after the event.

Village Books is a proud sponsor of these Booked at the Baker Shows!

Tickets available at mountbakertheatre.com

Fairhaven Chocolate Walk

Saturday, February 8, 12pm-5pm

The Chocolate Walk is back and will be bigger than ever in 2025!

Gather delicious chocolates at a variety of Fairhaven locations. A great date activity or a fun time with friends. Purchase the VIP package for an extra special experience. Watch enjoyfairhaven.com for updates and upcoming registration information.

Save The Date

The 5th Annual Dirty Dan Mystery Weekend

Saturday & Sunday April 26 & 27, 2025

Calling all Gumshoes—collect clues, interview suspects and solve the crime during the 5th annual Dirty Dan Murder Mystery Weekend —“The Big Sleep of the Bootleg Big Shot.” Watch for more information including registration in the new year!

FAIRHAVEN Winterfest

November 30 - December 21, 2024

The Annual Historic Fairhaven Winterfest begins the weekend of Thanksgiving with fun and activities continuing through the holiday season. There is always something magical happening–don't miss out!

Saturday, November 30 / Small Business Saturday Winterfest Kick-Off Celebration!

The Holiday Art Walk, Live Entertainment, Village Tree Lighting, and More! What a day! From 12pm-3pm, you can take a horse-drawn carriage ride and visit with Father Christmas at the Village Inn. Check out the Holiday Pop-Up Market at Firehouse Arts & Events Center from 1pm-6pm. The traditional Holiday Art Walk will take place from 4pm-7pm as merchants showcase the talents of local artists. Enjoy live entertainment on the Village Green from 4pm-5pm then stick around for the tree lighting celebration across from the Fairhaven Village Green at 5pm. This is a family-friendly day everyone will enjoy.

Ongoing: Saturdays, November 30 - December 21, 12pm-3pm Horse-Drawn Carriage Rides & Visits with Father Christmas

A timeless magical holiday tradition. You can enjoy Saturday carriage rides through the streets of Fairhaven–leaving from outside the Fairhaven Village Inn weekly. Step into the cozy fireside room at the Village Inn and visit Father Christmas while you're there!

Letters to Santa - November 30 through December 14

Children can leave letters for Father Christmas in the classic Victorian mailbox located on the Village Green. One of his elves may even get back to you if you leave a legible name and return address!

Saturday, December 7, 5pm-8pm

Fairhaven Firelight Stroll

The Fairhaven Firelight Stroll has become a favorite holiday tradition. You can grab a hot cocoa, spiced cider, and hand warmers at the entry tent (while supplies last) then stroll the wooded path lined with luminaria. Start at 8th & Harris and enjoy a half mile of holiday magic before joining the all-ages Winterfest Bonfire at Stones Throw Brewery (5pm-9pm). While you're out and about, check out the Bellingham Yacht Club Lighted Boat Parade on Bellingham Bay (5:30pm)—always a good time.

Turn the Page for More Winterfest Fun!

Art by Scott Ward

MORE FAIRHAVEN

Winterfest

Tales of the Season Reading at Village Books

Thursday, December 12, 6pm - Join local writers of all ages and immerse yourself in holiday memories. See page 9 for information on submitting your own story!

Holiday Entertainment at The Firehouse

Thursday, December 12 & Friday, December 13 - Jen & Jeffrey Elvis Christmas Show

Saturday, December 14 - North Country Highway Holiday Concert

Saturday, December 21, 1-2pm

Victorian Carolers on the Village Green Enjoy live holiday music performed by local carolers.

Event dates and times are subject to change. For the most current information go to www.enjoyfairhaven.com or @enjoyfairhaven on Facebook.

Lighted Bike Parade - Saturday, December 14, 5pm

The parade no longer leaves from Fairhaven, but it's still a Bellingham tradition worth checking out! Riders meet at the Depot Market Square in downtown Bellingham at 4:30pm then depart at 5pm for an out and back ride down the South Bay Trial. Not up for participating? Just enjoy the parade of lights.

Light Up Your Life with BRIGHTZ—available at Village Books and Paper Dreams. These brilliant & colorful LED kits for bikes and more will really brighten your nights!

Thank You for Supporting Local Saturday,

November 30

Small Business Saturday and Indies First, celebrated on November 30, 2024, is a day dedicated to reminding people to think local when shopping for the holidays. If you're taking the time to read these words in this publication, you already understand the importance of supporting locally owned businesses and we appreciate you! YOU are an independent bookstore shopper.

You already understand that you vote with your dollars every day by deciding to shop locally. We understand that you have choices and want to say THANK YOU for choosing us.

Ages

Enter the Fairhaven Winterfest Tales of the Season Writing Contest

The Fairhaven Association Winterfest 2024 seeks non-fiction stories or poems for our annual Tales of the Season event! Residents of Whatcom County only, please. New this year, there are now TWO categories:

KIDS (12 & under): Theme - Baking with Loved Ones Free to enter for kids! Email your story (up to 300 words) to contact@enjoyfairhaven.com - along with your submission, include name, age, school and phone number.

ADULTS (13 and older): Theme - My Favorite Holiday Meal Ever! (Up to 400 words) $5 Registration fee - 100% of the fees will go to support Winterfest activities. Once you have registered online, you will receive submission instructions.

All Submissions are Due by November 22

Tales of the Season Reading

Thursday, December 12, 6pm at Village Books in Fairhaven

HOLIDAY PORT

FESTIVAL

Saturday, December 7 & Sunday, December 8

The Holiday Port Festival is a free, family-friendly event held the the first weekend of December at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal.

This is one of the Port’s signature events for the community and includes:

• Live Performances

• Gingerbread House Display

• Visits and Photos with Santa

• Art Activities for Kids

Interested in entering your own gingerbread creation? Family, kids, corporate... there's a category for everyone!

See portofbellingham.com for details

Join us as we celebrate the holidays and enjoy selected Tales of the Seasons stories and memories.

All Ages! Free to Attend.

Support Local

and

WIN!

November 30 - January 1

Spend & eat locally this holiday season and win!

Pick up a Shop Local Card at the Fairhaven Visitor Kiosk (inside Finnegan's Alley / 1106 Harris) or People's Bank.

Shop and dine at your favorite Fairhaven businesses and for each $5 spent, get your card marked - $50 per card. Completed cards can be dropped off at the same locations as pick up. Fill out as many cards as you want for a chance to win great local prizes each week!

*Some rules and exceptions will apply.

Current Affairs Speaker Series

In partnership with the Salish Current– a local nonprofit, online news organization–Village Books hosts an exciting event series featuring speakers, authors, and experts in history, professional journalism, science, and government.

Friday, January 17, 6:30 pm

Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship

An Evening with Clyde Ford

Commemorating Dr. Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr.

In this presentation, Dr. Clyde W. Ford will discuss the history of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day commemoration in Bellingham, his role as the director of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Publishing Project at HarperCollins, and the importance of King as an "inconvenient hero," beyond the King that most know as the orator of "I Have A Dream." Ford is the award-winning author of 13 works of fiction and non-fiction. He's also a psychotherapist, an accomplished mythologist, and a sought-after public speaker. Don't miss out!

Free Gift Wrapping Free Gift Wrapping

Friday, December 20, 5-8pm in the Readings Gallery, Village Books in Fairhaven Courtesy of Fairhaven Foursquare Church

Read more at villagebooks.com & salish-current.org

What a gift! Volunteers from Fairhaven Foursquare Church will be in the store spreading holiday cheer by wrapping your Village Books & Paper Dreams purchases Friday evening, December 20th. One less thing to think about during the holidays!

Thank You for Supporting This

Help keep the tradition alive and SPONSOR THE SPARKLE!

The Fairhaven Association is responsible for providing a magical atmosphere in the historic village with thousands of lights plus the community tree all throughout the holiday season. Each sponsorship is $100. Sponsors will have a light displayed on the window of the HUB (inside Finnegan's Alley) with their name listed - through November 29. Find the sponsor registration link at enjoyfairhaven.com.

Libro.fm makes it possible for you to buy audiobooks through your local bookstore (Village Books!) giving you the power to keep money within your local economy.

You can sign up for a monthly membership or make your purchases à la carte and listen to audiobooks on your own schedule with no strings attached.

Listen anywhere Available on iOS and Android, with CarPlay, Android Auto, AppleWatch support, and more.

Cancel or pause your membership without losing your credits or audiobooks.

Thank YOU for supporting local!

www.libro.fm/villagebooks

How can you tell the difference? Look at the colors of the labels! You'll also find colored dots on the spines of the used and bargain titles.

• White Labels = New Books

• Green Labels = Used Books

• Yellow Labels = Bargain Books –publisher remainders. These titles are new but offered at a sale price. Look for new arrivals on displays throughout the store.

The

Night Before Christmas by Clement Moore illustrated by Charles Santore How the Grinch Stole

Holiday Favorites That Never Get Old &

Christmas by Dr. Seuss

Revisit these childhood favorites or share them with someone young in your life—these holiday classics never disappoint.

A Christmas Memory

by Truman Capote

avaialble now, hardcover, Modern Library

Together in one festive, keepsake volume, here are the three holiday stories that Truman Capote regarded as among his greatest works of short fiction.

NOV 24

DEC 15

JAN 26

AMERICANA

Je Midki , mandolin

HOLIDAY MAGIC!

Richard Hodges, narration and baritone

Ibidunni Ojikutu, soprano

RISING UP

David Rahbee, guest conductor

Dawn Posey, violin

MAR 23

APR 27

JUN 8

MAKING WAVES

Jessica Choe, piano

SINGING OUT

Itamar Zorman, violin

Heather Dudenbostel, soprano

Richard Hodges, baritone

TITANS!

Mae Lin, violin

Eric Han, cello

Xiaohui Yang, piano

New Fiction

Graphic Novel

We Are Not

by Josh Tuininga

Strangers

available now, hardcover, Harry N. Abrams

An evocative and beautiful graphic novel revealing the truth of one man’s extraordinary efforts, We Are Not Strangers converges two perspectives into a single portrait of a community’s struggle with race, responsibility, and what it truly means to be an American. Inspired by a true story, this graphic novel follows a Jewish immigrant’s efforts to help his Japanese neighbors while they're incarcerated during World War II. "At its core, a relatable tale of friendship, shared experiences of discrimination, and the power of individuals to make a difference." —The Beat

Join us in welcoming author, designer, and cartoonist

JOSH TUININGA

to Village Books in Fairhaven

Thursday, November 21, 6pm Register today at villagebooks.com

The Stone Witch of Florence

by Anna Rasche

available now, hardcover, Park Row Dive headfirst into plague-ridden, medieval Florence in this delightfully witchy mystery full of magic and politics. I couldn't get enough of this enchanting historical drama, with its entertaining cast of characters and the twists and turns that left me turning the pages into the wee hours of the night. –Anne

Sister

Snake by Amanda Lee Koe

available in December, hardcover, Ecco

This story is based on an ancient Chinese legend but it is certainly a novel for our modern times. Following two sisters who were born as snakes in ancient China but are now living as women in modern-day NYC and Singapore, Koe explores what it means to be a woman, a sister, even a human, in this brilliantly suspenseful magical realism tale. –Caitriona

YEAR-END MEMBERSHIP

NOVEMBER 1 —DECEMBER 31

New

Fiction

I Might Be in Trouble

by Daniel Aleman

available in December, hardcover, Grand Central

I find myself stumped as to how to explain this book. Heartfelt weirdness? A buddy dramedy with a Sex and the City sensibility? If styling this as a mashup helps, I would say it’s The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz meets Weekend at Bernie’s but I don’t think that any of these truly convey the heart and fun of this suspenseful story. –Sarah

Only Stars Know the Meaning of Space : A

Literary Mixtape

by Rémy Ngamije

available in December, paperback, Gallery/Scout Press

Presented as a literary mixtape, Only Stars Know the Meaning of Space is a work of literature that provides you with a modern reading experience. The A-Side, read as one narrative, tells the story of a soon-tobe 30-year-old aspiring writer navigating a complicated world. The B-Side, taken as a separate experience, features (seemingly) independent and unrelated short stories. When read together, however, a third world emerges—a complex, intergenerational, and interconnected world exploring the universal gaping void of grief.

The Story of the Forest

by Linda Grant

available in November, hardcover, Zando

Grant's delightful writing drew me in from the start, and I immediately fell in love with the wit, mischief, and bravery of Mina, the story's protagonist. A beautiful tale of the importance of stories passed down from generation to generation, and the way those stories shape our lives. This book was brilliant and bold—I could not put it down! –Anne

The Heart of Winter

by Jonathan Evison

available in January, hardcover, Dutton

In this big-hearted and profound portrait of a marriage, bestselling Jonathan Evison explores 70 years of big moments in subtle ways, elegantly braiding the Winters’ turbulent history with their present-day battles, showing us how the oddly paired college kids became parents, fell apart and back together, and grew into the Abe and Ruth of today. Endlessly heartwarming and moving, The Heart of Winter is a reminder that true love lives in small, everyday moments.

Eleanore of Avignon

by Elizabeth DeLozier

available in November, hardcover, Dutton

A gorgeously drawn debut full of captivating historical drama and rich with unforgettable characters, Eleanore of Avignon is the story of a woman who is unwilling to bend to the limitations her society places upon her when she becomes the unlikely apprentice to the pope’s physician at the most challenging and dangerous moment in medieval European history.

Small Things Like These

by Claire Keegan

"This is a small, wintery, melancholic read. While heavy in nature, it never feels heavy. It follows a simple and good man coming to terms with doing what he knows is right. If you're open to something a little less cozy this season, turn to this brief but powerful novel for the chill of winter and a bittersweet comfort in the kindness of others."

–Emily

New Fiction

A Great Gift

The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina

by Zoraida Córdova

“A fantastical family drama that tells the story of both a family's past and their future. The story is compelling, the imagery creates an immersive experience, and the magic was done in a way I hadn't seen before. Just thinking about it is making me want to dive back into the world that Córdova crafted.” –Lillian

Yr Dead

by Sam Sax

available now, hardcover, McSweeney's

On the first page, Ezra sets themself on fire as an act of political protest. From the moment of their self-immolation, we are taken on a trippy, kaleidoscopic journey traversing time, identity, collective memory, and history, hurtling through Ezra's life and all of the choices that have led to this moment. One of the most original books I read this year! –Will

The Favorites

by Layne Fargo

available in January, hardcover, Random House

"If you have ever watched Olympic ice dancing teams and wondered if the chemistry between them persists when they're not competing . . . well, have I got a book for you. Part Wuthering Heights and part Daisy Jones & The Six , this novel is as brilliantly choreographed as a gold medal performance and will keep you guessing until its last page." –Jodi Picoult, New York Time s bestselling author

Feast While You Can

by Mikaella Clements & Onjuli Datta

available now, hardcover, Grand Central Publishing

On the surface this book follows a small town lesbian who is fighting the town's legendary mysterious monster, but It is SO MUCH MORE!!! The character development was impeccable and the spooky parts had me on the edge of my seat. This is definitely a book that is going to stick with me for a while. –Maddie

The Irish Girl

by Ashley E. Sweeney available, paperback, She Writes Pres

From multi-award-winning historical fiction author Ashley E. Sweeney comes a family saga about the Irish immigrant experience spanning New York, Chicago, and Colorado so compelling that, USA Today best-selling author Kelli Estes says, “I read this story in one sitting.”

Book Signing

On the Main floor of Village Books in Fairhaven Saturday, January 4, 10am-12pm ASHLEY E. SWEENEY

Love Can't Feed You

by Cherry Lou Sy

available now, hardcover, Dutton

Achingly beautiful and heart wrenching, this is a story of a young woman growing up and growing into herself while processing generational trauma and the disenchantment of the American Dream. Sy's brilliant writing draws you in from the very first page. Deeply tender and emotionally intense, this book was captivating from start to finish. –Anne

Never Miss Out!

Like us on Facebook! Make sure to select "Get Notifications" so you'll always see our posts about local events and other book-related topics. Go to facebook.com/VillageBooks & facebook.com/VillageBooksLynden for fun and informative posts from both stores.

Find and follow Village Books and Paper Dreams on Instagram (village_books). #Tag your favorite VB/PD photos! We post behind-the-scenes images of staff book and gift favorites, new arrivals, author events, specials, and more. Check us out!

New Fiction

Before We Forget Kindness

by Toshikazu Kawaguchi

available in November, hardcover,

Hanover Square Press

In the fifth book in the sensational, cozy Before the Coffee Gets Cold series translated from Japanese, the mysterious café where customers arrive hoping to travel back in time welcomes four new guests. They must follow the café 's strict rules and come back to the present before their coffee goes cold. Another moving and heartwarming tale from Toshikazu Kawaguchi, these new visitors wish to go back into their past to move on their present, finding closure and comfort so they can embark on a beautiful future.

Rental House

by Weike Wang

available in December, hardcover,

Riverhead Books

I loved the very realistic relationship that is portrayed in this book; it reinstates the fact that not every relationship is 100% perfect. Throughout the book we see a couple that steps away from their busy lives in the city to reconnect with each other and family at a number of vacation getaways—but will these luxury locations really solve their deeper problems? –Maddie

The City and Its Uncertain Walls

by Haruki Murakami

available in November, hardcover, Alfred A. Knopf

If you're a reader of Murakami, you'll need no explanation of the magic of his writing and adept storytelling. This newest novel is a continuation of his ongoing artistry that's earned him so many fans. It's enigmatic and soulful, with mysteries that delight and images and characters that will become a part of your soul. –Paul

Girlfriend on Mars

by Deborah Willis

available in November, paperback, W.W. Norton Amber is moving to Mars. Or at least, she will be if she wins a chance to join MarsNow. She and 23 reality TV contestants are competing for two seats on the first human-led mission to Mars, sponsored by billionaire Task. Meanwhile Kevin, Amber’s boyfriend of years, was content going nowhere until Amber left him. On screen, Amber competes in challenges and seems like she might be falling for Adam, another contestant. But is that real, or is it just a tactic to keep from being voted off? And since the technology to come home doesn’t exist yet, would Amber really leave everything behind? Sure, the rainforest is burning, Task has bought New Zealand, and Kevin might be a little depressed, but isn’t there some hope left for life on Earth?

A Great Gift

The Lost Queen

by Signe Pike

available now, paperback,

Atria Books

"Searching for the perfect book for a loved one who's read everything under the sun? Look no further than The Lost Queen, the brilliant and previously untold story of Languoreth, the twin sister of the legendary Merlin. It's a tale of a 6th century pagan queen of Scotland, the politics of two religions at war, the relationship between stories, land, and people, and the struggle between duty and love. This book will forever have a piece of my heart and I cannot recommend it enough!"

–Anne

The Shadowed Land (The Lost Queen #3)

by Signe Pike

available in December, hardcover, Atria

If I had one hill to die on it would be convincing people to read Signe Pike's The Lost Queen series. This latest installment in the series is nothing short of spectacular. Pike's captivating prose immerses you in the world of 6th century Scotland, and you won't be able to help but fall in love with the captivating figures of the Arthurian legends. For those who love history and know there is truth in myth, this is bound to be your new favorite book. –Anne

No Two Persons

by

Erica Bauermeister

Whatcom READS is a countywide program that encourages everyone to read and discuss the same book. The 2025 selection is No Two Persons by New York Times bestselling author Erica Bauermeister. Read the book then join us for a series of related events including these events with the author!

March 12 - March 15, 2025

Wednesday, March 12, 6-9pm Life Between the Pages Dinner at Evolve Chocolate Café

Thursday, March 13, 11am-12pm Book Discussion with Erica Bauermeister at the Lummi Island Grange Hall

Thursday, March 13, 7-8pm Sip and Savor with Erica Bauermeister at Bellewood Farms

Friday, March 14, 11am-12:30pm

The Art and Craft of Writing with Erica Bauermeister at Village Books in Fairhaven

Friday, March 14, 7-8pm An Evening with Erica Bauermeister at the Mount Baker Theatre

Saturday, March 15, 11am-12pm A Conversation with Erica Bauermeister interviewed by Katie Bray - A Virtual Event

See whatcomreads.org for event details and registration information.

Village Books is donating a portion of proceeds from sales of No Two Persons to Whatcom READS through March, 2025.

Whatcom READS is organized by all the public and academic libraries in Whatcom County and Village Books, with significant funding from Friends of the Bellingham Public Library and Whatcom County Library Foundation and support from other local businesses and organizations.

Local writers explored the theme The Book That Changed My Life, as inspired by No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister. Watch for the anthology created from these contributors and attend a reading–dates to be announced! 2025

The Book that Changed My Life

ART CHALLENGE

Artwork inspired by the book will be on display during March at the Allied Arts Gallery in downtown Bellingham. Entry forms and submission details at alliedarts.org

Sarah Hawley

in conversation with Jo Segura

Tuesday, November 12, 6pm at Village Books in Fairhaven

Join us in the Readings Gallery for the launch celebration of a brand new series from the amazing Sarah Hawley!

Servant of Earth

available in November, hardcover, Ace

The first book in the new Shards of Magic series. "Sarah Hawley is a must-read author for me, and Servant of Earth cements this. A thrilling, wonderfully unique fae fantasy led by a fierce heroine, it's a powerful and gripping read that will leave you hooked. Fans of Sarah J. Maas will absolutely love it!"—India Holton, author of The Secret Service of Tea and Treason

to save your seat at villagebooks.com.

Fantasy & Science Fiction

Blood of the Old Kings

by Sung-il Kim, translated by Anton Hur

available now, hardcover, Tor Books

Step into a world of necromancy, murder, and twisted magic. A world in need of a hero. In an Empire run on necromancy, dead sorcerers are the lifeblood. Their corpses are wrapped in chains and drained of magic to feed the unquenchable hunger for imperial conquest. Born with magic, Arienne has become resigned to her dark fate. But when the voice of a long-dead sorcerer begins to speak inside her head, she listens. There may be another future for her, if she’s willing to fight for it.

Bloodless Princes by Charlotte Bond available now, hardcover, Tor Books

This was a wonderful queer fantasy novel with lots of crunchy worldbuilding details and DRAGONS! If you're looking to get lost in a fantasy world like the Isles of Berk or the city of Camorr, I recommend The Bloodless Princes ! –Grace

The Fall of Ruin and Wrath

by Jennifer L. Armentrout available in November, paperback, Bramble

Anything by Jennifer L. Armentrout is an immediate buy and her new spicy fantasy series is no exception! There was an amazing balance between fantasy worldbuilding, plot development, and romance. The romance was equal parts angst and swoon-worthiness that had me finishing it in a day. The paperback will come with beautiful blue sprayed edges! –Bee

The Parliament by Aimee Pokwatka available in December, paperback, Tordotcom

The Birds meets The Princess Bride in this tale of friendship, responsibility, and the primal force of nature. Madigan Purdy is stuck in her home town library. When tens of thousands of owls descend on the building, rending and tearing at anyone foolish enough to step outside, Mad is tasked with keeping her students safe, and distracted, while they seek a solution to their dilemma. Perhaps they’ll find the inspiration they seek in her favorite childhood book, The Silent Queen…. With food and fresh water in low supply, the denizens of the library will have to find a way out, and soon, but the owls don’t seem to be in a hurry to leave…

Romance

Butcher & Blackbird : Collector's Edition

by Brynne Weaver

available in November, hardcover, Zando - Slowburn

Looking for a romance that is a wild ride and makes you laugh out loud? This is the book for you! Butcher & Blackbird is a friendsto-lovers dark romantic comedy that is full of murder, chaos, and sizzling chemistry. It is a wild ride from start to finish that kept me hooked in. In this new collector’s edition there will be exclusive illustrated endpapers, a letter from the author, metallic edges, and more! You won’t want to miss out! –Bee

A Great Gift

Wavertree & London Soaps

"High quality Australian soaps— there really is a scent for everyone!  These soaps are made with 100% Certified Sustainable pure plant oils and organic shea butter with no added color or artificial preservatives. Super moisturizing and long lasting, they make the perfect gift or stocking stuffer." –Erica

The West Wind

by

Alexandria Warwick

available in November, paperback, Saga

This twisting and dark faerie tale blends Greek and Scottish mythology in the most brilliant way. For those who love a slow-burn enemies to lovers and can't get enough of Fae romance, I promise you won't be able to put this book down! –Anne

Confounding Oaths

by Alexis Hall

available now, paperback, Two Words

A whimsical regency-era romance with modern sensibilities and humor. This book is delightful. I would highly recommend this book to India Holton fans or anyone who wishes Jane Austen novels featured more fey magic and queer romance. –Grace

The

House at Watch Hill by Karen Marie Moning available now, hardcover, William Morrow

The House at Watch Hill is a fantastic fall read to sink your teeth into! Moning has created yet another masterpiece, where she perfectly blends the genre line. The mystery, the horror, the twists, and a healthy dose of spice will keep you on the edge of your seat the entire book! –Sean

Building Community One Book at a Time

Best Bookstore 2024

A heartfelt THANK YOU for voting Village Books 2024 Best Bookstore of the Northwest through Bellingham Alive! Magazine. We are very honored and grateful.

Science Fiction & Fantasy

Blood Over Bright Haven

by M. L. Wang available now, hardcover, Del Rey

The first woman ever admitted to a prestigious order of mages unravels a secret conspiracy that could change the practice of magic forever in this standalone dark fantasy from the author of The Sword of Kaigen. "Powerful, thoughtprovoking. Fans of R.F. Kuang's Babel will find much to admire here, from the intricate magic system to the unflinching exploration of societal issues." –Booklist

A Great Gift

The Last Gifts of Universe

by Riley August

The Fury of the Gods: The Bloodsworn #3

by John Gwynne

available now, paperback, Orbit

The epic conclusion of the Bloodsworn Saga is now in paperback. We return to Gwynne’s cold, harsh land based on Norse Mythology for the final time as our heroes face off against the Gods. Gwynne’s epic writing will instantly hook you and you’ll never want to put his work down! Perfect for fans of Joe Abercrombie. –Sean

“In Riley August's debut novel, follow Scout, their brother Kieran, and Pumpkin the cat as they race to unravel the mystery of what has been wiping out all civilizations in their known universe. Will they be able to find the answer before a space corporation hides it behind a paywall? I could not put this story of space cats and adventure down!” –Asher

Water Moon

by Samantha Sotto Yambao

available in January, hardcover, Del Rey

On a backstreet in Tokyo lies a pawnshop, but not everyone can find it. Just the chosen ones will find a place to pawn their life choices and deepest regrets. Hana Ishikawa wakes on her first morning as its new owner to find the pawnshop ransacked, the shop’s most precious acquisition stolen and her father missing. And then into the shop stumbles a charming stranger, quite unlike other customers. For he offers help, instead of seeking it. Together, they must journey through a mystical world to find Hana’s father.

Check out the Staff Picks at villagebooks.com for more

A Great Gift

Moleskine Journals

“Choose a Moleskine journal as a stocking stuffer for the journaler in your life. Moleskines are attractive, wellcrafted, and durable —perfect for tossing into a bag as you head out for a crisp day outside, writing and sipping on a nice hot toddy." –Erin

A Great Gift

by Becky Chambers

“If you come into the store often, you probably recognize this book as a staff favorite, and we love it for good reason. It's the perfect gift for someone in need of something cozy, uplifting, and warm as a cup of tea.” –Allison

North Woods

by Daniel Mason

available now, paperback, Random House

Paperback Fiction

This beautiful novel starts with an act of violence in a Puritan colony, then careens on a kaleidoscopic journey through history, following the lives of each of the inhabitants of a secluded cabin through events that tie them to the land and to each other. There's romance, murder, mystery, ghosts, and surprisingly detailed information about apple orchards in colonial New England, with atmospheric language and characters that will stay with you long after the book is finished. –Will

A True Account : Hannah

Masury’s Sojourn Amongst the Pyrates, Written by Herself by

Katherine Howe

available in November, paperback, Holt

In Boston, as the Golden Age of Piracy comes to a bloody close, Hannah Masury—bound out to service at a waterfront inn since childhood—is ready to take her life into her own hands. When a man is hanged for piracy in the town square and whispers of a treasure in the Caribbean spread, Hannah is forced to flee for her life, disguising herself as a cabin boy in the pitiless crew of the notorious pirate Edward "Ned" Low. To earn the freedom to choose a path for herself, Hannah must hunt down the treasure and change the tides. Meanwhile, professor Marian Beresford pieces Hannah’s story together in 1930, seeing her own lack of freedom reflected back at her as she watches Hannah's transformation. At the center of Hannah Masury’s account, however, lies a centuries-old mystery that Marian is determined to solve, just as Hannah may have been determined to take it to her grave.

The

Happy Couple by Naoise Dolan

available now, paperback, Ecco

This book is perfect for all the Sally Rooney readers out there that wouldn't be upset with a more brisk pace. I loved Dolan's first book and this surely did not disappoint. The characters are presented beautifully and are avoiding all of their problems which creates a situation where it's hard to look away. I finished the book in two sittings! –Maddie

The Beggar Student

by Osamu Dazai

translated by Sam Bett

available in November, paperback, New Directions Publishing

A brand-new translation of an Osamu Dazai story arrives in paperback in November! Perfect for fans of No Longer Human, Dazai brews the perfect blend of wit, humor, and morbidness in this tale where a fictional Dazai must unwelcomely confront his own reality after a chance meeting with a college student! Besides being a fantastic storyteller, Dazai has an impeccable way of allowing the reader a moment of self-reflection in his tales! –Sean

The Berry Pickers

by Amanda Peters

available now, paperback, Catapult

This was one of my favorite books of the whole year! It is gripping and you feel so deeply for all the characters involved. I love how it combines two timelines and POVs into an inspiring story of family connection and also heartbreak. It was a beautiful read from cover to cover. –Maddie

Lip Shit Lip Balm by Blue Q

" Made with all natural organic ingredients, these great stocking stuffers come in a variety of flavors in cute, fun packaging. Bonus: they are made in the USA with a workforce of individuals both with and without disabilities. A win-win!" –Laney A Great Gift

The

Vaster Wilds by Lauren Groff

available now, paperback, Riverhead Books

This dark, suspenseful tale of colonialera survival will capture your attention and won't let go. The unnamed narrator's heart-pounding journey through a winter forest in famine will pull you in, but it's the beautiful prose and sharp commentary on American history that will keep you there. I couldn't put it down. –Will

Mystery, Horror, and Suspense

Bonus Guest Reviewer

The Grey Wolf by Louise Penny

available now, hardcover, Minotaur Books

I don’t know anyone who has met Armand Gamache who doesn’t love him, and of course Reine-Marie and the other wild and crazy inhabitants of Three Pines. The 19th installment does not disappoint. Gamache and his son-in-law and right-hand man, Jean-Guy, must decide who to trust to prevent disaster for thousands of people. Their decisions will have far-reaching consequences. The only bad thing about reaching the end of The Grey Wolf is knowing there will be another long wait for #20!

–Dee Robinson (Village Books and Paper Dreams Founder)

Horror

Witchcraft for Wayward Girls

by Grady Hendrix

available in January, hardcover, Berkley Set in Florida in the 1970s, Grady Hendrix's newest novel follows five young women in a home for unwed mothers who find a guide to witchcraft. "Grady Hendrix's Witchcraft for Wayward Girls will delight fans new and old with his convincing rendering of characters juggling pregnancy and magic, childhood and adulthood, helplessness and power— and of course good and evil. Another nail-biter not to be missed!" –Tananarive Due, author of The Reformatory.

Suspense The Blue Hour

by Paula Hawkins

available in November, hardcover, Minotaur Books

Welcome to Eris: an island with only one house, one inhabitant, one way out. Unreachable from the Scottish mainland for 12 hours each day. Once home to Vanessa: a famous artist whose notoriously unfaithful husband disappeared 20 years ago. Now home to Grace: a solitary creature of the tides, content in her own isolation. But when a shocking discovery is made in an art gallery far away in London, a visitor comes calling and the secrets of Eris threaten to emerge. This masterfull new novel of suspense from the bestselling author of The Girl on the Train is as page-turning as it is unsettling, cementing Hawkins’s place among the very best of our most nuanced and stylish storytellers.

Building Community One Book at a Time

Mystery

The Gardener’s Plot

by Deborah J. Benoit

available in November, hardcover, Minotaur Books

The Gardener’s Plot takes readers to the heart of the Berkshires and introduces amateur sleuth Maggie Walker in Deborah J. Benoit’s Minotaur Books/Mystery Writers of America First Crime Novel Award-winning debut. After life threw Maggie Walker a few curveballs, she’s happy to be back in the small Berkshires town where she spent so much time as a child. Marlowe holds many memories for her, and now it also offers a fresh start. Maggie has always loved gardening, so it’s only natural to sign on to help Violet Bloom set up a community garden. When opening day arrives, Violet is nowhere to be found, and the gardeners are restless. Things go from bad to worse when Maggie finds a boot buried in one of the plots… and there’s a body attached to it.

William by Mason Coile

available now, hardcover, G.P. Putnam's Sons Frankenstein meets Rossum's Universal Robots meets M3g4n in this high-tech, fun, and freaky novella that can be read in one sitting. A troubled, agoraphobic engineer and his estranged wife are trapped in a house haunted by a malevolent AI of his own invention— but there's more to William the Robot than meets the eye. Full of thrills with an undercurrent of deeper questions about the nature of consciousness and what it means to be a person. –Will

A Great Gift

Baggu BAGS

"These bags are the perfect trendy and fun gift for the person who has a lot to carry, but wants to look cute while they do it. The crescent bag specifically comes in three different sizes and a variety of colors and patterns that we carry periodically. With two zippered inside pockets and a zip closure across the top, you can fit so much in here. My bag holds my wallet, sunglasses case, a full water bottle, a paperback book, my keys, and two reusable bags—and it still zips shut completely!"

–Sophie

VB WRITES... WRITING GROUPS

Open To Newcomers!

Are you a writer in search of a writing

group?

Come meet other writers who can help you get organized, give feedback, and help you with your writing goals. These groups are free and open to newcomers and drop-ins. With the exception of the Lynden group, these groups meet at Village Books in Fairhaven in either the Writers Corner or Readings Gallery.

NOTE: Individual group schedules may change — check villagebooks.com for updates.

QUEER POETS SOCIETY

Meets 3rd Sundays from 10:30am-Noon in the Writers Corner on the mezzanine level

FICTION I

Meets 2nd & 4th Thursdays, 6pm in the Writers Corner on the mezzanine

FICTION II

Meets 2nd & 4th Wednesdays, 6pm in the Writers Corner on the mezzanine

WRITING FROM PROMPTS

Meets 1st & 3rd Wednesday, 10:30am-noon in the Readings Gallery

SPECULATIVE FICTION I

Meets 1st & 3rd Tuesdays, 6pm-8pm in the Writers Corner on the mezzanine

SPECULATIVE FICTION II

Meets 2nd & 4th Sundays, 3:30pm-5:30pm in the Writers Corner on the mezzanine

ENVIRONMENTALISTS

LYNDEN WRITING GROUP

Meets 2nd Wednesdays, 7-9pm in the Waples Room of the Inn at Lynden - adjacent to Village Books & Paper Dreams, Downtown Lynden

MORNING POETRY GROUP

Read full descriptions and expectations for each group at villagebooks.com. Please note that scheduling changes do occur. Watch the events calendar at villagebooks.com for updates.

Meets 1st & 3rd Tuesdays, 10:30am-noon in the Readings Gallery

EVENING POETRY GROUP

Meets 1st & 3rd Thursdays, 5:30pm-7pm in the Writers Corner on the mezzanine

NONFICTION & MEMOIR

2nd & 4th Tuesdays from 9:30am-11am in the Readings Gallery

ANONYMOUS

Meets 2nd & 4th Wednesdays from 10:30am-11:30am in the Fairhaven Readings Gallery

Note: Stay tuned for changes in the New Year

SHUT UP AND WRITE

Every Friday 9:15am-11:00am

Meets in the Writers Corner on the mezzanine

A place to work in quiet, but in tacit silent support, with other writers.

CHILDREN'S PICTURE BOOK CRITIQUE GROUP

Meets 1st and 3rd Wednesdays, 6pm-8pm in the Writers Corner on the mezzanine

Kids & Teens! See page 66 for writing opportunities.

Sign up for our Just Write! eNewsletter, a monthly publication highlighting current classes, tips and tricks, writing book reviews and the like! Questions? Contact writing@villagebooks.com.

Chuckanut Writers

Classes for Your Writing Life

Village Books and WCC Community & Continuing Education offer a writing instruction collaboration called Chuckanut Writers. These programs are designed to inspire and encourage writers at all stages of their writing journey. Check out these upcoming classes:

Resolutions for Writers

Sunday, January 5, 10am-3pm at Village Books in Fairhaven

Join local writing instructors for a day of intentional goal-setting, generative writing, and planning for a productive and joyful new year in your writing life. Lunch is included. There is limited capacity so register soon! $25.

Forgotten Language: Writing Poems About the Natural World with Barbara Bloom

Wednesdays, January 29 - February 19, 10am-noon (4 sessions)

WCC Foundation Building

Your Story, Your Voice: A Generative Memoir Class with Jessica Gigot

Tuesdays, February 4-18, 6pm-7:30pm

WCC Cascade Hall (3 sessions)

Writing for the Screen with Alison Gallant

Wednesdays, February 5-March 26, 6:30pm-8pm (8 sessions)

WCC Cascade Hall

“There Are No Words” Writing Lyrically About Love with Lainey Oslin

Saturday, February 8, 10am-11:30am Village Books in Fairhaven (1 session)

Writing Romance–Tropes and Tells with Elaina Ellis

Saturdays, February 8 & 15, 10am-noon (2 sessions)

Virtual Classroom

Writing Contemporary Haibun with Shoshana Kerewsky

Fridays, February 28 & March 7, 1pm-3pm

WCC Foundation Building (2 sessions)

Fact or Fiction in Memoir with Megan Williams

Tuesdays, March 4-25, 6pm-8pm

WCC Foundation Building (4 sessions)

Registration Opens November 15

The Latest From Village Books' Chuckanut Editions

The

Birth, Death, and Resurrection of

by George Hunsby

Fairhaven

Available November 12!

We're excited to announce the reprinting of this longtime local favorite—now with a beautifully updated cover. "Historians are at the core just story tellers. George Hunsby qualifies as an historian as he is one heck of a story teller. His yarns about growing up in Fairhaven in the early years of the 20th century are full of the pith and hue of that rugged period and perhaps give the reader a truer sense of what the "good old days" were really like. You are going to learn from them but, more importantly, you are going to enjoy them." –Brian Griffith, historian and author of Fairhaven: A History

Writers Corner Anthology 2024 : Poetry and Prose from the Village Books Writing Community edited by David Beaumier

Writers’ Corner Anthology Group Reading Sunday, December 8, 4pm-5:30pm at Village Books in Fairhaven

The Writers' Corner Anthology is a snapshot of some of the best work being written by the Village Books Writing Groups. In it, you will find short stories, poetry, and essays from our prolific writing community.

The Design of Books: An Explainer for Authors, Editors, Agents, and Other Curious Readers by Debbie Berne

“Are you wanting to self publish your manuscript, but don't know what to do next? This book will walk you through the exciting process of turning your words into a beautiful book! Debbie pulls back the curtain on the often invisible process of how books get made. Great gift for writers, designers or anyone who wants to learn more about the publishing business.”

–Rae

Writers Corner Anthology 2024

2024 TOP SELLING Chuckanut Editions Titles

October 2023October 2024

Focusing on local history, local interests, and local authors, Chuckanut Editions is Village Books’ own publishing imprint. Treat yourself to one or more of these bestselling titles all available at Village Books and through villagebooks.com.

Local Authors • Local Content Great Gifts!

1. Our Hearts Beat as One / Sa'le Q'ewet Netse-lh by Tah-Mahs Ellie Kinley & Julie Trimingham illustrated by Sienum Jason Laclair (Kids Northwest)

2. Teaching in the Rain: The Story of North Cascades Institute by John Miles (Northwest)

3. Colophon Cafe Best Cookbook Collection by David Killian (Cooking)

4. Geology of the San Juan Islands by Ned Brown (Northwest)

5. Shipyard : Short Histories of Whatcom County’s Boatbuilders & Shipyards, With Remembrances From Those who Worked Them by Todd Warger (Northwest / Nautical)

6. Haunted Fairhaven by Taimi Gorman (Northwest)

7. Mountain Building Geology in the Pacific Northwest by Ned Brown (Field guides)

8. Koma Kulshan: The Story of Mount Baker by John Miles (Mountaineering)

9. Drive-Ins, Drive-Ups, and Drive-Thrus: The History of Drive-In Movie Theaters and Drive-in Food Places in Whatcom County by Wes Gannaway (Northwest)

10. Let's Talk About This: 50 Things You Need to Know About Starting and Managing a Small Business by Bob Dahms (Business)

In the KITCHEN

Willie and Annie Nelson’s Cannabis Cookbook : Mouthwatering Recipes and the High-Flying Stories Behind Them

by Willie and Annie Nelson available in November, hardcover, Gallery Books

In the Nelson family’s first ever cookbook, we’re cooking with good vibes only. Drawn from their favorite meals on nationwide tours, at the ranch, at home, and in their favorite cities along the way, these recipes have stories to tell. The recipes themselves are delicious and easy to make at home-- buffalo wings, chocolate cake, fried chicken. And it includes an additional chapter providing a full suite of cannabis-infused base ingredients—cannabutter, finishing oil, simple syrups, sugars, salts, and tinctures.

A Great Gift

The Food Lab: Better Home Cooking Through Science

by J. Kenji Lopez-Alt

“A fantastic cookbook for the most scientificallyminded chef in your life!” –Kellen

Wafu Cooking:

Everyday Recipes with Japanese Style

by

Sonoko

Sakai available in November, hardcover, Knopf

In this dazzling and wholly original cookbook, culinary authority Sonoko Sakai redefines what Japanese cooking can be. Wafu (literally “Japanese style”) food is fusion at its best, combining flavors, ingredients, and techniques from around the globe with a distinctly Japanese personality. A book that reflects as much the author’s own journey—a life spent in New York, Los Angeles, Mexico, and elsewhere—as it does the foods of Japan, Wafu Cooking is an utterly unique, thoroughly modern cookbook.

What Goes with What 100 Recipes, 20 Charts, Endless Possibilities by Julia Turshen available now, hardcover, Flatiron Julia Turshen is a home cook’s best friend. Known for her simple, no-frills, yet utterly satisfying recipes—as well as her authentic, relatable, problem-solving approach—hers are the cookbooks we all turn to when we want to know what else we can make with some ground turkey, or if we can pull off dessert with a few basic pantry ingredients. In essence, we look to Julia when we want to know What Goes with What: to understand how we can transform the seemingly boring contents of our fridge into an exciting meal.

Half Baked Harvest Quick and Cozy

by Tieghan

Gerard

available in November, hardcover, Clarkson Potter

The Half Baked Harvest books are my favorite cookbooks. I love all of Gerard's recipes and I am so exited about her latest collection. This is the perfect holiday gift for any home chef, whether they be novice or advanced. Gerard creates dishes that are easy to follow and even easier to gobble down. Or you can be like me and get it for yourself! –Kiana

A Great Gift

Dungeons and Dragons Heroes' Feast

The Official D&D Cookbook by

Kyle Newman, Jon Peterson, Michael Witwer

“Whether you're a well-seasoned Dungeons and Dragoneer or have never touched the game in your life, this cookbook is an excellent source for delicious baked goods, warm comfort food, healthy meals, and elegant cocktails alike! ” –Grace

Cozy Dining

All Day Long

Good Measure Recipe Glasses

"I can never remember the exact amounts of mixers when I'm fixing a cocktail so I really only end up making a mess. I hit the jackpot with Good Measure Recipe Glasses! These 16 oz measuring glasses are printed with seven delectable cocktail recipes right on the glass—sure to turn you into an impressive mixologist. Recipes include Whiskey, Gin, Rum, Tequila, and Vodka Cocktails. Great for the holidays or hostess gift! Cheers!"

–Mary

A Great Gift

Noble Mick's Any of the Mixes!

"Want to spice up your Christmas morning? Here's a fun stocking stuffer! Mix in some water and the instructed spirit and give it a shake! You'll be Santa's special elf this year for sure!" –Carolina

Julia Child's Kitchen

: The Design, Tools, Stories, and Legacy of an Iconic Space by Paula J. Johnson available now, hardcover, Abrams

Food & Garden!

Julia Child's 20’ x 14’ kitchen was a serious workspace and recipe - testing lab that exuded a sense of mid - century homey comfort. It has been on display at the National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C., for most of the past 20 years. This book, including interviews with famous chefs who knew Julia well, commentary on her favorite kitchen gadgets, and a stunning array of photos, Julia Child’s Kitchen illuminates the stories behind the room’s design, use, and significance, revealing how Julia Child continues to impact food and cooking today.

A Great Gift

Geometry Tea Towels

" These beautiful towels are quickdrying, hold their color and shape,

Gardening

products with eco-friendly processes. A wonderful gift for everyone and anyone!" –Stephanie

The Food Forward Garden : A Complete Guide to Designing and Growing Edible Landscapes by Christian Douglas available now, hardcover, Artisan

What if, instead of relegating our vegetable patch to a remote corner of the backyard, we brought it forward? What if we integrated edibles into our decorative landscapes, letting vegetables, herbs, fruits, and berries share prime real estate alongside our patios, pools, even our front walkways? Equal parts inspiration and instruction, and filled with an abundance of ideas and information, The Food Forward Garden is a lushly illustrated guide to how we can make better use of our outdoor spaces without sacrificing style.

A Great Gift

Bulk Truffles

"A quick, easy, and delicious way to make a personalized gift for a loved one with the wide variety of truffles we have in store! I can assure you, no one would be upset about chocolate."

The World Atlas of Honey

by C. Marina Marchese

–Bee

available now, hardcover, University of California Press

This colorful guide celebrates the exceptional range and diversity of honey, revealing how terroir—the environment in which a food is produced—influences honey's qualities just as it does for wine, olive oil, coffee, and chocolate. It includes profiles of more than eighty countries and the botanical sources of honey found in each. With text, illustrations, and photos, honey expert C. Marina Marchese takes readers through the global history of honey production from the earliest beekeepers to today's harvests.

Fun with Flowers Floral Estrangements : Taunt Your Rivals & Vanquish Your

Enemies through the Language of Flowers by Rebecca Fishbein

available in January, hardcover, Chronicle

The ultimate guide to finding new and fragrant ways to channel your frustrations and fuel your revenge fantasies with some common (and not-so-common) vengeful plants, as well as suggested bouquets to blight your nemeses. Is there anything more savage than an archly composed bouquet? The Victorians didn’t think so, which is why their flower symbols weren’t just endearing—they were also cheeky, rude, and downright hostile. This illustrated floriography will help you choose the perfect Floral Estrangement for your situation, such as:

•The “Still Thinking about the $1K I Spent to Be a Bridesmaid at Your Destination Wedding” (Black-Eyed Susan, Birdsfoot Trefoil, Delphinium, Orange Lily)

•The “His Mommy Issues Are Now Your Problem” (Withered White Rose, Pine, Delphinium)

Baking

Sift

: The Elements of Great Baking by

Nicola Lamb

available in November, hardcover, Clarkson Potter

Sift begins with the foundational ingredients that underpin great bakes—flour, sugar, eggs, fat—before delving into the techniques that bring recipes to life: texture, color, how things rise, and a technical overview. One hundred tested, tried, and true recipes follow and are organized by difficulty and time commitment, ranging from easy 30-minute cakes to spectacular showstoppers you can devote a weekend to.

Milk

Street Bakes : A Baking Book with 200 Sweet and Savory Recipes by Christopher Kimball available now, hardcover, Voracious Press

The American baking repertoire may be unparalleled in our claim to pies, biscuits, and cakes. But step off a plane in London, Mexico City, Istanbul, or Paris, and you realize how much more there we can learn about the art of simple, delicious baked goods. Here is a simple Spanish almond cake that uses no wheat flour, super-creamy Basque cheesecake that requires no water bath, Mexican sweet corn cake made in a blender, or Catalan biscotti.

Great Gifts

Pan y Dulce : The Latin American Baking

Book

by Bryan Ford

available in November, hardcover, Voracious

In Pan y Dulce Ford helps home bakers embrace the extraordinary world of Latin-American baking and break free of Eurocentric approaches to the craft. He delivers practical know-how alongside the history and culture behind each of 150 mouthwatering recipes. This is an essential book for home bakers looking to expand their understanding of the craft—while tasting the best of México, Central America, South America, and the Caribbean.

Salt Rising Bread : Recipes and Stories of a Nearly Lost Appalachian Tradition

Salt rising bread is a hidden treasure of the Appalachian Mountains—a newly rediscovered, authentic American "slow food" born from the culinary ingenuity of early pioneer women.

Bring the whole family to learn about Appalachian salt rising bread! Enjoy a book reading and an interactive baking lesson, plus some free samples! Each general admission $5 ticket includes a mini-loaf, a take home recipe, and a hands-on baking lesson where attendees will be able to play with the dough, learn to knead, taste the bread, and smell the starters. REGISTER at villagebooks.com today!

Wednesday-Saturday

History Mystery

PUZZLE

We have added two unique in-store escape room style challenges that you're welcome to add to your shopping experience— and they're free to play! Just let your friendly bookseller know that you'd like to solve the puzzle and we'll send you on your way. Finish and be entered into a drawing for prizes. Complete both and you qualify for a BONUS challenge!

Lynden LIVE! EVENTS

Saturday, November 23, 2pm CHRISTOPHER KEY

–Planetbase Tales

Event Cancelled

THE LYNDEN Village Books Literary Events Program

Lynden LitLive author events take place at the Inn at Lynden in the conference room—adjacent to Village Books and Paper Dreams. Seating is limited. Register villagebooks.com. $5 event fees are returned in the form of a store voucher.

Saturday, February 8, 2pm

NANCY CANYON

Join us in welcoming local author Christopher Key to talk about his new book in the Planetbase Universe series, Planetbase Tales! Book six in Christopher Key's "Planetbase Universe" delves into the backstories of many of the characters readers have come to know and love throughout the series. These short stories will give you a completely new perspective on how some of Raven George's best friends reached their highest potential.

–Struck: A Season on the Fire Lookout

In 1971, Nancy Nelson and her husband are hired as lookout attendants on Corral Hill Lookout in the Clearwater Forest. They report fires, endure isolation, and survive terrible lightning storms. In this coming-of-age memoir, Nancy wrestles with her abusive past, and gains courage as she moves into her creative future. Local author Nancy Canyon works as a writing coach for The Narrative Project and teaches through Chuckanut Writers. Her books include Saltwater, Celia’s Heaven, Women’s Bodies/ Women’s Words, and now Struck: A Season on a Fire Lookout.

See pages 71-77 for more LitLive Events and page 78 for additional Books Groups!

Book Group

"Variety is the spice of life!"

Join Gaye from Village Books Lynden and the Front Streeters book group as they discuss titles from a variety of genres. They meet in person in the Waples Room of the Inn at Lynden (adjacent to Village Books) at 7pm the third Wednesday of each month.

November 20, 7pm

The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

December 18, 7pm

Bring your favorite banned/challenged children's books (or novel) to share with the group.

January 15, 7pm No Two Persons by Erica Bauermeister

February 19, 7pm Oil and Marble by Stephanie Storey

Attendees are eligible for a 15% discount on group selections

Great Gifts for All Ages

Slamwich Card Game

for 2-6 Players, Ages 6+

"Build the best Sandwich faster than your buddies and win the game.  But you have to watch out for the muncher who may eat some of your best ingredients.  This game is quick and loud.  Just how I like my games.  Easy for the nieces, nephews and kids on the block to learn.  Warning.  You should have sandwiches ready to consume because this game will tickle your tummy.” –Troy

Cards Designed by Local Artists

"There's nothing more heartfelt than a hand-written note! Write your loved ones something sweet on these beautiful cards, and support local artists in the process. They'd also make an excellent holiday gift." –Megan P.

Saturday, December 7, 6pm

Lynden Loves... HOLIDAYS!

A Great Gift

No Mans Land Jewelry

“A one of a kind jewelry line that is inspired by Pacific Northwest nature. The artist creates pieces made with sustainable materials which adds to the uniqueness of each piece and its design. They serve as a lightweight and comfortable fit for the perfect gift for anyone looking to make a statement!!"

Unemployed Philosopher's Guild Collection

–Courtney

"If you're looking for small gifts and stocking stuffers that are useful and will bring a laugh, check out the Unemployed Philosopher's Guild collection of smart and funny gifts. There are themed mugs, candles, lip balm, finger puppets, notebooks, mints, and more!"

–Gaye

Lynden Lighted Parade

"Welkom" in this Holiday Season Saturday, December 7th, 2024 with the Northwest Lighted Christmas Parade in Lynden, presented to the community by title sponsor Edaleen Dairy! Starting at 6pm a lighted menagerie of cars, pick-ups, trucks, floats, wagons, farm equipment, and more will light up Front Street! The Parade starting point is at the Fairway Shopping Center, located at Front Street and 18th St., heading east on Front St. into beautiful downtown Lynden, ending at 3rd St.

Along Front Street through Downtown Lynden

Hoek Photography

Bellingham Adventure Dates : 64+ Unique Date Ideas Exploring Bellingham and Beyond by Violet Kelly

Footsteps on Front Street : A History of Downtown Lynden from 1900 to Present by Troy Luginbill

Towns of the North Fork Nooksack River / Mount Baker Foothills , Volumes 1 and 2 by Michael Impero

God Made Blue and God Made Sunshine* by Kelcey Heystek The Blue Pickup and Juneteenth Is by Natasha Triplett Check

Lines: Stories and Sketches by Donna Vander Griend*

Old Barns of Whatcom County: Photos and Poets by Jeff Barclay*

Story Snowflakes: Fairytales by Brooke Pederson*

Village Books Publishing Program Clients

Saturdays at 11am

st rytimes Lynden KIDS

First Saturdays of each Month

Dino Stories with Jagger

VB's own Troy Luginbill and his puppet pal Jagger will entertain the little ones with a half hour of dinosaur-themed stories and fun! Bring your own stuffed dino to snuggle!

December 7 • January 4 • February 1

Read to a Dog Princess Poppie Story Time

Join Princess Poppie as she shares her favorite fantastic fairy tales!

Third Saturday Story Times

Village Books in Lynden is excited to offer this fuzzy friendly story time where THE KIDS do all the reading... TO DOGS!

Children must be accompanied by an adult.

Story Time with a FIRE FIGHTER

Second Saturdays

November 9 • December 14 January 11 • February 8

November 16 • December 21

January 18 • February 15

Fourth Saturday Story Times

November 23 • December 28 January 25 • February 22

Join members of the Lynden Fire Department as they sit down with the kiddos for a very special story time. Don’t miss out!

September is Eat Local Month Lynden Writing Group

What we are: A safe space to read your work out loud for feedback; an opportunity to gain insight and ideas for furthering your writing project. This group is about nurturing the writer, reflecting on their work and offering ideas or suggestions, or simply listening and encouraging. What we are not: A class or critic's circle.

Facilitated by Mary Roy, Village Books Bookseller, we meet every 2nd Wednesday from 7pm-9pm.

Location: adjacent to Village Books in the Inn at Lynden Waples Room–enter through the Inn side entrance. 2nd Wednesdays at 7pm November 13 • December 11 • January 8 • February 12

The Researcher's First Murder: A New Cain's Jawbone Puzzle by John Finnemore available now, hardcover, Unbound

Fun & Games

A body is found stabbed to death in a locked room. The police find no weapon, no motive and no suspects. However, the murderer has in their possession a box of one hundred cryptic picture postcards which— if properly understood—would explain not just this murder, but nine others. These are those cards. Readers must rearrange the pages of text to unravel the story and identify the murderer, victim and location for each of the ten murders.

Riddle of the Sphinx

: An Ancient Egyptian Puzzle Book by Trevor Naylor available in December, paperback, Thames and Hudson

Riddle of the Sphinx goes beyond mere questions of antiquity to explore centuries of Egyptomania, bringing in Agatha Christie and Hercule Poirot, the Curse of the Mummy, and the strange and mysterious deaths of those who discovered the Tomb of Tutankhamun. Combining expertise in quizzes and Egyptology, this book will delight readers, budding Egyptologists, and quiz enthusiasts of all ages. Illustrated with photographs, archive illustrations, and hieroglyphs, it is a fun and accessible way to learn about the world of ancient Egypt.

A

Wonderland : A Fantasy Role-Playing Setting

by Andrew Kolb available in November, hardcover, Andrews McMeel

Drawing on the books and poems of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by author Lewis Carroll, Kolb’s third RPG book offers a dungeon setting and source book that leans into combat. Like his previous books, it will have secrets to explore and social interactions to navigate, but the change in setting and focus will allow it to stand on its own. And, of course, it will all be beautifully illustrated and designed in his signature style that fans clamor for.

A Great Gift

Murdle: 100 Elementary to Impossible Mysteries to Solve Using Logic, Skill, and the Power of Deduction

by

GT Karber

“A perfect gift for the ones in your life who are fans of NYTimes Wordle or Cain's Jawbone . One hundred deductive puzzles to help Deductive Logico solve the wacky murders cases that occurred right under everyone's nose!” –Sydney

Great Gift

Eeboo Puzzles

“Eeboo puzzles make a fantastic gift for those shopping for a family-friendly gift! The puzzles come in an assortment of nature-based themes, ranging in puzzle count sizes and prices—something for everyone!” –Korina

A

Great Gift

Cribbage In a Box

"This cribbage board offers the perfect excuse to have a cozy board game night this winter with your loved ones. It's easy to learn and long-lasting fun for the whole family!" –Maddie

Secret Life of LEGO Bricks:

The Story of a

Design

Icon by Daniel Konstanski available now,hardcover, Sourcebooks

As both a former employee of LEGO Brand Inc. and a fan that grew up building endlessly, I have a great deal of respect and joy for LEGO that transcends the simple and ingenious brick. Truly a family-owned company that cares about its people, its customers, and the planet, this book is a fun, fascinating, and well-illustrated history behind that famous little brick. For the AFOL in your life, or for anyone that enjoys a well-told true tale, this is an amazing gift for yourself or to slip under the tree. –Erin

A Great Gift

The Game Master's Book of More Random Encounters

by Jeff Ashworth and Tim Baker

“ The Game Master's Book of More Random Encounters is one of my favorite 5th Edition books of 2024!

It touts a new fully fleshed out wild magic table, three entire one-shots, several taverns and shops for your players to explore (including a 'Cat Café for lost Familiars), and so much more! It makes for a perfect gift for any Game Master! ” –Rez

Great Gift

Book Nook Puzzle Boxes

“I've put together a few of these now and love, love, love them. Not only are they a fun puzzle craft (that I listen to Libro audio books while doing) but they bring a fantastic depth and interest to our bookshelves at home.“ –Paul

Spin to Survive

Decide your destiny with a pop-out fortune spinner

“A game in a book! The Spin to Survive Series includes a fun variety of interac tive reading and game books for ages 8 & up!“ –Kendra

Let's Play!

Great Gift

Exploding Kittens

"If you hate cats and love explosions, you have stumbled on the perfect game not just for you but for any group you're hosting. Play the popular original version with the whole family or pull out the Not-Safe-for-Work (ages 17+) version for when the kids are all in bed." –Nathen

Fun For Kids AND Adults

Great Gift

Metal Earth Model Kits

“These amazingly detailed model kits are both fun to build and provide a simple challenge for all experience levels! Plus, you get a great looking model from your favorite fandom at the end! They work wonderfully as gifts or stocking stuffers!“ –Sean

The World in Books : 52 Works of Great Short Nonfiction

by Kenneth C Davis

available now, hardcover, Scribner

This book would be an excellent selection for a new college student or anyone who's looking to get into the classics and doesn't know where to start. For each of the 52 books, Davis has included an excerpt, a summary, an "about the author" section, "why you should read it," and "what you should read next." This means even if you have already read a handful of these books, this book features as a good jumping off point into further reading/ research.

–Grace

Aran Irish Wool Knit Sweaters

"These sweaters are the perfect way to say "I love you and I want you to be warm and cozy. Nothing is better than curling up in one of these bad boys with a good book. I wear mine any chance I can get, they are comfy AND so stylish."

Dangerous Fictions : The Fear of Fantasy and the Invention of Reality

by Lyta Gold

available now, hardcover, Soft Skull

–Kiana

A Great Gift

In this day and age where book banning is a nationwide epidemic, a book like this is a must-read. Gold examines the very real power that fictional stories have in society and why the banning of fiction is a practice thousands of years old. Powerful and informative, her examination of the creative industry throughout different periods in time is intelligent, honest, and unfiltered. –Anne

Explore the World of VILLAGE BOOKS PAPER DREAMS and with our PASSPORT!

Created to reward customers as they make new discoveries at the store, our 32-page, whimsical passport includes a range of experiences that passport holders will complete to earn prizes, including T-shirts, special discounts, journals, candy, treats, books, games, and more.

Upon completion of the passport, you’ll be inducted into the exclusive League of Extraordinary Readers. Honors can include a year supply of fudge, a behind-the-scenes party at the bookstore, and a chance to win a variety of other amazing prizes.

Poetry

Small Ghost

by Trista Mateer

available now, paperback, Central Avenue Poetry

Originally a self-published collection, Small Ghost makes a revised return to audiences and fans of Mateer’s poetry. Mateer explores the struggle and cycle of living with depression and anxiety in a way that will leave readers feeling represented. For fans of Alicia Cook’s Stuff I’ve Been Feeling Lately, Small Ghost will ring familiar in prose and emotional depth. -Sydney

Days Like These : An Alternative Guide to the Year in 366 Poems

by Brian Bilston available in November, paperback, Picador UK

A brilliant way to brighten each day. In this playful, innovative collection, Brian Bilston writes a poem to accompany every day of the year. Each poem is inspired by a significant— often curious—event associated with that day: from Open an Umbrella Indoors Day to the day on which New York banned public flirting; from the launch of the Rubik’s Cube to the first appearance of the phrase ‘the best thing since sliced bread’. Perfect for reading aloud and sharing with friends, this book will take the blues out of Monday, flatten the Wednesday hump, and amplify that Friday feeling.

I Love Hearing

Your Dreams : Poetry by Matthew Zapruder

available now, hardcover, Scribner

A dreamy musing on love and creation. I enjoyed how Zapruder switched from a trancelike state of stream-of-consciousness based more on distant memories to a sudden lucidity featuring details from our day-to-day world. As a writer, I loved reading this prose on the jumbled, messy act of conception. –Grace

Water, Water: Poems

by

Billy Collins

available in November, hardcover, Random House Collins combines his vigilant attention and respect for the peripheral to create moments of delight, while revealing more about himself as a poet than we've ever encountered. Common and uncommon events are captured here with equal fascination, be it a cat leaning to drink from a swimming pool, a nurse calling a name in a waiting room, or an astronaut reciting Emily Dickinson from outer space. With his trademark lyrical informality, Collins asks us to slow down and glimpse the elevated in the ordinary, the odd in the familiar.

Strange Beach: Poems

by Oluwaseun Olayiwola

available in January, paperback, Random House This book may have rejuvenated my love for poetry. This collection is a compilation of many unadulterated, emotional, and unashamedly queer poems that reexplained to me the world I should know in a creative and passionate way. Sometimes the language was lyrical and sometimes it was like a gut punch. It was a variety of styles, intents, and contents that had me re-reading for the past month! –Bee

Invisible Strings : 113 Poets Respond to the Songs

of

Taylor

Swift edited by Kristie Frederick Daugherty available in December, hardcover, Ballantine Books

In Invisible Strings , poet, professor, and dedicated Swiftie Kristie Frederick Daugherty has brought together 113 contemporary poets, each contributing an original poem that responds to a specific Taylor Swift song. In a spirit of celebration and collaboration, poets have taken a cue from Swift’s love of dropping clues and puzzles for her fandom to decode. Swifties will enjoy closely reading each of the poems to discover which song each poet responded to; each poem responds to only one song.

Arts & Crafts

The Artist’s Palette : The Palettes Behind the Paintings of 50 Great Artists by Alexandra Loske available in November, hardcover, Princeton University Press

Alexandra Loske pairs each artist’s color palette with one or more of their paintings, revealing how the artist used paints and pigments. While Georges Seurat meticulously arranged the paints on his palette in prismatic order, a pointillist technique reflected on his canvases, Kerry James Marshall uses bits of zinc white and smears of pale pink on the surfaces of symbolically oversized white palettes held by the Black artists in his portraits, raising provocative questions about the role of color in Black history and Western art. Through these and other compelling accounts, Loske shows how, behind every great painting, there is a palette that tells its story.

Crafts

Let’s Move the Needle :

An Activism Handbook for Artists, Crafters, Creatives, and Makers; Build Community and Make Change!

by Shannon Downey

available now, hardcover, Storey Publishing Craftivism, or the space where art and activism meet, is a powerful, ever-evolving social justice movement that continues to grow and diversify as more voices and mediums take part in it. Filled with self-reflective activities, exercises, prompts, and stories, Let's Move the Needle educates and empowers creatives to center their art around collective action in service of political, social or community issues they are most passionate about.

Chill Out! Gel Eye Pads

“These "googly eye" gel eye pads provide the perfect balance of bringing a smile to your face while simultaneously giving yourself (or a loved one) some self care. Less than twenty minutes in the freezer and you have an amazing cold pack for your eyes (or knees or neck?!) to take a moment for yourself.“ –Kat

The Met : A History of a Museum and Its People

by Jonathan Conlin

available now, hardcover, Columbia University Press

This book is a groundbreaking bottom-up history of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, exploring both its triumphs and its failings.

Conlin tells the stories of the people who have shaped the museum—from curators and artists to museumgoers and security guards—and the communities that have made it their own.

Highlighting inequalities of wealth, race, and gender, he exposes the hidden costs of the museum’s reliance on “robber barons” and oligarchs, the exclusionary immigration policies that influenced the foundation of the American Wing, and the obstacles faced by women curators.

A Great Gift

Felinity:

An Anthology of Illustrated Cats From Around the World by Victionary

“Each cat illustration in this book is more charming than the next! A perfect gift for the cat lover in your life." –Laura

Mind & Body

How to Winter: Harness Your Mindset to Thrive on Cold, Dark, or Difficult Days

by Kari Leibowitz, PhD available now, hardcover, Penguin Life

A Great Gift

Do you dread the long, chilly season of gray skies and ice? Do you find yourself in a slump every January and February? What if there were a way to rethink this time of year? Psychologist and winter expert Kari Leibowitz’s galvanizing How To Winter uses mindset science to help readers embrace winter as a season to be enjoyed, not endured—and in turn, learn powerful lessons that can impact our mental wellbeing throughout the year.

Performing Arts

60 Songs That Explain the '90s

by Rob Harvilla available in November, paperback, Twelve

When I found out that one of my favorite podcasts was becoming a book, it was an instant buy and I did not have any regrets after reading it. Rob Harvilla is just as funny in his writing—maybe even more so—than in the podcast. I love how relatable he is and how music has shaped a huge part of his life which many of us can relate to. I wasn't even alive in the 90's and I loveeee this one! –Maddie

If you, like me, have a distinctly analog childhood, followed by a profoundly digital adulthood, you will find yourself nodding and laughing along with Harvilla’s essays detailing why certain songs are touchpoints to all of us. Based on his podcast, his writing is funny yet poignant and it takes me back to those awkward school dances and slumber parties sharing music with friends. –Sarah

Cher:

The Memoir, Part One by Cher

available in November, hardcover, Dey Street Books

The extraordinary life of Cher can be told by only one person Cher herself. After more than 70 years of fighting to live her life on her own terms, Cher finally reveals her true story in intimate detail in a two-part memoir. Her remarkable career is unique and unparalleled. The only woman to top Billboard charts in seven consecutive decades, she is the winner of an Academy Award, an Emmy, a Grammy, and a Cannes Film Festival Award, and an inductee to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. Cher: The Memoir, Part One follows her extraordinary beginnings through childhood to meeting and marrying Sonny Bono—and reveals the highly complicated relationship that made them world-famous, but eventually drove them apart. It is a life too immense for only one book.

Heartbreak Is the National Anthem : How Taylor Swift Reinvented Pop Music

by Rob Sheffield

available in November, hardcover, Dey Street Books

An intimate look at the life and music of modern pop’s most legendary figure, Taylor Swift, from leading music journalist Rob Sheffield. This legendary Rolling Stone j ournalist is the writer who has chronicled Taylor for every step of her long career, from her early days to the Eras Tour. Sheffield gets right to the heart of Swift and her music, her lyrics, her fan connection, her raw power.

The Silver Snarling Trumpet: The Birth of the Grateful Dead

by Robert Hunter available now, hardcover, Hachette Books

Fun Sarah fact: I grew up in a late-blooming Deadhead household. I know what Dick’s Picks are and I have *opinions* about which version of “Scarlet Begonias” is best. So imagine my delight that Robert Hunter’s lost manuscript is shared with the world. Long-rumored to tell the true beginnings of the Grateful Dead, here we’re able to celebrate the humble beginnings of one of the greatest bands in American music. –Sarah

The

Name of

is R.E.M.: A

This Band

Biography

by Peter Ames Carlin available in November, hardcover, Dey Street Books

An electrifying cultural biography of the greatest and last American rock band of the millennium, whose music ignited a generation—and reasserted the power of rock and roll. In this rich, intimate biography, critically acclaimed author Peter Ames Carlin looks beyond the sex, drugs, and rock’n’roll to open a window into the fascinating lives of four college friends—Michael Stipe, Peter Buck, Mike Mills and Bill Berry—who stuck together at any cost, until the end. Deeply descriptive and remarkably poetic, steeped in 80s and 90s nostalgia, The Name of This Band is R.E.M. paints a cultural history of the commercial peak and near-total collapse of a great music era, and the story of the generation that came of age at the apotheosis of rock.

The Memory Palace : True Short Stories of the Past

by Nate Dimeo

available in November, hardcover, Random House

If you're a lover of fun facts, truths that are stranger than fictions, and interesting stories of people and places that have fallen through the cracks of history, then this is the book for you! Based off Dimeo's hit podcast of the same name, this book of historical vignettes covers all ages of time and all places around the world. Come along on the adventure!

–Chloe H.

Cultural History

Custodians of Wonder:

Ancient Customs, Profound Traditions, and the Last People Keeping Them Alive by Eliot Stein

available in December, hardcover, St. Martin’s Press

A vivid look at 10 astonishing people who are maintaining some of the world's oldest and rarest cultural traditions. Eliot Stein has traveled the globe in search of remarkable people who are preserving some of our most extraordinary cultural rites. Stein introduces readers to a man saving the secret ingredient in Japan's 700-year-old original soy sauce recipe. In Italy, he learns how to make the world's rarest pasta from one of the only women alive who knows how to make it. From mirror makers in India to Scandinavia's last night watchman and many more, Stein uncovers an almost lost world.

Graphic Novel

Sapiens:

A Graphic History, Volume 3: The Masters of History by Yuval Noah Harari available now, hardcover, Harper Perennial Sometimes history seems like a laundry list of malevolent monarchs, pompous presidents and dastardly dictators. But are they really the ones in the driving seat? Sapiens: A Graphic History—The Masters of History takes us on an immersive and hilarious ride through the human past to discover the forces that change our world, bring us together, and just as often... tear us apart. This third volume of the illustrated adaptation of the internationally bestselling phenomenon tackles the question of the driving force of humanity’s fate: is it empire, money, religion—or something else entirely—that unites us?

The Most Powerful Court in the World : A History of the Supreme Court of the United States

by Stuart Banner

available in November, hardcover, Oxford University Press

Not merely a history of the Court's opinions and jurisprudence, this book is also a rich account of the Court in the broadest sense—of the sorts of people who become justices and the methods by which they are chosen, of how the Court does its work, and of its relationship with other branches of government. Rather than praising or criticizing the Court's decisions, Banner makes the case that one cannot fully understand the decisions without knowing about the institution that produced them.

Agent Zo

by Clare Mulley

available in December, hardcover, Pegasus Books

During World War II, Elzbieta Zawacka—the WWII female resistance fighter known as Agent Zo—was the only woman to reach London as an emissary of the Polish Home Army command. In Britain, she became the only woman to join the Polish elite Special Forces. She was secretly trained in the British countryside, and then was the only female member of these forces to be parachuted back behind enemy lines to Nazi-occupied Poland. There, while being hunted by the Gestapo (who arrested her entire family), she took a leading role in the Warsaw Uprising and the liberation of Poland. Now, through new archival research and exclusive interviews with people who knew and fought alongside Agent Zo, Mulley brings this forgotten heroine back to brilliant life.

The Pirate's Wife:

The Remarkable True Story of Sarah Kidd by Daphne Palmer Geanacopoulos available now, paperback, Hanover Square Press Few know that Captain Kidd, one of the most notorious pirates to ever prowl the seas, had an accomplice, a behind-the-scenes player who enabled his plundering and helped him outpace his enemies. That accomplice was his wife, Sarah Kidd, whose extraordinary life is a lesson in reinvention and resourcefulness. This landmark work in women's history weaves together the personal and the epic in a sweeping story of romance and adventure.

Letters by Oliver Sacks

available in November, hardcover, Knopf

Biographies & Memoirs

Sensitively introduced and edited by Kate Edgar, Sacks’s longtime editor, the letters deliver a portrait of Sacks as he wrestles with the workings of the brain and mind. We see, through his eyes, the beginnings of modern neuroscience, following the thought processes of one of the great intellectuals of our time, whose words, as evidenced in these pages, were unfailingly shaped with generosity and wonder toward other people.

Cabin : Off the Grid Adventures With a Clueless Craftsman

by Patrick Hutchison available in December, hardcover, St. Martin’s Press

A memoir of the author's journey from an office job to restoring a cabin in the Pacific Northwest, based on his wildly popular Outside Magazine piece. Wit’s End isn’t just a state of mind. It’s the name of a gravel road, the address of a run-down off-the-grid cabin, 120 shabby square feet of fixer-upper Patrick Hutchison purchased on a whim in the mossy woods of the Cascade Mountains in Washington state. This is the story of those renovations, but it's also a love story; of a place, of possibilities, and of the process of construction, of seeing what could be instead of what is. It is a book for those who know what it’s like to bite off more than you can chew, or who desperately wish to.

Citizen : My Life After the White House by Bill Clinton

available in November, hardcover, Knopf

Citizen is Bill Clinton’s front-row, first-person chronicle of his post-presidential years and the most significant events of the21st-century, including 9/11 and the runup to the Iraq War, the Haiti earthquake, the Great Recession, the January 6 insurrection, and the enduring culture wars of our times. With clarity and compassion, he also weighs in on the unprecedented challenges brought on by a global pandemic, ongoing income inequality, a steadily warming planet, and authoritarian forces dedicated to weakening democracy.

Truman by David McCullough

"For this winter season, when you're inevitably snowed in, crack open this fantastic biography of our nation's 33rd president. A man who fought in WWI, a man full of love for his family, faced with coming into the presidency after FDR's death, dropping the first Atomic bomb, and so much more, Harry S. Truman's life is one for the ages."

Mythology

Mythos:

The Illustrated Edition by Stephen Fry

illustrated by Jesús Sotés available now, hardcover, Chronicle Books

This is one of my favorite recommendations to the newly-engaged fan of Greek mythology. Fry's classic retelling of Greek legend told in updated vernacular and with Fry's signature wit is now a lovely gift edition, complete with ribbon bookmark and amazing illustrations throughout. You will want this on your coffee table, and will win the heart of any art or mythology lover in your life. –Erin

Norse Mythology:

The Illustrated Edition by Neil Gaiman

–James

illustrated by Levi Pinfold available in November, hardcover, Norton Neil Gaiman could probably make the ingredients list for a box of cereal sound amazing. He's a gifted storyteller and has created a great gateway into understanding Norse mythology. This classic collection is now presented in a full color, illustrated edition in time for the holidays. For fans of mythology, art, history, or Gaiman. –Erin

Mind Over Matter

AI Snake Oil: What Artificial Intelligence Can Do, What It Can’t, and How to Tell the Difference

by Arvind Narayanan and Sayash Kapoor

available now, hardcover, Princeton University Press

Confused about AI and worried about what it means for your future and the future of the world?

You’re not alone. While acknowledging the potential of some AI, this book uncovers rampant misleading claims about the capabilities of AI and describes the serious harms AI is already causing in how it’s being built, marketed, and used in areas such as education, medicine, hiring, banking, insurance, and criminal justice. The book explains the crucial differences between types of AI, why organizations are falling for AI snake oil, and why we should be far more worried about what people will do with AI than about anything AI will do on its own.

The Illusionist Brain :

The Neuroscience

of Magic

by Jordi Camí and Luis M. Martínez available in November, paperback, Princeton University Press

We construct reality from the information stored in our memories and received through our senses, and our brains are remarkably adept at tricking us into believing that our experience is continuous. In fact, our minds create our perception of reality by elaborating meanings and continuities from incomplete information, and while this strategy carries clear benefits for survival, it comes with blind spots that magicians know how to exploit. Camí and Martínez explore the many different ways illusionists manipulate our attention—making us look but not see—and take advantage of our individual predispositions and fragile memories.

Genius at Play: The Curious Mind of John Horton Conway

by Siobhan Roberts

available now, hardcover, Princeton University Press

A mathematician unlike any other, Conway (1937–2020) possessed a rock star’s charisma, a polymath’s promiscuous curiosity, and a sly sense of humor. He found fame as a barefoot professor at Cambridge, where he discovered the Conway groups in mathematical symmetry and the aptly named surreal numbers. He also invented the cult classic Game of Life, a cellular automaton that demonstrates how simplicity generates complexity—and provides an analogy for mathematics and the entire universe.

Proudly telling stories about the people, businesses and organizations doing good things around Whatcom County

Cultural Criticism

Revenge of the Tipping Point : Overstories, Superspreaders, and the Rise of Social Engineering

by Malcolm Gladwell

Everything

available now, hardcover, Little, Brown Gladwell returns for the first time in 25 years to social epidemics and tipping points, this time with the aim of explaining the dark side of contagious phenomena. Here, Gladwell traces the rise of a new and troubling form of social engineering. He takes us to the streets of Los Angeles to meet the world’s most successful bank robbers, rediscovers a forgotten television show from the 1970s that changed the world, visits the site of a historic experiment on a tiny cul-de-sac in northern California, and offers an alternate history of two of the biggest epidemics of our day: COVID and the opioid crisis.

The Sirens' Call : How Attention Became the World's Most Endangered Resource by Chris Hayes available in January, hardcover, Penguin Press We all feel it—the distraction, the loss of focus, the addictive focus on the wrong things for too long. Hayes argues that we are in the midst of an epoch-defining transition whose only parallel is what happened to labor in the 19th century: attention has become a commodified resource extracted from us, and from which we are increasingly alienated. Sirens are designed to compel us, and now they are going off in our bedrooms and kitchens at all hours of the day and night, doing the bidding of vast empires, the most valuable companies in history, built on harvesting human attention.

A Great Gift

One

Line A Day Journal by Europa Editions

“Know someone who wants to journal but can't find the time? These cute journals are perfect for recording something special, menial, or unique about your day quickly before bed!”

–Chloe H.

Check out our impressive variety of themed and blank journals

to Play For: An Insider's Guide to How Videogames are Changing Our World by Marijam Did available now, paperback, Verso This book provides a fabulous, practical insight into a world that goes often overlooked. The video game industry has become a powerhouse over a matter of decades, and Everything to Play For puts a focal point on how the industry has influenced contemporary culture. –Grace

The Ultimate Hidden Truth of the World…

by

David Graeber, edited by Nika Dubrovsky available in November, hardcover, Bloomsbury Publishing

Drawn from more than two decades of pathbreaking writing, here are the iconic and bestselling David Graeber's most important essays and interviews. There are converging political, economic, and ecological crises, and yet our politics is dominated by either business as usual or nostalgia for a mythical past. Graeber was one of the few who dared to imagine a new understanding of the past and a liberatory vision of the future. In essays published over three decades and ranging across the biggest issues of our time—inequality, technology, the identity of “the West,” democracy, art, power, anger, mutual aid, and protest—he challenges the old assumptions about political life. Driven by a bold imagination and a passionate commitment to human freedom, he offers hope that our world can be different.

Shop 24/7 at villagebooks.com

Kikkerland 10-in-1 Rainbow Multipen by Kikkerland

"These smooth writing pens with a whopping ten colors make great stocking stuffers for frequent letter writers or your favorite color-coding note taker in your life.“ –Will

A Great Gift

The Serviceberry: Abundance and Reciprocity in the Natural World

by Robin Wall Kimmerer

available in November, hardcover, Scribner

Nature & Science

This may be a small volume but it packs a big punch. If you love Braiding Sweetgras s this is a must read. If you haven't read Braiding Sweetgrass you should still read this (and also Braiding Sweetgrass). A timely and important evaluation of how the framework within which we live influences the way we view the world, and how a simple re-framing can make a drastic difference. –Caitriona

Color in Nature

by Justin Marshall et al.

available in November, hardcover, Princeton University Press

Recent years have seen tremendous strides in the fields of vision and visual ecology. These advances have been driven by astonishing discoveries in neuroscience and evolutionary biology as well as psychology and design. This beautifully illustrated book unlocks nature’s colorful purpose, revealing how creatures see color as well as shedding light on the important part that it plays in animal behavior, from reproduction and communication to aggression and defense.

The Miraculous from the Material : Understanding the

Wonders of Nature

by Alan Lightman

available in November, hardcover, Pantheon

Pairing 36 beautiful, full-color photos evoking some of nature’s most awe-inspiring phenomena with accessible and lyrical personal essays, The Miraculous from the Material explores the fascinating science underlying the natural world. Why do rainbows make an arc? Why does a particular waterfall at Yosemite National Park sometimes glow like it’s on fire? How does a hummingbird fly? The world has so many things to marvel at—and the science is just as fascinating.

Night Magic : Adventures Among Glowworms, Moon Gardens, and Other Marvels of the Dark

by Leigh Ann Henion

available now, hardcover, Algonquin

No matter where we live, we are surrounded by animals that rise with the moon, and blooms that reveal themselves as light fades. Every page of this lyrical book feels like an opportunity to ask: How did I not know about this before? We learn that it can take hours, not minutes, for human eyes to reach full night vision capacity. And that there are thousands of firefly species on earth, many with flash patterns as unique as fingerprints. In an age of increasing artificial light, Night Magic focuses on the amazing biodiversity that still surrounds us after sunset.

What the Chicken Knows : A New Appreciation of the World's Most Familiar Bird

by Sy Montgomery

available in November, hardcover, Atria Books

Another great book about an amazing animal by Montgomery. I read this in one sitting, and while it may seem small, this book packs quite a punch! (Kind of like a chicken.) I have a new appreciation for all the happy hens out there. –Kiana

Field Guide

Ornithography:

An Illustrated Guide to Bird Lore & Symbolism by Jessica Roux

available now, hardcover, Andrews McMeel

Birds have inspired us since the dawn of time: their elegance in flight, captivating colors, and delicate mannerisms spark hope, joy, and delight. Cultures around the world have historically looked to birds as sacred messengers, intermediaries between earth and sky, including them in myths and legends and using them to teach moral lessons and historical truths. In Roux’s Ornithography, each of 100 entries focuses on one bird species, featuring a full-page color illustration in her detailed, darkly romantic style and the lore behind each bird.

Into the Great Wide Ocean : Life in the Least Known Habitat on Earth by Sönke Johnsen available now, hardcover, Princeton University Press

Science & Nature

The open ocean, far from the shore and miles above the seafloor, is a vast and formidable habitat that is home to the most abundant life on our planet, from giant squid and jellyfish to anglerfish with bioluminescent lures that draw prey into their toothy mouths. Into the Great Wide Ocean takes readers inside the peculiar world of the seagoing scientists who are providing tantalizing new insights into how the animals of the open ocean solve the problems of their existence.

Mapmatics:

A Mathematician’s Guide to Navigating the World by Paulina Rowińska

available now, hardcover, Belknap Press

In Mapmatics , mathematician Paulina Rowińska leads us on a riveting journey around the globe to discover how maps and math are deeply entwined, and always have been. Why are coastlines and borders so difficult to measure? How does a UPS driver deliver hundreds of packages in a single day?

By unpacking the math behind the maps we depend on, Mapmatic s illuminates how our world works and, ultimately, how we can better look after it.

Poetry

Megalodons, Mermaids, and Climate Change : Answers to Your Ocean and Atmosphere Questions by Ellen Prager and Dave Jones available now, hardcover, Columbia University Press Marine scientist Ellen Prager and meteorologist Dave Jones use frequently asked and zany questions about the ocean and atmosphere to combat misinformation and make science engaging and understandable for all. From dangerous marine life, coral reefs, and the deep sea to lightning, hurricanes, weather forecasting, the sun, and climate change, they reveal what’s fact, what’s fiction, and how to find science-based answers.

Notes From an Island

by Tove Jansson, illustrated by Tuulikki Pietlä available now, hardcover, Timber Press

In the bitter winds of autumn 1963, Tove Jansson, helped by a maverick fisherman, raced to build a cabin on a treeless island in the Gulf of Finland. The island was Klovharun, where for 30 summers Tove and her beloved partner, the visual artist, Tuulikki “Tooti” Pietilä, lived, painted, and wrote, energized by the solitude and shifting seascapes. The island's flora, fauna, and weather patterns provided deep inspiration. This book is both a work of artistic collaboration and an homage to the deep love the two women shared.

WE LOVE DOGS!

We have treats for our furryfaced friends at the registers.

The Universe in Verse : 15 Portals to Wonder Through Science and Poetry by Maria Popova, illustrated by Ofra Amit available now, hardcover, Storey Publishing

In 15 short essays on subjects ranging from the mystery of dark matter and the infinity of pi to the resilience of trees and the intelligence of octopuses, Popova tells the stories of scientific searching and discovery. These stories are interwoven with details from the very real and human lives of scientists—many of them women, many underrecognized—and poets inspired by the same questions and the beauty they reveal.

Pillars of Creation : How the James Webb Telescope Unlocked the Secrets of the Cosmos

by Richard Panek available now, hardcover, Little, Brown Pillars of Creation tells the story of one of the greatest scientific achievements in the history of civilization, a $10 billion instrument with a staggeringly ambitious goal: unlocking the secrets of the cosmos. Panek stands us shoulder to shoulder with senior scientists as they conceive the mission, meet decades-long challenges to bring it to fruition, and, now, use its unprecedented technology to yield new discoveries about the origins of our solar system, to search for life on planets around other suns, and to trace the growth of hundreds of billions of galaxies all the way back to the birth of the first stars.

TREAT YOURSELF!

Be sure to buy a sweet treat for youself next time you're in the store - you deserve it!

Village Books & Paper Dreams

CUSTOMIZED Care Packages!

Send Books • Send Gifts • Send Smiles

These thoughtful packages are the perfect surprise for any occasion— Thanksgiving, Christmas, Hanukkah, birthdays, or just an "I'm thinking about you" to anyone who may need a little lift.

Go to villagebooks.com where you can choose a theme then answer a few questions about preferences and reading habits. Our personal shoppers will take care of all the rest.

Themes include holidays, Pacific Northwest, nature, biking, writing, tea lover, positive energy/rest & relaxation, crazy for cats or dogs, students, or just let us surprise you with all of it!

Cavallini Papers & Co Vintage Posters

"These are the perfect way to personalize your gift this holiday season! Whether used as wrapping or as framed art, these posters are a beautiful gift for anyone in your life" –Alex

Cavallini & Co. Vintage Posters/Wrap

Wild Forest Home : Stories of Conservation in the Pacific Northwest by Betsy L. Howell

available now, hardcover, University of Utah Press

Northwest

Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, Betsy L. Howell spent her childhood exploring and thriving in old-growth coniferous forests. A summer position in 1986 turned into three decades as a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Forest Service during a time of tremendous change within the agency. The 25 essays in Wild Forest Home chronicle Howell’s career and personal experiences studying the wildlife of the Pacific Northwest during the litigious listing of the northern spotted owl and marbled murrelet under the Endangered Species Act and the Clinton administration’s adoption of the seminal 1994 Northwest Forest Plan.

Meet the Author!

Sunday, November 24, 5pm

Betsy Howell at Village Books in Fairhaven

A

Paddywax

National Park Candles

"Each of these amazing candles has a scent inspired by one of our beautiful National Parks. The perfect gift for any adventurer, I personally love the Olympic National Park one. Grab one that reminds you of a favorite trip, or choose a place that you've always wanted to go!"

Born of Fire and Rain : Journey Into a Pacific Coastal Forest by M.L. Herring

–Megan J.

available now, hardcover, Yale University Press

In this engaging book science writer M.L. Herring takes readers into the Pacific temperate rainforest at the tumultuous edge of a shifting continent in a precarious moment of time. Readers peek behind the magnificent scenery into a forest of ancient trees, exploding mountains, disappearing owls, tsunamis, megafires, and ten million people to learn what it means to be a forest in a world of upheavals.

Alaska

The Last Stand of the Raven Clan : A Story of Imperial Ambition, Native Resistance, and How the Tlingit-Russian War Shaped a Continent by Gerald Easter and Mara Vorhees available now, hardcover, Pegasus Books When Russia went to war in America, it was neither the Old-World rivals Spain and Britain nor the upstart United States who stopped Russian expansion, but a coalition of defiant Tlingit tribes. The Last Stand of the Raven Clan is the true story of how the indigenous Tlingit people of southeast Alaska thwarted Imperial Russia’s grand plan of conquest in North America. Leading the charge was the young war chief K'alyáan, a hero as fierce and courageous as Crazy Horse or Geronimo. The Tlingit stance against Russian colonization was arguably the most successful indigenous resistance against European imperialism in North America. register to save your seat at villagebooks.com

A Great Gift

2025 Night Sky Almanac: A Monthby-Month Guide to North America's Skies from The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada by Nicole

Mortillaro

available now, paperback, Firefly Books

"This compact, outdoor-friendly book will be welcomed by most any skygazer. Covering much more than just nightly and monthly events, it can also serve as an astronomy reference for years to come." –Rick

take less. do more: Surprising Life Lessons in Generosity, Gratitude, and Curiosity from an Ultralight Backpacker by Glen Van Peski

available now, hardcover, Forefront Books

In this personal journey, ultra-light backpacker and sought-after speaker Glen Van Peski shares the life lessons he has learned through years of lightening his pack and helping others. Adventures provide the richness and texture to a life well lived. So remain open. Keep saying yes to life’s opportunities. Glen Van Peski helped revolutionize backpacking by creating ultralight equipment (Gossamer Gear), which allows people to take less so they can do more in the wilderness. During decades of championing ultralight backpacking, Glen became aware that “take less, do more” is more than just a hiking slogan. As he reduced his pack weight, he realized that the lessons learned applied to all areas of life. Now he wants to share the lessons he learned to help others live full and vibrant lives—lives characterized by purpose, meaning, and joy.

Sailing

Meet the Author!

GLEN VAN PESKI

Saturday, January 11, 3pm

Register to attend at villagebooks.com at Village Books in Fairhaven

Relative to Wind : On Sailing, Craft, and Community by

Phoebe Wang

available now, hardcover, Assembly Press

In Relative to Wind, Phoebe Wang delivers a poetic rendering of her decade-long journey of learning to sail and a deep dive into what it means to be a newcomer to an old tradition. From working alongside crewmates in tempestuous conditions to becoming an avid racer and organizer to drafting a wistful love letter to a Wayfarer dinghy—while examining the loose tether between sailing and a creative life—Wang delivers a book for sailors and would-be sailors that is thoughtful and surprising at every tack.

Check Out Our Collection of

Chuckanut

Join us for an evening of LIVE ENTERTAINMENT including amazing literature, live music, fun skits, poetry, a little humor, and more - don’t miss out!

Steve Duda

$5 Entrance Fee can be used towards the purchase of the featured book or other merchandise offered at that show! in the Crystal Ballroom of the Hotel Leo

River Songs: Moments of Wild Wonder in Fly Fishing

Join us in welcoming Steve Duda—a writer, editor, and producer whose work in film, magazines, books, and live appearances has shaped the voice of fly fishing for over three decades. He will share his thought-provoking collection of stories, River Songs.

Thursday, November 14, 7pm A Nature of Writing Series Speaker Event - Presented in Partnership with North Cascades Institute

Interview AND Live Music by Andy Bunn

We're planning great January and February shows so watch villagebooks.com for updates —coming soon!

Thor Hanson

Tuesday, March 18, 7pm

Save the Date

Close to Home: The Wonders of Nature Just Outside Your Door

We're excited to welcome award-winning author and biologist Thor Hanson to the March Radio Hour where he'll introduce his latest book, Close to Home. Here, Hanson opens the door to the nature that thrives in our yards, gardens, and parks. Winner of the John Burroughs Medal, his other books include Buzz, The Triumph of Seeds, Feathers, Bartholomew Quill, The Impenetrable Forest, and Hurricane Lizard s and Plastic Squid. Mark your calendars and don't miss out!

Performed live and recorded for radio, each Radio Hour includes a guest author, live music, performance poetry by Kevin Murphy, and an episode of "As the Ham Turns" serial radio comedy perfomed by the Chuckanut Radio Players. Hosts Paul Hanson and Kelly Evert are joined by announcer Rich Donnelly for an evening of entertainment. Seating is limited so don't delay—we'll see you there!

360.671.2626 • LY: 360.526.2133 • villagebooks.com

YOUNG READERS

Their Families & Educators

Picture Books

Clive Penguin

by Huw Lewis-Jones, illustrated by Ben Sanders available now, hardcover, Union Square Kids

Clive the Penguin laments, “Same old snow. Same old penguins.” How will he spice up his freezing cold life? Written by a real arctic explorer and with illustrations reminiscent of Jon Klassen (that side-eye!), watch as Clive finds a little relief in his iceberg life by finding a little something extra. –Sarah

A Pinecone!

by Helen Yoon available now, hardcover, Candlewick

Helen Yoon brings all her quirky warmth to bear on this tribute to little ones whose fixations tend to send them over the top— and the parents who lovingly help them to funnel all that passionate energy. And perhaps some of their own!

Be Careful, Xiao Xin!

by Alice Pung, illustrated by Sher Rill Ng available in November, hardcover, Penguin Random House

Xiao Xin believes he is a fire warrior, but his family thinks the world is too dangerous for him. Can he inspire his family to trust him? . . . Renowned storytellers Alice Pung and Sher

Rill Ng bring to life a beautiful and tender story told in both English and Chinese about learning to conquer your own fears—as a child, and as an adult.

Beanie the Bansheenie by Eoin Colfer, illustrated by Steve McCarthy available in November, hardcover, Candlewick

A best-selling author and an award-winning illustrator join forces in a long-form picture book that turns a familiar myth of Irish folklore into a universal story of love, perseverance, and friendship against all odds.

A Recipe for Magic Potion

by Jack Henseleit, illustrated by Natasja Horne available in January, hardcover, Bright Lights

At first glance this story could be seen as a set of instructions on how to brew a magic potion, the ingredients of which are familiar— mud, a leaf, some sand.

But as the story unfolds, the two children at the heart of this story let their imaginations run wild as they take the reader on a glorious, lyrical journey outside.

The Cat Way

by Sara Lundberg, translated by B.J. Woodstein available now, hardcover, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers

Sometimes I wish we had a “philosophical illustrated books for all humans” section. This book (along with The Wolf Suit and Grumpy Monkey) would be in the first installment. It’s a bit of a meditation on faith, mystery, and joy but also habit, worry, and self-doubt. Here, the human is always in charge but once, just once, the cat leads the way on their daily walk. Sublime! –Sarah

Knight Owl and Early Bird

by Christopher Denise available now, hardcover, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Early Bird wants to be brave and protect the castle, just like Knight Owl. But she falls asleep on the job and then keeps her hero up during the day with her enthusiastic chattiness, well-meaning questions, and cheerful owl impersonations. But there are strange happenings in the forest, and soon Knight Owl and Early Bird find themselves in the throes of danger. Will these two learn to work together to keep themselves and the kingdom safe? Caldecott Honor winner and New York Times bestselling creator Christopher Denise delivers another endearing medieval tale that shines with warmth and goodwill, and shows just how important teamwork is to saving the day.

Picture Books

I Hear You, Mountains

Songs in the Shade of the Cherry Tree: Lullabies and Nursery Rhymes from Ukraine

by Nathalie Soussana, illustrated by Qu Lan available now, hardcover, Secret Mountain

These modern folk interpretations of popular traditional songs tug at the heartstrings and reveal a rich, vibrant culture. Native singers are accompanied by musicians playing instruments like the bandoura, sopilka, and accordion, making each song a delightful, enchanting homage to Ukrainian heritage.

Love Doesn't Care Who You Love

by Tracy Spring, illustrator by Bob Paltrow available now, paperback, Whitebark Press

Introducing "Love," the compelling character who helps tell a story of universal, unconditional, and inclusive Love. This wonderfully whimsical tale affirms that the gift of Love, regardless of the form it takes, is the most powerful force we can wield to make ourselves and the planet healthier, happier, and whole!

Free Family Event!

Sunday,

December 1, 3pm

TRACY SPRING and BOB PALTROW

Join songwriter Tracy Spring and illustrator Bob Paltrow at a musical event to celebrate this adorable new picture book!

by Kallie George, illustrated by Carmen Mok available now, hardcover, Greystone Kids

It’s time for a hike in the mountains! A group of friends sets off, ready for adventure, with their ears open and their hearts too. From the rush of a waterfall and a chipmunk chattering cheerfully to the peck of a rascally bird trying to steal a snack, there are many exciting sounds to discover.

The third book in the “Sounds of Nature” series for young children, I Hear You, Mountains is an excellent resource for outdoor education and social-emotional learning, helping to teach:

• How to engage with nature in fun and respectful ways

• Connection and empathy with living things

• Mindfulness, observation, and imagination ages 3-7

All the Books

by Hayley Rocco, illustrated by John Rocco available now, hardcover, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Join this adorable chipmunk as she gets her first library card and unlocks a world of books! This charming ode to reading, sharing, libraries, and librarians everywhere in the perfect gift for fans of Once Upon a Book and Knight Owl. Piper Waterstone loves her books. So much so, that she cannot, will not, share them with anyone. That is, until a friendly librarian presents Piper with a magical card that will give her all the books she could ever dream of . . . as long as she shares them with all her book-loving neighbors.

Join us in the kids' section of our Fairhaven location every Tuesday at 11am for a half hour of stories, songs, and movement!

Lynden Fire Fighters! Friedly Dogs! Dinosaurs and a Princess! See page 37 for a line-up of the fun and varied story times taking place at our Lynden store.

The Grumpus : And His Dastardly, Dreadful Christmas Plan

by Alex T Smith

available now, hardcover, Macmillan Children’s Books

Holiday Cheer

From Alex T. Smith, bestselling author of the Claude series and How Winston Delivered Christmas, comes a fantastically festive Christmas adventure about a gorgeous grumpy character. A modern day Grinch, The Grumpus is a heartwarming story that celebrates the true meaning of Christmas and is accompanied by irresistible color artwork, making it the perfect story for all the family to enjoy together.

That Christmas

by Stèphanie Demasse-Pottier, illustrated by Lucie David available now, hardcover, Rocky Mountain Books Inc.

Oh these bunnies! These most adorable siblings have one thought – catch the big man in the act. Instead, they get a reminder that the magic may not be in one person, but in the celebration of all of us and remembering that for you, for me, we can share the joy and wonder. –Sarah

Yours, Befana :

A Letter from the Winter Witch by Barbara Cuoghi, illustrated by Elenia Beretta, translated by Genni Gunn available now, hardcover, Greystone Kids

Befana is a remarkable character from Italian folklore. On the 6th of January, she flies on a broom through the icy winter sky to visit children and bring them presents. In this stunningly illustrated book, Befana shares her secrets in a letter to all children: how she wears her warmest cloak for the journey, and sips a special soup that makes her invisible when visiting homes. She fills the stockings of some children with sweets, but leaves lumps of coal in others. For people of all ages, she brings the most precious gift of all: the promise of Spring, and nature’s rebirth.

Autographed copies make great gifts!

Saturday, December 7, 10am-12pm

Village Books in Fairhaven Main Floor Book Signing with SUSAN

The 13 Days of Swiftness : A Christmas Celebration for Fans

by Tiffany Garland, illustrated by Brooke O'Neill available now, hardcover, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

This contemporary take on “The Twelve Days of Christmas” is an irresistible ode to Taylor Swift and her loyal, dedicated fans. Like the perfect stocking, The 13 Days of Swiftness is filled to the brim with goodies—from friendship bracelets and chai sugar cookies, to, of course, new recordings of beloved albums. Cozy up with a cup of cocoa as you pore over the pages of this festive book and count down from thirteen selfies to one very special star atop the tree.

Santa's First Christmas

by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Sydney Smith available now, hardcover, Viking Books for Young Readers

We all know that Santa makes everyone’s dreams come true every Christmas, but it turns out that he needs a little help getting into the holiday spirit himself. Instead of letting Santa get right back to work after he returns home to the North Pole on Christmas morning, his loyal elves want to make sure he experiences the same Christmas cheer he provides for others. With the perfect tree, lots of delicious treats, and, of course, presents, Santa experiences the magic of Christmas for the very first time.

Little Fir Tree : Finger Puppet Book

illustrated by Yu-hsuan Huang available now, board book, Chronicle Books

An interactive board book perfect for family holiday fun. A festive fir cozies up for winter with its cute forest friends in this very merry finger puppet book bursting with color and charm!

To Mimi's

House We Go

by Susan Meissner, illustrator by Mette Engell available now, hardcover, Tommy Nelson

Join bestselling author Susan Meissner and other "Mimis" in this Christmas-season poem inspired by the traditional holiday traveling song "Over the River and Through the Woods." Modern families find their way to grandmother's house using a variety of vehicles to celebrate with Mimis, Omas, Gigis, and Nanas.

Winter Celebrations ❄ ❆ ❄

A Dragon for Hanukkah

by Sarah Mlynowski, illustrated by Ariel Landy available now, hardcover, Orchard Books

On the first night of Hanukkah, my parents gave me a dragon...

So begins Hannah's holiday adventure, as she receives eight magical presents—one for each night. There's a playful dragon, a gleaming treasure chest, a time travel machine, some rowdy unicorns... and much more. But are the gifts what they seem to be? When Hannah gathers with family and friends to light the menorah, play dreidel, and eat delicious latkes, she'll discover the true magic of the Festival of Lights.

Kwanzaa

by Hannah Eliot, illustrated by Andrea Pippins available now, board books, Little Simon Joyous Kwanzaa! On December 26th of each year, the celebration of Kwanzaa begins. Kwanzaa is an African American and pan-African holiday that honors history, family, values, community, and culture. During this time, families gather, songs are sung, and dances and stories and poetry are performed! This festive board book helps teach even the youngest of readers about the celebration and importance of Kwanzaa.

Goodnight, Starry Night:

Poetry

Bedtime Poems Inspired by Works of Art by Joseph Coelho, illustrated by Allison Colpoys available now, hardcover, Thames and Hudson

Eight Sweet Nights, A Festival of Lights :

A Hanukkah Story by Charlotte Offsay, illustrated by Menahem Halberstadt available now, hardcover, Doubleday Books for Young Readers

Set in a cozy house full of latkes, applesauce, sufganiyot, and other Hanukkah holiday treats, this warm and emotional story highlights the importance and joy of passing along traditions from one generation to the next, and making new traditions too.

Winter Light

by Aaron Becker

available now, board book, Candlewick Press

Come winter, the days grow short. Sunlight filters through bare branches as ice crystals cover the meadow. In this quiet time, we turn to warmth and light, to family rituals and traditions. With jewellike die-cuts revealing the colors of the season against soft painterly backgrounds, Caldecott Honoree Aaron Becker captures the light of winter skies and lengthening days, the glow of candle and hearth, and the heart’s yearning for spring’s return.

Written by award-winning performance poet Joseph Coelho, Goodnight, Starry Night is a collection of 14 poems that takes readers on a gentle journey into dreamland. Each poem is inspired by a calming work of art, reproduced in the book alongside the heartwarming illustrations of Allison Colpoys. The book takes its title from Van Gogh's Starry, Starry Night and also features poems inspired by David Hockney's Sleeping Dogs , Vivian Maier's Woman with Baby, and Faith Ringgold's quilted artwork of Cassie Lightfoot flying against a night sky.

JANBRETT

Saturday, December 14, 5pm

at Bellingham High School

Autographed Books Make GREAT GIFTS!

Jan Brett is coming back to Bellingham with her latest book

Alice in a Winter Wonderland

When Alice spots a white rabbit checking his pocket watch before hippity-hopping down a crevasse in an Alaskan glacier, she knows she must follow him. And so she pops down the rabbit hole, into a world of absurd personalities, topsy-turvy action, and laugh-out-loud silliness. Characters like the Cheshire Cat, Duchess, King, and Queen come to life as vibrant animals native to Alaska, certain to appeal to readers of all ages.

To celebrate the release of Alice In A Winter Wonderland, Jan Brett is thrilled to continue her beloved tradition of traveling across the country visiting bookstores, libraries, and schools in a show-stopping bus, this time branded with characters from Alice In A Winter Wonderland. We are honored to be one of her stops!

Jan Brett is one of America’s most popular children's authors with over 44 million books in print and has brought to life lovable characters and imaginary backdrops for children for more than 40 years. Her illustrations are adored for their classic beauty and vibrant, life-like images of animals, landscapes, and flourishes from cultures around the world.

BONUS! The adorable HEDGIE—Brett’s trademark character who you know from The Hat, The Mitten, and The Snowy Nap—will be joining her!

Play • Create

ART

Supplies GALORE!

Markers, Pens, Pencils, Stickers, Brushes, Paint, Sketch Pads, and much more!

Stickers

“Stickers make wonderful stocking stuffers because the design options are endless. And if you, like me suffer from sticker placement paralysis, you can always buy two copies of a sticker, and your problem is solved!!" –Tova

Decorate

Museum in a Book : An Ideal Exhibition –Explore, Play, Create by Hervé Tullet

available now, Novelty Book, Chronicle Books From Hervé Tullet, the New York Times bestselling creator of Press Here, Museum in a Book invites young and old to unleash their creativity! At once an endlessly playful tabletop exhibition and a hands-on guide to enable one and all to create their very own art, this book is a physical kaleidoscope of the imagination. Unfolding into a magical 360˚ 3D experience, it expands to almost five feet wide. A priceless gift of play, imagination, and potential that is an art object on its own, Museum in a Book prompts and encourages all its readers to explore and express their very own artistic gifts.

Flight From the Dark:

Lone Wolf Junior Edition by Joe Dever available now, paperback, Holmgard Press Lone Wolf Junior Edition is a Choose Your Own Adventure book series! It's the perfect introduction to fantasy books and to the magic role playing games. Its sure to be a hit with young fans of Dungeons & Dragons or the TV show Stranger Things, and perhaps if you know any reluctant readers! Readers have the ability to choose their skills and pick how they will advance through the storyline, rolling a die (or using the random number chart) to determine if they'll overcome foes along the way and keeping track of their weapons and acquired items. Includes instructions, reference charts, and B&W illustrations throughout. The author Joe Dever really knows what hes talking about as in 1982, he became the first ever British winner of the Advanced Dungeons and Dragons Championships in the USA. –Kendra

Great Gifts

Squishable Stuffed Animals

"Arguably some of the cutest stuffed animals, Squishables only get better with age! It is never too late in life to gift and receive stuffies for the holidays, or any day of the year!"

–Anna

Check out our display of 2024 SASQUATCH, OTTER, and YOUNG READERS CHOICE AWARD nominees.

Celebrating Science & Nature

Fly: A Family Guide to Birds and How to Spot Them

by David Lindo, illustrated by Sara Boccaccini Meadows available now, hardcover, Harry N. Abrams

Swoop in and discover the incredible diversity of birds around the world in Fly: A Family Guide to Birds and How to Spot Them, a lushly illustrated collection featuring more than 150 birds. Meet the lesser flamingo, “hero of the friendly flock,” and discover other flocking birds, from the chimney swift to the starling, whose murmurations mesmerize birdwatchers from around the world. Next, get to know the Adélie penguin, “hero of the water world,” and discover other birds that are more at home in the sea than the sky. Ages 8-12

The Next Scientist : The Unexpected Beginnings and Unwritten Future of the World’s Great Scientists by Kate Messner, Julia Kuo available now, hardcover, Chronicle Books

How does a kid grow up to become a scientist? This enthralling nonfiction picture book from New York Times bestselling author Kate Messner explores the unexpected beginnings behind some of the most fascinating discoveries in scientific history.

Oddball Histories : Spices and Spuds—

How Plants Made Our World by Andy Warner

available in November, paperback, Little, Brown Ink

Hide and Seek in Nature : Guess What It Is

by Helena Harastova, illustrated by Serafima Kosikava available in November, hardcover, Albatros Media

Embark on a captivating nature exploration with interactive cutouts and fold-out pages, unveiling the mysteries of perfectly hidden animals and plants in this engaging adventure for young readers. ages 3-6

Safe

Crossing by Kari Percival

available in January, hardcover, Chronicle Books

How does an amphibian cross the road? With the help of the Amphibian Migration Team! Learn all about a citizen scientist who acts as a crossing guard for migrating amphibians and helps build them a tunnel to safety in this delightful nonfiction picture book! There’s so much to learn! Additional resources at the back of the book include information on amphibian life cycles, crossings, and safety, wildlife tunnels, road safety, becoming a community scientist, and a glossary. ages 5-8

Nonfiction for Kids

Did you know that plants helped shape our modern world? It may sound ridiculous, but empires have risen and fallen because of stuff you’d find in your grocery store’s vegetable aisle. Through wars, famine, prosperity, and more, every aspect of our lives and livelihoods has something to do with plants! Whether or not you notice them, plants are as central to our day-to-day lives as a bowl of rice or a plate of pasta, and they have shaped our history the same way a gardener trims a topiary.

Check out our fantastic and inspiring collection of STEM activity kits and toys!

An

Arctic Story: The Animals of the Frozen North by Jane Burnard, illustrated by Kendra Binney available now, paperback, Kingfisher With lyrical text by Jane Burnard combining with Kendra Binney's evocative illustrations shows readers the awesome beauty of the Arctic. This picture book is sure to inspire wonder in the natural world.

Poetry

One Small Koala on the Big Blue Earth Series: Big Blue Earth by Tory Christie illustrated by Luciana Navarro Powell available now, hardcover, Chronicle Books

This illustrated poem illuminates a unique geographical perspective, showcasing the Australian environment with ever-widening views from a single baby koala to the planet in space. Includes a glossary and a labeled map of Australia. Local Illustrator!

Congratulations to 2024 Summer Reading Challenge Participant

Ivy Wilson

Ivy won a $100 Village Books gift certificate for classroom library at MONTESSORI at SAMISH WOODS.

Her entry was selected at random from the over 200 participants in our kids summer reading challenge this year.

Congratulations also to Lorna Lytle

Lorna is the winner of a $50 VBPD gift card. Her completed (and very decorative!) bingo card was pulled from the largest number of summer reading Book Bingo participants yet. Thanks for being awesome, Summer Readers!

Fun for the Whole Family

Special Story Time and Craft

Tuesday, November

19,

11am Mary Boone School of Fish

at Village Books in Fairhaven Free to Attend

Join us for an extra special Tuesday Story Time presented featuring author Mary Boone. In her fictional but science-based new picture book, readers will learn about all the stages of the salmon life cycle. She'll share this adorable and interesting story then lead a craft as attendees create salmon-themed windsocks to take home!

Tracy Spring & Bob Paltrow

Love Doesn't Care Who You Love

Join local songwriter Tracy Spring and illustrator Bob Paltrow at this musical event to celebrate this adorable new picture book! Read more on page 56.

Sunday, December 1, 3pm

Kerry Claire & Motoko Lewis

The Adventures of Wonky Willy

Inspired by a real live Douglas squirrel, this is the delightful, heartwarming, beautifully illustrated story of the brave and adventurous Willy and his escapades in the forest. explore the meaning of love as it relates to animals in the wild. Come meet both the author AND illustrator of this lovely tale. Saturday, January 18, 2pm

Pictured: Ivy and her teacher Kelsey Herrenkohl.

'Tis The Season

❄ ❄

Middle Grade Holidays Celebrations

Let It Glow

by Marissa Meyer & Joanne Levy

available now, paperback, Feiwel & Friends

This middle-grade novel about twins separated at birth is as sweet as a sugarplum and as satisfying as a latke from Marissa Meyer, #1 New York Times- bestselling author of The Lunar Chronicles, and Joanne Levy, awardwinning author of Sorry for Your Loss.

Young Adult Fantasy

No Better Than Beasts

by Z. R. Ellor

available now, hardcover, Roaring Book Press

A YA fantasy debut from bestselling author Z.R. Ellor, No Better Than Beasts is a dark, decadent, and dangerous reimagining of The Nutcracker. It is the perfect novel for fans of folklore, cursed kingdoms, fraught romance, and fairy tales with sharp teeth.

Young Adult Fiction Romance Some Like it Cold

by Elle McNicoll

available now, paperback, Wednesday Books

After a long absence, 18-year-old Jasper is finally heading home for the holidays—and she's keeping secrets. Arthur, a budding filmmaker, is turning the town of Lake Pristine into a small town story worthy of the big screen. His plans are disrupted by the arrival of the town's golden girl—the antagonist of his school days; a girl he's never forgotten. Jasper Montgomery is back in Lake Pristine for one reason: to say goodbye. But before long small-town tensions start to rise, and a certain brooding film buff starts to look like a very big reason to stay . . . The perfect story to get lost in, Some Like it Cold centers Jasper as an autistic heroine in a big-hearted small-town romance that will melt your heart.

Young

Adult Fantasy - Holiday Style

Spectacular: A Caraval Holiday Novella

by Stephanie Garber, illustrated by Rosie Fowinkle available now, hardcover, Flatiron Books Welcome, welcome back to the world of Caraval, where even holidays are not as they seem. Set after Stephanie Garber's #1 New York Times bestselling Caraval series, this delightful novella will take readers on the ultimate holiday adventure full of clockwork boys, poisoned candy, impish snow globes, merriment, and—if Tella gets her way—love. Gorgeously illustrated by Rosie Thorns, Spectacular is the perfect edition for collectors, readers, dreamers, and lovers of holiday magic.

Young Adult LGBTQ+ Romance

Make My Wish Come True

by Rachael Lippincott & Alyson Derrick available now, hardcover, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers ‘Tis the season for holiday hijinks in the newest sapphic rom-com about a rising star and a small town girl going on 12 fake holidates from the New York Times bestselling authors of She Gets the Girl, Rachael Lippincott and Alyson Derrick!

Stationery

“Stationery is the perfect gift for anyone! Staying connected to those who aren't close by is important, especially during the holiday season. Stationery will also last you over the course of several letters, so write your family and friends and stay connected this holiday season even if you aren't face to face." –Sam A Great Gift A Great Gift

Green Tree Earrings

“These lightweight earrings have so many fun styles to please earring wearers of all ages—and with their stainless steel ear-hooks they are hypoallergenic and sensitive skin friendly too! (Did I recommend these because I actively want a pair right now? It's possible...)” –Caitriona

Lightning Strike

by Tanya Landman

available now, paperback, Oxford Childrens

Summer 1888 and Eliza is angry. Angry that her family never seems to have enough. Angry that conditions at the factory where she works are so harsh. Angry that no one seems to care. When Eliza speaks out, her words spark fury among the other workers and the flame of rebellion is lit. Can one girl inspire an uprising that will change her world? *Dyslexic Friendly Text and full of supplemental materials!

The Millicent Quibb School of Etiquette for Young Ladies of Mad Science

by Kate McKinnon

available now, hardcover, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Middle Readers

From beloved Saturday Night Live alum Kate McKinnon comes a madcap new adventure about three sisters, a ravenous worm, and a mysterious mad scientist. The Porch sisters, Gertrude, Eugenia, and Dee-Dee, accidently get themselves kicked out of their etiquette school and their aunt wants to send them away to a terrible new school in Austria. But just before they resign themselves to a life abroad, they receive a mysterious letter inviting them to a new school—where a mysterious mad scientist, a strange hermit crab, and a crazy adventure stopping an evil plot await them.

Pax

by Sara Pennypacker

“This heartwarming tale will melt the heart of any reader. It is an ode to handi work, exploration, and most importantly, friendship. Whether it's a holiday gift or a pick-me up for yourself, don't miss out on Pax.” –Isabella A Great Gift

The Bletchley Riddle

Bye Forever, I Guess

by

Jodi Meadows

available now, hardcover, Holiday House

Ingrid tends to be invisible and prefers it that way. But when an online connection leads to a real-life friendship, Ingrid has to decide if she cares more about her social standing at school, her social standing online, or her social standing with her closest friends. This charming book will make you squee in all the best ways, and you wish for an Ingrid in your life! –Chloe H.

Buffalo Dreamer

by Violet Duncan

available now, hardcover, Nancy Paulsen Books

National Book Award Finalist! An illuminating novel about the importance of reclaiming the past, based on the author’s family history. “Past and present converge in Duncan's novel about an extended Canadian Cree family spending vacation time together. . . . This story of maturation and involvement in community will appeal to readers interested in the past and in present-day social action.” —Booklist

Inkworld: The Color of Revenge

(The Inkheart Series, Book #4) by Cornelia Funke

available in November, hardcover, Chicken House Return to the world of Inkheart in Cornelia Funke's latest work of genius. As a kid I devoured every Cornelia Funke book I read. As an adult, I couldn't wait to experience the nostalgia of returning to one of the worlds of my childhood imagination, and this book did not disappoint. Full of her trademark whimsy and wonder, yet still striking you at your core, Cornelia Funke writes about the importance of imagination like no other. –Anne

Shop 24/7 at villagebooks.com

by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin available now, hardcover, Viking Books for Young Readers

A stunning collaboration between award-winning and bestselling authors Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin, this middle grade historical adventure follows two siblings at Bletchley Park, the home of WWII codebreakers, as they try to unravel a mystery surrounding their mother’s disappearance. Remember, you are bound by the Official Secrets Act…Summer, 1940. Nineteen-year-old Jakob Novis and his quirky younger sister Lizzie share a love of riddles and puzzles. And now they’re living inside of one. The quarrelsome siblings find themselves amidst one of the greatest secrets of World War II—Britain’s eccentric codebreaking factory at Bletchley Park. As Jakob joins Bletchley’s top minds to crack the Nazi's Enigma cipher, 14-year-old Lizzie embarks on a mission to solve the mysterious disappearance of their mother.

Young Adult Reads

A Study in Drowning: Collector's Deluxe Edition

by Ava Reid

available in November, hardcover, HarperCollins

This is a book I have re-read many times and I can’t get enough of it! The ambience and suspense of this stand-alone is perfect for the fall holiday and will have you on the edge of your seat. This new version being released includes bonus content, intricate foil case design, antique-style endpapers, filigree cover, and custom designed edges! It is a limited collector’s edition that would be perfect as a gift for anyone that loves beautiful, sprayed edges! –Bee

Graphic Novel West Hollywood

Monster

Squad : A Graphic Novel by Sina Grace, illustrated by Bradley Clayton available in January, paperback, Abrams ComicArts

This is a fun graphic novel that was a quick read full of queer spirit! It was filled with drama, pettiness, growth, conspiracies, and monsters, what more could you ask for?! The representation of many minority groups and the growth of characters going through a twisted time was refreshing to see. It was also absolutely hilarious and a bit relatable. –Bee

Autobiography

Dreams from My Father

(Adapted for Young Adults): A Story of Race and Inheritance by Barack Obama

available in December, paperback, Delacorte Press

Now in paperback, this young adult adaptation of the #1 New York Times

bestselling memoir offers an intimate look at Barack Obama’s youth and self-discovery, which led him to a life of purpose and service. This compelling journey traces the 44th president's odyssey through family, race, and identity.

Don't Let the Forest In

by CG Drews

available now, hardcover, Feiwel & Friends

It feels strange to call psychological horror beautiful, but there is no other way to describe the visceral descriptions of our narrator who feels so, so much. With monsters that truly unsettled me juxtaposed with a story of blossoming queer love, this was a book that both touched my heart and kept me guessing till the very end (even after the last page). –Caitriona

The Wild Huntress

by Emily Lloyd-Jones

available now, hardcover, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

From the bestselling author of The Bone Houses and The Drowned Woods comes a thrilling fantasy about three unlikely allies bound together in a deadly, magical competition— perfect for fans of Holly Black and Erin A. Craig. Every five years, two kingdoms take part in a Wild Hunt. Joining is a bloody risk, and even the most qualified hunters can suffer the deadliest fates. Still, hundreds gamble their lives to participate—all vying for the Hunt’s life-changing prize: a magical wish granted by the Otherking.

The Thirteenth Child

by Erin A. Craig

available now, hardcover, Delacorte Press

With a clever heroine who is the adopted child of the god of death, this is not your typical romantasy novel. Steeped in gothic folklore, this decadent tale not only deals in magic and gods, but also in questions regarding life and death, fate and choice. Some of my favorite books are ones that tackle big questions through the lens of fantasy and this one has joined their ranks. –Caitriona

KIDS OPEN M IC

Last Mondays from 5-6pm

Ages 18 and Under

Village Books in Fairhaven invites kids 18 and under to share their own stories, poems and essays. Pre-registration to read is required and spaces are limited so please email host Seán Dwyer at sean@seandwyerauthor.com to secure a spot!

September 30 • October 28 • November 25

Hey, Teen Authors!

Ages 13-18

The Village Books Teen Author Cohort (T.A.C.) is a supportive and inclusive community of young writers who meet weekly to support each other, learn from professionals, grow their writing skills, and put their writing into the world. We’d love you to join us!

Scan the code to apply!

and Application to Join atat

The Original Drinking Bird

" I could pretend that the reason I LOVE gifting these little guys is for the educational component (converting thermal energy into mechanical energy), but that's just an added bonus. I was mesmerized by these bobbing birds whenI was a kid in the '70s and was overjoyed to rediscover them as an adult. Join me in spreading their whimsy to friends and family of all ages. Just add water!

–Kelly C.

Surprising and captivating —they almost feel like

Reading Recommendations For Teens By Teens

Y.A.R.C. (yark), n. 1. Young Adult Review Committee.

2.

A select group of local teens and young adults reading and writing reviews of brand-spanking-new books.

3. Awesome.

Our YARC members have been busy reading are excited to share the titles they've recently enjoyed. All of these titles are available now or for pre-order from Village Books and Paper Dreams!

The Last Dragon on Mars

by Scott Reintgen

available now, hardcover, Aladdin

For Lunar Jones, every day is a fight to keep food on the table for the other kids at the Martian Relocation Clinic. When he uncovers his greatest treasure yet in the Martian dust, his life is thrown into chaos. And he discovers he may be the key to saving Mars. My favorite part of the book is the dragons. Do not let the book title deceive you! There are many dragons and they all have personalities that are tied to their planets, which was so interesting! I also really enjoyed watching people learn to trust Lunar, and him grow to trust himself. –Aubrielle, age 16

The Donut Prince of New York

by Allen Zadoff

available in November, hardcover, Holiday House

The Donut Prince of New York is a quick, lighthearted take on deeper issues encountered in high school such as friendship, bullying, romance, and finding who you are in life. Eugene is a donut-loving junior hoping to write theater productions for Broadway. When he is called up to join the varsity football team after tackling the quarterback, his entire high school life flips upside down. I was drawn in by the quick, easy to read chapters and humorous writing. I would recommend this book to anybody feeling lost from the perils of high school, and of course, to anybody who loves donuts.

–Marley, age 14

Y . A .R.C.

Only for the Holidays

by Abiola Bello

available now, hardcover, Simon and Schuster

Only for the Holidays is an adorable love story. Personally, fake dating to real dating is one of my all time favorite clichés! I love how the characters all grow together and get closer over time. It's a sweet book especially to read over the holidays, I enjoyed it a lot and you will too! –Kat, age 13

Beholder

by Ryan La Sala

available now, paperback, PUSH Beholder is a beautiful and horrifying tale of fear for the future and past. The characters personalities feel so realistic, you feel like you yourself are integrated into the world Ryan La Sala has created. Beholder is a very wideranging and inclusive book that demonstrates how people change over time, and how others may not be how they appear. Read Beholder to follow through a story of hurt, horror, and romance. –Milo, age 13

Diet Soda Club

by Chaz Hayden

available now, hardcover, Candlewick

Diet Soda Club is a moving story about two siblings, Reed and Beatrice, battling the challenges of health and life. Ever since their dad died, Reed has been the one to take care of them. But when their mom goes on a vacation leaving nothing behind, Reed is forced to make choices he never thought he would have to, including the rekindling of an old friendship. Now grab a diet soda and start reading.. –Geneva, age 13

Young Adults Recommend

The Serpent and the Wolf

by Rebecca Robinson

available in November, hardcover, Saga Press

Vaasa may seem tough on the outside, but she is going through some challenges. She needs to escape from her newly arranged marriage and her controlling brother. The situation has awoken a dark magic inside her that she can't control. That is when her "husband" offers her a deal: She pretends to be his wife for three years, and he will help her master the magic. But faking that marriage might be harder than it seems... The Serpent and the Wolf is the perfect blend of romance and fantasy. If you enjoyed books like Fourth Wing, this book will not disappoint. –Will, age 14

Giddy Barber Explodes in 11

by Dina Havranek

available now, hardcover, Peachtree Teen

Despite her name, Giddy has been feeling nothing at all lately. She is overworked, overwhelmed, and knows that something has to give. Will an eleven-day trial of reversing all her habits be the key to finally feeling something again? Whether it will miraculously work or spectacularly fail, she must find out before she inevitably explodes! Giddy is a character whom most young people have identified with at least once, making her struggles to confidently set boundaries in the face of pressure all the more relatable. A very good read! –Kaatri, age 18

Here Goes Nothing

by Emma K. Ohland

available in November, hardcover,

Carolrhoda Lab

Based off Shakespeare’s Much Ado About Nothing, Here Goes Nothing is like the name suggests, when all else fails what do you have to lose? It’s about trying to figure out what you want to do with your life, and enemies going to friends. Once I started reading it, I couldn’t put it down. I loved all the characters’ interactions, and I thought it made the whole thing seem more realistic. –Gwen, age 14

When Mimi Went Missing

by Suja Sukumar

available in November, hardcover, Soho Teen

Y . A .R.C.

The Forbidden Book

by Sacha Lamb

available now, hardcover, Levine Querido

Refreshingly nuanced, The Forbidden Book brings an entirely new perspective to the YA fantasy genre, tying in themes of censorship and gender inequality. A tale of identity and self discovery, Lamb manages to weave in aspects of Jewish culture throughout the enrapturing storyline lending the book new depths. You will be on the edge of your seat rooting for Sorel as she navigates twists and turns. –Kat, age 17

HappyHead

by Josh Silver

available now, hardcover, Delacorte Press

HappyHead is the first book in a dystopian duology. It's centered around mental health issues, though it also brings up topics like heteronormativity and how, as the saying goes, the road to hell is often paved with good intentions. I felt that the author portrayed a teen perspective very authentically.

–Autumn, age 16

The Hollow and the Haunted

by

Camilla Raines

available now, paperback, Titan Books

The perfect mix of The Addams Family and A Good Girl's Guide to Murder with the perfect sprinkle of fall vibes and enemies to lovers, The Hollow and the Haunted is the perfect fall read for you. Camilla Raines writes the perfect mix of dark and twisted combined with light and airy. A friendship budding between two feuding families and an almost hopeless situation leaves you on the edge of your seat, with a world and characters so loveable you'll never want the book to end. –Keladry, age 13

Y A RC

When Mimi Went Missing is a gripping YA mystery that explores the fragile bond between cousins Tanvi and Mimi. After a night gone wrong leads to Mimi's disappearance, Tanvi must confront her insecurities and unravel dark secrets. The story skillfully weaves tension and emotion, with well-drawn characters and a plot full of twists that keep you guessing. As Tanvi's search for the truth unfolds, readers are drawn into a haunting exploration of loyalty, betrayal, and self-discovery. Perfect for fans of Tiffany D. Jackson and Karen McManus, this book is a must-read for mystery lovers. –Cassie, age 17

Whatcom County children ages 4-18 submitted poems they created using peaceful themes. The results were beautiful and inspiring. Congratulations to the five young poets who were selected as the 2024 winners.

WINNERS

Kulshan Middle School

Peace means

Non-violent

Protests

Sit-ins

Marches

Peace means being louder than hate

Being non-violent

But also Not silent

Not still

Not passive

Not ignoring the wrong things out there

Violence isn’t the answer

But neither is being Passive

Unresisting

Submissive

Yielding Meek

You can’t Turn your head

Turn a blind eye

Shrug it off Ignore All the bad and wrong things in the world

Peace is non-violent But not Silent

Peace

by Denali Samish Woods Montessori

Peace unites us together as humans no matter your gender or color of skin peace connects us to nature, to the world, to the universe.

We have to believe the hardest of times will pass because if we don't believe in the impossible nothing will be accomplished.

Please read the winning poems "Papercut Scars" by Neveah and "I wish I was a Weapon" by Rachel at whatcomdrc.org and find them on display at Village Books in Fairhaven.

The vision of the WDRC is for Whatcom County to be a community in which people approach conflict in creative and healthy ways

A Salmon’s Scars by

Mildren Fairhaven Middle School

The salmon slip and glide through the water. The sunlight glints off them, revealing all their scars.

A bloody scrape.

A chunk missing from a fin.

A patch of rotting scales.

Scars they got on their long journey from sea to stream.

A journey that is sacred to the forest and all its inhabitants.

Those scars could have come from close calls with seals, bears, eagles.

From sharp rocks and splinters from fallen logs

But they could have also come from discarded fishing net, metal scraps, pieces of trash.

From domestic dogs and polluted water.

I watch the salmon as they fight the currents, rest in the still spots, swerve around each other. They are so beautiful, so powerful, so wild.

These salmon endured so much to be here. So much is at stake if they do not make it.

The lives of Dippers, Orcas, entire forests.

Why don't people see that?

Why don't they care about the earth and its forests, its rivers, its lakes, its seas?

I watch the salmon as they slip and glide through the water.

I want to help them, but all I can do

Is hope that people will start caring before it's too late.

partnering with:

The Village Books Literary Events Program Literature LIVE! EVENTS

Additions and changes to this schedule will occur so check out VillageBooks.com

to stay updated – or even better, let us come to you! Register for the Village Books eNewsletter!

November 2024

Friday, November 8, 6pm

CLARA WARD, ELLIS BRAY, PETER DAMIEN

HopePunk! Imagining Positive Futures

Unless otherwise noted, events take place at Village Books in Fairhaven and include a book presentation/reading, plus a Q&A. Registration to save your seat is required for most events. When a $5 fee applies, you will receive a voucher for that amount to use for purchases at the event!

Tickets may be available at the door. Details & registration at VILLAGEBOOKS.COM

Sunday, November 10, 5pm

JON WATERMAN

Do we dare hope? Yes, we do! When faced with the challenges of climate disaster, the indifference of those in power, and generally persevering as a tiny speck in a vast universe—we need hopeful stories. Authors Clara Ward, Ellis Bray, and Peter Damien will share variously neurodivergent and queer perspectives. They’ll talk about writing outside-the-box alternatives. There will undoubtedly be mentions of cats and chocolate. From their short stories in anthologies like Even Cozier Cosmic and The Neurodiversiverse: Alien Encounters to recent novel Be the Sea, these authors find energy and creative inspiration in the worries that keep others up at night. At least, they claim it’s easier to sleep after fighting the good fight with a hopepunk bedtime story!

Saturday, November 9, 3pm

KELLY GOTO

–Seattle Samurai:

A Cartoonist's Perspective of the Japanese American Experience

In Seattle Samurai, author Kelly Goto pays tribute to her father’s artistic legacy by weaving his illustrations of history, family, and culture into an accessible narrative. For Goto, compiling this work has been a journey of reconnecting with her cultural heritage and identity, culminating in a true coming home. Come meet her and learn all about her father’s comics.

A Booked at the Baker Event

Saturday, November 9, 7:30pm

DAVID SEDARIS at Mount Baker Theatre

Out

&

–Into the Thaw: Witnessing Wonder Amid the Arctic Climate Crisis in conversation with Christian Martin Join Village Books and North Cascades Institute in welcoming Jon Waterman to the Readings Gallery! Into the Thaw alternates between adventure and wilderness memoir, side-noted with scholarly research into climate change and natural history. Waterman recounts encounters with bears, enduring weeks alone amidst swarms of mosquitoes, and witnessing phenomena like the Greening of the Arctic, teardrop-shaped landslides (thermokarsts) caused by thawing permafrost, and an increasing loss of sea ice as he travels along the Chukchi and Beaufort Seas. The book features 78 stunning color photographs and a half dozen detailed maps. A Nature of Writing Series Event co-sponsored by North Cascades Institute

Monday, November 11

Honoring Veterans Day

On Veterans Day, we offer a storewide 20% off discount for active military and veterans with I.D. at both Village Books and Paper Dreams in Fairhaven and Lynden. Thank you so much for your service.

Book Launch Party!

Tuesday, November 12, 6pm

SARAH HAWLEY

in conversation with Jo Segura

–Servant of Earth

Don’t miss the launch party of a brand new series from the amazing Sarah Hawley! In the underground Fae realm, only the strongest and most ruthless have power—but a young human woman forced into a life of servitude is about to change everything. Sarah Hawley is the author of A Witch’s Guide to Fake Dating a Demon, A Demon's Guide to Wooing a Witch, and A Werewolf's Guide to Seducing a Vampire. Bestselling author Jo Segura's stories feature strong, passionate heroines and draw upon aspects of her life, such as her Mexican heritage and her fascination with archaeology.

Pacific Northwest Poets!

Wednesday, November 13, 6pm

CAITLIN ROACH

in conversation with JANE WONG

–Surveille

Enjoy an evening of poetry! Surveille’s queer speaker is on the cusp of motherhood, vacillating between attentiveness and paranoia. Exploring drone strikes, scorpion eradication, bird behavior, mating deer, ICE detainees, and family relationships, Caitlin Roach’s poems stare into and through the truth with a blazing intensity. This is a book about control (self-inflicted and external), about watching and being watched (by oneself, by others, by the state), and about the desperate search for meaning in a world that feels increasingly violent and filled with despair.

Don't Miss Out!

Receive VB Email Updates

Every week, Village Books sends out an email newsletter packed full of store and book information including our upcoming Literature Live events. Sign up for this newsletter and others in the store or at villagebooks.com today!

VB READS Book Groups

Village Books hosts multiple book groups who read and discuss a variety of genres. Flip back to page 78 to find a group that works for you! Watch villagebooks.com for meeting times and reading selections. All are welcome!

VB WRITES

Writing Groups

Village Books is excited to host a variety of writing groups —each with a unique focus. Turn to page 24 for a full list and meeting times then see villagebooks.com for descriptions. Be sure to sign up for our Just Write! eNewsletter, a monthly publication highlighting current classes, tips and tricks, writing book reviews and the like!

Writing Workshops & Classes

Village Books and WCC Community & Continuing Education program have created a writing instruction collaboration called Chuckanut Writers to support writers at all stages of their writing journey throughout the year. Turn to page 25 for upcoming classes and go to whatcom.edu for more information, prices, and to register.

Chuckanut Writers

OPEN MICS

Open Mic with Seán Dwyer

Last Mondays from 6-7pm

Village Books invites everyone to enjoy local talents as they share their own stories, poems and essays. Published and unpublished writers are encouraged to attend and enjoy a welcoming audience. Our regular emcee and celebrated local author, Seán Dwyer, will host as he does every month. Pre-registration to read is required and spaces are limited so whether you plan to read in person or on Zoom, please email Seán at sean@seandwyerauthor.com to secure your spot!

November 25 • December 30 • January 27

KIDS!

KIDS OPEN MIC with Seán Dwyer

Last Mondays from 5-6pm

Village Books in Fairhaven invites kids 18 and under to share their own stories, poems and essays. Our regular emcee and celebrated local author Seán Dwyer will host. Pre-registration to read is required and spaces are limited so please email Seán at sean@seandwyerauthor. com to secure a spot!

November 25 • December 30 • January 27

Chuckanut Sandstone Writers Theater

Chuckanut Sandstone Writers Theater

Open Mic

Second Tuesdays from 6-8pm

Chuckanut Sandstone Writers Theater (CSWT) Open Mic is held at Village Books in Fairhaven on the second Tuesday of the month from 6-8pm. Our CSWT emcee is Carla Shafer, who founded Bellingham’s first continuous Open Mic in Bellingham in 1991. Pre-registration to read is encouraged a so whether you plan to read, please email Carla Shafer at chuckanutsandstone@gmail.com to secure your spot!

November 11 • December 10 • January 14

Thursday, November 14, 7pm

THE CHUCKANUT RADIO HOUR featuring STEVE DUDA –River Songs : Moments of Wild Wonder in Fly Fishing

The Hotel Leo Crystal Ballroom

Literature LIVE!

Tuesday, November 19, 6pm BAKING BREAD with GENEVIEVE BARDWELL

–Salt Rising Bread: Recipes and Stories of a Nearly Lost Appalachian Tradition –Mystery Bread of the Hollows: A Story of Appalachian Salt Rising Bread

Free family event - FREE to attend!

Friday, November 15, 6pm ELAINE MILLER BOND –The Pupfish Hero: Who Found Bravery and Buckets… AND SAVED A SPECIES

Join us for a fun evening of comedy, poetry, music, and literature at the last Chuckanut Radio Hour of the year! We will welcome author Steve Duda—the head of Fish Tales at Patagonia, whose work in film, magazines, books, and live appearances has shaped the voice of fly fishing for over three decades. Duda is the former editor of The Flyfish Journal and a founding editor at Boise Weekly. Steve's cultural writing has been featured in Rolling Stone, Huffington Post, Seattle Weekly, MTV, and many others. Steve will be interviewed by Andy Bunn, who is also our musical guest! A Nature of Writing Series Event co-sponsored by North Cascades Institute

Amidst a stunning and remote landscape of mountains and desert, The Pupfish Hero Is the true story of a quick-thinking young scientist, Edwin "Phil" Pister, who saved an entire species of fish using two five-gallon buckets! Read along to learn about the Owens pupfish, their brush with extinction, their desert oasis, and what it takes to be a fishery biologist. Elaine Miller Bond's publishing credits include Science, BBC Earth News, The American Naturalist, Scholastic, and Bay Nature Magazine. She recently moved to wildly inspiring Bellingham where five Pacific salmon species have been documented running through town. Join us in welcoming her!

Sunday, November 17, 10am-5pm Pre-Holiday Open House at both the Fairhaven and Lynden stores

Get a jump start on the holiday season while enjoying a fun-filled shopping experience at this annual day of games, prizes, and fun.

Free family event - FREE to attend!

Tuesday, November 19, 11am

Special Story Time and Craft with MARY BOONE

–School of Fish

Join us in the Readings Gallery for an extra special Tuesday Story Time (and a craft!) with author Mary Boone! We'll color fish scales and faces, then attach crepe paper streamers, before turning our artwork into a salmon-themed windsock. In School of Fish, Emmy and her classmates raise salmon from eggs to the fry stage. Soon it's time for Salmon Release Day. Emma and her classmates travel to a stream, inspect water samples, learn about invasive species, and practice casting and reeling fishing lines. Lastly, they name their fry, wish them well, and send them on their way. Mary Boone has written 70+ nonfiction books for young readers.

Unless otherwise noted, events take place at Village Books in Fairhaven.

Bring the whole family to learn about Appalachian salt rising bread! Enjoy a book reading and an interactive baking lesson, plus some free samples! Each general admission $5 ticket includes a mini-loaf, a take home recipe, and a hands-on baking lesson where attendees will be able to play with the dough, learn to knead, taste the bread, and smell the starters. Genevieve Bardwell lived in an Appalachian community where salt rising bread has been a part of life for almost 300 years. She spent decades extensively researching its history, lore, and science. This quest has taken her into the kitchens of salt rising bread bakers and around the world. She started Rising Creek Bakery in 2010 that specializes in salt rising bread. Currently, she lives in Bellingham, conducts research on wild fermented breads and teaches classes on salt rising bread.

Thursday, November 21, 6pm JOSH TUININGA

–We Are Not Strangers

Through a visually engaging presentation, Josh Tuininga will share the intricacies of his research and his creative process, while unraveling the profound lessons embedded in these tales of allyship and unity amidst the turbulence of wartime. Inspired by a true story, this historic original graphic novel follows a Jewish immigrant's efforts to help his Japanese neighbors while they are unjustly incarcerated during World War II. Josh Tuininga is an author, artist, and designer whose work has been published in Communication Arts magazine and HOW Design magazine, and he was awarded with the Communication Arts Award for excellence in illustration. Tuininga is the author of the children's books Why Blue? and Dream On. We Are Not Strangers, which has been awarded a 4Culture Heritage Grant, is his first graphic novel.

Friday, November 22, 6pm

Orthodox Christian Women Writing with ELIZABETH SCOTT TERVO –Eve in the Time Machine and CARRIE FREDERICK FROST –Church of Our Granddaughters

Join us in the Readings Gallery to our authors delve into the future of women's roles in the Orthodox Church. Eve in the Time Machine' s poetry explores walls and divisions, mediated by memory, drawing on ancient wisdom, and predicated on an unhappy encounter with Glasnost-era Soviet power. Author Elizabeth Scott Tervo is a Presbytera (priest's wife) in the Greek Orthodox Church and author of the memoir The Sun Does Not Shine Without You Church of Our Granddaughters is a visionary work that looks two generations into the future regarding women's roles in the Orthodox Church. Carrie Frederick Frost, PhD, is an Orthodox Christian theologian, Assistant Professor of Religion and Culture at WWU.

Keep turning for more events

VillageBooks Presen s The Chuckanut RADIOHOUR

Kids Event!

Kids Event!

At Village Books in LYNDEN

Saturday, November 23, 2pm

CHRISTOPHER KEY

–Planetbase Tales

Join us in welcoming author Christopher Key to Village Books in Lynden for a reading of his newest sci-fi novel, a presentation, and a Q&A! Read more about this and other exciting happenings at our Lynden location on pages 33-37. Register today!

Saturday, November 23, 3pm

THOMAS BANCROFT

–Beyond the Wonder :

An Ecologist's View of Wild Alaska

December

Free Family Event

Sunday, December 1, 3pm

TRACY SPRING and BOB PALTROW

–Love Doesn’t Care Who You Love

Meet Thomas Bancroft in the Readings Gallery for an exploration of two of Alaska’s national parks, larger than Washington’s King, Skagit, and Snohomish counties combined! Bears roam freely, sockeyes migrate up the rivers to spawning grounds, and numerous bird species nest. Active volcanoes and geologic faults show that the mountains continue to grow, and the landscape is shaped by glaciers that wrap their tops and valleys. Attendees will look for bears, follow sockeye on their migration, and explore the geology of the mountains. Vignettes from ecologist Thomas Bancroft’s time in Alaska will feed your reverence for this treasure.

Sunday, November 24, 5pm

BETSY HOWELL

–Wild Forest Home : Stories of Conservation in the Pacific Northwest

Join songwriter Tracy Spring and illustrator Bob Paltrow at a musical event to celebrate their adorable new picture book, Love Doesn't Care Who You Love! Introducing "Love," the compelling character created by long-time Bellingham artists Bob Paltrow (illustrator) and Tracy Spring (songwriter). Love shines through in every panel of this children-of-all-ages book. The first book to be released in Tracy Spring's Grandmother Tales series, Love Doesn't Care Who You Love tells a story of universal, unconditional, and inclusive Love. Based on her song of the same title, this wonderfully whimsical tale affirms that the gift of Love, regardless of the form it takes, is the most powerful force we can wield to make ourselves and the planet healthier, happier, and whole!

Monday, December 2

Cyber Monday Online SALE

You can shop online and still shop Local! Shop at villagebooks.com during this second and final Cyber Monday sale and save 20%! Find the discount code on our website during sale days. Online shopping only. Sales will be processed in order of receipt—some delays are expected. Thanks for your support this holiday season.

Book Signing - Fairhaven VB Main Floor

Saturday, December 7, 10am-12pm

SUSAN MEISSNER

–To Mimi’s House We Go

Join Village Books and North Cascades Institute in welcoming Betsy Howell, an excellent conclusion to this fall’s Nature of Writing series. Growing up in the Pacific Northwest, Betsy Howell spent her childhood exploring and thriving in old-growth coniferous forests. In the summer of 1986, she volunteered in Mt. Hood National Forest, surveying northern spotted owls. That position turned into three decades as a wildlife biologist with the U.S. Forest Service agency. A Nature of Writing Series Event co-sponsored by North Cascades Institute

Monday, November 25

Cyber Monday Online SALE

Shopping online? Shop early and shop local! Shop at villagebooks.com on this pre-Cyber Monday and save 20%! Look for the discount code on our website the day of the sale. Orders will be processed in the order they are received. Depending on volume, some short delays may occur. Thanks for your support this holiday season.

Thursday, November 28

HAPPY THANKSGIVING – Stores Closed

We're thankful for YOU! Eat well, then curl up with a good book or get out and enjoy our gorgeous surroundings. We'll see you on Friday!

Saturday, November 30

Small Business Saturday, Winterfest, and Indies First

This is a day dedicated to supporting the local businesses that help create jobs, boost the economy, and preserve neighborhoods. Thank you, loyal shopper, for your continuous support of the locally owned businesses in your communtiy. We know you have choices, thanks for choosing us! Join us on Small Business Saturday as we celebrate independent businesses. See pages 7-9 for Winterfest kick-off activities!

Visit bestselling author Susan Meissner on the Main Floor of Village Books in Fairhaven and get a copy of her lovely new holiday book signed. To Mimi's House We Go is inspired by the traditional holiday traveling song "Over the River and Through the Woods," but in this retelling, modern families will find their way to grandmother's house using a variety of vehicles to celebrate with Mimis, Omas, Gigis, and Nanas. Get a book signed and take home a craft!

Sunday, December 8, 4pm-5:30pm

Writers’ Corner Anthology Group Reading

Join us in the Readings Gallery for a presentation of the latest installment of the Writers Corner Anthology — a snapshot of some of the best work being written by the Village Books Writing Groups. Enjoy short stories, poetry, and essays from theis prolific writing community.

VB READS

Book Groups

Village Books hosts multiple book groups who read and discuss a variety of genres. See page 78 for to find a group that works for you! Watch villagebooks.com for meeting times and reading selections. All are welcome!

Unless otherwise noted, events take place in the Readings Gallery at VIllage Books in Fairhaven

Thursday, December 12, 6pm Winterfest Tales of the Season Group Reading

Enjoy an evening of local talent as selected authors read their Tales of the Season submissions at this fun annual holiday event. Kids 12 and under are writing on the theme "Baking with Loved Ones" while teens and adults will share memories based on the theme, "My Favorite Holiday Meal Ever." Interested in writing your own story? Submissions are due November 22. Read more on page 9.

Saturday, December 14, 5pm

JAN BRETT

–Alice in a Winter Wonderland at Bellingham High School

Kids Event!

To celebrate the release of Alice In a Winter Wonderland , Jan Brett is thrilled to continue her beloved tradition of traveling across the country visiting bookstores, libraries, and schools in a show-stopping bus. She'll visit 23 cities in just 17 days - incuding Bellingham! Join us as we welcome her AND her beloved character Hedgie. With over 42 million books in print, Brett is one of the nation's foremost illustrators of children's books. Following her presentation, you can meet her and have your books signed! Tickets and book/ticket bundles on sale now.

Watch villagebooks.com for Special Holiday Hours

Wednesday, December 25

Our Stores are CLOSED

Enjoy the day - we'll see you on the 26th!

Celebrate STOREWIDE SALE

Tuesday, December 31

New Year’s Eve & Wednesday, January 1 Happy New Year!

Some exceptions apply—ask your bookseller for details. Cannot combine with other discounts. Watch villagebooks.com for special holiday hours.

January

Book Signing

On the Main Floor of Village Books in Fairhaven

Saturday, January 4, 10am-12pm

ASHLEY E. SWEENEY

–The Irish Girl

Stop by and visit Ashley E. Sweeney as we celebrate her newest novel The Irish Girl with a book signing. A native New Yorker, Ashley E. Sweeney is the winner of the Nancy Pearl Book Award and more than a dozen other literary awards for her novels Eliza Waite, Answer Creek, and Hardland. A rich family saga of history, heritage, and matters of the heart, The Irish Girl is loosely based on her great-grandmother's story of coming alone from Ireland to America in 1886.

Sunday, January 5, 10am-3pm Resolutions for Writers at Village Books in Fairhaven

Need a boost to your writing in the New Year? Join local writing instructors for a day of intentional goal-setting, generative writing, and planning for a productive and joyful new year in your writing life. Lunch is included. Space is limited. Register at www.whatcom.edu.

Friday, January 10, 6pm

DOUGLAS COLE

–The Cabin at the End of the World: Poems

Douglas Cole's latest poetry book ventures into prose poetry that is sometimes surreal, sometimes acute social commentary. In short, dreamlike and longer poems we glimpse the ragged edge of the American dream and the possible future of a crumbling empire. Douglas Cole has published eight poetry collections and the novel The White Field, winner of the American Fiction Award. He has been nominated six times for a Pushcart and eight times for Best of the Net.

Saturday, January 11, 3pm GLEN VAN PESKI

–take less. do more.

Surprising Life Lessons in Generosity, Gratitude, and Curiosity from an Ultralight Backpacker

The founder of Gossamer Gear, a manufacturer of lightweight backpacking gear, Glen Van Peski is widely recognized as the Godfather of ultralight backbacking. His new book translates his numerous and varied adventure stories into day-to-day wisdom, offering incredible insight amid heart-thumping expedition tales. He shares the life lessons he has learned through years of lightening his pack and helping others. "I decided to donate all profits from the book to the Pacific Crest Trail Association to help them in their mission to preserve, protect, and promote a trail that is enjoyed by people from all of the world." -Glen Van Peski

Sunday, January 12, 6pm

JONATHAN EVISON

–The Heart of Winter

Join us in welcoming beloved Washington author Jonathan Evison back to the Readings Gallery! The extraordinary new novel by Jonathan Evison, about a married couple in their golden years, from when they met across big ups, deep downs, and survive-it-all, opposites-attract love Endlessly heartwarming and moving, The Heart of Winter is a reminder that true love lives in small, everyday moments.

Current Affairs with the Salish Current Friday, January 17, 6:30pm CLYDE FORD

at Bellingham Unitarian Fellowship Reception to Follow

Literature LIVE!

February

Monday, February 3, 6pm

MATTHEW NIENOW

in conversation with Cori A. Winrock –If Nothing

Join us for the latest installment of the Current Affairs Speaker Series. In this presentation, Dr. Clyde W. Ford will discuss the history of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Day commemoration in Bellingham, his role as the director of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Publishing Project at HarperCollins, his work as a historian and author of the African American experience. and the importance of King as an "inconvenient hero," beyond the King that most know as the orator of "I Have A Dream." Reception to follow. The Salish Current is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, online local news organization serving Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties.

Kids - Free to Attend

Kids Event!

Saturday, January 18, 2pm KERRY CLAIRE & MOTOKO LEWIS

–The Adventures of Wonky Willy

Join Village Books in welcoming author Kerry Clairel and illustrator Motoko Lewis to the Readings Gallery where they’ll share the story of adventurous squirrel Wonky Willy! Although life in the wild isn’t easy, Willy Wonka thrives in the forest with his new friends, Isabella and her dog, Annie. Then one evening, a dark shadow sweeps out of the trees toward him. Will Isabella be able to save him? Will Willy ever make it home again? Join us in hearing the story and finding out!

Poetry!

Saturday, January 25, 6pm

LUCI SHAW

-Reversing Entropy

From the pen of beloved poet Luci Shaw comes a new collection that celebrates inspired creativity as an antidote to chaos. Join us in welcoming her once again to the Readings Gallery to share this transformative work. Entropy: A measure of the molecular disorder, or randomness, of a system, its lack of order or predictability, resulting in a gradual decline into disorder.

Thank you for your continued support of Village Books and our Literature Live Events. We couldn't do it without you!

If Nothing is an honest reckoning with the grip of addiction, the expectations of masculinity, and the tug of family. When mid-life collides with the precariousness of alcoholism, the vulnerability of opening oneself to a second coming-of-age becomes an ecstatic cry in poems that confront pain and the need for forgiveness. An unvarnished and direct accounting of the journey to sobriety, of struggles with mental health, and with the challenges of longing and loss, If Nothing traverses the sting of shame, the earnestness of joy, and the desire for absolution. Cori A. Winrock is an award-winning poet and multimedia essayist.

Thursday, February 6, 6pm

MICHAEL MCGREGOR in conversation with Gene Openshaw

-The Last Grand Tour

Soaked in the Romantic atmosphere and dark deeds of old Europe — as well as the freedoms and hopes of a new era — The Last Grand Tour takes us on a perilous journey through Hitler's Berchtesgaden, Mozart's Salzburg, and Mad King Ludwig's Bavarian fantasyland before reaching its stunning climax in the murky waters of Venice. Along the way, it explores the often-shifting lines between fidelity and freedom, illusion and reality, regret and desire. Gene Openshaw has written numerous books and TV shows with travel guru Rick Steves.

Friday, February 7, 6pm

CHERYL

LANDES

–The Best I Can Do

Author Cheryl Landes’ husband, Tom, struggled with an undiagnosed mental health condition during the last 20 years of his life. The Best I Can Do is a raw, compelling account of the challenges Cheryl and Tom faced with mental illness and homelessness, and Cheryl’s journey to recovery as a caregiver. Landes is a technical communications consultant, travel writer, and author of six books. This new memoir eceived the Gold Book Award for Nonfiction from Literary Titan and the Silver Book Award for Nonfiction from the Nonfiction Authors Association.

At Village Books in LYNDEN

Saturday, February 8, 2pm

NANCY CANYON

–Struck: A Season on the Fire Lookout

Join us in welcoming author & artist Nancy Canyon to Village Books in Lynden. Read about this and other happenings at our Lynden location on pages 33-37.

Book Signing

Main Floor, Village Books in Fairhaven Saturday, February 8, 12-2pm

LAINEY OSLIN

–I’m Not the Same Again Today

Stop by and visit poet and storyteller

Lainey Oslin on the Main Floor of Village Books in Fairhaven as she signs her new book! Equal parts lyrical memoir and self-help poetry book, I'm Not the Same Again Today, lets you in on the details of a life upended. Whether you’re reading from cover to cover or opening to any page, Oslin offers the wisdom gained when you lean in and let life change you. JUST ADDED: Oslin will lead a class on writing lyrically about love at 10am before the reading. Register for that class at whatcom.edu.

Sunday, February 9, 4pm

JOHN EGBERT

–Bearings

Local Author!

Join Village Books in welcoming naturalist and humanist, John Egbert to Readings Gallery for his new book, Bearings ! In Bearings, John Egbert reflects on family, chance encounters with people, wildflowers, birds, and other wildlife and wild places. This book presents a collection of whim and wonder with a need for grounding; a meeting with diverse people and natural phenomena.

Wednesday, February 12, 5:30pm

An Evening of Mindfulness with Tim Burnett

Join Executive Director of Mindfulness Northwest Tim Burnett, for an exploration of mindfulness practices that promote awareness and well being. We will discuss the origins of mindfulness, touch on stress physiology, and explore how mindfulness practices can help us engage in our relationship to experience, reducing stress and enhancing well being. Simple practices of breathing and mindful movement will support our discussion as we explore mindfulness from the inside out. FREE to attend but please do registre in advance.

Friday, February 21, 6pm

Celebrating the Finalists of the NANCY PEARL BOOK AWARD in Literary and Mainstream Fiction

Alle C. Hall, Rebecca Holbrook, and Irma Fritz

Now in its 21st year, The Nancy Pearl Book Award, offered through The Pacific Northwest Writers Association, chooses three finalists in three categories: Memoir, Genre Fiction, and Literary or Mainstream Fiction. The three finalist titles for Literary or Mainstream Fiction are: As Far as You Go Before You Have to Come Back by Alle C. Hall., Omie’s Well by Rebecca Holbrook, and When There Was No Moon by Irma Fritz. Village Books is thrilled to be welcoming these three authors to the Readings Gallery to celebrate their nominations.

Literature LIVE!

Note: Additions and changes to this schedule WILL occur so watch our website—or let us come to you. Register for the Village Books weekly eNewsletter!

Saturday, February 22, 3pm at Mount Baker Theatre, Bellingham, WA

The Princess Bride: An Inconceivable Evening with Cary Elwes

A Booked at the Baker Event Join Cary Elwes (you may know him as Westley) for a behind-the-scenes look at life on and off the set of the cult classic, The Princess Bride. After a screening of the iconic movie, Elwes will engage in a moderated discussion revealing never-before-shared secrets and tales of inconceivable antics! Tickets are going FAST–see mountbakertheatre.com for availability.

Saturday, March 1, 3pm

Dr. JOAN SUNG -Kinda Korean: Stories from an American Life

A NATURE OF WRITING EVENT! Sunday, March 2, 3pm KARA BRIGGS –Rivers in My Veins

Sunday, March 12-14 Whatcom READS ERICA BAUERMEISTER –No Two Persons

The Chuckanut Radio Hour Tuesday, March 18, 7pm THOR HANSON –Close to Home : The Wonders of Nature Just Outside Your Door

Watch for details–coming soon!

Want a signed edition of the book but can’t make it to the event? Order through our website or over the phone and write your request for a signature or personalization in the comments field at checkout. Please call if you’re placing your order within 24 hours of the event.

Unless otherwise noted, events take place in the Readings Gallery of Village Books in Fairhaven 1200 11th St., Bellingham, WA 98225

BOOK GROUPS

VB Reads...

Motherhood by the Book

Join Claire for an hour of spirited discussion of books that celebrate the trials, tribulations, and rewards of motherhood—both fiction and non-fiction. By no means exclusive to moms with kids still at home, this group meets on the Second Sunday of most months at 2pm in the writer's corner on the mezzanine level of Village Books in Fairhaven.

Village Books both hosts and co-sponsors a variety of lively book groups and YOU are invited to join in! All are welcome.

Find additional information under the Readers Corner tab at villagebooks.com. Book groups are free to attendno registration required.

Nov. 10 –The Grass Dancer by Mona Susan Power

Bellingham Symphony Orchestra Book Group

Book Discussion at Village Books Saturday, December 7, 10am

–True West:

Myth and Mending on the Far Side of America by Betsy Gaines Quammen

Pair the book with the Concert: Americana featuring Jeff Midkiff, Mandolin Celebrate Music of the Americas

December 2, 3pm at Mount Baker Theatre tickets at mountbakertheatre.com. Book Group Members - use code TAKE15 to save 15%. See Bellingham Public Library selected a children's book to pair with each concert. Join the classical kids club for a special storytime before each concert!

Dec. 8 –The Book of Delights by Ross Gay Watch villagebooks.com for the 2025 reading selections VB Reads...

Participants receive 15% off all book group reading selections. Just mention the group when paying!

VB Reads... Armchair Historians

Let's chat, discuss, and dissect the most current and interesting history being written. We meet in the Readings Gallery at Village Books in Fairhaven the Third Monday of the month at 6pm.

Nov. 18 –The Worst Hard Time: The Untold Story of Those Who Survived the Great American Dust Bowl by Timothy Egan

No meeting in December

Jan. 20 – G-Man: J. Edgar Hoover and the Making of the American Century by Beverly Gage

Afternoon Book Chat

Join Sittrea in the Readings Gallery on the second Wednesday of the month at 1pm for a lively early afternoon book chat. Everyone welcome.

Nov. 13 – Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger

No Meetings in December & January Feb. 12 –The Lincoln Highway by Amor Towles

VB Reads...

Lynden Front Streeters

Unless otherwise noted, authors do not attend our book groups.

Nov. 24 at Village Books in Lynden –The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

See page 34 for more additional meeting information.

In addition, we also offer monthly newsletters for specific interests including one geared towards book groups, another full of information for educators & librarians, and another that shares the latest opportunities for writers. Register to receive the newsletters of your choice at villagebooks.com!

You Receiving the Village Books e-Newsletters? ROUND IT UP

Let us come to you with the scoop! Every week, Village Books sends out an email newsletter packed full of store and book information including upcoming Literature Live events, sale dates, new releases, and special promotions. Twice each week, we also provide Shelf Awareness for Readers book reviews.

Explore the SPARK Museum of Electrical Invention in Downtown Bellingham - the January & February recipient of our Round It Up Program. Your continued support and generous donations are greatly appreciated.