Books are a great gift. They force us to slow down, they are inexpensive, they are portable and for our kids, they help them grow and learn. Here are a few things to pick up for the book lovers on your list:
Books for adults:
Lessons of Labor: One Woman’s Self-Discovery Through Birth & Motherhood by Julia Aziz, our Local Author for February 2015
What if instead of trying to avoid the pain and uncertainty of labor, we asked what we could learn from it? In telling the intimate birth stories of her three children and miscarriage, Julia shows us how giving birth can be one of motherhood’s (and life’s) greatest teachers. For women who share a tendency for “getting it right,” this honest and unguarded memoir is a reminder that the pretense of control is no match for the freedom of letting go.
Sit. Stay. Heal. How Meditation Changed My Mind, Grew My Heart, and Saved My Ass by Spike Gillespie, our Local Author for March 2015
The book grew out of the blog www.MeditationKicksAss.com which traces Spike’s journey from a brutal depression in 2012 to some amazing healing over the course of 2013 through a dedicated daily meditation practice. It also includes Twelve Lessons for those of you who wish to get a meditation practice started without tracking down a guru, without converting to a particular religion, and without investing in $500 yoga pants.
Life Ki-do Parenting: Tools to Raise Happy, Confident Kids from the Inside Out by Jonathan & Lana Hewitt (Jonathan was our Local Author for June 2015)
Under the tremendous pressure and influence of peers and media today, children are being conditioned to follow the American Happiness Formula: look good + perform well + get approval = happiness. Yet rather than offering fulfillment and confidence, this outwardly based quest is causing alarming rates of childhood stress, anxiety, and depression. Life Ki-do Parenting provides the antidote, giving you the techniques to help your child find true and lasting happiness from within.
Hot Mess to Mindful Mom by Ali Katz, our Local Author for October 2015
In Hot Mess to Mindful Mom, Ali Katz, a meditation teacher, mindfulness coach and mom of two young boys shares the ways that she literally transformed her life from a hot mess, to one filled with presence, joy and gratitude.
It’s Really 10 Months, Special Delivery, an anthology featuring essays by Susanne Kerns (and others), our Local Author for August 2015
Are you having strange cravings? Have you asked yourself what in the hell is happening to my body? Have strangers touched your belly? If you’ve answered yes to any of these questions then this is the book for you! Prop up your cankles, grab a bowl of your favorite ice cream covered in olives and have a laugh with our crew. Things are about to get real.
Anywhere With You by Britney King, our Local Author for May 2014
They say opposites attract. For Jack and Amelie, that statement is about as close to the truth as it gets. She runs from anything that so much smells like love. And, well, as for Jack, he’s always been a fan of the chase. Especially where she’s concerned. Which is exactly what happens when he proposes… to accompany her on a cross-country road trip. This is the continuation of a love story that (like many) was never really over.
Mister Match by Catherine Morris, our Local Author for October 2014
Meet Adam Match: charming, confident, and a total catch. As founder and face of dating website Mister-Match.com, Adam is a celebrity gossip darling-du-jour, and his business is a runaway success. His personal life, on the other hand… Not so much. Adam does his best to keep his private life private. After all, if the gossip rags caught wind of the fact that Mister Match is a lonely divorcé, they’d be circling like sharks in no time. Which is just what happens when Adam meets massage therapist Lisa DeLuca.
Forever Bound: A Not-Yet-a-Rock Star New Adult Romance by Deanna Roy, our Local Author for May 2008
Jenny is a girlfriend-for-hire, the platonic kind. While under contract with her movie director boyfriend, glamour has ruled. Designer gowns. Red-carpet premieres. And, of course, seeing her face in the tabloids. But her reign has come to an end. Her sugar daddy has fallen in love — with someone else. Her contract is over and tonight she has to end it publicly by making sure the paparazzi “catches” her with another man.
Paris When It Giggles: A Realistic Travel Guide for Adventurous Parents by Jill Coody Smits, our Local Author for May 2015
Paris When It Giggles is a city guide, picture book and travelogue all rolled into one pretty little package. Filled with true stories, useful tips, dreamy illustrations and inspiring ideas, this honest and sentimental handbook was designed to convince reluctant parents that the magic of Paris is best experienced with their littlest travel companions in tow.
Migratory Birds by Mary Helen Specht, our Local Author for September 2015
A powerful debut novel about a group of 30-somethings struggling for connection and belonging, Migratory Animals centers on a protagonist who finds herself torn between love and duty. When Flannery, a young scientist, is forced to return to Austin from five years of research in Nigeria, she becomes split between her two homes. Having left behind her loving fiancé without knowing when she can return, Flan learns that her sister, Molly, has begun to show signs of the genetic disease that slowly killed their mother. As their close-knit circle of friends struggles with Molly’s diagnosis, Flannery must grapple with what her future will hold: an ambitious life of love and the pursuit of scientific discovery in West Africa, or the pull of a life surrounded by old friends, the comfort of an old flame, family obligations, and the home she’s always known.
The Same Sky by Amanda Eyre Ward, our Local Author for January 2015
Alice and her husband, Jake, own a barbecue restaurant in Austin, Texas. Hardworking and popular in their community, they have a loving marriage and thriving business, but Alice still feels that something is missing, lying just beyond reach. Carla is a strong-willed young girl who’s had to grow up fast, acting as caretaker to her six-year-old brother Junior. Years ago, her mother left the family behind in Honduras to make the arduous, illegal journey to Texas. In this elegant novel, the lives of Alice and Carla will intersect in a profound and surprising way.
Books for kids:
‘The Nutcracker’ Comes to America: How Three Ballet-loving Brothers Created a Holiday Tradition by Chris Barton, our Local Author for April 2015
Every December, The Nutcracker comes to life in theaters all across the United States. But how did this 19th-century Russian ballet become such a big part of the holidays in 21st-century America? Meet William, Harold, and Lew Christensen, three small-town Utah boys who caught the ballet bug in the early 1900s. They performed on vaudeville and took part in the New York City dance scene. Russian immigrants shared the story of The Nutcracker with them, and during World War II, they staged their own Christmastime production in San Francisco.
The Fairy Godmother Series by Jan Bozarth, our Local Author for November 2015
In The Fairy Godmother Academy stories, modern day preteen girls discover that they are heiresses to ancient lineages of fairy godmothers and travel to a dream world, Aventurine, to gain wisdom and power to save the world.
Grandfather Gandhi by Bethany Hegedus, our Local Author for November 2014
Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson tells the story of how his grandfather taught him to turn darkness into light in this uniquely personal and vibrantly illustrated tale that carries a message of peace.
House Arrest by Kari Anne Holt, our Local Author for April 2014
Timothy is on probation. It’s a strange word—something that happens to other kids, to delinquents, not to kids like him. And yet, he is under house arrest for the next year. He must check in weekly with a probation officer and a therapist, and keep a journal for an entire year. And mostly, he has to stay out of trouble. But when he must take drastic measures to help his struggling family, staying out of trouble proves more difficult than Timothy ever thought it would be.
A Moon Of My Own by Jennifer Rustgi, our Feature for October 2014
Come along on an enchanted adventure around the world with a young girl and her faithful companion, the moon!
The Great Good Summer by Liz Garton Scanlon, our Local Author for March 2014
Ivy and Paul hatch a secret plan to find Ivy’s missing mom and say good-bye to the space shuttle in this evocative, heartfelt novel reminiscent of Each Little Bird that Sings and Because of Winn-Dixie. Although Ivy and Paul are an unlikely pair, it turns out they are the perfect allies for a runaway road trip to Florida—to look for Mama, to kiss the Space Shuttle good-bye, and maybe, just maybe, regain their faith in the things in life that are most important.
Revenge of the Angels by Jennifer Ziegler, our Local Author for July 2015
The Brewster triplets from Revenge of the Flower Girls meet The Best Christmas Pageant Ever, in a new, sweetly hilarious holiday story from Jennifer Ziegler! When we last saw them, Dawn, Darby, and Delaney Brewster stopped their big sister from marrying the wrong guy, proving that they can accomplish a lot when they work together. Now, they are turning their smarts and high-energy hijinks to something completely different: their local Christmas pageant!
Locally-owned book stores
BookPeople – 603 N. Lamar
Open 9am-11pm, Dec. 24 from 9am-9pm, Dec. 25 12pm-6pm, Dec. 31 9am-8pm, Jan. 1 11am-11pm
Check out books you can get signed by Austin authors.
The BookSpot – 1205 Round Rock Ave., #119 (Round Rock)
Open M-Sat 10am-7pm, Thursday 10am-8pm
The BookSpot is the only family-owned independent book store between Georgetown and Austin. The store features new and used books plus small gift items and gift certificates.
BookWoman – 5501 N. Lamar
Open 10am-8pm Monday-Saturday, 12-6pm Sundays
Bookwoman is Austin’s premiere feminist bookstore. Soon to be celebrating 40 years of serving the Austin feminist and queer communities. BookWoman is proud to provide books that will change your life and the world.
Malvern Books – 613 W. 29th St.
Open M-Th 10am-8pm, Fri & Sat 10am-9pm, Sun 12-6pm
Malvern Books specializes in visionary literature and poetry from independent publishers, with a focus on lesser-known and emerging voices the world needs to hear.
Monkeywrench Books – 110 E. North Loop Blvd.
Open Mon, Wed thru Fri 11am-8pm, Sat & Sun 12-6pm
Monkeywrench Books is run by an all-volunteer staff who approach decision-making collectively. The store’s carefully curated selection of radical books, zines, posters, and ephemera contain the stories, experiences, struggles, and ideas that shape revolt in the current moment.
Recycled Reads – 5335 Burnet Rd.
Open Thursday 12-8pm, Friday-Sunday 12-6pm
Recycled Reads is the Austin Public Library’s used bookstore whose mission is to maximize the useful life of items removed from Library circulation through resale and recycling.
Resistencia Bookstore – 4926 E. Cesar Chavez St.
Resistencia Bookstore, Casa de Red Salmon Arts, is a neighborhood center for aspiring writers, providing quality literature to Austin communities since 1983. Specializing in indigenous, Native American, Chican@-Mexican@, Latin@, African American, queer, feminist, and children’s bilingual literature.
South Congress Books – 1608 South Congress Ave.
South Congress Books specializes in art, photography, literature, music, “quirkiana,” vintage children’s books, cookbooks, original music posters, and select artworks, as well as a carefully curated selection of first editions and nicely bound volumes for the collector, reader, and gift-giver.
Upcoming book drives and events
Baylor Scott & White and Barnes & Noble-Round Rock Holiday Book Drive – Until December 31
Barnes & Noble – Round Rock, 2701 Parker Road, Bldg. A, Suite 700
Books collected will be donated to the Bookwell program at Scott & White Hospital – Round Rock, which promotes early childhood literacy by providing a new book to every baby born at the hospital. Barnes & Noble – Round Rock is primarily collecting board books, but will also accept any other new children’s books their customers would like to purchase and donate. Non-board books will be placed in other Baylor Scott & White clinics across the region. To participate, customers select a book they want to donate while shopping at the store, then tell the cashier when making their purchase which books they’d like to donate.
Holiday Book Sale & Open House – December 12, 10 AM – 4 PM
APL Manchaca Road Branch, 5500 Manchaca Rd.
Books and Cupcakes – Saturday, December 12 from 2-4pm
Cupprimo, 8650 Spicewood Springs Rd.
Join P. J. Hoover, K. A. Holt, and Jo Whittemore from the Texas Sweethearts for a holiday signing at Austin’s favorite cupcake shop, Cupprimo. Scoop up some presents while enjoying sweet treats! Books make amazing gifts and cupcakes are always in season. Librarians will be treated to a complementary Hot Caramel Apple Cider or Small Coffee. Free cupcake with book purchase.
Holiday Book Sale – December 14 – 17, 10 AM – 9 PM; December 18, 1 – 6 PM
APL Cepeda Branch, 651 N. Pleasant Valley Rd.
Paperbacks $1, Hardbacks $2, CDs/DVDs $1, All children’s materials $.50
Holiday Book Sale – December 15-17, 10 AM – 9 PM, December 18, 1 – 6 PM
APL Windsor Park Branch, 5833 Westminster Dr.
Browse our gently used books: Children’s $.50, Adult softback $1, Adult hardback $2. There will be plenty of books for adults and children.
Holiday Book Sale – December 16, 1 – 8 PM
APL Twin Oaks Branch, 1800 S. Fifth St.
Browse gently used books: Children’s $.50, Adult softback $1, Adult hardback $2
