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For no reason other than the fact that I wanted to see if I could do it, I have decided to read 30 children's books in 30 days. I probably should have picked a less-hectic month, what with our busy event schedule, but heck. I decided this month was as good as the next. Here's the completed list. I have to say, I am happy to be done!

1. The Strange Case of Origami Yoda by Tom Angleberger

I started off with a bang, certainly. Tom Angelberger's The Strange Case of Origami Yoda was such a treat, I'm sad I haven't been selling it to EVERY Wimpy Kid fan I know. Basically, it's a casebook investigating the work of Origami Yoda. Dwight, a highly ridiculed almost-nerd and Origami wizard, comes to school one day with an Origami finger puppet shaped like Yoda. And Yoda seems to have the answer to any question, no matter how difficult. The narrator, Tommy, is debating whether or not to take Yoda's advice, and in order to weigh the evidence of Yoda's credibility, he asks everyone who has taken Yoda's advice to write their stories. The main problem is that Yoda lives/speaks through Dwight, who marches to his own drummer (loser!). I cannot tell you how much I loved Dwight at the end - everything wraps up so nicely and sweetly and perfectly. There is some hand-holding and anxiety about asking a girl to dance, but nothing inappropriate. 

2. The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate 

This one is the main reason I decided to only read things that are out already. This title doesn't come out until January, and it was so good I wish I had it to sell today, or yesterday even. ""The One and Only Ivan" by Katherine Applegate was a breeze to read. Based on a slightly true story about an ape who is kept in captivity at a Mall for 20 some odd years and finally released into a zoo when National Geographic ran an article on him and the public outcried. In this story, Ivan is that ape - a Silverback. He lives in a mall, part of some sort of schmaltzy circus act. When Stella, the old elephant next door to Ivan, dies, she makes him promise to help rescue little baby elephant Ruby. Ivan is a great artist - and puts brush to paper in a heroic rescue attempt. So sweet. Nice ending, no kissing, no cursing, a little bit of loneliness and sadness (poor Ivan is the loneliest gorilla in the world). This one is great for any animal lover and/or any artist.

 3. The Ranger's Apprentice, Book One, The Ruins of Gorlan by John Flanagan 

I don't know why every single Lightning Thief fan wasn't all over this series first. Especially now that "Game of Thrones" is so insanely popular. This is the child's version. Knights and castles and kings being dethroned. Even a mystical element (some very ugly scary beasts). Will grows up a ward of the castle, left abandoned at the castle's gate with a note tied to his blanket. When the castle wards turn 13, they get to choose who they'd like to be apprenticed to. Will chooses the Battlemaster, wanting to be a knight. Sadly he is wee and scrawny and is denied that apprenticeship and fears he will be destined to live out his life as a farmer. When Halt the Ranger appears out of the shadows and expresses an interest in taking Will on as an apprentice, Will is petrified. Rangers are shrouded in mystery and lore, rumored to work with black magic. Turns out, however, that they are actually entrusted with the protection of the entire lands, and Will's cunning and bravery are put to the test when an evil man (long building armies to take over the throne he feels he deserves) sends terrible monsters after key men in the kingdom (men who thwarted the villain's previous coop attempt). So good. Very boy, no kissing yet but I think there will be a girlfriend love interest in following books. Lots of fighting. 

4. The Flint Heart by Katherine Paterson 

A sweet enough story with pixies and fairies and magical creatures, centering around a flint heart that turns people in possession of it mean. When a cheery farmer unearths it by happenstance, he turns quite cruel. Two of his children decide that the Fairies who live in the woods behind their farmhouse are the only creatures who can help restore their father to his loving self, they embark upon a great adventure. Lots of Fairy Tale qualities, would be a great read aloud. 

5. Troublemaker by Andrew Clements 

I don't think I've ever really read one of his books, but they sell like crazy. His new one, "Trouble Maker" was good. A nice quick story about how begin good pays off - how being bad really stinks. And has the potential to bring about serious consequences. The secretary was the best character, she didn't have nearly enough print time! 

6. Waiting for the Magic by Patricia MacLachlan

This one gave me goosebumps, twice.  So good. Sort of a broken family, when the dad leaves (he comes back) for an indeterminate amount of time, the mom takes the two kids and heads to the animal shelter. They come home with four (FOUR) dogs and a cat. The dogs (and Lulu, the cat) bring a bit of magic into the house. The dad comes back, quickly becomes a dog person, and the magic continues. So sweet. Appropriate for young kids who like animals. 

7. Darth Paper Strikes Back by Tom Angleberger 

I guess it's a testament to how much I loved "Origami Yoda," tonight I read the sequel, "Darth Paper Strikes Back." EVEN BETTER THAN THE FIRST. I completely loved it. I am thinking of buying these two, and any others that follow. 

8. Storm Runners by Roland Smith 

Short, fast and spooky. The main kid, a boy in middle school? 6th grade? has lost his mother and sister in a car accident, his father was shortly thereafter struck by lightning and suddenly obsessed with storm chasing. They head down to Florida to prepare for Hurricane Emily, and all madness breaks loose. The bus Charles (I think his name was Charles) is on overturns, and he and two newly made girl friends must make their way to safety. Of course, safety is the new friend Nicole's home, which is also home to a wintering circus. The sequel has to do with what happens once they make it there. It definitely involves a set-loose leopard. (I only thought this was spooky because it involves a natural disaster - something that could happen).

9. Horton Halfpott: Or, The Fiendish Mystery of Smugwick Manor; or, The Loosening of M'Lady Luggertuck's Corset by Tom Angleberger 

I'm on a huge Tom Angleberger kick. Author of the Origami series above, this one was way different. But just as good. Horton Halfpott (and the Loosening of M'Lady so and so's corset) was a great Victorian/Dickensian-ish romp. Loved it. Tons of quirky characters, Love wins in the end. A great child villain who cooks up the most ridiculous plot to win over the neighboring heiress girl. So good. High adventure, crazy, lovable characters, and a great plot line.

10. Hound Dog True by Linda Urban 

This one is about a girl going into the 5th grade, who spends a lot of time worrying. She is terribly, terribly shy and just about everything makes her nervous. Then she decides to take a page from her mom's book, and PRETEND that she is not shy. She only does this every now and then, but it makes a great difference, and things start to be not so intimidating. Really liked it. Very fast. I also liked that her name was "Mattie Mae," and her crazy Uncle Potluck was terrific too. 

11. A Monster Calls by Patrick Ness 

This one made me cry. It starts off like the best of scary stories - a monster appears outside the window of Conor's bedroom. The illustrations that run throughout this book only add to the Scary Story feel - they are very dark and shadowy.  The monster shows up at 12:07 every night, and asks to tell Conor three stories, and the fourth time Conor will have to tell his own story - the Truth. The Truth about the terrifying nightmares that have been haunting him every night. Of course, there is more to the story. Conor's mom is battling cancer, his dad has moved to America with a new wife (moved from England), and because of these two things, Conor is treated coldly at school. It was terribly good, and anyone who has ever dealt with grief of any sort would benefit from it.

12. Liesl & Po by Lauren Oliver 

Lauren Olivier has written some great YA books - "Before I Fall" and "Delirium." Her new book, "Liesl and Po" is different. She write in the intro that it is her most personal book so far, that she wrote it while she was coping with the death of a dear friend. And it is great. Po is neither he nor she, because as a ghost, those distinctions blur. Liesl is a young girl trapped in the attic by her evil Step Mother after her father's mysterious death. The two find each other and embark on a great mission. Will is the third character with a large role to play - an orphan apprenticed to an alchemist who deals in dark magics. I thought it was a great story with great illustrations and an ending that feels just right. 

13. The Legend of Diamond Lil, a J.J. Tully Mystery by Doreen Cronin 

I breezed right through Doreen Cronin's sequel to "The Trouble with Chickens." Completely fun, J.J. Tully is Sam Spade as a dog - and the sequel continued that feeling with a foxy, mysterious renegade Show Dog. Fun mysteries for the Magic Tree House crowd.

 14. Breadcrumbs by Anne Ursu

You think this would be a Hansel and Gretel retelling, no? I did. But I was wrong. It is actually based on the old fairy tale about the Snow Queen. In this GREAT book, Hazel and her best friend Jack are each other's whole world. I loved how creative and imaginative the two are together. But then, Jack stops talking to Hazel and disappears off into the woods with a woman made of Snow. Hazel must brave a very Lion-the-Witch-and-the-Wardrobian journey to save him.

15. Tuesdays at the Castle by Jessica Day George

I loved every single thing about this novel. Celia, plucky youngest princess at Castle Glower, is working hard to make a map of the Castle. This seems like an easy job, but every day (and Especially on Tuesdays) the castle changes. New rooms appear, hallways become longer, bedrooms become grander or more squalid depending on how the guest is viewed by the Castle. When the unthinkable happens - the King and Queen are ambushed and have gone missing, assumed dead - Celia and the Castle must work together to oust a posse of intruders who would seek the throne. This was brilliant. Fans of Gail Carson Levine (Ella Enchanted) and fans of the Penderwick books will LOVE this tale. 

16. Chi's Sweet Home Vol. 1 by Konami Kanata

 This one came recommended to me by one of my favorite sales reps. He started by saying that his other accounts were selling it like crazy and that it is a multi-book series about a kitten. It's a Japanese graphic novel, for kids who loved the "Bad Kitty" series but are ready for something with a little more substance. I liked it. Didn't love it, but liked it well enough. 

17. The Ranger's Apprentice, Book Two, The Burning Bridge by John Flanagan 

Because I've been thinking so much about Will from the first "Ranger's Apprentice" book, I decided to see what he was up to in the second installment. If anything, this one left me dying to know what happens to him next. There were moments in this story that my heart actually fluttered in fear right along with Will's. He is one of the greatest hero's of young adult literature, hands down.

18. Frindle by Andrew Clements 

 I read "Frindle" just because I like to sell it. Having never read it, I thought I'd see just what I'd been peddling to the younger end of our Middle Reader customer base. And guess what? It was great. So great. An innovative fifth-grader decides to stop calling pens "pens" and call them "frindles" instead. The new word sweeps the school first, then the town, and then, thanks to a national newscast, the country. The ending was terrific, and will make all readers and English-language-lovers happy. 

19. Maze of Bones, 39 Clues Book 1 by Rick Riordan

This is another one of those things that we sell like hot cakes. I'd never read any because they were moving on their own, and quickly. After reading the first one, I can say that these are not at all what I thought they were! This first one is like The Da Vinci Code for kids. There is so much fun history about Benjamin Franklin, and Dan and Amy (the hero siblings) find themselves chasing clues all over the world. So much fun.

20. The Secret Life of Ms. Finkleman by Ben Winters

This is maybe the first one I read that I wasn't at least a little bit wowed by. It has such an amazing sounding premise (student's discover that their music teacher, Ms. Finkleman, was once a rock-and-roll star) but for some reason it sort of just hummed along.

21. Nicholas St. North and the Battle of the Nightmare King by William Joyce

Truly a work of art. I was not familiar with William Joyce until the Man in the Moon picture book came out just a few weeks ago, and the two work hand-in-hand. He is a great artist with such a sprawling imagination, having read how St. Nick was chosen, I can't wait for the next installment!

22. Oddfellow's Orphanage by Emily Windfield Martin

While parts of this short novel were incredibly imaginative and terrific, overall it didn't have enough of a plot to really pull it together for me. It was a little bit wandering. i'm going to read a 31st to make up for this day, since I probably won't be selling tons of this book when it comes out in January. 

23. Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli 

Here is a title that is on a bunch of summer required reading lists. And I'd never read it. I liked it very much - it's the story of a high school girl who marches to her own drum. Well, her own Ukulele.  She wears long, flowing skirts and flits all over school singing to herself (and others), passing out flowers and cookies and all sorts of things. Her pet rat, Cinnamon is always in her pocket or on her shoulder. Having been home-schooled up until the start of this novel, Stargirl has no problem living her life this way, the standout among the "normal." When she falls for Leo, our narrator, both Leo and Stargirl learn what it means to truly be yourself. I thought it was great.

24. Mr. and Mrs. Bunny - Detectives Extraordinaire! by Polly Horvath (comes out in Feb)

Ugh. This one had SO MUCH promise! I loved all the marketing, the copy on the back of the jacket. Unfortunately, I wasn't wowed. I've decided, now that I'm so close to the end of my 30 books, that a sound plot it the biggest factor in whether or not I really, really enjoy a book.

25. Odd and the Frost Giants by Neil Gaiman

Now this one. So good. It is a very, very quick read but I really enjoyed it. With all the feel of classic old Nordic fables and lots more charm, I will be thinking about this one the rest of the day. Perfect for the very youngest of the Lightning Thief fans. And, of course, for anyone who loves Neil Gaiman.

26. Charlie Bone #1: Midnight for Charlie Bone by Jenny Nimmo

This was great - PERFECT for people who want a series that reminds them of Harry Potter. Charlie Bone realizes that he has some magical talents, and is sent by his three spinster-witchy-aunts to a boarding school for kids with magical abilities. He uncovers an evil plot, and works with his new friends to save the day. This is the first in a series of ten.

27. Pendragon #1: The Merchant of Death by D.J. MacHale

Here is another series lots of people ask me about that I've never read. And it was good. The story revolves around Bobby - who learns from his Uncle that he is what is called a "Traveler." This means that Bobby can travel through time and space to other "Territories" as freely as he would like. In the first book, he travels to the medieval-ish land of Dunderon where he must find a way to prevent a civil war and keep the peace in the universe.  

28. Freak the Mighty by Rodman Philbrick

I breezed right through this one. It was on a Summer Reading list this past summre, so I thought I'd give it a go. Very fast paced and funny it parts, I think it has a little bit of everything you'd want in a great story - bullies, wit, escaped convicts, best-friendship. I can see why it was required summer reading!

29. True.....(Sort of) by Katherine Hannigan

I'm cheating a little-teeny bit here, because truthfully I read it on, oh, day -5. But. It is so good, and I'm so close to the end of my challenge, and I'm so burnt out on chapter books....I thought I'd count this one anyway because it was just THAT good. Delaware (Delly) is the greatest accidental chaos-causer I've read. No matter what she does, it never seems to turn out right. In fact, it always seems to be a disaster. Because everything is such a mess, no matter what she does, she decides to quit trying to be good all together. Shortly thereafter, a mysterious young girl shows up in the neighborhood, and she and Delly form an unlikely friendship. I thought this book was so great, so full of moral and mystery and humor - it is one of those Issue books without being a book about an Issue. Give it to every young girl you know (10-12) who like real stories about real girls with only the regular kind of every-day magic.

30. Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick

The only thing to say about this one: Perfect. For all ages, all readers. I love his stuff.

 THE END.

Congrats to all the nominees for the 2011 Orange Prize!

Launched in 1996, The Orange Prize for Fiction celebrates the work of female authors from across the globe, bestowing literary glory (and a cheque for £30,000) upon the writer par excellence according to a panel of experts chaired by Bettany Hughes. Zadie Smith and Lionel Shriver are among the past winners of the award, while this year's shortlist - revealed today - includes Emma Donoghue and Nicole Krauss.

Emma Donoghue - Room (Picador)

The Irish-born novelist, who now lives in Canada, has pedigree in tackling difficult subject matter and picking up literary awards in the process. Although married with two children, her treatment of lesbian themes saw her win the 1997 Stonewall Book Award (formerly the American Library Association's Gay, Lesbian and Bisexual Book Award for Literature) for Hood (1995) and be named joint winner of the 2009 Lambda Literary Award for Lesbian Fiction for The Sealed Letter (2008). Her 7th novel, Room, depicts a young boy and his mother who are held captive in an 11 feet by 11 feet room by "Old Nick", loosely based on the on the Josef Fritzl saga. To date it has been shortlisted for a dozen awards and honours, including the Man Booker Prize. Don't miss Emma Donoghue, appearing at Rainy Day Books on Friday May 19.

Aminatta Forna - The Memory of Love (Bloomsbury)

Half-Scottish and half-Sierra Leonian, Aminatta Forna has used the experiences of her formative years in the politically volatile Sierra Leone to shape her writing. Her 2003 writing debut, The Devil that Danced on Water, was a memoir which examined the conspiracy theories surrounding the death of her father, and came runner-up in the Samuel Johnson Prize for non-Fiction. Her latest book, The Memory Of Love, follows Adrian Lockheart, a psychologist who arrives to practise in Freetown in the wake of civil war.

Emma Henderson - Grace Williams Says it Loud (Sceptre)

Having worked as a teacher in London comprehensive schools for over a decade, and spent several years spent running a ski and snowboard lodge in the Alps, Emma Henderson returned to London in 2005, aged 47, to begin a career as a novelist. Her debut book, Grace Williams Says It Loud, tells the story of Grace, an 11-year-old girl who strikes up a friendship with a fellow patient at the mental institution in which they are kept. Also shortlisted for the Wellcome Trust Book Prize, the book draws upon Henderson's experience of her own sister, Clare, who was sent to a similar institution in 1957.

Nicole Krauss - Great House (Viking)

Still only in her mid-thirties and on her third novel, New York author Nicole Krauss has already created quite a stir within literary circles. Her second novel, The History of Love (2005), became an international bestseller, garnering widespread praise and nominations for the Medicis, Femina and Orange Prizes. She was later named by The New Yorker on its "20 under 40" list of prestigious writers. Great House follows the travails of protagonists in London, Jerusalem and New York, and their involvement with a "desk of many drawers that exerts a power over those who possess it or have given it away".

Téa Obreht - The Tiger’s Wife (Weidenfeld & Nicolson)

At 25, Serbian Téa Obreht is the youngest of this year's shortlisted authors. Born in Belgrade, she left Yugoslavia under the shadow of war aged seven with her mother and grandparents, later spending time in Cyprus and Egypt before settling in the United States. Following acclaimed short stories The Laugh and The Sentry, she was also named in The New Yorker's "20 under 40". Her debut novel, The Tiger's Wife, concerns Natalia, a young doctor working a conflict-ravaged Balkan country who learns that her grandfather has died. According to Obreht, "It's a saga about doctors and their relationships to death throughout all these wars in the Balkans".

Kathleen Winter - Annabel (Jonathan Cape)

The final debutant novelist on this year's shortlist started her career as a script writer on US kids' TV program Sesame Street. Since the mid-2000s she has been focussing on fiction; her short story collection boYs (2007) won the Winterset Award, while Annabel was the only novel to make the Scotiobank Giller Prize, Rogers Writers' Trust Fiction Prize and 2010 Governor General's Awards shortlists in her native Canada in 2010. Annabel deals with the tumultuous emotional and physical demands placed on Wayne, born neither a girl or a boy but raised as the latter, and his relationship with Annabel, his "shadow-self".

Watch the story on Rainy Day Books featured on The Local Show on KCPT Channel 19.

This past week many of our customers expressed concern about the future of bookstores everywhere.

We thank you for your words of support and we want to share these thoughts with you.

Bookselling is a changing and evolving business.  While we are constantly striving to provide an engaging experience with authors and books for our customers, there are a myriad of choices for entertainment in the information age.  We feel it is our role to continue to advocate for the book, and our extensive Author Events series combined with our store's knowledgeable staff is a reflection of our commitment.  We have been selling books for 35 years, and we will continue to focus on books in a sustainable and engaging manner.  Books are the catalyst for great conversations, and they endure as the most effective experience for your imagination.  Books tell stories, and your Community Bookseller exists to help you discover new stories to entertain, enlighten, and enliven your days and nights.  We believe in the book, and we stand behind our belief every day.

We always need the help of our community of readers.  In order for Rainy Day Books to remain a vibrant part of the cultural fabric of Kansas City, your support is vital.  There are many ways to support Rainy Day Books, beginning with your ability to spread the word about who we are and what we do.  This E-Newsletter allows you to easily share the information within using the social media links at the top of the screen.  On our web site, each Event page has links to allow you to share those details directly using social media.  Expanding the dialogue about books is our mission, and we need your help in sharing the news about what we do with your family, friends and colleagues.  Tell a friend about Rainy Day Books and bring them to our Author Events.  Before you consider ordering from another online vendor, ask yourself how are your actions benefitting our community?

Shopping at Rainy Day Books returns more money to our community than any other outlet for books.  We recently attended a conference in Washington, D.C., where we discussed the competitive environment for book sales.  What we discovered from our own data revealed a very subtle but important point.  If our existing customers purchased one more book each month from Rainy Day Books, our long-term ability to serve the Kansas City community would be dramatically improved.  In fact, if everyone who receives this E-Newsletter purchased one book each month from Rainy Day Books, it would immediately improve our stability in the marketplace and increase what we are able to contribute to our community.

Rainy Day Books offers a Loyal Customer program detailed below.  We believe in providing value to our customers, and we value your ongoing patronage.  We look forward to seeing you in the store or at one of our upcoming Author Events.  As always, thank you for being a part of our Legacy of Literacy.  We love books as much as you do!

February 2011 marks the celebration of Black History Month. Rainy Day Books presents several prominent authors to mark the occasion. Admission packages are on sale now.

Isabel Wilkerson, author of the critically-acclaimed book The Warmth Of Other Suns: The True Story Of America's Great Migration. With stunning historical detail, Wilkerson tells the story of the decades-long migration of black citizens who fled the South for northern and western cities, from 1915 to 1970, through the lives of three unique individuals.

Wes Moore, author of The Other Wes Moore: One Name, Two Fates. The chilling truth is that his story could have been mine. The tragedy is that my story could have been his. Two kids named Wes Moore were born blocks apart within a year of each other. Both grew up fatherless in similar Baltimore neighborhoods and had difficult childhoods; both hung out on street corners with their crews; both ran into trouble with the police. How, then, did one grow up to be a Rhodes Scholar, decorated veteran, White House Fellow, and business leader, while the other ended up a convicted murderer serving a life sentence? Wes Moore, the author of this fascinating book, sets out to answer this profound question. In alternating narratives that take readers from heart-wrenching losses to moments of surprising redemption, The Other Wes Moore tells the story of a generation of boys trying to find their way in a hostile world.

Heidi Durrow, author of The Girl Who Fell From The Sky. This debut novel tells the story of Rachel, the daughter of a Danish mother and a black G.I., who becomes the sole survivor of a family tragedy. Growing up in the 1980s, she confronts her identity as a biracial young woman in a world that wants to see her as either black or white. As the child of an African American father and a Danish mother, Heidi Durrow brings piercing authenticity to this provocative tale, winner of the Bellwether Prize for Fiction.

Rebecca Skloot, author of The Immortal Life Of Henrietta Lacks. Acclaimed author Rebecca Skloot brilliantly weaves together the story of Henrietta Lacks--a woman whose cells have been unwittingly used for scientific research since the 1950s--with the birth of bioethics, and the dark history of experimentation on African Americans.

Happy new year!

We're making a few changes under the hood on our web site. You already see our partnership with Google eBooks is up and running. In addition, we've reformatted our eNewsletter to give you a faster overview of what's happening at Rainy Day Books.

You'll see more columns from the staff in the coming months on our blog. We love to talk about books. You'll also start to see interviews with our visiting authors. Many of you can't make it to all of our events, so if there's a question you'd like answered, send it to mailbox@rainydaybooks.com with Author Event Question in the subject line.

Thank you for making 2010 a fantastic year for Rainy Day Books!

Check out our list of autographed books. We have an entire section of autographed books, stop in and browse for a unique gift for a collector or fan.

The last thing Gwen Cooper wanted was another cat. She already had two, not to mention a phenomenally underpaying job and a recently broken heart. Then Gwen’s veterinarian called with a story about a three-week-old eyeless kitten who’d been abandoned. It was love at first sight.
Everyone warned that Homer would always be an “underachiever.” But the kitten nobody believed in quickly grew into a three-pound dynamo with a giant heart who eagerly made friends with every human who crossed his path. Homer scaled seven-foot bookcases with ease, survived being trapped alone for days after 9/11 in an apartment near the World Trade Center, and even saved Gwen’s life when he chased off an intruder who broke into their home in the middle of the night. But it was Homer’s unswerving loyalty, his infinite capacity for love, and his joy in the face of all obstacles that transformed Gwen’s life. And by the time she met the man she would marry, she realized that Homer had taught her the most valuable lesson of all: Love isn’t something you see with your eyes.

Join us at Kansas City Public Library, Plaza Branch on October 6, 2010 at 6:30 PM as we welcome Gwen Cooper, author of Homer's Odyssey: A Fearless Feline Tale, or How I Learned about Love and Life with a Blind Wonder Cat. Gwen will share a multimedia presentation about Homer the cat (who just turned 13!), answer audience questions, and autograph copies of her books purchased from Rainy Day Books.

10% of the proceeds from this event will go directly to Blind Cat Rescue & Sanctuary in North Carolina. 

In addition, we're collecting cat food for Homer's Cat Food Drive!

Homer's Cat Food Drive!: Through October 6th, Rainy Day Books is collecting bags and cans of cat food to provide to local cat foster families. Drop your donations at Rainy Day Books, or bring them to our October 6th event. Because many foster cats require special diets, specific requests have been made for:

We knew when we first read it that Jonathan Franzen's new novel Freedom would be well-received.

We knew it would be a unique opportunity when we confirmed a visit by Jonathan Franzen on September 22 at 7:00 p.m.

We'll let the toughest critic in the literary world tell you just how she feels about Freedom. We agree.

There have been many headlines about the growth of electronic books and the death of the bookstore. As your community bookseller, we would like to share some thoughts and update you on our efforts.

Since last December, our e-commerce site has supported the sale of e-books. During this period, tremendous upheaval in the delivery and licensing of these books occurred. In addition, skirmishes between online competitors, hardware manufacturers, and even within companies themselves have created more confusion than clarity. These distractions have caused e-books to be unavailable, or only available through certain channels and not through our web site.

We believe that there is a place for e-books and e-readers. While the codex has been an effective technology for more than 1500 years, e-readers offer advantages and disadvantages. The market will grow.

We have embraced new technology and are working with our e-commerce partner, the American Booksellers Association, to offer you the ability to purchase a similar array of e-books as those offered by our exclusively online competitors. We are taking time to implement this feature into our web site, because it has taken time for the business models of publishers to settle out and licensing deals to be arranged.

In the near future, you will be able to purchase e-books through www.RainyDayBooks.com at a competitive price right alongside physical books. You will have the ability to shop locally and support your community bookseller without sacrificing the desire to purchase an electronic book.

However, this is only possible if you purchase a e-reading device that supports an open source of printed material. Certain devices are tied to one company. This closed-loop model is designed to force you to make purchases from one company only.

We believe that choice is an important part of reading. We believe you should be able to choose between a printed and electronic version. We believe you should have the freedom to read what you want without the data on your reading habits being collected and used against you. Most important, we will always believe that books have value, and an infinite shelf life.

As long as there are books, there will be booksellers. As long as we have your support, we will continue to be part of your community.

We believe that our customers want to read good books. We have 35 years of experience in bookselling. One acorn falling from a tree is not the end of the world as we know it. We feel fine.