This is our 37th contribution to a Sunday meme hosted by Kristi of The Story Siren: In My Mailbox. A way for us to feature books we have obtained through dubious means from strange creatures on the street, or bespectacled librarians in our nearby community libraries or simply books that flew to our hands or our doorstep due to some quirky twists of fate, chance, and circumstance. This week, I am featuring several of my amazing book finds. 🙂
Community Libraries are Love
When I saw Leon and the Place Between by Angela McAllister and illustrated by the genius Grahame Baker-Smith, I thought that I would find the time to squeeze the book in for our Circus, Carnivale, Paranormal theme, although we are technically nearly done with this bimonthly theme. The Complete Peanuts: 1963 to 1964 by Charles M. Schulz is my daughter’s choice. I hope she has a fun time with this book.
I wanted to include Carver: A Life in Poems by Marilyn Nelson for our Black History Month special but was unable to. Regardless, it would still be perfect for several challenges that we are participating in for the year: PoC Reading Challenge, Novel-in-Verse Challenge, and the Award-Winning-Books Reading Challenge that we are hosting (do sign up here if you haven’t already). Summer School! What Genius Thought that Up? by Henry Winkler and Lin Oliver is part of my daughter’s Hank Zipzer mania.
Daughter’s Books from School Library
This week, my daughter borrowed these two Louis Sachar books from their library: Sideways Arithmetic from Wayside School and More Sideways Arithmetic from Wayside School. I was glad because she remembered us reading Sideways Stories from Wayside School when she was younger. We actually have all three books in the series, and I did not know that there was this Sideways Arithmetic variant.
Scholastic Books from my Daughter’s School
Every now and again, Scholastic would send my daughter’s school a list of discounted books for sale. These are our latest acquisitions: Tom Gates: Excellent Excuses by L. Pichon (my 10 year old daughter’s choice, and a mighty good one at that!) and A King’s Ransom by Jude Watson, Book 2 of the Cahills vs. Vespers Series. 🙂 What can I say, once I start a series, I make sure I finish it to the very end. 🙂
More Book Bargains
March is my birthday month, so I use this as an excuse to load up on my favorite thing in the world: books! I have just recently visited Bras Basah here in Singapore, and as per usual, I get rewarded for my efforts. Here are my book finds:
Imagine finding all books in a series at one go at an unbeatable price of 2 books for 5 sgd?! Eleanor Estes’ Moffat series, and two of the titles are actually Newbery Honor books: The Moffats, The Middle Moffat, Rufus M., The Moffat Museum.
My ten year old daughter is in a graphic novel phase recently. She chose Out from Boneville by Jeff Smith.
There’s a hair in my Dirt: A Worm’s Story is written by the Creator of The Far Side Gary Larson, so I’m pretty excited to read it – also not bad at 1 sgd. I also found Garth Nix’s The Creature in the Case for 1 sgd.
And yes, I found Book 3 of the Abhorsen Trilogy on sale! And what great luck, I found Sir Thursday too! I am slowly collecting the Keys to the Kingdom Series and so far I have been fortunate to find almost all of the books on sale (still missing Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday though). These Garth Nix titles were sold at 2 books for 5 sgd. Speaking of Garth Nix, I have just attended a Literary Cocktail organized by The Arts House several days back which featured the author himself, Garth Nix, who just visited Singapore.
There is Garth Nix himself! How cool is that?
Garth Nix holding up his latest book A Confusion of Princes. And no, to answer your unanswered question, I did not ask for an autograph nor did I pose for a photo. 🙂 We were rushing to get back home since it was a school day for my ten year old the next day. It was interesting to see him up close and personal though.
A Beautiful Gift from a Friend
This book came as a total surprise. A beautiful friend from the Philippines, my daughter’s godmother, Professor Grace Barretto-Tesoro (I call her my Tomb Raider since she is an archaeologist who finished her PhD in Cambridge) has just sent this to me by mail. She knows I have a thing for folk tales and fairy tales and I am deeply appreciative of this treasured pre-birthday present.
Love you, Gracie! Miss you dearly. I have a feeling our friend Elena Yamamoto Flores would also be happy that you used her photo as your postcard. 🙂
Gathering Books 
What a beautiful bundle of books, and so glad you enjoyed the Garth Nix event. I feel like I should Eleanor Estes but I don’t! and methinks I will love those books. 🙂
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Hi Joanna, Eleanor Estes is also the author of Ginger Pye and Pinky Pye – haven’t read her books yet, but I am excited to know more about them this year. I do think you you’d love them. 🙂
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I have forgotten about the Eleanor Estes books. You find so many interesting books! The Oscar Wilde book is certainly a treasure. How nice also that you shared. Again thanks for all you share, Myra!
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Hi Linda! Have you had a chance to read the Eleanor Estes’ books? Would love to know what you think of them.
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Not these, I only know Ginger Pye. I am trying to read books for younger students, so these would be good if I can find them.
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Oh how I love your loot! I want copies of The Moffat series too!! Lucky you found the newer edition of Abhorsen. I’d love to have that version of the series, but I bought the small paperback box set. I got the set for $35 at Barnes & Noble a long time ago. Too bad Costco only started selling it now for $22. *le sigh* Did you have your books signed by Garth Nix?
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Hi Fats, The Moffat series was truly truly a find! Imagine finding all four books! I am glad that whoever owned it previously (I am assuming they’re all coming from the same seller) decided to let go of the entire set and now it has come to a new home in my bookshelves. 35 USD sounds mighty expensive, I got the third book for 2.50 sgd, roughly around 2 USD. Did you have a chance to read the trilogy? Did you like it?
Nope, I did not have the books signed by Garth Nix. 🙂
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Hello Ma’am! Oh yesssss!!! The Abhorsen Trilogy was the reason why I love Garth Nix. It’s one of my favorite series. I’ve been naming my gaming characters after Sabriel and Lirael, or making up names that sound like theirs (i.e. my blood elf “Mithrael” was inspired by the mithril in LoTR + Lirael). How’s that for geeky? 😉
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Happy Birthday-Month! This is my b’day month too (mine is tomorrow). And Heidi’s is soon as well. I don’t think I’ve read any of Oscar Wilde’s fairy tales. Very nice!
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Hi Tabatha, Happy Happy Birthday! Let’s celebrate the entire month! 🙂
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I have always wanted to try Garth Nix! I hope you enjoy them =) Louis Sachar us one of my favorites too! Enjoy =D
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Hi Crystal, thanks for the visit. I haven’t read any of my Garth Nix books yet, truth be told, I hope I enjoy them too.
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great selection of books…I have a niece who would love Bone.
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Hi, thanks for dropping by. My daughter loves Bone. 🙂
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