BHE (19): Singapore Library Warehouse Sale 2012

Every year, the Singapore Libraries hold its Warehouse Sale where used books are sold for 2 dollars each (1 dollar for Chinese/Tamil/Malay books). I had such a lovely experience last year (check out my loot in 2011), that I made sure I am adequately prepared this time around by having two empty bookshelves, ready to be filled with new books. Without further introductions, here are my book buys. Not bad for 2 dollars each.

Day One (Picture Book Extravaganza)

I was glad to have found quite a few books by Eve Bunting: The Wall by Eve Bunting and illustrated by Ronald Himler and We were there: A Nativity Story by Eve Bunting and Paintings by Wendell Minor; King Stork by Howard Pyle and with new pictures by Trina Schart Hyman, The Cats in Krasinski Square by Karen Hesse and illustrated by Wendy Watson, The Glorious Impossible by Madeleine L’Engle and illustrated with frescoes from the Scrovegni Chapel by Giotto, and Mr. Semolina-Semolinus: A Greek Folktale by Anthony L. Manna and Christodoula Mitakidou and illustrated by Giselle Potter.

Homeplace by Anne Shelby with illustrations by Wendy Anderson Halperin, The Library by Sarah Stewart and Pictures by David Small (which I reviewed here), The Terrible Hodag and the Animal Catchers by Caroline Arnold and illustrated by John Sandford, When you were small by Sara O’Leary and with illustrations by Julie Morstad. And such a treat – a few titles by Maurice Sendak: Kenny’s Window, Swine Lake (written by James Marshall), and A Hole is to Dig (written by Ruth Krauss).

Now these are fabulous finds and I’m sure you’d agree with me. Allen Say discoveries: The Sign Painter, Home of the Brave, Tea with Milk. While I am a tad disappointed that I only managed to score one Van Allsburg this year, it’s still not that bad, I think: Zathura by Chris Van Allsburg. I also found The Last Resort by Roberto Innocenti and J. Patrick Lewis, and Who’s Got Game: The Ant or the Grasshopper? by Toni & Slade Morrison with pictures by Pascal Lemaitre.

I have a special affinity for obscure artists who seem to have a cult following. Here are wondrous titles by Arthur Geisert: The Etcher’s Studio and Pigs from 1 to 10. I also found the following titles: The Little Red Fish by Taeeun Yoo, Hey Willy See the Pyramids by Maira Kalman, Uncle David by Libby Gleeson and Armin Greder (I reviewed Greder’s very powerful The Island here), Crictor by Tomi Ungerer, and The Big Question by Wolf Erlbruch (winner of the 2004 Ragazzi Award at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair).

And because I can not resist Australian authors: Jenny Angel by Margaret Wild and Anne Spudvilas (check out my review of Woolvs in the Sitee, another Wild-Spudvilas collaboration), In My Backyard by Nette Hilton and Anne Spudvilas, Cloud Nine by Norman Silver and Illustrated by Jan Ormerod, and two of my favorite picture books: Jan Ormerod’s Sunshine and Moonlight (check out my 2-in-1 review of these wordless picture books here).

I hyperventilated when I saw these titles. Who doesn’t love Anthony Browne? So glad to have bagged his King Kong and Little Beauty. I was also happy to find The Daydreamer by Ian McEwan – while not technically a picture book, the illustrations are also done by Anthony Browne. Wonderful to find the following as well: The Shrinking of Treehorn by Florence Parry Heide and Drawings by Edward Gorey and G is for One Gzonk! An Alpha-Number-Bet Book by Tony Diterlizzi.

Patricia Polacco goodness with Luba and the Wren, John Philip Duck, The Graves Family, Rotten Richie and the Ultimate Dare, and My Ol’ Man.

And because I love love love picture book biographies: Marvelous Mattie: How Margaret E. Knight Became an Inventor by Emily Arnold McCully, Snowflake Bentley by Jacqueline Briggs Martin and illustrated by Mary Azarian, Gandhi by Demi, I am Marc Chagall by Bimba Landmann, Hans Christian Andersen: His Fairy Tale Life by Hjordis Varmer and Lilian Brogger translated by Tiina Nunnally, and Play Mozart Play by Peter Sis.

More picture book love: Celia and the Sweet Sweet Water by Katherine Paterson and Illustrated by Vladimir Vagan, Turandot by Marianna Mayer, two books by Anita Lobel: Away from Home and The Dwarf Giant. Hana in the time of the Tulips by Deborah Noyes and illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline, and Waiting for Gregory by Kimberly Willis Holt and paintings by Gabi Swiatkowska.

Naturally, I can not resist these gruesome tales: Full Moon by Brian Wilcox and Lawrence David, illustrated by Brian Wilcox; H. G. Wells’ The Magic Shop and illustrated by Francois Roca; Circus Carnivore by Mark Svendsen and illustrated by Ben Redlich (which Fats reviewed here), Santa Claws written by Laura Leuck and illustrated by Gris Grimly, The Gruesome Guide to World Monsters by Judy Sierra and illustrated by Henrik Drescher, and two books by David Macaulay: Baaa and Rome Antics.

More Picture Books – On the Wings of Peace: Writers and Illustrators Speak out for Peace in Memory of Hiroshima and Nagasaki; A World of Words: An ABC of Quotations by Tobi Tobias and Peter Malone; Horatio Happened by Kathryn Cave & Chris Riddell; Hot Jazz Special by Jonny Hannah, The Dream Keeper by Robert Ingpen, and The Adventures of the Dish and the Spoon by Mini Grey.

These titles also caught my eye. The Maid of the North: Feminist Folktales from Around the World by Ethel Johnston Phelps and illustrations by Lloyd Bloom, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight as told by Michael Morpurgo and illustrated by Michael Foreman, and Grimm’s Grimmest illustrated by Tracy Arah Dockray and an Introduction by Maria Tatar. I was also thrilled to have found a copy of Clive Barker’s Days of Magic, Nights of War (a book which I am planning to send to Iphigene soon). Orson Scott Card’s Enchantment is also a great find.

Finally! Some YA Love with the following titles. The Dark Flight Down by Marcus Sedgwick, Hey Kid Want to buy a Bridge? by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Adam McCauley. I also found two NYRB books written and illustrated by Reiner Zimnik: The Crane and The Bear & The People. Comet in Moominland by Tove Jansson, Mercy on these Teenage Chimps by Gary Soto, The Gammage Cup by Carol Kendall (a Newbery Honor book), Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt, Cheese Galore: Here Be Monsters, Book 3 by Alan Snow and Amelia’s Guide to Babysitting by Marissa Moss.

More YA love. Two books by Jane Yolen: The Wild Hunt and Girl in a Cage. The Young Unicorns by Madeleine L’Engle, Finding Miracles by Julia Alvarez, Broken Song by Kathryn Lasky, Orfe by Cynthia Voigt, Water Street by Patricia Reilly Giff, The Long Secret by Louise Fitzhugh (sequel to Harriet the Spy), and The Nobodies: A Sequel to Anybodies by N. E. Bode. I love getting sequels to books I already own.

Wonderful titles here: The Merchant of Marvels and the Peddler of Dreams by Frederic Clement, The Dulcimer Boy by Tor Seidler and illustrations by Brian Selznick, The Underdog by Markus Zusak, the mysterious edge of the heroic world by e.l. konigsburg, The Traitors’ Game by Avi, Anastasia Krupnik by Lois Lowry, Milkweed by Jerry Spinelli, Changing Planes by Ursula K. LeGuin, Daniel Pinkwater’s 4 Fantastic Novels: Borgel, Yobgorgle: Mystery Monster of Lake Ontario, The Worms of Kukumlima, and The Snarkout Boys & The Baconburg Horror, Breakout by Paul Fleischman, Pure Dead Batty by Debi Gliori, and The Wright 3 by Blue Balliett and Brett Helquist.

I am also slowly gathering short story collections, such as the following: Twice Told – Original Stories inspired by Original Art – drawings by Scott Hunt (includes John Green, Margaret Peterson Haddix, Sarah Dessen, Marilyn Singer among others) and Click: One Novel, Ten Authors (includes Linda Sue Park, David Almond, Eoin Colfer, Nick Hornby, Gregory Maguire among others).

***Great Find in Day One***

I was thrilled to have found this Filipino book during the Warehouse Sale here in Singapore: The Best of Lola Basyang by Severino Reyes, translated by Gilda Cordero-Fernando and illustrated by Albert Gamos.

This is me, holding on to my great finds during Day One of the Book Sale.

Day Two! More YA Love

Naturally, we had to come back for more the next day.

Only a few picture books this time around: Stories for young people by Oscar Wilde, edited by Merlin Holland and illustrated by G. L. Brierley, The Sorcerer’s Apprentice by Nancy Willard and illustrated by Leo & Diane Dillon, Odd Boy Out: Young Albert Einstein by Don Brown, and The Orchard Book of Love and Friendship by Geraldine McCaughrean and Jane Ray.

I am so thrilled to have found the following titles from The Edge Chronicles: Beyond the Deepwoods, The Winter Knights, and Vox by Paul Stewart & Chris Riddell. Since I already have Freeglader, The last of the Sky Pirates, Midnight Over Sanctaphrax, and Stormchaser, this means, that I have yet to find the following Edge Chronicles titles: The Curse of the Gloamglozer and Clash of the Sky Galleons. Woohoo! I love book hunting!

Obviously, these are my daughter’s choices. Rotten School: The Teacher from Heck, Rotten School: Shake, Rattle, & Hurl!, Rotten School: The Great Smelling Bee – all by R. L. Stine, Amelia’s Bully Survival Guide (and astronaut Amelia!) by Marissa Moss, and Lemonade Mouth by Mark Peter Hughes (because she has already watched the film).

More of my daughter’s finds: Superman – The Man of Steel by John Byrne and Dick Giordano; Marvel Westerns; and Tintin – 3 Complete Adventures in 1 Volume – Red Rackham’s Treasure, The Seven Crystal Balls, and Prisoners of the Sun. For some reason, this YA book appealed to her: Beauty and the Bully by Andy Behrens.

I’m glad to have found more Gary Soto titles: Help Wanted: Stories and Afterlife. Here are a few more short story collections – This Strange New Feeling: Three Love Stories from Black History by Julius Lester and Let it Snow: Three Holiday Romances by John Green, Maureen Johnson, and Lauren Myracle.

Fantasy and Scary titles: Mimus by Lilli Thal, Bec by Darren Shan, and Triple-dare to be Scared: Thirteen Further Freaky Tales by Robert D. San Souci.

More YA Love: Clay by David Almond, The Long Season of Rain by Helen Kim, The Ink-Keeper’s Apprentice by Allen Say (great companion, I think for Say’s Drawing from Memory).

More contemporary titles here: Rebel Angels by Libba Bray, Cathy’s Key by Sean Stewart & Jordan Weisman, Are we there yet? by David Levithan. And two novels in verse with Ellen Hopkins’ Burned and Crank. Since I already own Glass I thought it would be good to complete the series.

Two books by Ursula K. LeGuin: Gifts and The Eye of the Heron, Gossamer by Lois Lowry, Miracle’s Boys by Jacqueline Woodson, A Fine White Dust by Cynthia Rylant, and The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin (which I reviewed here).

I’ve always wanted to read this book: Sorcery & Cecelia or The Enchanted Chocolate Pot by Patricia C. Wrede and Caroline Stevermer. Here are a few more YA finds: Soul Eater by Michelle Paver (I now have the three books in the series), two more books by Marcus Sedgwick: The Foreshadowing and My Swordhand is Singing. And all-around great find with City of Light, City of Dark – Story by Avi with drawings by Brian Floca (winner of the Newbery Medal).

The Great Tree of Avalon: Child of the Dark Prophecy and The Great Tree of Avalon, Book 2: Shadows on the Stars by T. A. Barron, And another one of my great finds: The Halloween Tree by Ray Bradbury.

Two books by G. P. Taylor: The Curse of Salamander Street and Tersias. And more of my Discworld novels with The Wee Free Men: A Story of Discworld and A Hat Full of Sky: A Story of Discworld by Terry Pratchett. I also failed to take a photo of Genius Squad by Catherine Jinks (which my daughter conveniently borrowed from the pile while I was taking pictures).

*** Super Duper Fantabulous Finds!!!!***

Insert mindless squealing here. Fats and I have been on the look-out for the illustrated version of Abarat Book One by Clive Barker since forever. While we have read the first two novels, yes, we only have the paper back version of Book One. Our understanding is that this version is now currently out-of-print. Thank heavens for library book sales! I bought two so I can send Fats the other copy.

Whew! That was a mighty productive weekend, I thought. How about you, dear friends, what were your book finds this week?