New Winter 2010 Midwest Connections Picks!

December 30, 2009

Winter is here — time to grab a good book and a hot drink and READ! Here are two books sure to capture your interest…

An emotion-charged, wrenching — and unexpectedly humorous — self-portrait of  one young man’s survival in body and in spirit

HAPPYfinalcover
A MEMOIR
Alex Lemon

Scribner / Simon & Schuster
$25.00 Hardcover
ISBN 9781416550235

“ With the urgency and rhythm of a street poet, Alex “Happy” Lemon chronicles a life of illness, addiction, recovery and redemption in his memoir called, simply, HAPPY. I will gladly recommend this gripping and tragic book to any parent— especially mothers—of a child in peril AND to the children who take them down a road for which they are unprepared.  Yes, this is the story of an addict and his recovery. Yes, this is the story of triumphing over a rare and dangerous illness. Yes, this is the story of a difficult parent’s redemption. But in Alex Lemon’s hands, this seemingly familiar tale will yield a surprised and happy reader.”
—Sarah Bagby, Watermark Books & Café, Wichita, Kansas

Watch Alex Lemon’s video: 
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qv2HypmfOqI

For more details about this book, plus Midwest Connections marketing materials for our booksellers, click here.

The fascinating history of  Upper Midwest logging and the American tall tale hero Paul Bunyan!

OUT OF THE NORTHWOODSBunyan_cover_small
The Many Lives of Paul Bunyan
Michael Edmonds

Wisconsin Historical Society Press
$24.95 Hardcover
ISBN: 978-0-87020-437-1
Upper Midwest regional history; American folklore

“Rooted in the ingenuity of the pioneer spirit, this book presents an unvarnished look at the culture of the late nineteenth century lumber industry, how it shaped our region, the country, and created the legend of Paul Bunyan.  Using the words of  lumberjacks and old camp pictures, Edmonds traces the ambiguous roots of Paul Bunyan while giving us a clearer picture of lumber camp life.  In addition, the book contains over 100 legends of Paul Bunyan and a fantastic list of references for further research!”
– Angie Grafstrom, Inspiration Hollow, Roseau, MN

For more details about this book, plus Midwest Connections marketing materials for our booksellers, click here.

Buy these books from your favorite locally owned and operated Midwest independent bookseller!
Click here for the directory of our member bookstores

NEW! More Great Midwest Connections Picks

November 5, 2009

These four new Midwest Connections Picks complete our roster of featured books for Fall 2009 and the upcoming holiday season:  a memoir of the Great Plains, a final poetry collection from a beloved Midwest poet, a superb bread baking book, and a delightfully inspiring children’s picture book.

All of these books make terrific holiday gifts
– as do the rest of our Fall Midwest Connections Picks !

SELDOM SEENSeldom Seen
A Journey into the Great Plains
Patrick Dobson
University of Nebraska Press
$29.95, Hardcover
ISBN-13: 978-0-8032-1616-7

“This intimate search for self-discovery and renewal is so well told, you’ll smell the dew on the morning grass, and you’ll know you’ve found something truly delicious.”
– Michael Murphy, coauthor of Rare Visions and Roadside Revelations and vice president of programming for Kansas City Public Television

THE CHAIN LETTER OF THE SOULchainLetterCoverFINAL
New and Selected Poems

by Bill Holm
Milkweed Editions
$18.00 Trade Paperback Original
ISBN 978-1-57131-444-4

“His whole  persona comes with a clear mandate: DO NOT DUPLICATE — as if anyone could if they tried.”
Jim Heynen

HEALTHY BREAD IN FIVE MINUTES A DAYHealthy Bread Final hi res
100 New Recipes Featuring Whole Grains, Fruit, Vegetables, and Gluten-Free Ingredients
By Jeff Hertzbert, M.D.
and Zoë François
Photography by Mark Luinenburg
Thomas Dunne Books
St. Martin’s Press / Macmillan
$27.99 Hardcover
Color and black & white photos
ISBN 978-0-312-54552-9

“The testament I can give is that many people buy a copy to give as a gift and return to get another for themselves. Always a good sign.”
– Hans Weyandt, Micawber’s Books, St. Paul, MN

THE LEAF THATThe Leaf that Wouldn't Leave
WOULDN’T LEAVE
by Trish Trinco
illustrated by Bryan Langdo
Tristan Publishing
$16.95 Hardcover Picture Book
ISBN 978-0-931674-90-7

We all often need encouragement to face changes in our lives, and this book definitely helps the child in each of us to head in that direction.  We love it!”
– Jane Stroh, The Bookstore, Glen Ellyn, IL

Midwest Connections Picks Rebates for Fall 2009

November 1, 2009

MC_Sign_blue_8.5x11MBA booksellers –
Earn up to $100 per title in Midwest Connections rebates from MBA for promoting our Fall 2009 Midwest Connections Picks books!

Rebate forms for all of our Midwest Connections Picks from August through November 2009 are now available.  Go to the web page for each book to get the rebate form for that book. 

The deadline to request rebates for August through October picks is January 15, 2010.  For November titles, the deadline will be February 15, 2010.

Click on the links to go to the web pages for these books:

New! Midwest Connections Picks Fall ‘09 Signs

October 6, 2009

MC_Sign_blue_8.5x11LOOK!
We have new full-color signs which feature photos of all of our Fall 2009 Midwest ConnectioMC_Sign_white_8.5x11ns Picks!

These signs are available in three sizes, and the two smaller sizes have either a white or a blue background behind the books. (The white background will be easier on your color printer.)  The files are all high resolution PDFs and are LARGE files, but they are zipped here to make them somewhat smaller. Give them time to download.  If you have problems, please contact us. We could send them to you on a CD, too.

More New Children’s Midwest Connections Picks for Fall!

October 4, 2009

 A gorgeous picture book, LongestNight9780823420544
a highly-anticipated teen novel,
and a fascinating history of pioneer life
join our roster of children’s Midwest Connections Picks for this fall.

THE LONGEST NIGHT
Marion Dane Bauer
illustrated by Ted Lewin
Holiday HouseFront and Center

FRONT AND CENTER
Catherine Gilbert Murdock
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

PIONEER GIRLWarren
A True Story of Growing Up
on the Prairie
Andrea Warren
University of Nebraska Press

Click on the links for all the details about these books, then buy them from your favorite locally owned and operated Midwest independent bookseller!
Click here for the directory of our member bookstores.

Read These Midwest Connections Picks for October!

October 4, 2009

HeavenToBetsy pb cWe recommend these new Midwest Connections Picks for October — entertaining fiction, an affecting memoir, and a thought-provoking study of our Midwestern small towns.BetsyWasJunior pb cBetsyGreatWorld pb c

HEAVEN TO BETSY /
BETSY IN SPITE OF HERSELF
Maud Hart Lovelace
Introduction by Laura Lippman
Harper Perennial Modern Classics

BETSY WAS A JUNIOR /
BETSY AND JOE

Maud Hart Lovelace

Introduction by Meg Cabot
Harper Perennial Modern Classics

BETSY AND THE GREAT WORLD /
BETSY’S WEDDING
Maud Hart Lovelace
Introduction by Anna QuindlenStray Affections
Harper Perennial Modern Classics 

STRAY AFFECTIONSljcover9781888160437
Charlene Ann Baumbich
Waterbrook Press

THE SKY BEGINS AT YOUR FEET
Caryn Mirriam-Goldberg
Ice Cube PressCARR-HollowingOuttheMiddle

HOLLOWING OUT THE MIDDLE:
The Rural Brain Drain and
What It Means for America
Patrick J. Carr and Maria J.  Kefalas
Beacon Press

Click on the links for all the details about these books, then buy them from your favorite locally owned and operated Midwest independent bookseller!
Click here for the directory of our member bookstores.

Fall Midwest Connections Picks

September 12, 2009

Kooser-LightsDarknessRead these terrific new books for Fall!

Our Fall 2009 Midwest Connections Picks which launch in September are –OurBoys.pend

LIGHTS ON A GROUND OF DARKNESS
by Ted Kooser
Bison Books / University of Nebraska Pressseasons-on-henrys-farm-cover-image

OUR BOYS
A Perfect Season on the Plains
with the Smith Center Redmen
by Joe Drape
Times Books

THE SEASONS ON HENRY’S FARM
A Year of Food and Life
on an Organic Farm
by Terra BrockmanTwisted Tree
Surrey Books / Agate Publishing

TWISTED TREE
A Novel

by Kent Meyers
Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Click on the links for all the details about these books, then buy them from your favorite locally owned and operated Midwest independent bookseller!
Click here for the directory of our member bookstores.

Fall Midwest Connections Picks for Kids!

September 12, 2009

These colorful new picture books for Fallotis
are our latest Midwest Connections Picks
for children —

OTISMooseOnLoose9781585364275
by Loren Long
Philomel Books

MOOSE ON THE LOOSE
by Kathy-jo Wargin
illustrated by John Bendall-Brunello
Corn9780823421695-reduced
Sleeping Bear Press

CORN
by Gail Gibbons
Holiday House

Click on the links for all the details about these books, then buy them from your favorite locally owned and operated Midwest independent bookseller!
Click here for the directory of our member bookstores.

__________________________

Plus, shiver-final-cover-204x300don’t miss this bestselling
Midwest Connections Pick for young adult readers!

SHIVER
by Maggie Stiefvater
Scholastic Press

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