The Red Thread by Ann Hood
Ann Hood, the bestselling author of The Knitting Circle, has written a beautiful and tender new novel showing the links between parents and their children. The protagonist, Maya Lange, runs the Red Thread Adoption Agency in Rhode Island, which is named according to the Chinese legend that every child is linked at birth with a red thread to all of the people who will ever be important to them. Destiny shortens the length of the red thread over time, until the child meets all of these people. Maya takes great joy in connecting families to their adoptive children, but wages her own personal fight against heartache. This remarkable novel by Ann Hood follows Maya and a group of families through the registration and long waiting process, and alternates with the stories behind the birth of each little girl in China, and her journey to the orphanage. It's delightful to watch the adoption process unfold from both angles, and see the role that destiny plays in connecting parents to the children they were meant to have in their families.
Emotionally moving and unique, The Red Thread is a must-read for adoptive families, and a rich addition to the bookshelf of all readers.
{Note - Where the Sidewalk Ends Bookstore is hosting an intimate author breakfast with Ann Hood at the Wayside Inn on May 19th at 8:30am. Tickets are $25 and available at the bookstore. }
The Lost Summer of Louisa May Alcott by Kelly O'Connor Mcnees
McNees creates an entire vibrant world out of one summer in the Alcott family. The fears for Lizzie's health, the unwillingness of Bronson to work for money, the struggles of Marmee to provide for her daughters, and the mores and etiquette surrounding Lousia and her sisters all leave readers feeling as if they know a vivid version of Louisa May Alcott before her fame, when writing for a living was still a risky dream of an emotional girl.
We Planted A Tree by Bob Staake
The perfect book for spring! Bob Staake, who lives in Massachusetts, catches the eye with his characteristic illustrations accompanying Diane Muldrow's beautiful text that follows trees over the world. As they are planted, the benefits they give back to people and the world are listed in varied repetitive phrases incorporated into the larger story. The images on a busy city block in France ( "Everywhere it was pink, And we were dizzy with springtime") will delight both children and adult readers as they look at the the detailed movement and actions of bike-riders, dog-walkers and crossing guards in the illustrations. Staake's unique style, which include New Yorker covers and a Best Magazine Cover award from Time , shines off the page. This author/illustrator pairing is one of the best I have seen, and this Golden Book will bring a lot of pleasure and inspiration to growing children.
We Planted a Tree inspired Where the Sidewalk Ends Bookstore to include a tree in our bookstore's new expansion construction project! Bob Staake will do a reading and signing on Saturday May 1st at 11am and Agway will demonstrate how to plant a tree as a part of our Children's Annex Grand Opening Celebration.
Special thanks to Caitlin Doggart, co-owner of Where The Sidewalk Ends Bookstore in Chatham, Massachusetts for sharing her reviews and perspectives.
Let us help promote your business with a story ABOUT YOU! For more information, visit our Advertising and Promotions page. To stay up to date on our latest stories and information around New England, visit our home page at www.allthingsnewengland.com, follow us on Twitter or become a fan on our Facebook page. Thanks for reading!
