Sunday, December 31, 2017

Announcing the Picture Book Club! A special BOTM club from you, from us, to kids you love!

We've been wanting to offer this to you for a long time, and 2018 is finally time for the plans to come to life!

From My Shelf can now help you send a special picture book to children in your life, with three different package deals.

Each package includes a paperback storybook, cover price normally $7-9, plus first class shipping to a special kid whom you want to encourage to become a reading ninja! Send love and literacy around the block or across the miles with these great selections.

Quarterly package: One book shipped every three months = 4 books a year for $40. Most likely selections include: Snowflake Bentley [Martin]; The Tiny Seed [Carle]; Tractor Mac: You're a Winner! [Steers]; and The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night [Spier].

Alternating month package: One book shipped every other month = 6 books for $50. Most likely we will use the selections above, with any of the following as possible additions/substitutions: Blueberry Girl [Gaiman]; Apple-Picking Time [Slawson]; In November [Rylant]; The Legend of the Poinsettia [de Paola].

Monthly package: One book shipped every month = 12 books for $100. Possible selections include any from the smaller packages, plus these great books: Valentine Bears [Bunting/Wells]; A Tale for Easter [Tudor]; The Boy Who Didn't Believe in Spring [Clifton]; Canoe Days [Paulsen]; Pumpkin Soup [Cooper].

If we know enough in advance, we can substitute another one of our choices, if the child you're buying for already owns one of these books. We can work with you to tailor-fit some of these packages!

Payment by credit card can be made through the bookstore. You may also mail us a check. You can break the 6-month or 12-month packages into 2 smaller payments, if you like. Payment must be received by the 1st of a month for that month's book to ship by the 15th of the month.

Let's send these kids some great books!!! We can also include a personal note from you. :)

Friday, December 29, 2017

Thank You, James Patterson!


On Monday, Dec. 18, bestselling author James Patterson announced the names of more than 300 independent booksellers receiving grants totaling $350,000, up $100,000 over previous years, as part of his Holiday Bookstore Bonus Program.

Patterson has had many generous philanthropy programs supporting community literacy. During the past five years, he has offered grants to libraries, schools, independent bookstores, and individual booksellers.

Patterson partnered with the American Booksellers Association to distribute the funds, which were awarded to individual booksellers in amounts ranging from $750 to $1,250. The full list of the recipients is at BookWeb.org/bonus. Among them are Kris Dickinson and Kasey Cox Coolidge both of From My Shelf Books & Gifts at 7 East Avenue in Wellsboro.

The grant application asked one question: “Why does this bookseller deserve a holiday bonus?” Patterson personally selected winners from bookstores all across the country, and many of the recipients are from areas hard hit by natural disasters, including Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston, Copperfield’s in Napa, and various stores in Florida. Nominated booksellers were praised for their perseverance in the face of these hardships, as well as for their contagious enthusiasm, skilled hand-selling, innovation, and, most importantly, dedication to books and reading.

“I was thrilled to increase the donation amount of this year’s bonuses given the overwhelming response we’ve had to past campaigns,” said Patterson. “This holiday season, in particular, underscored how deserving these booksellers are — many of the recipients came from stores that dealt with major damage from hurricanes and wildfires, in addition to the challenges they faced in an ever-changing retail environment. These bonuses are my humble acknowledgment of their commitment to putting books into the hands of readers, and I hope these grants make a positive difference in their lives.”

American Booksellers Association CEO Oren Teicher said, “With this expansion of his Holiday Bookstore Bonus Program, James Patterson continues to demonstrate his extraordinary commitment to literacy and independent booksellers. In a year that has proved so challenging to many booksellers because of natural disasters, we are even more grateful. Thanks to his ongoing generosity, over twice as many independent booksellers who are working so hard to serve their communities by connecting authors and readers of all ages will receive well-earned bonuses.”

In 2016, Patterson donated $250,000 in holiday bonuses to 149 independent bookstore employees across the country; in 2015, he donated $250,000 in holiday bonuses to 87 bookstore employees. In 2014, he awarded $1 million in grants to 178 independent bookstores that were recognized for doing an outstanding job of fostering a love of reading in young children. Over the past decade, Patterson has given away over a million books to students and visited hundreds of schools to advocate for youth literacy."


Kris Dickinson (left) and Kasey Cox Coolidge hold a copy of the letter signed by James Patterson and Oren Teicher that each one received along with a check. "It's very clear that you have gone above-and-beyond in your work as a bookseller. We hope that this check will allow you to continue doing good work in your store and in your community," the letter reads

Saturday, December 23, 2017

Skye's Big Adventure



It was a cold winter day. Skye drew a smiley face on the frost coating the window. She drew two triangles for ears, and added lines for whiskers. Now it looked just like a kitty. Skye loved cats. When she grew up to be president, she'd make sure all the kitties and puppies had nice warm homes.

Skye smiled. Big, puffy flakes of snow were falling from the sky. Maybe Daddy would help her build a snowman when he got home, and then they could come inside and drink hot cocoa to get warm, and maybe have hot dogs for supper. Sky loved hot dogs.

Mommy called from the kitchen, "Skye, would you like to go outside, and help me build a snowman?"

"Mommy, can we make snow cat with a big, fluffy tail, and a pink nose?" asked Skye.

"Whatever will we make the snow cat's nose from?" asked Mommy.

"We can use the kitty's pink mouse toy. It's for a kitty to play with, and it'd make a nice soft nose for the snow cat," said Skye.
"Get your coat on, and your boots, and we'll build a snow cat and surprise your daddy when he comes home," said Mommy.

Skye rushed to get her winter jacket and her boots. Mommy helped her with her boots. She could do it by herself. She was a big girl now, but she had to pull really hard to get the left one on, and a little extra pull was helpful.

"Don't forget your hat, Skye. It's cold out," said Mommy.

"Can the snow cat have a hat? I don't want the snow cat to be cold," said Skye.

"We'll see, Skye. Let's build the snow cat, and make his fluffy tail, and little kitty ears, and put on his pink nose, before we worry about the hat. Put your hat on, and your gloves. We don't want your ears to freeze and fall off," said Mommy.

"Don't be silly, Mommy. If my ears fell off, I couldn't hear you, or the car when Daddy comes home," laughed Skye.

Mommy and Skye went out in the bright winter day. They grabbed handfuls of cold snow and packed them into little balls. They put the balls together into a pile, and slowly built a white snow cat with a fluffy tail, and triangle ears. Sky put the pink fluffy mouse in the middle of the snow cat's face right where a nose is suppose to go.

"The snow cat has a nose, but he doesn't have whiskers to twitch," said Skye.

"We could use some drinking straws to make whiskers, and when the wind blows, his whiskers would twitch, just like a real kitty," said Skye.

"That's a great idea," said Mommy. "You're such a smart, creative girl for thinking of that."

Skye and Mommy put whiskers on the snow cat, and Mommy used two blue marbles for eyes. "I usually used rocks when I was growing up," said Mommy, "but those were just snowmen, and not snow kitties. A snow kitty should have something special."

The winter sky had begun to darken, and an icy wind ruffled the hair that had escaped her hat. "Will Daddy be home soon?" asked Skye.
"He should be home any minute," said Mommy.

Just then, the headlights of Daddy's car came up the driveway, and Skye jumped for joy, "I can't wait to show Daddy the snowcat we built."

Daddy got out of his car, and Skye ran and threw her arms around him. "Daddy, come see the snowcat Mommy and I built!" yelled Skye.
"My big girl Skye, building snow cats. I only built snowman when I was your age," said Daddy. "That's a great snowcat, but won't his ears get cold and fall off?" asked Daddy as he pulled Skye's hat down over her ears.

"Oh no! We can't have snow cat's ears fall off," said Skye.

"I know what to do," said Daddy. Daddy pulled the hat off his head and put it on the snowcat's head, "Now snowcat's ears won't get cold and fall off, but mine might. Let's go inside and have some hot cocoa."

Skye gave a big jump and started running to the house. Mommy and Daddy came too, and they all went inside to get warm and have hot cocoa...


Wednesday, December 13, 2017

FROM MY SHELF BOOKS & GIFTS PRESS RELEASE


Carr Hardware is the winner of the 2017 Independent Small Business of the Year Award organized by Independent We Stand, the national small business movement. The announcement was made Wednesday, Dec. 13.

From My Shelf Books & Gifts at 7 East Avenue in Wellsboro is one of this year's top 25 semifinalists. "We made the top 25 in 2013,” said Kevin Coolidge, owner of the bookstore. "In 2015 and 2016 we made it to the top 25 and the top 10 and didn’t win," he said.


"My wife, Kasey and I are so appreciative for all of the people who helped us be in the top 25 by voting online. We might not have won the grand prize, but we didn't open From My Shelf to win prizes but because we love books," said Kevin. He opened the bookstore 11½ years ago in July 2006. Kasey has served as manager since then.


"Our customers have helped us get this far and that's a good feeling," Kevin said. "We are continuing to do what we do best…books, from maintaining a wide variety of genres to matching people to the right books and special ordering."

The Wellsboro store is open every day, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Saturday and 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Sunday.

The bookstore’s booth in Mansfield is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day.

For more information about From My Shelf Books & Gifts call 570-724-5793 or 570-662-1224.

Thursday, December 7, 2017

The Totally Ninja Raccoons Are Going For Number One



You may have already read that From My Shelf Books & Gifts has advanced to round two of the Indie Awards sponsored by independentwestand.org. Only twenty five businesses made the cut, and we couldn't have done it without your votes. Thank you so much!

The Totally Ninja Raccoons were nominated on their own, didn't make it to round two. The raccoons, however, are on the store's entry, and still consider themselves in the contest.

Voting to advance us to round three is happening now!. You can vote once a day per IP address, that means some of you can vote from home, from work, Or when you are drinking your latte in the coffee shop. Voting continues until December 11th. Then the top ten businesses will proceed to Round 3, where a panel of judges will choose the winner.

Your vote can make that happen for From My Shelf Books. You can go to our Facebook page where we will have a link pinned to the top to make voting easier. If you haven't already liked our Facebook page, please do. We have lots of great cartoons, word play, and geek culture.

If you don't do the Facebook thing, you can still vote by visiting www.IndieBizAward.com and entering From My Shelf Books & Gifts in Wellsboro Pennsylvania.

Thanks so much for helping us get this far.

The Staff at From My Shelf Books & Gifts, and the Totally Ninja Raccoons.


JUST CLICK ON THE RACCOONS TO BE TAKEN TO THE WEBSITE TO VOTE!

Friday, December 1, 2017

We Made the Top Twenty Five!!!



You may have already read that From My Shelf Books & Gifts has advanced to round two of the Indie Awards sponsored by independentwestand.org. Only twenty five businesses made the cut, and we couldn't have done it without your votes. Thank you so much!

Voting to advance us to round three is happening now!. You can vote once a day per IP address, that means some of you can vote from home, from work, Or when you are drinking your latte in the coffee shop. Voting continues until December 11th. Then the top ten businesses will proceed to Round 3, where a panel of judges will choose the winner.

Your vote can make that happen for From My Shelf Books. You can go to our Facebook page where we will have a link pinned to the top to make voting easier. If you haven't already liked our Facebook page, please do. We have lots of great cartoons, word play, and geek culture.

If you don't do the Facebook thing, you can still vote by visiting www.IndieBizAward.com and entering From My Shelf Books & Gifts in Wellsboro Pennsylvania.

Thanks so much for helping us get this far.

The Staff at From My Shelf Books & Gifts


CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO BE TAKEN TO THE WEBSITE TO VOTE
SKETCH BY BOB ECKSTEIN AUTHOR OF Footnotes from the World's Greatest Bookstores