Book Sale Finds

The night before the big university book sale, I am like a young child the night before Christmas. I keep waking up to see what time it is and to make sure I don't oversleep. Visions of 60,000 books dance in my wee little head. What treasures will be there? What will I find? I get so excited, I make sure that I am there an hour and a half before the sale starts. That puts me at about number 40 in line. This is a big sale. You have to be in front with the dealers if you want to get the good stuff.

The sale was not exceptional but I did get some good finds. What did I get? I got a nice copy of 'Copper Toed Boots' by Marguerite DeAngeli, and a second copy of 'Richard Haliburton's Complete book of Marvels'. Both were $.50. I also got two Landmarks that I didn't have before, the one on St. Patrick and one about the French Foreign Legion. I did pick up a half dozen other Landmarks that I had, I couldn't pass them up at the price. I am planning my grandchildren's reading material.

I got three new 'shoe' books by Noel Streatfield. They are good family stories. I found 'West of Boston' by James Daugherty. It has a lot of poems and short stories that he wrote about America. He is more famous for his illustrating than he is for his writing, although both are good. I got a nice copy of ' 'Stories That never Grow Old' Edited by Walter Piper (think 'The Little Engine that Could'). Elizabeth and I have already really been enjoying reading it together. 'Bird Life in Wington' is a book of Christian parables that teach children good lessons through fun stories. I am always looking for science books that will draw a child in and I found a book called 'A Boy and a Motor' by Raymond E. Yates. He goes through the history of engines sharing about the different scientists and engineers that advanced the motor and explaining how motors work. It is written on a 4th or 5th grade level. I can't wait to have a T-Bob read it. Thomas really wanted me to get a copy of Ivanhoe, Illustrated by Milo Winter. I think it is cool that my 12 year old son really liked that story. I picked up a hardback copy of 'Jane of Lantern Hill', a story written by L. M. Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables author).

I really like poetry and Nursery Rhyme collections and I got a copy of 'Four and Twenty Black Birds, Old Nursery Rhymes' by Helen Dean Fish and Illustrated by Robert Lawson. It contains many of the longer nursery rhymes and songs, than the usual collections do. If you see books by Howard Pyle, they are a must grab. I found a nice copy of 'The Story of King Arthur and his Knights'. Both younger boys like to read his tales. Also in the nursery realm, I bought a beautiful copy of 'A Small Child's Book of Verse' by Pelagie Doane. This would be a wonderful book to have if you were doing Nature Journals with your children. The pictures are beautiful and the poems are mostly old ones that focus on animals and natures. I got a hard backed copy of 'A Visit to William Blake's Inn, Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers'. I had already owned two paper book copies, but I never pass on upgrading to a hardback when I can.

I did get a bunch of cool books for adults/high schoolers to read, but that will be a post for another day. I need to go put the books on the computer and then see where I might find shelf space for the new books. Remember, you never have too many books, just insufficient shelf space.
~mom