Dear reader,

Meet Scooty Puff Jr. We’ve been together since 2013. I got a scooter for an eco-friendly form of transportation for trips to town and weekend jaunts. Also, scooters are FUN! These days, when I only need to make a quick pit stop at RJ Julia for a few books, and the weather is just right—not too cold and not too wet—I ride Scooty Puff Jr to work.

During my commute, I travel through the woods, a quaint downtown, and along the Connecticut shoreline complete with water views. The 15-minute drive clears my mind and delivers a jolt of excitement that revs me up for the day ahead.

Here is Scooty Puff Jr. with today’s book haul. This morning while doing my rounds at the bookstore, I grabbed Hamnet for Adam because in previous months we have been exploring his love for Sci-Fi and it was time to switch things up with a historical fiction that I hope transports him into the past rather than the future.  And I selected The Year of the Witching for Catherine because I think this feminist historical fantasy is a match for the strong woman I envision Catherine to be from her reading profile.

If you would like your book selection to get a little scoot around, take a moment to browse our website. Consider subscribing to a year’s worth of great reads hand-selected by yours truly. Think about gifting someone in your life with this custom subscription! It’s time to begin holiday shopping…check off a few names on your list by ordering gift subscriptions to Just the Right Book. We’ll mail you a gift certificate and you can be prepared months in advance. What’s not to love about that?

Let me know what’s on your mind,

Britt

Dear 9-year-old on a rainy day,

It is pouring and you are supposed to be outside playing but mother nature had a different idea today.  So here is what you do.

Step 1: Build a fort inside.

Step 2: Get in that fort.

Step 3: Read and be inspired by The Cardboard Kingdom and The Cardboard Kingdom #2: Roar of the Beast by Chad Sell. These kids have figured out the fort life and they are having the best adventures. You should too!

JTRB Staff Pick

Author Chuck Wendig has crammed all things horror into The Book of Accidents. There are demons, a creepy old house, a child with a special gift, a serial killer, a scary tunnel, an evil parent, haunted woods, an odd neighbor, blood, guts and bugs crawling from decaying animals. But despite the splashes of gore and twisty frights, this is a story about a family sticking together at any cost. A read-with-the-lights-on book for sure! —Britt

If you want to subscribe to JTRB and start with The Book of Accidents, just say so when you fill out our reader survey upon subscribing.

P.S. I take nachos seriously.  And really, shouldn’t we all?  I have made a pot of chili JUST so I can make a platter of nachos.  My office mate Sean, JTRB’s personal computer gremlin slayer, recently got a sneak peek at a party menu that included ‘personal nacho’.  Have you ever heard of a personal nacho?  A single cheese covered tortilla chip does not a nacho make.  The only acceptable nacho description I hope to get back from Sean is that he was served a stack of at least 4 triangular tortilla chips complete with several dips and toppings (Guacamole is a must).  I will report back, so stay tuned. #nachowatch2021