"May and the Poets"
There is May in books forever;
May will part from Spenser never;
May's in Milton, May's in Prior,
May's in Chaucer, Thomson, Dyer;
May's in all the Italian books:—
She has old and modern nooks,
Where she sleeps with nymphs and elves,
In happy places they call shelves,
And will rise and dress your rooms
With a drapery thick with blooms.
Come, ye rains, then if ye will,
May's at home, and with me still;
But come rather, thou, good weather,
And find us in the fields together.
—Leigh Hunt (1784-1859)

KIDS' Q&A: JEANNE DUPRAU
Jeanne DuPrau's City of Ember debuted in 2003, introducing readers to a world very different from our own, and yet eerily similar. The sequel, The People of Sparks, continued the harrowing adventures of Lina and Doon, the young protagonists. Now, in The Prophet of Yonwood, DuPrau takes us back to the beginning, to our very own world, and to the story of how Ember came to be. DuPrau herself is very much of this world, however, and here in our Q&A we learn more about her daily life and the books that have inspired her. Preorder The Prophet of Yonwood at 30% off, and while you're waiting, read the first two books in this thrilling, thought-provoking series.

KIDS' Q&A: PAUL JANECZKO
Paul Janeczko has been uniting children and poetry for years. He teaches poetry workshops in classrooms across the country, and has edited many poetry anthologies, including A Kick in the Head: An Everyday Guide to Poetry Forms, which any adult — as well as child — wanting a basic understanding of the difference between a villanelle and a sestina would enjoy. He also authors smashing poetry. His latest, Wing Nuts: Screwy Haiku, is a collaboration with J. Patrick Lewis. Learn more about Janeczko in our Q&A, then save 30% on Wing Nuts.

AUTHOR BIRTHDAYS INTERMISSION
Leo Lionni, May 5
Peter Sis, May 11

KIDS' Q&A: RICK RIORDAN
Rick Riordan's The Lightning Thief was the sleeper hit of the holiday season. Here at Powell's we met heaps of Hogwartoholics and uncountable Narniacs. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, everyone was asking for Percy Jackson and the Olympians. Readers already acquainted with the books know why: a modern twist on the Greek myths, the series is an irresistible combination of classical lore, high adventure, and hilarity. As both a middle school teacher and the author of adult mysteries, Riordan knows how to hook readers of all ages. Now, with the second installment, The Sea of Monsters, Riordan can expect a devoted following. Here in our Q&A he tells us what finally convinced him to write for kids, why cows are so smart, and so much more. Pick up The Sea of Monsters at 30% off, and prepare to meet your new favorite kids' author.

GET OUT OF THE HOUSE!
Sick of a long, cold winter trapped inside? These hand-selected titles will easily inspire you to get outside — and at 20-30% off the publisher's price, you should already have one foot out the door. Titles include such classics as Jules Verne's Around the World in 80 Days and My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George, along with useful how-to books like Run, Jump, Hide, Slide, Splash: The 200 Best Outdoor Games Ever and The Smithsonian Bird Watcher.

CELEBRATE CINCO DE MAYO
Do you know why the defeat of the French in Mexico on May 5, 1862, arguably helped bring the American Civil War to its conclusion? Do you know why the French were invading Mexico in the first place? Do you know how the smaller, less well-equiped Mexican army managed to win? If you don't know the answers to these questions, you definitely need to read these books, which fill in the color and character of this piece of history. And even if you do know the answer, they'll provide a grander backdrop of the culture of Mexico.

AUTHOR BIRTHDAY INTERMISSION
Kadir Nelson, May 15
Margret Rey, May 16

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY
May comes like a breath of blooming air and brings with it the celebration of the women who made all our lives possible: our moms. Mother, stepmother, grandmother, foster mother, Mother Superior, Mother Nature — whomever the mother figure — we salute her! Here are some of our favorite books about (and for) mothers.

NEW ARRIVALS
Some very popular authors have graced us with new releases recently. Starlight, Erin Hunter's fourth installment in Warriors: The New Prophecy Series, is finally here. If you haven't yet started Hunter's second wonderful series about an old, complicated society of cats, now is the time: the first installment, Midnight, is recently in paperback. If you prefer your protaganists to be human and living under New York City, you're in luck: Gregor and the Marks of Secret, the fourth book in the Underland Chronicles, by Suzanne Collins, has arrived. Meanwhile, the endlessly creative (and prolific) Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart give us Encyclopedia Prehistorica: Sharks and Other Sea Monsters. And finally, Cressida Cowell, the intrepid author who brought us How to Train Your Dragon and How to Be a Pirate is back with How to Speak Dragonese. These books won't be new forever; get 'em before someone else reads them first and then tells you the endings.

AUTHOR BIRTHDAY INTERMISSION
Lillian Hoban, May 18
Arnold Lobel, May 22

ALEXIS'S FAVORITE TWICE TOLD TALES
People have been retelling tales for... well, for as long as there have been people telling tales. Most of the classic tales we associate with the Brothers Grimm and Charles Perrault had been around for a long time before those scribes got to them, and there were many changes along the way, as Maria Tatar's fabulous Annotated Classic Fairy Tales explains. Writers continue to refashion them today. Here are just a few of my favorite retellings. No matter how many times I reread Jon Scieszka's The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales, I laugh out loud. Kate and the Beanstalk and Sleeping Bobby by Mary Pope Osborne put a girl-power spin on the originals. Little Red: A Fizzingly Good Yarn by Lynn Roberts has been one of my favorite picture books for some time (the illustrations are fantastic). For older readers, Francesca Lia Block's The Rose and the Beast: Fairy Tales Retold is a gothic feast of traditional lore. And finally, Dia Calhoun's The Phoenix Dance is an emotionally compelling young adult version of the Twelve Dancing Princesses. And they lived happily ever after, ever after, ever after...

KIDS' BESTSELLERS

1. Wringer by Jerry Spinelli (Newbery Award Winners) 2. Iqbal by Francesco D'Adamo (Middle Readers) 3. Oh, the Things You Can Do That Are Good for You! by Tish Rabe (Reference) 4. Daily Life in a Covered Wagon by Paul Erickson (Pacific Northwest) 5. All the Colors of the Earth by Sheila Hamanaka (Picture Books) 6. Black on White by Tana Hoban (Concepts) 7. White on Black by Tana Hoban (Concepts) 8. Making Books That Fly, Fold, Wrap, Hide, Pop Up, Twist, and Turn by Gwen Diehn (Crafts) 9. The Quiltmaker's Gift Box by Jeff Brumbeau (Stuff) 10. Growing Vegetable Soup by Lois Ehlert (Picture Books)