This summer, Red Balloon Bookshop is challenging readers to
Read Without Walls
! Pick up a
summer reading bingo card
and complete reading and activity challenges to fill in the squares. These challenges invite you to explore books outside your usual areas of interest and to party at your favorite local bookstore! As you start collecting bingos, you'll earn your way to
prizes
from Red Balloon and other Grand Avenue businesses. Blackout all the squares on your bingo card and return it to Red Balloon by
August 27
and you'll be invited to the
Super Secret End of Summer Party
!
more
- Download the bingo card here to share with your young readers!
NEW THIS YEAR
: two squares on the summer reading bingo card require you to come party at the bookstore. Check out our lists of
events
,
book clubs
, and
storytimes
to plan your fun!
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Saturday, June 9, 3:00 pm
BABYSITTING NIGHTMARES launch party with Kat Shepherd.
Details here
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Tuesday, June 12, 6:30 pm
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Wednesday, June 20, 10:30 am
NECK & NECK Giraffe Storytime with Elise Parsley.
Details here
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Thursday, June 21, 6:30 pm
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PICTURE BOOK
Bear's Scare
By Jacob Grant
Not since Charlotte has there been such a marvelous spider. I love this story about learning to accept the differences in others. Bear needs help and spider quietly comes to the rescue. Such a sweet, thoughtful book. Filled with the captivating illustrations of Jacob Grant.
— Julie (RBB Staff)
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MIDDLE GRADE
Evangeline of the Bayou
By Jan Eldredge
Evangeline is (hopefully) the next haunt huntress in a long line of them, being trained by her grandmother in the art of fighting banshees, grims, Acadian fang worms, and more. Her familiar hasn't shown up yet, but she's (mostly) sure it will soon, and then she'll be official. But when she and her grandmother are called into New Orleans for a new job, things start to get complicated...and scary. Evangeline isn't sure she can handle this job on her own, but she might have to, with or without her (still-absent) familiar. Exciting, a little spooky, and full of great characters.
— Lily (RBB Staff)
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YOUNG ADULT
By Lygia Day Penaflor
This is an addictive, fast-paced mystery about the fallout of a friendship between acclaimed YA author, Fatima Ro, and four teens. Soleil, Penny, and Miri are so stoked to meet their favorite author that they drag their new friend Jonah along, too. That night, Fatima befriends them, and the group grows close. But, what follows is a dark friendship filled with secrets, lies, and backstabbing. Their story unfolds through a carefully organized collection of video interviews, journal entries, flashbacks, and excerpts from Fatima's latest novel. With Fatima MIA, Jonah in a coma, and the three girls in all major news headlines, the reader must help sift through the ruins of their fateful friendship to find out what happened. You will not want to put this one down--great for fans of Sara Shepard and E. Lockhart.
— Kelsie (RBB Staff)
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ADULT
How Hard Can It Be?
By Allison Pearson
Kate Reddy is back in a new novel that is both hilarious and insightful. Readers first met Kate in
I Don't Know How She Does It
,
where she was learning to manage young children, a job, a marriage, and a personal life. Now Kate's children are teens, her husband is unavailable, her parents and in-laws are elderly, she needs to get back into the workforce, and she's about to turn 50. This is a great read that many women will be able to relate to, and when their lives seem overwhelming, they can turn to Kate for a bit of fun
.
— Susan (RBB Staff)
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Limited Edition Summer
Book Clubs!
If you’re anything like us, you’re planning on spending your summer
reading
, and this year we’re hoping you’ll do some of that with us! To add on to our regular book clubs, we’re starting
four book clubs
just for the summer, with titles picked out in advance. With groups for all ages, we’ll have a great time getting to talk about some of the books we love most!
Our summer book clubs are:
- Read Aloud Book Club
- Graphic Novel Book Club
- See You Tomorrow, Samurai Book Club
- LGBTQYA Book Club
Learn more about our summer book clubs including dates, times, and titles
here
.
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Get to Know a Bookseller in Three Questions! | Emily
1.
What do you do when you're not bookselling?
Teach first grade! I also enjoy reading (surprise, surprise), writing, drawing, traveling, and running. I have a half marathon coming up in just a few weeks! Eek!
2.
What book (or author's books) are you embarrassed that you haven't read yet?
Can I safely admit I never finished the Harry Potter series!?
3.
What was the name of your imaginary friend when you were growing up?
Alas, I never had an imaginary friend. But my *human* friend and I created secret, other-worldly identities and a whole new language. My name was Eskeetsa.
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Learn about more happenings at Red Balloon
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