The Borrowers by Mary Norton was among my most favorite books. The story of the Clock Family and their adventures living under the floorboards of a home in England fostered my imagination and entertained me for hours…and weeks! After I read that book I would spend hours and hours rummaging through my own home seeking found objects with which to re-create the home of the Clocks. I had an old cardboard box in my closet and I filled it with precious bits of this and that…my Grandma’s thimble, an old spool of thread, a cut up egg carton…the story of this family helped me find a bit of a refuge from my own world filled with annoying siblings and parents (I am the oldest of 6). A wonderful story that saved me from the boredom of every day life in the 1970′s in suburban NY.

–Teresa Minnaugh, Campus Account Executive

I currently love Where the Wild Things Are because of the hilarious noises my son makes when he tries to impersonate the wild things….

–Kreece, Co-Founder

I’m partial to Sendak’s In the Night Kitchen. I loved reading it to my kids because it’s such a great book for letting young imaginations run. Unfortunately, it hadn’t been written when I was a kid… too hard to etch those wonderfully detailed pictures into the stone tablets we used back then.

Kevin O’Neill, Manager, Customer Success Office

The Magic Grinder by Walt Disney. It has magic and a dragon, unlimited ice cream, and the bad guy loses.

–John Ujda, VP of Marketing

This book provides a great introduction to an object oriented classification scheme for data modeling.

–Aaron King, Business Analyst, Salesforce.com System Administrator

Ramona is a Beverly Cleary invention and is probably one of the best children characters out there. The way Cleary shows Ramona’s thoughts are clever and endearing. The character just warms your heart.

I related (even as an adult) to Ramona. The struggle she puts herself through to “grow up”…all so fondly familiar to me and if I had seen this book as a child, I would have eaten it alive.

Not sure how I missed it!

–Maura E. Varian, Director , Emerging Market Logistics

These days, I really enjoy reading The Highway Rat – A Tale of Stolen Snacks to my son, or anything by Julia Donaldson

Cheers,

–Andrew Parker (UK Acquisitions)

I was read this book along with my class mates, when we were in Primary School (Elementary School), by our teacher at story time. I thought it was a brilliant book.

It’s about a 4 week old baby that could talk better than an adult and the only other person who knew was his big sister Laura. She helps keep his secret and so they play together and bond with each other while their parents are clueless. Until George was happy to let the rest of the family know.

I think that it is just a fun read and use to love sitting quiet and still while getting read to at school.

–Lynn Winton, Cataloguer, Antique, Rare, and Collectible Books

For myself:
Fun with Dick and Jane – because it was reflective of the community I grew up in – very family oriented with values that mirrored how I was raised. To this day I have a stuffed animal named Tip, which was the name of one of the dogs in the stories.

–Andy Perlmutter, CEO

(image courtesy of Goodreads)

Nuttybub & Nittersing by May Gibbs, published in 1923.

I loved reading and being read to. Pretty much any book my dad read to me became a favorite. However, this one stood out in my mind and when I asked him what my favorite book was, this is the one he said without a prompt. “It’s the one you made me read over and over again with all the voices. These two little guys go into the Aussie bushe and meet all sorts of creatures. The bad guys were the Banksia men”. I remember it had lots of illustrations, too (one attached).
–Morgan Osbaldeston, Marketing Coordinator

Some of my favorites were books about Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan (I think because I wanted to know what my life would be like if I suddenly couldn’t see: my greatest fear); Ray Bradbury’s Something Wicked This Way Comes and October Country; All the Hardy Boys books (I was challenged: the back cover stated that these books were suitable for boys 9 – 14 years old, and I was EIGHT! and a GIRL! so HA!); my first literary crush was on Encyclopedia Brown; I was despondent when I ran out of his books, and had to move on to Agatha Christie. I was far too young to read Carrie, by Stephen King, but I did, and survived!

Other influences were Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time (where one might learn what a tesseract is), and Ursula LeGuin’s A Wizard of Earthsea (the power of Names).

I’m grateful to my parents who never stopped me (or caught me) from reading “challenging” material; they never pushed books on me, either. They just made it all available to me, and I think that’s the best thing that any parent can do.

Oops- too late- getting goofy.
–Tara Gilchrist, Connection Manager: People, Print, and Beyond

–Dominic Go, Operations Analyst

–Melinda Kindig, Project Coordinator

–Cindy Barnard

My favorite was The Giant Jam Sandwich by John Vernon Lord and Janet Burroway. I read it for the first time in my pediatrician’s office, and I quickly asked for a copy of my very own. I was fascinated by the possibility of the town being overrun with wasps . . . and a sandwich could save the day. It was also one of the first books I bought for my son!

–Ginger K. Patton-Schmitt, In-House Counsel

—Anthony DeCastro

Megan Meberg, Account Representative

Philip Kaufman, Retail Sales Associate

To be continued Friday!

Looking for a way to encourage your young library visitors to read this summer? Then look no further than the DOGObooks Summer Reading Program sponsored by Better World Books. DOGObooks.com, the largest website dedicated to kids’ reading and book reviews-by-and-for children, has built an online program that rewards both kids and schools for reading and reviewing books. The four month online program will launch at the start of Children’s Book Week on May 13th and run through mid-September.

With the help of its children’s book publisher partners, DOGObooks has assembled a catalog of 84 popular titles of books for grades 3-8. By reading and posting 3 reviews of 25 words or more on DOGObooks kids will receive their choice of a free book from a prize catalog made up of over 100 selected titles from the leaders in children’s publishing. Better World Books is also awarding a 20% coupon for reviewers plus a prize of 200 books each for the top ten schools with the most reviews.

A dedicated area on DOGObooks.com will host the Summer Reading and Review Program. A simple signup form with a dropdown menu of grammar and middle schools, plus write-ins, has been developed. Kids will be able to keep track of their progress and see which books are most popular as reviews and as prizes.

Publishers supporting the program this year are: Amazon Children’s Publishing, Chronicle Books, Disney Publishing, DK Publishing, Egmont, HarperCollins Children’s Books, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Little, Brown and Company Books for Young Readers, Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group, Papercutz, Penguin Young Readers Group and Random House Children’s Books.

For more information and a PDF to distribute to your young library visitors please visit www.dogobooks.com.

–Deanna Smith, Executive Assistant

As a kid I really enjoyed the simple story, the eccentric characters and the illustrations. When I grew up I liked it even more. It was a gratifying experience to read it again and being able to understand all the metaphors about life and love, while feeling like a kid again.

–Ricardo Gutierrez, Performance Optimization Specialist

1. I loved the color purple
2. I was fascinated by asset-backed, debt financing for real property

(Just kidding on #2.)
–Paul Sansone, CFO

I lived near a wildlife preserve with few children nearby, so imagination was important! I loved to draw too, but the most important lesson I learned from Harold and the Purple Crayon is life is what you make it!

Thanks!
Sandra Studer, Account Executive

Not sure why it’s my favorite but Captain Kangaroo used to read it on TV every year. I am sure there is a message I was supposed to get but it didn’t seem to stick.

–David Ebrite, National Account Executive

There… this is my favourite from my childhood. It fired my imagination!

And my favourite book to read my son when he was little was The Gruffalo.

I read it to him on a camp site one time, late at night when it was quiet and still. The next morning in the toilet block a guy came up to me and asked what I’d be reading later that night because he and his family enjoyed The Gruffalo so much the night before!! … We moved sites.

Scott Coning
Managing Director, Better World Books UK

We’ll be posting part 2 later this week. In the meantime, let us know in the comments what your favorite children’s book was when you were young!

Can we talk about your mom for a minute?

She’s a classy lady. She raised you right. And (Note: moderate guilt trip beyond this point) you haven’t gotten her anything for Mother’s Day yet!

Now, don’t panic. Fortunately for you, we planned for this.

Mother’s Day is tomorrow, May 12. No matter where you’re shopping, the shipping is going to cost a very figurative arm-and-leg combo in order to ship something to you on time. Unless you read on, reader!

Using the magic of Internet, we have devised a way to equip you with (a) the perfect present, which will (b) be ready for you to give your mom on Mother’s Day. Enter the Better World Books Gift Certificate, stage left.

Not only will it be in your inbox minutes after ordering, but it will be exactly the book Mom wants. No matter what increment you choose, she gets the next great read of her choosing. Nailed it.

In conclusion, nothing says “I love you, mom! Thanks for my existence, and stuff. In return for teaching me how to live, I wanted to give you the freedom of picking your Mother’s Day gift. You’re the best!” like a Better World Books Gift Certificate.

Have a happy Mother’s Day!

(Guest post by Lisa Avetisian, Manager of Development Operations at National Center for Family Literacy.)

Libraries definitely had a presence at the 22nd Annual National Conference on Family Literacy, which concluded on Tuesday, April 30, in Louisville, KY. Reflective of the National Center for Family Literacy‘s evolving work with libraries, several library representatives from across the country presented and attended training sessions, including NCFL-Better World Books Libraries and Families Award winners (from 2010 as well as 2012), applicants for the Libraries and Families Award, and NCFL’s potential library partners at local and state levels.

Attendees from libraries and state library departments hailed from Houston, TX; Columbus, OH; Providence, RI; Harford, CT; Frankfort, KY; Salinas, CA; Springfield, IL; Columbia, SC; and Shirley, NY. I had the good fortune of meeting with several library attendees for a few hours (amidst the 100+ conference sessions)!

We had a rich and vibrant discussion about the needs of libraries in their efforts to evolve and provide increasingly innovative and far-reaching family education programs. It was a great evening with dedicated and inspiring individuals who are continuously helping families learn together every day and are eager to do even more.

Better World Books was founded on a triple bottom line premise: people, planet, and profit. Sure, our core business is a form of reuse—finding new homes for old books. But did you know that we maintain detailed internal metrics on our sustainability impact?

Here are seven of our most salient stats, updated for April 2013:

1. Tons of carbon offsets: 37,591
   Did you know that when you check out at our website, we offer the ability to carbon balance your order? It’s typically only a few cents extra.
   
   
2. Tons kept out of landfill: 73,121
   The EPA says that approximately 2 billion pounds of books each year go to landfill. We never throw a book away—whether we can sell it online or not. Just imagine if everyone recognized the continuing value in the books they don’t need any more!
   
   
3. Trees saved: 1,722,423
   Many readers prefer a book that’s used, but not just because it’s cheaper than buying new. Buying used allows you enjoy the same story without creating new demand for mushing up more trees. A gently-loved book can be loved again!
   
   
4. Water saved: 917,300,399 gallons
   Water is conserved as a byproduct of reducing paper consumption and using more reused and recycled materials. For more information, see the Paper Calculator.
   
   
5. Cubic yards of landfill space not used: 236,833
   That 73,121 tons of landfill that we’ve helped to keep book-free translates into almost a quarter million yards of landfill volume. If you’re having trouble visualizing that, it’s about 1.38 Titanics’ worth of space.
   
   
6. Electricity Saved: 351,158,888 kWh
   Also calculated via the Paper Calculator. Less paper use and other ongoing practices help save on power usage as well. Not to mention the little things—like lights that automatically turn off when not in use at our facilities.And finally, the big one…
   
   
7. 99 million books reused or recycled.
   Look how close that one is to a nice, round number that takes it up another digit. Thanks to everyone who’s put a book into one of our drop boxes, all our library partners, our drop box hosts, and student book drivers, we will be crossing another milestone soon: our 100 millionth book reused or recycled. Not to mention every customer that found a new home for a used book.
   
   

One hundred million! That is a lot of books. So many books that we don’t even need to tell you how many Titanics it is. Be sure to keep an eye on our Facebook page and Twitter to see when we cross over. Could you be the buyer of the 100,000,000^th book we find a new home for?

Earlier this month, we posed a question to our Facebook community: “What does Earth Day mean to you?” Here are some of the responses they (you) came back with, in their (your) own words.

“Earth Day is a rallying call to bring awareness to the general public about the importance of conserving the planet for future generations.”
– Emily W.

“Reminds me that we are all stewards and we have a responsibility to preserve our Earth for generations to come.”
– Suellen D.

“I’m a very busy 22-year-old grad student who mentors an extremely diverse group of kindergarteners. Like others have said, we should treat every day like Earth Day. I take every chance I get to educate the little ones about animals, plants, and how all these beautiful things coalesce into the most fantastically complicated ecosystems. We live because of these systems and should do everything we can to preserve them. Even if we’ve made horrible decisions in the past, we can make every day an Earth day. It’s a bit of an overwhelming concept, to imagine yourself part of a greater whole, but if kindergarteners can get it… Well, I’m sure the older ones can, too.”
– Devon A.

“It means that everything on this planet deserves to be cherished.”
Lin W.

There are a bunch more, too. Come view the rest of the varying opinions and perspectives on the Facebook post. Thanks to everyone who responded and shared their thoughts with us.

And don’t forget to check out the Earth Day sale while it’s up! Happy Earth Day!

Drop Box photo contributed by Pixie Poe (@pixiepoe123).

As we continue to place book Drop Boxes around the country, we have come to realize the full potential of these marvelous constructions. 

Sure, they look nice.  Yes, they can hold approximately 800 books at a time.  And, of course, they attract well-read and environmentally-conscious consumers to every location that hosts one.  This is all common knowledge.  But they can be so much more!

So that’s why we are announcing our “Hire a Drop Box” program. You read that right—not rent. Hire.

Let us paint you a picture:

You’re heading to that company softball championship game. It’s the bottom of the ninth, and your star shortstop (let’s call her Christine From Quality Assurance) takes an injury. Nobody, and I mean nobody, can snag those line drives like Christine From Quality Assurance.

Or can they? Hire a Drop Box. Slap a glove and a hat on that thing. You may not have a star shortstop per se, but at least you won’t have to forfeit for not fielding enough players.

Did the headliner for that gig you’re organizing bail on you? Hire a Drop Box. Sure, they’re going to dip into their old material. Yes, their humor is a little dry. (They’re used to keeping books safe from the elements, after all.) We challenge you to find an inanimate object that saves books from landfill and has a better stage presence.

And just imagine the home uses. With our Drop Boxes being on call 24/7, you’ll never have to hire a babysitter again.

The opportunities are truly endless. Click here to see a few more images that showcase the wide variety of talent and applications of our Drop Boxes.

If you need to hire a Drop Box for any odd job, tweet us at @BWBooks and let us know! And for reasons that totally have no impact on this fantastic new service, be sure to include the hashtag #AprilFools!

(Guest post from Sandra Ahlhorn, Co-founder of Books Between Kids.)

 “These books are for us?”… “We get to keep these, for real?” Every time we bring our boxes of books, things like this are said to us by children filled with excitement and wonder at the possibilities inside them.

Independently, Amy and I each began holding gently used book drives at our children’s elementary schools several years ago. Both of us were taken aback at how many children in our city alone were likely to be without books in their homes. Studies link book ownership to an attitude that is more likely to see a child stay in school, partly because they THINK they are book owners, and partly because the presence of books allows them to practice their hard-earned reading skill. This can be hard to do in the summer months, when school is out and access to reading material is limited.

In our school drives, we collect books from our own home libraries, as well as those of other families in our schools – the titles our children simply were no longer reading as they got older. Most of these book are just sitting on shelves or in boxes, gathering dust, when they can be out in new hands, being read by new owners. Once gathered up, these “gently used” books are sorted and boxed up, then delivered to other schools in Houston where the children needed them – off to create libraries in other homes. The books are set up in the recipient schools much like a book fair. The children are assisted by their teachers in their selections and are encouraged to take 6 books home with them – for keeps.

While Amy and I had each started our book collections unbeknownst to the other, our paths quickly converged (pretty likely, as we are long-time friends). We found ourselves regularly sharing information about our strategies, motivations and goals. As our involvement grew, we came to realize that the need was so much greater than the schools we could get to on our own, and in late 2012, we decided to join forces and pursue a larger goal of making book ownership a reality for all children in the Houston area.

First things first, we said, and made lists and created an organized plan of steady growth. While we each got discouraged from time to time by the thought that we would never be able to meet the book needs of all the children, we reminded ourselves that any amount we increased our program by was more than we had done before. Nothing hacks away at the foundation of a great idea like poor planning, or growing too quickly, we were told over and over (and truth be told, we do believe that). So we made our lists, planning to increase our numbers of both drives and recipient schools by double the next year, and doubling that each year. We selected a name – Books Between Kids – and began the eye-crossing process of filing the paperwork to become a 501(c)3.

And then it happened. Amy spied the green bin belonging to Better World Books in a parking lot near her home. She found BWB on the internet, and intrigued by what she saw, decided to call them up and learn a little more. “Where do the books in your bins go?” she asked a BWB employee. One thing led to another, and “the plan” was cast to the side in favor of a new plan – a plan so big neither of us could talk about it properly for a few days. After reviewing our application, BWB offered us lots of books – not thousands like we were already accustomed to dealing with, but rather an 18 wheeler of books. We knew that an amount like this would allow us to reach so many elementary school students, more than we would ever possibly be able to do on our own. Even though it wasn’t on our plan – how could we say no? We shifted gears and turned our attention to finding temporary housing for the delivery, and enough volunteers for the sorting and boxing up of the books. We met with Houston Independent School District (HISD) staff about how to reach the children on such a large scale and they enthusiastically agreed to help us with the logistics of storage, distribution, and the organization of the book fairs at the schools that receive the books. It all came together so perfectly we were a bit dazed – it all seemed to good to be true!

A short time later, the books arrived and were unloaded into our borrowed warehouse space. Over the course of 3 days, more than 200 volunteers came and sorted through more than 70,000 books, organizing them into reading categories, counting them for inventory purposes and boxing them up for temporary storage while we get the recipient schools ready for their book fairs. Our volunteers ranged in age from 3 to 89, and truly, they taught us what a committed group of people is capable of pulling off. This donation from Better World Books, along with the books we have collected from school drives, will make it possible to provide over 12,000 children in the Houston area with 6 books of their own, just in time for the summer break.

While we are astounded, and a very proud of what has been accomplished in just a few short months, there is still so much more to be done. We are thrilled to be able to reach out to as many children as we will this year, and yet approximately 85% of the elementary school-aged children in HISD (over 90,000 children) live at income levels that indicate that they are in need of our help. We will spend the next few months focusing on the distribution of the books we have, and get that legal paperwork finished up! And, with our third founding board member, Janann, in place, we will begin to make our plans for next year. Maybe it was the exhaustion talking, but we did a little dreaming about next year when we were finishing up – WHAT IF we could double our number of books, and WHAT IF we could find a permanent home for our operations, and what would it take to make these dreams a reality. As this year has already exceeded any dreams or visions we had late last year, we are thinking we just might aim very high. The children aren’t the only ones excited by the books – we can’t help being filled with a sense of wonder and excitement from all of the possibilities those books hold in store for the children of Houston, and for us.

(Photos courtesy of Marisa Cigarroa Heymach,  Homespun Photography.  Connect with Books Between Kids on their Facebook page. )

Want to make a difference in your community?  Are you part of a nonprofit organization or a library that wants to have a local impact on literacy and education?  We may be able to fund it for you.

Every year, we award LEAP Grants (the Literacy and Education in Action Program) to nonprofits and libraries with an idea to have a lasting impact on communities where the need is high.

Past grant recipients include a specialized training program for 100 primary school teachers in rural Nepal, an early literacy skill development program in Guatemala, a Read and Return bookmobile in Michigan, a library and resource center in Bhutan, and an early literacy preschool kit and activity calendar in Ohio.

And those are just the 2012 winners!  You can view all past LEAP Grant recipients here: nonprofit winners, and library winners.

Applications are now open for this year’s LEAP Grants.  You can download them as follows:

• LEAP applications for Nonprofits
  Awarding $15,000 in grants with a maximum of $7,500.  We will pick one winner and our online community will vote on the second.
• LEAP applications for Libraries
  Awarding $30,000 in grants with a maximum of $15,000.  We will pick winners.

This being the third year of what may be the most important planetwide holiday, we thought a blog post explaining a little bit about the sale was in order, especially for those just discovering it. So we have literally thought of every single question you could possibly have. Don’t even try to have more questions, because that would be impossible.  

Does Shop From Work Week have a mascot, like Santa Claus or the Easter Bunny?
Yes. Although, much like St. Nick, the name and traditions vary from region to region. In America where the holiday began, we tell stories of Margaret from Accounts Receivable, who brings discounts to all good readers in a flying red Prius pulled by eight interns.

In Germany, it’s a jolly woodsman named Jörg who drives a Hugo, and so on. The regional specifics go on from there, but the mirthful spirit is the same.

What are the customs of this celebration?
This year, we are celebrating with a sale on orders of 4 or more used books in the Bargain Bin. You can find out more at the sale page. Shop From Work Week is a time of giving, and by giving we mean shopping for books for yourself.  (Thanks to Book for Book™, all purchases are giving someone something, too!)

Participants wear the customary regalia of the season: khaki slacks, loose ties, generally just business casual.  Here are some examples of the typical ensemble:

 Festive, right?

What is the history of Shop From Work Week?

Once upon a time, as we were sitting in one of the numerous skyscrapers we own, we were pondering how to provide the greatest user experience for used book shoppers. Looking through our website data, we noticed that our customers tend to buy during normal business hours.

What that means is that—generally speaking—you guys love to shop while you’re at work! So we thought collectively to ourselves: “We should embrace this. Nay… we should celebrate it.” Thus was born Shop From Work Week. It’s a celebration of productivity. After all, if you’re shopping while you’re at work, you’re technically getting twice as much done.

How long does it last?
Shop From Work Week lasts for 10 days. No one truly knows why—this tradition is lost in the mists of ancient tradition. (Ends Wednesday, February 20, 2013 at 4pm EST.)

But I can’t get the discount if I shop from home, right?
This is a myth! No matter where you are, you can celebrate Shop From Work Week, as long as you really believe in saving on used books with all your heart.

So for the third year in a row, we wish you and yours a merry Shop From Work Week!  May Margaret from Accounts Receivable bring you many discounts.

I usually don’t use these online things. But I’m just sitting here collecting dust, so I thought, “Why not?” I’m young, I’m in great condition, and it’s time to get back out there and find someone new.

I’m ready to turn a new page with my relationships. No longer content just being checked out at the library, I’m ready for something long-term.

But I’m not going home with any ol’ random stranger. I’ve got standards! I need a reader who will stay with me until The End. Someone thoughtful… someone who really gets me.  Could it be you?

Turn-offs:

• Long walks on the beach. Sand on my dust jacket? No thank you.
• Speed-readers. Let’s take it slow and really get to know one another. No need to rush into things.

Things I’m looking for:

• Never gets tired of gazing at me for hours on end.
• Ideal date is simply spending time together on a couch.
• I’m a sucker for someone who has a way with words!

 
So if this sounds like what you want out of a relationship, come find me at BetterWorldBooks.com. Looks aren’t everything, so don’t just judge me by my cover. Go ahead and read the what other people say about me in the reviews. If we hit it off, maybe I’ll give you my ISBN number.

Happy Valentine’s Day. Come find me on the Valentine’s Day book picks on the home page right now. Don’t keep a book waiting!
 

Sincerely,

Your Next Book 

Co-founder Kreece Fuchs at left, and CEO Andy Perlmutter at right.

They say it takes all kinds, and Better World Books is no exception.Our employees and leadership hail from many diverse educational persuasions—while our founders are Notre Dame graduates, our CEO is an Alabama fan.  You can probably imagine the atmosphere in recent days, in light of the national college football championships.  Tensions were high around our organization… and so were the stakes.

After losing a bet to CEO Andy Perlmutter that Notre Dame would win, Co-Founder  and VP of Logistics Kreece Fuchs was made to don the regalia of the Crimson Tide, and have his adventures documented on camera as he spent the day displaying his newfound enthusiasm for Alabama in and around the Notre Dame campus.

Thanks to our dedicated and hardworking staff following him around with cameras, you can relive these magical moments:

Brrrr! A visit to the book Drop Box at our Indiana warehouse.

There, there. Consolations from Deb and Maura.

Harsh.

An elephant never forgets how to drive a forklift.

Even got some work done on the floor for Mike Miller, Sr. VP of Operations.

Pfew! Photoshoots in spiritwear can be exhausting.

Did you make a New Year’s resolution this year? Maybe you decided to get more healthy and active? Or to contribute something to your wider community? Or just to meet new people? Whatever it is, the National Literacy Trust can help.

On Sunday 24 March we will be hosting the first ever Where’s Wally? fun run in Victoria Park, London.

(“Where’s Wally?” TM & © Classic Media Distribution Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Come walk, run, or jog 5K or 10K to help us give children a route out of poverty. You could help children like eight-year-old Mia. She lives on a tough estate and her parents are illiterate so there are no books at home or stories at bedtime. Thanks to the National Literacy Trust, Mia has become the first reader in her family. She has been to our storytelling events and chosen books to keep. As she gets older, this exposure to reading will have a direct impact on the skills she needs to get a job.

So come support the NLT as they work with 38,000 children like Mia… and make your New Year’s resolution count!

Register here to take part in the Where’s Wally? fun run in London on Sunday 24 March.

Learn more about the National Literacy Trust here.

Side note for confused Americans: “Where’s Wally?” is indeed the UK version of “Where’s Waldo?”

Have you ever considered what it would be like to grow up without any books? Our Twitter friend @melerycelery made this short video contemplating what it would be like.  Her conclusion: not awesome!  That’s why she’s supporting our longtime nonprofit literacy partner Books for Africa for the Project For Awesome fundraising project—and she needs your vote to help raise funds for them.

Click through to vote for her video to help BFA get funding from Project For Awesome!  (December 18th is the last day to vote.)  Thanks!

There is no other video clip in all of recorded history that so masterfully melds reading and cyborg intelligence as this clip from 1986’s Short Circuit. Johnny 5 speaks for all book lovers when he says (wait for it)….

Disclaimer: After writing this blog post about Black Friday, our pesky fact checkers insisted on adding some unnecessary commentary to the write-up. In this writer’s opinion, the piece was fine, but they were using very loud voices during the conversation. I suggest skipping their note at the end of the post altogether.

As this week winds to a close, a lot of people are going to be donning their cold weather gear and pressing their noses against the glass at their megastore of choice until the employees let them inside for discounts on TVs that are marginally bigger than last year’s model. In other words, it’s Black Friday time!

The origins of Black Friday are shrouded in mystery*, much like a supervillain might shroud him- or herself in a dark, intimidating cape. So we thought it might be interesting to shed some light on the true history of Black Friday! We can’t, because we don’t know what it is, but here are some possibilities that are almost as true, if you think about it.

1. Black Friday occurs on the day after Thanksgiving. Turkeys are brown though, so there seems to be an obvious connection with Pilgrim’s hats, which are black.**
2. The very word “Friday” comes from ‘Fry’ day, which is a culinary term for cooking something in an awesome manner. However, if one cooks a food item for too long, it is blackened. BOOM. Black Friday.***
3. Pirates.****
4. It was coined by the band AC/DC to celebrate the release (and in successive years, the anniversaries) of their album “Back in Black” in 1980.*****
5. Early Americans invented the acronym B.L.A.C.K. (Britain Loves A Crown-wearing King) as a mnemonic device to remember why they had moved to this new land in the first place and get them through the long winters that eventually culminated in the first Thanksgiving. See? Pilgrims again. Q.E.D.******

We’ve all learned a lot today*******, and you can help us celebrate this no-longer-mysterious holiday at our Black Friday sale, which runs through the weekend. Every used book that ships from us is on sale. T.G.I.B.F.!

Special note on this article by our Fact Checkers:
* A short trip to Wikipedia suggests otherwise.
** Evidence suggests nothing of the sort.
*** This is plainly wrong.
**** This is baffling, but since so little is provided, this is not technically wrong yet.
***** While the suggestion that the aforementioned band invented this holiday is incorrect, the album in question did in fact come out in 1980, so this is only 99% wrong.
****** The Early Americans did not do that; no record of this acronym exists; additionally, that is not how you use a “Q.E.D.”
******* If you say so.

Or, in normal people terms, Better World Books goes to the Atlanta Community Food Bank for some barrel-cleaning before Thanksgiving food drives.

The Atlanta Community Food Bank is a huge, impressive organization that provides food to hundreds of food pantries in the metro-Atlanta area. In any given month, the ACFB can help put up to four million pounds of food into the hands of those who need it.

Recently, our campus team put together a food drive in our office complex benefitting the Atlanta Community Food Bank. But simply collecting food wasn’t enough to satisfy these go-getters, oh no. They actually called over to ACFB to ask about any other needs they may have.

Since we at BWB have a lot of experience sending out containers to collect donated goods and ship them back to a warehouse it just made sense that we would help clean and prepare the donation barrels that ACFB distributes around the community for local food drives. So last week 10 of us headed over to their main warehouse and spent a day getting barrels cleaned up for their busiest time of the year.

We ended up getting a couple truckloads worth of barrels cleaned, stickered and ready to go out the door. So if you’re around the community and see one of these, drop in a few cans on non-perishable goods and help make someone’s holidays a little happier.

Are you the type of person that doesn’t so much watch up the news as hit refresh on it?  If so, you’ve probably been one busy bee recently.  While you probably have more than enough news sites, blogs, and other opinion pieces to keep up (or catch up) with, don’t forget that the turbulent world of politics and current events lives on in book form!

But where to start?  How about the top selling books from our Political and Current Events category on BetterWorldBooks.com?

1. America: A Patriotic Primer by Lynne Cheney
2. What It Takes: The Way to the White House by Richard Ben Cramer
3. Leviathan by Thomas Hobbes
4. Vote! by Eileen Christelow
5. Introduction to Global Politics
6. The Rise and Fall of the Soviet Empire by Brian Crozier
7. Tragedy & Hope: A History of the World in Our Time by Carroll Quigley
8. The Face of Battle by John Keegan
9. The Fateful Alliance: France, Russia, and the Coming of the First World War by George Frost Kennan
10. Managing the Public Sector by Grover Starling

1. The Legend of Sleepy Hollow (Courtesy of Tatiana P.)
2. The Little Stranger (Thanks to Maggle M.)
3. The Graveyard Book (Hat tip to Sarah S.)
4. Let the Right One In (“So much more disturbing than either film adaptation,” says Daniella B., and Jamie S. agrees.)
5. Coraline (Says Amanda B., but she also casts a second vote for The Graveyard Book.)
6. Goosebumps (Alexa L. recommends the entire series for kids… and for adults, It by Stephen King.)
7. Dreamcatcher (Sara R. claims it is the “only book that kept me awake at night after reading it.”)
8. The Halloween Tree (Suggested by Christie H. confidently and with an exclamation mark!)
9. Bunnicula (says Anna V. with a for-kids recommendation.)
10. I Am Legend (Jamie S. insists the book is much better than the movie.)

In October 2011:

1. To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
2. The Girl who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson
3. Boomerang: Travels in the New Third World by Michael Lewis
4. A Child Called “It”: One Child’s Courage to Survive by Dave Pelzer
5. Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J.K. Rowling
6. Oh, the Places You’ll Go! by Dr. Seuss
7. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
8. Tick Tock by James Patterson and Michael Ledwidge
9. Charlotte’s Web by E.B. White
10. The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest by Stieg Larsson

In October 2010:

I can’t believe it’s over. It seems like yesterday I was soaking up the Georgia sun after my first day as the Sigma Tau Delta intern for Better World Books. Now, six weeks later, I am packing up my memories and preparing to drive back to Williamsport, Pennsylvania where I’ll spend a few weeks relaxing before my last semester at Penn State Altoona. My first three weeks at Better World Books were a fantastic blur that you can read about here, on Sigma Tau Delta’s official blog.

The second half of my internship has gone by even faster than the first half. I worked on a survey for campus book drivers for the first two weeks of my internship and by week four, the results were ready to be analyzed. It was so satisfying to be able to see what valuable information came from a project in which I was deeply invested. My fourth week at Better World Books started off with a day-long strategic planning session. This meeting was one of the biggest learning opportunities I was given at Better World Books. The discussions that took place changed the scope of the rest of my internship and it was fascinating to see how quick to act everyone is at BWB. They waste no time when given the challenge of implementing careful, intelligent changes. Since that meeting, my time at Better World Books has been spent working on a book drive guide and a new job description, editing e-mail templates, contacting past and present book drivers, and writing a letter to the lucky person who gets to be the next intern. With every question I’ve posed (there have been many), I’ve gained a better understanding of what BWB does for literacy and the environment. With every project I’ve been assigned, I learned about the unique relationships Better World Books has with its partners. And with every conversation I’ve had with a BWB employee, I received valuable personal and professional insight.

Every room at BWB is named after a famous author. This is called the Shakespeare Room.

Some of my favorite memories from the office include calling other Sigma Tau Deltans to discuss their book drives, attending a presentation about Invisible Children, and a trip to the Books for Africa warehouse in Smyrna, Georgia. My chapter chose Books for Africa as our non-profit literacy partner last year! I can’t express how rewarding it was to get a chance to see where those funds have gone. When another BWB intern and I arrived at the warehouse, our tour guide welcomed us and let us know that many of the books that were in the warehouse that day came from BWB! We, among many other excited volunteers, sorted one book at a time into piles of books that will soon be shipped to Africa. Needless to say, seeing this other side of the literacy movement put a lot of things in perspective for me as my internship came to a close.

My time outside of work has been full of exploration. Each weekend I found myself in a new part of Georgia that has left me good memories of southern hospitality, Peachtree Street, and the Braves. I’ll never forget how fun it was to go tubing down the Chattahoochee River, climb Stone Mountain, and go horseback riding in Helen.

The Book Drop Box outside of the BWB office.

This internship blew my expectations out of the water. I hoped to gain some useful job experience in an ordinary office environment. Thankfully, Better World Books is no “ordinary office environment.” The people who work here are passionate about the company and it’s definitely contagious! Even though I was only here for a lightning-quick six weeks, they’ve made me feel like I, too, was an active contributor to BWB’s success. The brainpower that lights up the meetings I’ve been lucky enough to attend has made me excited to be the same kind of employee someday–one ripe with enthusiasm for the mission of my employer. I know I said it before, but I’ll say it again. Thanks, BWB!

I’ve been working for Better World Books for almost 4 years and I’ve been fortunate enough to grow with the organization in that time period. I’ve seen the business grow from a startup trying to change the world to a renowned social enterprise proving that businesses can do well and do good at the same time (and doing some of that world-changing stuff too).

These past two weeks, I was lucky enough to visit Vietnam and Cambodia with a group from Better World Books and a student book drive winner to see the impact our partner organizations are having on this very needy part of the world. I can truly and unequivocally say that this trip has changed my life. From visiting the Angkor Wat temples in Siem Reap (absolutely stunning in person) to haggling at the markets in Saigon and Phnom Penh, I can safely say that I have a series of experiences that I’m never going to forget.

While the tourist attractions were magnificent and unforgettable, the most impactful moments of the trip were definitely visiting Better World Books’ literacy partners Room to Read, PEPY and Friends International. Here in southeast Asia, literacy isn’t just an academic concept, it’s a real problem in a way that is difficult to comprehend from the comfort of an office job. The organizations here really are on the front lines, making the world a better place. Whether it’s in the form of a reading room in a rural school, providing scholarships, housing and transportation to girls who otherwise wouldn’t have access to education, or by providing vocational classes for homeless children, these organizations are making a difference in these communities and the world.

Spend a minute with these organizations and you realize quickly what a daunting task it truly is to ensure the success of their programs. Within that minute, you’re likely to hear about the history of two devastated countries with lost generations of teachers and educated professionals (Vietnam due to war, Cambodia to genocide) and you’ll hear about the difficulties in working with the government to make meaningful changes to the curriculum. But most importantly, you’ll see the excitement and genuine commitment from the kids and communities participating in the programs; how students will travel great distances to visit a library, how parents will give up their precious time (and money) to help their child receive an education that they didn’t. And you will realize how important this work is and how remarkable the people and organizations working for them truly are.

So here I am, sitting on a plane leaving a part of the world I never thought I’d visit thinking about that desk job and trying to reconcile all of the emotions I’m feeling. I feel incredibly fortunate to have had this opportunity, proud to see the impact we can make in the world and sad that the trip has come to an end. Most of all though, I’m inspired to continue to be the best I can be at my job in order to better support these organizations and communities change lives around the world.

Not bad for a desk job, huh?

Tammie Nelson is our Controller and leads the Accounting team at Better World Books and is currently on our 2012 Literacy Trip.  She sent in this update after a visit with our nonprofit literacy partner Room to Read.  Over the next week or two we’ll be posting more updates from the trip.

Working at BWB, I thought that I understood the importance of promoting literacy. This year, I am honored to be visiting our literacy partners in Vietnam and Cambodia. One day into the trip and I know it is a serious reality check for me. I was so fortunate to be raised by parents that placed a high value on education. There was never any doubt in my mind about going to college. My dad knew where I was going (Penn State) and what I would be studying (Accounting) when I was a young child. I’m glad he was right.

July 4th was our first meeting with our literacy partner, Room to Read. At the RtR offices in Ho Chi Minh City, we met with the Communications Officer and the Vietnam Program Directors. These ladies have such passion for their work. When we asked why they do what they do, one said that after 35 years of working, she finally feels like she is making a difference. Funny, I feel the same way about my work at BWB. Although I am the Controller and am doing the same type of work I have done for many years, it seems different now. Another’s eyes welled up with tears and she was choked up as she talked about her girls.

The Girls Education Program works with girls at schools in poor districts. This program has evolved from hand selecting a limited number of students to working directly with classes of students in the schools instead. So many children leave school after the primary years because they need to work and help support the family. School means tuition, uniforms, transportation, and time. These require money and time that the family cannot spare. RtR helps with these issues. Students in this program require the help of the whole community. When a student enters the program, it is a commitment from their family and community for change. The students, the schools and the parents must recommit every year that they will allow time to study. I was surprised to learn that the student and the parents have a contract with RtR showing that they are committed to change.

It’s only day one and I already know that I will never forget what I am seeing and learning in Southeast Asia.

For the last seven years I have worked as a Rare Book Specialist in the ARC (Antiquarian, Rare and Collectible) Department of Better World Books.  In those years, I have personally touched over a million books. The vast majority of these tomes have values so fleeting that most are worth less than the paper they’re printed on.  Of course, when you spend every day swimming in a sea of books, sooner or later you’re bound to find a buried treasure or two.

Through my scouting, I have developed an affinity for a certain type of book.  My favorites are the ones that are entirely devoid of any of trappings that overtly advertise themselves as being special or valuable; i.e. leather, gilt, hand-laid paper, high-point titles.  For example, I would receive very little satisfaction from handling a Gutenberg Bible: its value and importance are already known to me and just about everyone else, leaving little to be discovered.  I much prefer working with books whose value and importance are much more demure and unassuming, only revealing themselves to the depth of my curiosity. They lack personality upon first glance.  If personified, they might be described as dry and slightly abrasive, a bit like an old professor.  One title that illustrates this point particularly well is the Theory and Techniques for Design of Electronic Digital Computers, Volumes II and III, which comprises one half of The Moore School Lectures.

Discovering parts II and III of the exceedingly rare Moore School Lectures was no easy feat.  They were part of a much larger acquisition from another prominent bookseller’s inventory.  As “unsaleables”, every book in this lot carried with it the dubious distinction of being a bookseller’s castoff; not “worth” anything.

Additionally, the literature  of Early Computing is not (yet!) exactly the sexiest genre being collected; it was one I knew very little about.  Von Neumann, Shannon and Turing were not yet on the radar.  The original Moore School Lectures were printed as mimeographs.  I was instantly drawn in by the plainness of their appearance.  I had never heard of Eckert and Mauchly, but images of the ENIAC resonated enough for my instincts to inform me that something very interesting was on hand.  A couple of google searches and a phone call to two specialist dealers confirmed these notes to be the literary genesis of the computer age. These books are still waiting for the right savvy buyer, and are listed for around $13K for the pair.

What is the most unassuming, yet valuable, book you’ve ever seen?

We’ve all, at one time or another, wondered what the world would be like from an animals’ perspective, and contemplated how wicked cool it would be if animals could talk. All right, maybe more so when we were children versus now, but there’s a reason Disney and Pixar films featuring animals draw in just as many adults as children (not including said children’s parents). Or is that just my friends and I? Anyone? *crickets chirping* All right, moving on.

Anthropomorphizing animals is like the greatest thing ever, and shows up everywhere; films (Land Before Time, oh man does anyone remember those movies? The first one makes me cry. Every. Single. Time), television shows, comics, books. I’m particularly interested in books centered on them, especially when the animals are the stars, and not just side characters, a la the Cheshire Cat or the White Rabbit in Alice In Wonderland. There are many, many out there, so I’m going to count down my favorites. Let’s tap into that inner child and geek out a bit over our favorite animal heroes, shall we?

So come along with me!

The Wind and the Willows, by Kenneth Grahame

My adoration of this book started early. I had a large copy of it with gorgeous illustrations as a child, and the characters were so rich and distinctive. Badger reminded me of my grandfather; brisk yet kind, protective, a non-lover of nonsense. It always tickled me when Mole called Rat ‘Ratty,’ and Toad – well.

“There was a long, long pause. Toad looked desperately this way and that, while the other animals waited in grave silence. At last he spoke.

‘No!’ he said a little sullenly, but stoutly; ‘I’m not sorry. And it wasn’t folly at all! It was simply glorious!’

‘What?’ cried the Badger, greatly scandalized. ‘You backsliding animal, didn’t you tell me just now, in there-’

‘O, yes, yes, in there,’ said Toad impatiently. ‘I’d have said anything in there … I find that I’m not a bit sorry or repentant really, so it’s no earthly good saying I am now, is it?’”

Toad was a silly fool you just wanted to shake sense into, but you couldn’t help but laugh at his antics. He was lucky to have friends like Mole, Rat, and Badger to help save him from himself. It amazed and warmed me that they never gave up on him, never threw up their hands and tossed in the towel on Toad.

The Bunnicula series, by James and Deborah Howe

The Bunnicula books were my go-to reads during all of fourth grade. I loved Chester, Harold, and Howie, and the assortment of pets they met at Chateau Bow-Wow – or rather, the Howliday Inn. I wanted a snotty little cat that would read my books when I was gone, and a bunny with fangs (I could do without an excitable Dachshund, though). I did have a bunny for awhile that year, but Petrie wasn’t nearly as cool as Bunnicula, being the average sort of flop-eared rabbit and not a vampire.

The Redwall series, by Brian Jacques

Never read these books on an empty stomach. Nearly every novel, especially the ones that actually take place in Redwall Abbey, has three or four huge meals where every scrumptious thing on the table is described. Fruit tarts, applecream puddings, cakes, candied chestnuts, hazelnut bread, strawberry cordial – and now my stomach’s growling. I had a fine time deciphering the dialogue of the some of the animals with their strange dialects, like the moles. I mean:

‘Coom on, ole zurr, wakey oop, ee toald oi to wake ee if’n ee gurt cake was a burnen in ee h’oven!’

(Outcast of Redwall)

I’m not…what? I was thirteen, squinting at the pages, and I felt like the characters, who probably just shrugged, satisfied with getting the gist of whatever the mole was saying, and leaving it at that. Each book served to explore more and more of the animals’ world; I love how meticulously Brian Jacques interconnected the novels. The culture and history of the animals is just massive. And apparently badgers are just fierce magnificent beasts in whatever book or series they’re found in, because they’re pretty righteous in the Redwall series, too. My favorites, other than the one that started it all, naturally, are Mossflower (Tsarmina is such a cool, insane villain), Mattimeo, Marial of Redwall, and Pearls of Lutra. My favorite heroes are Mara (from Salamandastron), Martin, Matthias, and Mariel. I can’t think of many other series that made me root so hard for their main characters than this one.

Watership Down, by Richard Adams

I recently reread this one, and I took my time to absorb the sheer amount of depth Richard Adams gave his rabbits, and the research he put into it from rabbits’ natural behaviors. I’m still fascinated with their culture and dogma, the stories Dandelion would tell about their folk hero El-ahrairah and the rabbit god Frith. Watching Hazel transform into a true leader who could see the good and capabilities in all of his rabbits was a pleasure. I loved Bigwig’s dry sense of humor and his loyalty, and Blackberry’s outside of the box thinking. By far, my favorite character was Kehaar, the seagull; go on, read his dialogue out loud. Can’t keep a straight face, can you?

Winkie, by Clifford Chase

This book is so weird, y’all. Weird and sweet and charming and kind of sad. Winkie is like the bizarre grown up version of the Velveteen Rabbit, except that little bunny was never put on trial for terrorist attacks he wasn’t responsible for. What animates Winkie is a mystery, and the book is best enjoyed by taking the bizarre in stride, because his journey to clear his innocent name and become a free bear is worth a look see and quite emotional. I actually became upset for him at times, when I wasn’t laughing at the absurdity of it all. And that bear, man… oddest looking thing I’ve ever seen. I kind of want one.

Fantastic Mr. Fox, by Roald Dahl

It’s refreshing to me when foxes aren’t always portrayed as the conniving bad guys. Mr. Fox is conniving, sneaky, and quite an accomplished thief, but he’s also a caring husband and father, and you can’t help but root for him. The movie is also flat out amazing and hilarious, and I could watch it a dozen times and not get sick of those fantastic characters.

I apparently have a soft spot for talking rabbits. And badgers. What are your favorite animal heroes? Which have you loved from childhood, and which, if any, did you discover as an adult? Do you think there’s ever a time when reading about talking animals is too silly or juvenile, despite the universal messages that are often explored in novels like these? Or will you, like me, vehemently defend these books when people ask, or see the title and kind of smirk and say, aren’t you a little old for that?

Nope. Not at all. There’s always room on my bookshelves for vampire rabbits and sword wielding mice.

One of Better World Books Guiding Principles is ‘Invest Well. Waste Not – Choose wisely, consider the return on your efforts and the impact in your actions. Reuse, reuse, reuse…then reduce and recycle.’ It’s a great message and one that I believe in.

It’s coming up for Recycle Week 2012 (organised by WRAP under the Recycle Now brand) and I will be using the week to encourage the people around me to recycle more by letting them know the reasons why recycling is important. So here are 5 Good Reasons To Recycle:

1. Recycling Conserves Resources – if we use recyclable materials to make new products, then we don’t need to use raw materials and therefore protect natural habitats for the future. There might not always be the option to replace what we have thrown away!
2. Recycling Saves Energy – making products from raw materials uses energy for extracting, refining, transporting and processing. Less energy is used in the manufacturing process of making products using recycled materials.
3. Recycling Helps Protect the Environment – if more items are recycled then there is less need to extract, refine and process raw materials, a process which creates water and air pollution. Current UK recycling estimates more than 18 million tonnes of CO2 is saved every year simply from recycling.
4. Recycling Reduces Landfill – when we recycle, we send less to landfill, which means less materials buried under ground and less methane emissions from the decomposition process.
5. Recycling is Good for the Economy – the Scottish Government estimates that there is over £100 million worth of untapped resources in household waste alone. The UK Recycling Industry has a current annual turnover of £17 billion and letsrecycle.com has said that the waste sector could create 84,000 jobs by 2020.

So we now have 5 logical reasons why we should recycle but even with good reason people still don’t. According to WRAP, 90% of councils offer plastic bottle collection service for households, yet out of the 580,000 tonnes of plastic used in households every year, only 48% is recycled. So why don’t people recycle? Here are 5 Reasons Why People Don’t Recycle:

1. Inconvenience – Not everyone has kerbside collections which means they need to take their recyclables to their nearest recycling point.
2. Storage – If you don’t have a kerbside collection, you have to store your recyclables until you get the chance to take them to a recycling point and not everyone has the space for it.
3. It’s Confusing – Some plastics are recyclable and some aren’t, you can’t recycle plastic bags in a plastic bin but you can take them separately to the supermarket to get recycled. Some local authorities can take certain plastics but not all of them….
4. Misinformation – Some people don’t believe that they can make a difference to the environment by recycling their materials.
5. Don’t Care – some people simply don’t care and don’t think about our future generations and the legacy we are leaving them.

I’m not yet lucky enough to have a kerbside collection in my area, so I searched to see where my nearest recycling point was. I found that I have 5 recycling points within 1 mile of my house and that got me to thinking about everyone else who works at Better World Books in the UK warehouse and I found that 99% of employees (that do not have the recyclable kerbside collection) have a recycling point within 0.2miles (0.3km) of their house, around a 4 minute walk – that’s quite convenient. 100% of staff have a recycling point with 0.5 miles of their house.

Having them so close definitely helps with the storage issue too. If you don’t have space you could recycle every other day – a 4 minute walk to the recycling point, 2 minutes to recycle your items and then 4 minutes to walk home. It feels a little less convenient now and it does get you out into the fresh air for a little walk, it can’t be all bad.

In regards to the confusion over what can and cannot be recycled, I totally agree with that! It’s a minefield but if you realise the potential of recycling and you really care then you can find out easily what can and cannot be recycled. You can go and check on Recycle for Scotland website, Recycle for Wales or Recycle Now (for England and Northern Ireland) to check what can be recycled and where. In the meantime, here is something that not everyone knows: 100% of plastic bottles are recyclable, whether it a shampoo bottle, a bleach bottle, a juice bottle….the list goes on, they are all recyclable!

In regards to misinformation, the impact of 1 person recycling really does make a difference:

• Recycling 1 plastic bottle saves enough energy to a power a 60W light bulb for 6 hours.
• Recycling 1 aluminium can saves enough energy to power a television for 3 hours.
• Recycling 1 glass bottle saves enough energy to power a computer for 25 minutes.

So now we know why people don’t recycle, the logical reasons why we should and where we can find information about what can and can’t be recycled. I hope more people start to remove valuable resources out of their landfill bin. I will certainly keep encouraging as many people as I can to recycle as much as they can. Not only is it better for the planet, but in this current climate, the fact that recycling has the potential to create so many jobs, it basically means that by recycling more we are helping to improve our economy. For me the benefits definitely outweigh the cost to my time and convenience.

Crystal and Cindy are both fourth graders at Pleasant View Elementary, a small rural school located in southeast Kentucky.

The school meets many of the community’s challenges with a dedicated staff and innovative approaches to education. A third of the population in the rural town lives in poverty; eighty-eight percent of the children at the school are poor. The school struggles with low parent involvement in school activities; many parents seem intimidated when they do visit the school.

Crystal and Cindy also share tragic circumstances: both of their mothers died recently. Because of the project funded by Better World Books, they are learning together after school. They also are forming a powerful bond and helping each other overcome a very difficult loss.

The girls are participating in a unique after-school reading and learning project featuring the age-old art of quilt making that is inspired by Wonderopolis®, an award-winning daily learning website launched in October 2010 by the National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL). The quilt is one of the program’s offline activities taking place during reading nights at the school, and closely connected to the students’ exploration and learning through Wonderopolis; the quilt-making activity offered many teaching opportunities, particularly as explored in Wonder of the Day #124, How Do Quilts Tell Stories?
Pleasant View is one of the LEAP Wonderopolis mini-grant winners supported by Better World Books and managed by NCFL.

Cindy has a bold, energetic personality. Crystal is timid and keeps to herself. They are a great match despite their differences. As their group explored Wonderopolis and worked on the quilt, Cindy continually tried to nurture Crystal—who initially resisted.  Overall, the children participating in the project enjoyed talking about the various things as they worked, sprinkled with a lot of laughter.

Gradually, these conversations evolved into more personal insights. Unexpectedly Cindy announced her mom had died two years ago and offered details about the experience. She and her two brothers are now living with their elderly grandmother. Crystal eventually shared that her mom had died, too, and she and two sisters were now living with their grandmother.

The girls’ participation in the after school program encouraged them to interact and discover commonalities, which led to a special friendship that has carried over into the school day. The strength of that relationship was and is being built while learning together and experiencing the quilting bee.

Like most of the students in the program, Crystal and Cindy do not have computers at home. So they spend a portion of their free time in the program searching Wonderopolis for other projects to take on.

“I know Wonderopolis really good and I can show other kids how to use it,” Cindy said.

Marie Carr, the program’s leader and the school’s reading resource teacher, is using this opportunity to entice and draw ideas from other school staff on how they could systematically use Wonderopolis, “a great resource and secret treasure waiting to be discovered, especially by educators!” The project has revealed to Marie the power of these types of programs. “I am sure many other children are in similar circumstances and could benefit from other students—given the opportunity to learn and share together.”

And there will likely be more projects like this one at Pleasant View Elementary. Because the kids participating in the project asked to learn how to make clothes, the school has applied for five sewing machines to be purchased for more afterschool events.

“The impact that programs like this can have is limitless, and I see it leading to more learning programs at our school. We are excited that all of this happened here at Pleasant View and through a funded opportunity from Better World Books!”

There are countless more children like Cindy and Crystal who are longing to learn in a more engaging way. Each time you buy or donate a book with Better World Books, we are able to help these kids develop a love of learning. You can learn more about our worldwide literacy impact here. Thank you!

Old books don’t have to be rare, scarce, or pricey to be evocative and meaningful. They just need to connect you with an idea or a feeling that’s important to you.

For example: the other day, while sorting through a box of books, I came across this:

That’s the impression we were given. The story we were told. And look at the cover of this book: tell me it doesn’t feel like Armageddon all over again. Prepare now, all ye foolish Americans, or face your doom! The title page offers no mitigation for this apprehension:

Mr. Frank Donovan of the Beard and Pipe Brigade (author):

Even so, this cover feels like a pyramid; rather like something the Aztecs would build to offer a blood sacrifice. As for the back cover, well, don’t you hear strains of the Dr. Demento ditty, “They’re coming to take me away HAHA / They’re coming to take me away HOHO HEHE HAHA.”

I didn’t make it. I didn’t convert to the metric system. I think only doctors and drug dealers actually made that transition. We should have just “done it”- made pounds, gallons, and miles obsolete in one swoop- no converting- a “new normal.” If that had happened when I was in the 4th grade, I’m pretty sure I’d know the metric system by now. Why do we desperately clutch to our old ways of measurement? Even Thomas Jefferson, as Secretary of State charged with devising a national standard of weights & measures, couldn’t get this done.

These two old books aren’t worth serious money. But they sparked discussion in our section for a week; made me panicky (and remember the fourth grade); had us talking about how Americans think about themselves & their place in the world; wonder what would be different today if we had successfully converted to the metric system; made me laugh over the disastrous cover designs; inspired a blog post… they’re worth something to me.

My point is: you don’t need deep pockets to collect books. Find your passion (or your fear), your interests, and just… begin.

What are you collecting right now?

10. Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House series

9. The Sherlock Holmes series by Arthur Conan Doyle

8. The Hunger Games trilogy by Suzanne Collins

7. Stephen King’s The Dark Tower series

6. The Tomorrow series by John Marsden

5. L. M. Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables series

4. Lord of the Rings trilogy by J. R. R. Tolkien

3. The Chronicles of Narnia series by C. S. Lewis

2. Diana Gabaldon’s Outlander Series

1. Harry Potter series by J. K. Rowling

Did your favorite series make this list? What is it and why do you love it? Is there one specific book in the series you like the most?

Ever since he “reluctantly agreed” to accompany his father on a luxury bird-watching cruise almost a decade ago, Race Across America cycling legend Lon Haldeman has been fascinated by the people, culture and landscapes of Peru.

Each year he leads small groups of cyclists, travelers and volunteers into remote regions of the country to deliver schoolbooks, feed orphans, buy supplies for a girl’s home, sponsor bike races and even coach young cycling hopefuls for the upcoming Olympics.

With donations he’s built two schools near the town of Iquitos – the 600-student Jack Wolff School, and the more rustic Joseph Pulley school, whose 30 students walk for up to an hour each day to attend class.

A highlight of the expedition is a 3-day passage to Iquitos by banana boat through the Amazon river system, jumping off at various points to surprise and delight small, isolated schools with books and writing supplies – all purchased with donations.

Finally, the Puerto Ocopa orphanage he stumbled upon in 2004 is now a regular destination, where donations feed and clothe 40 orphans.

You can join Lon and his tour company, PACTour to cycle, sightsee, help the kids .. all of the above!

*Note* The above guest post is from our friend, Lynette Chiang. Lynette Chiang is an award-winning copywriter, New York Times-reviewed author, filmmaker and world bicycle traveler. This content does not necessarily reflect the views of Better World Books (as our lawyers make sure we say). We love having guest bloggers and invite you to email 11@betterworldbooks.com if you are interested in covering a book or topic on the BWB Blog. Thank you, Lynette, for sharing this inspiring cycling story with us!

If this story inspires you, as it does us, tell us what you’re inspired to do now… thanks!

Co-founder Xavier Helgesen on the Mother Nature Network

“Entrepreneurship is one of the most compelling and effective tools to change the world for the better,” says Xavier Helgesen. Read more here.

BWB Warehouse Staff Help Clean Town for Earth Day

“Employees from Better World Books came out to lend a hand and volunteer for INDOT’s Adopt a Highway Program, called Trash Bash.” Watch the coverage.

The Wall Street Journal “Best in…”

“Buy a book—and make a difference.” Click here for the full story.

“You don’t have to make a choice between making money or making a difference. Just follow the model of these rock stars of the new economy.”-Fast Company

Listed as one of six companies growing rapidly while doing good by Fast Company.

For an up to date list of all media coverage, visit our press page.

Have you spotted BWB in the news recently?

10. The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

9. Love You Forever by Robert M (a regular best-seller on Better World Books)

8. Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House on the Prairie

7. Harold and the Purple Crayon by Crockett Johnson

6. The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe by C. S. Lewis

5. Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

4. Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

3. The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams Bianco

2. Shel Silverstein’s The Giving Tree

1. Where the Wild Things Are by Maurice Sendak

We also want to give special tribute to the #1 book on this list by none other than Maurice Sendak who passed away earlier this week at age 83. What is your favorite of his stories?

Finally, not only is this week Children’s Book Week – it’s also Teacher Appreciation Week. We love teachers and hope to help them at every opportunity we can, even offering a special educator discount on our site. Please take a moment to thank the special teachers in your life. You can publicly praise them here on our Blog or even on our Facebook page. We also invite you to buy a gift we know will mean the world to them – a book from Better World Books. Not only will the teacher receive a heartwarming gift, but someone in need will get a book too.

25. To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

24. Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

23. A Lesson Before Dying by Ernest J. Gaines

22. Mockingjay (The Hunger Games Trilogy – Book III) by Suzanne Collins

21. A Child Called “It” by Dave Pelzer

20. The Etiquette Edge: The Unspoken Rules for Business Success by Beverly Y. Langford

19. The Help by Kathryn Stockett

18. Catching Fire (The Hunger Games Trilogy – Book II) by Suzanne Collins

17. The Cay by Theodore Taylor

16. Love You Forever by Robert Munsch

15. The Girl Who Played with Fire by Stieg Larsson

14. One for the Money (Stephanie Plum Series) by Janet Evanovich

13. 10th Anniversary (Women’s Murder Club) by James Patterson and Maxine Paetro

12. College Algebra by James Stewart, Lothar Redlin and Saleem Watson

11. The Case for Faith: A Journalist Investigates the Toughest Objections to Christianity by Lee Strobel

10. The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman

9. Fast Food Nation by James P. Dunlop

8. Evergreen: A Guide to Writing with Readings by Susan Fawcett

7. Fifty Shades of Grey (Fifty Shades of Grey Trilogy – Book I)by E. L. James

6. The Catcher in the Rye by J. D. Salinger

5. The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini

4. Intermediate Algebra by Ron Larson

3. Game of Thrones (Boxed Set) by George R. R. Martin

2. Human Relations: Strategies for Success by Lowell Lamberton and Leslie Minot-Evans

1. The Hunger Games (The Hunger Games Trilogy – Book I) by Suzanne Collins

Read any of these lately? What did you think?

Over the years, books have given me insight into the realities of the world.  Take true crime stories for instance.  Reading true-to-life criminal biographies is so very fascinating because evil is so far-fetched to me.  I mean, how can someone cut up a person’s body, store the pieces in the freezer, and then cook and eat them?  This absolutely captivates my curiosity, as my mind struggles to make sense of it.  Reading these stories has helped deepen the compassion in my heart for sick, wounded, and lost souls.  It helps me to understand there is a tangible evil in this world!  I have a heart for motivating, inspiring, and encouraging people; and by reading this genre of book it has helped me focus more on the hurts of others and to extend myself in trying to ease their pain.  Whether the person is a victim or the abuser, they both are in pain and in need of compassion.

Three True Crime Book Recommendations
The True Crime series by Time-Life Books
Fatal Vision by Joe McGinniss
The Milwaukee Massacre by Robert Dvorchak & Lisa Holewa

Another genre of book that I enjoy is motivational.  I am all about improving and growing personally, and being able to read how someone else has succeeded is so enlightening and inspiring.  This is exactly what I want to do in the lives of others; to inspire and encourage them to be the best they can be; to help them rise above their adversities.  And, it can be done.  All we have to do is open a book, and glean the pearls of wisdom from the experiences of others.

Three Motivational Book Recommendations
Talent is Never Enough by John C. Maxwell
Superself by Charles J. Givens
Awaken the Giant by Anthony Robbins

As Miss Plus America ELITE, it is my heart’s desire to share my heart, my life, my experiences in hopes of making a positive difference in this world!  Keep a watch out, a book just might be coming!

*Note* The above guest post is from Miss Plus America ELITE, Spruce Dickerson.  This content does not necessarily reflect the views of Better World Books (as our lawyers make sure we say). We love having guest bloggers and invite you to email 11@betterworldbooks.com if you are interested in covering a book or topic on the BWB Blog. Thank you, Spruce, and congrats on your honor!

What are your favorite book genres and why? Or what books do you like best in True Crime and/or Motivational? We invite you to share your thoughts by commenting below.

To learn more about how Better World Books began, check out the full story on our site here.

Here’s everything you need to know to enter and vote on the contest:

WHAT

How would your campus organization use $300? Let us know in 50 words or less what kind of service project you would use it for. (Anything from helping build a Habitat for Humanity house to shipping books to Africa. Sorry… massive house parties do not count as service projects.) Include a photo from your organization, too. The BWB Facebook community will vote on their favorite initiative!

WHY

Because it’s the 10 year anniversary of our first Book Drive. (We can’t believe it, either. They grow up so fast!)

WHEN

The submission phase lasts from May 1 through May 14. Then the voting phase will be May 15 through May 28. (That’s the part where you tell your friends and everyone you even sort of know to ‘like’ your submission.)

HOW

By clicking your mouse, really. Not bad for a $300 donation, huh?

WHERE

This Facebook page right here. Convenient!

Before you submit please be sure to read and agree to the terms & conditions as well.

Now – go forth college students and tell the world how you will use our $300 donation!

1. Serendipity: the faculty or phenomenon of finding valuable or agreeable things not sought for

2. Shenanigans: tricky or questionable practices or conduct; or high-spirited or mischievous activity

3. Love: strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties; or warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion; or unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another

4. Periwinkle: any of several trailing or woody evergreen herbs of the dogbane family; or  a light purplish blue

5. Ephemeral: lasting a very short time

6. Hope: to cherish a desire with anticipation; or to expect with confidence

7. Curmudgeon: a crusty, ill-tempered, and usually old man

8. Onomatopoeia: the naming of a thing or action by a vocal imitation of the sound associated with it; or the use of words whose sound suggests the sense

9. Behooves: to be necessary, proper, or advantageous for

10. Yes: an affirmative reply

Is your favorite word included on this list? What is it and why?

*NOTE* We love the SOCO Marketplace project because they believe what we do – that we can use the power of commerce to change lives. You can learn all about our social and environmental benefits here.

I’ve always loved the idea of buying something that helps a humanitarian effort. When someone says ‘cool sandals’ or ‘nice necklace,’ I love being able to reply with ‘oh, thanks, it’s this great company that helps supply clean water,’ or ‘women escaping human trafficking made it.’

As I began to search for more companies that had this business model (sell a product and meet a social need with the profits), I began to notice just how many were out there…tons. There was only one problem; it required a lot of searching to find them. I decided there needed to be a one stop shop featuring all these great companies to not only help get the word out about the work they are doing, but to enable shoppers to purchase their products more easily.

So that’s just what I began to do. Socomarketplace.com aims to be a place where shoppers can search, be inspired, and purchase products, knowing that their money is going to a good cause. I believe people want to use their money for good, and will, if the process is simple enough.

There are many great companies out there. To name a few; Raven and Lily is a company that sells Bath/Body products, Jewelry and Paper Goods to help marginalized women in India and Ethiopia. Nika Water sells cases of water to help clean water and education projects in multiple countries. International Princess Project sells clothing made by women that have escaped human trafficking.

SOCO Marketplace is searching for great companies with a passionate, socially conscious mission. If you know of any, send them our way! Visit our site and let us know the great companies you’ve found!

These days, in a world of instant gratification and simplified shopping, it’s wonderful to know that our purchases can help change lives…better yet, save lives.

*Note* The above guest post is from Jenny Long, Founder of SOCO Marketplace.  This content does not necessarily reflect the views of Better World Books (as our lawyers make sure we say). We love having guest bloggers and invite you to email 11@betterworldbooks.com if you are interested in covering a book or topic on the BWB Blog. Thank you, Jenny, we love your site and share a like-minded passion to help make purchases powerful to make a difference in our world!

What is your favorite socially conscious product to buy and why?