Dr. Frankenstein is a literary character who has enjoyed renewed popularity here at Woozles in recent months with the publication of Kenneth Oppel’s latest work, This Dark Endeavour.  In this book, Oppel creates a vivid, haunting and dramatic account of the young Victor Frankenstein whose childhhod inexorably leads to…well, the events for which he will now face criminal prosecution at King’s College!  This Dark Endeavour is perhaps the brightest gem in Oppel’s literary crown.  It is dark and intense and brooding.  And masterfully plotted.  He creates a rich, complex tale of brotherly love and of a dangerous love triangle.  The characters are so fully-realized, so truly human and believable in their motivations and desires, and none more so than young Victor.  He is almost dangerously bright, driven, passionate and yet plagued by crippling self-doubt and insecurity.  This story challenges the reader to see this young man through a different lens. It is impossible to read it and not feel a plethora of conflicting emotions towards and about him.

His defense lawyers would do well to read this book before next Thursday.  Come to think of it, so would the prosecutors!

On Thursday, December 1st between 5-10 pm:

- Woozles will be offering a $200 for 20% deal.  Spend at least $200 (before taxes) and receive 20% off your entire sale!

- Any customer making purchases on Thursday and Friday nights will have the opportunity to enter their name into a draw to win a BIG Playmobil item (pssst. It’s your choice of a Grande Mansion or Treasure Temple).

On Friday, December 2nd between 5-10 pm:

- Any purchase of Playmobil entitles purchaser to a free Playmobil gift*

- Any Calico Critters purchase over $50.00 entitles purchaser to a free Calico Critters Set*

- Double Cheaper By the Dozen Card points on all book purchases

We look forward to seeing you under the stars!

*while supplies last

High Dive by Tammar Stein $8.99

This is the story of Arden, a nineteen/twenty year old whose father died when she was a young teen, and whose mother is a nurse in the US army, deployed in Iraq. Arden is an army brat who has never lived in one place for very long. She has lived around the world, and is well travelled. Her family has a home in Sardinia that her Mum has decided will be sold. Arden has said that she will go there to close up the house and get it ready for the new owners. She is en route to Germany, and meets three college girls that become friends with her on the plane. They are headed for Paris for their first trip abroad (they are Texans), and Arden agrees to travel with them for a bit in Paris, to take her mind off her Mum and the dangerous situation she lives in.

Swim the Fly by Don Calame $11.00

This is the story of three fifteen year old friends, Matt, Sean, and Coop, who have been best friends since elementary school. Summer vacation has begun, and, according to tradition, the boys set themselves a goal for the summer. Over the years, they have biked fifteen miles to skinny dip in a lake, have collected one thousand golf balls from a nearby golf course, and each one has found a Playboy magazine for the others to look at. This year, for no particular reason, the goal is to see a real naked girl.

The three boys also swim on a local swim team, and this year there is a new team member: a very attractive girl named Kelly who is a champion backstroke swimmer. Matt is smitten with Kelly at first sight and dreams of being her boyfriend. When the team’s butterfly champion has an accident and cannot swim the 100 yard butterfly race, only Matt steps up to take his place – - all in an effort to impress Kelly, as he cannot swim the butterfly to save himself. What follows is a journey of self-discovery, of hanging out with your friends, learning what you like about yourself and others, and the freedom that comes from being yourself, and living by your principles – - things that you weren’t really sure that you had.  An entertaining read for boys, and for girls too, with some funny dialogue sure to appeal to young adult readers.

Mature Readers (ages 16+)

The Miles Between by Mary E. Pearson $9.99

Destiny Faraday, Des for short, is a 17 year old student at Hedgebrook boarding school. She has bounced from one boarding school to another since she was seven years old, hasn’t visited her family in that time, or been visited by them. She feels abandoned, left behind, and is afraid to make friends with anyone for fear of losing those connections too. She almost lives her life on the fringe of what goes on, observing everyone and everything rather than joining in. On October 19th, Des has had enough of lumps in her oatmeal, cancelled visits, and other letdowns in life. She seizes an opportunity that presents itself to jump in a car, its engine left running, and with three of her fellow students, heads off on a day trip that will change all of their lives forever.

A great read, where you feel and witness the emerging friendships between Des, and her three friends, Seth, Mira, and Aidan. You will be left wondering until the end what secrets Des is keeping.

My Name is Memory by Anne Brashares $17.50

Lucy and Daniel. Two souls connected through time. A love that survives through all time, that can be remembered through each life that they live. Daniel has “the memory”, and can remember people that he has known and loved through the centuries, in each life that he has lived. One in a million each century is born with this rare ability. Lucy feel that she knows Daniel, and has done for a long time. She has flashes of recollection of moments in her past lives that she does not understand or recognise. She just knows instinctively that Daniel is for her, and she for him. Lucy soon comes to understand that every time they meet, their love always ends in tragedy. Follow Lucy and Daniel through time and different incarnations, from North Africa in the year 541, to Crete in 899, England in 1918, and Virginia in 2006.  Can they discover and understand why this keeps happening so that they can change the ending and be united forever?  From the author of the successful series beginning with “The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants”.

One of Donna’s fellow teachers, at St. Mary’s School, said ‘Donna worked tirelessly for the kids; she helped each child strive for their best!’. When Battle of the Books first started, Donna was determined to have her students participate. Rather than setting up an extra ‘after school’ program, Donna incorporated the books into her regular teaching program.

With her steady and unfailing commitment to Battle of the Books, her students’ literacy improved and they developed the love of reading.

Once ‘retired’, Donna volunteered to help Battle of the Books. She now reads dozens of books, makes questions and hosts most games. She really gets to know the students on the different teams, discovering their interests and always encouraging their reading.

Congratulations Donna!

What was the last book you read?

All the Pretty Horses by Cormac McCarthy, which is definitely not for kids. The latest children’s book I finished was The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery, one of my favourite books of all time, definitely for kids … and grown-ups too.

What was your favourite book growing up?

There was more than one. Being a guy, I loved the Hardy Boys novels, but as I got older, also read quite a few Agatha Christie mysteries, and believe it or not, I enjoyed Dickens from a young age. Our parents read Oliver Twist to us and it absolutely enthralled me. To this day, there is no writer better than Dickens for me, and his influence shows in my writing at times – it’s there in The Boy Sherlock Holmes.

What literary character do you most relate to?

I don’t seem to be able to give you short answers! I have a few … again. Tom Sawyer is one, because he was a guy having just loads of fun, very “boy” fun and kind of sarcastic about the world, an outsider. I liked the way he talked – and he also got to be friends with Huck Finn! I like Stephen Dedalus in A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man and Ulysses, another outsider and a thinker. And of course, Sherlock Holmes, though that’s sort of a wishful thing – who wouldn’t want to have brains like that and solve problems no one else can? He was the first superhero!

“The mole had been working very hard all the morning, spring cleaning his little home.” Name that book.

That would be The Wind in the Willows, which I don’t think I read as a kid but read to my own kids. They loved Toad of the open road! Who doesn’t?

Describe your ideal day off.

I like doing things with my family and travelling, so being on the open road (like Toad) with my wife and kids, perhaps on a train riding through England or walking the streets of London, showing them where Dickens lived, The Beatles recorded, or Sherlock Holmes roamed, or at a soccer match … ah, that would be great!

If you could attempt any profession but your own, what would it be?

Are you kidding me? I’d be first-line centre for the Leafs … that’s the Toronto Maple Leafs, which used to be a hockey team … and will again sometime soon!

What would your pirate name be?

Captain Shamus Dickens, scourge of the written word.

What is your favourite word?

Well, my editor says I use “elegant” far too much, so I must be enamoured of it … though “enamoured” (with the “u”) is nice too. I’m also partial to “Calithumpian.”

Who do you want to be when you grow up?

William Shakespeare … or Paul McCartney.

What is a Woozle?

One of those weird things in Winne the Pooh (or Winnie A Pooh, as my kids used to say) who cavort about with the Heffalumps.

Shane grew up in Kapuskasing, Ontario and studied at Trent University where he did a degree in English Literature and History.  He later completed his masters at University of Toronto where he studied with Robertson Davies.  Shane has enjoyed a tremendous variety of jobs, including stints as a labourer and as a bush sprayer.  He has also worked as a journalist, and has written numerous plays and documentaries.  His first young adult novel was The Mystery of Ireland’s Eye and his most recent series, his Young Sherlock Holmes series, has been the recipient of numerous awards and accolades.

Woozles, the Halifax children’s book and toy store, has a long history of planning new programs and mixing it up to keep things interesting.

Over the years, the store’s management team has identified several key elements to launching successful new programs and being carefully attuned to what customers are saying is crucial, says owner Liz Crocker.

Many initiatives launched by the store have been in response to customer feedback. Customers, for example, wanted to see the age range for book clubs expanded so store managers made that happen. And an annual contest called Battle of the Books proved so popular, a teen version was added.

“We listen to staff who frequently come up with great ideas to try,” Crocker said.