Eco-Friendly Notebooks

To go with our range of O’bon pencils made from recycled newspaper, we now have a range of O’bon notebooks with paper made from recycled sugar cane pulp, Bagasse.

This multi-purpose paper is developed from collecting wasted sugarcane pulp, a by-product from processing sugarcane! The pulp is collected, instead of adding to landfills, are processed and used to make our reams of paper and collection of notebooks.

The notebook covers are beautifully decorated with colourful images in two gloss levels.  We have a couple of different sizes starting from just $5 each!!

We also have the A4 copy paper, that we’re now using in the shop, also made from Bagasse.  We retail that too for $12 a ream.   Dearer than Reflex for sure but utilizing a waste product.  LePapier d’eco comes in an ingeniously designed pack for easy storage and access.

$12 /ream

Toby & the Secrets of the Tree

The sequel to the fabulous Toby Alone (PB $18.95), Toby & the Secrets of the Tree is finally out in paperback format. Translated from the original French, this series is the story of Toby, a boy only 1.5 millimetres tall but whose heart is as big as the sun. HIGHLY recommended for tweens aged 11 to 14. PB $18.95

Miles Franklin 2010

Shortlist

Butterfly by Sonya Hartnett

Jasper Jones by Craig Silvey

Lovesong by Alex Miller

The Book of Emmett by Deborah Foster

The Bath Fugues by Brian Castro

Truth by Peter Temple

Winner will be announced on 22 June 2010.

Even more eco shopping…

Having stocked cute strawberry ecobags before, we though it was time to multiply our eco-shopper options with the addition of frog, ladybird and bumble bee shopping bags. Conveniently packed up into a cute pouch, the bags open out to a 41x44cm bag, and a perfect for any kind of shopping, even books!

At just $5.95 each, these cute-but-practical bags are just too good to pass up!

Send Simon Savage

After the mysterious disappearance of his father, thirteen-year-old Simon Savage is looking for answers. He does NOT expect to find them at the Time Bureau, a place Simon’s father founded, he even invented the technology that makes time travel possible. Due to the high amounts of energy required, kids can take more trips than larger adults and the Bureau recruits Simon to be an agent. They have high hopes he might be their best yet but Simon has plans of his own. Despite any mission the Bureau might give him, Simon is determined to solve the puzzle of his father’s disappearance.

The first book is this new series has just the right mix of sci-fi and adventure – there is a new spy on the block.

Recommended for boys 10+. PB $17

Books for Mums

With Mother’s Day just around the corner, the staff at Fairfield Books have put together a collection of books that should keep mums all over Melbourne happy. To help you on your way, we have titles like Why I Love My Mummy by Daniel Howarth (PB $14.95) and Mums (mini edition) by David Bedford (HB $10) for cute gifts from the little ones. But with some great novels and other books included, there is something for kids of every age to give their mum’s on their special day. So peruse all the options in the stand just inside the front door at Fairfield Books now!

Vampire Mania…Continued

It’s not over yet people! Stephenie Meyer herself has got a new book coming out in June called The Short Second Life of Bree Tanner, ($23) who is a character in the Eclipse book from the Twilight Saga. Now some fans out there might be wondering why I’m torturing you with this information so long before the book comes out, and really I’m not trying to be mean, it’s because…

You can pre-order your copy from us here at Fairfieldbooks and not only will you be guaranteed not to miss out on our first delivery but you’ll go in the running to Win a Very Special Vampire Prize Pack. Including a copy of Night World by L.J. Smith, the prize is currently taking pride of place in our window so you can check it out when you come down to place your order!

Easter Colouring Competition Winners

Competition was fierce in this year’s Fairfield Books Colouring Competition. The standard of entries was extremely high and judging was no easy task. After much deliberation, a winner for each age category (6 & under and 6+) has been chosen. Well done to Maddy (age 8 ) for her beautiful spotted bunny and Julia (age 5) for her colourful Easter eggs. A special mention goes out to Grace (age 2) for a truly excellent effort! Thanks to all our entrants.

Winners can come into the shop and collect their prizes!  We would like to take a photograph of each winner to put on the blog too.  Only if you approve though!

Lovesong by Alex Miller

Some years ago I read a wonderful book by Alex Miller called Conditions of Faith, which I absolutely loved. It’s about a young Australian woman and is set in Paris and Tunisia. When I discovered that Miller’s latest novel, Lovesong, revisited these same countries, I couldn’t resist reading it.

Lovesong is narrated by Ken, an author who has retired feeling he has no more stories to tell. He lives comfortably, spending a portion of his year living in Melbourne with his unmarried daughter, and the rest in Venice. On his return from a trip to Venice he strikes up a friendship with a new neighbour, John Patterner who, with his beautiful Tunisian wife Sabiha, has opened a pastry shop near Ken’s house. As Ken and John’s friendship grows, John begins telling Ken his story.

John was a young Australian teacher travelling through Paris when a downpour led him to the shelter of Chez Dom, a restaurant run by a Tunisian woman, Houria, and her beautiful young niece, Sabiha. John and Sabiha fell in love at first sight and married, and after Houria’s death remained in Paris to run Chez Dom. Over time, their happiness becomes tarnished by Sabiha’s strong longing for the child they can’t seem to conceive, while John’s wish to return to Australia leaves him feeling as though his life is stagnating. As he listens, and delves into their secrets, Ken feels his desire to tell a story reawaken, which adds an extra dimension to the love story at the heart of the novel.

Beautifully written in  spare, simple language, the novel is moving and thought-provoking. Another wonderful book by Alex Miller! HB $40. Fiona

If I Were A Sheep…

This new touch and feel board book is the ultimate in cute. With knobbly knees and velvety ears to feel, and even an endless supply of sheep to count on sleepless nights, this book is sure to keep the little ones happy!

Board book $15

Jess