Battle stations, Battle Boy

Two new titles in Charlie Carter’s fun Battle Boy series have just arrived.

Napoleon Augustus Smythe is Battle Boy BB005. With his SimulSkin, Battle Watch, Helping Hand, HoverVest, Boot Boosters, ShieldField, ThumbGun and the help of Professor Perdu, he investigates the mysteries wrapped up in the battles of the past. Collecting information and DNA, and even helping out the locals he meets along the way, Napoleon has a job that is both incredibly exciting and highly dangerous. No stranger to sticky situations, so far, BB005 has visited Sir Francis Drake, the Red Baron, the Trojans, the Vikings, the Aztecs and Alexander the Great. But in Battle Boy #7: Vampire Virus, BB005 faces a battle of a different kind altogether, one against a killer disease that threatens to bleed the Battle Books dry. Can Napoleon eliminate the dracs before it’s too late? At least this time he has help from Battle Girl 001, who is  a virus expert… and a know-it-all.

Available now instore are Battle Boy #1: Open Fire, #2: Red Devil Down, #3: Destroy Troy, #4: Bloodaxe, #5: Aztec Attack, #6: Battle Bust-Up, #7: Vampire Virus and #8: Chariot Charge (all PB $8).

The penguins are here…

To celebrate their 75th anniversary, publishing giant Penguin have released 75 new titles in their fantastic Popular Penguin range. With the grand total now at 174, there is something to please every taste, especially as the new range includes many more children’s titles. Available now instore are Dangerous Liasons by Pierre de Laclos, The Jungle Book by Rudyard Kipling, Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Dafoe, Hamlet by William Shakespeare, Confessions of an English Opium-Eater by Thomas de Quincey, The Inheritance of Loss by Kiran Desai and Obernewtyn by Isobelle Carmody to name just a few. And at still only $9.95, it’s time to start collecting!

For a limited time only, when you buy 2 or more Popular Penguins at Fairfield Books, you will receive a free Penguin eco-bag and wrapping paper.

Magnifique Paris, the City of Light!

Parisians: An Adventure History of Paris

By Graham Robb

HB $50

With biographies of Balzac and Victor Hugo under his belt, francophile Graham Robb is more than qualified to present us with a modern history of Paris, as told by Parisians themselves.

Robb’s gifted and intelligent story telling takes the form of long anecdotes of famous people in real situations beyond imagining.   It begins at the dawn of the French revolution, and ends with the events of only a few months previous.

As spoken by Robb himself:

The idea was to create a kind of mini-Human Comedy of Paris, in which the history of the city would be illuminated  by the real experience of its inhabitants.  Each tale is true, and each is complete in itself…

The entertaining and detailed stories include pieces about Proust, Miles Davis, Hitler, to modern and influential rulers such as president Francois Mitterrand.  We meet scientists, soldiers, spies, and philosophers, prisoners and prostitutes.  Parisians is both a travel and history guide, yet also part memoir, part mystery- but always a brilliant read.

In store now!

The Cardturner by Louis Sachar

A novel about a king, a queen and a joker; The Cardturner is Louis Sachar’s first book in four years and it does not disappoint. When Alton Richards gets forced by his parents to be his very rich and very blind Uncles ‘cardturner’ at the local bridge club, he realises his summer isn’t exactly going to go as planned. His girlfriend has left him…for his best friend, and he’s spending most of his time around people four times his age. The appearance of the mysterious Toni Castaneda helps make life a little more interesting as before he even realises it, Alton slowly gets drawn into the world of bridge as he gets to know his Uncle Lester Trapp over countless hands of cards. A family with perhaps more than their fair of skeletons, this is more than just a story of a teenager but years of convoluted family history. Alton is right that this summer isn’t turning out as expected, though perhaps that might actually turn into the best thing that’s happened in awhile. Recommended for 13+. HB $25.

So hot, the pages might spontaneously combust.

Sizzling Sixteen by Janet Evanovich in store today! Stephanie Plum turns Sweet Sixteen with this newest installment. I sold one of these before I’d actually opened the box so don’t dally about getting your copy or they’ll have sizzled right out the door. Trade Paperback, $33.

Miles Franklin winner. Truth by Peter Temple

Congratulations to Peter Temple, who has not only won the 2010 Miles Franklin literary Prize, he is the first writer of crime fiction to be short listed, let alone to win the award.   We have the book in stock so come and get your copy soon.   Pb $32.95

From Caterpillar to Butterfly

Butterfly by Sonya Hartnett, PB $24.95

Ordinary situations written in an extraordinary way is the best description of the 2010 Miles Franklin short listed book ‘Butterfly’.

Written mainly from the perspective of 14 year old Plum, it is the familiar and very honest story of a girl trying to grow out of that awkward teenage phase and find out who she is going to be. Plum’s dealings with her school friends, embarrassing family and mysterious neighbour provide a complete view of a girl who is adrift and doesn’t know who to put her faith in.

Hartnett writes beautifully with deep and complex characters that while being undeniably strange, are somehow completely relatable. While it is not a light read and sometimes downright uncomfortable, it is well worth delving into and seeing the world from the point of view of a variety of characters.

Billie B Brown

This is a new series perfect for girls who have just been bitten by the reading bug. Aimed at kids 5+, Billie B Brown is cute, funny and always herself. New readers can follow Billie as she has a midnight camping feast with her best friend, Jack, and learns to be a famous ballerina in her brand new tutu.

The Bad Butterfly and The Midnight Feast by Sally Rippin (both PB $7.95) are now available instore.

Good books for book groups

Anyone who visits  our shop, or reads our blog, knows we have had great success with our Top tens for  children of varying  age groups.   Recently we have been asked for suggestions for a top ten for book groups, so we have started working on that.   We also have a few ideas for some other top tens as well, such as ten novels everyone should read and possibly ten non-fiction titles too.  We know that there will be some debate out whatever titles we choose, but that could be entertaining, so we look forward to any comments on what we come up with.  Stay tuned.

Football Fever!

To show your support for the Socceroos, test your counting skills and enter the Fairfield Books Football Fever competition. To enter, you simply count all the the balls (of all types & sizes!) in our window display, tell us your guess & the closest entries will win!

See instore now for an entry form. The competition will run for the entire length of the World Cup.