Just posted! A webcast with author Kevin Sands, author of the Blackthorn Key Adventures, a series that begins with The Blackthorn Key and follows with its sequel, Mark of the Plague. The third book, The Assassin’s Curse, was released this month.
London, 1665. Fourteen year-old Christopher Rowe is an orphan who, against all odds, has become apprenticed to an apothecary named Benedict Blackthorn. Master Benedict is an honest man, extremely knowledgeable about his trade and most importantly, has great affection for Christopher. But there are rumors of a cult in the city, and when Master Benedict is murdered under mysterious circumstances, Christopher and his friend Tom decide to find out who, or what, killed him. The answer, as it turns out, is nothing Christopher could ever have expected.
In the second book, Mark of the Plague, Christopher and Tom again find themselves searching for hidden answers in London amidst a massive outbreak of the plague. Nothing is quite what it seems, and Christopher’s fast mind, apothecary skills, and code breaking abilities are put to a strenuous test.
The third and most recent book, The Assassin’s Curse, follows Christopher, Tom, and their friend Sally as they journey to Paris to uncover the culprits behind multiple assassination attempts on the royal family. The more they investigate, however, the more they become involved in the search for a centuries-old treasure that people are definitely willing to kill for.
Imagine fast-paced, high stakes detective stories set in the 17th century and you have the Blackthorn Key Adventures. The books are absolutely fantastic, with lots of action, mystery, puzzles, and, thanks to Christopher’s profession as an apothecary, lots of things going boom. Sands effortlessly brings the 1600s to life for his readers with deft historic touches. The books are incredibly funny too – I especially appreciate the banter between Christopher and Tom as Christopher unveils his latest – and most likely dangerous – plan. Give yourself plenty of time when you embark on these books, because you will not be able to put them down until you’ve turned the final page.
Follow this link to the BiblioFiles interview
Books of Wonder is PACKED with a huge selection of books. The books are so enticingly displayed, you just want to grab one and read it right away (and plenty of readers were camped out on the floor and in little chairs, doing just that). They have quantities of signed copies too.
Katie left with not one but two signed copies of The Girl Who Drank the Moon (the 2017 Newbery winner). Once I torn myself away from the stacks, I turned my eyes to the quirky and inviting decor.
Layered on endcaps, tables, walls, and bookshelves are posters, original artwork, and characters from illustrated books. It almost feels like you’re inside some sort of awesome pop-up book. Do you recognize the dragon in the image that started this post?
Yup! It’s by author and illustrator Steve Light, wielder of the fountain pen extraordinaire (we made these fantastical 
A street scene on the floor of the gallery:
The back wall of the store is dedicated to Books of Wonder’s extensive antiquarian and rare books section.
Here you can find an amazing array of your favorites. If you’re wondering how much a first edition of Where the Wild Things Are (inscribed, with an original sketch) is going for these days, it’s $22,500.
Not far from the rare books, I was delighted to find a real live author signing books! In fact, I shouted across three shelves of retail space to tell Katie that 
Moving towards the front of the store, I soon discovered “Blind Date With A Book.”
Essentially, it’s a book wrapped in brown paper with a suggested age range, genre, and enticing teaser. YES!
I almost bought this one…
One more fantastic detail. At the front of the store are thank you illustrations from visiting artists. It reminded me of the fabulous conference room walls at the Mazza Museum (which you can see at the end of 
Here’s my personal favorite:
Katie and I spent a happy hour shopping Books of Wonder before we had to dash to catch our train. My only regret is that I spotted this cool canvas logo bag as I was walking out the door. Too late to go back and snag it, darn it!
But not to worry. I’ll definitely return. In fact, in September a second location will be opening on 217 West 84th Street. If you’re in town, definitely make Books of Wonder a destination. Just be prepared to leave with LOTS of books. This store is bursting with love for children’s books. How can you resist taking some of the love home with you?
Just posted! A webcast with author Christina Diaz Gonzalez, author of Moving Target and its recent sequel, Return Fire.