BEACH READS
You readers might envision that we bookish people are just constantly devouring Literature, with a capital L, and delight in tucking our copy of War and Peace into our beach bag when we head off for a day of waterside relaxation. Not true! Ok, maybe partially true. But everyone needs some dessert after a well-balanced meal, know what I'm sayin'? After just a small amount of wheedling, the Kids' Team rustled up our favorite candy-like paperbacks here. We'll see you at the beach!

ORIGINAL ESSAY: ANNA GODBERSEN
The hot new Luxe series continues with Rumors. As Penelope takes Elizabeth's tragic absence as an opportunity to remake her image, Lina continues her own identity makeover by latching onto a wealthy benefactor, and ill-fated lovers Diana and Henry struggle with their emotions — and each other. In this original essay for Powells.com, Anna Godbersen explains the pleasures (and pains) of writing historical fiction. Read the essay and save 30% on Rumors.

KIDS' Q&A: DALE BASYE
We always wondered what happened to the bad kids! After Milton and Marlo Fauster die in a marshmallow bear explosion, they are sent straight to Heck, an otherworldly reform school. Milton can understand why his kleptomaniac sister is here, but he is — or was — a model citizen. Has a mistake been made? Find out in Dale E. Basye's debut, Heck: Where the Bad Kids Go. And in this Kids' Q&A, you'll find out why Basye wants to befriend Jonathan Livingston Seagull, his favorite Simpsons episode you've never seen, and more!

BOOK BUZZ: WALL-E
Yes, we realize that WALL-E is a movie and not a book. But we love it so much that we can't stop saying "waaaaaaalll-eeeee" and renting Short Circuit again to compare. It's smart and timely and adorable and dynamic and funny and riveting and has a great premise. That being said, you all should go out and watch WALL-E and then after you and/or your children become as obsessed with it as we are, shop our selection of WALL-E books: the storybook, the sticker book, the guide to, and even the art of, which goes into the historical inspirations for the animation.

KIDS' Q&A: R. L. LAFEVERS
Set in 1906 London and Cairo, Theodosia and the Serpents of Chaos is a deliciously eerie middle-grade page-turner that introduces the intrepid new heroine Theodosia Throckmorton who is thrust into the heart of a mystery when she learns an ancient Egyptian amulet carries a curse that threatens to crumble the British Empire. In this Kids' Q&A, author R. L. LaFevers shares her favorite encounter with a fan, memories of her pet bear cubs, and more!

KIDS' Q&A: ROB SCOTTON
From the bestselling author of Russell the Sheep comes a brand-new, lovable character in Splat the Cat. It's Splat's first day of school and he's worried: what if he doesn't make any new friends? Good luck keeping this one out of your kid's hands at bedtime! In his Kids' Q&A, Rob Scotton discusses his favorite art teacher, his most memorable moment with a bedraggled reader, and more!

WARRIORS ON SALE
Maybe you've heard of the new Erin Hunter-penned Warriors series, Seekers. Volume one, The Quest Begins, has recently been released to great excitement and features three bears from different species — black, polar, and grizzly — who are separated from their families when they are just cubs and embark on a perilous, magical journey together. Wanna catch up with the others books in the Warriors camp? Save 30% on these select titles from the original Warriors series, The New Prophecy series, and the Power of Three series.

ORIGINAL ESSAY: CAROLINE SAYS
"Everyone has the right to grow up," Caroline Says writes in her original essay for Powells.com. We couldn't agree more — and what better way to grow up than reading the Upper Class series! The latest book, Off Campus, promises even more intrigue and fun for Nikki Olivetti and her friends at Wellington Academy. Read the essay and save 30% on Off Campus, as well as the rest of the Upper Class series.

BOOKS ABOUT CHINA AND THE OLYMPICS
Starting on August 8, most of us will be enjoying the Olympic opening ceremonies sitting on our comfy sofas. If you're one of the lucky ones actually going to the Olympic games in Beijing this year, we're utterly jealous. Whatever your plans are, these Olympic titles will get you in shape for the games. National Geographic's Swifter, Higher, Stronger offers a history of the event, including a really fascinating chapter on the controversies through the ages, winner profiles, and stats updated through 2008, all told through photographs. Kids' sports author extraordinaire Matt Christopher draws you completely into the event history by writing about every major moment in short chapters starting with the first Olympic games. Not to be overlooked is the ever-impressive DK Eyewitness series on the Olympics that covers a breadth of topics, like Olympic sportswear and what it's like behind the scenes, with lots of images and short informational blurbs. To learn more about the host city, check out Beijing from the Through Time series. Full of fluent narrative and beautiful illustrations this book traces the history of Beijing right up to the present day. Now, let the games begin.

BELLA'S BALL
On Friday, August 1, we are thrilled to host Bella's Ball, a midnight release party celebrating the long-awaited fourth book in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight Saga, Breaking Dawn. Come to Powell's City of Books for fun and games. Enter our costume contest. Listen to a trance/dance DJ. Eat treats from Cupcake Jones and Voodoo Doughnut.

I know! Hold your squeals of joy, all of you in the Edward or Jacob camps. We'll see you there!

KIDS' TEAM COLUMN
Welcome to our Kids' Team Column; the spot where staff members ruminate on bookish topics. This month, Sarah shares what she did this summer.

A Midsummer Night's Dream with a Twist
A trip to Ashland, Oregon, last month, to see my first Shakespearean play, was an early summer night's dream. The trip was my aunt Sandy's idea. The two of us were driving past the town of Ashland on our way to the Trinity Alps in Northern California for our annual family vacation. Sandy taught drama at Evergreen State College for over 30 years and hosted numerous student trips to Ashland, so the idea of driving past the city, famous for its Tony Award-winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival, was out of the question.

The two of us stayed one night and saw A Midsummer Night's Dream directed by Marc Rucker. The play was a contemporary twist on the traditional comedy, starting with the cast appearing in Armani suits, followed by a flower-powered VW bus full of hippies, and ending with strobe lights and disco men in black tutus. More powerful than any costume, though, was watching the magic and genius of Shakespeare unravel before my eyes. I noticed the kids in the audience were enjoying themselves, too, and understanding the plot. The poet's words, universal in their truths, came to life with brilliant acting and lively visuals. It was hard to leave the theater that night, but as I did I vowed to read more plays this summer, especially Shakespeare's. I'm currently reading Acting Out and No Fear Shakespeare: A Companion, and I'm already making plans to visit Ashland again next summer.

Want to know what else the Kids' Team is up to this month? Check out the kids' section of our blog!

KIDS' BESTSELLERS

1. Twilight (Twilight Saga #1) by Stephenie Meyer (Young Adult) 2. New Moon (Twilight Saga #2) by Stephenie Meyer (Young Adult) 3. Eclipse (Twilight Saga #3) by Stephenie Meyer (Young Adult) 4. The Book Thief by Markus Zusak (Young Adult) 5. Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons by Siegfried Engelmann (Education) 6. The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson and the Olympians #04) by Rick Riordan (Middle Readers) 7. The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer (Young Adult) 8. Don't Let the Pigeon Stay Up Late! by Mo Willems (Picture Books) 9. Peter and the Starcatchers by Dave Barry and Ridley Pearson (Middle Readers) 10. Knuffle Bunny Too: A Case of Mistaken Identity by Mo Willems (Picture Books)