If you missed our big surprise debut at Independent Bookstore Day, we unveiled the latest addition to our family — The River Bend Book Truck! Stocked with books for all ages, new store merchandise and special bookish gifts, this mobile bookshop will serve as an extension of our mission to reach readers within and now even beyond our local community.
— the River Bend booksellers
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Jake's Mitzvah Project
We're teaming up on a new kind of partnership for us — longtime River Bend regular Jake and his family have selected us to help with his Mitzvah Project! Jake says, "Since I LOVE to read, and the theme of my Bar Mitzvah is books, I decided to do a book drive to benefit Children's Reading Partners."
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Book Truck and Shop Events |
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River Bend will take our show on the road, bringing books and gifts to our readers at local events in our area. Here is a peek at some of the places you'll see us parking our new Book Truck:
• The Firestone Toddler Storytime - May 18, June 1 + 15
• Wethersfield Farmer's Market - starting May 27
• Booked for Private Birthday Party - June 9
• Glastonbury Farmer's Market - starting June 19
• Tierney Family Drive-In Movie Theatre - July
If you'd like having the book truck at your event,
and you'll hear back from us right away!
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River Bend's starting a Middle Grade Book Club! Join us.
Enthusiastic readers, grades 6-8, will explore, debate and reflect on book picks in an informal, discussion-based meeting each month.
Our MGBC will be led by Deb Carroll, an educator with more than 15 years of classroom teaching experience, who has taught all levels of high school English and writing, and has been reading way past her bedtime since she was seven years old.
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Saturday, May 15 @ 12:30pm |
The latest picture book in The New York Times-bestselling Pout-Pout Fish series shows little guppies how to deal with anger through self-compassion.
Registration is required, and space is limited!
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River Bend is connecting young readers across Connecticut with our Authors in Schools initiative. Authors like Dan Gutman, Deborah Diesen, Terri Libenson and Stuart Gibbs have joined us for visits with excited kids in classrooms all over the state. |
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River Bend Bookseller:
Conor —
Newest Bookseller and our Book Truck Manager
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The last book I read was Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner, which just came out a few weeks ago! She is one of my favorite musicians, so I was expecting to love this book, but I was absolutely floored by how incredible it was. Without a doubt it's the single best memoir I've ever read. If you get through this entire book without sobbing then your heart must be missing! |
I'm about to finish an advanced copy of the book Everyone in This Room Will Someday Be Dead by Emily Austin, which has become one of my favorite books! It's about a 27 year-old woman with severe anxiety and death obsessed intrusive thoughts who accidentally gets hired as the secretary for a Catholic church, even though she's an atheist. This book made me laugh out loud multiple times, but also was probably far more relatable than it should have been.
• About yourself in 3 adjectives: Silly, curious, and easygoing
• Favorite thing to do besides read: I love playing and listening to music! In my life before a bookseller I toured in a few different bands and still regularly record my own songs.
• Your best shop section: My interests are scattered all over: If I had to pick it would probably be magical-realist literary fiction or nonfiction science and nature books.
• Reading goal for 2021: While a lot of my job revolves around pointing people towards books they might enjoy, I want to read more books that customers recommend back to me. I always love hearing what people who come into the shop are reading, so I've started a list of books that guests in our shop have talked to me about.
• Best part about being a bookseller? Maybe I'm just still in the honeymoon phase, but… All of my coworkers! Getting to talk about books all day, the beautiful space, being able to book events for the book… All of it!
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Libro.fm Listen:
Audiobook Pick
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Lauren Hough has led quite the life—a former Air Force member, one-time gay club bouncer, and even cable service worker. Oh and she was also born into the infamous Children of God cult. The author pens her tales in a series of essays that scream to be read.
If that isn't enough to sell you, the audiobook version of Leaving Isn't The Hardest Thing is read by Academy Award winning actress Cate Blanchett! Join the star as she recounts Hough's poignant and funny stories of her wild life and woe.
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Book to Look for:
Pre-order Pick
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If you loved Three Women do not miss Lisa Taddeo's debut novel, Animal! Bookseller Audrey is already raving about it: "Animal is a primal scream. It is the calcified rage of a woman that has sustained more trauma than most can imagine. And, ultimately, it is a tale of retribution that resonates to the core. I devoured it."
For a limited time, grab one of the pre-order gift sets that includes a tote and signed copy.
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What We're Currently Reading |
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Join River Bend in celebrating the wide breadth of voices in
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