Most Expensive Books of 2012

While the lists of best and favorite and bestselling books of 2012 are popping up just about everywhere, Abe Books has gone ahead and compiled their list of most expensive books of the year, from the standpoint of book collectors.


Our top 25 sales from 2012 illustrate the broad nature of rare books. There are modern first editions of iconic books, significant religious and theological works,

Top 20 Children's Books of 2012 [#5-1]

It's the final day of the Jonker-Schu Top 20 Children's Books of 2012 extravaganza. Thanks for following along. 

Please visit Travis's blog to read our blurbs. 

 #20-16 | #15-11 | #10-6 | #5-1

Oh, No! by Candace Fleming; illustrated by Eric Rohmann [Schwartz & Wade | Grades PreK-2]

Download the Oh, No! activity guide.

Eric Rohmann showed Jules how he makes his art.

Judy Freeman created a readers theater script for Oh, No!

"I have come up with a workshop that I use successfully. It's always so great, I actually tell the kids it's my super-secret, splendiferous formula. You try to say that three times fast. It's good." -Candace Fleming 

Candace Fleming discusses Amelia Earhart, Abraham Lincoln, P.T. Barnum, and Benjamin Franklin.

Unspoken by Henry Cole [Scholastic | Grades 1-4]

Sally Lodge interviewed Henry Cole about Unspoken.

"If you are hunting for a new book for a thoughtful young reader this year, you can do no better than to pick up Unspoken." -Anita Silvey

"I had the great, good fortune of growing up on a dairy farm, and also the great, good fortune of being the youngest of five children. And having four older siblings was wonderful, because they were these very unusual, terrific people; and we spent most of our time in the woods, or down at the pond, or at the creek, or exploring the fields with jars." - Henry Cole

Extra Yarn by Mac Barnett; illustrated by Jon Klassen [Balzer + Bray | Grades K-2]

Extra Yarn won the 2012 Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for picture book.

Mac Barnett shares his personal motto.

Don't miss this interesting interview.

Anita Silvey featured Extra Yarn on August 13, 2012.

Wonder by R.J. Palacio [Random House | Grades 4-6]

Random House created a wonderful discussion and educator guide.

Becky Anderson sat down with R.J Palacio.

Check out R.J.'s nerdy essay. 

Chip Kidd chatted with R.J. Palacio about Wonder and Choose Kind.

Download a CHOOSE KIND certificate. 

Wonder made Betsy Bird's Top 100 Children’s Novels poll. 


R.J. Palacio reads a chapter from Wonder.

Colby Sharp interviewed R.J. Palacio.  

 Children’s literature expert Anita Silvey featured Wonder on D.E.A.R. Day.  

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate [Harper | Grades 3-6]

 Download The One and Only Ivan discussion guide. 

Katherine Applegate shares how to pronounce her name and a story from her childhood. 

"As a book The One and Only Ivan gives me reason to celebrate: it is crafted with great creativity, an original approach, and has something to say to children. Books for children are clearly not an endangered species; The One and Only Ivan proves that they are alive and well!" - Anita Silvey 

Donna Kouri and I traveled with plush Ivan. 

The real Ivan passed away on August 21, 2012. 

Katherine Applegate is a member of the Nerdy Book Club. 

Katherine Applegate discusses The Home of the Brave. 

Five Questions with Katherine Applegate. 

#20-16 | #15-11 | #10-6 | #5-1

Alice Munro and her Editing Team

Known for her spare and powerful prose, it’s a little difficult to imagine anyone editing Alice Munro at all. But according to an article in Quill & Quire, though Munro’s work doesn’t undergo a great deal of editing, there is more than one editor involved.

Munro doesn’t build sentences by accretion in the manner of verbose writers like Norman Mailer or Salman Rushdie – she works by paring away,