Category Archives: Booko

Posts about booko, some technical, some explaining new features

10 ways to foster a love of reading for your child

February 8, 2017Blog, Booko, Children#Children, #Childrensbooks, #ChildrensLiterature, #Learning, #literacy, #ReadingTeam Booko

Learning to read, or rather teaching someone else to learn to read can be a daunting task – do you start with phonetics, rhyming, sounds or learn the name of letters? Whatever way you choose, sharing the love of reading needs to be fun, relaxed and exciting. Our favourite book on the topic is The Read Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease, it’s been a wonderful resource for several of the Booko children. Here are our top 10 tips from the book:

Begin reading to your children as soon as possible. The younger you start them, the easier, and better it is.
Set aside at least one specific time each day for a story and make it part of your daily routine.
Start with picture books that have only a few sentences on the page, then gradually move to books with more text and fewer pictures before building to chapter books.
As you read, keep listeners involved by occasionally asking ‘what do you think is going to happen next?’
If the chapters are long, or you don’t have enough time to finish one each day, find a suspenseful spot at which to stop. Leave your little audience hanging and they will be counting the minutes until the next reading.
Allow your listeners a few minutes to settle down and adjust their feet and minds to the story. Mood is an important factor in listening, make sure you foster a receptive one.
Use expression when reading. Change your tone, adjusting pace and lowering your voice in suspenseful parts makes it all very exciting.
Slow down. The most common mistake is reading too fast. Reading quickly allows no time for mental pictures to be made and more expression to be used.
Bring the author to life. Google the author to find out more about them. This lets them know that books are written by people and not machines.
When children wish to read to you, it is better for the book to be too easy than too hard, just as a beginner’s bicycle is better to be too small than too big.

The Read-Aloud Handbook by Jim Trelease

Upon its first publication in 1982, millions of parents and educators have turned to Jim Trelease’s beloved classic for more than three decades to help countless children become avid readers through awakening their imaginations and improving their language skills. It has also been a staple in schools of education for new teachers. This updated edition of The Read-Aloud Handbook discusses the benefits, the rewards, and the importance of reading aloud to children of a new generation. Supported by delightful anecdotes as well as the latest research (including the good and bad news on digital learning). The Read-Aloud Handbook offers proven techniques and strategies for helping children discover the pleasures of reading and setting them on the road to becoming lifelong readers.

Here’s a few of our favourites to help you share the joy of reading aloud:

Creature abc by Andrew Zuckerman.

Alphabet books can be valuable for teaching kids the sounds that letters make — but only if they are fun to read! Creature abc is fun; it features amazing animal photographs and an entertaining format. On one page is a letter (e.g. “Aa”) and a photograph of an animal’s body part (e.g. an alligator’s hand). When I read this book, I make the letter’s sound, and my kids guess what animal they will see on the following page.

Where is the Green Sheep by Mem Fox

There are red sheep and blue sheep, wind sheep and wave sheep, scared sheep and brave sheep, but where is the green sheep? The search is on in this cozy, sheep-filled story from beloved author Mem Fox and popular Australian cartoonist Judy Horacek. Complete with sleepy rhymes and bright illustrations, this book is sure to delight children of all ages, from the very young to those just beginning to read. Mem has never owned a sheep, let alone a green one, but she does admit to having woolly thoughts from time to time. Judy loves drawing things, especially sheep. This is her first flock.

Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown

This gentle bedtime story, which has lulled generations of children to sleep, is the perfect first book to share at bedtime. In a great green room a little bunny is tucked up snugly and safely in bed and is getting ready to say goodnight to all the familiar things in his room, one by one. Margaret Wise Brown’s comforting, rhythmical text accompanied by the warmth of Clement Hurd’s classic mid-century illustrations make Goodnight Moon a timeless picture book, which is known and loved around the world.

I Am So Strong by Mario Ramos

This is a terrific read aloud – it’s a book with some yelling in it, with a handful of familiar characters like a wolf and Red Riding Hood and three pigs, joined by a couple of dwarfs, and a baby dinosaur and his HUGE mother.

Most of all, have fun together!

Be savvy – purchase your children’s school books through Booko

January 12, 2017Blog, Booko, Fiction, Hacks, Non-fiction#Bookoalerts, #Fiction, #NonfictionTeam Booko

The end of one year and the start of another are expensive times: there’s Christmas at one end and back to school at the other, with sometimes just weeks in between. With the cost of uniforms, school fees and school books to consider, it’s handy to know that with a bit of planning, you can make some great savings on your children’s schoolbooks and not have to leave the comfort of home!

We’ve selected a few titles from the recommended reading lists for a few different VCE subjects to give you a guide of just how varied some of our books are. Whether they are E-Books, Reference books, Fiction or Non-Fiction, you should be able to pick up the majority of your children’ book list through Booko. Make sure you search using the book’s ISBN (if you know it) to ensure you’re looking at the edition specified on your list.

To get the best price on a title, set up a Booko alert so that you’ll be notified when the book falls under a certain price range. Setting up Booko alerts is easy – just follow our simple guide and get started. If you are concerned about the books arriving in time, it makes sense to pay attention to the delivery timeframes provided by each book store on the Booko website. Happy shopping!

Cloud street by Tim Winton

“Cloudstreet” is the undisputed classic from one of Australia’s best loved storytellers and national treasures.

From separate catastrophes, two families flee to the city and find themselves sharing this great sighing structure called Cloudstreet and beginning their lives again from scratch.

The Pickles and the Lambs share their home for 20 years and over time observe, overhear and submerge themselves in each other’s joys, fears and secrets.

‘A generous watery epic…Winton is just one of the best.” -Independent.

The Lieutenant by Kate Grenville

A stunning follow-up to her Commonwealth Writers’ Prize-winning book, “The Secret River,” Grenville’s “The Lieutenant” is a gripping story about friendship, self-discovery, and the power of language set along the unspoiled shores of 1788 New South Wales.

As a boy, Daniel Rooke was an outsider. Ridiculed in school and misunderstood by his parents, Daniel could only hope that he would one day find his place in life.

‘It glows with life: imaginative in its recreations, respectful of what cannot be imagined, and thoughtful in its interrogation of the past…Grenville’s most intellectually sophisticated novel to date.’ – The Age (Australia)

No Sugar by Jack Davis

This play, commissioned for the 1985 Perth Festival, is the spirited story of the Millimurra family’s stand against racist government ‘protection’ policies in 1930’s Australia.

In depression era Australia, up to 30% of the Labour Force were unemployed with Aboriginal workers worst hit. The Nyungar family were sent to the Moore River Native Settlement from Northam in 1931 as part of a ‘forced evacuation’.

“No Sugar” portrays Davis’ political awareness, citing the reasons for the evacuation and also the characterisation of key political figures such as Mr Neville, Chief Protector of Aboriginies in Western Australia involved in the resettlement.

Maths Quest VCE Foundation Maths

This pack is specifically designed for the VCE Foundation Mathematics course, which is a one year course. Generally undertaken in Year 11 but some schools do complete it in Year 10. The workbooks also cover the required content for VCAL schools. Instead of a textbook, Maths Quest Foundation Mathematics comprises eight individual booklets, covering a range of content areas and aspects of the syllabus: Maths Skills, Finance, Sport, The house and land package, Travelling, Car Safety, Water wise and A Musical Production.

Australian Pocket Oxford Dictionary (H/B) (7th Edition)

First published in 1976, the “Australian Pocket Oxford Dictionary” has remained Australia’s best-selling dictionary. The seventh edition retains the popular features of previous editions and adds many new Australian and international words and meanings. All Australian words and meanings are labelled with an Aust. regional marker. The seventh edition of the “Australian Pocket Oxford Dictionary” is an indispensable guide to English as it is written and spoken in Australia.

The Booko Team’s favourite holiday reading picks

December 15, 2016Blog, Booko, Fiction, Non-fiction, Top Books#BookReview, #Fiction, #Holiday reading, #Holidayreading, #NonfictionTeam Booko

There are a fair few of us that are responsible for the day-to-day operations of Booko. This often involves liaison with booksellers around the world, working on the Booko platform and ensuring all pricing and delivery information is accurate and up to date and responding to admin messages. The Booko team spend a reasonable time during the year doing what they love best: reading. This might involve reviewing a book, getting an understanding of a new title or author and ensuring that our customers are given the best and most relevant information about books.

When we’re not working, we love reading just for the sake of it – just like everyone. Here are the summer reading picks that our team are currently working through or planning to read whilst reclining on a banana lounge somewhere else:

Karen’s pick:

Girl Stuff 8-12 by Kaz Cooke

Girl Stuff 8-12 is on my summer reading list, and I think it will make an excellent gift for both girls and their parents. Kaz Cooke’s Up the Duff was my don’t-panic-source-of-wisdom during pregnancy, so I am looking forward to her take on how to survive the pre-teen years (and my resident pre-teen has already given it the thumbs-up). Kaz Cooke’s advice is forthright, respectful, sensitive and funny all at once – and carefully researched to boot. Girl Stuff 8-12 offers advice on a range of the most important topics including body changes, healthy habits, relationships, bullying and mental health.

Riina’s pick:
A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman

It has taken me a while to get around to reading this one, but now that I have, I can see why it became the bestseller it did. A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman is a heart-warming tale about that grumpy old man I’m sure we’ve all come across, and it made me laugh and cry (apologies to fellow passengers on Tram route 55!). Bit by bit, as you learn about the experiences that shaped Ove, you come to understand and even love him, no matter how little you like him at first.
Whether you’re in the Southern or Northern hemisphere, this one makes a good holiday read. It’s light enough to read on the beach, but its themes of family, honour and community bring warmth to even the whitest of Christmasses.

Marie’s pick:

The Undoing Project by Michael Lewis

This is on my summer reading list at the recommendation of my husband who has suffered from the ‘just can’t put it down’ addiction that we have to the books we love. I’m a big fan of non-fiction and getting a better understanding of how our minds work.

This is the story of a bromance between two Israeli psychologists which has turned our understanding of how we make decisions on it’s head. One of the pair’s observations is that ‘no one ever made a decision because of a number – they need a story.’ On the whole, humans make decisions based on emotions rather than facts. Their work created the field of behavioural economics and established rules for human irrationality.

Renae’s Pick:

Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert

One of my new year resolutions is to try and be more creative. Easier than it sounds, right? When you come from a pretty rational way of looking at the world, creativity can be challenging! This book was recommended to me by a friend. It promises to unravel the mystique around the processes leading to creativity, making it seem easier and more natural.

Gilbert explains the habits and approaches we need in order to live our most creative lives and how to harness creativity in whatever project we are involved with. Living a mindful life is one of the areas I need to focus on more. I’m looking forward to reaping the benefits of reading this book in the new year.

Dan’s Pick

Seveneves by Neal Stephenson

I’ve chosen a story of apocalypse for my holiday reading. Already part way in and I find myself engaged enough in the story that some mornings when I wake, I look up at the sky and wonder how the people on Izzy ( International Space Station ) are holding up. Neal Stephenson’s books seem to have that effect on me. Depictions of the near future which are well researched and realistic, characters I feel I know well enough that their predicaments generate so much tension once I’ve finished reading, I feel I need a(n other) holiday.

Books to help you win the Board Games This Christmas

November 10, 2016Blog, Board Games, Booko, Christmas#booksforchristmas, #Christmas, #festiveseasonTeam Booko

Okay, we all know that the festive season is looming and with that comes the inevitable obligatory “Family Board Game Fun Time”…except this year we have a doozie for you*… a list of books that will help you beat Great Aunty Myrtle.

*actually these make great gifts for any board game fanatic but in the spirit of competition, don’t gift the books of the games you are likely to play…or at least read them first!

Monopoly

The Monopoly Book: Strategy and Tactics of the World’s Most Popular Game by Maxine Brady

Let’s get something straight, Monopoly is not a game of chance. There are ways to actually get Mayfair and Parklane first rather than end up with Stand and Whitehall…every single time!

One of the principal functions of this book is to explain and clarify the rules of Monopoly, and show how to avoid some of the obstacles that get in the way of just playing the game. It also catalogs some of the many strategies that operate during a good game, but which most players seem unconscious of, even when they themselves are using the strategies to excellent advantage. There are definite techniques by which you can improve your chances of winning.

Trivial Pursuit

The Ultimate Trivial Pursuit Question & Answer Book by Puzzle Wright Press

We all know a cousin who thinks they know everything and seem to be able to fill that little round disc with every piece of pie before you have even managed to get the pink entertainment one! So this book is definitely for you.
Trivial Pursuit is a game unlike any other because it tests your knowledge of events that have all happened outside the realm of the game so you have to actually study to win this one. Luckily, this book is a collection of over twenty-five years of trivia questions featured providing questions and answers in the fields of geography, entertainment, history, arts & literature, science & nature, and sports & leisure.

Risk

Total Diplomacy: The Art of Winning RISK by Ehsan Honary

Risk is a complex board game involving both luck and skill. The goal is simple: take over the world. Despite this simple goal, the game is very complicated and dynamic. Players attempt to take over the world by eliminating all other players who are eliminated when they lose all of their troops on the game board. Players must be skilled in troop deployment and must be aware of the underlying probabilities present in the game.

This book aims to teach you how to beat all relatives this Christmas in your own way. But the book’s lessons evolve outside of the game, learn how to use diplomacy effectively to get what you want in life and apply this knowledge to negotiate more successfully and be in control.

Scrabble

Collins Little Book of Scrabble Secrets by Collins Dictionaries

Inside the covers of this little book lie the secrets of Britain’s only ever Scrabble World Champion. Scrabble is played by millions but mastered by very few and unless you’re a Scrabble player who likes to lose, this book is a must. In it Mark Nyman spells out the most useful two letter words, what to do when you have a case of irritable vowel syndrome, strategies for how to get off to a flying start and lists our language’s strangest and most unbelievably useful words. Between these golden tips come anecdotes and words of wisdom from a lifetime at the top. Be careful who you give it to though.

Twister

Element: Yoga for Beginners DVD

Okay so this isn’t technically about Twister…nor is it a book… but it will certainly help you put left foot blue and right hand yellow without spilling any of your Christmas Mince pie or falling over Uncle Jo.

Bring on Family Board Game Fun Time!

Great Books of 2016 to Gift This Christmas

November 3, 2016Blog, Booko, Christmas, Gifts, Top Books#Christmas, #festiveseason, #gifts, #shopping, #TopbooksTeam Booko

The season of gifts, tinsel and joy is looming. Every year people promise themselves not to leave it all to the last minute, so with that in mind we have come up with a list of the best books to give as gifts to all the different people in your life.

Make sure you follow us on Facebook where we will be revealing more top picks of great books, board games and DVDs each day in December leading up till Christmas.

For the Postman…

Every Song Ever by Ben Ratliff

What does it mean to listen in the digital era? Today, new technologies make it possible to roam instantly and experimentally across musical languages and generations, from Detroit techno to jam bands to baroque opera—or to dive deeper into the set of tastes that we already have. Either way, we can listen to nearly anything, at any time. The possibilities in this new age of listening overturn old assumptions about what it means to properly appreciate music—to be an “educated” listener. In Every Song Ever, the veteran New York Times music critic Ben Ratliff reimagines the very idea of music appreciation for our times.

Party of One by Dave Holmes

Dave Holmes has spent his life on the periphery, nose pressed hopefully against the glass, wanting just one thing: to get inside. Growing up, he was the artsy kid in the sporty family. And in his twenties, in the middle of a disastrous career in advertising, he accidentally became an MTV VJ overnight when he finished second, naturally, in the Wanna Be a VJ contest, opening the door to fame, fortune, and celebrity — well almost. But despite all the close calls, or possibly because of them, he just kept trying, and if (spoiler alert) he never quite succeeded, at least he got some good stories out of it. In Party of One, Dave tells the hilariously painful and painfully hilarious tales of an outsider desperate to get in, of a misfit constantly changing shape, of a guy who finally learns to accept himself.

For the Teacher…

Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond

Even in the most desolate areas of American cities, evictions used to be rare. But today, most poor renting families are spending more than half of their income on housing, and eviction has become ordinary, especially for single mothers. Desmond provides a ground-level view of one of the most urgent issues facing America today. As we see families forced into shelters, squalid apartments, or more dangerous neighbourhoods, we bear witness to the human cost of America’s vast inequality–and to people’s determination and intelligence in the face of hardship.

Who Cooked Adam Smith’s Dinner? by Katrine Marcal

Adam Smith, the founder of modern economics, believed that our actions stem from self-interest and the world turns because of financial gain. But every night Adam Smith’s mother served him his dinner, not out of self-interest but out of love. Today, economics focuses on self-interest and excludes our other motivations. It disregards the unpaid work of mothering, caring, cleaning and cooking and its influence has spread from the market to how we shop, think and date. In this engaging takedown of the economics that has failed us, Katrine Marcal journeys from Adam Smith’s dinner table to the recent financial crisis and shows us how different, how much better, things could be.

For the Hairdresser…

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

I know we wrote about this one last week…but it is sooo good! When Breath Becomes Air chronicles Kalanithi’s transformation from a medical student asking what makes a virtuous and meaningful life into a neurosurgeon working in the core of human identity, the brain, and finally into a patient and a new father. What makes life worth living in the face of death? What do you do when when life is catastrophically interrupted? What does it mean to have a child as your own life fades away? Paul Kalanithi died while working on this profoundly moving book, yet his words live on as a guide to us all. When Breath Becomes Air is a life-affirming reflection on facing our mortality and on the relationship between doctor and patient, from a gifted writer who became both.

Try Hard: Tales from the Life of a Needy Overachiever by Em Rusciano

A hilarious, heartfelt memoir from one of Australia’s most adored performers. Funny, feisty and fabulous, Em Rusciano’s insights into her world of mayhem, stardom and motherhood is a laugh-out-loud, cry-out-loud balm for the soul. From her exploits at Miss Sheila’s Fancy-pants School of Dance and her efforts to secure a solo at the end-of-year performance, to embracing the spotlight as an Australian Idol contestant and her deep and abiding love for John Farnham, Em Rusciano is a self-confessed hobbit with a taste for glitter. And behind the stage makeup Em is an overachiever of epic proportions – an elite athlete, the hardest working mum you’ll ever meet, and the best friend The Gays could ever have. She also has a heart bigger than Phar Lap’s, tells the best dirty jokes, and loves those closest to her ferociously. When the chips are down, you definitely want her on your side.

For the work Kris Kringle…

Seinfeldia by Jennifer Kieshin Armstrong

The hilarious behind-the-scenes story of two guys who went out for coffee and dreamed up Seinfeld—the cultural sensation that changed television and bled into the real world, altering the lives of everyone it touched. Comedians Larry David and Jerry Seinfeld never thought anyone would watch their silly little sitcom about a New York comedian sitting around talking to his friends. NBC executives didn’t think anyone would watch either, but they bought it anyway, hiding it away in the TV dead zone of summer. But against all odds, viewers began to watch, first a few and then many, until nine years later nearly forty million Americans were tuning in weekly. In Seinfeldia, acclaimed TV historian and entertainment writer Jennifer Keishin Armstrong celebrates the creators and fans of this American television phenomenon, bringing readers behind-the-scenes of the show while it was on the air and into the world of devotees for whom it never stopped being relevant.

Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook by Jamie Oliver

Jamie Oliver’s Christmas Cookbook will be packed with all the classics you need for the big day and beyond, as well as loads of delicious recipes for edible gifts, party food and new ways to love those leftovers. It’s everything you need for the best Christmas ever. Chapters: Introduction, Smart Starters, The Main Event, Veggie and Vegan Plates, The Wonderful World of Potatoes, Scrumptious Vegetables, Gravy, Sauces and all the Trimmings, Incredible Leftovers, Spectacular Festive Puddings, Afternoon Tea and Sweet Treats, Cute Edible Gifts, Super-Fantastic Salads, Dips, Bites and Handheld Nibbles, Perfect Christmas Drinks, Guide To Roasting Meat.

For the local donation…

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child by JK Rowling

The Eighth Story. Nineteen Years Later. It was always difficult being Harry Potter and it isn’t much easier now that he is an overworked employee of the Ministry of Magic, a husband, and father of three school-age children. While Harry grapples with a past that refuses to stay where it belongs, his youngest son Albus must struggle with the weight of a family legacy he never wanted. As past and present fuse ominously, both father and son learn the uncomfortable truth: sometimes, darkness comes from unexpected places.

Ruby Red Shoes Goes To London by Kate Knapp

The third book in the best-selling Ruby Red Shoes series. Ruby and her grandmother love to travel and now they are in London, the home of red buses, red telephone boxes and red letter boxes. No wonder Ruby’s red shoes feel especially at home in this wonderful city!

…and a little something for you

The Art of Dinosaur Designs by Louise Olsen

As young art students Louise Olsen and Stephen Ormandy began selling resin jewellery with a stall at Sydney’s Paddington markets. Today they have a business that employs 85 people and nine stores around the world including New York and London. Dinosaur Designs is the name of their jewellery and homewares company, admired around the world for its bold, colourful designs and unique fusion of art and design. Almost every Dinosaur Designs piece is still handmade by artisans in its Sydney studio, because creativity remains at the core of what they do. With this book Olsen and Ormandy open their hearts, minds and studio doors, to share their inspirations, ideas and process.

Enjoy!

Great books that help you to reflect on life

October 27, 2016Blog, Booko, Top Books#life #reflection #inspiringTeam Booko

Connecting with a book is up there with some of the greatest feelings you can have. When it happens it’s hard not to want to recommend it to everyone you see. It’s my goal to have at least a handful of books that I can pop in my ‘toolbelt’ to help me navigate through life. So far I have three (follow us on Facebook to find out what they are). I love a book that stops me in my tracks and forces me to assess my life. Finding a book that helps to shape you, helps to cement your values and offer a little perspective when you need it most is a bit of a gem and needs to be held onto.

Here are a few of our team’s favourites that may just become a gem to you.

The Richest Man In Babylon by George S. Clason

Hailed as the greatest of all inspirational works on the subject of thrift and financial planning Clason delivers classic insights into wealth accumulation through a series of parables set in ancient Babylon. The Richest Man in Babylon is a book you will want to read yourself, recommend to friends, and give to young people just starting out in life.

A Brief History Of Time: From Big Bang To Black Holes by Stephen Hawking

Was there a beginning of time? Could time run backwards? Is the universe infinite or does it have boundaries? These are just some of the questions considered in an internationally acclaimed masterpiece by one of the world’s greatest thinkers. It begins by reviewing the great theories of the cosmos from Newton to Einstein, before delving into the secrets which still lie at the heart of space and time, from the Big Bang to black holes, via spiral galaxies and strong theory. To this day A Brief History of Time remains a staple of the scientific canon, and its succinct and clear language continues to introduce millions to the universe and its wonders.

A Long Walk to Freedom by Nelson Mandela

The riveting memoirs of the outstanding moral and political leader of our time, A Long Walk To Freedom brilliantly re-creates the drama of the experiences that helped shape Nelson Mandela’s destiny. Emotive, compelling and uplifting, it is the exhilarating story of an epic life; a story of hardship, resilience and ultimate triumph told with the clarity and eloquence of a born leader.

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi

At the age of thirty-six, on the verge of completing a decade’s training as a neurosurgeon, Paul Kalanithi was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer. One day he was a doctor treating the dying, the next he was a patient struggling to live. When Breath Becomes Air chronicles Kalanithi’s transformation from a medical student asking what makes a virtuous and meaningful life into a neurosurgeon working in the core of human identity, the brain, and finally into a patient and a new father. What makes life worth living in the face of death? What do you do when when life is catastrophically interrupted? What does it mean to have a child as your own life fades away? Paul Kalanithi died while working on this profoundly moving book, yet his words live on as a guide to us all. When Breath Becomes Air is a life-affirming reflection on facing our mortality and on the relationship between doctor and patient, from a gifted writer who became both.

…and because it’s nearly Christmas…

A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens

A cruel and bitter old miser, Ebenezer Scrooge, has no time for festivities or goodwill toward his fellow men and is only interested in money. Then, on the night of Christmas Eve, his life is changed by a series of ghostly visitations that show him some bitter truths about his choices and help him reflect on his past, present, and future in one of the most widely read and frequently adapted holiday classics.

Happy Reading.

A virtual tour of the world’s most beautiful bookshops

August 31, 2016Blog, Shops, Travel#bookbuying, #BookshopsTeam Booko

There’s a subculture of book lovers who tour the world’s most beautiful bookshops. Who wouldn’t? We use beautiful in the figurative sense because although some of these bookshops are breathtakingly beautiful (such as Liberia El Ateneo Grand Splendid), others like the Honesty Bookshop are striking in their simplicity. Here are our recommendations for a virtual tour of the world’s most beautiful bookshops:

Librería El Ateneo Grand Splendid, Buenos Aires, Argentina

Image from m4caque’s photostream/ /CC BY-NC-ND 2.0]

What’s more amazing than a bookshop built from a disused theatre? Theatre boxes are used as reading rooms, there are comfy couches scattered throughout the area and many of the original features are intact. We love that the red stage curtain is a centrepiece, which adds a touch of theatre to the room. Walls feature intricate carvings and the ceiling contains beautifully painted murals. Buenos Aires appears to be a city for bookworms with many snug cafes encouraging a love of reading. We can’t wait to visit…

Poplar Kids Republic, Beijing, China

Image from www.designrulz.com

If you’re designing a bookstore for children, there’s a great opportunity to play with structure, design and colour. Well, this bookshop in Beijing, China, completely nails the brief. There are a ton of interesting areas for children to explore the wide range of books and to find a comfy spot in which to read them. Opened by the Beijing POPLAR Culture project, the premise of the building was to encourage cultural awareness, with a focus on multicultural picture books. Designed by SAKO Architects, this organic and maze-like bookshop turns the idea of the conventional bookstore on it’s head as it is built around the needs of it’s customers. A+.

Cafebreria El Pendulo, Mexico City, Mexico

Image from mnn.com

Books, coffee and gardening! Whoever designed this bookshop certainly took into account some of my favourite things! Named after the pendulum that hangs from the ceiling, customers are invited to give it a nudge as they pass by, which allows it to swing back and forth, making patterns in the sand as it does. This double-level cafe houses books in both Spanish and English in shelves that are packed to the brim! Casually laid-out, books are placed in piles on the floor, giving the cafe a lovely casual atmosphere. Containing novelty gifts as well as books, DVD’s and CD’s, the friendly staff are on hand to offer some assistance in selecting the perfect gift.

Corso Como Bookshop, Milan, Italy

Image from Pinterest

10 Corso Como resembles an art gallery in it’s most minimalist sense. Designed by American artist Kris Ruhs, it’s becoming an institution with outlets now also in Tokyo, Shanghai and Seoul. A shopping and dining complex, it offers a range of shops that display works of art, fashion, food, design and other cultural elements. Hosting a wide range of events and exhibitions, 10 Corso Como is a regular haunt of the culture vulture!

Honesty Bookshop, Hay-on-Wye

Image from Nexxo

For some reason, the small Welsh town of Hay-on-Wye is a hub of bookshops and literature-related events. Its literature festival was described by the then US President Bill Clinton as “the Woodstock of the mind”. Housing over 30 bookshops in narrow streets, many tour groups offer tours to this fabulous little town. We love the Honesty Bookshop, which is basically sets of aged shelves full of books that can be purchased with a donation. All funds go towards the restoration of the town’s Norman castle – whose grounds house the Honesty Bookshop. Such a beautifully simple little shop!

Shakespeare and Company, Paris

Image from Shakespeareandcompany.com

“Be Not Inhospitable to Strangers Lest They Be Angels in Disguise,” is the theme of the bookshop; it’s written above the entrance to the reading library. So strangers do come – some of them sleep in beds tucked behind the bookshelves, often helping out around the bookshop in place of board. Since opening, an astounding 30,000 people have slept in the bookstore. Quite often they are artists and aspiring writers who make Shakespeare and Co their home for a while. For these reasons, we feel this bookshop is quite extraordinary.

Shakespeare and Company is actually the name of two different bookstores that have opened on Paris’ Left Bank. The first one closed during WW2 but was, in its day, a gathering place for such imminent writers as Ezra Pound, Ernest Hemingway and James Joyce. The second still operates today at 37 rue de la Bûcherie. Operating as an antiquarian bookseller, selling new and second hand books, it also doubles as a free reading library to the public.

How to buy cheap books online

July 6, 2016Booko, Hacks, Uncategorized#BookoalertsTeam Booko

If you’re shopping for books or DVD’s online and want to snap up a bargain, searching through Booko is a great place to start. The best way to buy cheap books online is to search through Booko.

In its infancy, Booko was a web page with a series of small programs collecting prices and calculating delivery costs for a handful of online book shops, to find the cheapest supplier of books. The overarching objective was to find both new and second hand books online as cheaply as possible. When shops which offered free shipping could be added, even better.

The Booko alert function is a useful tool that allows you to set the maximum price you would like to pay for an item. If you are purchasing in advance (such as textbooks or gifts), multiple alerts on books can be set up and be running while you wait for the price to drop.

Here’s how to set up an alert:

Go to the search box on the Booko homepage and type in the name of the book.

From here, you will be presented with a range of results. These might be different books or the same book with different cover art etc. From here, click on the version you would like. The page you are taken to looks a little bit like this:

Underneath the book cover art (the image of the book), there are two options: Add an alert or Add to a list. Choose ‘Add an alert’.

A box will appear which shows the current best price. You can delete this and instead type in your preferred price. After that, add your email address and click “Add”.

No one wants to miss out on a sale. Booko checks the prices of up to 60 online bookstores globally on a daily basis and will email you when the price drops below your specified price. I’ve already set up alerts for books I want to purchase as Christmas gifts for family members. If you are planning on setting up multiple alerts, it makes sense to set up an account to manage them.

To do this, simply choose the ‘Register‘ option in the footer. You can complete the form or choose to log in using one of your existing social media sites.

So that’s it: If you are wanting to take advantage of price reductions on books (either new or second hand), getting organised by setting up price alerts makes for smarter shopping!

Top books released this month: June 2016

June 28, 2016Blog, Booko, Fiction, Top Books#Fiction, #Junebooks, #Newrelease, #TopbooksTeam Booko

We’ve hunted high and low to find you a collection of the coolest, most ‘anticipated’ and highly regarded new releases for June. This month our collection features vastly different tales but all of the stories are intricately set and beautifully told. Here are our recommendations for new releases for June 2016:

The Girls by Emma Cline

Cline’s novel is set in California and is loosely based on the Manson “family” and their crimes. The protagonist in ‘The Girls’, Evie, just wants to be noticed: by her family, her friends. anybody. Then along comes Suzanne who is older and welcomes Evie into the fold. The reviews of this book have been overwhelmingly positive. Despite the topic being a challenging one to read, it’s beautifully written. The overarching themes of wanting to belong to a group are universal. The film rights were snapped up before ‘The Girls’ was released. A hit.

Barkskins by Annie Proulx

Annie Proulx is universally acknowledged as ‘One of the greatest American writers’. The 80 year old Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Shipping News and Brokeback Mountain, spent ten years writing ‘Barkskins’, an epic, dazzling, violent, magnificently dramatic novel about taming the wilderness and destroying the forest, set over three centuries and covering 700 pages. Barkskins is a masterpiece of intricately cut characters and dazzling settings. We are with these characters over their life’s journey. An amazing read.

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Gyasi’s debut novel traces the journeys of two branches of the same family tree. Two half sisters, Effia and Esi, unknown to each other, are born into two different tribal villages in 18th century Ghana. Effia will be married off to an English colonial, and will live in comfort from the proceeds of slavery. Her sister, Esi, will be imprisoned in the Castle’s women’s dungeon, herself a slave. Touted as one of the most highly anticipated debuts this year, Homegoing has been garnering rave reviews due to Gyasi’s ability to weave two very different stories together. Sentimental as it is intellectual, this is another novel not to be missed.

Vinegar Girl by Anne Tyler

Pulitzer Prize winner Anne Tyler’s Vinegar Girl is a modern re-telling of Shakespeare’s ‘The Taming of the Shrew.‘ In what appears to be a current trend to re-tell Shakespeare’s works by acclaimed modern authors, this book has been released to mixed reviews.

While it is easy reading, funny, quirky and well told, it lacks the depth of Tyler’s prior works. The question could also be asked: why modernise a classic?

They May Not Mean to But They Do by Cathleen Schine

Joy Bergman is not slipping into old age with the quiet grace her children, Molly and Daniel, would prefer. She won’t take their advice, and she won’t take an antidepressant. Schine’s latest novel combines dark humour with incredibly insightful observations about life, love, death and relationships. Clever, witty with deeply moving undertones, this is an easy read on the complexities of inter-generational relationships.

Each Vagabond by Name by Margo Orlando Little

“It was an ordinary Fall until the gypsies came.”

Fast-paced, mysterious and heartfelt, Each Vagabond by Name takes place in a small, South-Western Pennsylvanian town. Zachariah Ramsay, owner of the local bar finds himself drawn into the world of a group of travelling people after a hungry man turns up one day at his door. When the group begin to rob townspeople’s homes, Ramsay is drawn into their world.

Another debut novel, Each Vagabond by Name features beautifully developed characters and a compelling plot. Hard to put down!

For more 2016 releases, check out our Pinterest board 2016 New Releases.

Celebrating the world of coffee table books

March 24, 2016Blog, Booko#coffeetablebooksTeam Booko

There’s something about having book candy sitting on your coffee table…or lining up in a stylish manner on a bookshelf. I must admit, I am a bit of an interiors addict, and nothing pleases me more than merging my love of books and love of interiors. The children’s rooms have front facing shelves so we can enjoy the delightful (and have you noticed increasingly stylish?) book covers. Our lounge room is also home to books that are often rotated between the bookshelf and then curated subtly on the coffee table.

Real Living Magazine has recently been adding a selection of coffee table books to the pages of their magazine, and boy this month they are beautiful. So I thought as we are celebrating readers of all genres this month, I’d share their beautiful coffee table candy.

Book Cases: From Salvage to Storage by Aurelie Drouet

Bookshelves showcase our favourite books and most treasured objects. They are useful and practical but, far from reducing them to their simplest function, we love that they reflect our style and individuality, becoming design features in their own right and harmoniously fitting into our living spaces. They are also relatively easy to make and accessible to everyone. No need to be an experienced handyman to realise these original designs. This book presents 14 creations with step-by-step photos, plans, and technical tips. There’s also an injection of inspiration with the more ambitious bookcase projects by leading designers and architects.

Florentine: The True Cuisine of Florence by Emiko Davies

Florentine is a collection of delicious recipes and stunning photographs from Tuscany’s capital. Emiko Davies draws on her personal experience of traditional Florentine cuisine to share recipes that transport readers to the piazzas of Florence. From the morning ritual of la pasticceria (the pastry shop) and il forno (the bakery), the tantalizing fresh produce of il mercato (the market) and il macellaio (the butcher) through to the evening romance of la trattoria, it will take you on a unique stroll through the city’s streets to the heart of its culture.

Best Kitchen Basics by Mark Best

Best Kitchen Basics beats the revolutionary drum in the domestic kitchen – no longer are high-end techniques or recipes the sole domain of multi-award-winning restaurants like Best’s Sydney fine diner Marque and his bistros Pei Modern in Melbourne and Sydney. Here, Mark Best breaks it down, putting the individual elements of each recipe into the home cook’s hands and empowering them to think differently. It includes 100 original recipes built around 30 accessible ingredients – from eggplant to pumpkin to chocolate and eggs. Best Kitchen Basics ups the ante on the familiar. Best insists that it is not a question of luxurious ingredients, simply the knowledge and wherewithal to unlock the beauty of some of the most basic elements of cooking.

Supernormal by Andrew McConnell

This cookbook is based on the restaurant of the same name where Andrew, owner and head chef, takes home cooks into the kitchen of his hugely popular pan-Asian eatery. Across eight chapters, he shares something of the McConnell magic, as well as menus for fans who aspire to a Supernormal-worthy spread at home. The book is filled with photographs from Earl Carter, who offers a behind-the-scenes take on the restaurant and its characters, as well as scenes from Tokyo, a long-time source of inspiration for McConnell, and his Flinders Lane eating house.

Life Hacks by Annabel Staff

Have you ever burnt your fingers trying to light a hard to reach candle wick? Try lighting it with spaghetti. Just how do you separate the yolk from the white of an egg? You use a plastic bottle, of course. When your ice-lolly starts melting, how do you stop your hands getting sticky? By using a cupcake wrapper, naturally…This book contains over thirty solutions to everyday problems encountered in the home or out and about, with each life hack demonstrated in a full colour photograph for easy reference.

Hello Tokyo by Ebony Bizys

This book by Japanese-based Australian blogger/crafter/designer/zine publisher Ebony Bizys is a cute and quirky guide to living a handmade lifestyle, filled with projects and ideas inspired by Ebony’s life in Tokyo. Capturing the charm, humour and originality of her eclectic and highly successful blog, Hello Sandwich, this book features craft projects and inspirational styling ideas, and gives the reader a glimpse of Japanese culture. Hello Tokyo is the quintessential Hello Sandwich publication. It captures Ebony’s fascination with the myriad treasures of everyday existence, ranging from personalised crafts such as handmade stationery and clothing accessories, as well as decorative items and storage solutions for the home; to recording your daily life and travels with a camera, journal or even a blog; to hosting, theming and styling a fun party or picnic.

A huge thanks to Real Living Magazine for inspiring us with such a terrific selection of titles.

If you are looking for more brilliant coffee table books, we have a Pinterest board full of them too. Hop on over and follow us.

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