Village Books

This week is Banned Books Week. Banning books is an expensive endeavor—one that is paid for by taxpayers at the expense of educating children.

From Every Library:

For example, an attempt to ban the book The Black Friend, on Being a Better White Person ended up costing the Spring Branch School District in Texas 226 hours of time, divided between sixteen people, and cost more than $30,000!

Texas has more than twelve hundred school districts and Texas has attempted to ban thousands of books and book bans will cost Texas at least 3.6 million dollars per year.

Every one of these dollars spent on book ban attempts, could have gone to paying for school improvements, classroom materials, better pay for teachers, or actually educating children.

The book ban fight in the public library in Llano County, Texas, cost the county over $100,000 in legal fees in the first 6 months of 2023, and they recently lost their appeal in the Supreme Court in 2024, which cost them hundreds of thousands of dollars more. Money that could have gone towards repairing potholes, providing public services, or you know... actually governing.

Join Village Books on November 30 at 7 pm as we welcome educator, librarian, activist and bestselling author Amanda Jones. Cohosted by the Texas Freedom to Read Project, the event is free but space is limited so sign up at https://www.myvillagebooks.com/event-details/an-evening-with-librarian-author-and-activist-amanda-jones

New release Tuesday! Intermezzo by global phenomenon Sally Rooney

“Intermezzo might be her best yet…” Booklist starred review

“Her grandmaster status remains intact.” Kirkus Reviews starred review

“[T]his feels like Rooney’s most fully realized work…” Publishers Weekly starred review

Buy it here, pick up in the bookshop today! https://myvillagebooks.indielite.org/book/9780374602635

We are starting to get holiday items in already—the season will be here before you know it! We are waiting a bit to put all of the gift items out but couldn’t resist displaying these gorgeous Advent Calendars! They include traditional calendars and fun calendars you build piece by piece as Christmas draws closer!

Join us for our next storytelling competition, Sunday, September 29 at 3pm!

Our storytelling competitions have become the highlight of my month! They are so fun and the audience and participants are amazing! RSVP here: https://www.myvillagebooks.com/event-list

Here are the rules:

Two categories: 16+ and under 16

Time Limit: Approx 10 minutes maximum (you do not have to use the full 10 minutes)

Stories: May be fiction or nonfiction (or a hybrid of the two)

Format: Must be memorized -- absolutely no reading!

Family friendly content only

Props may be used within reason (please no livestock)

Do you wake up in a sweat? Does your skin feel itchy and dry? Are you having trouble sleeping or remembering everyday tasks or appointments?

Well, then this is the She's Legend Workshop for you!

Join us on Thursday, September 26 to learn from a medical professional the facts and fiction of menopause. You'll learn to recognize and manage the symptoms of perimenopause and menopause from medical professionals and others.

Sign up here: https://www.myvillagebooks.com/event-details/shes-legend-the-facts-fiction-of-menopause

Hey guys! If you’ve been in the store recently you know we have been out of shopping bags. But now we have some in and we need help from young artists! Bring your little Picassos in this weekend to decorate our shopping bags! We need to make them pretty for customers to take their books home in!!

Join us as we welcome popular mom-food-blogger Lily Payen on Oct 26 and learn how to make meals that even the pickiest of eaters will love! Reserve your seat and preorder a book at https://www.myvillagebooks.com/event-details/an-afternoon-with-mom-blogger-and-author-lily-payen feedingtinybellies Feeding Tiny Bellies

Just arrived! A new edition of Fourth Wing by Rebecca Yarros, with fabulous sprayed edges and new bonus content!

Order online and pick up in store while supplies last! https://myvillagebooks.indielite.org/book/9781649377371

Next Tuesday release! Intermezzo by global phenomenon Sally Rooney

“Intermezzo might be her best yet…” Booklist starred review

“Her grandmaster status remains intact.” Kirkus Reviews starred review

“[T]his feels like Rooney’s most fully realized work…” Publishers Weekly starred review

Buy it here, pick up in the bookshop on Tuesday! https://myvillagebooks.indielite.org/book/9780374602635

Join us on Sunday at 1 pm for our new urban naturalists club for older kids ages 8-12! Each participant gets a FREE field guide! This weeks workshop is on fossils and rocks! (If the weather is too hot, the workshop takes place inside!)

My favorite time of year! Every day new releases coming in, as well as coffee table books for gifting!

Don’t miss out on one of Lisa’s favorites of the year! Buy it here and pick up in the bookshop! https://myvillagebooks.indielite.org/search/Games%20gods%20play

Look at this gorgeous book on birds! Just got it in!

Buy it here and pickup in the shop: https://myvillagebooks.indielite.org/book/9780593843581

Happy Wednesday from bookshop dog Oso (hard at work)!

Recipes to satisfy the pickiest of tiny bellies—plus the rest of the family!

Reserve your free ticket & preorder a book at myvillagebooks.com!

Join us for a festival of fun and reading!!

Read to Me Picture Book Festival, November 16 at Deretchin Elementary School in The Woodlands!

Sign up for free tickets at readingisrevolutionary.org !

Today at 1!!! Join us! Each young naturalists gets a great field and activity guide FREE!

Join us as we welcome popular mom-food-blogger Lily Payen on Oct 26 and learn how to make meals that even the pickiest of eaters will love! Reserve your seat and preorder a book at https://www.myvillagebooks.com/event-details/an-afternoon-with-mom-blogger-and-author-lily-payen

We are thrilled to announce we will be welcoming author, educator, librarian and anti-censorship activist Amanda Jones to The Woodlands on Saturday, November 30 at 7 pm. Reserve your spot and purchase your book here: https://www.myvillagebooks.com/event-details/an-evening-with-librarian-author-and-activist-amanda-jones

Amanda Jones has been an educator for 22 years and is the President of the Louisiana Association of School Librarians. She was the 2021 School Library Journal Co-Librarian of the Year, 2021 Library Journal Mover & Shaker, and 2020 Louisiana School Librarian of the Year. Amanda is a sought-after keynote speaker at national and international conferences, and has been interviewed in national media including MSNBC, NPR, NBC News, the New York Times, the Los Angeles Times and more . Amanda co-founded the Livingston Parish Library Alliance to defeat censorship attempts in her community and is a founding member of the Louisiana Citizens Against Censorship, which fights against censorship efforts across the state. She lives in Livingston Parish, Louisiana. We ask that attendees purchase the book through Village Books to go through the signing line. You can purchase it here: https://myvillagebooks.indielite.org/book/9781639733538

Wear your love of literature on your t-shirt! Your purchase of a Reading Is Revolutionary t-shirt goes to support the nonprofit’s local programming and book drives! https://www.readingisrevolutionary.org/category/all-products

Join us on November 16 at Deretchin Elementary School in The Woodlands for our first Read to Me Picture Book Festival and meet Dog Man! Get your free tix at readingisrevolutionary.org.

Bring your young nature lovers, ages 6-10, to The Woodlands GREEN’s Young Urban Naturalists program on Sunday, September 15 at 1 pm at Village Books! Free! Learn all about fossils & rocks! Outdoor activities! Field guides! So much fun!! Only a few spots left! Sign up here: https://www.myvillagebooks.com/event-details/the-woodlands-green-young-urban-naturalists-club

Rachel Magee stopped in yesterday to sign some copies of her latest book, “It’s All Relative”! Come in and pick one up for yourself!