
The Mermaids Singing
¥72.78
There is an island off the west coast of Ireland called Inis Murúch -- theIsland of the Mermaids -- a world where myth is more powerful than truth, and love can overcome even death. It is here that Lisa Carey sets her lyrical and sensual first novel, weaving together the voices and lives of three generations of Irish and Irish-American women.Years ago, the fierce and beautiful Grace stole away from the island with her small daughter, Gráinne, unable to bear its isolation. Now Gráinne is motherless at fifteen, and a grandmother she has never met has come to take her back. Her heart is pulled between a life in which she no longer belongs and a family she cannot remember. But only on Inis Murúch can she begin to understand the forces that have torn her family apart.

Perfect Girl
¥108.99
Out of the blue, Ruthie has fallen in love with the boy next door, Perry. He's suddenly grown up and made her heart go thwang, and Ruthie has no idea what to do about it.Then a new girl shows up at school, and Ruthie realizes she has to do something, and fast. Jenna is perfect, from her perfectly straight hair to her perfectly manicured toes. Perry's noticed her, too, and worse, Jenna has noticed him right back. Ruthie knows she has to call her aunt, New York's "Goddess of Love." If Aunt Marty, romance columnist and woman of the world, can't turn Ruthie into a perfect girl, no one can . . . but she might also turn Ruthie's entire world upside down.

Pretty Face
¥49.79
That's what I am. A funny girl. A friend. Nobody's girlfriend. The girl with the pretty face.Hayley wishes she could love living in Santa Monica, blocks from the beach, where every day—and everybody—is beautiful and sunny. But she just doesn't fit in with all the blond, superskinny Southern California girls who have their plastic surgeons on speed dial. Hayley is smart and witty and has such a pretty . . . face. Translation: Don't even think about putting on a bikini, much less dating superhot Drew Wyler. A bikini will never be flattering, and Drew will never think of her as more than a friend.Just when Hayley feels doomed to live her life in the fat lane, her parents decide to send her to Italy for the summer—not for school, not for fat camp, just for fun. It's there, under the Italian sun, that Hayley's vision of herself starts to change. She's curvy, not fat. Pizza isn't evil. And life is so much more than one-size-fits-all. Who knowsOnce Hayley sees herself in a new light, maybe the girl with the pretty face will finally find true amore.

Joe Sherlock, Kid Detective, Case #000001: The Haunted Toolshed
¥22.40
Why are cakes vanishing into thin airHow can a mailbox disappear without a traceWhen did something evil move into Mr. Asher's toolshed?Strange and unexplained things are happening on Baker Street after dark, and Joe Sherlock must come face-to-face with the things that go bump in the night. Even though a cold tingle of terror gallops down his spine like a herd of wild gophers, Joe is determined to solve the case -- and have his bundt cake, too.

The Elephant Keeper
¥94.10
"I asked the sailor what an Elephant looked like; he replied that it was like nothing on earth."England, 1766: After a long voyage from the East Indies, a ship docks in Bristol, England, and rumor quickly spreads about its unusual cargo—some say a mermaid is on board. A crowd forms, hoping to catch a glimpse of the magical creature. One crate after another is unpacked: a zebra, a leopard, and a baboon. There's no mermaid, but in the final two crates is something almost as magical—a pair of young elephants, in poor health but alive. Seeing a unique opportunity, a wealthy sugar merchant purchases the elephants for his country estate and turns their care over to a young stable boy, Tom Page. Tom's family has long cared for horses, but an elephant is something different altogether. It takes time for Tom and the elephants to understand one another, but to the surprise of everyone on the estate, a remarkable bond is formed. The Elephant Keeper, the story of Tom and the elephants, in Tom's own words, moves from the green fields and woods of the English countryside to the dark streets and alleys of late-eighteenth-century London, reflecting both the beauty and the violence of the age. Nicholson's lush writing and deft storytelling complement a captivating tale of love and loyalty between one man and the two elephants that change the lives of all who meet them.

Wait Until Twilight
¥79.38
A hauntingly strange and powerfully affecting debut novel that heralds the arrival of a unique and captivating literary voice, Sang Pak's Wait Until Twilight is a coming-of-age story that explores the complex darkness infecting a damaged psyche in a small Southern town.Not long after his own mother's death, sixteen-year-old Samuel discovers a set of deformed triplets hidden behind closed doors in his sleepy Georgia community. The babies—whose shut-in mother believes they were immaculately conceived and whose menacing brother is a constant threat—take control of Samuel's every waking and sleeping thought. His only escape, he realizes, will be to save the monster children. But to do so, he must rein in his darkest impulses as he undergoes a profound transformation from motherless boy to self-defined man—because sometimes the most terrible monsters are those that live inside us all.

Checker and the Derailleurs
¥78.55
Beautiful and charismatic, nineteen-year-old Checker Secretti is the most gifted and original drummer that the club-goers of Astoria, Queens, have ever heard. When he plays, conundrums seem to solve themselves, brilliant thoughts spring to mind, and couples fall in love. The members of his band, The Derailleurs, are passionately devoted to their guiding spirit, as are all who fall under Checker's spell. But when another drummer, Eaton Striker, hears the prodigy play, he is pulled inexorably into Checker's orbit by a powerful combination of envy and admiration. Soon The Derailleurs, too, are torn apart by latent jealousies that Eaton does his utmost to bring alive.

Model, Incorporated
¥79.38
Supermodel Carol Alt brings the inside world of high-end fashion modeling into dazzling focus—with a fabulous novel about what it takes to get to the top...and stay there.Plucked from obscurity, beautiful Melody Ann Croft is making her way up the industry ladder. But Melody Ann is gone...in her place is "Mac" and with her looks, brains, and drive, she may well be on the brink of becoming America's top model. Suddenly Mac's seeing her name in the tabloids, being wooed by billionaire businessmen...and sharing intimate late-night dinners with movie stars. And she's discovering that the supermodel life isn't all fluff and glamour. It's long hours, hard work, and even harder choices—like choosing to starve or to never work again.But does Mac have what it takes to be superBecause deep down—behind the perfect body and million-dollar smile—she's still the same hometown Melody Ann she's always been....

A Place Called Wiregrass
¥88.56
Erma Lee is on the run . . . Running from an abusive husband . . . running from a mother who doesn't care -- never cared. Running from a soul-numbing factory job that has held her down her entire life ...Erma Lee and her granddaughter, Cher, flee to the town of Wiregrass, Alabama, to escape the past and start over -- or so Erma Lee thinks. Erma Lee forms an unlikely friendship with Miss Claudia, an elderly socialite who is hiding a few details about her own past. Life in Wiregrass is different for Erma Lee and Cher, for here they find mercy and promise -- until, that is, the day Cher's convict father arrives in town, forcing all three women to come to terms with buried secrets.

The Return
¥88.56
From the internationally bestselling author of The Island comes a dazzling new novel of family betrayals, forbidden love, and historical turmoil.Sonia knows nothing of Granada's shocking past, but ordering a simple cup of coffee in a quiet café will lead her into the extraordinary tale of a family's fight to survive the horror of the Spanish Civil War. Seventy years earlier, in the Ramírez family's café, Concha and Pablo's children relish an atmosphere of hope. Antonio is a serious young teacher, Ignacio a flamboyant matador, and Emilio a skilled musician. Their sister, Mercedes, is a spirited girl whose sole passion is dancing, until she meets Javier and an obsessive love affair begins. But Spain is a country in turmoil. In the heat of civil war, everyone must take a side and choose whether to submit, to fight, or to attempt escape.

Rotten School #10: The Rottenest Angel
¥39.13
Angel Goodeboy is a perfect angel . . . You can almost picture a halo over his head! He even wears a T-shirt that says "Mommy's Little Angel."Bernie Bridges is horrified when Mrs. Heinie makes him share his room with Angel. She wants Angel's goodness to rub off on Bernie. But wait a minute—when no teachers are watching, Angel is no angel!The little sneak takes over Bernie's room. He steals away Bernie's friends. He charms Bernie's girlfriend. Everyone loves Angel—even Bernie's pets! There's only one way for Bernie to rule the school again. He's got to get rid of this kid! But how do you get rid of an angel?

Rotten School #12: Battle of the Dum Diddys
¥72.71
Hey! Where Is Everyone?That's what Bernie Bridges wants to know when he can't find any of his friends. Everyone has disappeared! And when he finally does find them, they're acting really weird. For instance, his shy friend Chipmunk thinks he is a fearless warrior, and football star Jennifer Ecch thinks she is a princess. What is going onSoon Bernie realizes that everyone at Rotten School is acting! They are all playing parts in a big battle. A battle between the Dum Diddys and the Knighty Knight Knights. But it's not a real fight. It's a video game called Wungo Warriors—and everyone has to pay that spoiled rich kid Sherman Oaks to play.Bernie can't let Sherman get away with this. He has a plan to outsmart Sherman—by bringing the Wungo Warriors to life! What Bernie doesn't know, though, is that a real-life battle between the Dum Diddys and the Knighty Knight Knights could shut down Rotten School forever.

Rotten School #5: Shake, Rattle, and Hurl!
¥39.13
Chipmunk is so shy...He inhales when he sneezes!He even blushes when he's asleep!He plays guitar in the closet so he won't disturb anyone.But he just may be the best rock 'n' roll guitarist of all time! And Bernie Bridges needs him to win the annual Talent Contest for Rotten House. Bernie will do anything to keep the prize away from Sherman Oaks and his pals at Nyce House.Can Chipmunk conquer his stage fright and win?Or -- when Bernie pushes him onstage, will it be Shake, Rattle, and HURL?!

Rotten School #7: Dudes, the School Is Haunted!
¥32.65
Joe Sweety is the worst kind of bully -- big, mean, and always ready to use his fists. Chipmunk is the shiest, clumsiest kid at Rotten School. When Chipmunk is paired with Joe on the class trip, things get ugly -- and fast! Chipmunk spills his apple juice on Joe, he barfs on Joe, and he pulls down Joe's pants. All accidents, of course. But does Joe careNo way! He is out to get Chipmunk!Bernie Bridges can't stand to see Chipmunk, one of his Rotten House guys, bullied by big, mean Sweety. So it's payback time -- and Bernie has a spook-tacular plan. It turns out that Sweety is scared of ghosts. Petrified! Bernie decides it's time for the Haunting of Joe -- with spooky messages on the computer, green protoplasm in his room, and a body-wrap in an eerie cocoon. Will Bernie's payback workWill it scare Joe into niceness?

Rotten School #8: The Teacher from Heck
¥43.55
Is Mrs. Heinie Gone Forever?Mrs. Heinie is so nearsighted, she can't find her nose without her glasses on!But she doesn't have to see to know that Bernie Bridges and his Rotten House buddies are up to no good. Cuz they're ALWAYS up to no good!Mrs. H. decides she can't take it anymore! She's replaced by a teacher named Mr. Skruloose. He's the Teacher from HECK! He's so strict, he won't let kids SNEEZE! And he gives four hours of homework every night!Mr. Skruloose HAS to go. The annual Water War is under way. Who has time for homeworkCan Bernie think up a scheme to bring Mrs. Heinie backDoes a weasel have lips?

Sisters in Sanity
¥55.93
"Where are they taking me?""It's for your own good, Brit," Dad said.I was shoved into a small, stuffy room, and the door was locked behind me. I waited for my dad to realize he'd made a terrible mistake and come get me.But he didn't.For sixteen-year-old Brit Hemphill, it's hard to know who she can trust. Convinced she's out of control, her father has sentenced her to Red Rock: a center for supposedly rebellious teens, where the therapy consists of name-calling and the girls who get privileges are the ones who rat out their peers.But then Brit meets V, Bebe, Martha, and Cassie—four girls who keep her from going over the edge. Together, they'll hold on to their sanity and their sisterhood despite the bleak Red Rock reality.

The Torn Skirt
¥72.93
At Mt. Douglas (a.k.a. Mt. Drug) High, all the girls have feathered hair, and the sweet scent of Love's Baby Soft can't hide the musk of raw teenage anger, apathy, and desire. Sara Shaw is a girl full of fever and longing, a girl looking for something risky, something real. Her only possible salvation comes in the willowy form of the mysterious Justine, the outlaw girl in the torn skirt. The search for Justine will lead Sara on a daring odyssey into an underworld of hookers and johns, junkies and thieves, runaway girls and skater boys, and, ultimately, into a violent tragedy.

Emily Post's Table Manners for Kids
¥95.39
Which fork do I useHow do you use chopsticksIs it okay to answer my cell phone during dinnerWhat is the polite way to eat spaghettiThese and other important questions are answered in this handy guide to eating without grossing people out. Pretty much everything you need to know to get you through any meal is here—from table settings, to eating tricky foods, to holding up your end of a dinner conversation. Written by two codirectors of The Emily Post Institute, the most trusted name in etiquette, Emily Post's Table Manners for Kids isn't just for fancy parties and dinner at your grandmother's house. It's got basic information you can use every day to improve your social life.

The Real Real
¥56.08
The bestselling authors of The Nanny Diaries introduce a new heroine to root for: Jesse O'Rourke, coffee barista, high school senior, and unwitting reality TV star.Imagine there was never a Laguna Beach, a Newport Harbor, the shimmering Hills. Imagine that your hometown—your school—is the first place XTV descends to set up cameras.Now imagine they've trained them on you.When Jesse O'Rourke gets picked for a "documentary" being filmed at her school in the Hamptons she's tempted to turn down the offer. But there's a tuition check attached to being on the show, and Jesse needs the cash so she can be the first in her family to attend college. All she has to do is trade her best friend for the glam clique she's studiously avoided, her privacy for a 24/7 mike, and her sense of right and wrong for "what sells on camera." . . . At least there's one bright spot in the train wreck that is her suddenly public senior year: Jesse's crush has also made the cast.As the producers manipulate the lives of their "characters" to heighten the drama, and Us Weekly covers become a regular occurrence for Jesse, she must struggle to remember one thing: the difference between real and the real real.

The Waters & the Wild
¥95.39
When Bee woke up, there was a girl standing in her room. "You are me," the girl said. Then she was gone.I am a thirteen-year-old double Gemini. I get bad grades, write poetry with my left hand, dance in my room, surf the net. I Google images of the tattoos my mom won't let me get. . . .But my world belongs to someone else. Someone who lives below the concrete of Los Angeles, someone with wild eyes and twigs in her hair.And I think she wants her life back.

A Love Affair with Southern Cooking
¥196.44
More than a cookbook, this is the story of how a little girl, born in the South of Yankee parents, fell in love with southern cooking at the age of five. And a bite of brown sugar pie was all it took."I shamelessly wangled supper invitations from my playmates," Anderson admits. "But I was on a voyage of discovery, and back then iron-skillet corn bread seemed more exotic than my mom's Boston brown bread and yellow squash pudding more appealing than mashed parsnips."After college up north, Anderson worked in rural North Carolina as an assistant home demonstration agent, scarfing good country cooking seven days a week: crispy "battered" chicken, salt-rising bread, wild persimmon pudding, Jerusalem artichoke pickles, Japanese fruitcake. Later, as a New York City magazine editor, then a freelancer, Anderson covered the South, interviewing cooks and chefs, sampling local specialties, and scribbling notebooks full of recipes.Now, at long last, Anderson shares her lifelong exploration of the South's culinary heritage and not only introduces the characters she met en route but also those men and women who helped shape America's most distinctive regional cuisine—people like Thomas Jefferson, Mary Randolph, George Washington Carver, Eugenia Duke, and Colonel Harlan Sanders.Anderson gives us the backstories on such beloved Southern brands as Pepsi-Cola, Jack Daniel's, Krispy Kreme doughnuts, MoonPies, Maxwell House coffee, White Lily flour, and Tabasco sauce. She builds a time line of important southern food firsts—from Ponce de León's reconnaissance in the "Island of Florida" (1513) to the reactivation of George Washington's still at Mount Vernon (2007). For those who don't know a Chincoteague from a chinquapin, she adds a glossary of southern food terms and in a handy address book lists the best sources for stone-ground grits, country ham, sweet sorghum, boiled peanuts, and other hard-to-find southern foods.RecipesThere are two hundred classic and contemporary, plain and fancy, familiar and unfamiliar, many appearing here for the first time. Each recipe carries a headnote—to introduce the cook whence it came, occasionally to share snippets of lore or back-stairs gossip, and often to explain such colorful recipe names as Pine Bark Stew, Chicken Bog, and Surry County Sonker.Add them all up and what have you gotOne lip-smackin' southern feast!A Love Affair with Southern Cooking is the winner of the 2008 James Beard Foundation Book Award, in the Americana category.