The ThriftBooks Blog

By Karen DeGroot Carter • November 23, 2020

Even if your holiday shopping list includes people of all ages with varied interests, chances are they’d love to discover some new books! Check out these hot 2020 titles and buy one (or two!) for the book lovers in your life this holiday season.

Read Article

By Ashly Moore Sheldon • November 20, 2020

For many of us, 2020 has been a tough year. From the pandemic to natural disasters to divisive political battles, it has been one thing after another. Finding gratitude for the good things may feel harder than usual, but one thing that never fails to make us feel thankful is books!

Read Article

By Ashly Moore Sheldon • November 18, 2020

Margaret Atwood is 81 years old today! The renowned Canadian author has been publishing poetry, novels, nonfiction, children’s books, and more since 1961, but her star just keeps on rising. Known largely for books like The Handmaid’s Tale, you may be surprised to learn that speculative fiction actually represents a small fraction of the versatile author’s work.

Read Article

By Barbara Hagen • November 17, 2020

Digital content is everywhere. In fact, I believe there's never been more choices in streaming subscription services than right now. Yet DVD and Blu-ray movie and TV show sales have been increasing. For some, this interest in DVDs and Blu-ray may have caught you off guard. If so, let me share my top 6 reasons to love those shiny discs.

Read Article

By Karen DeGroot Carter • November 16, 2020

One of the most exciting aspects of this year's National Book Awards is the diversity of the books and authors featured. From fiction and nonfiction to poetry, young people's literature, and translated works, this year's National Book Awards finalists provide a variety of perspectives.

Read Article

By Barbara Hagen • November 13, 2020

Kindness is one of the things we learn earliest in life. Learning to say "please" and "thank you." Being respectful. Learning to share. We should all be pretty good at this kindness thing, but when I look around...social media posts, or news stories, or even just observe society around us, it is clear our early education in kindness has fallen by the wayside. On this World Kindness Day, November 13, 2020, let's all take a few minutes and remember some of those early life lessons.

Read Article

By Ashly Moore Sheldon • November 12, 2020

Are you noticing a proliferation of furry faces around you? Maybe it's due to cooler weather, but more likely it's because of Movember, a month dedicated to raising awareness around men's health—with facial hair. Here's our recommended reading list.

Read Article

By Ashly Moore Sheldon • November 11, 2020

November is Native American Heritage Month—a great time to pick up some of the resonant new titles by and about Indigenous people. We’ve curated a list of standouts in poetry, nonfiction, and fiction from the last several years. For younger readers, check out our post from last November.

Read Article

By Karen DeGroot Carter • November 09, 2020

Want to help your children succeed? Read with them! These eight entertaining books are perfect for reading aloud—and can even entertain readers of different ages. Pick a few and start making memories as you share silly, heart-warming, and exciting stories with your family.

Read Article

By Ashly Moore Sheldon • November 06, 2020

STEAM stands for Science, Tech, Engineering, Art, and Math. That covers a lot of ground doesn’t it? But what it really boils down to is applying a mix of curiosity, innovation, and determination to solve problems. Here are fifteen inspiring picture books featuring real-life STEAM heroes.

Read Article