September 2023 Best Selling Books
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
This debut novel is a charming, witty and compulsively enjoyable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope that traces a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus.
Whalefall by Daniel Kraus
This novel is a scientifically accurate thriller about a scuba diver who’s been swallowed by an eighty-foot, sixty-ton sperm whale, and he has only one hour to escape before his oxygen runs out.
Gratitude by Oliver Sacks
Dr. Sacks spent almost fifty years working as a neurologist and wrote many books about the strange neurological predicaments and conditions of his patients. This is his final book, thought-provoking and meaningful essays on gratitude.
How to Eat a Book by Mrs. & Mr. MacLeod
This children’s book is a book about books, and how they make us feel. It is set in a world filled with charm and character. Picture Book of the Year award winner.
One Long River of Song: Notes on Wonder by Brian Doyle
This playful and moving bestselling book of essays invites us into the miraculous and transcendent moments of everyday life.
Rintaro: Japanese Food from an Izakaya in California by Sylvan Mishima Brackett and photographer Jessica Battilana Ava Brackett
This debut cookbook is from this groundbreaking restaurant in San Francisco. It beautifully translates the experience of a Tokyo izakaya to the home kitchen.
Qh awala-li: Water Running Down Place by Annette White-Parks
The history of Gualala comes to life in this informative and fascinating book.
What I Learned from the Trees by L E Bowman
This 2021 Button Poetry short form poetry contest winner delves into the intricate relationship between humans and nature.
Sunny Loves Autumn on the California Coast by Jeanne A. Jackson*, illustrated by Genevieve Wilson*
In each Sunny book there is something for children to find throughout the book. For autumn it’s butterflies. Sunny, a golden retriever, adores butterflies. He also discovers the fall migration of birds, honeysuckle berries, creeks coming to life with the first rains, and rainbows. With coloring pages.
Tom Lake by Ann Patchett
In this touching novel, Lara’s three daughters return to the family's orchard in Northern Michigan. They beg their mother to tell them the story of a famous actor with whom she shared both a stage and a romance at a theater company called Tom Lake.
Music Shop by Rachel Joyce
“Magnificent . . . If you love words, if you love music, if you love love, this [novel] will be without question one of the year’s best.”—BookPage
Sea Ranch: Fifty Years of Architecture, Landscape, Place and Community on the Northern California Coast by Donlyn Lyndon* and Jim Alinder*
This classic, one-of-a-kind monograph is the revised and updated version with more than 300 photographs. It’s informative and simply beautiful.
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
Set in Kerala, South India, this bestselling novel follows three generations of a family seeking the answers to a strange secret.
In the Lives of Puppets by Tj Klune
This fantasy novel is a modern fairy tale about learning your true nature and what you love and will protect. It is a powerful story of humanity and what survives after we're gone.
City Mouse, Country Mouse by Maggie Rudy
Rudy creates magical mice and photographs her creations to illustrate her books. Bring your camera to the Frog to photograph the terrific diorama Rudy designed for this book.
Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
“Don’t trust anyone, including the four septuagenarian sleuths in Osman’s own laugh-out-loud whodunit.” —Parade
Trust by Herman Diaz
This Pulitzer Prize winner for best fiction is a time-skipping story about New York City’s elite during the roaring ’20s and Great Depression.
The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder by David Grann
In 1742, a vessel of patched-together wood and cloth washed up on the coast of Brazil containing 30 barely alive men, with an extraordinary tale to tell. They were survivors of a British vessel that left England in 1740 on a secret mission during an imperial war with Spain.
Marine Mammals of Northern California by Pieter Folkens
A waterproof fold-our pamphlet shows whales, dolphins, sea lions and more. A wonderful reference to have with you when at the bluffs or beaches.
American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin
Another Pulitzer Prize winner. Inspiration for the movie Oppenheimer, this bio is of a brilliant physicist, J. Robert Oppenheimer. He led the effort to build the atomic bomb for his country in a time of war, and later confronted the moral consequences of his creation.
*Local Author
July 2023 Best Selling Books
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
This debut novel is a charming, witty and compulsively enjoyable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope that traces a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus.
Mendonoma Sightings Throughout the Year by Jeanne A. Jackson*, Author and Craig Tooley*, Photographer
This coffee table book takes a look at the fascinating world of Nature here on the Coast presented month by month with Fun Facts and beautiful photos. Makes a great gift! Far and away the Frog’s all-time best-selling book, with more than 2,500 copies sold at the Frog.
Qh awala-li: Water Running Down Place by Annette White-Parks
The history of Gualala comes to life in this informative and fascinating book.
What an Owl Knows: The New Science of the World's Most Enigmatic Birds by Jennifer Ackerman
The author illuminates the rich biology and natural history of these birds and reveals remarkable new scientific discoveries about their brains and behavior.
City Mouse, Country Mouse by Maggie Rudy
Rudy creates magical mice and photographs her creations to illustrate her books. Bring your camera to the Frog to photograph the terrific diorama Rudy designed for this book.
Six California Kitchens: A Collection of Recipes, Stories, and Cooking Lessons from a Pioneer of California Cuisine by Sally Schmidt
Sally Schmitt takes us through the six kitchens where she learned to cook, honed her skills, and spent her working life, including the French Laundry. With 115 recipes.
Music Shop by Rachel Joyce
If you love words, music and love, you’ll love this book. “One of my favorite reads this year, featured recently on my Sunday KTDE radio show.”- Frogman Joel.
Sea Ranch: Fifty Years of Architecture, Landscape, Place and Community on the Northern California Coast by Donlyn Lyndon* and Jim Alinder*
This classic, one-of-a-kind monograph is the revised and updated version with more than 300 photographs. It’s informative and simply beautiful.
Noir, a Novel by Christopher Moore
A master of satire is back. Noir is a wild parody of detective fiction that has everything Moore fans have come to love and expect from his work: humor, fantasy, absurdity, and a cast of outrageous characters you won’t soon forget.
World of Curiosities by Louise Penny
Chief Inspector Armand Gamache returns in the eighteenth book in #1 New York Times bestseller Louise Penny's beloved series.
New York Times Strictly Medium Crossword Puzzles by the New York Times.
200 not-too-easy, not-too-hard puzzles from The New York Times.
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
Set in Kerala, South India, this bestselling novel follows three generations of a family seeking the answers to a strange secret.
Attack of the Black Rectangles by Amy Sarig King
This novel shines the light on censorship and intolerance. Mac opens his classroom copy of Jane Yolen's The Devil’s Arithmetic and finds some words blacked out. It must be a mistake, Mac thinks. But then when he and his friends discover what the missing words are, he's outraged.
Storied Life of A. J. Fickry by Gabrielle Zevin
A love story about a curmudgeonly bookstore owner, a stolen rare book, and a little girl abandoned in the bookstore. This heartwarming novel will have you smiling and perhaps shedding a tear.
I Wish I Had a Pet by Maggie Rudy
Looking for the perfect pet? The mice in this charming book know all about critter care, and they’re here to share wise words about choosing and keeping animal companions.
The Sea Ranch by Susan Clark
Historian Clark illuminates the history of the land now called The Sea Ranch. Over the years, shepherds, World War II soldiers, and bootleggers have called it home. Early maps and photographs tell the history of the area, and contemporary photographs reveal remnants of historic buildings and sites on the current Sea Ranch landscape.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Two college friends, Sam and Sadie, become creative partners in an intricately imagined world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, and deception.
It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover
“[This novel takes a] difficult subject…with romantic tenderness and emotional heft. The relationships are portrayed with compassion and honesty, and the author's note at the end that explains Hoover's personal connection to the subject matter is a must-read. Packed with riveting drama and painful truths, this book powerfully illustrates the devastation of abuse—and the strength of the survivors.” ― Kirkus
Weird but True Ocean by National Geographic Kids
Filled with fishy facts and photos, this children’s book inspires young adventurers to explore the oceans of the world.
Can You Survive Hair-raising Mountain Encounters?: A Wilderness Adventure by Matt Doeden
A wilderness survival guide for children and young adults, covering how to survive if you’re lost in the mountains, facing a grizzly bear, and much more.
*Local author
June 2023 Best Selling Books
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
This debut novel is a charming, witty and compulsively enjoyable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope that traces a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus.
City Mouse, Country Mouse by Maggie Rudy
Rudy creates magical mice and photographs her creations to illustrate her books. Bring your camera to the Frog to photograph the terrific diorama Rudy designed for this book.
How to Eat a Book by Mrs. and Mr. MacLeod
This fun and clever children’s book introduces cousins Sheila, Gerald, and Geraldine Grunion. The cousins are gobbled up by various books and must snack their way out of trouble. Barnes & Noble Picture Book of the Year award winner.
Climate Book: The Facts and the Solutions by Greta Thunberg
A New Yorks Times bestseller, climate activist Greta Thunberg has gathered the wisdom of over one hundred experts to provide us with the knowledge we need to combat climate disaster.
Sootypaws: A Cinderella Story by Maggie Rudy
Sootypaws, the mouse, lives with her mean stepmother and sisters. But with a little help from her woodland friends, Sootypaws finds her way to the ball to meet her Prince. Will they live happily ever after?
Better Living Through Birding: Notes from a Black Man in the Natural World by Christian Cooper
In this captivating memoir, a New York Times bestseller, Cooper tells the story of his extraordinary life leading up to a now-infamous incident in Central Park. He shows how a life spent looking up at the birds prepared him, in the most unique ways, to be a gay, Black man in America today.
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
Spanning the years 1900 to 1977, this novel is set in Kerala, on South India's Malabar Coast. It follows three generations of a family that share a strange affliction: in every generation, at least one person dies by drowning, and in Kerala, water is nearly everywhere.
Creative ACT: A Way of Being by Rick Rubin
Legendary music producer Rick Rubin has written a fascinating series of meditations on what it means to be an artist and creator. Rubin believes that artists don't have a monopoly on creativity; everyone is inherently creative.
Trust by Hernan Diaz
Winner of the Pulitzer Price for fiction. Oprah Daily says, “Buzzy and enthralling …a glorious novel about empires and erasures, husbands and wives, staggering fortunes and unspeakable misery…Fun as hell to read.”
Qh awala-li: Water Running Down Place by Annette White-Parks
The history of Gualala comes to life in this informative and fascinating book.
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
A New York Times bestseller, this novel introduces us to Elizabeth Zott, a scientist in 1960s California whose career takes a detour when she becomes the unlikely star of a beloved TV cooking show.
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Equally funny and heartbreaking, this is the story of an irrepressible boy named Demon whom nobody wants. Winner of the 2023 Pulitzer Prize for fiction.
The Cartographer’s Secret by Tea Cooper
Historical-fiction fans will delight in this romantic tale of family and long-held secrets in Australia.
Pop-Up Peekaboo: Ocean by DK, illustrated by Jean Claude
This children’s book has brightly-colored pictures, lift-the-flap pages and entertaining rhymes. It is sure to provide plenty of opportunities for parent-and-child interaction and fun. Journey through the ocean and discover different habitats that are teeming with life.
Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune
Fortune’s second novel is a wonderful love story about two strangers who come together when they need each other most.
Mendonoma Sightings Throughout the Year by Jeanne A. Jackson*, Author and Craig Tooley*, Photographer
This coffee table book takes a look at the fascinating world of Nature here on the Coast presented month by month with Fun Facts and beautiful photos. Makes a great gift! Far and away the Frog’s all-time best-selling book, with more than 2,500 copies sold at the Frog.
Place at The Sea Ranch by Donlyn Lyndon*
A beautiful book created to expand upon The Sea Ranch Trails Map, following the Architecture & Landscape markers you’ll find along the trails that tell the Sea Ranch story.
The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
A love story about a curmudgeonly bookstore owner, a stolen rare book, and a little girl abandoned in the bookstore. It will have you smiling and perhaps shed a tear. A heartwarming novel.
Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr
This bestselling novel is an inspiring story about children on the cusp of adulthood in worlds in peril, who find resilience, hope, and a book. It takes place in the 15th century and the present.
A World Full of Nature Stories; 50 Folk Tales and Legends by Angela McAllister, illustrated by Hannah Bess Ross
This beautifully-illustrated children’s book is a collection of beloved nature stories from every corner of the globe.
*Local Author/Illustrator
May 2023 Best Selling Books
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
This debut novel is a charming, witty and compulsively enjoyable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope that traces a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus.
City Mouse, Country Mouse by Maggie Rudy
Rudy creates magical mice and photographs her creations to illustrate her books. Bring your camera to the Frog to photograph the terrific diorama Rudy designed for this book.
Music Shop by Rachel Joyce
If you love words, music, and love, you’ll love this book. “One of my favorite reads this year, featured recently on my Sunday KTDE radio show.”- Frogman Joel.
Warriors in Winter: Magic Tree House, by Mary Pope Osborne
When the magic tree house whisks them back to the early AD 100s, Annie and Jack find themselves in a Roman camp.
To the Future, Ben Franklin! Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne
The magic tree house carries Jack and Annie back to meet the man himself. They're not sure what their mission is, but Ben Franklin has a mission of his own.
Hurricane Heroes in Texas: Magic Tree House by Mary Pope Osborne
When the magic tree house takes Annie and Jack back to Galveston, Texas, in 1900, they find out that a big storm is coming.
Sweet Enough: A Dessert Cookbook by Alison Roman
A New York Times best seller, this cookbook shows readers how to quickly and easily put together delicious desserts.
Qh awala-li: Water Running Down Place by Annette White-Parks
The history of Gualala comes to life in this informative and fascinating book.
Place at The Sea Ranch by Donlyn Lyndon*
A beautiful book created to expand upon The Sea Ranch Trails Map, following the Architecture & Landscape markers you’ll find along the trails that tell the Sea Ranch story.
Sunny Loves Summer on the California Coast by Jeanne A. Jackson*, illustrated by Genevieve Wilson*
Sunny is amazed to learn about gray fox kits, cute fawns, humpback whales, birdsong, and so much more. Sunny loves learning about nature. Beautifully illustrated by Genny Wilson, plus there are little green frogs for children to find throughout the book.
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
As a botanist and professor of plant ecology, Kimmerer has spent a career learning how to ask questions of nature using the tools of science. As a Potawatomi woman, she learned from elders, family, and history that the Potawatomi, as well as a majority of other cultures indigenous to this land, consider plants and animals to be our oldest teachers.
The Sea Ranch: Fifty Years of Architecture, Landscape, Place, and Community on the Northern California Coast by Donlyn Lyndon and Jim Alinder
This revised and updated edition of the now-classic coffee table book about The Sea Ranch, contains eleven additional projects and an updated account of the ongoing development process and land-management issues.
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
A big-hearted story of four orphans who travel the Mississippi River on a life-changing odyssey during the Great Depression.
Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman
Parade says, “Don’t trust anyone, including the four septuagenarian sleuths in Osman’s own laugh-out-loud whodunit.”
Wildflowers of The Sea Ranch by Elaine Mahaffey
Over 260 wildflowers are included in this classic reference book, with over 200 illustrations. A must have for your reference library!
The Maid by Nita Prose
A heartwarming mystery introduces a one-of-a-kind heroine who will steal your heart.
American Dirt by Jeanine Cummins
This novel finds Lydia living in Acapulco with a beloved son and a wonderful husband who is a journalist. But cracks are beginning to show in Acapulco because of the cartels. After her husband’s tell-all profile of the newest drug lord is published, none of their lives will ever be the same.
Romantic Comedy by Curtis Sittenfeld
With her keen observations and ability to bring interesting women to life on the page, Sittenfeld explores the wonder of love, while skillfully dissecting the social rituals of romance and gender relations in the modern age.
Mendonoma Sightings Throughout the Year by Jeanne A. Jackson*, Author and Craig Tooley*, Photographer
This coffee table book takes a look at the fascinating world of Nature here on the Coast presented month by month with Fun Facts and beautiful photos. Makes a great gift! Far and away the Frog’s all-time best-selling book, with nearly 2,500 copies sold at the Frog.
All That the Rain Promises, and More by David Arora*
For those fascinated by all things fungi, this is a must-have pocket guide to the mushrooms of Western North America by the author of Mushrooms Demystified. Color photos, key features of each mushroom, and their habitat make identifying mushrooms easier and fun.* Local author
April 2023 Best Selling Books
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
This debut novel is a charming, witty and compulsively enjoyable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope that traces a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus.
City Mouse, Country Mouse by Maggie Rudy
Rudy creates magical mice and photographs her creations to illustrate her books. Bring your camera to the Frog to photograph the terrific diorama Rudy designed for this book.
Physiology of Taste: or Meditations on Transcendental Gastronomy by Jean Brillat-Savarin
Originally published in France in 1825 and in print ever since, Brillat-Savarin’s laugh-out-loud funny classic is a historical, philosophical, and epicurean collection of recipes, reflections, and anecdotes on everything and anything to do with eating good food.
Six California Kitchens by Sally Schmitt
With gorgeous food and sense-of-place photography, this is a cookbook for home and aspiring chefs who cook locally and seasonally, by the chef who opened the French Laundry.
Sootypaws: A Cinderella Story by Maggie Rudy
Sootypaws, the mouse, lives with her mean stepmother and sisters. But with a little help from her woodland friends, Sootypaws finds her way to the ball to meet her Prince―will they live happily ever after?
Mendonoma Sightings Throughout the Year by Jeanne A. Jackson*, Author and Craig Tooley*, Photographer
A look at the fascinating world of Nature here on the Coast presented month by month with Fun Facts and beautiful photos. Makes a great gift! Far and away the Frog’s all-time best-selling book, with nearly 2,500 copies sold at the Frog.
Qh awala.li: Water Running Down Place by Annette White-Parks
The history of Gualala comes to life in this informative and fascinating book.
I Wish I Had a Pet by Maggie Rudy
Smartly dressed mice give sage advice on all elements of proper pet care in this children’s picture book.
Cracked Pot by Vince Montague
This memoir is about Montague navigating the labyrinth of grief after losing his wife in a tragic accident. In his pain, he turns to his wife’s pottery studio and learns her craft, helping him heal.
Signs, the Secret Language of the Universe by Laura Lynne Jackson
In this collection of stories, Jackson, a renowned psychic medium, teaches us how to recognize and interpret the life-changing messages from loved ones and spirit guides on the Other Side.
Music Shop by Rachel Joyce
If you love words, music and love, you’ll love this book. “One of my favorite reads this year, featured recently on my Sunday KTDE radio show.”- Frogman Joel.
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
A big-hearted story of four orphans who travel the Mississippi River on a life-changing odyssey during the Great Depression.
Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese
Saul Indian Horse embarks on a heartbreaking journey from the present and into the woods of Northern Ontario, where his life began in a snowy Ojibway camp. The tale that follows is one of great pain and great determination.
Girl in Pieces by Kathleen Glasgow
A New York Times bestseller, this teen novel is about pain and hard-won healing. It is a deeply moving portrait of a girl in a world that has taken so much, and the journey she undergoes to put the pieces of herself back together.
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams
Another New York Times bestseller, this novel is about the real women whose work on the Oxford English Dictionary went largely unheralded.
Weird but True Ocean by National Geographic Kids
Filled with fishy facts and photos, this children’s book inspires young adventurers to explore the oceans of the world.
Place at The Sea Ranch by Donlyn Lyndon*
A beautiful book created to expand upon The Sea Ranch Trails Map, following the Architecture & Landscape markers you’ll find along the trails that tell the Sea Ranch story.
Sea of Tranquility by Emily St. John Mandel
A novel of art, time travel, love, and plague that takes you from Vancouver Island in 1912 to a dark colony on the moon five hundred years later.
All That the Rain Promises, and More by David Arora*
For those fascinated by all things fungi, this is a must-have pocket guide to the mushrooms of Western North America by the author of Mushrooms Demystified. Color photos, key features of each mushroom, and their habitat make identifying mushrooms easier and fun.
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
A New York Times bestseller, this novel introduces us to Elizabeth Zott, a scientist in 1960s California whose career takes a detour when she becomes the unlikely star of a beloved TV cooking show.
*Local Author
March 2023 Best Selling Books
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
This debut novel is a charming, witty and compulsively enjoyable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope that traces a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus.
Sunny Loves Spring on the California Coast by Jeanne A. Jackson*, illustrated by Genevieve Wilson*
This book introduces Sunny, a rescue Golden Retriever who came all the way from Taiwan to the Mendocino Coast. With his new parents he discovers spring wildflowers, that ospreys nest here, and Gray Whales are swimming northward, along with brown pelicans.
Sunny Loves Autumn on the California Coast by Jeanne A. Jackson*, illustrated by Genevieve Wilson*
In each Sunny book there is something for children to find throughout the book. For autumn it’s butterflies. Sunny, a golden retriever, adores butterflies. He also discovers the fall migration of birds, honeysuckle berries, creeks coming to life with the first rains, and rainbows.
Sunny Loves Winter on the California Coast by Jeanne A. Jackson*, illustrated by Genevieve Wilson*
Sunny, the rescue Golden Retriever, explores the intertidal zone, the ocean bluffs, redwood trees, mushrooms and so much more about the wonders of winter. Filled with Fun Facts, coloring pages and a page for the reader’s own nature sightings.
Sunny Loves Summer on the California Coast by Jeanne A. Jackson*, illustrated by Genevieve Wilson*
Sunny is amazed to learn about gray fox kits, cute fawns, humpback whales, birdsong, and so much more. Sunny loves learning about nature. Beautifully illustrated by Genny Wilson, plus there are little green frogs for children to find throughout the book.
Mendonoma Sightings Throughout the Year by Jeanne A. Jackson*, Author and Craig Tooley*, Photographer
A look at the fascinating world of Nature here on the Coast presented month by month with Fun Facts and beautiful photos. Makes a great gift! Far and away the Frog’s all-time best-selling book, with nearly 2,500 copies sold at the Frog.
Message in a Matchbox by Sara Fashandi
Memories of a childhood in Tehran, this is the story of Mohsen Fashandi, the author’s older brother. This collection of his childhood memories is an inspiration which proves that one can accomplish incredible things in one’s life, with hard work and the right mindset.
Living in Northern California 1975 to 1995 by Carol Wilder*
Northern California was a legendary place in the late 20th century. Protest and pot, academics and boho-chic, techno-wizardry and bio-farming, lively counterculture and deadly AIDS, earthquakes and Esalen, woodland faeries and city politics. Carol Wilder guides us through her journey of two remarkable decades of living in Northern California.
City Mouse, Country Mouse by Maggie Rudy
Rudy creates magical mice and photographs her creations to illustrate her books. Bring your camera to the Frog to photograph the terrific diorama Rudy designed for this book.
Sootypaws: A Cinderella Story by Maggie Rudy
Sootypaws, the mouse, lives with her mean stepmother and sisters. But with a little help from her woodland friends, Sootypaws finds her way to the ball to meet her Prince―will they live happily ever after?
Frog and Toad Are Doing Their Best (A Parody): Bedtime Stories for Trying Times by Jennie Egerdie, illustrated by Ellie Hajdu
Toad ponders a variety of schemes to pay off his credit cards, while Frog spends too much time scrolling through the newsfeed on his phone. But despite their daily frustrations and existential concerns, they know that having a friend to share life’s burdens makes even the darkest days brighter.
The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life by Mark Manson
In this self-help guide, a superstar blogger cuts through the mustard to show us how to stop trying to be positive all the time so that we can truly become better, happier people.
Qh awala.li: Water Running Down Place by Annette White-Parks
The history of Gualala comes to life in this informative and fascinating book.
I Wish I Had a Pet by Maggie Rudy
Smartly dressed mice give sage advice on all elements of proper pet care in this children’s picture book.
The Personal Librarian by Marie Benedict and Victoria Murray
This historical novel tells the tale of J. P. Morgan’s personal librarian, Belle da Costa Greene, the Black American woman who was forced to hide her true identity and pass as White in order to leave a lasting legacy that enriched our nation.
The Dictionary of Lost Words by Pip Williams
A New York Times Best Seller, this novel is about the real women whose work on the Oxford English Dictionary went largely unheralded.
White Lady by Jacqueline Winspear
This novel introduces yet another extraordinary heroine from Winspear, creator of the best-selling Maisie Dobbs series. Set in Post WWII Britain in 1947, this novel follows the coming of age and maturity of former wartime operative Elinor White.
Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast: A Comprehensive Guide to the Fungi of Coastal Northern California by Noah Siegel and Christian Schwarz.
A user-friendly field guide for identifying the many mushrooms of the northern California coast, from Monterey County to the Oregon border.
The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
A love story about a curmudgeonly bookstore owner, a stolen rare book, and a little girl abandoned in the bookstore. It will have you smiling and perhaps shed a tear. A heartwarming novel.
Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese
Saul Indian Horse embarks on a heartbreaking journey from the present and into the woods of Northern Ontario, where his life began in a snowy Ojibway camp. The tale that follows is one of great pain and great determination.
February 2023 Best Selling Books
Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
This debut novel is a charming, witty and compulsively enjoyable exploration of friendship, reckoning, and hope that traces a widow's unlikely connection with a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus.
Six California Kitchens by Sally Schmitt
With gorgeous food and sense-of-place photography, this is a cookbook for home and aspiring chefs who cook locally and seasonally, by the chef who opened the French Laundry.
Love Poems by Pablo Neruda
These sensuous love poems formed the basis for the popular movie “Il Postino,” now in a beautiful gift book perfect for weddings, Valentine's Day, or anniversaries.
Sunny Loves Winter on the California Coast by Jeanne A. Jackson*, illustrated by Genevieve Wilson*
Sunny the rescue Golden Retriever explores the intertidal zone, the ocean bluffs, redwood trees, mushrooms and so much more about the wonders of winter. Filled with Fun Facts, coloring pages and a page for the reader’s own nature sightings.
City Mouse, Country Mouse by Maggie Rudy
Rudy creates magical mice and photographs her creations to illustrate her books. Bring your camera to the Frog to photograph the terrific diorama Rudy designed for this book
Place at the Sea Ranch by Donlyn Lyndon*
A beautiful book created to expand upon The Sea Ranch Trails Map, following the Architecture & Landscape markers you’ll find along the trails that tell the Sea Ranch story.
Qh awala-li: Water Running Down Place by Annette White-Parks
The history of Gualala comes to life in this informative and fascinating book.
Mushrooms of the Redwood Coast: A Comprehensive Guide to the Fungi of Coastal Northern California by Noah Siegel and Christian Schwarz.
A user-friendly field guide for identifying the many mushrooms of the northern California coast, from Monterey County to the Oregon border.
The Storied Life of A. J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin
A love story about a curmudgeonly bookstore owner, a stolen rare book, and a little girl abandoned in the bookstore. It will have you smiling and perhaps shed a tear. A heartwarming novel.
Sunny Loves Autumn on the California Coast by Jeanne A. Jackson*, illustrated by Genevieve Wilson*
In each Sunny book there is something for children to find throughout the book. For autumn it’s butterflies. Sunny, a golden retriever, adores butterflies. He also discovers the fall migration of birds, honeysuckle berries, creeks coming to life with the first rains, and rainbows.
Flower Color Guide by Taylor Putnam and Michael Putnam
This reference book organizes flower types by color, with an emphasis on seasonality and creative color schemes. Beautifully photographed by the authors, New York’s preeminent floral designers.
Flowers for All: Modern Floral Arrangements for Beauty, Joy, and Mindfulness Every Day by Susan McLeary.
The author believes that flowers should be enjoyed by everyone. McLeary reveals the secrets to making striking, joyful floral displays using just a few ingredients.
Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
As a botanist and professor of plant ecology, Kimmerer has spent a career learning how to ask questions of nature using the tools of science. As a Potawatomi woman, she learned from elders, family, and history that the Potawatomi, as well as a majority of other cultures indigenous to this land, consider plants and animals to be our oldest teachers
Sootypaws: A Cinderella Story by Maggie Rudy
Sootypaws, the mouse, lives with her mean stepmother and sisters. But with a little help from her woodland friends, Sootypaws finds her way to the ball to meet her Prince―will they live happily ever after?
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
A New York Times bestseller, this novel introduces us to Elizabeth Zott, a scientist in 1960s California whose career takes a detour when she becomes the unlikely star of a beloved TV cooking show.
This Tender Land by William Kent Krueger
A big-hearted story of four orphans who travel the Mississippi River on a life-changing odyssey during the Great Depression.
Demon Copperhead by Barbara Kingsolver
Equally funny and heartbreaking, this is the story of an irrepressible boy named Demon whom nobody wants.
The Maid by Nita Prose
A heartwarming mystery introduces a one-of-a-kind heroine who will steal your heart.
Code Name Sapphire: A World War 2 Novel by Pam Jenoff
From the bestselling author of The Lost Girls of Paris, a woman must rescue her cousin's family from a train bound for Auschwitz in this tale of bravery and resistance.
Music Shop by Rachel Joyce
If you love words, music and love, you’ll love this book. “One of my favorite reads this year, featured recently on my Sunday KTDE radio show.”- Frogman Joel.
