Another day, another list. This time, it is all about stamps, or rather the books that are about them.
One month and so many things to celebrate. Well, that is the case for every month of the year. Few of the month long events this year include National Book Month, as well as National Stamp Collecting Month (which was first celebrated in 1981 by the Council of Philatelic Organizations and the United States Postal Service.) It is the last day of the month but like the cliched saying goes, better late than never!
So keeping these two in mind, I bring to you a list of books (fiction and non-fiction, across age-ranges) that will leave a stamp on your hearts and brains (well, the good kind, of course, hopefully).
As a kid, stamp-collecting was one of my hobbies, and I loved getting stamps from all the sources I could find – letters and postcards we received, stamp exhibitions, friends and family, and of course, the post office. When I started high-school, I did not have enough time to devote to this and passed on the collection to my brother. While we later gave away some/most of the stamps to friends who were more serious about it, I regretted that decision much later (as in recently).
However, I am glad that now my kids have a fledgling collection going again, thanks to stamps my father-in-law had collected; and the few I got by restarting this (though not seriously) as an adult. Here is a glimpse of some of our collection (I need to check with my son for the rest of it!) and this pic includes stamps we purchased from the UN Post Office this summer
Stamps: The List
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Fiction
The Lost Letter: A Novel
The Lost Letter: A Novel
by Jillian Cantor
Historical Fiction
Description: A historical novel of love and survival inspired by real resistance workers during World War II Austria, and the mysterious love letter that connects generations of Jewish families.
My Thoughts: I am currently reading this one and it is beautiful writing so far. I know I am going to enjoy this one and you can expect a review on my blog soon.
Goodreads || Amazon ||
Target|| Barnes and Noble
Hit and Run
Hit and Run (Keller series Book 4)
by Lawrence Block
Suspense Thriller
Description: (Excerpt from Amazon): For years now Keller’s had places to go and people to kill. But enough is enough. Just one more job—paid in advance—and he’s going to retire. Waiting in Des Moines for the client’s go-ahead, Keller’s picking out stamps for his collection at a shop in Urbandale when somebody guns down the charismatic governor of Ohio. Back at his motel, Keller sees the killer’s face broadcast on TV. A face he’s seen quite often. Every morning. In the mirror.
My thoughts: Another current read that I just began; and while it has been a while since I read thrillers, reading this reminds me why I devoured this genre when younger.
Goodreads || Amazon ||
Barnes and Noble
The Giant Hug
The Giant Hug
Author: Sandra Horning
Illustrator: Valeri Gorbachev
Children’s Books (3 – 7 years)
Description: (Excerpt from Amazon) How do you give your granny a hug when she lives far away? Send it through the mail, of course!
My Thoughts: Can anything be more warmer than a hug that travels miles to make it from the hug-giver to the hug-receiver? Well, not much. This was simply an adorable read and not surprising in the least given we are going to miss our mail-lady who is retiring and who we know will gladly pass on a hug any day. So go ahead, and mail a hug today – a giant one at that!
Goodreads || Amazon ||
Target|| Barnes and Noble
The Mystery Bookstore
The Mystery Bookstore (48) (The Boxcar Children Mysteries)
by Gertrude Chandler Warner
Children’s Mystery Books (7 – 10 years)
Description: When their grandfather buys a bookstore at auction in New Orleans, the Alden children help clean it up and discover that several people seem to be obsessed with the store and its contents.
My Comments: We have a few Boxcar Children books at home, courtesy of used bookstores and our friendly neighbors whose kids are way older than ours. I don’t recall whether I read these myself all those years ago but my dd certainly enjoyed them. And I am loving reading this one now.
Goodreads || Amazon ||
Target|| Barnes and Noble
Nate the Great and the Sticky Case
Nate the Great and the Sticky Case
by Marjorie Weinman Sharmat
Children’s Books (6 – 9 years)
Description: A stegosaurus stamp belonging to Nate’s friend Claude disappears, and the indomitable Nate the Great is called in on the case. At first, even Nate is stumped — the stamp has just vanished without a trace! But with clues from the weather and his ever-faithful dog, Sludge, Nate is soon on his way to wrapping up his stickiest case yet.
My Comments: Nate had been a fixture, kind of, on our bedside shelves, for a while when the kids were younger. So when I saw this one in connection with stamp collecting for this post, I went ahead and borrowed it. Review to come but I know it will be fun reading it.
Goodreads || Amazon ||
Target|| Barnes and Noble
Going Postal
Going Postal: Discworld Novel 33
by Terry Pratchett
Science Fiction and Fantasy
Description:
My Comments: I am going to have read a book by Terri Pratchett soon (so why not this one?) else I know I will be the one going postal! Dear readers – for those who have read the Discworld series – do the books have to be read in order? Do let me know.
Goodreads || Amazon ||
Target|| Barnes and Noble
Non-Fiction
Every Stamp Tells a Story
And I think that is so true of each stamp from its design stage to when you receive stamped mail in your mailbox. Some stamps have cooler stories than others and this book shares many of those stories with us. I read a bit of this book already (enjoyed every bit I did) and will take it up again after finishing all those others I marked as current! Well, it has the stamp of the Smithsonian on it – so definitely worth the read.
Goodreads || Amazon ||
Target|| Barnes and Noble
The One-Cent Magenta
I read about the Penny Black and the Inverted Jenny decades ago when I first started collecting stamps; and was intrigued by them, so much so that (I think) I wrote an article about rare stamps for our school magazine or maybe for myself. So it is no wonder that a book about another, more valuable stamp is worth looking into for me (and hopefully, for you too!)
Goodreads || Amazon ||
Target|| Barnes and Noble
And of course, the books you need if you want to get started on collecting or know someone who wants to. Here is one to begin with.
Stamp It!: The Ultimate Stamp Collecting Activity Book
This is the book I got for my son when he showed an interest in philately – kind of a beginner’s edition. It was really easy for him to learn to add the stamps to the book – the how and the where in the book was explained well. And the book has lasted all these years, and has handled use by younger ones well!
Goodreads || Amazon || Barnes and Noble
Inktober
This was for my day 24.
& now the end of the post, as usual
What about you, dear reader? Do you collect stamps, or used to? Or you prefer baseball cards or comics or coins? And what interesting books have you read about your collecting-related hobby? Let me know in the comments!
You can check out the previous posts for this month by clicking on them below. I know I did not make it to 31 posts on the 31st this time around as I hoped to but I did end up with enough in spite of all else that was going on so I am happy!
- 13 Tips to Motivate Your Teen to Read
- Why Writers Write
- Halloween Reads for All Ages
- Sunday Scribblings #19: Where I Work at Catching Up
- Book Review:The Grave Digger
- Book Review: Grimworld
- : Book Review : The Girl Who Became a Goddess
- Book Review: Skeletitos: Make Every Moment Count
- Book Review: Grobblechops: A Tale by Rumi
- Sunday Scribblings #18: Where I Did Disappear, Again
- All About the Ds
- In Memory Of
- Book Review: Hearts, Strings, and Other Breakable Things
- 5 National Book Award Winners for Young Readers
- Book Review: Tremendous Pagoda Tree of Martha’s Vineyard
- a fine day to start challenges
Interesting books- I’ll certainly be checking out the Lost Letter.
Oh, and I was a stamp collector, too. Somewhere I have an extensive collection of plate blocks for every stamp issue when they were 4 cents up to when they cost a dime. And, given that my dad had an international business, an extensive collection of stamps from around the world…most of which countries have changed names or disappeared.
that is so cool – those plate blocks and all those stamps from around the world! My uncle worked in the embassy until a few years ago so he would unfailingly get stamps for his beloved niece from wherever he was posted (and also mail postcards to me with those stamps)
Growing up , stamps were a big part of my childhood as well. It is such a great way to learn about the world! I remember getting 1000 stamps for $5 (or something like that) mail order and then sorting through and putting them in albums.
This was a whole family activity!
Thanks for the memories!
I totally agree Paul. Stamp collecting did make the unknown more familiar to me – about the rest of the world. I recall ordering stamps as well, though in Indian rupees!
Great post idea. Thanks for sharing.
Gemma @ Gemma’s Book Nook
Such a special post! I want the Stamp It book for my kids. It’s true, every stamp has a story!
My mom would love this. She collects stamps, specifically those related to African and African American Heritage.
Great list of books. It’s so awesome that all of them have something about stamps. Though I never collected stamps, my mom did. I loved looking through her book of these amazing exotic stamps.
Love the book recs. We collected coins as kids, stamps would be a fun thing to start for my son
Oh the boxcar children!! I read these books as a kid. Makes me want to track some down for my girly.
A great post, thanks for sharing.
I used to collect stamps also. I still have them all but haven’t looked through them in years.
Cool, I remember as a kid I collected stamps – but ones that had arrived on delivered mail that caught my eye. The Giant Hug looks precious!
I only collect books and shot glasses from all the places I’ve ever been.
Great collection of books, Thanks for sharing.
Great post!
That could have been my stamp collecting book! LOL I had many when I was growing up and when I had children, I turned my stamp collection over to my daughter. She is now 50 years old and still has the books!
Great post and a great list of books. Thank you so much for sharing your awesome post.