Fiction

Harry Potter Pushes H. C. Andersen off the Top of Book Loft’s Bestseller List

 

Until recently the Valley Journal book column included a bestseller list compiled from The Book Loft’s computerized sales records, somewhat adjusted to more accurately reflect the books local readers were buying. Now that the paper is publishing weekly, we hope to submit a monthly bestseller list.

This one covers sales from June 23 through July 23. It includes the first three days, the huge initial push, of sales of the new Harry Potter, far and away the biggest number one bestseller we will ever have. Scholastic Books, publisher of children’s books does the United States editions of Harry Potter. Although we are well aware that all ages, let’s say 7 to 107, avidly read Harry Potter, we like to see it atop our list labeled, “Children’s.”

However, the New York Times (NYT) publisher of what is no doubt the most respected and influential list, pulls “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” out of the kid’s department and lists it as number one Fiction, what we think of as being a list of the most popular novels for adults. 

Number three on The Book Loft’s children’s list, “The Dangerous Book for Boys,” is a wildly popular book that has had a similar fate. A book for boys that adults can’t resist buying, it has appeared for a dozen weeks on the NYT list of best-selling advice and how-to books.

What about such a book for girls? I think there are already some good ones on “how to be a girl,” but Harper Collins’ Publishers, those “Dangerous Book for Boys” folks, are bound to follow up. So, for every girl with an independent spirit and a nose for trouble, a no-boys-allowed guide to adventure, “The Daring Book for Girls,” will go on sale October 30, and perhaps it too will find its way to the adult bestseller lists. 

When compiling past Book Loft lists for publication in the Valley Journal, we have tweaked the raw sales figures, adjusting for book signings along with school and book club requirements and eliminating titles sold in bulk. We have dealt differently with the current list.

This time we have included the Gene Autry book, “Public Cowboy No. 1,” and local cartoonist Ryan Claytor’s “And Then One Day,” two titles that achieved their listing because of special events at the store.

The winery guide “California’s Central Coast: Santa Barbara to Paso Robles”  has been selling very well, probably well enough to have earned its place as our top-selling nonfiction title. That position was assured by a successful July afternoon appearance of writer Mira Advani Honeycutt and photographer Kurt Irwin.

Finally, this issue’s bestseller list includes “Fahrenheit 451” and “A Tree Grows in Brooklyn,” titles that many incoming Santa Ynez High School freshmen have been asked to read before school starts this September. Judging by some feedback, several of the class of 2011, boys and girls, whether they are “dangerous” or “daring” are enjoying A Tree Grows in Brooklyn more than Fahrenheit 45l

 

Bestsellers at The Book Loft from June 23 through July 23

 

Fiction

 

  1. Complete Tales of Hans Christian Andersen
  2.  A Thousand Splendid Suns Khaled Hosseini
  3. A Tree Grows in Brooklyn Betty Smith
  4. The Maytrees Annie Dillard
  5. Dark Tort Diane Mott Davidson
  6. Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury
  7. Middlesex Jeffrey Eugenides
  8. Water for Elephants Sara Gruen
  9. Lean Mean Thirteen Janet Evanovich

10. Quickie James Patterson

 

Non Fiction

 

1.     California’s Central Coast from Santa Barbara to Paso Robles: The Ultimate Winery Guide Mira Advani Honeycutt and Kurt Irwin

2.     Public Cowboy No. 1: Life and Times of Gene Autry Holly George-Warren

3.     Plato and a Platypus Walk into a Bar... Understanding Philosophy Through Jokes Thomas Cathcart and Daniel Klein

4.     Only Horse People Pam Stone

5.     And Then One Day Ryan Claytor

6.     Eat, Pray, Love Elizabeth Gilbert

7.     The Secret Rhonda Byrne

8.     Three Cups of Tea Greg Mortenson and David O. Relin

9.     God is not Great Christopher Hitchens

10. California’s Knight on a Golden Horse: Dwight Murphy, Santa Barbara’s Renaissance Man Edward A. Hartfeld

 

Children’s

 

1.     Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows J. K. Rowling

2.     Tales of Hans Christian Andersen Various editions

3.     Dangerous Book for Boys Conn and Hal Iggulden

4.     Twilight Stephenie Meyer

5.     Ratatouille Movie tie-in titles

6.     Shrek Movie tie-in titles

7.     Mad Libs Price and Stern

8.     Sticker Books Various

9.     Transformers Movie tie-ins

10. Avalon High Meg Cabot