Chronogram Picks: Holiday Gift Books for 2010

by Chronogram staff, November 29, 2010

Beauty & the Beast: A pop-up book of the classic fairy tale
Robert Sabuda
little simon, 2010, $29.99
New Paltz paper engineer extraordinaire Sabuda adds new dimension to the tale that enchanted Jean Cocteau and Disney. The Beast’s castle looms right off the page, and Beauty’s father traverses mirrored hallways in cleverly designed side-pops. The Beast bristles with horns and a serpentine tail, turning into a prince before readers’ eyes when Beauty learns to see beyond appearances.

Cuba: My Revolution
Inverna Lockpex & Dean Haspiel, with Jose Villarrubia
Vertigo, 2010, $24.99
This blood-spattered red-white-and-black graphic novel may not be typical holiday fare, but it displays an abundance of gifts. Greene County artist Invernez’s wrenching tale of an idealistic young woman’s coming of age in revolutionary Cuba recalls Maus and Persepolis in its potent blend of personal and political history with striking artwork.


Dash & Lily’s Book of Dares
Rachel Cohn & David Levithan
Alfred A. Knopf Books for Young readers, 2010, $16.66
The Nick & Norah’s Infinite Playlist duo spins a Christmas-break romance for literate teens. When grinchy Dash finds a red notebook full of treasure-hunty clues in the Strand bookstore, he can’t resist leaving a few of his own. Will the “snarly hipster wannabe” bond with ebullient Lily in person as well as on paper? Hello!


New Paltz Revisited
Carol A. Johnson
Arcadia Publishing, 2010, $21.99
Ever since 12 Huguenot patentees bought real estate from the Esopus Sachems, New Paltz has been a place apart. This vibrant entry in the “Images of America” series presents over 120 pages of informatively captioned historical photos, hopscotching through the centuries to wind up (where else?) at the Elting Memorial Library.

One Big Table: A Portrait of American Cooking
Molly O’Neill
Simon & Schuster, 2010, $50
Former New York Times columnist O’Neill crisscrossed the country in search of real American cuisine, as practiced in bayous and trailer parks, Southwestern pueblos, and New England clambakes. She brought back 600 mouthwatering recipes and plenty of lore. Booksigning and cookie swap at Oblong Books & Music, Rhinebeck, 12/4 at 7:30pm.