Green Bean Books

It's that time of year again when many of us make our annual resolutions!

We can help you do this with books!!!

Explore the outdoors and your neighborhood more! (Safely, of course!)

Write more letters!

Have more music in your life!

Read more biographies!

Wear fun socks!

Continue your antiracist reading!

Read more classics!

Learn a new language!

Give us a call if you want any of these books to help you with your resolutions.

Let us know if you need book recommendations for other resolutions.

We are here for you!
Happy New Year!

0 Comments

Our Book It Forward holiday program returns this year to help young patients from
Randall Children's Hospital
get the books that they need!
Your kindness makes all the difference!

Green Bean Books has set up a wishlist of books that you can help us get for the kids at the hospital.
Just order any book on this list and we will hand deliver it to the hospital for the kids to enjoy!

You can make a real difference in helping these kids feel loved and less isolated this holiday season!

But, don't just take our word for it! A staff shared a little about this collaboration in the past and a sweet quote from one of the recipients.

The Hospital School Program at Randall Children’s Hospital works to promote literacy in their work with patients and their siblings. Multnomah Education Service District teachers provide educational support and instruction to patients and siblings. Offering students books breaks down barriers and creates a way for us to connect with families and promote the importance and value of books. Green Bean Books in partnership with their amazing customers have enabled patients to receive high quality books in previous years. One family noted that,
“These books elicited one of only a few smiles for my child today.”

The program will run through the end of 2020!

Call (503-954-2354) or purchase online the title(s) you want to donate and we'll keep them in store until hospital staff is ready to distribute them. (When choosing the online option, please type "Randall" in the comments/notes field.)

Your kindness and generosity never ceases to amaze us and gives us the warm and fuzzy feelings during these cold days!

Thank you for being Book Angels!

0 Comments

Independent Bookstore Day

8/23/2020

0 Comments

Celebrate
Independent Bookstore Day
with Green Bean Books
on Saturday, August 29th!

This is such an important time to support small, local businesses, especially businesses who give back to their communities. You can help by giving us a call to order books, or place an online order on Independent Bookstore Day! We are so grateful for your support!

To celebrate and show our appreciation along with over 600 local independent bookstores across the nation, we'll have virtual events, freebies and giveaways, exclusive merchandise for sale, and fun surprises throughout the day!

Virtual Events

Make sure you follow us on social media- Facebook and Instagram- where we will be sharing the links to these events! You will also find links on the Virtual Events Page of our Green Bean Books website!

First up:
At 10am
Join us for a fun and interactive drawing demonstration with illustrator and author Lisa Brown for her picture book Goldfish Ghost.

At 10:30am
Join us for a graphic novel discussion and drawing class with Gene Luen Yang for his latest masterpiece Dragon Hoops.

At 11am
Join us for some Middle-Grade Fun with Renee Watson (Ways to Make Sunshine) and illustrator Nina Mata (I Promise written by LeBron James) with moderator Isaac Fitzgerald (How to Be a Pirate with illustrations by Brigette Barrager).

PLUS!
Special Guest Emily Arrow will be in our Book Advice Booth on our outdoor browsing deck from 12-1pm to offer her best reading recommendations with a musical touch! Come see with social distance!

Giveaway

All customers who make a purchase on Independent Bookstore Day will be entered to win a copy of the exclusive edition of Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson which includes a letter from the author!

Freebies

The first 10 customers on Independent Bookstore Day will receive this Awesome Friendly tote bag!

There will be stickers for everyone. Plus, there will be surprise t-shirt and buttons giveaways throughout the day as well!

Exclusive Merchandise

We're excited to offer two exclusive items for sale on Independent Bookstore Day! The first is a "I want my book back." onesie with art by Jon Klassen! The second is a "Read" Narwhal tote bag with art by Jessie Sima.

These will be available starting Saturday, August 29th. No holds or preorders for these items. They will sell quickly make sure to grab them before they're gone for good.

0 Comments

Emily Arrow's Ukulele Moon Album Virtual Launch Party!

8/14/2020

0 Comments

Mark you calendars! Portland kidlit musician Emily Arrow will celebrate the release of her newest album, Ukelele Moon, with a virtual live show on Saturday, September 5th at 2pm PST in partnership with Green Bean Books!

With the purchase of the CD ($15), you'll also get the exclusive link to this event emailed to you!
Plus, 100% of the sales will benefit The Children's Book Bank!

Click here to buy the CD and get an event link emailed to you:

0 Comments

More Book Recommendations to Help You Diversify Your Bookshelves:

6/7/2020

0 Comments

In the words of Ezra Hyland,
Humans don’t make our stories, it’s stories that make us human. It’s not until we know the stories of each other that we embrace our humanity. When I know the stories of my people and my culture, that’s when I become human myself.

Continuing on from our previous post, we wanted to share some more titles that might help you diversify your reading experience. These are books we currently have in store but they will go quickly so give us a call (503-954-2354) to place an order now!

Board Books

-I am Brave: A Little Book about Martin Luther King, Jr. by Brad Meltzer and illustrated by Christopher Eliopoulos
-All Kinds of People by Shelley Rotner and Sheila M. Kelly
-I Look Up to Misty Copeland by Anna Membrino
-Be Boy Buzz by bell hooks
-Baby Says by John Steptoe
-Happy to Be Nappy by bell hooks
-Hey Black Child by Useni Eugene Perkins
-My First Wilma Rudolph by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
-My First Muhammad Ali by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
-My First Ella Fitzgerald by Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara

Picture Books

-A Boy Like Me by Frank Murphy
-When Aidan Became a Brother by Kyle Lukoff
-Black is a Rainbow Color by Angela Joy
-Brown Sugar Babe by Charlotte Watson Sherman
-Welcome to the Party by Gabrielle Union
-Superluminous by Ian de Haes
-The Sun is So Quiet by Nikki Giovanni
-Bronzeville by Gwendolyn Brooks
-Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton by Don Tate
-Cool Cuts by Mechal Renee Roe
-Thank You, Omu! By Oge Mora
-The Bell Rang by James E. Ransome

Beginning Readers/ Early Chapter Books

-I Am a Super Girl! by Kelly Greenawalt
-Layla and the Bots by Vicky Fang
-Pass the Ball, Mo by David A. Adler
-Buzz Beaker and the Cave Creatures by Cari Meister
-King & Kayla and the Case of the Mysterious Mouse by Dori Hillestad Butler
-Sadiq and the Green Thumbs by Siman Nuurali
-Mia Mayhem is a Superhero! by Kara West
-Jada Jones: Class Act by Kelly Starling Lyons
-Absolutely Alfie and the Furry Furry Secret by Sally Warner
-Clubhouse Mysteries by Sharon M. Draper
-Dog Days by Karen English
-Backyard Witch: Maya’s Story by Christine Heppermann
-Ada Twist and the Perilous Pants by Andrea Beaty
-Mighty Meg and the Magical Ring by Sammy Griffin

Middle Grade Novels

-The Parker Inheritance by Varian Johnson
-Ways to Make Sunshine by Renee Watson
-Dragons in the Bag by Zetta Elliott
-The Jumbies by Tracy Baptiste
-Rebound by Kwame Alexander
-Black Brother, Black Brother by Jewell Parker Rhodes
-Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams
-Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson
-Ghost by Jason Reynolds
-Some Places More than Others by Renee Watson
-Walking with Miss Millie by Tamara Bundy
-Child of the Dream by Sharon Robinson
-Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes
-The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore

Older Readers

-On the Come Up by Angie Thomas
-You Should See Me in a Crown By Leah Johnson
-Dear Martin by Nic Stone

0 Comments

Recommendations for Books about Racism, Anti-racism and Resistance

6/2/2020

0 Comments

We find ourselves in troubling times with a familiar problem that frankly, feels like it's getting worse. Racism is not an abstract idea tucked away in history books. It is unfortunately still alive and it is everywhere. It is a large systemic problem that won’t be solved overnight. But it is something we do need to confront head-on if we want to make a difference, and a lasting change.

One thing we can do now is to read books to open our minds and to educate ourselves about our biases and issues at stake. We can also diversify our bookshelves, and amplify the voices of writers and illustrators of color. That's where we can help.

We'd like to share some of our favorite titles with themes of racism, antirasicm and resistance to help you get started on your journey to helping make a better world.

Special Note:
Many of these titles are currently sold out and on back-order due to recent high demand. You can still call us up (503-954-2354) and place an order with us and we will get them to you as soon as they are available again. Please be patient and know that they are worth the wait!

Board Books

Counting on Community by Innosanto Nagara
Anti-Racist Baby by Ibram X. Kendi and illustrated by Ashley Lukashevsky
A is for Activist by Innosanto Nagara
Woke Baby by Mahogany L. Browne and illustrated by Theodore Taylor, III

Picture Books

Separate Is Never Equal by Duncan Tonatiuh
We March by Shane W. Evans
Something Happened in Our Town by Marianne Celano and Marietta Collins and illustrated by Ann Hazzard
Let’s Talk About Race by Julius Lester and illustrated by Karen Barbour
You Matter by Christian Robinson
Skin Again by Bell Hooks and illustrated by Chris Raschka
All Because You Matter by Tami Charles and illustrated by Bryan Collier
Not My Idea by Anastasia Higginbotham
Say Something! by Peter H. Reynolds
The Skin You Live In by Michael Tyler and illustrated by David Lee Csicsko

Middle Grade Novels

Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson
The Stars Beneath Our Feet by David Barclay Moore
One Crazy Summer by Rita Williams-Garcia
Ghost Boys by Jewell Parker Rhodes
Stella by Starlight by Sharon M. Draper
Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson
Dear Martin by Nic Stone
Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson

Young Adult Titles

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas
All American Boys by Jason Reynolds and Brendan Kiely
Dreamland Burning by Jennifer Latham
This Book is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell and illustrated by Aurelia Durand
Stamped by Jason Reynolds and Ibram X. Kendi

Graphic Novels

New Kid by Jerry Craft
I Am Alfonso Jones by Tony Medina and illustrated by Stacey Robinson & John Jennings
March: Book One by John Lewis and Andrew Aydin and illustrated by Nate Powell

For Grown-Ups

Me and White Supremacy by Layla Saad
Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria? by Beverly Daniel Tatum, PhD
White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
The Color of Law by Richard Rothstein

Below are links to other pages with more book recommendations:

Resources for Race, Equity, Anti-Racism, and Inclusion
from We Need Diverse Books

How to Talk to Kids About Race: Books and Resources That Can Help
from Brightly

Anti-Racist Reading List from Ibram X. Kendi
from The Atlantic

What Can You Do?

Read books that will open your mind and educate yourself.

Discuss what you’ve read and learned with others.

Act. Do something and make a difference.

If you are in position of privilege, help those who aren’t.

Don’t forget. Don’t stop fighting to change things. Don’t give up.

History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.

-Maya Angelou

0 Comments

Middle Grade Reviews, Part Four

5/23/2020

0 Comments

We know you’ve been missing browsing our shelves and discovering a book that wasn’t on your radar. So, we’ll be sharing some newer middle grade releases throughout the week.

Give us a call at 503-954-2354 if you want any of them. And have your kids leave reviews in the comments of good books they’ve read recently.

All the Impossible Things by Lindsay Lackey

Ruby “Red” Byrd has moved around from one foster home to another. And, when she thinks her life is settling down a bit, an unexpected arrival shakes things up again. Not to mention she also has the magical power to control the wind based on her emotions. If you want a moving story with a touch of magical elements, look not further!

For fans of The Thing about Jellyfish by Ali Benjamin.

How to Make Friends with the Sea by Tanya Guerrero

After moving around all his life, Pablo and his recently divorced mother have settled down in the Philippines. As if that wasn’t enough to take in, they end up taking in an orphaned girl with a cleft lip. Will Pablo find a way to make his new situation feel like home?

For fans of Everlasting Nora by Marie Miranda Cruz, Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly and Pie in the Sky by Remy Lai.

0 Comments

Middle Grade Reviews, Part Three

5/10/2020

0 Comments

Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk

One of the masters of historical fiction for young readers returns with another gripping novel that sees a family down on their luck try to make it in a new town with its own witch or hag on top of the mountain that may be able to solve their problems. Echo Mountain by Lauren Wolk is a must read.

Stuffed by Liz Braswell

Fans of Monsters, Inc. will enjoy this novel about a ten-year-old boy who must convince everyone around him that the stuffed animals we all know and love are fighting a battle that is getting too close to home!

0 Comments

Middle Grade Reviews, Part Two

5/9/2020

0 Comments

Itch by Polly Farquhar

Isaac (a.k.a. Itch) is having the worst school year ever. First, a tornado damages the school cafeteria. And, he may have caused one of his friends to have a severe food allergy reaction when they traded lunches. How can things get better for him when the troubles seem to be non-stop?

For fans of: Lost in the Sun by Lisa Graff and Ivy Aberdeen's Letter to the World by Ashley Herring Blake

Mary Underwater by Shannon Doleski

Mary Murphy doesn’t have the easiest life ever with an abusive father at home and a potentially failing grade at school. But she’s sick and tired of playing the victim. So she hatches a plan involving a submarine to save herself.

For fans of: The Line Tender by Kate Allen, No Fixed Address by Susan Nielsen, and Mostly the Honest Truth by Jody Little

Ghost Squad by Claribel A. Ortega

When Lucely and Syd inadvertently releases evil spirits into the real world, it’ll be up to them with the help of Syd’s witch grandmother to bring things back to normal.

For fans of: Goosebumps by R.L. Stine, Ghosts by Raina Telgemeier, and The Real Boy by Anne Ursu

0 Comments

Middle Grade Reviews, Part One

5/4/2020

0 Comments

We know you’ve been missing browsing our shelves and discovering a book that wasn’t on your radar. So, we’ll be sharing some newer middle grade releases throughout the week.

Give us a call at 503-954-2354 if you want any of them. And have your kids leave reviews in the comments of good books they’ve read recently.

The Newspaper Club by Beth Vrabel

Cub reporter Nellie Murrow is on the case when a series of theft and vandalism rock her town of Bear Creek. It’ll take all her journalistic skills to solve the mystery in this new mystery series inspired by Nellie Bly herself.

For fans of: Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova, The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart, and Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein

Fins by Randy Wayne White

Poachers are endangering the shark population to use their fins in soup. It’ll be up to the newly formed Sharks Inc. to make sure they don’t get away with it. Will the kids succeed in their mission? Or have they bitten off more than they can chew?

For fans of: The Miscalculations of Lightning Girl by Stacy McAnulty, Ali Cross by James Patterson, and Science Comics: Sharks by Joe Flood

Can You See Me? by Libby Scott ad Rebecca Westcott

Inspired by Libby’s real life experiences, this moving middle grade novel explores Tally trying to fit in without letting her autism completely define who she is.

For fans of: Wonder by R. J. Palacio, Rules by Cynthia Lord, and Mockingbird by Kathryn Erskine

0 Comments

<<Previous

New Year, New You!

It's that time of year again when many of us make our annual resolutions!

We can help you do this with books!!!

Book-It-Forward!

Independent Bookstore Day

Celebrate
Independent Bookstore Day
with Green Bean Books
on Saturday, August 29th!

Emily Arrow's Ukulele Moon Album Virtual Launch Party!

More Book Recommendations to Help You Diversify Your Bookshelves:

Recommendations for Books about Racism, Anti-racism and Resistance

Middle Grade Reviews, Part Four

Middle Grade Reviews, Part Three

Middle Grade Reviews, Part Two

Middle Grade Reviews, Part One

Archives

It's that time of year again when many of us make our annual resolutions!​We can help you do this with books!!!

CelebrateIndependent Bookstore Daywith Green Bean Bookson Saturday, August 29th!

Archives

It's that time of year again when many of us make our annual resolutions!

We can help you do this with books!!!

Celebrate
Independent Bookstore Day
with Green Bean Books
on Saturday, August 29th!