From novelist Mathias B. Freese comes THE i TETRALOGY—a gripping epic that explores the nature of the Holocaust during and after the war, through an incisive observation of three pivotal characters. The varying dimensions of their moral nature inextricably link each of them—victim, perpetrator, and murderer’s son. Brilliantly weaving interior monologue and external event, the quartet assays the monumental impact of the Holocaust upon i, a death camp prisoner and his Nazi taskmaster Gunther.

Join grade school superheroes J.P. and Joe on their first adventure—FLUB-A-DUB-CHUB AND THE SLEEPWALKING MARTIAN. This story of jet-pack boots, hot-dog shaped pranksters, talking lint balls and, you guessed it, sleepwalking martians, is sure to delight anyone with an imagination and a taste for the unique and the funny. This book may be meant for kids, but they shouldn’t get all of the fun, so read it for yourself.

Join us for an evening with two of the finest writers we know. Pam (Cowboys Are My Weakness) Houston reads from her latest, SIGHT HOUND, the story of a woman who learns from her beloved dog that love is stronger than fear. Tod (Living Dead Girl) Goldberg joins Pam to read from his short story collection, SIMPLIFY. These stories are hard-edged, but with a creepy charm that will linger with you long after you have closed the cover.

“Desperation is the mother of invention, and if you think you have a future as a writer, you’re nothing if not desperate.” Such is the advice of John Warner, editor of McSweeney’s Internet Tendency, in this innovative and more than slightly insane book. Equal parts humor and strange instruction, FONDLING YOUR MUSE exploits writers’ most vicious insecurities with flair this guide will make writers worse at the craft and, as a result, eminently more publishable.

Chicago mystery maven Libby Fischer Hellman returns to Barbara’s to sign copies of her latest Ellie Foreman thriller, A SHOT TO DIE FOR. Ellie assists a woman who has been abandoned at a rest stop, only to witness her murder moments later. When the victim’s family begs Ellie to help, she soon finds herself caught in the crosshairs of a killer. This is a signing only event. Call 312.781.3033 for further details.

A PIPKIN OF PEPPER is the charming sequel to Helen Cooper’s new children’s classic Pumpkin Soup. When the jar of salt smashes, and there is none left for the pumpkin soup, Cat, Squirrel and Duck must go in to the city to buy some more. Duck has a habit of wandering off and, even though he promises not to, things don’t go entirely as planned. Will the soup ever be cooked? Come and see how these wonderful characters come to life and meet their creator. Call 708.848.9140 for details.

Steve Mumford’s BAGHDAD JOURNAL is an artist’s account of Iraq, a view that is as unique as it is beautiful. Mumford arrived in Baghdad in 2003, and for about a year accompanied U.S. troops on patrols and combat missions. But his most arresting images come from more mundane interactions: in cafes, at a meeting with an imam, at a galley favored by local artists. Mumford writes that, “the act of drawing slowed down the war, recording the spaces in between the bombs,” and it is through these spaces that Iraq and the war become illuminated in a way that we rarely see.

From Charles (Heavier Than Heaven: A Biography of Kurt Cobain) Cross comes the definitive biography of Jimi Hendrix on this, the 35th anniversary of his death. ROOM FULL OF MIRRORS is meticulously researched. Cross spoke with those who knew him best—many of whom broke their silence for the first time. This landmark work moves from Jimi’s difficult childhood in Seattle, to his struggle against prejudice and his ascent as a young musician in swinging London, to the apex of his career, headlining at Woodstock, and his death a year later.