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Books Galore

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5546 Peach St

Erie, PA 16509

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Click Business Name for More Information. For over 32 years, Books Galore, an independently owned & operated store, has been providing the residents of Erie, PA, and the surrounding communities with impeccable service. We have over 500,000 comics & 250,000 books in stock. We carry a large selection of comic books, science fiction novels, used books, board games, and more. Call or visit our store today! …

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I haven't purchased comics in years. I had actually come in to purchase a few for a friend for a Christmas present. The staff was so good they convinced me to buy some comics for myself hahaha. I came here when I was little, and now I am still going there at 31. Highly recomend to anyone looking for comics in town.

When you walk into a book store I want it to feel like home. This place feels like home it smells like a book store and the people whom work there love books and it feels safe enough to take my children to this place. I've met the owner and I love her, shes this person whom loves books and the people like her, and shes funny too. I wanted something different and they guys gave me 5 options and asked me a ton of questions. That's called getting to know your customer and them knowing you. I return to places like this. I spend money at places like this over and over again. Shop at this place and keep it in business.

Front Bench

Making hunting for used books a breeze! Went in looking for out of print obscure dragon books for an 8 year old- was met with an enthusiastic, patient, resourceful staff who found the book I was looking for and more! Always a treat to find a place where they go out of their way to spread the love of books and stories.

Called to ask for a book, they wouldn't check to see if it was there. LAZY! How busy are they really?? I guess I'll just buy it from eBAY!

I like the atmosphere and selection of books - however - their trade in policy is terrible. So, I don't trade with them - but I visit a few times a year to look through their collection.

Amazing book store !!!!! Very well- thought, detailed organized, bookstore, you can find almost anything in here , especially for the all kinds of comic , pulp, Science-fiction, etc ..Walls to walls with two floors well stocked books - it is a nice feeling to "get lost" inside of the book store!!! People work the store are so knowledgeable and very helpful, thanks for the owner(s) to put his/her heart and love to this store !!!!

Books Galore is a fantastic "little" bookstore - if you count nine rooms worth of books, comics, action figures, dice games, board games, and more "little." The staff is extremely friendly and knowledgeable. They frequently have sales that encourage you to go ahead and grab a few extra books. They also do trades and will purchase used books from you as well. It's a little cramped, but what can you expect? It's an old house that was converted into a bookstore. Such a delightfully quirky selection of books. A little dusty sometimes, but never "dirty."

If I had one complaint it is that this store has TOO much. Don't go unless you have a couple of hours to browse and enjoy yourself.

My husband grew up in Erie and every time we go to visit his family, I pointed out this store and said how cool it looked. Today was the magical day that we stopped, despite getting a late start for home. I walked in, took a deep breath of the magical used bookstore/comic store smell and dove in. I had to be almost forcibly pulled back out. First - an assortment of trade paperbacks that dwarfs anything I've seen in recent months. Second - well organized and extensive used books. I wouldn't go here for a quick grab of the latest bestseller - but by golly you'll find five better books and for cheaper if you spend a little time. The arrangement is excellent, very VERY well organized and the staff is knowledgeable and friendly. I couldn't recommend this store more highly. In fact, I might possibly have asked my husband if they'd notice if we just kind of lived there.

I was down shopping in Pa over the free comics weekend. I thought maybe I'll grab one or two on Sunday after. When I walked in I was told free comics day was on Saturday not Sunday. And they are keeping the remaining stock to Keep or either sell. What???? They were given to stores to give away not to sell. I find that shady as fuck and I will never set foot in that hole again. And I was about to spend a shit ton of money in that place that day.

Business Owner

May 8, 2013

"Free Comic Book Day" is an annual, international event that takes place the first Saturday in May. This event is only ONE DAY a year; it's not called "Free Comic Book Weekend". If we were to hand out free comics every day, even the day after, it would lessen the event & result in less traffic through our store on the day of the event. ("Why go today when we can get some tomorrow?") Also, these comics are NOT given to stores; we PAY for every single comic we give away. Any comics left over are set aside for next year's event. This is an important detail, as we sold out of many of this year's offerings & had to dip into our stock from previous years. It's unfortunate that this customer decided to use explicit language to slander our reputation based on misinformation. As you can see from our other reviews, we have a high rate of customer satisfaction, so we encourage you to come & see for yourself.

6 other reviews that are not currently recommended

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Galore by Michael Crummey - review

"N ewfoundland seemed too severe and formidable, too provocative, too extravagant and singular and harrowing to be real," notes an American doctor when he first encounters the remote settlement of Paradise Deep. But the territory's freezing, wind-blasted shore is real enough to its inhabitants. Indeed, the struggling fisher-folk of Michael Crummey's multi-generational fable, which won a Commonwealth prize and an Impac shortlisting on its 2009 publication in Canada, are the very embodiment of the brutal extremism the doctor observes. This is no country for old men – or anyone else for that matter. Galore 's 18th-century Newfoundlanders eke out hardscrabble existences marked by physical strife, family feuds, superstition and gruesome fortune. Every year the Arctic winters bring extended periods of near-starvation in which ships languish, icebound, for months on end. With prosperity a distant dream, life is reduced to a test of endurance.

When the starving locals cut open a beached whale to discover a live, mute, reeking albino inside, they christen him Judah. Judah's unexplained arrival in the novel's opening chapter is echoed 100 or so years later in its close, when his war-scarred descendant Abel, spotting a whale, intuits what his miraculous inheritance demands of him. This Marquezian device deftly illustrates the local expression "Now the once", interpreted by the doctor as meaning "the present twined with the past to mean soon, a bit later, some unspecified point in the future. As if it was all the same finally, as if time was a single moment endlessly circling on itself."

If Crummey presents time as a Moebius strip, then place – specifically, Paradise Deep itself – is character. The wordless Judah may bookend the novel, but it soon emerges that he is no more its driving force than any of the settlement's other eccentric denizens. These include the ruthless patriarch King-me Sellers and his nemesis, the furiously proud Widow Devine, founders of the two rival dynasties whose descendants – complete with extended entourages – populate the pages.

Substituting an entire, shifting community for a small core of central characters is a riskily ambitious undertaking but Crummey, who has the eye of a magpie and the ear of a lyrical poet, attacks it with formidable panache. His shore-dwellers are unashamedly queer fish: scoundrels, DIY submarine-builders, "sodomite" union organisers, martyred housekeepers and drunken opera-singers. They embark on adultery, commit murder, and succumb to sex-hungry priests or dour Methodism. Their tongue-tied, agonised courtships end in blurted proposals or forced marriages which founder as soon as the next generation is conceived. Blighted by warts and webbed fingers, maimed by frostbite or accidental immersion in boiling scum-vats, they battle stutters, narcolepsy and shameful sexual urges, and annually endure the taunts of grotesquely masked mummers who expose the secrets of the vulnerable in an orgy of raucous innuendo.

Crummey has drunk deep from the largely abandoned well of magic realism, and his intoxication with its possibilities is infectious. So much so that for the first third of the book, the pages almost turn themselves. He is a master of raising a question and then answering it three, five or ten chapters later, and his orchestration of muscular gossip, old wives' tales and quasi-miracles breathes with the rhythm of the tides.

But the more his shore-folk proliferate across time, the more urgently both compass and map are called for. Perhaps in anticipation of this, Crummey has provided two family trees tracing the central bloodlines. But as I repeatedly riffled back to double-check who married, fathered, shamed, murdered or lusted after whom, a frustration with the novel's overcrowding and lack of direction began to grow. Many equally populated but much longer novels have been written without navigational equipment being necessary. Inexorably, as the narrative's propulsion faltered, the thrill of the ride diminished. And by the time the final flourish came, the magic spell cast at the outset had worn somewhat thin.

Perhaps any ensemble narrative encompassing two extended families and spanning two centuries is doomed to suffer both from a lack of deep characterisation and the absence of a single over-arching storyline. Word for word, page for page, and chapter for chapter, Galore is magnificent. Crummey has cast his net wide and hauled in a vivid, glorious catch. But while it's normally the little fish that slip away, I couldn't help feeling that in this case, it was the really big ones.

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Reading guide for Galore by Michael Crummey

Summary  |  Excerpt  |  Reading Guide  |  Reviews  |  Beyond the Book  |  Read-Alikes  |  Genres & Themes  |  Author Bio

by Michael Crummey

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Readers' Opinion:

• Literary Fiction
• Historical Fiction
• 19th Century
• Early 20th Century
• Generational Sagas
• Strong Women
• Religious or Spiritual Themes
• Magical or Supernatural
• Magical Realism
• War Related
• Top Books of 2011

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About this Book

• Reading Guide

Reading Guide Questions

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

• What do you think of the way Judah comes to Paradise Deep? How do you imagine he came to be inside a whale? Why does Devine's Widow choose to protect him and King-Me Sellers to suspect him?
• Judah gets his name because the people in town cannot correctly recall the name of the Biblical Jonah, who is swallowed by a whale. King-Me Sellers, Devine's Widow, Lazarus, and many other characters are also given odd names for peculiar reasons. What is the significance of names and naming in Galore .
• What did you think of the Mummers? What role do they play in advancing the plot? Are they harmless troublemakers or a genuine menace?
• Many of the stories in Galore are love stories, some go well and some go badly. Discuss some of the couples in the novel, King-Me and Selina, Mr. and Mrs. Gallery, Callum and Lizzie, Mary Tryphena and Henry Devine, Dr. Newman and Bride, and how some of these pairs become triangles with the addition of a third person, Devine's Widow, Father Phelan, Judah, etc.
• How is religion portrayed in Galore ? There are many feuding sects and battles for parishioners – does any parish come out the winner? How do the people in town seem to choose between them?
• Several of these characters experience terrible physical suffering – Mrs. Gallery, Bride, Tryphie – and all of the families battle the harsh climate and dangers of deprivation; how does the extreme nature of life in Paradise Deep impact the atmosphere of Galore ?
• What role do outsiders like Dr. Newman and Mr. Coaker play in the novel? Are outsiders able to fit in in Paradise Deep?
• Did you suspect that Judah was the one who wrote the love letters to Mary Tryphena? How do you think their marriage would have been different if she'd known he loved her?
• What do you think of the ending? How do you think Judah and Abel are connected? What does the whale come to stand for in the story?
• Of the title, Michael Crummey has said "When I was writing this book I felt a sense of abundance. The source material - the folklore of Newfoundland - is so incredibly rich that I wanted to use that word. One thing I liked about 'galore' is that 'abundance' has only positive connotations, but 'galore' can be used in any situation. You could have money galore or fish galore, but you can also have trouble galore or misery galore." Discuss the significance of the title. Do you think it fits the book?

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Other Press. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.

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The Legacy of Books Galore

Pioneers and preservation on upper peach street.

T hese days, when you take a trip to upper Peach Street, it can be hard to imagine how this area of our town looked 100 years ago. Passing by car dealerships, chain restaurants, and massive superstores, it feels impossible that this area was once farmland and wilderness, with horses and buggies trudging through unpaved, sparsely populated dirt roads. There is, however, one surviving relic from those simpler times. Sandwiched between the corporate sprawl of the Millcreek Mall and the expanding reach of LECOM developments, sits the unassuming old storefront of Books Galore (five-time Best of Erie Winner for Best Comics and Collectibles Shop and Best Independent Bookstore). Books Galore sells used books, comic books, and games and has been a part of the fabric of upper Peach Street for nearly 40 years, although the building has been there much longer. Built in 1920 by the pioneering spirit of one family, its survival is due to the legacy of the few families that have worked to make it what it is today.

The history of this area is inextricably tied to the Biebel family. Daniel and Charlotte Biebel immigrated to Erie County from Germany in the 1830s. Daniel originally worked as a bricklayer and was described as "hale and hearty," as he would prove to be when he eventually purchased large amounts of acreage in the Kearsarge area, started a timbering business, and built log cabins on site to live in while working. Their son, George Biebel, and his wife, Mary, began the first commercial business on what is today upper Peach Street: a hotel and tavern called the Walnut Creek Hotel on the spot that is now the corner of Biebel Avenue and Peach Street. At that time, the area had a smattering of residents and the land where the Millcreek Mall now sits was farmland, as far as the eye could see. This tavern would have been a popular way station and watering hole for travelers coming into the city from further south in the county or state. They achieved great success, and it is upon that success that Mary and George's two sons, William and Edward, began multiple business ventures and eventually built the storefront at 5546 Peach St. in 1920 to be a general store for the area that was becoming more populated as the century wore on. 

As far as I can tell, the Biebel family, their descendants, and their extended family owned the building up until the 1970s. It started by selling general wares, as described in Nelson's Biographical Dictionary and Reference Book of Erie County, PA: "He (Biebel) has enjoyed the liberal patronage which he seeks to deserve by carrying all the merchandise embraced in a general store: groceries, provisions, flour, feed, fertilizers, boots and shoes, glassware, farming tools, hats, caps and notions." The store remained a general and grocery store until it was sold outside the Biebel family in the early 1970s. During this time, the business changed pretty regularly and enjoyed time as a photography studio, a dance studio, and multiple retail ventures until 1983 when it was purchased by Duane Wallin and converted into his vision and dream: a used book store and comic book store, which it remains to this day.

Wallin was a voracious reader. He read any chance he could, loved books, and collected many over the years. Rather than retire in the traditional sense, Wallin decided to spend his golden years realizing a dream of his: to turn his passion into his work, and start a used bookstore. When the storefront at 5546 Peach St. went up for auction, Duane, his wife Mary Ann, and his son Jim toured the building and knew immediately that this was the place. The building looked and felt like it was meant to be a bookstore, and the family spent the next couple of years turning Duane's dream into a reality. Duane was the dreamer, Mary Ann the realist, and Jim was the muscle, hauling books all around town and building the bookshelves that are still in use today. 

The building has remained largely unchanged since it was built in 1920. The Wallins were charmed by the woodwork and have kept it all intact over the years, including the original floors, trim, windows, doors and hardware, pocket doors, and glass doorknobs set in Art Deco style plate sets. As you make your way up the creaky wooden staircase, the second floor is the stuff of used bookstore dreams: books are piled up in every nook and cranny, closet, and alcove. This area of the store used to be rental apartments and still has a vintage bathroom (with unmodified sink, tub, and tile) and original kitchen cabinets in a back storage area. This level of preservation is unique in a retail setting in general, but most certainly unique for the upper Peach Street area, where nearly every building is either new or has been modernized over the years. And while this antiquation gives the bookstore its character, it also provides its share of frustrations, as most old buildings do. But issues such as lack of storage space, accessibility, and close quarters are offset by the historic charm of the building. 

Wallin started the business when the Millcreek Mall was being developed, and upper Peach Street and the Kearsarge area slowly started to morph into the bustling commercial district we know today. It was at this time that the Wallin Family and Books Galore became linked to the Phillips family (which also happens to be my family). When I first met my husband, he was working at Books Galore along with his brother Doug, his mother Marge, and his Aunt Carol. Most people who have shopped at Books Galore over the years think of this family as the personality of the store. Jim Wallin (who took over ownership of Books Galore, as well as his other property, the King's Rook Club, when his father, Duane, passed in 2001) reflects, "It really wouldn't have come together like it has or gone on as long as it has without the Phillips family." Marge and Doug Phillips both worked at the bookstore from around 1985 and stayed up until Marge's retirement in 2018. That's 33 years of dedication within one family to a retail business. Another long time employee, Bob Dobiesz, who has worked at the bookstore since 1990, points out "the dedication and length of the employees' stay here is pretty unique." And their dedication to the business has inspired those employees running the store now to stay on and do their best to help this small business succeed. Current manager Cole Schenley reflects: "When I was a kid, I came here. I started shopping here when I was like 10 years old. This place means so much to me. Marge, Carol, Bob, everyone was always really kind to me all the years I shopped here. And then when I got this job, I felt this responsibility to keep it going, mainly for them." 

It is not just the employees who keep coming back year after year; most of the customers of Books Galore are regulars and make visiting the shop a ritual of sorts. Comic books are serialized and new issues come out weekly or monthly, so most comic book customers are used to coming into the store every week to pick up their newly issued comics. Then those repeat customers bring their children with them who start up a weekly habit of buying comics, and so on and so on. "Legacy is a good word for it. I've seen kids come in and then they bring the next generation and then even their grandkids. People who came in here when they were kids and have since moved out of town always come in to visit when they're back in Erie," reflects Dobiesz. 

It is this legacy, this feeling of familiarity, comfort, and ritual that has contributed to this tiny bookstore's ability to survive the encroachment of big-box retailers, online sales juggernauts, as well as the pandemic. One can't help but worry about a small business and its ability to survive in the economic and public health crisis we're currently in, but Wallin feels confident: "I'll put it to you straight, I think that the bookstore will be fine. We have to weather the current pandemic storm, but our people are committed enough to jump in and fight for the bookstore. And our customers are so loyal, this place gives them a sense of comfort and a place to belong. It's an important part of their upbringing, it's their hobby and their life. It's going to be here as long as everybody who loves it wants it to be here and supports it." The legacy of the century-old shop on Peach Street, the legacy of the Biebel, Wallin, and Phillips families, and the legacy of multiple generations of customers will hopefully continue on for many more years to come.

Erin Phillips runs the Instagram @olderieonfoot , an in-depth look at local architecture "by foot, stroller, papoose, bike, and occasionally minivan."

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Books Galore Is A Small Town Bookstore In Oklahoma Home To Over 100,000 Used And Rare Books

Ashley has lived in Oklahoma for 30 years and is the Oklahoma staff writer for onlyinyourstate.com. When she isn't writing about Oklahoma, she enjoys visiting the beach and exploring new areas.

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If you love used and rare books, you’ll want to head to Duncan to Books Galore – a small town bookstore filled with over 100,000 books. It’s a hidden gem for book lovers with rows and rows of used books waiting to be rediscovered. Check it out below, then plan a trip to this quaint store you’ll fall in love with.

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Address: 808 West Main Street, Duncan, OK, 73533

Did you know this bookstore existed? For more information, please visit their Facebook page .

While visiting the town of Duncan, be sure to check out their fun park in town Fuqua Park and Kiddieland. Visitors can enjoy a beautiful Koi pond and the sound of rushing water or head to the other side of the park where you’ll find Kiddieland. Take a train ride, go on the merry-go-round or spin on the tilt-a-whirl. It’s a miniature amusement park that’s filled with fun for all ages! Click here to read about it, along with 7 other unique parks in Oklahoma.

OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.

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BOOKS GALORE

New & used books,, comics & games​​, open mon: 11:00am-6:00pm wed-sat: 11:00am-6:00pm and sun: 12:00pm-5:00pm.

5546 PEACH ST. ERIE, PA 16509

(814) 864-1853    

Northwest PA's Largest Specialty Shop

We are an independently owned and operated store in erie, pa. we've been in business for over 35 years, and currently have over 500,000 comics and over 250,000 books in stock., erie's only place for new comics every week.

20 drinks mentioned in book titles

Posted: March 17, 2024 | Last updated: March 17, 2024

Sometimes there’s nothing better than relaxing with a good book and a refreshing pitcher of lemonade, glass of wine, or cup of coffee. And bonus points if the book happens to have a drink right in the name! To complement our article about famous books that include food , here are 20 drinks mentioned in book titles.

Whisky Galore (1947)

During the Second World War, a cargo ship runs aground on a Scottish island while carrying 50,000 cases of whisky. The locals rush to save the shipment of spirits, which they must then defend from the authorities. That’s the plot of Compton Mackenzie’s “Whisky Galore,” which is based on a true story, and is also the inspiration for both a 1949 British comedy movie and a play!

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Dandelion Wine (1957)

Four years after Ray Bradbury published his most famous work, the dystopian novel “Fahrenheit 451,” the author released “Dandelion Wine.” A much simpler work that focused on the small-town lifestyle, much of “Dandelion Wine” was based on Bradbury’s own upbringing in the Chicago suburb of Waukegan, Illinois.

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Hop on Pop (1963)

The “pop” in “Hop on Pop” actually refers to a father character, but it’s the closest thing to a drink in the title of any Dr. Seuss book! Plus, we love this classic collection of poems that aims to teach kids the basics of phonics and reading. You may refer to fizzy drinks by another name (soda or Coke), but did you know that roughly 25% of America uses the term “pop”?

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Sam, Bangs & Moonshine (1966)

“Sam, Bangs & Moonshine” has a title that sounds a bit adult-oriented, but it’s actually a children’s book written by Evaline Ness in 1966. The titular moonshine isn’t referring to high-proof homemade liquor, but instead a slang term for foolish fantasies or ideas. As for the rest of the title: Sam is the book’s protagonist and Bangs is her cat.

Coffee, Tea or Me? (1967)

In 1967, flight attendants Trudy Baker and Rachel Jones penned the tell-all memoir “Coffee, Tea or Me?” Readers were tickled by this humorous recounting of the ups and downs (no pun intended) of working in the airline industry, and the book eventually spawned three sequels that sold millions of copies. The only problem? Trudy and Rachel weren’t real people, but instead fictitious authors created by an American Airlines public relations employee named Donald Bain.

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The Master and Margarita (1967)

The devil went down to…the Soviet Union? That’s the plot of “The Master and Margarita,” a masterpiece written by Russian playwright Mikhail Bulgakov during Stalin’s reign in the 1930s. Due to its controversial anti-communist content, “The Master and Margarita” wasn’t published until 1967, posthumously, as Bulgakov died in 1940. The “Margarita” in the title does not refer to the drink, but instead the protagonist's name.

The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test (1968)

For three weeks in the mid-1960s, author Tom Wolfe joined Ken Kesey as he and his crew of Merry Pranksters traversed America in a brightly colored school bus called Further. The resulting book, “The Electric Kool-Aid Acid Test” was lauded as an accurate portrayal of the blossoming hippie movement and a pioneering example of the New Journalism style. The title refers to the parties the Pranksters would often throw or attend that included LSD-laced punch as an important element.

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Freckle Juice (1971)

Freckle juice isn’t a real thing. Instead, it’s the subject of a Judy Blume children’s book about a little boy who wants freckles and drinks a concoction suggested by a swindler schoolmate looking to make a quick buck. (Although it was actually 50 cents because the book came out in 1971…and they’re children.)

The Cider House Rules (1985)

Not only did John Irving write the 1985 novel “The Cider House Rules,” but he also wrote the screenplay for the 1999 film version that starred Toby Maguire, Michael Caine, and Charlize Theron. In addition to being a box-office success, “The Cider House Rules” nabbed two Academy Awards, including a Best Adapted Screenplay win for Irving. 

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The Face on the Milk Carton (1990)

“The Face on the Milk Carton” was quite popular when it came out in the ‘90s — for both good and bad reasons. The young adult novel was an enthralling story of a little girl who sees her picture on the side of a milk carton and begins to question her upbringing and parents. (And yes, milk cartons were indeed where posters of missing children used to be displayed.) The book also contained mature themes, which got it banned by some schools. In addition to selling millions of copies, “The Face on the Milk Carton” was adapted as a made-for-TV movie in 1995.

Rum Punch (1992)

Elmore Leonard wrote numerous popular Western and crime novels, including “Hombre” (1960), “Get Shorty” (1990), “Rum Punch” (1992), and “Out of Sight” (1996). Even if Leonard isn’t on your reading radar, you may know these films because each one was made into a movie. While the film versions of “Hombre,” “Get Shorty,” and “Out of Sight” all used the book titles, “Rum Punch” was given another name when it was adapted by Quentin Tarantino: “Jackie Brown.”

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Cuba Libre (1998)

Back-to-back Elmore Leonard books! Six years after publishing “Rum Punch,” Leonard released “Cuba Libre,” a crime caper about a cowboy seeking justice in Cuba during the onset of the Spanish-American war. “Cuba libre,” in case you’re not aware, is also another name for a rum and coke!

The Rum Diary (1998)

Chronologically, “The Rum Diary” was the first novel Hunter S. Thompson wrote — as it was based on his time working for a struggling newspaper in Puerto Rico in the 1960s — but it wasn’t actually published until 1998. That was well after Thompson had earned notoriety for his gonzo journalism and books like “Hell’s Angels” and “Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas.”

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Espresso Tales (2005)

First published as a serial novel in a Scottish newspaper, “Espresso Tales” is Alexander McCall Smith’s continuation of “44 Scotland Street,” another serial novel. Both stories center on the amusing everyday lives of Pat MacGregor, her friends, and the people with which she shares an Edinburgh apartment.

Three Cups of Tea (2006)

We already had a coffee entry for “Coffee, Tea or Me?” but skipped right over the tea part, so here it is again. “Three Cups of Tea” is a 2006 memoir by Greg Mortenson, who co-founded a non-profit that helped build more than 171 schools in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Mortenson was hailed as a hero, but he has since tarnished his reputation thanks to some shady financial dealings within the nonprofit.

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Water for Elephants (2006)

“Water for Elephants,” the story of an old man in a nursing home who recalls how he joined the circus and found the love of his life, is the most famous of Sara Gruen’s novels. Not only did it earn numerous awards and carve out a spot in the New York Times Bestseller List for a dozen weeks in 2006, but it was also adapted into a 2011 feature film starring Robert Pattinson, Reese Witherspoon, and Christoph Waltz. 

The Lemonade War (2007)

“The Lemonade War” is the name of a trilogy of children’s books by Jacqueline Davies. The eponymous first installment, released in 2007, revolves around a sibling rivalry between Evan and Jessie, who are competing to sell the most lemonade at their respective stands. Although they first focus on solid business tactics, the kids eventually turn to sabotage when the competition gets the better of them.

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Are You There Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea (2008)

Comedian Chelsea Handler has already published six New York Times bestsellers, including the 2008 book “Are You There Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea.” The book is a collection of stories from her life, and the title is a spoof of the book “Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret,” which was written by an author we mentioned earlier in this list: Judy Blume.

The Greatest Beer Run Ever (2017)

“The Greatest Beer Run Ever” is the true story of how Chickie Donohue, a former Marine, decided to lift the spirits of his friends fighting in the Vietnam War by delivering beers to them on the front lines. Donohue’s tale didn’t become a book until 2017, but Hollywood wasted no time adapting it into a feature film starring Zac Efron, which was released in 2022.

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A Good Day for Chardonnay (2021)

If you haven’t sampled the works of New York Times bestselling author Darynda Jones, pick up one of the books in the witty and engaging Sunshine Vicram series. The second installment, 2021’s “A Good Day for Chardonnay,” follows Sheriff Vicram as she tries to keep the peace in her small New Mexico town while simultaneously attempting to piece together her own past. It’s suspenseful, a little romantic, and laugh-out-loud funny.

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Teachers, librarians targeted by angry parents over LGBTQ books speak out

One teacher says she was forced to resign over a police report made against her.

A middle school teacher in Illinois says she was forced to resign from her job after parents called the police on her for including the book "This Book is Gay" in a slate of books made available to students during a reading activity.

Sarah Bonner, who has been a teacher for roughly 20 years, says she is just one of many teachers facing pressure from certain parents to shun LGBTQ identities from classrooms.

"I think the day that we give up on public education is a very sad day," she said. "I feel like this particular incident has empowered me to do more."

She told ABC News that she and her students had Reading Mondays, when they celebrate independent reading and the love of reading.

Students get to share and swap ideas about what they love to read and what they're reading, she said.

In March, Bonner said she held a "book tasting," so students can see what books are out there and available to read. She teaches in a rural setting, and said "sometimes access to books can get shaky."

She said she went to a local library to gather almost 100 titles based on the interests her students had expressed and on the recommendation of several young adult literature lists.

"I thought about my student interests and the questions that they had been asking around some of the research things that we'd been working on in class, and I developed a whole entire list of young adult reads at the library that day," Bonner said.

However, several parents filed a report to local police over that one book, claiming Bonner was "grooming" students with the book. Opponents of the book criticized the book's reference to sexual activities. "This Book Is Gay" is one of the top targeted books, according to the American Library Association.

MORE: Authors of color speak out against efforts to ban books on race

ABC News confirmed with police that the information was recorded by them, and a fact finding investigation was to be pursued. Bonner was to then be placed on leave with pay by school officials, according to the police report.

The report states that the police were "not aware of any student that had actually been affected by the book being in the classroom" except for one student who was instructed to take pictures by their parent. None of the parents wanted to pursue this criminally by the end of the police investigation, the report states.

When Bonner spoke with her husband regarding the report, "we both looked at each other and just said I had to resign, there was no way I was going to be able to go back and be the teacher that I want to be or could be with my students having this now be put in place."

Although she believes the police report would not have gone anywhere, she said she worked with administrators to draw up settlement agreements for her resignation following the accusation.

As a teacher, Bonner said she has fought to include a diverse set of reading materials so students who grew up in her predominantly white, rural town can learn about different perspectives and experiences.

"I did that through literature. I did that through bringing in books that not only the students can see themselves in, but also to see others as outdoor windows into spaces that they had never seen before," Bonner said.

She urges parents with concerns to reach out to teachers: "Dialogue between parents and teachers are so key because we both want the best for your children," she said.

MORE: PEN America, Penguin Random House sue over banned books in Florida school district

Bonner, who won an award from the National Council of Teachers of English for "Outstanding Middle Level Educator" in 2018, said she fears for the state of public education amid attacks on different identities.

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"The importance of representation -- it's needed now more than ever," Bonner said. "We need more inclusivity, we need more access, and the books, literatures, texts -- they are so key to supporting our students' ability to read the world."

Jamie Gregory, a librarian in South Carolina, has been facing similar backlash for tweeting about her teen child's defense of a highly-banned book called "Gender Queer," and his opposition of its removal from local schools.

The book has been criticized for its depiction of nudity and sexual references.

Book ban efforts have risen dramatically across the U.S., with a record-breaking 1,269 demands made to censor library books and resources in 2022 alone, according to the American Library Association.

These efforts primarily target books written by or about people of color or who are LGBTQ, according to the ALA. Librarians and teachers continue to face immense pressure from political groups about what they can and cannot talk about -- with laws across the country restricting content about race, gender identity, sexual orientation and more in schools.

"You certainly have the right as a parent to tell your child what they can and cannot read, but explain to them how that doesn't mean, though, that you actually remove the materials so that no one else can access it," Gregory added.

Once Gregory's tweet was spread online by conservative extremists, she told ABC News she began receiving threatening messages and had her personal information shared online.

"It's not just political rhetoric. I'm a real person. And this has really happened to me. In my life," Gregory said she told a representative from a conservative group backing book bans. "You're saying things that are not true, and making people paranoid and making people angry. You're accusing people like me of felonies."

Gregory and Bonner say their experiences represent a growing hostility towards public education and its inclusion of marginalized identities. The increased scrutiny has come amid growing fears of teacher shortages , and empty positions plaguing school districts nationwide.

Shelly Fitzgerald, who was fired from her teaching job at a Christian school in 2018 for being a lesbian, believes her firing was a sign of what was to come, and what people are experiencing now.

She believes laws that restrict content in classrooms in Florida, Texas, Oklahoma and elsewhere are designed to "stop teaching empathy," "support" and "history." She fears how laws restricting discussion on gender identity and sexual orientation in the classroom will impact her daughter, who has two mothers and could be restricted from talking about her home and family life.

Bonner, who now teaches pre-service middle school teachers, urges her students to prepare for a fight ahead.

"The more we ban, the more we erase," Bonner said. "My heart just aches for the LGBTQ students in my classroom that have questions."

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