“We always have a great time at the show, and this year is no different,” said Susan Kunhardt, children’s book buyer at Book Passage in Corte Madera, Calif., of last weekend’s Northern California Independent Booksellers Association annual trade show in Oakland. The children’s booksellers in attendance took great advantage of show specials, were delighted by the plentiful offerings of new titles on display in the exhibition hall, and enjoyed themselves at the Children’s Author Breakfast at the City Center Marriott, where the meeting was held.

“The show was very easy to get around this year,” noted Linda Hingham, owner of The Storyteller in Lafayette. “We always enjoy meeting with the reps and fellow booksellers.” Business has picked up at The Storyteller in the last two months, to the point where Hingham feels the economy has turned a corner, which she hopes will carry them through to the end of December for a robust sales season. “It does take a lot more effort now just to stay even, though,” she acknowledged. “I tell people we all just have to dance a little faster.”

Hingham, who has owned The Storyteller for 25 years, brings her entire staff to the show. “It’s always worth it,” she said. “My staff goes to the children’s books rep picks session and we get so much out of it. Being at NCIBA is like taking a course in ‘Staff Improvement.’ ”

Hingham mentioned a few backlist titles among her holiday picks, including new editions of Miracle on 34th Street by Valentine Davies (Sandpiper) and Santa’s Book of Names by David McPhail (Little, Brown). A few favorite new offerings are It’s Christmas, David! by David Shannon (Scholastic) and Weaver of Song: The Birth of Silent Night by Mary Helene Jackson, illustrated by Leo Winstead (Lerner).

Kunhardt called the NCIBA show “vibrant as ever, with no dearth of picture books!” Despite the negative view of the future of children’s picture books in a recent New York Times story, Kunhardt remains a staunch advocate of the format. “We’ve seen no decline in sales of picture books in the store at all,” she said. Customers at Book Passage continue to not only buy the genre for their children, but many report they’re still reading picture books to them up to the age of 10. “I think people are more aware now that it’s important for kids to enjoy themselves as children a bit longer,” she said.

Kunhardt and her staff gave many orders to the reps at the trade show. “Although EDI ordering is much simpler,” she said, “we always beef up our orders at the show because of the great discounts and other specials publishers give there. Plus, we always have a great time.” Among her favorite titles for fall are Revolution by Jennifer Donnelly (Random House), Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper (S&S/Atheneum), and Bink & Gollie by Kate DiCamillo and Alison McGhee, illustrated by Tony Fucile (Candlewick).

According to Anne Seaton of Hicklebee’s in San Jose, this year’s Children’s Author Breakfast was one of the best in recent memory. “It was an incredible, interesting mix,” Seaton said. The featured speakers were Jon Scieszka (Spaceheadz: Book #1, S&S), Richard Peck (Three Quarters Dead, Dial), and Paul O. Zelinsky (Dust Devil, Random/Schwartz & Wade). “They were all inspirational in their own way, but Richard Peck was especially funny and moving in his talk, and Jon Scieszka was hilarious as always,” Seaton said. In his speech, Zelinsky described in detail the device he’s created that he uses to draw images on very thin pieces of wood veneer: a box with mirrors in it that reflect the image of a sketch onto the wood. which he then paints. Zelinsky referred to the device as a “Zelinskograph,” to the great amusement of the sold-out audience.

“I had a great time at the show,” Seaton said, “and the reps were very upbeat.” Her favorite picks for the holidays are A Tale Dark and Grimm by Adam Gidwitz (Dutton), The Odious Ogre by Norton Juster, illustrated by Jules Feiffer (Scholastic/di Capua), Beautiful Oops by Barney Saltzberg (Workman), and April and Esme: Tooth Fairies by Bob Graham (Candlewick).

Kunhardt struck an optimistic note as the show wound down, saying, “I’m looking forward to a good season. So far, so good.”