Shoe Dog: A Memoir by the Creator of Nike by Phil Knight

I think the hallmark of a good nonfiction book is that you get completely engrossed in something you previously had little to no interest in. Therefore you'll understand when I say this is a fantastic book about shoes, track athletes and international business relations.

Phil Knight comes off as the kind of guy you want to have a drink with, but probably don't want to marry or have as a boss. He was a driven entrepreneur who played fast and loose with a lot of money (and not all his own) in the early days, and he almost lost it all multiple times.

But he believed in what he was doing, and he built an amazing "family" of dedicated professionals who believed in the product, too. He talks about Nike's partnership with college and professional athletes without this turning into a name-dropping celebrity memoir, which it easily could have been.

It's probably a great guide for what-not-to-do in business; it's also a stunning example of success despite breaking all the rules. In all, I thoroughly enjoyed the book in every way. I laughed out loud at times, and I bit my fingers along with their strife (even though I knew it would come out).

Pete the Cat - I love my white shoes

by Eric Litwin and James Dean

A completely fun new picture book. My first encounter with this was through YouTube. Check out two charming young ladies singing the text of this book here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpZ9mOQ6iSU

Kids will truly enjoy learning color concepts with silly Pete who just can't seem to keep his shoes clean. This is truly one cool cat. He strolls along completely cool with everything that happens to his stylin' high tops. Simple illustrations with lots of negative space.