The storefront signs say “BAM!” As if to wake up sluggish book buyers. Or spice up your bland reading list. Or —

OK, it stands for Books-A-Million.

Open now. In the Auburn Mall.

BAM!

The Alabama-based bookseller quietly opened for business last Friday, turning the sad, dark, briefly empty, former Waldenbooks store into a happy, lights-on, well-stocked bookshop. Shopping Siren wandered in during the store’s first afternoon, one of dozens of shoppers blinking dazedly and grinning with delight at the sudden re-emergence of a full-scale new bookstore in Lewiston-Auburn. 

So what’s the new bookstore like? Turns out a lot like the old bookstore.

Books-A-Million is in the same location, has an almost identical layout and sells a similar stock as Waldenbooks. For book lovers who don’t like change (Hello, my name is Shopping Siren) it was a welcome sight.

For book lovers who do like change, Books-A-Million offers more DVDs and Christian-themed books than Waldenbooks did, and it seems to have a slightly greater selection of thought-provoking, if angsty, teen novels.

Overall, a welcome place for book lovers of all kinds.

BAM!

* Invisible ink books, about $3

Your child can color, complete puzzles and solve riddles, all with the invisible ink pen that comes with each activity book. You may think you’ll have a tough time pulling your kid away from your iPad, but just say “invisible ink” and he’ll come running. Trust me. For a 7-year-old it’s got all the allure of chocolate chip cookies and cartoons.  

* “A Killer Among Us” by Lynette Eason, $14.99

One of the many Christian fiction books BAM carries. This one is about a female hostage negotiator and a male police detective hunting a serial killer. Murder, mayhem and romance ensue. I assume it’s Christian-themed mayhem.

* “Ultimate Lost and Philosophy: Think Together, Die Alone” edited by Sharon Kaye, $17.95

BAM’s philosophy section is super tiny, but at least it has a philosophy book that takes a look at the TV show “Lost.” What was the Tao of John Locke? I think the world wants to know.

* Magic Tree House series by Mary Pope Osborne, $3.99 to $4.99 for paperback, $12.99 for hardcover

On its first day in business, the Auburn BAM carried all 46 books in the popular children’s series about a young brother and sister who travel through space and time. Impressive. You know what else is impressive? Writing 46 books.

* “The Unidentified” by Rae Mariz, $16.99

A young adult hardcover about a 15-year-old girl who, according to the book’s summary, “goes to school in the Game — a mall converted into a ‘school’ run by corporate sponsors. As the students play their way through the levels, they are also creating products and being used for market research by the sponsors, who are watching them 24/7 on video cameras.” Cool and creepy. Forget the young adult demographic — I want to read it.  

* Bible cover by Zondervan, $19.99

Army-green, zippered book cover with a metal compass, an outside mesh pocket for pens and a pair of outside snap pockets for … I have no idea. But they look good. Although it’s marketed for the Bible, the cover could hold almost any trade paperback or small hardcover book. I’m thinking something hiking related, since you’ve already got the compass and all.

* “The Zombie Night Before Christmas” by Clement C. Moore and H. Parker Kelley, $12.99  

A new take on the old “‘Twas the Night Before Christmas.” With zombies. And Santa as a kick-butt zombie fighter. All the hallmarks of an instant classic. 

* “Joe Camp’s Benji” DVD set, $6.97

Four Benji movies from the 1970s and on. Aw, Benji! In my day, the world was split between Benji kids and Lassie kids, much like there are now Red Sox fans and Yankees fans. Though no one called Lassie the evil empire.  

Best find: “Best American Crime Reporting of 2007” edited by Linda Fairstein, $3.97

One of the store’s clearance books. This annual compilation pulls together some of the year’s best crime stories from magazine and newspaper reporters. Mark LaFlamme’s not in this one, but it’s only a matter of time.

Think twice: Before pulling that new bestseller off the shelf

My only complaint about Books-A-Million was that its bestseller discounts were confusing. Some were 30 percent off, others were 10 percent off, with no difference between the two that I could figure out. (Club members got additional savings.) Even the store clerk couldn’t explain it. So before you shop, don’t assume there will be a sizable discount on that new Stephen King novel or Dave Ramsey financial how-to book. But at least you’ll have a place to thumb through them.

BAM! 

Shopping Siren’s true identity is protected by a pair of stylish, sweater-wearing Doberman pinschers (who are split on the whole Benji-Lassie question) and the Customer Service counter at the Sun Journal. You can reach her at shoppingsiren@sunjournal.com.

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