Welcome to the Lazy Readers' Book Club, your reading time manager!
This is where you go when you want to read quality books that don't take years to finish. My mission is to increase interest in reading by providing cool, short book recommendations for all ages. From interest comes devotion.
As teachers, parents or whatever state we find ourselves in, we often cannot find time to read for fun, and I think it is important that our children see us reading for pleasure. Therefore, each month I provide book recommendations that are quick and easy to read for personal pleasure. I try not to include any books over 250 pages, and I always include books written for a variety of ages (don't be shy about reading kids' books, though; they are my favorites because they generally have shorter chapters, bigger print and colorful pictures).
I hope you find a few moments to enjoy these quick reads in February:
I think this may be one of the best book titles I have come across in some time. Leifer’s humorous essays are a joy to read and the perfect antidote if you are having a tough week.
If you enjoy historical fiction (and I love historical fiction), this is a must-read. I did not realize Akunin is such a popular author in Russia. I grabbed the book when I heard Akunin compared to Caleb Carr, who wrote one of my favorites, The Alienist. This is the first in a series, and I confess that I am hooked.
I once saw a great piece on Neil Diamond on CBS Sunday Morning, and I was impressed by how down-to-Earth he seemed to be. Wild’s love letter to his idol further enhances my opinion of Diamond as a superstar who never seems to have received his due from critics (fortunately, his fans adore him, and I am now solidly in his corner). A quick “biography” that is just as entertaining in how it chronicles Wild’s musical life as much as Diamond’s.
Jazz and Antonia are polar opposites, yet their peer-counseling sessions bring them together in a way that allows readers to deeply know both girls. A well-written book that I use as a model for teenage writers.
I am always looking for books that examine multiple points of view, and this book fits the bill. A compelling look at school violence from several perspectives: students, teachers, parents, etc. Reads like a viewing of Rashomon.
While looking at different perspectives, take a look at the cliques in this school. What intrigues and frightens me about this story is how vicious teenagers can be to one another (and that, sadly, is accurate). The characters in this book should have read Strasser’s Give a Boy a Gun to consider the possible consequences of ridiculing a classmate.
It amazes me that this is one of my favorite books of all time, I recommend it all around the country and until now I have failed to include it as one of my monthly book picks. An outrage! BUY THIS BOOK. This is one of the simplest, most powerful stories I have ever had the pleasure of sharing with children. The message is simple: we are all artists. I think every teacher should read this book to see the potential in every child. Simply magical.
After being a Caldecott Medal bridesmaid five times, Pinkney finally earned a long overdue Caldecott Medal for this beautifully illustrated retelling of an Aesop Fable. Congratulations, Jerry – you are a role model to so many aspiring illustrators. My students love it when I read Pinkney’s books and share stories about how he became an artist. Truly inspiring.
This book shows dads how to be silly with their kids. Also, February is Black History Month, and I greatly appreciate illustrator Kate Salley Palmer’s refreshing depiction of a playful African-American father (I am sick of books that insist on making ethnicity the central point to every story with minority characters). This is a book all families can enjoy.
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Who dat? You’ll have to forgive me, as I have been doing quite a bit of speaking in New Orleans. I have fallen in love with the Crescent City – filled with lots of characters, enthusiasm and heart. While I have been busily writing three different book projects, I have snuck in some really great books, including Michael Pollan’s Food Rules, Julia Child’s My Life in France and George Carlin’s Last Words.
PLEASE NOTE: I AM IN THE PROCESS OF RE-DESIGNING THE WEBSITE SO THAT I CAN RESUME E-MAILING FREE MONTHLY BOOK PICKS TO SUBSCRIBERS. I APOLOGIZE FOR THE DELAY.
Anyhow, enjoy this month’s book selections. I hope you are all reading some wonderful books. Make sure to tell me all about them. If you're an author or a publisher and would like to send me review copies of your book(s), please send them to:
Dr. Danny Brassell
CSUDH, COE 1440
1000 E. Victoria St.
Carson, CA90747
I make every effort to read everything that is sent to me (as a matter of fact, I am always more likely to mention books that are sent to me…hint, hint).
Some folks take offense that I call this site the "Lazy" Readers' Book Club. I know many of us are avid readers. This site is for everyone who doesn't have time to read thicker books but still have a hunger to read some quality literature. What bothers me is that there are only 24 hours in a day, and hectic schedules often prevent us from one of life's greatest pleasures: reading. By the way: people who read more become better readers, and my experiences have shown me that people who reader shorter books eventually gravitate to longer ones. Indeed, even I find the time to read lengthier books, now that I have developed a taste for shorter ones.
Remember, books and other items purchased from Amazon.com through links from the lazyreaders.com website will directly benefit BookEnds (http://www.bookends.org), a nonprofit organization devoted to increasing children's access to books and community service awareness. All you have to do is visit our website, click on Amazon, and Amazon will donate up to 10 percent of your total purchase to BookEnds. Visitors to our site who have used this feature have already raised a lot of money for this wonderful cause. Keep it up!
Every day I receive emails from people who want to be sent this list of monthly book picks. If you know anybody who would like to be included on the list, ask them to register at our website link, http://lazyreaders.com/contact.html, to receive my monthly recommendations. If you want to be removed from this list, please just say so. I promise that I will never forward anything but my monthly book picks. That's the honest truth - no mortgage rate ads or promises to help you lose 10 lbs. in three hours. I'll just send book recommendations once a month.
Please remember to read for fun and to read to your children, and e-mail me any short books that you'd like to have considered for our lists.
