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April 2007

Hi folks!

I hope you are all doing well. My family is finally beginning to get well, after a week-long bout with the plague. It takes sickness to make me realize how lucky I am to be healthy, most of the time.  

I am ecstatic about April, as my son turns two, the Dodgers begin their quest for a pennant and I get to watch the Master’s on TV (okay, I am an old man, as I love watching PGA golf). I have recently plunged into a number of culinary books. I can read anything that Anthony Bourdain writes, and I have enjoyed some other tales from chefs. After reading a number of books by Calvin Trillin (one of my favorites), I finally read Ruth Reichl’s Garlic and Sapphires and now consider myself a devoted fan (timely, as I just learned she now hosts a series about food on PBS). Reichl’s restaurant reviews entertain, educate and remind me how much I enjoy reading good writers, no matter what genre.

Anyhow, enjoy this month’s book selections below. 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 the address listed for authors and publishers.

I hope you are reading some wonderful books. Make sure to tell me about them by This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Have a wonderful April, and enjoy your books!

Danny ;-)
Like Water for Chocolate

Like Water for Chocolate

By Laura Esquivel 256 pages Adult

Danny Says

I had not realized that I had never included this beautiful book on a previous list. Thanks for the nudge from my friend Evan. This is one of the loveliest and most gratifying books that I have read. It was one of the few books that I read for pleasure in college as an undergrad. It was also made into a wonderful movie, for the truly lazy reader.
Buy on Amazon
Staying Sane When You're Planning Your Wedding

Staying Sane When You're Planning Your Wedding

By Pam Brodowsky,Evelyn Fazio 272 pages Adult

Danny Says

This is actually part of a series of “Staying Sane” books. I have not read any of the others, but I will. This is my kind of book, filled with collections of short stories from different authors describing their wedding trials and tribulations (and the occasional triumph). Funny and easy reading.
Buy on Amazon
The Natural

The Natural

By Bernard Malamud 231 pages Adult

Danny Says

April means the start of baseball season. While most of us are still excited about our teams (as most of our teams should still be in the race for the pennant by the end of the month), I figured I would include a great baseball book. Warning: this book is not exactly like the wonderful Robert Redford movie. I found that out the hard way when I first read the book in junior high school (yes, when I was young, we did not have middle schools).
Buy on Amazon
Selected Poems

Selected Poems

By Edna St. Vincent Millay 344 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

I love using poetry as a way to entice my students to read and write more (after all, poems are a lot shorter than books). Edna St. Vincent Millay is a wonderful poet to expose middle schoolers to, as she writes in a very accessible way that makes “classical” poetry less intimidating to students. 
Buy on Amazon
Baby

Baby

By Patricia Maclachlan 160 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

This Newbery winner is one of the most beautifully written books I have ever read aloud to students of all ages…and this book must be read aloud. The language is poetic. 
Buy on Amazon
Crossing Jordan

Crossing Jordan

By Adrian Fogelin 140 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

A teacher told me she did not like this book because it was full of clichés and had a predictable upbeat ending. I guess those things are true, but I still found this book to be a very nice story about a friendship between a white girl and black girl in pre-Civil Rights Tallahassee. Give it a try and tell me what you think. My students have always really enjoyed this book.
Buy on Amazon
It's Not Easy Being Mean

It's Not Easy Being Mean

By Lisi Harrison 224 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

The “Clique” Series has become a hit, and I read this one just to stay in the loop. I have discussed these books with a number of middle schoolers (all girls, of course, as guys seem to only read books filled with testosterone or pterodactyls), and they all like the books for their believability. This one provides a good glimpse into Harrison’s style.
Buy on Amazon
Woody Guthrie: Poet of the People

Woody Guthrie: Poet of the People

By Bonnie Christensen 32 pages Children

Danny Says

One of my favorite songs ever is “This Land Is Your Land,” and when I saw a children’s book about the song’s writer, I had to grab it. This is a wonderful introduction for children into the life and music of an American original, Woody Guthrie.
Buy on Amazon
Henry Builds a Cabin

Henry Builds a Cabin

By D.B. Johnson 32 pages Children

Danny Says

The second in a series of picture books based on the experiences of Henry David Thoreau, this book is just as engaging for adults as for children. Children are rewarded with an engaging story about a historical character, while adults are reminded of the rewards of simple living. I recommend the entire series.
Buy on Amazon
My Very Own Octopus

My Very Own Octopus

By Bernard Most 40 pages Children

Danny Says

This is a selfish selection. I recently met Bernie at a conference I was speaking at in Connecticut, and I found him to be one of the friendliest and kindest children’s authors I have ever met. He has a real passion for his work and seems genuinely delighted to see his books’ impact on teachers and students. My daughter picks this book as one of her read alouds just about every day. Most is a wonderful author.
Buy on Amazon

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