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December 2006

Hi folks!

I hope you are all doing well. My kids and I all had the flu this past month. My wife never got sick. Do mothers ever get sick? There must be some biological tool that ensures the well-being of mothers. 

People often ask if I ever catch myself not reading, and I must admit that I often let work and life overwhelm me. It is no coincidence that I feel the most stressed at times when I am not putting time aside to read. What’s the antidote? Well, I headed to a Barnes & Noble bookstore near my house and spent about seven hours reading about 75 children’s and young adult books. I also glanced over about 30 new adult titles that I had never seen (I am trying to get into romance novels, as many of you have asked me to start reviewing more romance titles; after all, romance is the most popular genre among book sales in America). Going to the bookstore is like going to the gym, and I felt just as refreshed as after taking a long swim.

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 December, and enjoy your books!

Danny ;-)
Crawling: A Father's First Year

Crawling: A Father's First Year

By Elisha Cooper 176 pages Adult

Danny Says

Being the father of a daughter who turns three this month and a year-and-a-half-old son, I totally related to this funny narrative about fatherhood. Cooper shares the same attitude I had about my children being born: it was not miraculous as much as it was totally freaky. This is the perfect gift for any dad.
Buy on Amazon
The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories

The Ladies of Grace Adieu and Other Stories

By Susanna Clarke 224 pages Adult

Danny Says

This is Clarke’s follow-up to her wonderful debut, Jonathan Strange & Mr Norrell. That book is over 1000 pages long and has no place on this list. To whet your appetite, though, this latest book (which is actually a compilation of several of Clarke’s previously published short stories) highlights why Clarke is an author to be reckoned with, as she takes us into the fantastical world of magic and fairies set in 19th century England. A wonderfully witty writer who crafts extremely gratifying tales.
Buy on Amazon
Botchan

Botchan

By Natsume Soseki 112 pages Adult

Danny Says

How had I never heard of this book? I stumbled across this hundred-year-old book while scanning the Classics at Barnes & Noble, and I could not put it down. When you think about Japanese literature, you do not often think “hilarious.” I devoured this book in a couple of hours. Soseki reads like a Japanese version of Voltaire or Camus. I am pleading with high school English teachers to recommend this book to their students, as it is just a wonderfully entertaining treasure.
Buy on Amazon
Fingers

Fingers

By William Sleator 197 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

If you are not reading young adult books, you are missing out on some of the coolest stories told. When a mother’s child prodigy stops getting piano recital bookings, she creates a scheme to convince the world that a deceased composer is channeling his music from the grave through her son. The trick works until the prodigy’s older brother becomes convinced that the dead composer really has taken over the fingers of his younger brother. This is just an eerie and fascinating book.
Buy on Amazon
Pay the Piper

Pay the Piper

By Jane Yolen & Adam Stemple 192 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

I am a huge fan of Jane Yolen’s many wonderful books of poetry for children. This book shows another side of Yolen, as she has created (along with her son) a fun new twist on the tale of the Pied Piper.
Buy on Amazon
47

47

By Walter Mosley 240 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Thank goodness for Walter Mosley. When I was teaching 8th grade boys in South Los Angeles, Walter Mosley was our savior. He has written so many great books that speak to so many of my students (e.g. Always Outnumbered, Always Outgunned and Devil in a Blue Dress). This book represents his foray into young adult literature, and it is great. Whether he realizes it or not, Mr. Mosley has quite a fan base among teenage boys. A great author!
Buy on Amazon
Owl in Love

Owl in Love

By Patrice Kindl 224 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Let’s just say that this book is about a girl who becomes a “wereowl” at night. Yes, it is a funny book, and there is a lot more depth to it than that. My students, especially the girls, love this book.
Buy on Amazon
Junie B., First Grader: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells! (P.S. So Does May)

Junie B., First Grader: Jingle Bells, Batman Smells! (P.S. So Does May)

By Barbara Park 128 pages Children

Danny Says

If you have not read any of the Junie B. Jones books, you are in for a treat. I hear all sorts of stuffy shirts gripe about Junie’s poor grammar. Whatever! Barbara Park should be commended for getting a lot of kids interested in reading with one of today’s most delightful characters…and this recommendation works perfectly for the holidays.
Buy on Amazon
Manga Claus: The Blade of Kringle

Manga Claus: The Blade of Kringle

By Nathaniel Marunas 80 pages Children

Danny Says

Beneath the title of this hilarious book are the words: honor, loyalty, tinsel. That sold me on the book, and it did not disappoint. More and more kids are fascinated with manga, graphic novels that read like bound comic books. Your child will delight in this funny tale about Kris Kringle battling a disgruntled elf. 
Buy on Amazon
The Amazing Ghost Detectives

The Amazing Ghost Detectives

By Daniel San Souci 40 pages Children

Danny Says

Yet another great book in San Souci’s “Clubhouse Series.” Wonderfully illustrated, perfectly silly and just the right touch of ghosts to keep kids at the edges of their seats (but not too scared). I use this book and the others in the series to get my students excited about writing, as San Souci is one of those rare authors who includes interesting tidbits about his own childhood in his backflap biography. Great for showing students that their experiences can be made into wonderful books.
Buy on Amazon

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