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February 2010

Hi folks!

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.

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 February, and enjoy your books!

Danny ;-)
When You Lie About Your Age, the Terrorists Win

When You Lie About Your Age, the Terrorists Win

By Carol Leifer 208 pages Adult

Danny Says

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.
Buy on Amazon
The Winter Queen

The Winter Queen

By Boris Akunin 264 pages Adult

Danny Says

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.
Buy on Amazon
He Is . . . I Say: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Neil Diamond

He Is . . . I Say: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love Neil Diamond

By David Wild 203 pages Adult

Danny Says

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.
Buy on Amazon
Define

Define "Normal"

By Julie Anne Peters 196 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

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.
Buy on Amazon
Give a Boy a Gun

Give a Boy a Gun

By Todd Strasser 208 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

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.
Buy on Amazon
Shattering Glass

Shattering Glass

By Gail Giles 240 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

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.
Buy on Amazon
The Light in the Forest

The Light in the Forest

By Conrad Richter 192 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

I remember reading this book when I was a teenager. It is super-short, and I figured it would strike a chord with today’s teenage fans of Avatar.
Buy on Amazon
The Dot

The Dot

By Peter H. Reynolds 32 pages Children

Danny Says

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.
Buy on Amazon
The Lion & the Mouse

The Lion & the Mouse

By Jerry Pinkney 40 pages Children

Danny Says

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.
Buy on Amazon
Octopus Hug

Octopus Hug

By Laurence Pringle 32 pages Children

Danny Says

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. 
Buy on Amazon

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