logo

January 2009

Hi folks!

I hope you all had a wonderful holiday season. I have been enjoying an extended visit with my wife’s family in Singapore. We had a wonderful side trip to Thailand, and I have managed to read a lot of long Classics that I have been meaning to read for ages.

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 January, and enjoy your books!

Danny ;-)
So You Think You Can Be President?

So You Think You Can Be President?

By Iris Burnett,Clay Greager 210 pages Adult

Danny Says

A new President gets sworn in this month, and many Americans catch themselves wondering, “Could I be President?” The authors of this fun book have put together a battery of 200 questions to see if you have what it takes. I learned that I certainly cannot be President based on my past (and present).
Buy on Amazon
Points of Light

Points of Light

By Robert Goodwin & Thomas Kinkade 224 pages Adult

Danny Says

I am so proud to be an American, and one of my guilty pleasures is being involved with wonderful charities like BookEnds and The Wonder of Reading. This delightful book profiles some of the extraordinary differences ordinary American citizens make every day. A good read for those who want to affirm the positive things about our country.
Buy on Amazon
The Story of a Marriage

The Story of a Marriage

By Andrew Sean Greer 195 pages Adult

Danny Says

Endorsements usually sell me, and when I see that both Khaled Hosseini (The Kite Runner) and Dave Eggers (A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius) love something, I have to buy it. Greer is a gifted novelist who understands how to be economical with words. This easy page-turner deals with sexual and racial restraints in the 1950s. The language of the story is wonderful.
Buy on Amazon
Assassination at Sarajevo

Assassination at Sarajevo

By Robin S. Doak 96 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Part of a wonderful series of books called Snapshots in History by Compass Point Books (compasspointbooks.com). Students love the photographs, and I like the way the author organized all the information in a visually appealing way. History books were always boring when I was in middle school. I’m a fan of this series, and my students were amazed by how this act caused one of the greatest catastophes the world had known to that point (World War I, for those of you keeping score at home). 
Buy on Amazon
Double Dippin'

Double Dippin'

By Regenia Wright 210 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

The author is a high school English teacher, and it made sense that my high school students got a kick out of this one. Nonstop action, as this one is not for the faint of heart. The perfect book to take to the park and devour in an afternoon.
Buy on Amazon
Seventh Son

Seventh Son

By Orson Scott Card 256 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

The first in the Tales of Alvin Maker series. I really enjoyed reading this book with my middle schoolers. The boys, in particular, got a kick out of it, as it blends fantasy with historical fiction. Even better, it hooks readers to read the other books, which is one of my favorite ways to encourage students to develop the “daily reading habit.”
Buy on Amazon
The Witches Of Dredmoore Hollow

The Witches Of Dredmoore Hollow

By Riford McKenzie 266 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

I breezed through this book, as it kept my interest throughout (not easy, as most books have a good beginning, middle or end, but not all three). Maybe it is because the author is from Vermont, but I felt like I was in the world of Ichabod Crane. Lots of authors have tried to imitate J.K. Rowling, but this is one of the first books that has read like a Harry Potter book to me.
Buy on Amazon
Un-Brella

Un-Brella

By Scott E. Franson 40 pages Children

Danny Says

Great for teaching the seasons, this wordless picture book takes kids on an adventure with a little girl that my own children mistake for Dora the Explorer. This little girl has an umbrella that allows her to reverse the weather under the “un-brella’s” canopy. Very fun to read aloud with very young children.
Buy on Amazon
Sam Johnson and the Blue Ribbon Quilt

Sam Johnson and the Blue Ribbon Quilt

By Lisa Campbell Ernst 40 pages Children

Danny Says

I have Linda Nelson to thank for this book recommendation. A funny story of a boy who finds he loves to sew; students can learn a valuable lesson about breaking stereotypical roles of men and women.
Buy on Amazon
One Potato, Two Potato

One Potato, Two Potato

By Cynthia DeFelice 32 pages Children

Danny Says

With wonderful illustrations by Andrea U’Ren, this Irish retelling of the classic Chinese tale is great for teaching students about the value of compounding interest, something all of us would like to see in our bank accounts again. A funny interactive read aloud.
Buy on Amazon

Explore

Act

About

Connect With Us

Join Now