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June 2011

Hi folks!

I am back on airplanes (speaking around the country), so I have had the chance to read a bunch of intriguing books (many recommended by friends and acquaintances from conferences). I marveled at Aaron Ross Sorkin’s incredible Too Big to Fail, got a real kick out of Thomas C. Foster’s How to Read Literature Like a Professor, could not get enough juicy anecdotes from Those Guys Have All the Fun: Inside the World of ESPN by James Andrew Miller and Tom Shales (Shales is a great writer; I used to love reading his movie reviews in the Washington Post when I lived in D.C.) and laughed heartily throughout Tina Fey’s Bossypants.

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 June, and enjoy your books!

Danny ;-)
This Is a Book

This Is a Book

By Demetri Martin 288 pages Adult

Danny Says

Don’t worry about the page count, as there are plenty of blank pages and spaces to justify this selection. It should take you only a few hours to read, and you’ll thank me for it, as Demetri Martin is simply one of the funniest comedians around nowadays (set your DVR to Comedy Central at 3:34 a.m. sometime to catch his hysterical show, Important Things with Demetri Martin).
Buy on Amazon
Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion

Tattoos on the Heart: The Power of Boundless Compassion

By Gregory Boyle 217 pages Adult

Danny Says

If you have never heard of Fr. Gregory Boyle, you are in for an inspirational insight into his wonderful work reforming gangsters with HomeBoyz Industries. Uplifting and thought-provoking.
Buy on Amazon
Sweet Ginger Poison

Sweet Ginger Poison

By Robert Burton Robinson 180 pages Adult

Danny Says

As summer begins I understand that a lot of folks are looking for quick beach reads. What better than a fast-paced murder mystery on a lazy afternoon?
Buy on Amazon
JUDY MOODY WAS IN A MOOD (BOOK #1)

JUDY MOODY WAS IN A MOOD (BOOK #1)

By Megan McDonald 176 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

I just realized that I had never included Judy Moody on a previous list, and I figure with the film opening this month that now is a good time to get kids excited about the books. I love this edition, in particular, as it includes wonderful artwork by one of my favorite illustrators, Peter Reynolds.
Buy on Amazon
Things I Have to Tell You: Poems and Writing by Teenage Girls (Betsy Franco Young Adult)

Things I Have to Tell You: Poems and Writing by Teenage Girls (Betsy Franco Young Adult)

80 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Subtitled Poems and Writing by Teenage Girls, this collection (edited by Betsy Franco) includes over 30 compelling poems and stories accompanied by intense black-and-white photographs by Nina Nickles. A great way to inspire teenagers to share their own stories through poems and writing.
Buy on Amazon
The Hoopster

The Hoopster

By Alan Lawrence Sitomer 224 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Sitomer is a former California Teacher of the Year, and I can assure you that he writes in the authentic voice that any inner-city middle schooler can relate to. Make sure to check out Sitomer’s latest venture, Nerd Girls. He is a terrific author.
Buy on Amazon
The Many Faces of George Washington: Remaking a Presidential Icon (Exceptional Social Studies Titles for Intermediate Grades)

The Many Faces of George Washington: Remaking a Presidential Icon (Exceptional Social Studies Titles for Intermediate Grades)

By Carla Killough McClafferty 120 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

I am quite a fan of Carla Killough McClafferty, as her books tend to take subjects (like World War II) or people (George Washington) that I thought I knew a lot about and leave me turning pages to find out fascinating undiscovered details. Quick, pleasant reading – and great for dinner conversations.
Buy on Amazon
Interrupting Chicken

Interrupting Chicken

By David Ezra Stein 40 pages Children

Danny Says

As a father who has one daughter in particular who feels compelled to interrupt just about every bedtime story with a comment on every page, I loved this amusing and beautifully illustrated tale of a daddy chicken trying to get through some bedtime fairy tales with his inquisitive daughter.
Buy on Amazon
Tumford the Terrible

Tumford the Terrible

By Nancy Tillman 32 pages Children

Danny Says

My children get a kick out of this mischievous cat, and I have always enjoyed illustrations that blend photography with painting. A good bedtime read aloud.
Buy on Amazon
Horrid Henry

Horrid Henry

By Francesca Simon 112 pages Children

Danny Says

Since we are on the subject of mischief, nobody does it better than Horrid Henry. Terrific read aloud with great illustrations by Tony Ross.
Buy on Amazon

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