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October 2006

Hi folks!

I hope you are all doing well. I just finished writing a book over the last three weeks (yes, I wrote a book in three weeks, and I do not recommend that to anyone). The good news is the book went off to the publisher. The bad news is that I allowed the book to overwhelm me, so I did not read as many books in September as I am accustomed to reading. I did manage to read yet another great Jon Krakauer book, Under the Banner of Heaven. I have been trying to read every book ever written by Roald Dahl and Richard Peck. And for children, some students have turned me on to some great books by Mercer Mayer that I had never seen before. As I pride myself on reading lots of books, I confess that I made sure to read a lot more kids’ books this past month. People are always impressed when I can tell them I read ten books a day; they just do not need to know that many of those books are pop-ups and scratch-and-sniffs!

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 October, and enjoy your books!

Danny ;-)
Crabwalk

Crabwalk

By Gunter Grass 252 pages Adult

Danny Says

October is the month Nobel Prizes are handed out, so why not impress your friends by reading the work of a Nobel laureate? The fictional narrator in this amazing story recalls surviving one of the worst maritime disasters of all time, the 1945 sinking of the German refugee carrier Willem Gustloff by a Soviet submarine. This one will whet your appetite to learn more about an event I had never heard of before.
Buy on Amazon
My Life as a Furry Red Monster

My Life as a Furry Red Monster

By Kevin Clash 224 pages Adult

Danny Says

Maybe I am only interested in Elmo because of my 2-year-old daughter and 1-year-old son. I think this is a great book for anyone to read, though. Do not let the page count throw you off, as the book is small (I read the entire book in a couple of hours while listening to CDs at Border’s). The book works because it is not some sing-songy drudge but a thoughtful semi-autobiography (I say “semi” because the book offers all sorts of inspirational messages and timely observations). This book just came out, and it is well worth your time.
Buy on Amazon
Girl with a Pearl Earring: A Novel

Girl with a Pearl Earring: A Novel

By Tracy Chevalier 240 pages Adult

Danny Says

I have been meaning to put this book on the list for months, as it is not often that I get to recommend a bestseller that is also fairly short. This is a quick read and most enjoyable, as Chevalier writes a tale of how a young maiden was immortalized in one of the world’s most famous paintings. Vermeer is a fascinating character in art history, and I once convinced a bunch of fraternity brothers to accompany me to the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. to see an exhibit of his work (in exchange, they forced me to watch “Showgirls,” so I would argue they got the better part of that bargain).
Buy on Amazon
The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

The Boy in the Striped Pajamas

By John Boyne 215 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

I included this one in honor of Yom Kippur, the most sacred holiday on the Jewish calendar (October 2nd). Just when I thought that all of the original stories of the Holocaust had been exhausted, a student handed me this gem. This tale chronicles a wealthy German boy’s move to Poland where his father has a new “job” (his father is an SS commander). The boy befriends a Jewish boy who lives “on the other side of the fence,” and the two strike up an innocent childhood friendship. This book gave me shivers. Excellent writing. 
Buy on Amazon
The Race to Save the Lord God Bird

The Race to Save the Lord God Bird

By Phillip Hoose 222 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

An angry reader insisted I include more nonfiction titles for young adults. Let me say that whenever you have a genre you are interested in and want to see more picks, please drop me a note (it does not have to be angry, though). I want to make sure this list offers something for everybody. This is a lovely book that chronicles the Ivory-billed woodpecker, the first modern endangered species (last spotted in 1987). Every time I read books like this I feel ashamed to be a human, and I guess that is why we need to read more books like this. It will influence your desire for more nature conservation, that’s for sure. 
Buy on Amazon
Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

Are You There God? It's Me, Margaret.

By Judy Blume 192 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

It seems like every month I have to include a classic that I have failed to mention on prior lists. Whenever I ask audiences what there favorite book was as a child, this book is ALWAYS mentioned. I would be surprised if this book were not the single-most read book by teenage girls. I believe Judy Blume is one of our most important authors. This is absolutely a must-read.
Buy on Amazon
The A-List

The A-List

By Zoey Dean 228 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Let me begin by saying that I did not enjoy this book. Why include it on the list, you ask? My purpose in generating these book recommendations is not always to give you the best books; sometimes it is my responsibility to feature books that will get people reading. This series is very popular with girls. Boys are typically the greater reluctant readers, but that does not mean every girl enjoys reading. I have managed to spark a lot of girls’ interest in reading with these books, and I know that the best way to get anyone to read more is to get them reading anything. As literature, however, this book belongs on the F-list.
Buy on Amazon
The Bones of Fred McFee

The Bones of Fred McFee

By Eve Bunting 32 pages Children

Danny Says

I love Eve Bunting. Her books are a treasure. She has written a number of great Halloween books for kids (including “In the Haunted House” and “Scary, Scary Halloween”) and a couple of my favorite children’s books, “Fly Away Home,” which deals with homelessness, and “A Day’s Work,” which deals with a grandfather day laborer’s struggles with English. Most of Bunting’s books are touching and represent the diversity of students that are in our schools. This is just a good, old-fashioned rhyme that makes for a perfect read aloud with young children.
Buy on Amazon
Cinderella Skeleton

Cinderella Skeleton

By Robert D. San Souci 32 pages Children

Danny Says

I adore familiar tales told from different points of view. Everyone knows the tale of Cinderella, but this version puts a macabre spin on it. Again, this makes for a great read aloud, but you need to practice it before you read it, as the rhyming scheme was quite complicated for a white guy like me.
Buy on Amazon
Arthur's Halloween

Arthur's Halloween

By Marc Brown 32 pages Children

Danny Says

It looks like there are two themes for this month: Halloween and the long overdue inclusion of some awesome writers. You need to expose your children to Arthur, as Marc Brown provides stories that can teach morals and remain entertaining. Brown has a gift of including humor that should make adults laugh along with their children. I believe that his wonderful show on PBS is one of the funniest series on television (if you do not believe me, check it out for a couple of episodes). I know I look forward to reading Marc Brown books with my children.
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