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September 2006

Hi folks!

Sorry that summer is over! I hope you are all doing well and are excited for a wonderful school year.  

I just began teaching the fall semester at the university this week, and I now remember what I love most about the summer: it provides plenty of time to read a lot of longer books. I have been reading my share of biographies and epics, on top of my typical shorter books. I promised my wife that I would downsize our home library, so I have been reading books and donating them to the Friends of the Library. For some reason I have been reading a number of excellent sports biographies, including Playing for Keeps (about Michael Jordan) by David Halberstam and When Pride Still Mattered (about Vince Lombardi) by David Maraniss. Halberstam and Maraniss both have won Pulitzer Prizes, and it is easy to see: I could not put their books down. Fabulous authors. I’ve also been reading my share of inspirational and educational books, and this week I began listening to more books on CD, again (thanks to my work commute).

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 September, and enjoy your books!

Danny ;-)
Death of a Snob

Death of a Snob

By M.C. Beaton 160 pages Adult

Danny Says

With school starting, a lot of teachers, students and parents find themselves with little time to read. I have just the cure: M.C. Beaton. Beaton’s series of mysteries featuring Scottish detective Hamish Macbeth is one of my favorites, as these books are always quick, intelligent and written with just the right amount of humor.
Buy on Amazon
Rick Monday's Tales from the Dodger Dugout

Rick Monday's Tales from the Dodger Dugout

By Rick Monday 192 pages Adult

Danny Says

I selfishly included this book on this month’s list because I am caught up in pennant fever, and I am pulling for the Dodgers to hold on to the NL West. Rick Monday has always been one of my favorite commentators, and he is beloved by all for sparing the American flag from a couple of knuckleheads who tried to ignite it on the field of a game at Dodger stadium in the 70s. This book recounts the ups and downs of the 1981 world champion Dodger team, with great anecdotes about one of my favorite teams. Yes – this is a selfish pick.
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The Unfinished Novel and Other Stories

The Unfinished Novel and Other Stories

By Valerie Martin 212 pages Adult

Danny Says

Browsing the shelves at Border’s one day, I was intrigued by this book’s title and cover art. Four hours and two coffees later, I found myself advertising the book to all who would listen. Wonderfully written with its fair share of twists and turns, this book left me wanting more books by Valerie Martin.
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Whales on Stilts!

Whales on Stilts!

By M.T. Anderson 224 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

This book has such a warped sense of humor, I’d recommend it to anybody. If you are not reading young adult books, you are missing out, as some of the best literature being produced today is geared for this audience. I love books that feature incompetent adults, leaving the kids in charge of saving the Earth. A must read for all ages! 
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Freak the Mighty

Freak the Mighty

By Rodman Philbrick 192 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Inevitably, this book is always among the favorites of the middle school-aged boys I teach. Two eighth-grade misfits form a friendship that sees them fighting for causes in a King Arthurian vein. Yes, the book provides plenty of clichés, but I have witnessed two many students who were touched by this book. It is definitely one worth considering.
Buy on Amazon
Madam President: The Extraordinary, True (and Evolving) Story of Women in Politics

Madam President: The Extraordinary, True (and Evolving) Story of Women in Politics

By Catherine Thimmesh 80 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Girls always ask me why there has never been a female President, and I have to admit that it is long overdue (especially with 52 percent of the American population being female). Thimmesh puts together a nice retrospective of some of the women who have ascended to the highest offices (or, like in the case of Abigail Adams, influenced the highest offices), and she includes some women who are still climbing that ladder today. What I like about the book is it shows girls that their time is coming, and there are plenty of influential women who have contributed to our political history here and abroad.
Buy on Amazon
Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story

Sixteen Years in Sixteen Seconds: The Sammy Lee Story

By Paula Yoo 32 pages Children

Danny Says

Wonderful children’s biography of the first Asian American to win an Olympic gold medal (in the 1948 Summer Olympics in London). Lee’s inspirational story reveals his ascent from only being allowed to use public pools in southern California once a week to becoming an Olympic diving medalist and doctor. If you ever get a chance to see Sammy Lee interviewed, he is a delight. Among his other accomplishments, he used to be the coach of a diver named “Greg Louganis.”
Buy on Amazon
Walter Was Worried

Walter Was Worried

By Laura Vaccaro Seeger 40 pages Children

Danny Says

I have been featuring this book in my literacy workshops this past year as a perfect way to invite students to become interested in letters. Walter was so worried, you could see it written all over his face. Children get the chance to find the letters that form the facial features of various characters. A real hoot for kids. 
Buy on Amazon
The Little Engine That Could

The Little Engine That Could

By Watty Piper 48 pages pages Children

Danny Says

I often receive books in the mail, and I want to thank the anonymous benefactor who sent me this beautiful classic, with new illustrations by Loren Long. Is there any better story about perseverance and determination? I read this book to a group of students stressed about taking a standardized test. If you’d like to see a good song to sing with kids before testing, check out this month’s blog by clicking here. 
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Encyclopedia Prehistorica Dinosaurs

Encyclopedia Prehistorica Dinosaurs

By Robert Sabuda & Matthew Reinhart 12 pages Children

Danny Says

You NEED to buy books by Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart. These are no ordinary pop-up books; they belong in museums. Kids salivate at the site of this book, which features brontosauruses rising and a tyrannosaurus rex lunging out of a page. This is the type of book you keep on your teacher’s desk and allow your “student of the day” to take home as a reward. 
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