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September 2020

Hi Folks!

Happy September! I don’t know about you, but I can hardly wait for schools to meet regularly again in person. This involuntary homeschooling schedule is driving me bonkers!

Quick plug for those of you looking to help your child read more, read better and love reading in just over two months. Check out this resource by clicking here.

So, what are you reading? Anything you’d like me to check out? The quarantine and lack of travel has made me seem like a hermit, as I’ve been averaging 2-3 adult-level books/day (on top of my daily diet of children’s books)! The good news is that I have gone on a media fast, as I was sick of watching so many scary and sad things occurring worldwide. Lifted my spirits by reading a variety of titles, from Nicole LaPorte’s The Men Who Would Be King to Glennon Doyle’s Untamed, Stephen A. Schwartzman’s What It Takes to Brit Bennett’s The Vanishing Half.

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 ;-)
Your Smile Makes Flowers Bloom

Your Smile Makes Flowers Bloom

By Jordan Mayer 106 pages Adult

Danny Says

I don’t normally recommend “teaching” books because (a) they’re usually boring and (b) see “a.” But I see so many parents flustered by the pandemic that I thought this would be a great place to direct a lot of lost souls. A teacher in British Columbia (interesting fact: I recently learned Canadians speak English), Mayer dissects core competencies that can help any parent or teacher assist elementary and middle-school aged students while they are learning remotely.
Buy on Amazon
Atrial Frustration

Atrial Frustration

By Adam Ehlert 250 pages Adult

Danny Says

Anyone who reads this book will reconsider their problems and count their blessings, as Ehlert and his wife went through so many trials and tribulations as a result of his heart problems. As heart disease is the second-leading cause of death (typically) in America (cancer is number one), I’d say this is a good investment for anyone looking to treat or prevent heart problems for themselves or loved ones. Incredible patient journey!
Buy on Amazon
From the Outhouse to the Mouse House

From the Outhouse to the Mouse House

By Eva Steortz 80 pages Adult

Danny Says

I love the big heart of Eva Steortz, and this thoroughly enjoyable, quick read details her journey from a small child dreaming big in West Virginia to a confident, fearless woman who has her own flourishing company in California. After college, she moved across the country on a whim to seek better opportunities, called a job ad for Disney in a leap of faith, and progressed from Assistant Manager to Vice President in a true “Cinderella story.” Let her show you the mistakes she made along the way, the struggles, and the hardships, but also the wins, what she did right, and the path to your own success. Truly inspiring!
Buy on Amazon
El Deafo

El Deafo

By Cece Bell 248 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Newbery Honor-winning graphic novel memoir that is perfect for September. Starting at a new school is scary, especially with a giant hearing aid strapped to your chest! At her old school, everyone in Cece’s class was deaf. Here, she’s different. She’s sure the kids are staring at the Phonic Ear, the powerful aid that will help her hear her teacher. Too bad it also seems certain to repel potential friends. Then Cece makes a startling discovery. With the Phonic Ear she can hear her teacher not just in the classroom but anywhere her teacher is in the school: in the hallway, in the teacher’s lounge – in the bathroom! This is power. Maybe even superpower! Cece is on her way to becoming “El Deafo, Listener for All.” But the funny thing about being a superhero is that it’s just another way of feeling different – and lonely. Can Cece channel her powers into finding the thing she wants most, a true friend? Perfect for fans of Wonder.
Buy on Amazon
Terrible Tudors

Terrible Tudors

By Terry Deary & Neil Tonge 144 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Another installment of the Horrible Histories series that has transformed many reluctant boy readers into avid readers. In this edition readers can discover all the foul facts about the “terrible Tudors,” including why Henry VIII thought he'd married a horse, all about terrible Tudor torture and which shocking swear words the Tudors used (don’t worry, parents; they’re “PG” by today’s standards). I’ve seen boys actually turn off electronic devices in favor of these books!
Buy on Amazon
The Wah Nails Book of Nail Art

The Wah Nails Book of Nail Art

By Sharmadean Reid 96 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Not the typical book I recommend, but I worked with a group of teenage girl reluctant readers that practically memorized this book. A “boldly designed nail-art bible packed with step-by-step instructions to create the hottest trends for your fingertips.” Reid is a twentysomething trendsetter from London who shares twenty-five of her most popular designs, ranging from simple techniques such as newspaper print to the trickier designs like tuxedo nails, leopard print, and more.
Buy on Amazon
Beautiful Blue World

Beautiful Blue World

By Suzanne LaFleur 240 pages Young Adult

Danny Says

Great book for “tweeners.” Sofarende is at war. For twelve-year-old Mathilde, it means food shortages, feuding neighbors and bombings. Even so, as long as she and her best friend, Megs, are together, they’ll be all right. But the army is recruiting children, and paying families well for their service. If Megs takes the test, Mathilde knows she will pass. Megs hopes the army is the way to save her family. Mathilde fears it might separate them forever. A touching and suspenseful novel that is a brilliant reimagining of war, where even kindness can be a weapon, and children have the power to see what adults cannot.
Buy on Amazon
The Tiger Who Would Be King

The Tiger Who Would Be King

By James Thurber 48 pages Children

Danny Says

Gorgeously illustrated and including two gatefolds that give us a panoramic jungle at war, this book is as entertaining as it is wise, as wry as it is passionate. Illustrator Joohee Yoon's humorous images support this beautifully-written text with wit and insight. Her final portrait of the tiger in a sea of silence will stay with the reader for a long, long time.
Buy on Amazon
Radiant Child

Radiant Child

By Javaka Stept 40 pages Children

Danny Says

Since most schools shy away from teaching art and music anymore, the pandemic has provided parents with a unique opportunity to expose their children to great artists. This beautifully-illustrated Caldecott winner introduces readers to Jean-Michel Basquiat and his unique, collage-style paintings that rocketed to fame in the 1980s as a cultural phenomenon unlike anything the art world had ever seen. But before that, he was a little boy who saw art everywhere: in poetry books and museums, in games and in the words that we speak, and in the pulsing energy of New York City. I LOVE this book!
Buy on Amazon
Fish on a Dish

Fish on a Dish

By Jack Tickle 24 pages Children

Danny Says

A perfect “peekaboo” book for night time reading together in bed. Pip, Pickle, and Percy the penguins are hungry. Pip and Pickle see a fish and chase it, but catching the little fish proves to be harder than they thought! Pip and Pickle are set on making a meal of that fish. Can the fish outsmart two determined, hungry penguins? Great fun with little ones.
Buy on Amazon

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