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Welcome to the Lazy Readers' Book Club, your reading time manager!
This is where you go when you want to read quality books that don't take years to finish. My mission is to increase interest in reading by providing cool, short book recommendations for all ages. From interest comes devotion.
As teachers, parents or whatever state we find ourselves in, we often cannot find time to read for fun, and I think it is important that our children see us reading for pleasure. Therefore, each month I provide book recommendations that are quick and easy to read for personal pleasure. I try not to include any books over 250 pages, and I always include books written for a variety of ages (don't be shy about reading kids' books, though; they are my favorites because they generally have shorter chapters, bigger print and colorful pictures). I hope you find a few moments to enjoy these quick reads in July:
Paula Thompson wrote me and insisted I read this short gem. I receive 100-200 emails a day from folks with book picks, but there was something insistent in Paula’s email that spurred me to grab a copy of this largely pictoral “diary.” I was stunned by how quickly I absorbed the book and finished wanting more. Beckerman tells her life story through clothes, and it works. Must read.
Not that Randy Pausch needs any help from me, but I could not live with myself if I did not recommend his book. I am a sentimental sap who loves inspirational books, and this “lecture” touched me the same way Tuesdays with Morrie did. Trust me: if you are one of the three people who have not read this book, get it.
Reading this book is akin to watching a Terry Gilliam film: the story may often confuse the reader, but the characters and situations throughout keep audiences glued. It’s the end of the world, and two cops try to determine what happened to New York’s biggest party animal, Manuel Gozalez, in this memorable debut science-fiction mystery. Quite a trip!
Last month I had the pleasure of speaking in beautiful Kentucky, and I asked everyone I came across what was making that deafening noise outside? “Cicadas,” Derek Shouse said, and that peaked my interest in learning more about these annoying and freaky insects. Lo and behold, the first book I came across with cicadas in the title turned out to be Beaty’s first young adult novel, and what a treat. Eleven-year-old protagonist Lily is a Nancy Drew lover, and this book should impress fellow Nancy Drew devotees.
#05
Unexplained: An Encyclopedia of Curious Phenomena, Strange Superstitions, and Ancient Mysteries
by Judy Allen
Jackpot! If you have a ten-year-old boy who does not like to read, I insist you buy this book. It is filled with the cool types of stories that draw boys to read The Guinness Book of World Records and Ripley’s Believe It or Not.
I admit, when faced with lots of “girlie” books to read, I try to always choose the slimmest. What this slim volume rewarded me with was an intriguing coming-of-age story about a teenager who has learned to deal with her mother’s psychotic mood swings and now must learn to find herself. On top of a good read, it is a slim, small book with big print (my favorite)!
The story of two rats fleeing the cage of Ms. Dove’s fifth grade classroom and embarking on a marvelous adventure. This is the kind of book that makes me sound like a curmudgeon wondering, “Why don’t they write books like this anymore?” You can tell the author used to be a teacher, as this is a book any teacher could read aloud to students.
Occasionally, I like to include a classic that every parent, grandparent, guardian or teacher needs to read to children. This wonderful story of Rat, Moley and Mr. Toad is one of my favorite read alouds of all time and a perfect story for a lazy summer day.
#09
Giraffes Can't Dance
by Giles Andreae & Guy Parker-Rees
Like stories about the underdog who wins? Like books that rhyme? Like beautiful illustrations? Here is the perfect quick read for you. This book can be sung, and Gerald the giraffe reminds just about everyone who reads it of a jungle version of Rudolph the Red-Nose Reindeer.
High Noon for kids, only except retiring sheriff Gary Cooper, this story features retiring dog sheriff Bart. Probably one of my favorite read alouds to kids over the past couple of months.
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Click any Amazon.com link from this website before you buy!
While I have been trying to improve the website, I have managed to screw-up databases filled with your important emails and book recommendations. I sincerely apologize, and I want to reiterate that if you emailed me from June 23rd-July 2nd, please email me again, as I most certainly lost your email. Your patience is appreciated, and I wanted to tell you a little bit about how I am trying to improve the website.
First, many people who visit this site do so after seeing me speak. The new site will feature a calendar that is much easier to navigate (after all, I am using a Macintosh to improve the site), along with easy-to-download .pdf files of my presentation handouts. Additionally, the improved site will contain a lot more lists (e.g. great books for 10-year-old boys, “pick-nicks” – fun books with food, quick reads for businesswomen, etc.) for those interested in particular categories and genres (by the way, if you have a favorite category, genre, topic, etc., tell me so I can compile a list for your interests). The site will also feature downloadable, printable copies of my monthly book selections so libraries and bookstores can more easily display monthly picks. Finally, the improved site will feature Youtube videos and podcasts of my monthly picks for truly lazy readers. As always, your feedback and suggestions are constantly welcome.
Anyhow, enjoy this month’s book selections. 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:
Dr. Danny Brassell CSUDH, COE 1440 1000 E. Victoria St. Carson, CA 90747
I make every effort to read everything that is sent to me (as a matter of fact, I am always more likely to mention books that are sent to me…hint, hint).
Some folks take offense that I call this site the "Lazy" Readers' Book Club. I know many of us are avid readers. This site is for everyone who doesn't have time to read thicker books but still have a hunger to read some quality literature. What bothers me is that there are only 24 hours in a day, and hectic schedules often prevent us from one of life's greatest pleasures: reading. By the way: people who read more become better readers, and my experiences have shown me that people who reader shorter books eventually gravitate to longer ones. Indeed, even I find the time to read lengthier books, now that I have developed a taste for shorter ones.
Remember, books and other items purchased from Amazon.com through links from the lazyreaders.com website will directly benefit BookEnds (http://www.bookends.org), a nonprofit organization devoted to increasing children's access to books and community service awareness. All you have to do is visit our website, click on Amazon, and Amazon will donate up to 10 percent of your total purchase to BookEnds. Visitors to our site who have used this feature have already raised a lot of money for this wonderful cause. Keep it up!
Every day I receive emails from people who want to be sent this list of monthly book picks. If you know anybody who would like to be included on the list, ask them to register at our website link, http://lazyreaders.com/contact.html, to receive my monthly recommendations. If you want to be removed from this list, please just say so. I promise that I will never forward anything but my monthly book picks. That's the honest truth - no mortgage rate ads or promises to help you lose 10 lbs. in three hours. I'll just send book recommendations once a month.
Please remember to read for fun and to read to your children, and e-mail me any short books that you'd like to have considered for our lists.
