Written by Tommy Greenwald, Illustrated by J. P. Coovert
“My name is Charlie Joe Jackson and I hate reading. And if you’re reading this book, you hate reading, too.” Charlie Joe’s Guide to Not Reading goes on to give 25 tips to avoid reading and how to survive in school and life without reading. Tommy Greenwald cleverly weaves Charlie Joe’s how-to’s into a hard-to-resist tale as he jumps back and forth between the tips and actual story. It’s laugh-out-loud funny in parts and actually has a great moral, even though Charlie Joe claims this isn’t one of those books that ends with a moral. This is just the kind of book that will hook reluctant readers. The suggested age for this is Grade 4 and up, and I would agree. The characters are in middle school and a lot of the book revolves around Charlie’s crush on Hannah.
Review by Vala’dee Tanner, Rosecrest Elem. Media Center
Rating: ★★★★½ (4.5 stars)
Interest Level: Grades 4 and Up
Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Not Reading
Written by Tommy Greenwald, Illustrated by J. P. Coovert
Roaring Brook Press
220 pages
Release Date: July 5, 2011
ISBN: 9781596436916 (hardcover)
