“I Am Absolutely Too Small for School”

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2000s, Books, children, I Am Absolutely Too Small for School, Lauren Child, Lola and Charlie, school, Soren Lorensen

I Am Absolutely Too Small for School (Candlewick Press, 2003)

Another book in the Lola and Charlie children’s book series is I Am Absolutely Too Small for School. Lola is not so sure about school. After all, why would she need to count higher than ten when she never eats more than ten cookies at a time? Once again, it’s up to ever-patient big brother Charlie to persuade Lola that school is worthwhile — and that her invisible friend, Soren Lorensen, will be welcome too. I Am Absolutely Too Small for School was written and illustrated by English children’s author Lauren Child. She currently is writing three children’s book series. There are 68 Charlie & Lola books, 6 Ruby Redfort books (a young adult series) and 7 Clarice Bean books.

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The Pointless Book

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2010s, activity book, Alfie Deyes, best seller, Book, British, police helicopters, reschedule signing, road closures, signing, The Pointless Book, vlogger, YouTube

The Pointless Book (Dorking, 2014)

For those of you who don’t like reading, this could be the “book” for you, just based on title alone. “What are you reading right now?” You: “The Pointless Book.” Ha! Actually, The Pointless Book isn’t even a book, it’s an activity book. “Written” — credited on the cover as “Started by” Alfie Deyes, a British vlogger and YouTuber. The book contains pointless tasks such as baking a cake out of mud or creating a time capsule (that’s pointless?)

So here’s the funny part: The Pointless Book actually topped “The Times of London’s” Bestseller list. At a signing (? it’s an activity book) in London’s Piccadilly Circus, the 8,000 screaming fans (? it’s an activity book!) resulted in road closures and forced police helicopters (?! it’s an activity book!!) to be used. All of this forced Deyes to reschedule the signing at the ExCel (an international conventions center) London. It’s an activity book!!!

“Vanna Speaks”

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1980s, Books, character defense, health and beauty tips, Letter to Gorbachev, letter turner, not a biography, Playboy cover, The Golden Girls, TV celebrity, Vanna Speaks, Wheel of Fortune, without permission

Vanna Speaks (Warner Books, 1987)

Vanna White is one of America’s best known and best loved TV celebrities, now in her 30th decade of being the “letter turner” on the popular American game show, Wheel of Fortune. In 1987, she wrote down her inspiring story and included much advice on how to beautiful in mind, spirit and body. Most readers have called the pointless and boring, one common theme of their review seems to ask, “Why did I read this?” Sales were given a boost thanks to the October 31, 1987 episode of NBC sitcom The Golden Girls “Letter to Gorbachev” in which Dorothy recommended White’s autobiography to Stan’s cousin Madga to read. Adult magazine Playboy put White on the cover using photos she had taken during the early days of her career in Hollywood. They had published these photos without her permission (of course). So it’s quite possible that Vanna Speaks was intended as White’s defense of her character than as a literary masterpiece.

“Observatory Mansions”

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2000s, apartment, Books, debut, dilapidated, Edward Carey, English, Francis Orme, living statue, misfits, Observatory Mansions, woman behaves like dog

Observatory Mansions (Vintage, 2002)

In Observatory Mansions a group of misfits live in a dilapidated apartment complex. What kind of misfits? Francis Orme is a living statue who steals the possessions of others to add to his private museum. Or how about a woman who behaves like a dog. Observatory Mansions was English author Edward Carey’s debut.

“The Heart of a Dog”

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banned, Bolshevism, Book, bureaucrat, communism, criminal, deceased, glands, implanted, Mikhail Bulgakov, Russian, satire, stray dog, The Heart of a Dog

The Heart of a Dog (Harcourt Brace, 1968)

Heart of a Dog was written by Russian author Mikhail Bulgakov and is a biting satire of Bolshevism at the height of NEP period, when it looked like communism was relaxing in the then Soviet Union. Its publication was initially prohibited in Russia (though it was passed around secretly) before being officially released in 1987. The plot of Heart of a Dog sees a stray dog becoming implanted with the glands of a deceased human criminal who ends up a bureaucrat.

Mr. Silly

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1970s, blue grass, Books, children's, Contest, green trees, Mr. Men, Mr. Silly, Nonsenseland, red trees, Roger Hargreaves

Mr. Silly (Fabbri, 1972)

Mr. Silly was the tenth book in the Mr. Men series by Roger Hargreaves. Mr. Silly lives in Nonsenseland where the trees are red and the grass is blue. All the animals do human activities and say the wrong sounds. Every year there is a contest for the silliest idea of the year. Mr. Silly wins by painting the trees green.

“Let’s Pretend This Never Happened”

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Books, Jenny Lawson, Let's Pretend This Never Happened, memoir, rural Texas, The Bloggess, upbringing

Let’s Pretend This Never Happened (Putnam, 2012)

Internet star Jenny Lawson, aka The Bloggess, wrote her debut (mostly true) memoir about the mortifying moments in our lives that end up being the ones to define us. In Let’s Pretend This Never Happened you can trace her hilarious journey through her upbringing in rural Texas, her devastatingly awkward high school years and her relationship with her long-suffering husband. As a bonus, there are a multitude of pictures with captions.

“The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian”

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all white high school, American Indian Youth Literature Award, banned book, Books, comic, Ellen Fornay, farm town, illustrated, Junior, National Book Award, personal experience, Sherman Alexie, Spokane Indian Reservation, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian

The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian (Little, Brown and Company, 2007)

Author Sherman Alexie writes from his own personal experience when telling the story of teenage Junior who grew up on the Spokane Indian Reservation and left to attend an all-white high school in a farm town. The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian won the 2007 National Book Award and the 2008 American Indian Youth Literature Award. It also contains art by Ellen Forney for the 65 comic illustrations that help to further the plot. However that didn’t stop the novel from ending up on banned book lists for objections to its strong language and racial slurs as well as topics of alcohol, poverty, bullying, violence and sexuality.

“The Bluest Eye”

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banned book, Books, debut novel, Great Depression, materials unsuitable for students, Pecola Breedlove, profanity, sexual references, The Bluest Eye, Toni Morrison

The Bluest Eye (Holt, Rinehart and Winston, 1970)

In The Bluest Eye Pecola Breedlove is an African-American girl living in Ohio who is growing up in the years following the Great Depression who wishes for blue eyes. The Bluest Eye contains much profanity, sexual references and materials deemed unsuitable for students (including topics of racism, incest and child molestation) and has ended up on many banned book lists. It was author Toni Morrison’s first novel and initially did not sell very well.

Bubby’s Brunch Cookbook

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200 recipes, 2000s, Books, Bubby's Brunch Cookbook, cookbook, New York City restaurant, Ron Silver, special occasion

Bubby’s Brunch Cookbook (Ballantine, 2009)

Bubby’s is a popular New York City restaurant that has been in business for almost two decades. In the cookbook, Bubby’s owner and chef Ron Silver reveals the secrets behind his signature dishes and brunch staples. Almost 200 recipes (including drinks) are presented and have menus for special occasion brunches — such as New Year’s, Mother’s Day and more.