Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading

Of all of the awful, not-fun things in the world, Charlie Joe Jackson hates reading more than anything. He thinks it's a miserable activity and can think of plenty of other things that he'd rather be doing than sitting down with a book. He has managed to get through his entire school career without ever reading a whole book thanks to a deal he has with his friend Timmy, who reads the book and then tells Charlie all about it in exchange for snacks in the lunchroom. But when the deal is uncovered by parents and teachers, Charlie finds himself in trouble. If he can't bribe Timmy to do his reading for him, then how will he get through the school year? Because Charlie has gone this long without reading a book - he's certainly not going to start now.

I wasn't exactly expecting to like Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading very much. After all, I'm a librarian. I love reading, and it's kind of my job to help other kids learn to love reading too. The premise of this book seems to go completely against this ideal. However, I have to admit that author Tommy Greenwald has a little gem on his hands in the form of this book. It was a lot of fun watching Charlie go through such extreme lengths to avoid reading. When it comes down to it Charlie is a smart, likable character. Pair him up with a fun supporting cast of characters and some solid, funny writing and you really do have the makings of a great story.

This is a book that I would highly recommend to all kinds of readers, but especially to reluctant readers. The book's subject matter has surprisingly little to do with this recommendation. Short chapters, supporting illustrations, and a fairly fast pace make this book great for any kid who, like Charlie, just doesn't care for books. Fans of books like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, The Strange Case of Origami Yoda, and Big Nate will also be pleased.

Overall Grade: A-

If you need further enticing, check out the official book trailer:



Fans will also be pleased to know that a sequel, Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Extra Credit will be available in 2012.