Customer Reviews

The World's Best Thin Books, Revised: What to Read When Your Book Report is Due Tomorrow

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1 star:		(1)

 

 

This is a good resource especially for librarians and teachers, but it wouldn't hurt parents to have a copy, either. This is an easy and quick way to check on shorter, but quality, books that kids who like to procrastinate can read for school. Bodart is very thorough in including as much information about the book as possible in as brief a way as possible - the only problem I see with that is kids or teens using the information listed in "World's Best Thin Books" as the source for their reports instead of actually reading the book. Also, as one who works in the youth services dept. of a public library, I've seen the problem of kids (and parents) not wanting to read a book that's not on an accelerated reading list. Some of the books in Bodart's compilation ARE on the accelerated reading lists, but there's still the problem of because the books are shorter, less points are awarded (not always, but sometimes) to kids who read those books and for that reason alone, shorter books are set aside. Regardless of outside glitches, Bodart has a great idea and presents a thorough, easy to use reference book for anyone who is in the position to encourage a child to read a shorter (or in this case, thinner) book.

This is an excellent resource for librarians, teachers, home-schoolers, parents and students! Trying to help a reluctant reader? This book will suggest titles and provide a framework for book reports or novel-based projects.

Trying to get a book read for tomorrow? This book lists the titles by thin, thinner and thinnest! There's enough info to tell you whether you would find it interesting, provides character names and themes, and questions to think about as you read.

Save your money. The dated information in this pricey book is widely available for free.

Furthermore, let's clear up the two misconceptions Bodart uses to sell this book.

First -- a "Reluctant Reader" is not at all the same thing as a lazy student who has procrastinated and put off an assigned book report. If that's the problem, I'd suggest a book on time-management.

Secondly, a book's page count has nothing to do with its quality. A 50-page novella may be far more complex than one that's 300 pages long.

If Bodart's intention was to create a booklist of quick, easy reads -- she has failed. If the idea was a collection of crib notes, the brief book descriptions in this publication will be of little value.

For reluctant readers -- or the parents and educators who love them -- do yourself and your wallet a favor . . . get help from your local librarian.