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by Daniel Pennac, illustrated by Quentin Blake, translated by Sarah Adams
This witty, refreshing treatise from a celebrated author and seasoned teacher is a passionate defense of reading — just for the joy of it.
First published in 1992 and even more relevant now, Daniel Pennac's quirky ode to reading has sold more than a million copies in his native
France. Drawing on his experiences as a child, a parent, and an inner-city teacher in Paris, the author reflects on the power of story and reminds us of our right to read anything, anywhere, anytime, so long as we are enjoying ourselves. In a new translation with a foreword and illustrations by Quentin Blake, here is a guide to reading unlike any other: fresh, sympathetic, and never didactic, it is a work of literature in its own right.
"Starred Review." - Kirkus Reviews.
"A refreshing and inspirational book that should never go out of print." National Literacy Trust.
"For teachers and parents, he has all kinds of sensible suggestions for coaxing reluctant readers back into the pages of a book, but he never makes prescriptions or demands. He knows that life is short and we are all, adults and children, much too busy already. "Time to read is always time stolen. (Like time to write, for that matter, or time to love.)" But "by making time to read, like making time to love, we expand our time for living." And who could be too busy for that?" - The Guardian.
This information about The Rights of the Reader was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Daniel Pennac is one of the most translated authors in France, with books for both adults and children appearing in more than thirty languages. He lives in Paris. The Rights of the Reader was first published in French in 1992. Download "The Rights of the Reader" poster, illustrating the 10 point manifesto, at the UK publisher's website.
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