Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading (Charlie Joe Jackson, #1)

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Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading (Charlie Joe Jackson #1)

by Tommy Greenwald (Goodreads Author), J.P. Coovert (Illustrator)

3.88 of 5 stars 3.88 · rating details · 1,199 ratings · 278 reviews

Charlie Joe Jackson may be the most reluctant reader ever born. And so far, he's managed to get through life without ever reading an entire book from cover to cover. But now that he's in middle school, avoiding reading isn't as easy as it used to be. And when his friend Timmy McGibney decides that he's tired of covering for him, Charlie Joe finds himself resorting to despe...more

Hardcover, 224 pages

Published July 5th 2011 by Roaring Brook Press

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Jul 10, 2012 Lindsey rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: middle-schoolers, fans of Big Nate, grownups who hate diary-of-a-wimpy-kid

Charlie Joe Jackson is an avid non-reader. He has never read a book cover to cover, and he's proud of it. (Except for The Giving Tree. Which has, like, sixty-two words in it.) This book will inspire all reluctant readers in their efforts to avoid the written word, and give helpful tips on how to do it.

The great thing about this book is that it will satisfy both the middle-school reader and his/her parents, which is a thing wondrous and rare. On the one hand, Charlie is actually a nice, funny, "g...more Charlie Joe Jackson is an avid non-reader. He has never read a book cover to cover, and he's proud of it. (Except for The Giving Tree. Which has, like, sixty-two words in it.) This book will inspire all reluctant readers in their efforts to avoid the written word, and give helpful tips on how to do it.

The great thing about this book is that it will satisfy both the middle-school reader and his/her parents, which is a thing wondrous and rare. On the one hand, Charlie is actually a nice, funny, "good" kid, one whom said parents would approve of their son being friends with. He's got his heart in the right place, and he's not stupid or a slacker or "too cool for school" either. He's just not a reader. There's no bad language or smoking or drugs and very little middle-school-boy level humor, and Charlie gets his "just desserts" (that is, grounding) very thoroughly when he needs it.

On the other hand, he still acts like a kid and not a model of everything that parents tell their kids they should be and that the kids, in turn, want to beat up after school, and there's plenty of humor and snarkiness and avoiding schoolwork, and there's no obnoxious, patronizing moral at the end. No "And so I discovered the joys of books and spent the rest of my days making up for all the time I could have been spending reading." Nothing is more likely to turn kids off, and really, hopeless book addict though I am, it would have turned me off, too.

I am slightly conflicted about the rating, which is not usual for me. My impulse is to give it four stars for "I really like it," but I can't quite trust my own opinion till the end-of-book afterglow goes away. It wasn't life-changing, but I don't regret the time I spent reading it, either--which is just further proof that I am not this book's intended audience. (The initial proof being that I read it at all and am now writing a review about it on goodreads.) Maybe I'll come back in a few weeks and change it to four stars. If I forget to do that, then I guess it really was just a three star.
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Aug 13, 2010 Tommy Greenwald rated it 5 of 5 stars · (Review from the author)

I wrote it, therefore I love it.

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Jun 07, 2011 Deb Tyo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: humorous

Chapter 1

"If you're reading this book, you don't like reading.

In fact, you do whatever you can to avoid reading, and the fact that you're holding a book in your hand right now is kind of shocking.

I know exactly how you feel; I'm one of you.

Just remember: you are not alone. We'll get through this together."

In Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading, Tommy Greenwald creates a character who is very honest with readers. Charlie Joe tells us that this book serves two purposes: "One, it will s...more Chapter 1

"If you're reading this book, you don't like reading.

In fact, you do whatever you can to avoid reading, and the fact that you're holding a book in your hand right now is kind of shocking.

I know exactly how you feel; I'm one of you.

Just remember: you are not alone. We'll get through this together."

In Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading, Tommy Greenwald creates a character who is very honest with readers. Charlie Joe tells us that this book serves two purposes: "One, it will show people how to get out of reading. And two, on those unfortunate occasions that you are not able to get out of reading and are forced to read a book, it will be a nice easy book to read."

I already have a list of students in mind for this book! What developing or dormant reader wouldn't be thrilled with reading a book about how to get out of reading?

Charlie Joe has lots of tips on how to avoid reading and make the process less painful. For example, readers could try Tip #1: IF YOU HAVE TO READ A BOOK, MAKE SURE IT HAS SHORT CHAPTERS. Or perhaps readers could try Tip #11: BOOKS THAT ARE DIVIDED INTO PARTS SHOULD BE AVOIDED AT ALL COSTS. If these tips don't work, may I suggest Tip #18: IF YOU HAVE TO READ, READ ABOUT GIRLS. IT HELPS YOU UNDERSTAND THEM BETTER.

Of course, while turning the pages and taking notes on how to avoid reading, the person holding this book actually gets sucked into Charlie Joe's problems--school and girls--and thus, into a pretty great story!

As a person who loves books, chocolate, and Bon Jovi (inside book-joke!), I was loving this read for the simple joy that this will be one of the first books-I-read-this-summer that I will booktalk next school year! My sixth graders won't be able to resist it!

In a book that reminded me of Gary Paulsen's Liar, Liar, Tommy Greenwald has hit a sweet spot for middle grade boys (and girls, too!). Due to be released July 5, make sure you pick this book up for the non-reader in your life! They may actually thank you!

FUN FACT: The main character is actually named after the author's three sons...Charlie, Jack, and Joe. Get it? Tommy Greenwald says that he struggled to get his boys to read. He decided to write the perfect book for them, a book about not reading! (less)

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Dec 31, 2010 Kim Tomsic rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grade

CHARLIE JOE JACKSON’S GUIDE TO NOT READING by Tommy Greenwald (Roaring Brook Press/July 2011 ) for middle grade readers is about Charlie Joe, a reluctant reader, whose cool-dude reputation is centered around the fact that he’s never read an entire book from cover to cover.

An advanced copy of CHARLIE JOE JACKSON’S GUIDE TO NOT READING arrived in my mailbox along with a towering pile of vacation mail. As I scattered bills and letters across the kitchen counter, I realized I couldn’t start a new b...more CHARLIE JOE JACKSON’S GUIDE TO NOT READING by Tommy Greenwald (Roaring Brook Press/July 2011 ) for middle grade readers is about Charlie Joe, a reluctant reader, whose cool-dude reputation is centered around the fact that he’s never read an entire book from cover to cover.

An advanced copy of CHARLIE JOE JACKSON’S GUIDE TO NOT READING arrived in my mailbox along with a towering pile of vacation mail. As I scattered bills and letters across the kitchen counter, I realized I couldn’t start a new book—I had several pieces of luggage to unload, stacks of laundry to wash, children to feed, and pets to attend. I was also 85% (Kindlespeak) into another book. With a cluster of beckoning priorities, a guide to NOT reading seemed safe in my hands. I knew itwould be harmless to peruse the first few pages of the “guide” as I walked from the kitchen to my upstairs bedroom. My intention was to set the ARC on my nightstand and save it for another day. But in the 47 steps it took to travel the distance from room to room, I had read to chapter four. It was quick. It was easy. Another few pages wouldn’t hurt. Yep, I was hooked.

The combination of short chapters, fun fonts, and a breezy/amusing plot suckered me into flipping page after page with a sense of accomplishment. Charlie Joe should be ashamed if his intention is to get people to not read, because read I did. He packs the book with humor and he stuffs it with tips like, “don’t care about the main character” but then compels you to worry what will happen to him following utter humiliation, dire consequences, and yet another crazy scheme.

Author Tommy Greenwald nails the middle school voice in CHARLIE JOE JACKSON’S GUIDE TO NOT READING. His tip lists are hilarious (helpful oxymorons-- “good book” “nice library”) and his descriptions are spot-on middle school: i.e. The Amish: “[People who] deny themselves basic necessities like cars, electricity, and Game Boy.”

CHARLIE JOE JACKSON’S GUIDE TO NOT READING cannot be discussed without making a Wimpy Kid reference. Fans of one story will be fans of the other. There was also a little High School Musical drama moment in the story, but as Charlie Joe’s sister would say, I’ll leave that for you to read and discover.

With lists, tips, plot points, and good intentions, Charlie Joe attempts to stay true to his premise: to deliver a guide to not reading. He did his best, but I read cover to cover and rate this book a 4 out of 5. It was not preachy or teachy, but instead light, fun, creative and (dare I use a Charlie Joe oxymoron) one fun read! Available in July 2011 from Roaring Brook Press (an imprint of Macmillan Children's Publishing Group) $14.99. ISBN 978-1 59643 691-6 .

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Feb 22, 2013 Brooke rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: teen-reads

This was a quick, fun read for tweens or the young teen. Charlie Joe is a smart middle schooler who has a good family, friends, and is liked by his teachers. But he hates to read and pays a friend to read and write a summary of what he was to have read for him (as he explains on p 20 you must be sure to have read the first and last chapters of the book. Tip #21 on p 156 outlines what you need to know to convince others you read the book.)

This works until his friend lets it slip, and then Charlie...more

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Jan 12, 2012 Karen Yingling rated it 5 of 5 stars

Greenwald, Tommy. Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading.
Charlie Joe is proud of the fact that he's never read a book all the way through. He knows how to convince teachers that he has, and has an arrangement with one of his friends to trade book information for ice cream sandwiches. He's got the system down: e.g. if parents say "read three chapters", they can be one or two page chapters. When projects loom and his plans fall apart due to the vagaries of middle school alliances and relations...more

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Dec 31, 2011 Charlyn Trussell rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: Grades 4 and up

Shelves: books, fiction, friendship, humor, school_story, reading, realistic-fiction, strong-male-character, boy-girl-relationships

Like some children, Charlie Joe spends so much time and energy avoiding reading that he could have read a book and been done with it. But Charlie Joe is a serious non-reader, complete with rules and reasons and lots of excuses and plans to avoid reading books. C. J. is a reader; he just doesn't want to read books, especially those that are related to school assignments. And he takes his slacking seriously, leading to bribery to get others to read books for him.

The non-reader who takes to this b...more

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Oct 22, 2011 Barbara rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: ncbla

Clearly intended to lure reluctant readers through its title, its 25 tips about not reading, its short chapters, and its appealing narrator, this book does a marvelous job of making the case for literacy. Middle grader Charlie Joe, scarred for life when his father gives him nothing but books for his sixth birthday, has managed to avoid independent reading for most of his days. Through simple schemes such as paying a friend to read the book and write a summary, he has escaped punishment and avoid...more

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Aug 31, 2011 Nick rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: juvenile-fiction

I couldn't put down this book about not reading. The logic of that makes my brain hurt.
The book was written by an author who says he learned a lot by studying his three boys, who are all "non readers". He did an excellent job.
Tommy Greenwald has created a cast of remarkably believable characters, including Charlie Joe and his family. The initial cause of his refusal to read, followed by years of elaborate plotting and scheming, center on a key issue: an active dislike of the idea of reading. No...more

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Aug 22, 2011 LJ rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: juvenile-books

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. The premise of the book is this: middle school student, Charlie Jo Jackson hasn't read a book from beginning to end since reading The Giving Tree. He has completed any book-related assignments by paying a fellow student, Timmy McGibney, in extra cafeteria treats to give him a summary of the guts of the books while Charlie just reads the first and last chapters. This works out great until Timmy ups the price. And the reason he does this is a typical middle-school snarl of drama: Timmy and Charlie...more The premise of the book is this: middle school student, Charlie Jo Jackson hasn't read a book from beginning to end since reading The Giving Tree. He has completed any book-related assignments by paying a fellow student, Timmy McGibney, in extra cafeteria treats to give him a summary of the guts of the books while Charlie just reads the first and last chapters. This works out great until Timmy ups the price. And the reason he does this is a typical middle-school snarl of drama: Timmy and Charlie are trying out for the lacrosse team. Timmy thinks Charlie will be picked because the lacrosse team's coach's daughter, Eliza likes Charlie. Charlie doesn't like Eliza, but he thinks he'll use her liking him to his own advantage by asking Eliza to talk to her dad and convince him to choose Timmy for the team. Eliza gets mad at Charlie (she thought he was talking to her to ask her out) and tells the whole hallway how crazy it is that Charlie's asking her to intervene in the tryouts when she doesn't care too hoots about lacrosse (Eliza is the popular beauty queen of the school, complete with entourage). So this does nothing to improve Charlie's chances of getting Timmy to cough up the book summary.

It's a funny book, sprinkled with Charlie's Tips for not reading (numbered) that are pretty amusing. Example: Tip #10's advice on how to convice others that you do read includes, "use the word therefore a lot" and, "get a shirt with a picture of Mark Twain on it." Charlie is a smart kid who is quite media savvy. He knows about databases like IMDB, uses Facebook and texts his friends. But if he does all these things, how come he never looked up a summary of his books on the internet? I don't know if the intended audience for this book would be bothered by this question, but I was. I kept thinking all along, why the elaborate efforts to get another kid to read for you when you can get a summary online for most books? If Charlie didn't know this, one of his friends probably did and would clue him in. These ideas spread like wildfire. It makes the plot sort-of fall apart.

Charlie does eventually get caught and his punishment is either to write a book on the subject of his choice, or to read 10 books over the summer and report on them. He chooses to write a book on the subject of not reading, which naturally turns out to be the book you have in your hand. It's not moral heavy and Charlie is a likable kid, so inspite of the disconnect I mentioned, I think most kids would like it.(less)

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Aug 11, 2011 Karin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: tween, juvenile-fiction, young-adult-fiction, reluctant-readers, books-for-boys, funny, books, reading, middle-school, crushes, friendship, homework, relationships, relationship-problems, parents, self-help, borrowed-from-the-library

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Charlie Joe Jackson hates to read and he’ll do anything to avoid it. Unfortunately, the arrangement he had with his friend Timmy – to read and summarize all his books for him in exchange for ice cream sandwiches – comes to an end when their parents find out what’s been going on. Is Charlie Joe doomed? No! He comes up with a new plan, a brilliant plan. Unfortunately, it means he’s going to have to sacrifice the love of his life and watch her go out with someone else in order to make it work. But...more

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Jul 14, 2011 Robert Kent rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grade-ninja-reviews

So thoroughly had Charlie Joe convinced me to give up reading there were almost no future reviews. But in the end, I enjoyed Tommy Greenwald's book so much I guess I'll keep searching for another book that makes me laugh as hard.

This is how Charlie Joe Jackson greets us on page one:

If you're reading this book, you don't like reading.
In fact, you do whatever you can to avoid reading, and the fact that you're holding a book in your hand right now is kind of shocking.

From here, Charlie Joe goes...more

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Jun 27, 2012 Rhoda Crowell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Charlie Joe Jackson may be the most reluctant reader ever born. And so far, he’s managed to get through life without ever reading an entire book from cover to cover. But now that he’s in middle school, avoiding reading isn’t as easy as it used to be. And when his friend Timmy McGibney decides that he’s tired of covering for him, Charlie Joe finds himself resorting to desperate measures to keep his perfect record intact.This is the hilarious story of an avid non-reader and the extreme lengths to...more

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Jul 19, 2011 Kaley rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-readers, arc, readkiddoread, 50-in-2011

Tommy Greenwald’s new book Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to NOT Reading is a perfect book for the non-reader or reluctant reader in your life! Charlie Joe has made it all the way to Middle School without ever, EVER, reading a book cover to cover. It hasn’t been easy, but he has come up with an arrangement that has carried him this far successfully… until now. When his teachers discover what he’s been up to, will Charlie Joe be able to keep up his track record?
In this hilarious book, Charlie Joe sp...more

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Jul 23, 2011 Jennifer rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

When I saw the name of this book, I knew it would be the perfect book for my 11 year-old non-reader. I won an advance copy through Goodreads, and am so excited that I did. Tommy Greenwald, the author of Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading, wrote this book because he has three sons, Charlie, Joe, and Jack, who don't like reading. I wonder if they are as bad as my son and the main character, Charlie.

The story was narrated by Charlie, which I found fun because he doesn't like to read and was...more

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May 22, 2012 Mandee Jablonski rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: completely-contemp-challenge, mms-reading-bowl-2012-2013, 50-book-pledge, 2012-reads, reading-right-now, middle-grades-book

Oh, Charlie Joe Jackson! You are a funny guy! I really enjoyed your guide to NOT reading!

What a great book! I love that it had elements of some of my favorite Middle Grade reads: The touching voice of The Wednesday Wars, the comedy of Diary of a Wimpy Kid, the silliness of Big Nate!

The advice is great...only read books with short chapters, reading won't help you succeed in life, never buy a book by someone whose name you can't pronounce (and many more awesome tips!). I also love your excellent...more

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Jun 27, 2011 Terri rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, favorites

Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Not Reading by Tommy Greenwald is a book about one middle school kid and his ultimate pursuit to never pick up and read an entire book in his life. Over the course of the book, Charlie must face all kinds of obstacles in this pursuit: what friends he can get to read the books for him, how he can write homework assignments on the books without actually touching it, and what to do when he has to read multiple books for the end of the year Position Paper. What's Charl...more Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Not Reading by Tommy Greenwald is a book about one middle school kid and his ultimate pursuit to never pick up and read an entire book in his life. Over the course of the book, Charlie must face all kinds of obstacles in this pursuit: what friends he can get to read the books for him, how he can write homework assignments on the books without actually touching it, and what to do when he has to read multiple books for the end of the year Position Paper. What's Charlie Joe going to do?

While this book has a definite theme of avoiding reading, the story goes much deeper into the life of Charlie Joe Jackson and his friends. While dealing with his aversion to reading, he must also deal with the normal ups and downs of middle school life. Charlie Joe has the unfortunate situation of being loved by the most beautiful girl in school, but he's in love with the average Hannah Spivero, who during the course of the book happens to date some of Charlie's friends—just not him. His friend Katie provides some sound, mature insights into his various sticky situations. And of course, Charlie Joe also has a love-hate relationship with many of his teachers.

There were also some great details in this book that would really draw young readers in, including mentioning texting, social media, and computers. When I was a kid, these details would have looked more like telephones in your room, local hangouts, and the exciting new features of Windows 95. What I wasn't expecting (and what I truly love about Charlie Joe and Hannah) is that some of these kids are totally into the Beatles. I happened to discover the Beatles just before hitting middle school, so at the mention of my favorite musical group, I was thoroughly engrossed in the book. Although I find it slightly hard to believe a kid would own something as valuable as a copy of the Butcher Cover, it was still nice to read about the enthusiasm they had for the band.

Problems? Hardly any with this book. I did notice several references to recess, which I'm not sure any middle school has. Other than that, this is a great book for older elementary and middle school kids.

*Reviewer received the book for free through Goodreads First Reads(less)

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Feb 14, 2013 Heather rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: juvenile readers

Shelves: libr-264-tweens-9-13-age-group

Charlie Joe Jackson loves to watch action movies, “a comedy where some chubby guy falls in love with a gorgeous lifeguard who only speaks French,” his family, his two dogs—Moose and Coco, and most especially he loves Hannah Spivero. What Charlie Joe does not love is reading. In fact, he goes to great creative lengths to avoid reading books whenever possible. It all started on Charlie’s sixth birthday, his dad wanted to encourage him towards becoming a future famous writer, and the only way to st...more Charlie Joe Jackson loves to watch action movies, “a comedy where some chubby guy falls in love with a gorgeous lifeguard who only speaks French,” his family, his two dogs—Moose and Coco, and most especially he loves Hannah Spivero. What Charlie Joe does not love is reading. In fact, he goes to great creative lengths to avoid reading books whenever possible. It all started on Charlie’s sixth birthday, his dad wanted to encourage him towards becoming a future famous writer, and the only way to start Charlie Joe down that path was to give him the perfect birthday present, the Complete works of Mark Twain. Just the gift every kid wants, right? Unbeknownst to Charlie’s father, that present turned him into a reluctant reader instead. For several years, Charlie Joe managed to dodge his most loathed activity with the help of his good friend Timmy McGibney; it only required the payment of an ice-cream sandwich. Charlie Joe wore his skill to evade reading like a badge of honor, but will his arrangement with Timmy continue, or will Charlie Joe be forced to pull his friends into yet another mischievous scheme to get out of reading another book.

Tommy Greenwald’s hilarious page turner, Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to NØt Reading would make a marvelous introduction to the world of books for unenthusiastic readers. For librarians who encounter parents of a juvenile reader that have not yet shown any interest in reading could recommend Greenwald’s book with confidence that it would strike a chord. The humor, short chapters, loveable characters, and funny antidotes in how to not read are all qualities in Greenwald’s book that will propel readers along to the end. As young readers laugh about Charlie Joe’s antics, they will also learn some valuable lessons; for example, it is more rewarding to do your own work, actions have consequences, and forming into cliques can have a negative impact. Charlie Joe discovered that it took way more energy to get out of reading, then actually doing his own assignments. Plus, it was cheating and pre-teens will recognize that. In addition, Charlie experienced feelings of shame and disappointment once his parents and teachers found out what he was up to and juveniles will perceive those as undesirable emotions to have. Charlie Joe discerned that cliques created barriers that prohibited peers from forging meaningful relationships outside of their own social circle; thereby through reading juveniles can gain courage to step beyond the social divides.

My thoughts:
I think Greenwald’s book is perfect for younger readers who have not yet found reading interesting. I think the humor will show that reading can be fun and foster a desire to find other books similar in nature and then, hopefully expand into other genres. I do not think this book is limited to only reluctant readers, but juvenile readers in general. I think tween readers will find themselves engaged with Charlie and his cast of friends because of their likability factor, also the illustrations will further enhance the reading experience. As I continue to read books for tweens, I see that they carry worthwhile messages that will help juveniles cope with life situations and maybe prevent things from happening beforehand.
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Jul 03, 2011 Wendy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult

I won this is a Goodreads First Read. Yay!

As a middle school teacher, I found this book funny and appealing. There are times when Charlie's comments sound a bit too much like the comments of an adult who is a good kid-watcher, but overall his voice is well done. I gave it three stars instead of four for a reason that won't apply to most people. Over 50% of my kids are Latino, and like the excellent "Drums, Girls, and Dangerous Pie" this book is so entrenched in white, middle class culture that m...more

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Feb 09, 2012 Lori Cox rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-school

Charlie Joe Jackson is a middle school boy who loves his dogs, the beach and a girl named Hannah. He HATES to read and has a deal with his friend Timmy, who will read any assigned books and provide summaries in exchange for ice cream sandwiches. When Timmy reneges on this deal, Charlie goes to extreme lengths to not read a book for his big paper. Written in a humorous style, with short chapters,this book will appeal to many reluctant readers,particularly boys. It is nice that this non- reader is...more

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Aug 05, 2011 Ms. LaPorte rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: friendship, humor, middle_school, reluctant-reader, summer-2011

What? A Guide to NOT reading? (It's audience is the reluctant reader.)

"With 25 exclusive non-reading tips!"

Tip #1 - if you have to read - make sure it has short chapters - uh, I like short chapters...

Tip #5 (pg 25) Point out the many ways you do read...what do you think of that?

Tip #7 (pg 36) "My buddy Joe used to take pride in not reading, just like me. Then he got this book about snakes, and started reading books about reptiles all the time..then weather patterns, Civil War battles....Now Jake...more

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Jul 14, 2012 Tina Lowen rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: juvenile-tweens, obob-2012-2013-grades-6-8

I'm conflicted about my rating for this title. It isn't quite a four for me, nor is it really a three. I'd give it three and half stars if I could. I'm clearly not the intended audience for this book, which I'm sure is impacting my score.

I enjoyed the book's humor and found myself liking Charlie Joe, despite his willingness to go to incredible lengths to avoid reading a book. I have to applaud the author for a few things which are difficult to find in books for young people these days: Charlie J...more

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May 21, 2013 Cynthia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: great-chapter-books

I'd give this book 3.5 stars if I could. We listened to this as a family on a recent road trip. So far I don't have any reluctant readers in my family, but if I did we would read this book together. It's really aimed at a middle school age audience, so my younger boys didn't get the humor, but at times my husband and I were cracking up. Charlie Joe Jackson is a very reluctant reader and he does everything he can to get out of reading a book. His tips for avoiding reading are hilarious and he man...more

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Jan 26, 2013 Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars Recommends it for: EVERYONE

Recommended to Megan by: YA Reads for teachers (and other Adults)

Shelves: childrens-chapter-books, young-adult-books

Charlie Joe Jackson is a young man with morals, scruples and a relentless determination NOT to read. He's a smart cookie. Smart enough to know where the lines in the sand are. He's worked out the rules to pretty much everything. How to keep the teachers happy, how to keep his parents happy, how to keep his friends happy, and most importantly, how to never read a book.

He reminds me of my 14 year old son. Which is why I read the book. I have to say, though, that I laughed out loud so often as I re...more

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Jul 03, 2011 Deborah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-or-kids, first-reads, owned, 2011-in-2011, reviews, series, first-book

This is a cute book and a quick easy read. I wonder how many adults will read it? I expect many copies will be chosen by adults for kids they think don't read enough. I wish the book had mentioned the actual grade instead of just saying middle school and middle graders.

I will hide the spoilers, but they are pretty mild and shouldn't ruin the book.
(view spoiler)...more

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Jan 06, 2013 Susie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I really enjoyed this book; I listened to the audio, and had many chuckles along the way. (I think my sense of humor must be similar to the author's-- is that a good thing?) It reminds me a little bit of James Patterson's Middle School, the Worst Years of My Life, but this was much more pleasant. It was nice to have a story with decent parents and a sibling, and kids who were not maniacal (and even some teachers). The aside comments, the short chapters, the genre descriptions in particular, his...more

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Jul 30, 2011 Becky37042 rated it 4 of 5 stars

I’ve been thinking about genres quite a bit as I consider changing the way books are shelved in the library, but Tommy Greenwald showed me a new way to think about them in his book, Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Not Reading.

Charlie Joe’s tip #14 defines genres the following way:
1. The characters aren’t real (fiction)
2. You don’t know these people personally (nonfiction)
3. They may as well be dead (historical biography)
4. They would ignore you in a restaurant (sports biography)
5. What they’re d...more

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Oct 04, 2011 Kat Goldin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Charlie Joe Jackson’s guide to NOT reading is a delightful, fun, and engaging book with a boy protagonist who (wait for it) does not like to read! Throughout this book we are trying not to read, yet there are tips, strategies and crazy middle school ideas about how to fake out the teachers, making it seem like you read the assignment/book. Well, CJJ never, ever read an entire book and does not plan to until… bam; it becomes obvious that CJJ is reading. He also evolves as a friend, discovers love...more

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Mar 26, 2013 Rosalie rated it 5 of 5 stars

If you don’t like to read then this definitely the book for you. Charlie Joe Jackson has gone through his entire life without reading an entire book. But now as he is entering middle school he finding that avoiding reading is becoming more and more difficult.
So far all Charlie has had to do was buy his friend, Timmy extra ice cream treats at lunch, and Timmy would do all of Charlie’s reading and give Charlie the notes so that he could do his homework. That plan has worked until now. When Timmy...more

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Feb 05, 2013 Kathy Ellen Davis rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: middle-grade

I thought this book was great fun!
Really funny, really realistic, really awesome!

I dare anyone to not like this book.
Seriously.
I dare you.

Charlie Joe is such a good character.
I identified with him immediately because he has a double first name (or at least goes by his first and middle name...)

As a double named wonder, I liked that.
And I really like how his stance on reading only changes very little. (I'm thinking the pitching moment..)
and that he sticks to his guns. He's gonna try to get out of...more

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YA Reads for Teac...: * January 2013 - Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading - Tommy Greenwald	75	90	Feb 06, 2013 07:25pm
YA Reads for Teac...: * December 2012 - Book Giveaway - Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading by Tommy Greenwald	55	122	Jan 16, 2013 03:11pm

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About Tommy Greenwald

TOMMY GREENWALD has enjoyed reading all his life, which is why he's appalled that his kids Charlie, Joe and Jack, would prefer getting a dental check-up to checking out a book. After years of pleading, threatening, and bribing, Tommy finally decided the only way to get his kids to read was to write a book about how to get out of reading. This is the result. And they read it! (So they say.) The Exe...more

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4 quizzes

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“One of my book-reading friends used the term "our story unfolds" when describing a paper he was writing. He became somewhat less of a friend right at that moment.” — 5 people liked it

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Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading (Charlie Joe Jackson #1)

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