210 ratings | 13 reviews | avg rating:4.26

Paul’s Year In Books

Paul’s 2025 Year in Books

Take a look at Paul’s Year in Books, including some fun facts about their reading.

Go to Paul’s 2025 Year in Books

Paul Acampora’s Followers (76)

Paul’s Bookshelves

to-read (1340)
currently-reading (0)
read (603)
allentown-ebook (3)
allentown-library (97)
allentown-library-e-audio (1)
audio (6)
bethlehem-library (7)
books-dad-might-like (34)
books-gabrielle-might-like (22)
See all bookshelves »

Paul’s Friends (83)

Mary Beth Miller

2,362 books | 130 friends

Jennifer

1,744 books | 47 friends

Jaymie

4,732 books | 348 friends

Laura

773 books | 18 friends

Sandy Green

155 books | 779 friends

Jeffrey West

760 books | 1,797 friends

David Dunlap

18,780 books | 37 friends

Bookaddict

2,300 books | 250 friends

More friends…

Paul Acampora

Goodreads Author

Born

in Bristol, Connecticut , The United States

Website

http://www.paulacampora.com/

Member Since

January 2010

URL

https://www.goodreads.com/paulacampora

edit data

I was born in Bristol, Connecticut and grew up surrounded by an extended mob of parents, sister, grandparents, cousins, neighborhood kids, rabbits, dogs, nurses, engineers and others that, at various times, included musicians, Italians, Canadians, cancer survivors, gardeners, chicken killers, hair dressers, poker players, checker cheaters, pony riders, shopkeepers, factory workers, elementary school teachers, auto mechanics, rock and roll fanatics, massage therapists, several people who may or may not be dead, and a crowd of other miscellaneous wheeler-dealers. I went to school at St. Joseph Elementary School and St. Paul Catholic High School. I was a voracious reader as a kid. I still am. I attended the University of Notre Dame (GO IRISH! I was born in Bristol, Connecticut and grew up surrounded by an extended mob of parents, sister, grandparents, cousins, neighborhood kids, rabbits, dogs, nurses, engineers and others that, at various times, included musicians, Italians, Canadians, cancer survivors, gardeners, chicken killers, hair dressers, poker players, checker cheaters, pony riders, shopkeepers, factory workers, elementary school teachers, auto mechanics, rock and roll fanatics, massage therapists, several people who may or may not be dead, and a crowd of other miscellaneous wheeler-dealers. I went to school at St. Joseph Elementary School and St. Paul Catholic High School. I was a voracious reader as a kid. I still am. I attended the University of Notre Dame (GO IRISH!) where, thanks to my friend John Costello and his father, Dr. Donald Costello, I earned a degree in American Studies despite the fact that the only American places I’d ever visited were summer vacations on a beach at Rhode Island and occasional day trips around New England to watch jai alia, greyhound racing or the trotters with my grandfather who, with my Uncle Joe, taught me how to ride and drive a sulky behind my very own pony named Misty (that's me and Misty at left). After college, I wandered around the country for a few years. Despite what my mother might say, I did not steal her 1973 Buick Electra. Despite what my friends might say, the car was the color of summer gold. Not piss yellow. I've lived in every state that begins with the letter U or a C. I was a Student Conservation Association volunteer for awhile giving tours at the Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry in southeast Utah. I spent a winter schlepping very expensive bags around the Rocky Mountains for guests of the Snowmass Lodging Company. As a Holy Cross Associate volunteer, I lived with a half-dozen friends in a tiny house in the San Francisco Bay area where we tried to be good people. I stayed in California to teach kindergarten at St. Patrick Elementary school in West Oakland. I got married (yahoo!), and my wife and I lived in “the heart of the bay,” Hayward, California for nearly ten years. When we decided to move, we put names of favorite places in a paper bag and pulled out a slip that said PENNSYLVANIA. So that’s where we live now. These days, I remain married to my best friend. I have a son and a daughter who keep me on my toes. I’ve got a day job and a kayak and tons of books that I love to read. I write early in the morning and late at night. My favorite place in the world is wherever my wife and kids are. I am especially happy when that place is next to a lake or in France. My favorite word in the dictionary is Naugahyde. I’ve been a vegetarian for about 20 years. My favorite non-home-cooked meal is cinnamon-raisin French toast plus black coffee at the Karlton Café in Quakertown, Pennsylvania. For the future, I hope my family and friends are safe, healthy and happy and that I will write dozens and dozens of new stories and novels, each one better than the last. ...more

Learn more
Ask the Author

To ask Paul Acampora questions, please sign up.

Combine Editions
Paul Acampora’s books

Average rating: 3.75 · 5,812 ratings · 1,205 reviews · 11 distinct works • Similar authors

	I Kill the Mockingbird 3.75 avg rating — 3,975 ratings — published 2014	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Defining Dulcie 3.48 avg rating — 570 ratings — published 2006 — 15 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	How to Avoid Extinction 3.88 avg rating — 414 ratings — published 2016 — 5 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	In Honor of Broken Things 3.93 avg rating — 287 ratings — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Confusion Is Nothing New 3.67 avg rating — 239 ratings — published 2018 — 3 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Rachel Spinelli Punched Me in the Face 3.84 avg rating — 211 ratings — published 2011 — 8 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Danny Constantino's First Date 3.91 avg rating — 97 ratings — 4 editions	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	L'arte di andare in pezzi 3.67 avg rating — 6 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Danny Constantino's First (and Maybe Last?) Date 3.17 avg rating — 6 ratings	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
	Rachel Spinelli Punched Me in the Face by Acampora, Paul (February 19, 2013) Paperback liked it 3.00 avg rating — 1 rating	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

More books by Paul Acampora…

48 posts
Paul Acampora's Blog

Subject: TEAM MOCKINGBIRD(!)

TO: Friends, family, and book lovers!

(with a special shout-out to fans of TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD!)

FROM: Paul Acampora

SUBJECT: TEAM MOCKINGBIRD (!)

Hi everybody!

I’m writing because my new novel – I KILL THE MOCKINGBIRD – will arrive in stores this coming spring. It’s a comedy caper for kids (say that three times fast) about a group of friends who sabotage their school’s summer reading list. It’s also

rss
Paul’s Recent Updates

Paul Acampora wants to read Hild (The Hild Sequence, #1) by Nicola Griffith (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Feb 21, 2026 05:50AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Hild by Nicola Griffith. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Hild by Nicola Griffith <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Acampora wants to read The Wisdom of Big Bird (and the Dark Genius of Oscar the Grouch): Lessons from a Life in Feathers by Caroll Spinney	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Feb 19, 2026 01:21PM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Wisdom of Big Bird (and the Dark Genius of Oscar the Grouch) by Caroll Spinney. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Wisdom of Big Bird (and the Dark Genius of Oscar the Grouch) by Caroll Spinney <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Acampora wants to read Dizzy: A Memoir (Connective Tissue) by Rachel Weaver (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Feb 14, 2026 09:28AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Dizzy by Rachel Weaver. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Dizzy by Rachel Weaver <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Acampora wants to read Stephen Sondheim: Art Isn’t Easy (Jewish Lives) by Daniel Okrent	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Feb 10, 2026 09:16AM · like
Paul Acampora wants to read Conquistadores: A New History of Spanish Discovery and Conquest by Fernando Cervantes	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 31, 2026 04:27AM · 1 like · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Conquistadores by Fernando Cervantes. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Conquistadores by Fernando Cervantes <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Acampora wants to read Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 24, 2026 04:38AM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Acampora wants to read Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 23, 2026 06:55PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Acampora wants to read The Cradle of Citizenship: How Schools Can Help Save Our Democracy by James Traub	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 13, 2026 01:17PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Cradle of Citizenship by James Traub. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Cradle of Citizenship by James Traub <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Acampora wants to read The Hitch by Sara Levine (Goodreads Author)	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 13, 2026 01:16PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of The Hitch by Sara Levine. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — The Hitch by Sara Levine <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">
Paul Acampora wants to read Catapult: Harry and I Build a Siege Weapon by Jim Paul	Error rating book. Refresh and try again. Rate this book Clear rating 1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars
Jan 13, 2026 01:15PM · like · preview book See a Problem? We’d love your help. Let us know what’s wrong with this preview of Catapult by Jim Paul. Problem: Details (if other): Thanks for telling us about the problem. Not the book you’re looking for? Preview — Catapult by Jim Paul <iframe sandbox id="wrongBookKindlePreviewScreen">

More of Paul's books…

Quotes by Paul Acampora (?)

“Shelving books incorrectly is as good as stealing them. It's almost worse.”
― Paul Acampora, I Kill the Mockingbird

tags: books, bookstores, libraries, shelving, stealing

24 likes

“We will speak for the books."
...
"Like the Lorax?"
"The Lorax speaks for the trees," I remind her.
"Books are made out of paper. Paper is made out of trees."
"What about e-books?"
"We can speak for them too."
"Audiobooks?"
"Audiobooks speak for themselves." She grins. "Get it?”
― Paul Acampora, I Kill the Mockingbird

tags: audiobooks, books, e-books, lorax

20 likes

“We are all broken, but sometimes the jagged pieces fit together nicely.”
― Paul Acampora, I Kill the Mockingbird

16 likes

See all Paul Acampora's quotes »

Polls

What book should we read in August?

You may write in titles, provided the book is a 2023 Newbery contender and already published.

The Last Mapmaker by Christina Soontornvat

36 votes 33.3%

In Honor of Broken Things by Paul Acampora

17 votes 15.7%

The Turtle of Michigan by Naomi Shihab Nye

12 votes 11.1%

A Duet for Home by Karina Yan Glaser

11 votes 10.2%

Marshmallow Clouds: Two Poets at Play among Figures of Speech by Ted Kooser

6 votes 5.6%

Freewater by Amina Luqman-Dawson

6 votes 5.6%

Answers in the pages by David Levithan (write-in)

5 votes 4.6%

The Last Mapmaker (write-in)

4 votes 3.7%

Repairing the World by Linda Epstein (write-in)

3 votes 2.8%

Answers in the Pages (write-in)

3 votes 2.8%

How to Build a Human: in Seven Evolutionary Steps by Pamela S Turner (write-in)

2 votes 1.9%

Marshmallow clouds (write-in)

2 votes 1.9%

turtle of michigan (write-in)

1 vote 0.9%

108 total votes

4 comments

More...

Topics Mentioning This Author

topics	posts	views	last activity
The Seasonal Read...: Fall Challenge 2011 Completed Tasks - DO NOT DELETE ANY POSTS IN THIS TOPIC!	2251	795	Nov 30, 2011 09:05PM
The Seasonal Read...: Winter Challenge 2011: Completed Tasks -DO NOT DELETE ANY POSTS IN THIS TOPIC	2866	790	Feb 29, 2012 09:03PM
Wild Things: YA G...: 50 State (or Country!) Challenge Reading Plan	58	224	Dec 26, 2014 09:56PM
The Lost Challenges: 'Pick Your Poison' Challenge	37	235	May 16, 2015 11:58AM
David Estes Fans ...: 2015 A-Z Author Reading Challenge - 1/1/15 - 12/31/15	45	82	Nov 03, 2015 06:37AM
WACKY READING CHA...: September 2016 Mini Challenge	82	63	Oct 26, 2016 09:50AM
The Challenge Fac...: And the Winner is...	680	142	Dec 03, 2016 03:19PM
WACKY READING CHA...: Fall Fun Bingo	119	97	Dec 13, 2016 03:32PM

More…

Paul’s Quotes

“A heart is not judged by how much you love; but by how much you are loved by others”
― L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz

716 likes

“Grammar is a piano I play by ear.”
― Joan Didion, Joan Didion: Essays & Conversations

tags: grammar

1636 likes

“The one thing that doesn't abide by majority rule is a person's conscience.”
― Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird

4567 likes

“One of the few things I know about writing is this: spend it all, shoot it, play it, lose it, all, right away, every time...give it, give it all, give it now.”
― Annie Dillard

1309 likes

“Thieves of private property pass their lives in chains; thieves of public property in riches and luxury. CATO THE ELDER1”
― Mike Duncan, The Storm Before the Storm: The Beginning of the End of the Roman Republic

1 likes

More of Paul’s quotes…

Paul’s Friend Comments

No comments have been added yet.

Paul Acampora’s Followers (76)

Paul Acampora

Goodreads Author

rssPaul’s Recent Updates

See a Problem?

Preview — Hild by Nicola Griffith

See a Problem?

Preview — The Wisdom of Big Bird (and the Dark Genius of Oscar the Grouch) by Caroll Spinney

See a Problem?

Preview — Dizzy by Rachel Weaver

See a Problem?

Preview — Conquistadores by Fernando Cervantes

See a Problem?

Preview — Canticle by Janet Rich Edwards

See a Problem?

Preview — Becoming Madam Secretary by Stephanie Dray

See a Problem?

Preview — The Cradle of Citizenship by James Traub

See a Problem?

Preview — The Hitch by Sara Levine

See a Problem?

Preview — Catapult by Jim Paul

Polls

Topics Mentioning This Author

rss
Paul’s Recent Updates