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    Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading
    Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading
    Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading
    Ebook210 pages2 hours

    Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading

    By Tommy Greenwald and JP Coovert

    3.5/5

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    About this ebook

    Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading by Tommy Greenwald is the hilarious story of an avid non-reader and the extreme lengths to which he'll go to get out of reading a book.

    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.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherMacmillan Publishers
    Release dateJul 5, 2011
    ISBN9781429976466
    Author

    Tommy Greenwald

    Tommy Greenwald--according to his wife, Cathy--has the maturity level of a thirteen-year-old, which makes him uniquely qualified to write this book. He has had the best time ever writing the Charlie Joe Jackson series, and is looking forward to his next challenge, which may involve dogs, or chocolate, or both. He is also the author of Jack Strong Takes a Stand and Katie Friedman Gives Up Texting! (And Lives to Tell About It). To read annoyingly outdated information about Tommy, please visit tommygreenwald.com. @tommygreenwald

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    Reviews for Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading

    3.5/5

    16 ratings17 reviews

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    • 3/5
      3.5 I wasn't a huge fan BUT I know readers who will absolutely love this book. They are the intended audience, so 3 stars for me and 4 stars for many young readers.
    • 3/5
      Charlie Joe Jackson is NOT a reader. In fact, he's gotten by without actually reading any books for years thanks to a sweet deal with a kid in his class. Charlie Joe's here to offer his expert advice and tips on how NOT to read. This is a funny book with a little bit of a heartfelt story behind the gimmick. It's Diary of a Wimpy Kid meets Andrew Clements and I'd hand it to fans of either.I listened to the audio, narrated by the fantastic Macleod Andrews and he's a great fit for this book. His voiced performance brings out the humor and makes this book a pleasure to listen to.
    • 4/5
      Charlie is funny and likable, with a touch of the cocky charmer. Just enough that you know his type and know you'll probably let him get away with too much. He's not interested in reading, but is smart and capable and knows how both he and his story come off. Self-reflexive reluctant reader fare.
    • 3/5
      Charlie Joe Jackson is the most avid non-reader you might ever meet; complete with lists and suggestions for avoiding the dreaded task - how well will his techniques hold up now that he is in middle school? With lists and illustration this is sure to be popular with Wimpy Kid fans.
    • 5/5
      "CHARLIE JOE JACKSON'S, GUIDE TO NOT READING" BY TOMMY GREENWALD (REVIEW)WARNING! CLEAR ALL CHILDREN FROM THE ROOM BEFORE READING THIS REVIEW! This is a delightful book for middle grade children that actually makes them want to read regardless of the title. It turns out that this book is a clever reverse psychology tool that you can use to get your kids to read regardless of their determination not to.The book is extremely imaginative and written for fun! When Charlie Joe loses his link to NOT reading books, he finds himself coming up with ways to get around actually reading and still being able to figure out what the book is about. The ending is GREAT!Definitely pick up this book for your child or children whether they enjoy reading or not! It's a fantastic read!-Kitty Bullard / Great Minds Think Aloud Book Club
    • 3/5
      I'm not a big fan of books with cartoons in them, like Diary of a Wimpy Kid, but I do recognize that there's a big market for them, and that they are just right for certain readers. This is a humourous book about a boy who has to read a book for school, and his usual avoidance techniques don't work, which catapults him into all kinds of trouble. Definitely will be appreciated by Wimpy Kid fans.
    • 5/5
      Charlie Joe Jackson guide to not reading is a book about Charlie not reading and struggling to get through school. The story begins where Charlie is assigned his assignment to read the book Billy's Bargain. as usual he tries to get his friend to read it for him. They have a bargain Charlie buys his friend an ice-cream sandwich. However he can't because his friend doesn't want to help him. Then his sister reads the book and Charlie gets an A. After that Charlie has to write a position paper so he can move on to the next grade. His topic is on groups of students (nerds, jocks, etc.).Of course he has to read books but gets his other friend to read his books. Lastly his friends tattle on Charlie because he never read anything. I think this is a great book because it is funny. It also has tips on how to not read. This book has great characters with great personalities. I highly recommend this book. This highly recommended book has a great story line that must have been perfectly thought out. I hope you read it and enjoy it.
    • 4/5
      Ha Ha! Charlie says he's not going to write a book with lots of words, but can he really do it? Ha Ha! The joke's on Charlie. I enjoyed the effort he put into not reading. Have you ever thought about what you read that's not a book?
    • 2/5
      Charlie Joe Jackson is trying to get out of reading. He's been trying this scheme for several years And has gotten away with it that is until his "reader" has told on him. After his punishment you would have thought he has finally accepted that he should read, but this time he comes up with an even better idea. He will lose his unanswered love for Hannah though but that is the price he is willing to pay. Katie his best friend thinks he is nuts. This time it is a position paper Charlie joe has to write and complete a couple of books to back up his research. The book is written in the first person as a how to guide with tips and lists. It's odd though to find out who the audience is supposed to be since Charlie joe talks a lot about girls and going out.
    • 3/5
      Charlie Joe Jackson REALLY hates to read. For twelve glorious years he has managed to avoid it almost completely (exception: Shel Silverstein's "The Giving Tree" because it only has 62 words). But middle school is proving difficult ground to manipulate his way around the written word. It doesn't help that his best book-reading buddy has begun to blackmail him, and now there are girls to pay attention to too. But Charlie Joe comes up with a daring master plan that almost works. This is a quick and fun read for this adult and has plenty of laughs to keep a reluctant reader, especially a boy, turning the pages.
    • 4/5
      Charlie Joe Jackson really dislikes reading books - and after getting away with it for so long he has a reputation to protect. So when his plans are thwarted and it looks like he may have to - read a book - to what lengths will he go to keep his perfect score intact?

      This book had me laughing out loud and smiling throughout the story. Charlie Joe is an immensely likeable character who keeps getting into trouble as his grand plans for not reading go awry. The book is written with tips for not reading alternating with the story of how the story came to be. The writing really draws you in, the characters are realistic and the story is truly funny. This is the first book in a series and I am looking forward to reading the next.
    • 4/5
      Charlie Joe Jackson is famous for never having read an entire book in his short but dazzling school career; middle school has made this a challenge; one that he enthusiastically accepts. Once his agreement with his classmate Timmy falls apart, Charlie Joe desperately seeks to hold on to his non-reading record while he navigates the social climate of his middle school. As it turns out, he simultaneously fails and succeeds (you’ll see) and the book is a result. Charlie Joe Jackson’s guide is “written by” a reluctant reader, for reluctant readers. The narrator promises short sentences, words, and chapters and is sprinkled with hilarious tips for keeping reading to a minimal. As a result, there are sometimes awkwardly placed breaks that are just unobtrusive enough to not break concentration. Despite choppy arrangement, the book reads quickly, mostly because of the narrator’s easy-going, conversational tone. Readers (reluctant or not) will find something to appreciate about it.
    • 4/5
      Lots of reviewers said reluctant readers would like this amusing book. I'm not so sure. However, I do believe that kids who like to read will like it. Charlie Joe hates to read (his father was too enthusiastic about turning him into a reader, so all of his birthday presents when he turned 6 were classic books meant for a much older reader -- what a turnoff!) so has gone into complicated contortions to avoid reading. He buys snacks for a friend so he'll read Charlie Joe's books and give him synopses of them. When his friend won't read for him any more and his big project is looming, he hatches a creative scheme that at first is a huge success, but then crashes and burns and gets him into more trouble than ever before. Charlie Joe pays his debt, but happily this doesn't turn into a book where the protagonist learns his lesson at the end -- he continues to hate reading and supposedly comes up with even more plans to avoid it his next school year, but the reader clearly can see that he would have been far better off if he had just read the books himself.
    • 3/5
      Charlie Joe hates to read and will do just about anything to avoid it. Sometimes the avoidance is more work than reading the book would have been, and it certainly gets him in a lot more trouble. With a major research paper due, and his best friend refusing to do the work for him, Charlie Joe needs to get very creative to get the required reading done for him.
    • 3/5
      o say that Charlie Joe Jackson didn’t like to read would be a huge understatement. He would do anything, at any cost, to avoid reading. (Sound like anyone you know?)

      Charlie Joe managed to make it to middle school without ever having read an entire book.  He had a plan, and it worked for him…until now! His friend Timmy no longer was willing to accept ice cream sandwiches in exchange for telling Charlie Joe about the books he should have read.

      You might think that Charlie Joe would realize it was time to start doing his own reading.  Yeah, right!  More scheming and plotting ensues.  Will he get through middle school with his non-reading record intact?

      This is a fun, fast read that even Charlie Joe Jackson would enjoy if he weren’t so busy trying to NOT read!

      Oh, and if you too are a non-reader and aren't convinced this book is worth picking up, you may want to read it just for the Tips for NOT reading that Charlie Joe provides throughout the book, starting with “If you have to read a book, make sure it has short chapters.” 
    • 5/5
      Even though the title of this book makes you believe that reading books is the cardinal sin of the land, it is actually very enjoyable and perhaps may want to make you read even more. I know that I am not in the age range that this book was intended for, which is along the middle school age line, but I still found it very fun and easy to breeze through. The main character, Charlie Joe, is endearing to me, despite his disdain for reading. I would recommend this for any age group, as it has a few good lessons along the way.
    • 3/5
      Charlie Joe has made it all the way to middle school without ever reading a full book cover to cover. He's plenty smart--smart enough to find ways to get out of reading, while still looking like he's done it. Charlie Joe's brains don't extend to other people, though, and his schemes backfire in a variety of ways. His helpful tips on not reading ("if you have to read a book, don't care about the main character") keep the tone light, but you can't help get sucked into Charlie Joe's world anyway.

      A decent Wimpy Kid readalike, and worth booktalking at the middle school next month.

    Book preview

    Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading - Tommy Greenwald

    My name is Charlie Joe Jackson, and I hate reading. And if you’re reading this book, you hate reading, too.

    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.

    This book is a guide for people like us.

    It will serve two purposes.

    One, it will show people how to get out of reading.

    And two, on those unfortunate occasions when you’re not able to get out of reading and are forced to read a book, it will be a nice easy book to read.

    In all likelihood, you’re reading this book against your will, and I sympathize with you. Therefore, I also make you this solemn promise:

    The chapters will be short. The pages will be shorter. And whenever possible, I will keep the words shortest.

    One syllable. Or less.

    *   *   *

    I’m also going to include some specific tips about reading—or NOT reading—throughout this book.

    Some have to do with getting out of reading altogether, which is the strategy I recommend, and some have to do with making the best of it, if you do have to read a book. It can be surprisingly hard to avoid reading a book at some point in your life—even in middle school, as it turns out. You’ll understand more as our story unfolds. (One of my book-reading friends, Jake Katz, used that term once when he was describing a paper he was writing. He became somewhat less of a friend right at that moment.)

    Charlie Joe’s Tip #1

    IF YOU HAVE TO READ A BOOK, MAKE SURE IT HAS SHORT CHAPTERS.

    This first tip is pretty self-explanatory. Think about it. If your mom or dad tells you to read three chapters before bed, wouldn’t you rather the chapters be one page each instead of ten pages each? Wouldn’t you rather read three pages instead of thirty pages? That way, you’re reading twenty-seven less pages, but you can still say, Hey, guess what? I read my three chapters.

    Trust me, they’ll never know the difference.

    I’ve hated reading for as far back as I can remember.

    I didn’t mind it when my mom read to me when I was little. That was fine because I could stay up later, and sometimes she even fell asleep in my bed, which I have to admit I actually liked at the time.

    But then as I got a little older she started to say, Okay, now you read the rest of the chapter, and that was just so not going to happen.

    So I’d cry, and she’d read some more.

    (By the way, I learned to cry on purpose that way. It’s a useful skill. I’ve noticed that girls really like it when a guy gets teary sometimes—like at a movie where the hero makes a supreme sacrifice for his one true love, for example, because that means he’s sensitive or something, and girls seem to like that. Personally, I prefer action movies where somebody blows something up, or a comedy where some chubby guy falls in love with a gorgeous lifeguard who only speaks French. That’s more my speed.)

    Anyway, the whole crying-in-front-of-Mom-so-I-wouldn’t-have-to-read-it-myself thing, that worked great until I was about ten.

    So here I am in middle school, and I’m proud to say I still hate reading.

    Which is how the whole mess began.

    It started when I was supposed to read this book Billy’s Bargain for my English class. It’s about this kid, Billy, and the bargain he strikes with the Devil to pitch a no-hitter in the championship game. But, it turns out the Devil is actually just a guy that was hired by Billy’s dad to pretend to be the Devil, because Billy’s dad figures that if Billy thinks he made a deal with the Devil to pitch a no-hitter, then Billy would have the confidence to actually pitch a no-hitter.

    It’s not as complicated as I just made it sound. It’s apparently a pretty good book, according to my teacher, Ms. Ferrell. And I guess it’s got one of those just-believe-in-yourself-and-others-will-believe-in-you-too messages that grown-ups want kids to hear over and over.

    Anyway, like I said, that’s where I ran into trouble.

    *   *   *

    I did what I usually do. I read the back cover, the front inside flap, the first chapter, and the last chapter.

    Then I sat next to my friend Timmy McGibney at lunch.

    For about two years, Timmy and I had what you might call an arrangement. I would buy him an ice-cream sandwich, and he would tell me all about what was in the rest of the book. It was a win-win situation, which is one of those weird expressions my parents use all the time.

    Naturally, I figured we’d make the same deal we always made.

    So Timmy, I said, handing him his ice-cream sandwich, "Billy’s Bargain was a pretty good book."

    How would you know? he asked. He always asked me that. It was kind of a routine we had.

    Well, the beginning and the ending were pretty good.

    I guess so, Timmy said. He was fiddling with his lacrosse stick. Lacrosse was the only thing he loved more than ice-cream sandwiches.

    Tryouts coming up, huh, I said, pointing at his stick.

    Yup, he said. I waited for him to say something else, but he didn’t. This was weird. Usually he could talk about lacrosse for hours.

    Timmy wolfed down his ice-cream sandwich and looked at mine. I’m actually really hungry today, he said. Really, really hungry.

    I suddenly got a pretty uneasy feeling. What do you mean, ‘really, really hungry’?

    I’m saying I’m so hungry I could eat two ice-cream sandwiches, Timmy said. Maybe three.

    I looked at him in disbelief. We’d had the same deal going for almost a year. I’d handed over enough free ice cream for him to start his own dairy farm. Now all of a sudden he was pulling this!

    I looked around. I checked my pocket for money. I considered my options. Then I did the only thing I could do.

    I bought him another ice-cream sandwich.

    *   *   *

    After lunch I went to the library and looked up the word blackmail just to make sure I understood exactly what was happening.

    The librarian, Ms. Reedy, was an old friend of mine, even though she represented everything evil. Back in the old days, she was the librarian at my elementary school, and she used to try anything to get me to read. One time in first grade, she sat me down and had me listen to a song called Grab a Book and Go, all about the joys of reading. One of the verses went Snuggle in your bed, the day is near its end. All alone, but you’re not alone, a book can be a friend.

    I’ve never quite forgiven her.

    So needless to say, she gave me quite the double take when I walked in.

    Charlie Joe, she said, did you take a wrong turn somewhere?

    I laughed. (Always good to laugh at an adult’s jokes, regardless of whether they’re funny or not.)

    I just need to look something up, I answered, trying to keep the conversation to a minimum so I could take care of business and get out of there.

    Ms. Reedy looked at me and winked.

    Well don’t worry, Charlie Joe, your secret is safe with me, she said.

    I just looked at the previous chapter and realized it was way too long. I just ignored Charlie Joe’s Tip #1!

    Sorry about that. Won’t happen again.

    Charlie Joe’s Tip #2

    NEVER READ A BOOK BY SOMEONE WHOSE NAME YOU CAN’T PRONOUNCE.

    Let’s face it: chances are you wouldn’t be reading this book if it were called Venedkyt Styokierwski’s Guide to Not Reading.

    And I sure wouldn’t be writing

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