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 nativeFrance. 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 illustrationsby 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.