Oh, such a special treat today! It just so happens that the Books Brothers are off of school and have time to share some of their thoughts about books.
- First I asked about any favorite picture books.
Paxton, age 8, says that funny ones are his favorites. Some of the titles he’s read over and over are: There Was an Old Dragon that Swallowed a Knight by Penny Parker Klostermann and Ben Mantle, Mo’s 
Mustache by Ben Clanton, This Is a Moose by Richard T. Morris and Tom Lichtenheld, and Mr. Tiger Goes Wild by Peter Brown.
From Everett, age 10: I do not have a favorite but I like funny books and fictional stories that could never ever possibly happen in real life. I like these because they make me laugh and made-up stories can get really interesting because it’s not something that would normally happen in life.
- On the topic of chapter books…
Paxton again goes for humor—hilarious, creative , crazy humor. He’s a big fan of Dogman and all sorts of graphic novels, though he also reads more traditional fiction.
Everett: My favorite chapter book is The Cryptid Catcher [by Lija Fisher] because in this book Clivo figures out a secret his dad was keeping from him that his dad was one of the greatest cryptid catchers in the world and was training him to become one when Douglas Chancery hires him to become a cryptid catcher. When he is on his first mission he encounters some evil people and he has to beat them.
[And he’s also a fan of the Wings of Fire series by Tui T. Sutherland.]
- What makes you pull a book off the shelf and decide to read it?
Paxton says it’s all about the titles. [And you gotta love the Dogman titles!] 
Everett: The way I choose books is I look for juicy and interesting titles, then I pull out those books and read the back to see if it is something I will like.
- Any advice for authors?
Everett: My advice for authors is to use juicy vocab and include action and exciting parts. I also think authors should make beginnings a bit more exciting or mysterious.
Book Recommendations from Everett:
The Wild Robot by Peter Brown, Class Dismissed by Allan Woodrow, The City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau, Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls (such a classic!), The BFG by Roald Dahl, Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling, The Tale of Despereaux by Kate DiCamillo, and Katt vs. Dogg by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein.
Book Recommendations from Paxton:
The Wild Robot Escapes by Peter Brown, The Last Kids on Earth by Max Brallier, Dragon Masters series by Tracey West, HiLo series by Judd Winick, Bud Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis, Bailey’s Story by W. Bruce Cameron, James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl.
So there you have it. The inside scoop from the Books Brothers. Multiple series, several classics, a mix of traditional chapter and middle grade books along with graphic novels. Humor is king, fantasy reigns. [But hey, what about history? I guess it’s up to me to share some of the humor, wow, and importance of history…and I do snag them with unexpected gems from the past. Maybe one day they’ll admit that truth really is stranger than fiction! 😉 ]
Thanks, Ev and Pax!
Beth Anderson, Children's Writer 
Ah, those pesky, juicy titles. They can make or break a book, can’t they? I love this pair of books brothers and hope they have more to share in the future!
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Titles are tough! But oh so important!
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I’m with you, Everett: “My advice for authors is to use juicy vocab and include action and exciting parts. I also think authors should make beginnings a bit more exciting or mysterious.” I promise to keep your wise advice in mind, and apply it liberally to the page. 🙂
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Your post put a smile on my face. Both boys like humor, but they’re tastes in books are very different. That’s cool. And I like their advice to writers. We need to listen.
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