Synopsis: A fresh guide to reading, Daniel Pennac’s passionate defence of reading for pleasure The Rights of the Reader, has sold over a million copies in his native France. Sit back, relax and enjoy as Pennac discusses the benefits of a life-long love of literature.

Review:  The Rights of the Reader was originally published in France in 1992 and so is one of those books that may have passed some people by. Hopefully, this new translation by Sarah Adams will introduce a further generation of educators, librarians and parents to the wonders of Pennac’s prose, for this is a page turner of a different kind. As I read the short, snappy chapters I was carried along on a sea of optimism, my dominant thoughts being, ‘Yes! You’re absolutely right!’ so much so that I had reached the end of the book before I knew it.

Pennac shudders at thought of text analysis but such is the role of a reviewer. Hopefully in my comments I will not be tampering too much with the rights of the reader! The book is divided into four distinct sections with intriguing titles such as ‘The birth of the Alchemist’. The sections build his argument carefully as Pennac considers why many teenagers are not avid readers and what we might do about this. Who is at fault he asks? Essentially, he argues, the key problem is that the rights of the reader are not recognised within the education system. Of course he is referring to France but are English classrooms so different? He also develops a strong argument for reading aloud, which he terms ‘the gift of reading’ and begs for parents to continue to nurture that special bond of the bedtime story. The final section outlines the rights of the reader, many of which I own up to. How wonderful to be told that I don’t need to feel guilty for not finishing a book!

This book is an essential read for anyone who might influence children’s reading experiences; parents, teachers and librarians put this on your Christmas list. Pennac’s writing is witty and sensitive and his pages are so littered with inspiring comments that it is difficult to find a quote that does him justice. In fact, you will just have to read it for yourself!

2007-05-28