The Rights of the Reader

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 native France. 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 illustrations by 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.

Daniel Pennac, the author of EYE OF THE WOLF and DOG, is one of the most translated authors in France, with books for both adults and children appearing in more than thirty languages. He lives in Paris.

Sarah Adams is the award-winning translator of Daniel Pennac's EYE OF THE WOLF.

Quentin Blake has illustrated some three hundred books, including ON ANGEL WINGS by Michael Morpurgo, MICHAEL ROSEN'S SAD BOOK, and many titles by Roald Dahl. He lives in London.