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Read or Die
- A Story of Survival, Hope, and How a Life Was Saved One Book at a Time
- Narrated by: E.L. Beckett
- Length: 7 hrs and 47 mins
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Publisher's summary
"I look forward to the day I see yellow caution tape stretched around my students' neighborhoods, the chalk outline of apathy on the ground, crushed by the weight of a thousand books. Until then I treat each day as if books are EpiPens and every student has a shellfish allergy with a mouth full of shrimp."
Most of the students in Daphne Russell's reading class have never read an entire book, and they can't relate to Harry Potter and his magic wand. Abel is 28 days behind everyone else, and he needs enough books inside him to get his lungs to work again, mend his shattered heart, and kick the shit out of apathy.
In her memoir Read or Die, Russell documents her daily battle as a middle school teacher in Tucson, Arizona, fighting against predetermined trajectories of less-than beliefs with an arsenal of hard covers and tattered pages.
A talented and caring teacher, Russell offers a moving portrayal that combines rich autobiographical details with firsthand insight into the world of education. Read or Die is not only a compelling story, but it also offers revealing and meaningful insights into education in America from a seasoned insider.
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Charlie Joe Jackson's Guide to Not Reading
- Charlie Joe Jackson, Book 1
- By: Tommy Greenwald
- Narrated by: MacLeod Andrews
- Length: 3 hrs and 27 mins
- Unabridged
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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. This 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.
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Laugh Out Loud with an A+ Narrator
- By Chocolate Chip Stamper on 10-24-12
By: Tommy Greenwald
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Eliza and Her Monsters
- By: Francesca Zappia
- Narrated by: Caitlin Kelly, Kate Rudd
- Length: 8 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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Eighteen-year-old Eliza Mirk is the anonymous creator of the wildly popular webcomic Monstrous Sea, but when a new boy at school tempts her to live a life offline, everything she’s worked for begins to crumble. In the real world, Eliza Mirk is shy, weird, and friendless. Online, Eliza is LadyConstellation, anonymous creator of a popular webcomic called Monstrous Sea. With millions of followers and fans throughout the world, Eliza’s persona is popular. Eliza can’t imagine enjoying the real world as much as she loves her digital community.
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Just...... Breathtaking
- By Amazon Customer on 06-15-19
By: Francesca Zappia
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The Priority List
- A Teacher's Final Quest to Discover Life's Greatest Lessons
- By: David Menasche
- Narrated by: David Menasche
- Length: 4 hrs and 20 mins
- Unabridged
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David Menasche lived for his work as a high school English teacher. His passion inspired his students, and between lessons on Shakespeare and sentence structure, he forged a unique bond with his kids, buoying them through personal struggles while sharing valuable life lessons.
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Truly Inspiring!!
- By Trish on 07-13-14
By: David Menasche
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Ban This Book
- By: Alan Gratz
- Narrated by: Bahni Turpin
- Length: 5 hrs and 17 mins
- Unabridged
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It all started the day Amy Anne Ollinger tried to check out her favorite book in the whole world, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler, from the school library. That's when Mrs. Jones, the librarian, told her the bad news: her favorite book was banned, all because a classmate's mom thought the book wasn't appropriate for kids to read. Amy Anne decides to fight back by starting a secret banned books library out of her locker.
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LOVED IT!!!
- By Colleen on 12-20-18
By: Alan Gratz
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Liar, Liar
- The Theory, Practice and Destructive Properties of Deception
- By: Gary Paulsen
- Narrated by: Joshua Swanson
- Length: 2 hrs and 15 mins
- Unabridged
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Kevin has a big talent. Some might call it compulsive lying. He calls it common sense. Kev doesn’t mean to cause trouble by lying all the time; he’s just trying to make everything easier for everyone (and himself). And, of course, a few harmless, um, falsehoods are crucial to his plan to convince Tina that he’s the perfect boyfriend for her. In Gary Paulsen’s irresistible and chaotic comedy, Kevin’s lies spiral out of control until he’s faced with the need to do the unthinkable: tell the truth.
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Mindless entertainment
- By Melody on 01-21-15
By: Gary Paulsen
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The Secret Side of Empty
- By: Maria E. Andreu
- Narrated by: Eileen Stevens
- Length: 6 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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What's it like to be undocumented? High school senior M.T. knows all too well. With graduation and an uncertain future looming, she must figure out how to grow up in the only country she's ever called home... a country in which she's "illegal". M.T. was born in Argentina and brought to America as a baby without any official papers. And as questions of college, work, and the future arise, M.T. will have to decide what exactly she wants for herself, knowing someone she loves will unavoidably pay the price for it.
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Heavy topics handled well but just fell short 4 me
- By AudioBookHoe on 07-30-17
By: Maria E. Andreu
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Ginger Kid
- Mostly True Tales from a Former Nerd
- By: Steve Hofstetter
- Narrated by: Steve Hofstetter
- Length: 5 hrs and 59 mins
- Unabridged
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In Ginger Kid, popular comedian Steve Hofstetter grapples with life after seventh grade...when his world fell apart. Formatted as a series of personal essays, Steve walks his listeners through awkward early dating, family turbulence, and the revenge of the bullied nerds. This YA nonfiction is sure to be the beloved next volume for the first generation of Wimpy Kid fans who are all grown up and ready for a new misfit hero.
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Loved it.
- By Justin on 06-28-18
By: Steve Hofstetter
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Sleeping Freshmen Never Lie
- By: David Lubar
- Narrated by: Ryan MacConnell, the Full Cast Family
- Length: 6 hrs and 51 mins
- Unabridged
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From the author of Dunk comes this sparkling new novel that covers a year in the life of high school freshman Scott Hudson, who is sideswiped by the unexpected news that his mother is about to have another baby.
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Pick Me! Pick Me!
- By Misty on 12-10-07
By: David Lubar
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Schadenfreude, a Love Story
- Me, the Germans, and 20 Years of Attempted Transformations, Unfortunate Miscommunications, and Humiliating Situations That Only They Have Words For
- By: Rebecca Schuman
- Narrated by: Christa Lewis
- Length: 8 hrs and 57 mins
- Unabridged
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Schadenfreude is the story of a teenage Jewish intellectual who falls in love - in love with a boy (who breaks her heart), a language (that's nearly impossible to master), a culture (that's nihilistic but punctual), and a landscape (that's breathtaking when there's not a wall in the way). Rebecca is an everyday, misunderstood '90s teenager with a passion for Pearl Jam and Ethan Hawke circa Reality Bites until two men walk into her high school civics class: Dylan Gellner and Franz Kafka, hitching a ride in Dylan's backpack.
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A humorous, delectable read
- By Amazon Customer on 07-13-17
By: Rebecca Schuman
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My Awesome-Awful Popularity Plan
- By: Seth Rudetsky
- Narrated by: Seth Rudetsky, Andrea Burns, Paul Castree, and others
- Length: 5 hrs and 12 mins
- Unabridged
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Justin has two goals for sophomore year: to date Chuck, the hottest boy in school, and to become the king of Cool U, the table in the cafeteria where the "in" crowd sits. Unfortunately, he has the wrong look (short, plump, Brillo-pad curls), he has the wrong interests (Broadway, chorus violin), and he has the wrong friends (Spencer, into Eastern religions, and Mary Ann, who doesn't shave her armpits). And Chuck? Well, he's not gay; he's dating Becky, a girl in chorus with whom Justin is friendly.
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Outstanding
- By matt on 04-28-12
By: Seth Rudetsky
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Before I Had the Words
- On Being a Transgender Young Adult
- By: Skylar Kergil
- Narrated by: Skylar Kergil
- Length: 7 hrs and 7 mins
- Unabridged
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At the beginning of his physical transition from female to male, then-17-year-old Skylar Kergil posted his first video on YouTube. In the months and years that followed, he recorded weekly update videos about the physical and emotional changes he experienced. Skylar’s openness and positivity attracted thousands of viewers, who followed along as his voice deepened and his body changed shape. Through surgeries and recovery, highs and lows, from high school to college to the real world, Skylar welcomed others on his journey.
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So grateful to help me as grandma
- By Lisa Bridges on 11-11-20
By: Skylar Kergil
What listeners say about Read or Die
Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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- jstep
- 08-30-18
Teacher is awesome, story lost my interest...
Read or Die by Daphne Russell sounded like a book that I was going to devour when I read the description and I honestly hate to say that I didn't. The first hour or so I was avidly listening and really enjoying the story. Then at some point I realized that I was bored. The story almost seemed to be repeating itself. To me, it was much of the same stuff over and over again. Though I am by no means trying to take away from Ms. Russell's achievements dedication to her students. I love her approach to reaching these at-risk kids. I just wasn't hooked by the telling of the story.
E.L. Beckett did a great job narrating this story and I feel that she was a pretty perfect fit. She narrated matter-of-factly and she had a good reading voice for the author. Her reading wasn't flat at all and she did a good job with adding in the perfect amount of emotion, etc. I'd be happy to listen to more of her performances down the road. I was voluntarily provided this free review copy audiobook by the author, narrator, or publisher for an honest review.
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- Patty Surber
- 09-27-18
I don't teach but I can relate
Having gone to school with Miss Russell I can relate to what she is trying to share with the world. I work in the behavior health field with kids so I can relate in this aspect also.
Well done I loved listening to the book.
P. Phipps-Surber
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- Victoria Haugen
- 09-30-18
Thoughtful, Insightful and Real...
Thank you, Daphne. I wish there were more like you. Very powerful, insightful look in today's education system and challenges. If more people cared and were willing to get involved, the better our world would become. People like Daphne have inspired me and will continue to inspire me to care and to do more.
Today's kids are tomorrow's leaders. There is still goodness in the world. Let's share it, teach it, live it :)
Great book, great narration :) Loved it!
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
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- Sandra Johnson
- 08-01-18
a delighfull, engaging read.
Making a difference one child at a time. The narrator did an outstanding job living inside the character's head at a pace that demanded our full attention.
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- J.K.R.
- 08-15-18
Worth all five stars...
Read or Die, when I saw the title I thought this is exactly how I feel when I haven't read for more than two days. After reading the summary I found out it was about a teacher helping her students’ one book at time. Yet, while listening to this audiobook I found it was much more than that just a teacher and her ability to teach. Some reviews are saying it's great because you get a teacher's point of view, but that's not point. The point is this particular teacher's point of view. Not all teachers have the ability or care to see their students the way she did. She didn't see herself as some saviour. Just someone who would if she could change a student's trajectory... and she did it with books.
I found her story wonderful, human and a bit heart breaking. After hearing the audiobook (which I received a free copy) a few day ago, I brought a print copy to give to a friend. While on the train I started reading the book. When I was done I smiled and said, "Miss it was good".
I was given this free copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review
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- MolllyT
- 08-13-18
Excellent!
This is not a book about teaching students to decode words and assemble them into something meaningful, it is about using books to teach students to decode themselves and see something good. It's about trying her best to teach each one how to want to become the best self.
She causes the reader of her book to see each of a number of students (and teachers) as real, valuable, and challenging. Get clues from the publisher's blurb, then read the book.
E L Beckett gives an excellent audio interpretation!
I requested and received a free audio copy via AudioBookBOOM.
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- April H.
- 08-11-18
Read or Die!!!
Read or Die: A Story of Survival, Hope, and How a Life Was Saved One Book at a Time
: Daphne Russell
Daphne Russell spent 28 years in the classroom, teaching reading to high risk middle school students. Some of her methods may have been unconventional, but they worked. She knew if the kids couldn't make connections with the book, they wouldn't read it. This book takes the listener into her classroom in her final year of teaching. I found this an inspiring book.
The narration was well done. The characters were well portrayed by E.L. Beckett.
I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.
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