My Life as a Book

Janet and Jake Tashjians award-winning My Life series, praised by Kirkus Reviews as "a kinder, gentler Wimpy Kid with all the fun", follows the coming-of-age misadventures of middle-grader Derek Fallon in school and through his attempts to follow his bliss. My Life as a Book is the one that started it all... Summer's finally here, and Derek Fallon is looking forward to pelting the UPS truck with water balloons, climbing onto the garage roof, and conducting silly investigations.

But when his parents decide to send him to Learning Camp, Derek's dreams of fun come to an end. Ever since he's been labeled a "reluctant reader," his mom has pushed him to read "real" books-something other than his beloved Calvin & Hobbes. As Derek forges unexpected friendships and uncovers a family secret involving himself (in diapers! no less), he realizes that adventures and surprises are around the corner, complete with curve balls.

My Life as a Book is a 2011 Bank Street - Best Children's Book of the Year. A Macmillan Audio production from Henry Holt and Company

Tashjian is the author of many acclaimed books for young adults, including The Gospel According to Larry, Fault Line, Multiple Choice, and the My Life As A... series. Disney adapted Tru Confessions into a television movie starring Shia LaBeouf and Clara Bryant. Janet studied at the University of Rhode Island and Emerson College.

She lives in Needham, Massachusetts, with her family. Jake Tashjian illustrates the My Life As A... series in collaboration with his mother, Janet Tashjian. He has also illustrated several books for the author P.

T. Evans. When Jake was in elementary school, he used to draw his vocabulary words on index cards.

This later became the inspiration for the main character, Derek Fallon, in the My Life As A... series. Jake grew up in Massachusetts and currently lives in Los Angeles.