Whoopi Goldberg, Academy Award winning actress, comedian, singer-songwriter

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Whoopi Goldberg: "Books and reading have always been an important part of my life. If I can give kids and their parents something that'll make them smile and maybe teaches them a little something about living with one another on our planet, it makes me a happy granny."

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

(literature and fiction, classics, mystery and thrillers)

"...when reading, the characters and situations are so vivid - it will always remain my favourite"

Source:

http://www.futureradio.co.uk

Whoopi is a book lover/fanatic/ critic and has come to the book party with her latest recommendations. She says: "What I’m going to do during the course of the next few months is just hip you to some books I’m reading — some of the kids’ books, some of the adult books that I’ve decided that I want to get into …" So herewith, her children’s book recommendations.

Dr. Seuss Beginner Concept Cards: Opposites by Scholastic

(children books (Ages 4-8), children books)

"It’s that time of year again. School is starting up and kids are going to be reading all kinds of things. So I’m just going to tell you about a couple of really good kids’ books I think you’ll enjoy for your children – books that are safe and won’t freak them out, but are really adventuresome. Some are for little, little kids and some are for middle-sized kids and some are for the tweens. So let’s start with the little, little kids. I’m a big fan of teaching kids with cards, like the flash cards we used to have. Scholastic has put out some fabulous ones called Dr. Seuss Beginner Concept Cards: Opposites. And, really, they’re giving you a good idea, or giving your little flasher, as I’ll call them, a good idea of what opposites are. You’ll see the cat in the hat with the hat on, and then another card with the cat in the hat with the hat off, and then you’ll see the pup and the pup is on a seesaw and pup is up and pup is down. For the two- to three-year-old set, this is a really great fun box to deal with because it’s got all kinds of fun pictures in that Dr. Seuss style. So I’m a big fan of these because I think anything you can do to give kids a hand up is always going to work out."

The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey

(children books (Ages 4-8), children books, children books (Ages 9-12), adventure, children books series, sci-fi)

"If kids are a little bit older, you can handle the Captain Underpants collection, by Dav Pilkey. Captain Underpants is a superhero who flies around in his underwear and has all kinds of great adventures. They’ve finally put a collector’s edition together called The Adventures of Captain Underpants and it has one of those groovy things you would get in a Cracker Jacks box. (Remember those rings where you would flash them back and forth and they would show you different pictures?) Well, that’s what’s on the cover of this. I have to tell you I love Captain Underpants because he’s just silly. It’s a fun-filled special edition of the bestselling book that started the craze for all things preshrunk and cottony. You’ll get to meet Captain Underpants because he’s faster than the speeding waistband, more powerful than boxer shorts and able to leap up tall buildings without getting a wedgie. And, as you know, eight-year-olds think wedgies are hilarious, as do I, which should tell you a lot about me. But this is a really fun collection; it’s got great pictures in it and things that you will really enjoy. You can read this with your kids because it’s in kids’ taste. If you’re looking for little Jack Sprat it’s not going to work, but if you’re looking to engage your younger children to read, this is the perfect book to start them on. Captain Underpants: It’s just lots of fun and they give you a bonus CD inside when you get the collector’s edition. "

I also love the Gregor series by Suzanne Collins, also published by Scholastic. I do a lot of reading from Scholastic because, basically, they’re around the corner from my house so whenever I go looking for tween novels or anything having to do with kids and reading, I spend a lot of time at Scholastic. They’re not the only folks out there who do children’s books but they’re pretty consistent, and I can vouch for them because I read them a lot.

Gregor The Overlander (The Underland Chronicles, Book 1) by Suzanne Collins

(children books (Ages 9-12), children books, adventure, sci-fi)

"The first book in the Gregor series is called Gregor the Overlander and it’s for the eight- to 12-year-olds. Eleven-year-old Gregor follows his little sister through a grate in the laundry room of their New York City apartment building and he ends up in another place — he’s in the Underland, which is underneath the city of New York. It’s really interesting and fun. There are all kinds of giant things which adults get really squeamish about, but it’s really, really well-done and it turns out that there’s a lot of conflict going on under there. Gregor is really looking for his little sister who fell through the grate and it’s a huge wonderful adventure. There are giant spiders and friendly flying bats, and giant cockroaches who are taking care of business, and the rats — they’re kind of questionable, very shady — but it’s a great read. And I have to tell you: There are several books in the collection and I loved each and every one of them. I even recommend them for adults who are looking for a great adventure novel. They’re fun, they’re short and the print is big if you’re of a certain age. But kids really get a kick out of it. They get a kick out of these books in a different way than adults do because you have to not be so squeamish when you start reading this if you’re a grown-up. But kids really have taken to this and every kid I’ve given the Gregor series to has really dug it. So I’m recommending Gregor the Overlander as a first to get your feet wet and to get yourself in there. "

Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane (The Underland Chronicles, Book 2) by Suzanne Collins

(children books (Ages 9-12), children books, adventure, sci-fi)

Gregor And The Curse Of The Warmbloods (The Underland Chronicles, Book 3) by Suzanne Collins

(children books (Ages 9-12), children books, adventure, sci-fi)

Gregor And The Marks Of Secret (The Underland Chronicles, Book 4) by Suzanne Collins

(children books (Ages 9-12), children books, adventure, sci-fi)

Gregor And The Code Of Claw (The Underland Chronicles, Book 5) by Suzanne Collins

(children books (Ages 9-12), children books, adventure, sci-fi, teens)

The last book I’m going to recommend is The 39 Clues. It’s by Rick Riordan and I have to tell you I’ve just started this book but I’m having the best time with it.

The Maze of Bones (The 39 Clues, Book 1) by Rick Riordan

(children books (Ages 9-12), children books, adventure)

"It’s book No. 1 which is Maze Of Bones and I’ll just give you a little taste of what it is. It asks, “What would happen if one day you discovered that your family was one of the most powerful families in history? What if you were told that the source of the family’s power was hidden around the world in the form of 39 clues? What if you were given the choice to take $1 million and walk away or get the first clue and begin the search? That’s what this book is about. A couple of kids, Dan and Amy, are given the choice and they decide to give up the million bucks to go search for the clue, and immediately they are caught up in all kinds of wacky stuff going on. One of the reasons that I love this is when you get the book, they give you cards, clue cards. There is also a website you can interact with, the39clues.com, and it’s really, really well-thought-out and smartly written and I think that kids will really dig it! I’m loving it. I’ve just started and I’m really in it. I can’t believe I took time off to talk about it because I so love it."

One False Note (The 39 Clues, Book 2) by Gordon Korman

(children books (Ages 9-12), children books, adventure)

The Sword Thief (The 39 Clues, Book 3) by Peter Lerangis

(children books (Ages 9-12), children books, adventure, teens)

Beyond the Grave (The 39 Clues, Book 4) by Jude Watson

(children books (Ages 9-12), children books, adventure)

And then for teenagers: I’m sure they’re already aware of the Twilight series with Bella and Edward Cullen, who is, in fact, a vampire. When you read the outside of the book it seems like a sexy novel for young people. It’s not very sexy; it’s actually quite banal, but it’s put together really well. I think that if you’re going to get your teen readers into something that is really going to grab them, this would be a great series to start with. I’m a big believer of series because I think kids will keep going, keep reading if it’s in a series. The author of Twilight is Stephenie Meyer. Stephenie Meyer has tapped into something that is quite extraordinary and fun and a little bit dangerous but not scary, and kind of like, “What if?” These characters are really well-drawn-out. Bella is a great character, she is the girl that first moves to the town and meets this guy, Edward Cullen, who turns out to be a vampire. As much as Bella wants to get close to him, she doesn’t really realize that she’s putting her entire family at risk with this. In a funny way, it’s what happens when you have your first boyfriend and you don’t know what it’s going to be like and you don’t know what you’re exposing your family to. The book is so beautifully written. I really love them and there is a series of them. They are now comparing Stephenie Meyer to J.K. Rowling, but it’s a good way to get teenagers to continue to read and maybe get them off the computer, to spend a little time in a book.

Twilight (The Twilight Saga, Book 1) by Stephenie Meyer

(sci-fi, children books, teens)

New Moon (The Twilight Saga, Book 2) by Stephenie Meyer

(sci-fi, children books, teens)

Eclipse (The Twilight Saga, Book 3) by Stephenie Meyer

(sci-fi, children books, teens)

Breaking Dawn (The Twilight Saga, Book 4) by Stephenie Meyer

(sci-fi, children books, fantasy series, fantasy, teens)

Source:

http://www.wowowow.com

Why should you listen to her?

Whoopi Goldberg is one of the few artists to win Oscar, Emmy, Grammy, Tony, and Golden Globe Awards. She is equally well-known for her tireless humanitarian efforts on behalf of children, the homeless, human rights, education, substance abuse and the battle against AIDS, as well as many other causes and charities. She currently executive produces and stars in her new NBC sitcom, "Whoopi" and can also be seen on Nick Jr.'s "Whoopi's Littleburg," a series of half-hour TV specials set in "The Preschool Capital of the World," which she also produces. Whoopi has been honored with multiple NAACP Image, People's Choice and Nickelodeon Kids' Choice Awards. She wrote the children's book, "Alice," and her "Book" made the New York Times Bestseller List and has been published around the world.

One of the most famous female comedians in the U.S., Whoopi Goldberg is also known for her dramatic performances in the films The Color Purple (1985, with Oprah Winfrey) and Ghost (1990, starring Demi Moore). Goldberg (who got her surname from her first husband) made a name for herself in the early 1980s with a one-woman stage production, The Spook Show. After touring the United States, she took her hit show to Broadway, which led Steven Spielberg to cast her in his film adaptation of the Alice Walker novel, The Color Purple. Goldberg earned an Oscar nomination and kicked off a movie career that has included an Oscar win for Ghost, the hit films Sister Act (1992) and Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993) and voice work for the animated features The Lion King (1994) and The Pagemaster (1994). Active in TV as well, she's had a talk show, a comedy series, specials on HBO, a recurring role on Star Trek: The Next Generation (1988-93) and a regular gig on the game show The Hollywood Squares (1998-2004). Goldberg is also known as an activist who helped start Comic Relief (1986) to raise funds for the homeless (other founding performers include comedians Billy Crystal and Robin Williams). In addition to her Oscar for Ghost, Goldberg has a Grammy for Whoopi Goldberg (1985), an Emmy for hosting Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel (2002) and a Tony for producing Thoroughly Modern Millie (2002). In 2006 Goldberg jumped into the world of satellite radio, but the next year she joined the panel of hosts on TV's The View, taking the place of out-going Rosie O'Donnel.

Who are your favorite contemporary literary heroes or heroines?

Stephen King, Candace Bushnell, Adriana Trigiani, J.K. Rowling

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Tell a friend

Whoopi Goldberg: "Books and reading have always been an important part of my life. If I can give kids and their parents something that'll make them smile and maybe teaches them a little something about living with one another on our planet, it makes me a happy granny."

To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee

(literature and fiction, classics, mystery and thrillers)

"...when reading, the characters and situations are so vivid - it will always remain my favourite"

Source:

http://www.futureradio.co.uk

Whoopi is a book lover/fanatic/ critic and has come to the book party with her latest recommendations. She says: "What I’m going to do during the course of the next few months is just hip you to some books I’m reading — some of the kids’ books, some of the adult books that I’ve decided that I want to get into …" So herewith, her children’s book recommendations.

Dr. Seuss Beginner Concept Cards: Opposites by Scholastic

(children books (Ages 4-8), children books)

"It’s that time of year again. School is starting up and kids are going to be reading all kinds of things. So I’m just going to tell you about a couple of really good kids’ books I think you’ll enjoy for your children – books that are safe and won’t freak them out, but are really adventuresome. Some are for little, little kids and some are for middle-sized kids and some are for the tweens. So let’s start with the little, little kids. I’m a big fan of teaching kids with cards, like the flash cards we used to have. Scholastic has put out some fabulous ones called Dr. Seuss Beginner Concept Cards: Opposites. And, really, they’re giving you a good idea, or giving your little flasher, as I’ll call them, a good idea of what opposites are. You’ll see the cat in the hat with the hat on, and then another card with the cat in the hat with the hat off, and then you’ll see the pup and the pup is on a seesaw and pup is up and pup is down. For the two- to three-year-old set, this is a really great fun box to deal with because it’s got all kinds of fun pictures in that Dr. Seuss style. So I’m a big fan of these because I think anything you can do to give kids a hand up is always going to work out."

The Adventures of Captain Underpants by Dav Pilkey

(children books (Ages 4-8), children books, children books (Ages 9-12), adventure, children books series, sci-fi)

"If kids are a little bit older, you can handle the Captain Underpants collection, by Dav Pilkey. Captain Underpants is a superhero who flies around in his underwear and has all kinds of great adventures. They’ve finally put a collector’s edition together called The Adventures of Captain Underpants and it has one of those groovy things you would get in a Cracker Jacks box. (Remember those rings where you would flash them back and forth and they would show you different pictures?) Well, that’s what’s on the cover of this. I have to tell you I love Captain Underpants because he’s just silly. It’s a fun-filled special edition of the bestselling book that started the craze for all things preshrunk and cottony. You’ll get to meet Captain Underpants because he’s faster than the speeding waistband, more powerful than boxer shorts and able to leap up tall buildings without getting a wedgie. And, as you know, eight-year-olds think wedgies are hilarious, as do I, which should tell you a lot about me. But this is a really fun collection; it’s got great pictures in it and things that you will really enjoy. You can read this with your kids because it’s in kids’ taste. If you’re looking for little Jack Sprat it’s not going to work, but if you’re looking to engage your younger children to read, this is the perfect book to start them on. Captain Underpants: It’s just lots of fun and they give you a bonus CD inside when you get the collector’s edition. "

I also love the Gregor series by Suzanne Collins, also published by Scholastic. I do a lot of reading from Scholastic because, basically, they’re around the corner from my house so whenever I go looking for tween novels or anything having to do with kids and reading, I spend a lot of time at Scholastic. They’re not the only folks out there who do children’s books but they’re pretty consistent, and I can vouch for them because I read them a lot.

Gregor The Overlander (The Underland Chronicles, Book 1) by Suzanne Collins

(children books (Ages 9-12), children books, adventure, sci-fi)

"The first book in the Gregor series is called Gregor the Overlander and it’s for the eight- to 12-year-olds. Eleven-year-old Gregor follows his little sister through a grate in the laundry room of their New York City apartment building and he ends up in another place — he’s in the Underland, which is underneath the city of New York. It’s really interesting and fun. There are all kinds of giant things which adults get really squeamish about, but it’s really, really well-done and it turns out that there’s a lot of conflict going on under there. Gregor is really looking for his little sister who fell through the grate and it’s a huge wonderful adventure. There are giant spiders and friendly flying bats, and giant cockroaches who are taking care of business, and the rats — they’re kind of questionable, very shady — but it’s a great read. And I have to tell you: There are several books in the collection and I loved each and every one of them. I even recommend them for adults who are looking for a great adventure novel. They’re fun, they’re short and the print is big if you’re of a certain age. But kids really get a kick out of it. They get a kick out of these books in a different way than adults do because you have to not be so squeamish when you start reading this if you’re a grown-up. But kids really have taken to this and every kid I’ve given the Gregor series to has really dug it. So I’m recommending Gregor the Overlander as a first to get your feet wet and to get yourself in there. "

Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane (The Underland Chronicles, Book 2) by Suzanne Collins

(children books (Ages 9-12), children books, adventure, sci-fi)

Gregor And The Curse Of The Warmbloods (The Underland Chronicles, Book 3) by Suzanne Collins

(children books (Ages 9-12), children books, adventure, sci-fi)

Gregor And The Marks Of Secret (The Underland Chronicles, Book 4) by Suzanne Collins

(children books (Ages 9-12), children books, adventure, sci-fi)

Gregor And The Code Of Claw (The Underland Chronicles, Book 5) by Suzanne Collins

(children books (Ages 9-12), children books, adventure, sci-fi, teens)

The last book I’m going to recommend is The 39 Clues. It’s by Rick Riordan and I have to tell you I’ve just started this book but I’m having the best time with it.

The Maze of Bones (The 39 Clues, Book 1) by Rick Riordan

(children books (Ages 9-12), children books, adventure)

"It’s book No. 1 which is Maze Of Bones and I’ll just give you a little taste of what it is. It asks, “What would happen if one day you discovered that your family was one of the most powerful families in history? What if you were told that the source of the family’s power was hidden around the world in the form of 39 clues? What if you were given the choice to take $1 million and walk away or get the first clue and begin the search? That’s what this book is about. A couple of kids, Dan and Amy, are given the choice and they decide to give up the million bucks to go search for the clue, and immediately they are caught up in all kinds of wacky stuff going on. One of the reasons that I love this is when you get the book, they give you cards, clue cards. There is also a website you can interact with, the39clues.com, and it’s really, really well-thought-out and smartly written and I think that kids will really dig it! I’m loving it. I’ve just started and I’m really in it. I can’t believe I took time off to talk about it because I so love it."

One False Note (The 39 Clues, Book 2) by Gordon Korman

(children books (Ages 9-12), children books, adventure)

The Sword Thief (The 39 Clues, Book 3) by Peter Lerangis

(children books (Ages 9-12), children books, adventure, teens)

Beyond the Grave (The 39 Clues, Book 4) by Jude Watson

(children books (Ages 9-12), children books, adventure)

And then for teenagers: I’m sure they’re already aware of the Twilight series with Bella and Edward Cullen, who is, in fact, a vampire. When you read the outside of the book it seems like a sexy novel for young people. It’s not very sexy; it’s actually quite banal, but it’s put together really well. I think that if you’re going to get your teen readers into something that is really going to grab them, this would be a great series to start with. I’m a big believer of series because I think kids will keep going, keep reading if it’s in a series. The author of Twilight is Stephenie Meyer. Stephenie Meyer has tapped into something that is quite extraordinary and fun and a little bit dangerous but not scary, and kind of like, “What if?” These characters are really well-drawn-out. Bella is a great character, she is the girl that first moves to the town and meets this guy, Edward Cullen, who turns out to be a vampire. As much as Bella wants to get close to him, she doesn’t really realize that she’s putting her entire family at risk with this. In a funny way, it’s what happens when you have your first boyfriend and you don’t know what it’s going to be like and you don’t know what you’re exposing your family to. The book is so beautifully written. I really love them and there is a series of them. They are now comparing Stephenie Meyer to J.K. Rowling, but it’s a good way to get teenagers to continue to read and maybe get them off the computer, to spend a little time in a book.