Pardon this moment of book self-promotion: For many people — at least in this part of the world — September marks a time of new beginnings. In my book, Happier at Home, I write about how I did a project from September through May, to make my home a happier place. If you, too, feel like September is the other January, you might like the book. What a joy it was to write! Learn more about the book here.

Because nothing boosts happiness more than a great book, each month, I suggest:

· one outstanding book about happiness or habits

· one outstanding work of children’s or young-adult literature–I have a crazy passion for kidlit

· one eccentric pick–a widely admired and excellent book that I love, yes, but one that may not appeal to everyone

Shop at IndieBound, BN.com, or Amazon (I’m an affiliate), or your favorite local bookstore. Or visit the library! Drumroll…

The Diary of Anne Frank

An outstanding children’s book:

What I Saw and How I Lied by Judy Blundell — Note: This book is definitely young-adult, not for children.

An eccentric pick:

A Tale for the Time Being by Ruth Ozeki

Some readers have said that they wished that I’d describe and make the case for my book choices, instead of just providing links. I’ve noticed that many times when someone describes a book to me, I want to read it less. And often, weirdly, the better a book is, the worse it sounds.

In any event, I assure you that, for all the books I choose, I love them; I’ve read them at least twice if not many times; and they’re widely admired.

If you read last month’s recommendations…what did you think