Pardon this moment of book self-promotion: Did I happen to mention that I can now reveal the jacket of the paperback for Better Than Before? Oh right, maybe I did. Anyway, here it is again!

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…

A book about happiness, good habits, or human nature

Pack of Two: the Intricate Bonds Between People and Dogs by Caroline Knapp (I’ve been obsessively reading dog books lately, and this book discusses the connection between dogs, happiness, and habits — and much more)

An outstanding children’s book:

Fairy Tales by Hans Christian Andersen

An eccentric pick:

J. M. Barrie and the Lost Boys: the Real Story Behind Peter Pan by Andrew Birkin

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?