10 Children’s Books About Books
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Am I right when I say that we’re always looking to inspire our children to love books, reading, and stories? That turning them to book nerds, enthusiasts, or fans would be a significant goal? So what better book-loving indoctrination than reading children’s books about books? (And stories and reading.)
These ten books about books just happened to be published within the last month or so. (Coincidence? Hmmm. I think not.) Now, they’re waiting for us to read them with our children. And make more converts to our literary way of life.
Mwhahahaha.
10 Children’s Books About Books (and stories and reading and writing)
A Child of Books by Oliver Jeffers, illustrated by Sam Winston
Travel over mountains of make-believe, lose yourself in forests of fairy tales and live in a home of invention. This is a whimsical trip showing how you belong to the stories you read. Captivating illustrations are made from words and phrases– big, small, curvy, cave-like –from familiar stories adorn each page along with book spines, watercolor art, and ink drawings.
How This Book Was Made by Mac Barnett, illustrated by Adam Rex
I love this humorous book about books shared by the author and illustrator about their amazing (and slightly unusual!?) process of publishing a book. It goes something like this: getting an idea, writing lots of drafts, arguing with an editor, playing cards with a tiger, waiting forever for the illustrations, growing a long beard, printing the book in a huge pile that could be seen from space by ice-cream eating astronauts, sending books on a ship captured by pirates who don’t read, delivering books to places everywhere, and then the most important part — the waiting . . . the long waiting for someone to open a book. And read it. Because what’s a book without a reader? Read more in my interview with Mac and Adam.
The Storyteller by Evan Turk
In the Kingdom of Morocco near the great desert, storytellers have been forgotten and the city’s great fountains of water have gone dry. Fortunately, there is one curious boy and one last storyteller . . . and as the boy learns the storyteller’s stories, he’s really preparing to fight the powerful djinn who seeks to destroy the dried up city. In the tradition of Arabian Nights, the boy tells the djinn stories without ending them. While he shares the stories, the djinn doesn’t notice that the city’s inhabitants are refilling the city’s fountains which will save the city. This is a wonderful new fable and tribute to the power of storytelling.
Have a Look, Says Book. by Richard Jackson, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
A girl and her father sit in a cozy chair and open a book . . . together they travel through the pages where all the book things introduce themselves, describing what they’re like — squishy say peas, splashy says whale, furry says kitten. Ultimately, the girl and her father meet everything and are cozy.
The Typewriter by Bill Thomson
In this richly illustrated mostly wordless picture book, three friends find a magical typewriter. Everything they type manifests for real — only a gigantic size of it! The beach, a ball, ice cream, . . . a CRAB! Yikes! One girl ingeniously types the perfect thing to make the huge crab go away. Got to love the power of words . . .
Make Way for Readers by Judy Sierra and G. Brian Karas
The animal readers and their books join Miss Bingo, the storytime flamingo, for a rollicking time of story and movement. Even when little Annabelle’s toe is stepped on, her friends make her smile again by telling her a story. Younger children will enjoy this sweet celebration of storytime and stories!
Let Me Finish! by Minh Le, illustrated by Isabel Roxas
Don’t you hate it when people interrupt you when you’re reading? Worse yet, when they ruin the story by telling you what happens!? If so, then you’ll love this hilarious story about just that. Unfortunately, this harassed reading boy just can’t escape the animals who want to tell him everything. And the ending? Well, I won’t tell you. Wouldn’t want to spoil it now would I?
A Squiggly Story by Andrew Larsen, illustrated by Mike Lowery
I love this book about writing books because it shows that all of us are writers — even when we can’t write letters or words quite yet! And this determined young writer proves it.
The Summer Nick Taught His Cats to Read by Curtis Manley and Katie Berube
Nick does everything with his cats — except read books. That’s why Nick decides to teach his cats to read, too. Verne, the cat, is interested but Stevenson, the cat, is not. Until . . . Nick discovers Stevenson’s drawing. In the end, all Stevenson needs are words for his own story.
I Am a Story by Dan Yaccarino
This informative picture book about books describes the history of stories: oral tellings around campfires, paintings on cave walls, weavings into tapestries, paintings, and more to show that stories connect us and endure throughout time.
thanks for the suggestion!
Also…Bears Don’t Read! By Emma Chichester Clark. It’s adorable and addresses how reading can be hard at first.
Not meaning to add to your already great selection but these are note worthy!
thanks!!