“… a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge.”
― George R.R. Martin, A Game of Thrones
I’ve been to more imaginary worlds than I have to earthly ones and I say this with some bookish experience that books are MAGIC. They truly are.
Some random words strung together that have the power to make you smile, to make you cry, to haunt you, to help you grow, to change you, are nothing short of magic.
So, when NutSpace EdTech and I came up with the idea of this newsletter, I immediately knew the first theme:
Books about Book love!
These are all books that celebrate books, stories and the written word in their own unique way. They are every bibliophiles dream, with creative literary references and fantastical and geeky elements that’ll give you some serious book hangovers.
So, without further ado, let’s delve into this months recommendations:
Books for 2 to 6 Year Olds
A Book is a Bee
Lavanya Karthik
“It lets you feel and find, climb and plunge, sail and
In all but 22 pages this book shows all that books can be and every page is so relatable and magnificent, each sentence so poetic. Collage illustrations make each page come alive making the book a nostalgic, whimsical experience.
The Incredible Book-eating Boy
Oliver Jeffers
“Like many children, Henry loves books. But Henry doesn’t like to read books, he likes to eat them. Big books, picture books, reference books . . . if it has pages, Henry chews them up and swallows (but red ones are his favorite). And the more he eats, the smarter he gets–he’s on his way to being the smartest boy in the world! But one day he feels sick to his stomach. And the information is so jumbled up inside, he can’t digest it! Can Henry find a way to enjoy books without using his teeth?”
Another witty masterpiece by Oliver Jeffers, this book is a laugh riot, with a pinch of wisdom. The thing with Jeffers is that what may seem like a silly story on the surface, has a hidden depth that appeals to all ages. The same goes with this one. It’s a great book to be read aloud and enjoyed with the family.
Each page is magnificently painted with watercolor and pencil artwork, with pages from old books peeping out here and there. The texts is in a variety of typewriter prints running haphazardly on pages, the whole things giving it a very old school, textbook feel. There’s even a bite taken out from the back cover!
Books for 7 to 9 Year Olds
Bookasura
Arundhati Venkatesh
“A strange many-headed creature, Bookasura, makes an appearance when Bala is at his grandparent’s house. Bala keeps Bookasura at bay by supplying him with a steady stream of books. But Bala will soon run out of books.
What then?
Will Bookasura eat Bala up?
Or will Bala be able to save himself?”
Winner of the Comic Con Best Children’s Book 2015, this book shows that imagination is the only superpower you need to beat fear. Bala’s is a delightful tale of courage and book-loving. He shows how stories have the ability to stay with you forever and come back to you just when you need them. Arundhati Venkatesh’s writing is entertaining, with layers that require it to be read many times. Her story flows well, but the best part of this book is the ending which is like a stunning display of fireworks, it is completely satisfying.
For 10 to 14 Year Olds
Inkheart
Cornelia Funke
“From internationally acclaimed storyteller Cornelia Funke, this bestselling, magical epic is now out in paperback!
One cruel night, Meggie’s father reads aloud from a book called INKHEART– and an evil ruler escapes the boundaries of fiction and lands in their living room. Suddenly, Meggie is smack in the middle of the kind of adventure she has only read about in books. Meggie must learn to harness the magic that has conjured this nightmare. For only she can change the course of the story that has changed her life forever.
This is INKHEART–a timeless tale about books, about imagination, about life. Dare to read it aloud.”
A delightfully detailed adventure about an underdog and her journey to overcome obstacles to set the world right again. In fact, each character in the book has a purpose and is on their personal journey, making it an interesting read in character development. Even though the book does slow down in places, it’s worth the ending.
Funke draws an amazing parallel between the real world and the fictional world making it a curious examination of what would happen if stories were to come to life.
Escape from Mr.Lemoncello’s Library
Chris Grabenstein
“Kyle Keeley is the class clown, popular with most kids, (if not the teachers), and an ardent fan of all games: board games, word games, and particularly video games. His hero, Luigi Lemoncello, the most notorious and creative game maker in the world, just so happens to be the genius behind the building of the new town library.
Lucky Kyle wins a coveted spot to be one of the first 12 kids in the library for an overnight of fun, food, and lots and lots of games. But when morning comes, the doors remain locked. Kyle and the other winners must solve every clue and every secret puzzle to find the hidden escape route. And the stakes are very high.”
This book is highly reminiscent of Dahl’s Charlie and The Chocolate Factory. With quirky characters, a challenge full of puzzles and riddles, and an eccentric genius, it makes for a funny, witty, engaging read that highlights the importance of friendship and teamwork. Also, it puts libraries in a whole different/new light and that for me makes this an important read for this current generation who have so many means of entertainment to chose from and don’t know the nostalgia of walking into a library every week to get a new book!
For 14 to 18 Year Olds
Haroun and the Sea of Stories
Salmaan Rushdie
“Haroun lives with his father named Rashid, a locally famous storyteller whose wife, Soraya (also Haroun’s mother), is seduced by the neighbour. Rashid soon works for local politicians, and along with Haroun, is sent to the Valley of K to speak on behalf of a politician named Snooty Buttoo. On their journey in Buttoo’s yacht, Haroun stumbles upon the Iff, the Water Genie who plans to detach Rashid’s imagination.
Haroun, appalled at the idea, demands to speak to the Water Genie’s superior. Upon his request, he is taken to the magical Sea of Stories with the help of an artificial intelligence nicknamed Butt. There, Haroun discovers a hidden world where a battle is being waged between two rival kingdoms.”
Salmon Rushdie’s first children’s book is a fantasy in an Arabian Nights-ish setting. That’s the first thing that makes this book so one-of-a-kind. Then comes the multi-layered storyline, which makes one ponder things like the purpose of stories, how they can be misused, whether they ought to be free or caged.
I loved the writing in this book! It is SO delicious and atmospheric that I remember reading most pages twice just to let the effect soak in. There’s more meaning than one to every character, every circumstance, and the book is full of puns and wordplay. So, if you’re looking for one reason to read this book, read it for the writing.
The Book Thief
Marcus Zusak
“It is 1939. Nazi Germany. The country is holding its breath. Death has never been busier and will be busier still.
By her brother’s graveside, Liesel’s life is changed when she picks up a single object, partially hidden in the snow. It is The Gravedigger’s Handbook, left behind there by accident, and it is her first act of book thievery. So begins a love affair with books and words, as Liesel, with the help of her accordion-playing foster father, learns to read. Soon she is stealing books from Nazi book-burnings, the mayor’s wife’s library, wherever there are books to be found.
But these are dangerous times. When Liesel’s foster family hides a Jew in their basement, Liesel’s world is both opened up and closed down.”
This devastatingly powerful classic takes you back to a heinous time in history and brings you close to a common 12-year-old trying to make sense of life in a chaotic, merciless, tragic world. This is such a well-thought-out book, each character, each connection, each scene serves a purpose and will give you a lot of insight, lots to think about.
The story is narrated by Death and that makes the narrative ever so effective, emphasizing the fate that awaits all of humanity, making each relationship in the book so precious they’ll stay with you for a long time once you’ve finished it. If you read this book prepare for it to move you, change you a bit and also keep some tissues handy.
