The Pagemaster

by Jordan Horowitz

Dashing into the local library to escape a storm, Richard is suddenly hurled into another dimension where books come to life

Genres: Fantasy, Childrens, Middle Grade, Adventure, Young Adult, Fiction, Classics

75 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1994

Reviews

[Rachel · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars.


Ohh how I wish I read this as a child. I would have loved it. That said, I do still appreciate it now and how strongly it manages to make you remember your own personal love for books.

This is an incredible adventure story about being brave and facing your fears.

Absolutely loved this. Can't wait to now watch the movie.

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ik jatte dit boek altijd van mijn broer toen ik kind was. Niet om het te lezen, want dat kon ik toen nog niet zo goed, maar vanwege de illustraties. De illustraties zijn echt prachtig en zijn echt wel een toevoeging aan het verhaal. Het verhaal zelf is vrij simpel maar zit wel goed in elkaar. Ik vind het persoonlijk fijn dat de schrijver de hoofdpersoon in 94 bladzijde een sterker persoon kan maken. Sommige boeken doen daar iets langer over. Ik had het wel leuker gevonden als het boek iets langer was geweest, want je kan zoveel meer met de genres die in dit boek aan bod kwamen!

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I seen the movie of this years ago when I was a kid and thought I'd finally read the book, I am so glad that I did! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and it took me right back to when I was a kid!

All of the stories in this book are awesome and I loved the way it was written. I love the character Horror :)

I recommend this book to people of all ages. It makes me want to watch the movie again! 5 stars from me!

[Cari Piatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

All the nostalgia with this book! My kids loved it and I can’t wait for them to watch the movie now! Great read!

[Kora · Rating 5 out of 5]

Though often dismissed as a movie tie-in, The Pagemaster deserves a second look through a mythic and philosophical lens. Beneath its brisk adventure lies a potent allegory about fear, transformation, and the sacred power of story. Richard Tyler, a boy paralyzed by caution, is thrust into a surreal library realm where books become living archetypes - Adventure, Fantasy, and Horror - each representing facets of the human psyche and the trials of growing up.

The journey through Storyland isn't just a plot device - it's a metaphor for inner reckoning. Richard's encounters with literary legends mirror the classic hero's journey, but with a twist: the monsters he faces are projections of his own anxieties, and the exit sign becomes a symbol of self-realization. The library itself functions as a liminal space - a temple of imagination where fear is transmuted into courage through narrative immersion.

Strasser's prose may be simple, but the themes are anything but. This is a tale about the alchemy of reading - how stories shape identity, challenge assumptions, and offer sanctuary. For adult readers attuned to metaphor and myth, The Pagemaster is more than nostalgic - it's a compact fable about the transformative power of literature.

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

Averaged it to 3.5 stars between my 4 kids.

I was so excited to read this book to my kids. The movie was a big part of my childhood. I love that it takes place in a library and is centered around books, especially the Classics.
It is a very quick read with 14 small chapters. We read half before bed and finished it during breakfast the following morning.

Now that we've finished, we will plan a family movie night to watch the film.

[SugarBooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Lo leí de pequeña, pero lo tengo en mi colección de libros guardado con mucho cariño. sin duda un libro que leerán mis futuros hijos... recomendado para todos los niños y no tan niños, que disfrutan con la fantasía. Es precioso :)

[Virginia · Rating 2 out of 5]

Libro pasable que me leí siendo jovencita. La principal lección que enseña es a respetar y valorar a los libros e intentar mostrar el bien que hace la lectura. Obviamente y viendo la sociedad que tenemos, el mensaje no caló demasiado.

[Sammy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really cute book!
Overall I’d say it was 4.5/5 stars.
Loved the references to other books in the book, always like that! The story is short and very quick moving. Just overall very cute and has good morals!

[Kobito · Rating 2 out of 5]

Good message. But I'm a little bit too old to enjoy this book but for a kid, I think it would be a cute little adventure.

[Giulia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Uno dei libri più belli della mia infanzia! ❤️

[Ilenia🌙 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Il libro d’infanzia che mi ha fatto amare la lettura ❤️

[Starlight JayJay · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was such a lovely read. I loved the movie as a kid and its why I bought the book. So many childhood memories. It was so good. A good book for young readers.

[Cristina · Rating 5 out of 5]

Me lo leí en su día y me flipó. Perfecto para chavales de 8-10 años que están empezando a engancharse a la lectura

[Francesca Strada · Rating 5 out of 5]

I remember watching the movie.
The book is just as good. It is probably also thanks to movies like this and stories like this that I love reading so much.

[Joana Rodrigues · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whatever you imagined

[Isa Lot · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cometí el error de ver la película antes de leer el libro. Y es que el libro y la película son idénticos, la película tiene frases literales del libro y por tanto, me aburrí mucho leyéndolo porque sabía todo lo que iba a pasar.

Aun así puedo deciros que es un libro infantil fantástico para niños de unos 8 a 11 años, aunque yo siendo mayor lo leyera por curiosidad. Es muy divertido y me gustó encontrar en él a personajes de otros libros clásicos. Es un libro adecuado para lectores, así sabrás de que personajes habla.

[Anna Serra i Vidal · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quick and fun read, even though it reads as a film novelization and it shows sometimes. If it was a real MG it would benefit from some deepening characterization.
But kids enjoy it and read it so quickly it's nice to see them flipping pages!

[Andrea Merelo · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wow, it sucks! My first script-book adaptation and I'm feeling really disappointed. A lots of "Pum! Pam! Piu!".. Descriptions of the things I saw in the movie when I was a kid and nothing more. Wow. No. Really horrible.

[Razan · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book when I was 8. And after I was done, I felt sooo proud of myself for what I have accomplished. I never stopped reading since!! It's amazing what one little book can do to a persons life <3!!!

[Destin Kozojed · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my favorite book when I was young. I read it a bunch of times.

[Sara Narrow-LaPoint · Rating 2 out of 5]

You could tell that this was taken straight from the movie. I forget what they call these kinds of books..the kids seemed to like it though!

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this because of the movie. Enjoyed this, but I felt that the story (including the movie) could really do better.