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The Book Tree
When young Arlo accidentally drops a book on the Mayor’s head, the Mayor decides books are dangerous and destroys all the books in town! But thanks to Arlo’s imagination and perseverance, the Mayor finds that suppressing stories cannot stop them from blossoming more beautifully than ever. This timely allegorical tale will be a useful tool for starting conversations with children about the power of activism and the written word.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 30, 2018
140 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews
September 14, 2018
Book-loving Arlo adores everything about books, even how "they smelled as if anything were possible" (unpaged). But when his love for reading causes an accident with the town mayor, that elected official decides that books are dangerous, gathers them all up, and buries them. After all, as he proclaims, no one needs to read in order to be informed. He will let the town's citizens know what they need to know. Life becomes dismal without books until Arlo starts writing and reading his own stories, and a seed sprouts from those buried reading materials, eventually growing into a tree with books. Over time, the town--and even the mayor--are changed forever. This timely allegory would be ideal to share during anti-censorship campaigns or Banned Books Week. With its handsome illustrations, created in oil paints and collage, it will surely make readers think about intellectual and academic freedom and the Right to Read, perhaps even making some folks ponder the current onslaught on the press.
July 5, 2018
An entertaining allegory about the importance of words, writing, and books with lovely collage illustrations by Rashin Kheiriyeh.
November 25, 2024
Obsessed. About censorship and reading’s ripple effects, but told like a fairytale. Really interesting collage art throughout and accessible for toddlers
February 4, 2019
After the book he is reading drops on the Mayor's head one day, Arlo is horrified when this irate (and not so bright) political leader decides to ban all books, destroying the tomes himself. With no books to read, story-time at school becomes nap time, theaters close down because there are no plays, and restaurants, unable to locate any cookbooks, serve nothing but dry cereal. Arlo, distraught at all of these changes, and missing his books, begins to write a story of his own, leading to the growth of a magical book tree, and the slow rediscovery of books, on the part of the population. But what will the Mayor think of this development...?
An enchanting original fairy-tale from author Paul Czajak, paying tribute to the power of the written word, is paired with magical mixed media artwork from illustrator Rashin Kheiriyeh in The Book Tree. As a bibliophile myself, one who visits the library every week without fail, I appreciated the central message here, about the importance of books to society, and the many different roles that they play in people's lives. That said, what really elevated this one for me were the illustrations, which were simply gorgeous. I'd encountered Kheiriyeh's work before, in her own Saffron Ice Cream , but I think I loved these illustrations more than the ones in that earlier book. Created using oil paint and collage, the visuals here incorporate lots of little bits of paper, with text written in all manner of languages and writing systems. I loved this, and it was (of course) a medium that was quite appropriate to use, given the subject matter. The decorative end-papers, featuring so many different volumes, were also lovely. All in all, a wonderful little picture-book, one I would recommend to young bibliophiles, and to anyone who appreciates beautiful collage artwork.
An enchanting original fairy-tale from author Paul Czajak, paying tribute to the power of the written word, is paired with magical mixed media artwork from illustrator Rashin Kheiriyeh in The Book Tree. As a bibliophile myself, one who visits the library every week without fail, I appreciated the central message here, about the importance of books to society, and the many different roles that they play in people's lives. That said, what really elevated this one for me were the illustrations, which were simply gorgeous. I'd encountered Kheiriyeh's work before, in her own Saffron Ice Cream , but I think I loved these illustrations more than the ones in that earlier book. Created using oil paint and collage, the visuals here incorporate lots of little bits of paper, with text written in all manner of languages and writing systems. I loved this, and it was (of course) a medium that was quite appropriate to use, given the subject matter. The decorative end-papers, featuring so many different volumes, were also lovely. All in all, a wonderful little picture-book, one I would recommend to young bibliophiles, and to anyone who appreciates beautiful collage artwork.
February 25, 2020
Loved the theme and the art work.
August 10, 2018
Arlo just wants to enjoy his book, but when he accidentally drops it on the mayor's head, it starts a big change. The mayor gathers all the books and rips them up, because they stir up ideas. The difference is noticed all over town; restaurants have no cookbooks for delicious recipes, teachers have no texts to use at school, everyone is sad. But a single page had floated away during the destruction and "When it landed, the muddy earth swallowed it letter by letter." As Arlo begins to write his own stories, that buried page sends up a shoot that grows and grows until it is tree with branches full of books. Once the townspeople rediscover the joy of books, the town comes back to life. Even the mayor learns the importance of books and how they act as seeds to make things better.
The artwork is just as whimsical as the idea of book pages floating through the air like dandelion seeds. Oil paints and collage work together to create scenes of the rolypoly mayor in striped pants and coat (resembling a walking beach ball) and Arlo in his jaunty beret. The pages the mayor rips up are covered in text from many different languages, and the same sort of words appear on the leaves of the book tree as they unfurl. Without explicitly saying anything, those words reveal the universal appeal of stories and books.
The action of Arlo writing his own stories when other books were out of reach is a great lesson for young readers. Even when books have been destroyed, he finds a way to bring them back for himself and the rest of the town. A discussion of comparing and contrasting the town when the books are gone and the way it looks as the book tree brings hope back would have readers searching the illustrations for details to point out. Looking for favorite phrases would also be a great activity. My favorite is probably, "Arlo opened his book and breathed in." Book lovers everywhere will recognize that habit, inhaling the scent of pages and ink and possibility.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through edelweiss.
The artwork is just as whimsical as the idea of book pages floating through the air like dandelion seeds. Oil paints and collage work together to create scenes of the rolypoly mayor in striped pants and coat (resembling a walking beach ball) and Arlo in his jaunty beret. The pages the mayor rips up are covered in text from many different languages, and the same sort of words appear on the leaves of the book tree as they unfurl. Without explicitly saying anything, those words reveal the universal appeal of stories and books.
The action of Arlo writing his own stories when other books were out of reach is a great lesson for young readers. Even when books have been destroyed, he finds a way to bring them back for himself and the rest of the town. A discussion of comparing and contrasting the town when the books are gone and the way it looks as the book tree brings hope back would have readers searching the illustrations for details to point out. Looking for favorite phrases would also be a great activity. My favorite is probably, "Arlo opened his book and breathed in." Book lovers everywhere will recognize that habit, inhaling the scent of pages and ink and possibility.
I read an e-book provided by the publisher through edelweiss.
June 18, 2018
The Book Tree is a fun story about what can happen when all books are taken away. Arlo accidentally drops a book on the mayor of his town's head while he is reading in a tree and as a result, the mayor takes all of the books in town and tears them up into tiny pieces. One tiny piece is all that is left of them and Arlo watches it get buried in the dirt.
Arlo observes his town fall apart as there are no books left. There are no cookbooks, so the restaurant can only serve dry cereal, the actors at the theatre have no plays to act out, and the library-Arlo's favorite place in town-is completely empty. Finally, Arlo decides to write his own stories and grow his own book tree. Arlo saves the town as it flourishes once again thanks to books!
This book is gorgeous! The illustrations are like I've never seen before as they are whimsical and the people are not drawn as "white." I really enjoyed this picture book and I think that it will be welcome in all libraries. It would be especially fun to read during Banned Books Week in September.
The Book Tree will be published September 30, 2018 by Barefoot Books.
https://lispylibrarian.weebly.com/lis...
July 17, 2019
“Books are dangerous! I don’t trust them. They act like seeds, which grow into ideas, and ideas turn into questions. I will tell you what you need to know.”
With that, the mayor ripped up all the books in town. Arlo sadly follows one page as it blows across town, but it seeps into the ground before he can save it. And now, the town has changed ... and not for the better. But then, Arlo has an idea and starts to write his own stories. And though people ignore him while he reads his stories, a sprout comes out of the ground, begging for more. With every story, the sprout grows bigger and bigger until it is a tree that sprouts books. Soon, everyone starts reading again. But the mayor is mad and demands to know who planted the Book Tree. “When you tore up the books, it planted an idea.” And even the mayor sees how the town has changed since books have come back. “The book was just the seed.”
A definite addition to my school library collection and a great introductory text for older kids to talk about censorship.
With that, the mayor ripped up all the books in town. Arlo sadly follows one page as it blows across town, but it seeps into the ground before he can save it. And now, the town has changed ... and not for the better. But then, Arlo has an idea and starts to write his own stories. And though people ignore him while he reads his stories, a sprout comes out of the ground, begging for more. With every story, the sprout grows bigger and bigger until it is a tree that sprouts books. Soon, everyone starts reading again. But the mayor is mad and demands to know who planted the Book Tree. “When you tore up the books, it planted an idea.” And even the mayor sees how the town has changed since books have come back. “The book was just the seed.”
A definite addition to my school library collection and a great introductory text for older kids to talk about censorship.
May 30, 2020
I got this for the illustrations which are simply wonderful and for the fact that it is a book about books and I can't resist that. However, the plot is definitely slow and would probably not be appealing to children. Also, how in the hell did the mayor succeed in getting rid of all the books without anyone else expect Arlo making a fuss about it. I know this is a book that inspires children and teaches them that the power of stories cannot be stopped by governmental action, but the plot is entirely implausible. How did the mayor not realize that his ban on books was being challenged and how did he change his mind so quickly at the end? This is not how censorship works and not how democracies/dictatorships work, so either make it more difficult for the mayor to censor books or make it more difficult for Arlo to bring back books. Making it more difficult to bring back books would have also made the plot a bit more engaging.
March 21, 2022
After the local government destroys all the town’s books, a book tree grows from the spot the last page fell, nurtured by a boy’s imagination and love of reading.
"The book was just the seed."
This picture book is a bold statement about books and reading and an expression of hope. It portrays books as “seeds” to prosperity, to a better and more fulfilling life, and depicts a passion for books, stories, and reading.
Mayor: “Books are dangerous! I don’t trust them. They act like seeds, which grow into ideas, and ideas turn into questions. I will tell you what you need to know.”
When a boy accidentally drops his book on the mayor’s head, the mayor orders all the books within his jurisdiction destroyed. Rather than burning them, he personally rips them apart and scatters the pieces.
"Arlo chased the page as it blew across town. It reminded him of a dandelion seed drifting on a wish. When it landed, the muddy earth swallowed it letter by letter until it too was gone."
The boy, Arlo who unintentionally caused this fiasco, chases the final page and watches helplessly as it sinks into the ground. He revisits the spot later, grieving the loss of the books, and waters it with his tears. Then inspiration strikes, and he writes a story of his own and reads it aloud in the town square. This causes a book tree to sprout from the final page.
"Books spread through the town like pollen in the wind. People grew hungry for reading again. Some wrote their own stories and became book gardeners themselves."
As Arlo creates and shares stories, the tree flourishes, and other book trees grow. By the time the mayor notices, books and reading have become an unstoppable force, and even he becomes a reader and lover of stories.
"As the trees grew, the town blossomed."
The illustrations were done in oil paint and collage. The pages of the books are made from actual printed pages and are in multiple languages.
I wish I could share the story’s optimism. But I cannot. The anti-intellectual movement in the United States has taken hold too firmly.
Anecdote Time: My father was the director of a small Carnegie Public Library in a semi-rural area, and over the course of three and a half decades he tried to establish countywide library service. But every single time the County Council voted against it because it would raise taxes by a nominal amount. At the public meetings during which the proposal was discussed, county residents lined up to declare that they don’t read and their corn, soybeans, cows, and hogs have no use for library services.
That thought makes me so sad — people proudly making public declarations that they don't read and that libraries, books, and reading have no value. Yes, libraries cost money; property taxes collected for library services are an average of $25 per year — the retail price of one hardback book — for individual home owners. The taxes would be higher on commercial properties such as incorporated farmland and LLC CAFOs, entities that receive government subsidies and/or tax abatements about which no one complains even though subsidizing private enterprise through public funds theoretically interferes with "the free market."
If the scenario in this picture book occurred in my community — the library closed and its books liquidated, I can’t imagine a guerrilla movement to revive books and reading would occur. The local officials would just congratulate themselves on saving taxpayer money, and the majority of the residents would approve of this “socialist” institution being dismantled. The library building would stand empty and fall into ruin like the buildings in our early 20th Century downtown, and the employees would lose their jobs and join the ranks of the unemployed. Those of us who do read would simply have to pay the non-resident, non-taxpayer fee to the library in the next county, subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, or start buying cheap used paperback books. Alas. Alas …
"The book was just the seed."
This picture book is a bold statement about books and reading and an expression of hope. It portrays books as “seeds” to prosperity, to a better and more fulfilling life, and depicts a passion for books, stories, and reading.
Mayor: “Books are dangerous! I don’t trust them. They act like seeds, which grow into ideas, and ideas turn into questions. I will tell you what you need to know.”
When a boy accidentally drops his book on the mayor’s head, the mayor orders all the books within his jurisdiction destroyed. Rather than burning them, he personally rips them apart and scatters the pieces.
"Arlo chased the page as it blew across town. It reminded him of a dandelion seed drifting on a wish. When it landed, the muddy earth swallowed it letter by letter until it too was gone."
The boy, Arlo who unintentionally caused this fiasco, chases the final page and watches helplessly as it sinks into the ground. He revisits the spot later, grieving the loss of the books, and waters it with his tears. Then inspiration strikes, and he writes a story of his own and reads it aloud in the town square. This causes a book tree to sprout from the final page.
"Books spread through the town like pollen in the wind. People grew hungry for reading again. Some wrote their own stories and became book gardeners themselves."
As Arlo creates and shares stories, the tree flourishes, and other book trees grow. By the time the mayor notices, books and reading have become an unstoppable force, and even he becomes a reader and lover of stories.
"As the trees grew, the town blossomed."
The illustrations were done in oil paint and collage. The pages of the books are made from actual printed pages and are in multiple languages.
I wish I could share the story’s optimism. But I cannot. The anti-intellectual movement in the United States has taken hold too firmly.
Anecdote Time: My father was the director of a small Carnegie Public Library in a semi-rural area, and over the course of three and a half decades he tried to establish countywide library service. But every single time the County Council voted against it because it would raise taxes by a nominal amount. At the public meetings during which the proposal was discussed, county residents lined up to declare that they don’t read and their corn, soybeans, cows, and hogs have no use for library services.
That thought makes me so sad — people proudly making public declarations that they don't read and that libraries, books, and reading have no value. Yes, libraries cost money; property taxes collected for library services are an average of $25 per year — the retail price of one hardback book — for individual home owners. The taxes would be higher on commercial properties such as incorporated farmland and LLC CAFOs, entities that receive government subsidies and/or tax abatements about which no one complains even though subsidizing private enterprise through public funds theoretically interferes with "the free market."
If the scenario in this picture book occurred in my community — the library closed and its books liquidated, I can’t imagine a guerrilla movement to revive books and reading would occur. The local officials would just congratulate themselves on saving taxpayer money, and the majority of the residents would approve of this “socialist” institution being dismantled. The library building would stand empty and fall into ruin like the buildings in our early 20th Century downtown, and the employees would lose their jobs and join the ranks of the unemployed. Those of us who do read would simply have to pay the non-resident, non-taxpayer fee to the library in the next county, subscribe to Kindle Unlimited, or start buying cheap used paperback books. Alas. Alas …
April 4, 2020
I would love to love a book about books, but this book shows children that government is the all knowing, all important, all powerful entity that can dictate their whims to the masses. While today, in this world, this is certainly true (look at all the ridiculous nonsense that is going on at the hands of government surrounding Covid-19), children should be taught that people elect their officials and if they do not govern well they can and will be removed and replaced by others who use their brains for the good of all.
Wholeness is generically restored by mother earth. Arlo is the only person who notices that books made a difference to the world. Everyone else simply adjusted to the loss of the written word by napping, eating only cereal, and submitting to the ridiculous notions of the dim witted and pompous ass mayor. How DID he get elected in the first place, I'd like to know?
I read this as an illustrated e-book during the Covid-19 quarantine.
3 stars for including the phrase: Beginnings were the best part. They smelled as if anything were possible.
1 stars for poor plot
Wholeness is generically restored by mother earth. Arlo is the only person who notices that books made a difference to the world. Everyone else simply adjusted to the loss of the written word by napping, eating only cereal, and submitting to the ridiculous notions of the dim witted and pompous ass mayor. How DID he get elected in the first place, I'd like to know?
I read this as an illustrated e-book during the Covid-19 quarantine.
3 stars for including the phrase: Beginnings were the best part. They smelled as if anything were possible.
1 stars for poor plot
January 21, 2019
Arlo loved books, but one day while reading high in a tree he accidentally dropped a book on the mayor's head. The mayor banned all books. He tore them apart and sent the pages to the wind. Arlo followed a page to a muddy spot where it was absorbed and planted in the earth. The town changed because there were no more books or stories... no library, no restaurants, no theaters, no story time. So Arlo decided to write his own story and shared it with anyone who would listen. After a long time, Arlo had written several stories and the page that that planted in the ground sprouted and grew into a book tree. Little by little everyone went back to reading, except the mayor who was hit in the head again by a book. This time he read the story, then went to a 5 star restaurant, and watched a show. Now everyone was free to read and write their own stories.
June 23, 2019
The beginning of this book quickly creates two opposing sides about books. Arlo opens his book and breathes is in because beginnings smell best since they are when anything is possible. The mayor claims that "Books are dangerous! I don't trust them. They act like seeds, which grow into ideas, and ideas turn into questions. I will tell you what you need to know." Always a scary time when any information or ideas are withheld from you. The mayor does start tearing apart and banishing books and the town changes. Arlo, with his desire to think, write, and tell stories begins to change things without even trying. A great book to talk about the importance of free ideas and how one idea allows others to grow and continue moving forward. A good book to read to the class when discussing books in general, choice in books, or banning books.
January 24, 2023
Young Arlo is so engrossed in his book that it slips from his hands, drops from the tree he’s reading in, and stabs the grandiose mayor on his hat.
Books are dangerous! Yells the mayor. They act like seeds, grow into ideas, and questions! I will tell you what you need to know. Hmm, I think he’s already told us all we need to know. He’s a pompous book-hating bully. He gathers all the books from the town and rips/shreds and tosses the pages everywhere. And so he is the one who sows the seeds for birth of the Book Trees.
A super imaginative and beautifully illustrated story on the importance of what can happen when you ban books.
On a side note, this book has a deliciously heavy 🌳tree-like feel to it. The title has a lovely tactile aspect. The words, THE BOOK TREE, feel embroidered. Really nice!
Books are dangerous! Yells the mayor. They act like seeds, grow into ideas, and questions! I will tell you what you need to know. Hmm, I think he’s already told us all we need to know. He’s a pompous book-hating bully. He gathers all the books from the town and rips/shreds and tosses the pages everywhere. And so he is the one who sows the seeds for birth of the Book Trees.
A super imaginative and beautifully illustrated story on the importance of what can happen when you ban books.
On a side note, this book has a deliciously heavy 🌳tree-like feel to it. The title has a lovely tactile aspect. The words, THE BOOK TREE, feel embroidered. Really nice!
September 26, 2018
The Book Tree by Paul Czajak, illustrated by Rashin Kheiriyeh. PICTURE BOOK. Barefoot Books, 2018. $18. 9781782854050
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW
When the mayor is hit on the head with a book, he destroys them all. As the town’s spirit declines, an unhappy little boy decides to write his own books.
I wanted to love this book about the love of books, but I had such a hard time believing that the mayor could order every book destroyed and get away with it. I just couldn’t suck myself into the story until the very end.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
BUYING ADVISORY: EL (K-3), EL - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: LOW
When the mayor is hit on the head with a book, he destroys them all. As the town’s spirit declines, an unhappy little boy decides to write his own books.
I wanted to love this book about the love of books, but I had such a hard time believing that the mayor could order every book destroyed and get away with it. I just couldn’t suck myself into the story until the very end.
Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS
https://kissthebook.blogspot.com/2018...
May 27, 2024
“Books are dangerous! I don’t trust them. They act like seeds, which grow into ideas, and ideas turn into questions. I will tell you what you need to know.”
Wow. This story has so much depth and meaning, even the youngest children who may not yet grasp the concept of censorship will understand that banning books, removing them from the library, is harmful not only to their own community but to humankind overall. I'll need to purchase this book as a cautionary tale of what could happen if we allow the "mayors" to take away our books/ideas and therefore our opportunity to think/learn/question and grow!
Wow. This story has so much depth and meaning, even the youngest children who may not yet grasp the concept of censorship will understand that banning books, removing them from the library, is harmful not only to their own community but to humankind overall. I'll need to purchase this book as a cautionary tale of what could happen if we allow the "mayors" to take away our books/ideas and therefore our opportunity to think/learn/question and grow!
June 18, 2019
Imagine a world with no books...
When Arlo accidentally drops a book on the Mayor's head, he rips up the book and outlaws all books in the town. Arlo so misses books that he writes his own, reading it aloud on the street, and writing more for the plant that rises from where the books were buried. The plant grows into a tall tree that bears fruits of books.
Very imaginative, this would be perfect to share with kids during Banned Books Week. Oil paints and collage illustrations by Rashin Kheiriyeh are imaginative and colorful, depicting a diverse community.
Recommended for PreS-3.
When Arlo accidentally drops a book on the Mayor's head, he rips up the book and outlaws all books in the town. Arlo so misses books that he writes his own, reading it aloud on the street, and writing more for the plant that rises from where the books were buried. The plant grows into a tall tree that bears fruits of books.
Very imaginative, this would be perfect to share with kids during Banned Books Week. Oil paints and collage illustrations by Rashin Kheiriyeh are imaginative and colorful, depicting a diverse community.
Recommended for PreS-3.
July 6, 2020
I so wanted to love this book...the cover compelled me to check it out as soon as it was processed for our library. The illustrations are incredible--almost Melissa Sweet-like. Unfortunately, I just couldn't suspend my disbelief when the mayor decided to "tear up" every book in the town. I suppose this is a viewpoint many young listeners/readers have never considered, but the resolution just didn't feel as captivating as the initial "crime." If I was to share this picture book as a read-aloud, it would be with intermediate/upper elementary-aged audiences.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 27, 2021
I wanted to like this more than I actually did and I can’t put my finger on why. It might have been a bit too on the nose with the message, but that doesn’t always bother me. It’s great for a book about books, and engages with challenging authoritarianism and a kind of surreal place where books can grow from trees. The illustrations aren’t my typical style but were cool and well done. I’ll return to it when my kid is a bit older. She’s 3.5 and really into dialogue driven stories these days and was just not into this one.
November 9, 2018
One of my favorite things about working at a library is when we get the new batch of childrens books in! Today started off with 3 that I didn't like very much so I was feeling pretty sad but I am so glad I came across this book! I loved everything about it (well except the mayor at the beginning, but he ended up coming around) from the text, characters, plot, morals and especially the images and all of the diverse books written in different languages!
January 1, 2019
There's hope in the world when someone celebrates stories as beautifully as Paul Czajak has in this book. A mayor of a town wants his people to listen "only" to him, orders all books destroyed. A young boy finds goodness in his own words that plant seeds for all. Rashin Kheririyeh's illustrations celebrate books in lovely ways, even on the inside covers. And there is that black cat companion who's with the boy all the way. It's a lovely fable for reading aloud.
March 13, 2020
When young Arlo accidentally drops a book on the Mayor’s head, the Mayor decides books are dangerous and destroys all the books in town! But thanks to Arlo’s imagination and perseverance, the Mayor finds that suppressing stories cannot stop them from blossoming more beautifully than ever. This timely allegorical tale will be a useful tool for starting conversations with children about the power of activism and the written word. The book was just the seed.
March 14, 2020
Wonderful book, especially for banned books week, showcasing the power of books and the dangers of censorship, but finding hope in the continual fight of writers to keep creating and writing their own work. Though the message is strong, the book is not at all preachy - instead, it's a great character story about a boy who loves books, finds a way to write to overcome a book-banning mayor's hostility, and in magical realism style, creates a tree which sprouts new books.
October 28, 2018
A lovely work of art from the embossed title on the cover to the beautiful book-filled endpapers. The mixed media illustrations are stunning and the words are gentle and flowing--all resulting in a comfortable folktale-for-the-ages style. And the message is of course perfect, because really, where would we be without books?
December 4, 2018
Great story about a boy named Arlo who adores books and discovers how to grow books after the mayor bans books, theatre plays and empties the libraries in town. Gorgeous artwork throughout using a combination of collage and oil-paints. What I particularly liked was how the illustrator incorporated text from many languages when the books started to grow on the trees.
November 9, 2020
Loved this book from the very beginning. What an interesting hypothesis Czajak states and how intriguing the way he let's it grow into a book. Curious kids will want to read and talk about what they find in this book. The author expresses powerful ideas in a way kids can understand.
This book can motivate not only reading, but, also, writing, and... Read and see!
This book can motivate not only reading, but, also, writing, and... Read and see!
October 10, 2018
After a misguided mayor removes all of the books from town, a bold little boy plants seeds of stories that sprout and grow to inspire a whole new generation of readers.
This is a brightly imaginative story that shows the love, magic, and power of reading.
This is a brightly imaginative story that shows the love, magic, and power of reading.
May 5, 2021
I found this on Readeo quite by accident but it was a most pleasant accident. I was reading to my 3 year old grandaughter and while I thought it was a bit old for her she loved it and had me re-read it immediately! A sure sign
February 5, 2025
Lovely book about the power of books. Gorgeous artwork. Similar story arc to "Santa Claus Is Coming to Town" with the villainous mayor ruining everyone's fun. What's not to love about that evergreen story?
September 6, 2018
What a wonderful picture book! It is beautifully written with gorgeous illustrations. An important story with some great themes. Book lovers will be awed!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 59 reviews