Through the Looking Glass Children's Book Reviews
The Girl who hated books
Illustrator: Leanne Franson
Picture Book
For ages 5 to 7
Second Story Press, 1998 ISBN: 978-1896764092
Meena hates book with a passion which is hard on her because she lives in a house full of books and both her parents are avid readers. Whenever her parents as Meena if would like to read something she replies “I hate books.”
One day an enormous stack of neglected and unwanted children’s books topples over and the most extraordinary things happens – the characters in the books pour of their books and soon Meena’s house is bursting with animals, princesses, teddy bears, fairy tale characters and more. Now Meena has to figure out how to get all the characters back into their correct books. Unfortunately the characters themselves have no idea which book to get back into so Meena has to help them and there appears to be only one way to do this – Meena has to read all the books.
Even reluctant readers will find themselves getting intrigued by this clever little story. They may even consider, just as Meena comes to do, that perhaps books do indeed have something to offer. Perhaps they are not just a boring collection of words.