The Children Who Loved Books by Peter Carnavas

We all want our kids to love books and reading.  Here is a delightful story about a family that loves reading so much, that even though they don't have a TV or a car or even a house (they live in a small old fashioned trailer), they do have books, lots and lots of books, piled here, there and everywhere.  But when the day comes that there are so many books they don't fit in the house anymore, the family realizes it is time to do something.

The books had to go.  But once they were gone, things change.  The table wobbles, there's nothing for Angus to stand on to look out the window, then Mom and Dad and Angus and Lucy notice there is a lot more space between them and they are growing apart.  Until...Lucy brings home a library book and the space between everyone grows smaller and smaller as they read the book.

Carnavas says there are two themes in this book.  First, the theme that we don't need a lot of material things to be happy.   This is very true.  The second theme is that books can bring people together and that make you happy.  Think about reading to your Kiddos before bedtime.  It is a close, somewhat intimate moment between you both.  Maybe you talk for a minute about the story or maybe about the day, they may even open up and talk about something that is bothering them.  Either way, if you were brought closer together by the daily bedtime story routine.  And that can be just the beginning, thanks to books.

And Carnavas reminds us, we don't have to buy and own books to be happy, we can just go to the library like Lucy and Angus and Mom and Dad end up doing.

The boldly colored, whimsical illustrations, also done by Carnavas, are done in watercolor and ink, and are rather fun.  Somewhere in almost all of the illustration there is the family's calico cat and roosters.

The Children Who Loved Books is a wonderful, charming homage to books, reading, book lovers and libraries!  And it is sure to become a favorite with all like-minded folks, young and old.

The book is recommended for readers of all ages.
This book was purchased for my personal library