When You Love a Book

by Kaz Windness, Heather Brockman Lee (Illustrator)

Overview

A poetic, rhyming story about the profound way books shape us and become part of who we are, featuring clever nods to the most classic children's books of all time. A true love letter to the power of creating readers at the youngest age and the magic that happens when you love a book.

A book is a friend found in all shapes and sizes,
a buddy who's bound to be full of surprises.
And when you grow bigger your books grow big, too.
A book is forever the right size for you.

With winsome, rhyming text and sweet, irresistible art, When You Love a Book is a poetic ode to readers and the way the stories we read as children have the ability to shape our lives forever. Includes nods to some of the most beloved children's books of all time. Perfect for book lovers, especially those who want to introduce their own little ones to the joy of finding a book that stays with them forever.

Perfect for fans of The Word Collector by Peter Reynolds and How to Read a Book by Kwame Alexander.

Praise for When You Love a Book:

"A spirited ode to the ways books affect us all."—Kirkus reviews

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780593623220
Publisher:	Penguin Young Readers Group
Publication date:	05/21/2024
Pages:	32
Sales rank:	349,084
Product dimensions:	10.31(w) x 10.31(h) x 0.34(d)
Lexile:	AD430L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Kaz Windness is a children’s book author whose first friends were books. Some of her favorites are hidden in these pages. One of her best human friends illustrated this book. When Kaz isn’t chewing on a good novel, she can be found chewing on homemade waffles or teaching illustration at the Rocky Mountain College of Art and Design. Kaz is the author and illustrator of several books, including Swim, Jim! and Bitsy Bat, School Star. She lives in Denver, Colorado with her family and an overly friendly Boston terrier named Remy. You can visit Kaz Windness at WindnessBooks.com.

Heather Brockman Lee was a kid who loved to draw stories and read books, and is now a grown up who loves to draw stories and read books. She has illustrated other books like A Poem Grows Inside You and She is Mama, but this is her first time using old library cards and text in her pictures. She lives in the shadow of the Colorado foothills with her family, dog, and many many book friends. You can visit Heather Brockman Lee at HeatherBrockmanLee.com.

Editorial Reviews

"Bright illustrations make use of collage, incorporating the pages of a book into trees, children’s clothing, and wallpaper. A spirited ode to the ways books affect us all."
—Kirkus reviews

From the Publisher

2024-02-17
A spirited ode to the ways books affect us all.

A group of racially diverse children celebrate the many journeys reading can take us on. From board books (“a strong, sturdy friend who won’t mind if you chew”) and pop-up books to titles for older kids (“When you grow bigger, your books grow big, too”), there’s something for everyone. References to classic kid lit such as Where the Wild Things Are (“A book is a Wild One whose supper’s still hot”), Strega Nona, and Don’t Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus! abound, though these works aren’t explicitly named and may go over many kids’ heads. Toward the end of the narrative, an adult reads a story out loud to a group of children; the book’s cover depicts those very same children—a reference to Rudine Sims Bishop’s seminal essay “Mirrors, Windows and Sliding Glass Doors” (“With a book as a friend, you will always feel heard. / There’s someone like you looking back from each word”). Bright illustrations make use of collage, incorporating the pages of a book into trees, children’s clothing, and wallpaper. While the intentions are noble, and voracious readers might be able to catch some of the references, this story feels as though it’s preaching to the choir and appears geared toward adults in need of a gift for a young person.

A lofty effort that might leave kids wanting to read the stories referenced instead. (Picture book. 5-8)

Kirkus Reviews