Wild About Books (Irma S and James H Black Honor for Excellence in Children's Literature (Awards)) [Hardcover]

Judy Sierra (Author), Marc Brown (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 4 and up | Grade Level: P and up | Series: Irma S and James H Black Honor for Excellence in Children's Literature (Awards)

It started the summer of 2002, when the Springfield librarian, Molly McGrew, by mistake drove her bookmobile into the zoo.

In this rollicking rhymed story, Molly introduces birds and beasts to this new something called reading. She finds the perfect book for every animal—tall books for giraffes, tiny ones for crickets. “She even found waterproof books for the otter, who never went swimming without Harry Potter.” In no time at all, Molly has them “forsaking their niches, their nests, and their nooks,” going “wild, simply wild, about wonderful books.” Judy Sierra’s funny animal tale coupled with Marc Brown’s lush, fanciful paintings will have the same effect on young Homo sapiens. Altogether, it’s more fun than a barrel of monkeys!

Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

PreS-Gr. 2. In this rollicking story, librarian Molly McGrew accidentally drives her bookmobile into the zoo, and then the fun begins! The animals draw close to listen to a Dr. Seuss story, and soon they begin stampeding "to learn all about this new something called reading." Many picture-book authors who try their hands at rhyme have less-than-stellar results. Here, the best part of the book is Sierra's handy way with a rhyming text that not only scans properly but also is both clever and full of images that will amuse children ("Tasmanian devils found books so exciting / That soon they had given up fighting for writing"). The wild animal goings-on offer illustrator Brown an opportunity to get away from his vaguely aardvarklike Arthur and create some real animals--in fact, about every animal one can think of. All the slaphappy art fits nicely into double-page spreads that allow the energetic action room to breathe. That's good because there are tons of things to look at, all in sunny colors. Not only are the animals reading books but they are also hugging them, licking the pictures off the pages, and trying their "hands" at writing. A wonderful advertisement for the joys of a literary life. Ilene Cooper
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

Review

This book is perfect for primary school libraries and all librarians, whether in school or not... A joy of a book and a worthy addition to any primary school library. School Librarian A compelling volume for encouraging both literacy in its widest sense, and books and libraries in particular. Ibby Link This ingenious book, with Judy Sierra's lively rhyming text, makes reading look fun - always a good thing. Marc Brown's bright cheerful pictures are full of little gems. Carousel A clever librarian quickly attracts a crowd when she launches the mobile library by reading aloud from Dr Seuss. 'In a flash, every beast in the zoo was stampeding / To learn all about this new something called reading.' There are fat books and thin books, funny books and sad books -- something for everyone. Soon, all the animals are not only reading but writing too. An entertaining and inspiring introduction to books. Book Ahead 0-7 This beautifully illustrated paperback uses some highly imaginative and amusing rhyming text to tell the story of a mobile library which visits the zoo by mistake and soon instills the reading (and writing) bug in all the animals! This story certainly reinforces the message that there are books to suit all tastes and that everyone will find something they love when they step into a library. Child Care --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 4 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers (August 10, 2004)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 037582538X
• ISBN-13: 978-0375825385
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 0.4 x 12.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (39 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #35,424 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #29 in Books > Children's Books > Animals > Zoos

More About the Author

I grew up in a very creative, book-loving family. My father was a photographer, and my mother was a librarian. They read to me constantly, especially poetry. When I was seven, they built me a puppet theater and I gave my first performance, "The Three Wishes." In college I studied literature, and afterwards I became a children's librarian. A few years later, I set out on my own as a puppeteer, quickly joining forces with another puppet artist, who became my husband. We studied traditional puppetry in Indonesia, and traveled all over the U.S. as teachers and artists-in-residence. About twenty years ago, I combined what I had learned as an avid reader and writer, as a librarian and children's entertainer, and began writing books for children. All of my books are meant to be read aloud and dramatized. To learn more about how each of my books came to be, please visit my web site: http://www.judysierra.net.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 34 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars great book for young and old, September 8, 2004

By 

B. Capossere (Rochester, NY USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wild About Books (Irma S and James H Black Honor for Excellence in Children's Literature (Awards)) (Hardcover)

Wild About Books is one of those kids' books that runs on all cylinders. The premise, the librarian drives the bookmobile into the zoo where the animals get hooked on reading, is original and full of opportunity. The language is simply fantastic--playful, sophisticated, rhythmic, full of great sounds and rhymes, and filled with puns aimed at older readers and adults. The artwork matches the language--bright and cheery, varied in color and size and layout, filled with as many visual jokes as linguistic ones. The book doesn't condescend to its intended audience of young children or to its secondary one--the adult reading it aloud. It is a bit long for the very young (two and under) but certainly three and up will find it a wonderful read and those who are between two and three will enjoy it as much if in truncated readings. Those 30 and up will enjoy it even more. One of the best picture books of the past few years and highly recommended.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent!, August 26, 2004

By 

J. C Collins "spencers mom" (Northern Virginia) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wild About Books (Irma S and James H Black Honor for Excellence in Children's Literature (Awards)) (Hardcover)

My three year old son and I love this new book! It has a Dr. Seuss flavor to it which makes it fun and easy to read. It did start more conversations about zoo animals that we don't normally talk about at this age too which has been fun.

14 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Imagination of Judy Sierra is Wild!, September 7, 2004

By 

T. K. Harrison "love books" (Smithfield, UT United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Wild About Books (Irma S and James H Black Honor for Excellence in Children's Literature (Awards)) (Hardcover)

A love of reading is one of the first things parents should teach their children - reading books, signs, newspapers, cereal boxes and reading for life! Ms. Sierra's book, Wild About Books, takes that love of reading a step beyond by showing how animals of all kinds can love books, too!

Can you imagine a yak reading about grasses? A trout reading about flies? What about an elephant reading about the latest stealth methods?

Judy Sierra can! And Marc Brown can draw these amazing animals, too!

As a mom with four avid readers, Wild About Books is a wonderful, imagination-opening adventure into the zoobrary - combining a love of reading with a love of animals. The Seuss-like words flow from your lips as fast as the rabbits and gnus can turn the pages. The ideas and conversations that flowed after reading this book were nearly as much fun as the books - one daughter wanted to go directly to our local zoo...another took the book outside to read to our dog...the youngest wanted to know more about each animal...and on and on!

Books are written to be read and listened to. They are illustrated to draw the reader into the story content. Ms. Sierra and Mr. Brown have truly captured their young audience with both - giving insight into a flowing zoo world, while opening up the imagination of the child.

The Queen's kids rate Wild About Books all 10 piggies!