Born to Read Book

THE AWARD-WINNING COLLABORATORS of the New York Times #1 picture book bestseller Wild About Books are back with a new story that promotes books and reading. Told in Judy Sierra’s inimitable read-aloud rhyme, the narrative chronicles the amazing successes of Sam—thanks to his early love of books. The story ranges from Sam’s infancy, when his mother reads him a picture book (“then another, then another, then another . . . such a perfect, patient mother”), to school age, when he cleverly uses some of his favorite books to rid his town of the rampaging baby giant, Grundaloon. “‘Here’s my secret,’ Sam decreed. ‘Readers win and winners read.’” Marc Brown’s playful pictures joyously complement this fun-to-read, upbeat story

Publishers Weekly

A precocious tot with a carrot-orange cowlick turns into a reading superstar in this whimsical tale with a hammer-it-home message about reading. Young audiences should enjoy the silliness factor that increases with each turn of the page. After toddlerhood, Sam reads books about "good nutrition, grand ambition,/ playing fair,/ and bike repair" and goes on to win an adult cycling race. He later vanquishes the baby giant Grundaloon (a reference to Beowulf's Grendel?) by calming him down with a few stories and a bite to eat. "And while the giant ate his snack up,/ Sam discreetly called for backup." Conventionally rhymed couplets-used in Sierra and Brown's previous collaboration, Wild AboutBooks-return here; the rich vocabulary gives the story a jaunty tempo, as do the appealing full-color gouache cartoon illustrations, filled with bouncy polka-dot motifs. Brown's fans will recognize his signature round, wide-eyed faces in this story's human cast. Numerous childhood favorites make appearances, e.g., Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Pat the Bunny, even an Arthur book. Not leaving the moral up to supposition, Sierra spells it out more than once: "Readers win and/ winners read" and "Yes, readers can/ go anyplace!" Ages 4-8. (Aug.)

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