Discover the Magic of Books

Discovering the Magic of Books—through Books
by Angela Leeper

Help children discover the power of books through, well, books.

Lane Smith’s It’s a Book did more than shake up the world of children’s literature with its satirical humor about the endurance of books. It reminded us all that something as simple as words on paper (no batteries required!) still has the power to evoke magic for readers—no matter their age. Teachers, librarians, and other educators, however, don’t need any reminding. We’ve all seen how a read-aloud can quiet a room and draw listeners to the story at hand.

How do we show children that they can experience this magic time and again by selecting books of their own? Start with the books in this bibliography, which features picture books and fiction that show lives changed by books. Also included is a section of informational titles that detail how these agents of magic are crafted. All of the selections below prove that books still have a place in a child’s busy world. [read more]

For more on the books mentioned here, see these related Web resources.