Yours in Books by Julie Falatko illustrated by Gabriel Alborozo

Owl is not enjoying all the noise near his tree. He wants peace and quiet. A bookshop flyer arrives in his hollow and he decides to contact the book seller and purchase a book. So begins a series of very funny letters between Owl J Fencepost and B. Squirrel of Pine: A Bookshop.

"I received your marvellous catalogue in the mail and spent many long hours reading the descriptions of all the books. Enclosed is my order form for How to soundproof your Forest Dwelling so that I might read in peace, alone."

Unfortunately B. Squirrel replies that this book is out of stock so Owl tries asking for a different one and so the correspondence continues.

Here is a list of the books he requests - these will give you a good insight into his life of noise and disruptions. 

Owl - The-can-do-guide to moving to a Remote Tropical Island

Squirrel sends - Yes you do want to live in the Woods: Why life in the trees is the bees knees

Owl - How to build a very tall fence

Squirrel sends - The big Woods book of Cooking and Baking

Owl - The Busy Owl's guide to food that will not entice neighbour children to stop by Uninvited

Squirrel sends - 50 fanciful Biscuits and Cakes

Owl - Disguises to make owls look boring, invisible or somewhat menacing

Squirrel sends - Crafts children can do while you nap on the couch and later The Art of the Tea Party

Perhaps this final or almost final book will help you anticipate the happy ending. And yes there is a party and the promise a wonderful new friendship.

How exciting to see this book was given a Kirkus Star review:

This very funny sendup of epistolary novels combines understated text with hyperbolic yet charming art. Distinctive voices and a large format make it perfect for reading aloud.

Full of friendship, letters, books and baking. What a treat! Waking Brain Cells

I was walking through a small market this morning when I spied the second hand book seller. He always has a small, but interesting, collection of children's books and heaps of adult novels. I flicked through his picture books and found two great books (plus four by Bob Graham which I already own) so for just $4 each I picked up this book - Yours in Books and a copy of Where's Julius which is in better condition than the one I already own - so it's out with the old and in with the new.

Yours in Books was published in 2021 and I am pleased to see it is still in print and for a good price. It has a dust jacket and a different image is revealed underneath (a book feature I adore). It looks like a brown paper parcel tied with string and with a terrific stamp. The end papers are perfect and your young reading companion will enjoy finding the snail (snail mail) post man on nearly every page.

Here are some other books illustrated by Gabriel Alborozo:

You can see other books by Julie Falatko on her website. Julie lives in Maine which is a place I long to visit some day.