When You Open a Book by Caroline Derlatka illustrated by Sara Ugolotti

 

When you open a book,

you can journey so far - 

to the depths of an ocean

or far distant star.

For you unlock the magic 

that's hidden within,

and opening the cover

is how you begin. ...

Will you taste magic in a fiery lair?

Or hop through the woods on the back of a hare?

Or sleep on top of the tallest palm tree?

Or wake to fight pirates then ask merfolk to tea?

This book is published by Bushel and Peck Books. For every book we sell, we pledge to donate one to a child in need. Book for book, child for child, it's our promise. Why? Because literacy matters.

The book design here is scrumptious - the cover and spine and embossed and under the dust jacket another image is revealed. There is a video on the publisher page that shows how this works. See inside the book here. 

The dreamlike illustrations use a broad palette of bright colors and wispy textures to spark children’s imaginations, encouraging them to crack open a book and enter a world of winged dragons, musical sea creatures, and mice hanging stars on the moon. Foreword Reviews

Read aloud, it perfectly captures how a reader can be whisked away by a well-spun yarn, and is a marvelous reminder of all the amazing adventures that await at the turn of a page. Reading for Sanity

In our school libraries we have a lot to cover with syllabus requirements, topics suggested by teachers, the CBCA (Children's Book Council of Australia) notables and short-listed books for the year, but we also need to unpack the Book Week slogan which this year is:

When you open a Book is the perfect picture book to use when you talk about Reading is Magic. I was pleased to see this book in hardcover is not too expensive at less than AUS$28. Here are some other books to use when you explore the Book Week slogan, and you could also check out the Pinterest my friend from Kinderbookswitheverything and I are compiling.

Caroline Derlatka splits her time with her husband, son, and cat between the shores of Flathead Lake, Montana, and the green hills of Nashville, Tennessee. When You Open a Book is her debut publication.

Sara Ugolotti was born in a small town in Italy. In 2012, she obtained a degree in Architecture from the University of Parma, and in 2015, she earned a degree in Illustration from the International School of Comics in Reggio Emilia.