A Child of Books

Winner of the prestigious international Bologna Ragazzi Award for Fiction 2017
A New York Times bestseller

New York Times best-selling author-illustrator Oliver Jeffers and fine artist Sam Winston deliver a lyrical picture book inspiring readers of all ages to create, to question, to explore, and to imagine.

A little girl sails her raft across a sea of words, arriving at the house of a small boy and calling him away on an adventure. Through forests of fairy tales and across mountains of make-believe, the two travel together on a fantastical journey that unlocks the boy’s imagination. Now a lifetime of magic and adventure lies ahead of him... but who will be next?

Combining elegant images by Oliver Jeffers and Sam Winston’s typographical landscapes shaped from excerpts of children’s classics and lullabies, A Child of Books is a stunning prose poem on the rewards of reading and sharing stories—an immersive and unforgettable reading experience that readers will want to pass on to others.

"Jeffers and Winston’s first collaboration is a celebration of the child’s world, illustrated in sumptuous double-page spreads featuring explosions of images borrowed from unforgettable sources ... Every one of its elements—the haunting prose poem executed in hand-lettered words; the pictures done in watercolour, pencil, and digital collage; and the objects built from words borrowed from classic stories—all work together toward a richly harmonious whole. An irresistible invitation to read." —Booklist

"A gorgeous, innovative musing on the power of storytelling ... Use this wholly original celebration of the story as a jumping-off point for conversations about art and writing. A masterpiece." —School Library Journal

"Each illustration cleverly incorporates text from classic works of literature into the art ... This is fantastically imaginative and smart book that is sure to engage children of all ages." —Cool Mom Picks

"As masterful as a book can be in extolling the richness that reading brings to our lives, A Child of Books is a glorious offering." —Reading Eagle