Once Upon a Book by Grace Lin and Kate Messner

Published by Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Summary:  “I wish I were someplace that wasn’t so frozen and gray!” grumbles Alice on a cold winter’s day.  An open book catches her eye, telling the story of a warm, colorful morning.  “That sounds like our home,” say the birds in the story, and Alice finds herself in a steamy jungle.  When it starts to rain, a pair of camels invite her into the desert.  From there, the book takes her under the ocean and on a flight across the sky and up to the moon.  The moon is lonely, though, so Alice wishes herself back home again, just in time for dinner with her family.  40 pages; ages 4-8.

Pros:  Beautiful illustrations depict the various places Alice visits, with a repeating text that celebrates the journeys books can take readers on.

Cons:  Considering the talented creators and the three starred reviews, I was expecting some slightly more imaginative storytelling.

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