"Soon everyone was
borrowing storybooks
from the book bus ...
and taking them home
to read for themselves.
Or with their neighbors."
Moose loves to tell stories with his family; every evening they sit together in front of the fire and listen while he regales them with tales to love. What a blessing it is! When he finally runs out of stories of his own to tell, his wife suggests borrowing a book to read. Off he goes to ask his neighbor Bear. Bear does not have a book! Moose is surprised to learn that not one of the woodland animals he visits has a book to loan him.
"So, next day, Moose went
to the Library in Town."
The librarian, as librarians do, offers sage advice for Moose's reading pleasure. Home he goes with a welcome pile from the fairy tale shelf. Bear notices his return and brings her cubs to that evening's story time. News about the wonderful readings spreads from neighbor to neighbor. Each successive evening brings more and more listeners, until they are packed in like sardines. Something must be done!
A call to the Librarian results in a grand idea - a book bus. Moose works hard to get it up and running, and fills it with 'lots and lots of books." Now, there are books enough for every woodland family. Wait! They don't know how to read them. Moose teaches Bear, Bear teaches Badger, and on it goes. It isn't long until everyone looks forward to visiting the book bus and finding their own books. Still, Moose remains a draw for his friends to visit.
"Only now it was just in a cozy way,
with never a whiff of sardines!"
Inga Moore's wonderful pencil, pastel and watercolor illustrations fill every page with a glorious setting, and charming characters who love to read together in snug family homes. I hope it leads you to check out its companion book, A House in the Woods (Candlewick, 2011).
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