Derlatka, Caroline. When You Open a Book. Illustrated by Sara Ugolotti. NP: Bushel and Peck Books, 2022.

Guide to Categories : Kid Review – review of books for elementary-aged and younger children

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Summary

For you unlock magic that is hidden within,
and opening the cover is how you begin.
Oh, all the worlds and the places you’ll see;
when you hold a book, you hold the key.

When You Open a Book is a stunning ode to the world’s grandest adventure of all: reading a book. Gorgeous artwork by Italian illustrator Sara Ugolotti depicts dragons, forests, pirates, merfolk, lollipop trees, lemonade tides, and more as a child journeys through page upon page of the written word.

Purchase When You Open a Book on Amazon – https://amzn.to/47pOaop

My Kid Review

Reading is one of my passions so what could be better than a picture book about reading? Caroline Derlatka’s book When You Open a Book could be used when first introducing children to the magic of reading. It could also possibly become a favorite read aloud. 

Sara Ugolotti’s illustrations are beautiful and extend the text. She chose to use a person of color and a white person as the characters of the story, who appear to be siblings although neither of them are named nor is a relationship given. I loved her illustrations which expand on all the places a book can take you as described in Derlatka’s text. 

My only problem with the book is a mention in the text to a witch’s dark tower. That phrase may make the book unacceptable to some and I was disappointed to find it in the otherwise delightful and appropriate text. 

If you are okay with the phrase mentioned above, When You Open a Book could find a place in the picture book section of a K-12 Christian school library. 

I received a complimentary copy of When You Open a Book. This is my honest review.

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