The book that no one wanted to read by Richard Ayoade. Illus. by Tor Freeman

Have you ever wondered how books think? Well now is your chance to find out! This is an entertaining story of a shy, unwanted book written by actor, writer and director, Richard Ayoade, best known for his role as Maurice Moss in the comedy series The IT crowd. He has chosen to write his first book for young readers narrated by a book, giving them an insight into what it might mean to be a book; judged by its cover, left lying around, neglected and dog-eared by uncaring readers.  Ayoade’s flippantly humorous voice comes through clearly as he covers all things book related, including how libraries organise them and what it means when a reader finds their perfect book. He then shrewdly encourages young writers to take a pen and write the story for this book themselves.  The text is written partly in playscript style so could be a shared read for adults and children or an opportunity to dramatize parts of the book. The comic style illustrations support the story and extend the humour, providing much for the reader to explore and enjoy long after reading.

Themes: Books, Reading, Writing.

Gabrielle Anderson