Review: The Book That No One Wanted to Read

Written by Richard Ayoade

Illustrated by Tor Freeman

Somerville, Massachusetts: Walker Books US, a division of Candlewick Press, 2023. Fiction.

Written through direct address (and sometimes telepathic conversation) The Book That No One Wanted to Read, is a laugh-out-loud romp that follows the discovery of a grumpy book that has placed itself high on a shelf where no one can read it, and thus it can never be judged and found wanting. The book, who serves as narrator, can't help it if its cover is the color of an old school lunch table, right? Ultimately, the child who finds it helps the book to come to a bit of a more optimistic outlook and we as the readers will enjoy many chuckles along the way. The text is buoyed by charming illustrations that really add to the story, and are the perfect complement to Ayoade's writing style. Engaging and witty, The Book That No One Wanted to Read, will be appreciated by all who pick it up. You won't want to stick this one high up on a dusty shelf!

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