One of our readers, Sharon, wrote recently to say:
 

The Little Prince is one of my favorite books! My oldest sister gave me a paperback copy when I was very small and I loved it so much pages started to fall out …

I asked her if she’d send a picture. 

She did:

Isn’t that great?

(Thanks, Sharon!)

It got me thinking about the moment in “The Velveteen Rabbit” where the rabbit asks the Skin Horse about becoming real — if it happens all at once or bit by bit. 
 

“It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don’t matter at all, because once you are Real you can’t be ugly, except to people who don’t understand.’” 

It’s the same with books, isn’t it?

Here’s one of my beautiful books:

“Where the Sidewalk Ends”

How about you? Got any books that are “loose in the joints and very shabby” but beautiful nonetheless?

Send us a picture! 

Or, better yet, share on Instagram. #realbeautifulbooks

Happy reading.

Jeff, Bob, and Zoe …
… who believe that reading with kids can change the world for the better

Our new(ly illustrated) story is “Scar and the Wolf”

Illustration by Madeline Barber.

Scarlet Bone is turning 13 today, so in her mind, she’s a grownup.

But she doesn’t feel any different, and her parents are still treating her like a kid. 

In fact, they’ve even given her chore — one that will send her on a journey to the market and then through the woods to Grandma’s house.

But it doesn’t take long before Scarlet’s day goes from bad to wolf, and she’s confronted with a rather grownup challenge.

It’s almost too much for a zombie girl to bear. 

Read the introduction to “Scar and the Wolf.” 

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