The protagonist begins, “My name is book and I'll tell you the story of my life.” (1) In a lyrical voice, Book explains that before writing came oral storytelling. (“Before Book there was Breath.” (2). In small, illustrated chapters Book guides the reader through periods of its history distinguished by papyrus, feathers, Gutenberg's moveable type, the paperback book, and the coming of the e-book. The author includes a glossary and his most valued sources.

2016 Outstanding International Book, United States Board on Books for Young People.

Author lives in East Sussex, England.

UK. Originally published in English by Walker Books in 2014. Published in the United States by Candlewick in 2015.

Books contain countless tales--but what if Book told its own story? From clay tablets to e-readers, here is a quirky, kid-friendly look at the book.

Books are one of humankind's greatest forms of expression, and now Book, in a witty, idiosyncratic voice, tells us the inside story. A wonderfully eccentric character with strong opinions and a poetic turn of phrase, Book tells of a journey from papyrus scrolls to medieval manuscripts to printed paper and beyond--pondering, along the way, many bookish things, including the evolution of the alphabet, the library (known to Egyptians as "the healing place of the soul"), and even book burning. With bold, black-and-white illustrations by Neil Packer, Book is a captivating work of nonfiction by one of England's leading poets.