The Girl Who Hated Books by Manjusha Pagawi, Leanne Franson (Illustrator)

From the Publisher

Meena hates books. Her parents have books everywhere --they're always in the way -- stacked on dressers, stashed in drawers, even piled on the sofa. One day Meena upsets a very tall pile of children's books, and out from the pages tumble an incredible assortment of characters: princesses, fairies, frogs, and rabbits. None of them know which books they belong to and in order to help them find their way home, Meena has to -- read! As she reads the books one by one, she's transformed into a book-lover.

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2Meena is more than a reluctant reader. She abhors books. Even though her parents are avid bibliophiles and her house is filled with reading material, the girl refuses to open a book. Her only ally is Max, the family cat, who has been book phobic ever since an atlas fell on his tail. Only a household accident that sends volumes flying and characters cascading out of books can change Meenas mind. Pawagis light, ironic touch will amuse children and Meena is a well-drawn character who appeals to the defiant streak in all of them. The watercolor illustrations match the romping mood of the story although their placement on every other page becomes monotonous. There is a definite moral to this inventive tale: children who dont read are missing out on some great adventures.Barbara Buckley, Jericho Public Library, NY Copyright 1999 Cahners Business Information.

Kirkus Reviews

A story about a girl who discovers the joys of the written word, but not without a few disasters. The offspring of two bibliophiles, Meena loathes books. Living in a home virtually overrun with books, Meena and her cat, Max, do their best to avoid the dreaded tomes. However, Meena's attempt to rescue Max from the tower of unread books that has steadily grown since she was born changes all that. When the tower topples, Meena is surrounded by all the characters who inhabit the stories. The only way to get them back to their rightful homes is by reading the books aloud; the characters find their pages, and leap in. Accompanied by Franson's comical illustrations, Pawagi's tale is funny in its imparting of a timely message. (Picture book. 4-8)

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