The Girl Who Hated Books [Paperback]

Kindergarten-Grade 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 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Here's a premise that many children--and their parents--will relate to. Meena's parents love books, but Meena hates them. That's especially bad because there are books all over the house--in drawers, on the sofa, but mostly stacked to the ceiling. When Meena's cat winds up on top of one of the tallest towers, Meena tries to rescue him. Instead, she knocks the books over. Down they crash, and out of the pages fly Humpty Dumpty, Ali Baba, Peter Rabbit, and other literary types. Meena tries to stuff them back in their books, but she doesn't know where they belong, never having read any of their stories. So she reads the books, and by the time she's finished bringing the characters back home, she already misses them. Happily, she realizes that all she has to do to see them again is open the book and read. Pawagi cleverly tucks her message into a story that brims with appeal. Although not as wildly inventive as they might have been, the watercolor pictures are nicely crowded, with books and/or book characters. A useful volume to have on hand. Ilene Cooper --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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) -- Copyright ©1999, Kirkus Associates, LP. All rights reserved. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Library of Clean Reads

In our house, we have fun reading. And yes, books are everywhere... in the kitchen, bedrooms, living room, den, home office... much like at Meena's house, except at her house they are literally everywhere! Her parents keep bringing books home but Meena hates books and reading. Until one day, a huge stack of books fall and all the characters in them fall out, making Meena realize that books are full of wondrous characters and not just words.

As she begins reading to find out where the characters belong, they all eventually return to their stories, making Meena relieved that she has helped them find their way home but also sad because she thinks she will never see them again until she realizes that all she needs to do is open the books again and begin reading.

In 2003, this book was chosen as the Grade One book giveaway distributed in conjunction with TD Canadian Children's Book Week to all the children in this grade level across Canada. I can see why. This is the perfect book to introduce children who do not like to read to books as more than just words. Meena made friends with the characters she discovered in the books that she initially refused to open. It's important to make our children discover the beauty and practicality of books without forcing books down their throat. Meena was determined to hate books, but on her own, came to the conclusion that she didn't hate them after all. Isn't that how it should be? (Library of Clean Reads )

Meena hates books. But when she accidentally knocks over a stack, out from the pages tumble an assortment of characters. To find their way back into the proper books, Meena has to read!

Manjusha Pawagi is now Justice Pawagi,having been appointed to the Bench in January 2009. She presides in Brampton at the Ontario Court of Justice, Family Court. Justice Pawagi’s first career was as a journalist and children’s author. She has an MA in journalism from Stanford University and worked as a reporter for the Associated Press in St. Louis, Missouri and for CBC Radio, in Toronto and Charlottetown.

Leanne Franson was born in Regina, Saskatchewan. She studied Fine Arts at Concordia University in Montréal and did further study in Ceramics at Banff Centre, School of Fine Arts. After working as a dishwasher, massage therapist, short-order cook, waitress, foot courier and clerk at a fine arts materials shop, she decided to restrain herself to illustrating children’s books.