My Name is Book

Quirky and humorous, part poetry, part reflection, this is the story of the book told by none other than ...BOOK! This extraordinary character begins by reminding us of his origins in oral story and clay tablets, then ponders on papyrus, parchment and paper, and on being a scroll who finally gets a spine. We see Book lovingly illuminated by monks in medieval monasteries, then witness the massive changes brought about by the invention of the printing press, and the coming of paperbacks and eBooks in the 20th century. But Book's not the straightforwardly chronological sort, and can't help musing - and those musings, whether they're on the evolution of the alphabet, libraries, book-burning or blurbs, are delightful and thought-provoking. Sixteen years of reflection and observation have gone into this charming title.

About the Author

Poet, playwright and short story writer John Agard grew up in Guyana, where his love of language grew out of listening to cricket commentaries on the radio. He has won many prizes, including the Smarties Book Prize and the Queen's Gold Medal. John is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and his work appears in an AQA anthology for GCSE English literature. With his partner Grace Nichols, John has edited the anthologies A Caribbean Dozen, Under the Moon and Over the Sea, Pumpkin Grumpkin and From Mouth to Mouth for Walker. He lives in Lewes, East Sussex.

About the Illustrator

Neil Packer is an exceptional new talent in children's books. Graduating from Colchester School of Art, he worked on advertising campaigns before illustrating One Hundred Years of Solitude, The Name of the Rose and Labyrinths for the Folio Society. For Walker he has illustrated the magnificent Odyssey by Gillian Cross. Neil lives in London, NW1.