Book: My Autobiography

Gr 4–8—Here listeners are treated to an overview of the written word from oral traditions to ebooks, from the point of view of the book itself. As narrator of its own story, Book touches on multiple important topics in short, engaging chapters. With style and aplomb, it describes cuneiform and clay tablets, hieroglyphics and alphabets, papyrus and parchment, the invention of paper, illuminated manuscripts, movable type and the printing press, libraries, book burning, and more. While this work is not intended to be an exhaustive history, listeners nevertheless get a sense of how each step on Book's journey was necessary to reach the important place it now holds on shelves (and digital devices) around the world. Book has character and ego to spare, telling its own story with a very healthy sense of pride, and Dion Graham's rich voice and superb pacing are a perfect match for the informal, storytelling style of the narrative. With this stellar example of how a skilled narrator can bring a title to life, it's just a shame Book didn't mention audiobooks as part of its family tree.