Books Aren’t for Eating

PreS-Gr 2–Leopold is a goat who loves cozy sweaters and books. Even more than reading books himself, he loves picking out books for others to read; it is “like introducing someone to a friend.” When a new customer in his bookstore proves challenging, Leopold sets out to find “the perfect book—for reading. Not for eating.” His wife reminds him of his own transition from eating books to reading them, and the memory is the key to helping his new customer find “stories [that] fill me up.” The text and illustrations both have a lovely balance of coziness and humor; Leopold’s deep and genuine love for books and reading, and the comfort he gets from entering others’ stories and living in their worlds, will resonate with readers of all ages. Charming touches, such as a little white mouse who appears on several pages, and endpapers that show books with bites taken out of them, show care and attention to detail.