I don’t read (or review) many children’s books, however, Book Uncle and Me by Uma Krishnaswami grabbed me by the heart. It was just so lovely.
From Goodreads:
Nine-year-old Yasmin intends to read a book a day for the rest of her life. Book Uncle, who runs a free lending library on the street corner, always has the perfect book for her. But when Book Uncle seems to be in trouble, Yasmin has to take her nose out of her book and do something. With the elections coming up and the grown-ups busy with their own affairs, what difference can Yasmin and her friends possibly make? Will they get help from Karate Samuel, the eccentric superstar who’s standing for Mayor? Yasmin gets to work, ideas begin to fly like feathers, and soon everything starts to spin out of control.
Yasmin is a wonderful character. She is bright, engaged with her friends and the people around her, and loves to read. She reads a book a day, and she gets her books, not from a library but from Book Uncle. Book Uncle runs the free lending library on the street corner and always has the perfect book not just for her, but for everyone. It is something that he takes pride in, and Yasmin is always excited to go and see him.
Then, of course, something terrible happens. Book Uncle does not have a permit to be on the street corner with his lending library and someone has complained about him. The worse news is that he cannot afford to get one. So he has no choice but to pack up his lending library and head on home. Yasmin, when she realizes that Book Uncle has gone, is firstly upset for herself. How is she suppose to read a book a day if Book Uncle isn’t there to supply the books? When she goes to see Book Uncle though, and sees how upset and depressed he is, she realizes that she has to save the lending library not just for herself, but for Book Uncle and the other people who use the library.
Thus begins Yasmin’s entry into civic responsibility. She gets her classmates and friends, and their friends to start writing letters to the mayoral candidates about weather they will be able to help Book Uncle, and when that does work as well as she hoped she comes up with a new plan, and then other.
This book is a wonderful read. It teaches children about civic responsibility, and that you’re never too young to help make change. It also teaches the value of friendship, making goals and achieving them, and of course the value of reading.
This is a fantastic story, with a great message. It’s definitely one that you’ll want to pick up!
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