Lucy’s Book – Natalie Jane Prior, Cheryl Orsini (ill.) – Lothian – Published 28 February 2017

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Synopsis

LUCY’S BOOK captures that special connection between a child and their favourite book, as well as celebrating the way sharing stories can bring people together.

Lucy’s mum takes her to the library every Saturday. Lucy loves to read, but there is one special book that she borrows over and over again. The book is shared between friends, dropped in the ocean, flown to China and even made into a banana sandwich. But what will happen when everyone’s favourite book goes missing?

My thoughts

Lucy’s Book is a charming and delightful story that perfectly captures that magic moment when a book and a person first meet and change each other forever.

When the librarian hands Lucy a book and says “I think you’ll enjoy this one,” she couldn’t predict what would happen next. It becomes Lucy’s book. Her favourite. The book she wants to reread a hundred times. Lucy borrows it many times, shares it with her friends, takes it on holidays, and then discovers it has been removed from the library shelves. Desperate, Lucy begins a search to find her book.


Any avid reader will relate to the feeling of finding that perfect book, sharing it with others, reading it, rereading it, and borrowing it so many times that it becomes worn and well-loved around the edges. I can remember my own experience with this. It was Journey To The River Sea by Eva Ibbotson that captured my imagination and took it sailing up the Amazon River. I would visit the library to check if it was on the self or just to pick it up, hold it and smell it. Because this copy, unlike Lucy’s book, was not made into a banana sandwich by another reader, but instead smelt like the most amazing combination of old book and perfume from a bygone era. I still remember the day when I discovered that it was no longer on the library shelf. Unfortunately, unlike Lucy, I was unable to later find the copy and reclaim it.

As a reader and librarian it might be obvious that I would have an affinity with this story. I love how it promotes reading. I love how it promotes the importance of librarians and their special gift of being able to handpick a book and say “I think you’ll enjoy this one”. I love how it promotes the sharing of a special book between friends. But most of all, I love how it demonstrates that special relationship between book and reader.

The illustrations are charming. Soft pictures with strong lines and bright colours set against crisp white backgrounds.

Lucy’s Book perfectly captures everything that is so special about books and reading.

More information

Category: Children’s Fiction, Picture Books

Themes: Reading, books, libraries, librarians, friendship, sharing, favourite books.

Published:  28 February 2017 by Lothian Books

Teacher notes: http://nataliejaneprior.com/lucys-book-teachers-notes.pdf

Format: Hardcover, paperback, ebook. 30 pages.

ISBN: 9780734416599

Find it on Goodreads