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Born to Read    by Judy Sierra & Marc Brown Amazon.com order for
Born to Read
by Judy Sierra
Order:  USA  Can
Knopf, 2008 (2008)
Hardcover
* * *   Reviewed by Hilary Williamson

In Born to Read, Judy Sierra delights bookworms young and old with a celebration of the joys of reading, joyously illustrated (by Marc Brown) and written in verse that bounces off the pages.

It begins: 'In the town of Sunny Skies, / A tiny baby blinked his eyes / At dragons dancing overhead / And letters painted on his bed.' What letters you ask? His name, of course ... ''"That's me!" he thought. "My name is Sam. / I'm born to read. I know I am."'

Young Sam (is the name a tribute to Dr. Seuss's Sam I am?) and his 'perfect, patient mother' read together from the start. Sam continues reading at every opportunity, all over town, and on any subject - reminding me of my own son, also a reading addict. As the tale builds to its climax, Sam's reading precocity helps him win a Cycle Race and deal with a naughty baby giant who threatens to (horrors!) 'grind your books to make my bread.'

This rollicking reading journey ends appropriately with a chorus affirming that: 'Yes, readers can do anything!' and 'Yes, readers can go anyplace!' To which I can only add ... Hear hear!

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