Inkheart

 

Greetings, dear readers!

 

Would you like to fall in love with a book today? If so, I suggest you begin reading Cornelia Funke's "Inkheart" right away. This beautifully woven tale of fantasy was originally published in 2003. It won the American Library Association's Notable Children's Book Award in 2004 and was nominated for the Mythopoeic Fantasy Award for Children’s Literature that same year.

“Inkheart” is the tale of Meggie, a young girl whose father, Mo, is a bookbinder who has an unusual gift. When he reads aloud, the book characters (and sometimes objects) come to life. Mo has never read aloud to Meggie, or told her what really happened to her mother. Funke takes us on a wild ride through a land filled with castles, magic, stories, and a black-hearted villain.

This book is a personal choice, chosen because of its magic. Funke casts a spell upon the reader with her extraordinary characters and storybook setting. Thankfully, it’s the first book of a trilogy, so there’s more story when it ends! I like to use it in the classroom as a read aloud. Even 4^th graders like to come to the rug to hear a story, and it’s easier to keep their attention that way. I stop and ask questions like “How has Meggie’s character changed so far in the story?”, “Why did her father keep his magical talent a secret from her, or tell her what really happened to her mother? and “Fire is a common element in this story, and means different things to different characters. What does it mean to Mo? Basta? Elinor?”

If you haven’t experienced “Inkheart”, I hope you do soon. Just don’t watch the forgettable movie adaptation--it’s pretty awful.

 

Happy reading,

 

Mrs. Ingersoll