The Book from Far Away

Readers will love poring over the clearly composed artwork's luminous, wondrously imaginative, interplanetary details.

This intriguing wordless story from Handy (The Happiness of a Dog with a Ball in Its Mouth) portrays an encounter between two youths: one of Earth, and a fantastical being from the cosmos. On a wander in the woods with a beloved book, the human child, portrayed with tan skin, spies a spaceship landing in a nearby clearing and watches as an apparent family group emerges. Two seeming adult figures, a young person, and a pet all engage--in splendidly saturated fanciful spreads by Benbassat (The Screaming Hairy Armadillo and 76 Other Animals with Weird, Wild Names)--in play and have a picnic. Examining the site after they've left, the human child finds a magical golden disk that reads as a sort of astrolabe, and soon encounters the youth, who comes to retrieve it. As a farewell gift, the child gives the being their favorite book, then rushes home to relate the story of this extraordinary encounter. Benbassat's distinctive rendering of the outer space family and its belongings exude charm--their sunlike faces have golden beams that radiate outward, and a picnic blanket is poured from a vessel--and a final vignette hints that the story might continue. Ages 4-8. Author's agent: Jennifer Joel, ICM Partners. Illustrator's agent: Rebecca Sherman, Writers House. (Aug.)

Copyright 2023 Publishers Weekly, LLC Used with permission.

"A magical, wordless tribute to the universal power of reading." — We Are Teachers

"Amazing! Bruce and Julie have created a wonderful addition to the wordless book canon. Julie's beautiful art is rich with detail and visual invention. She shows everyday and otherworldly incidents through flowing, organic compositions that carry the reader on a delightfully strange, compelling, and heartwarming adventure." — David Wiesner, 3-time winner of the Caldecott Medal

"This wordless tale speaks volumes.....emphasizes that kids understand kids, no matter their origin, and that books have universal appeal—literally. Readers will love poring over the clearly composed artwork's luminous, wondrously imaginative, interplanetary details." — Kirkus Reviews

"Intriguing....Benbasset's distinctive renderings of the outer space family and its belongings exude charm."— Publishers Weekly

"Stunning ... will inspire and empower storytellers AND storymakers." — Kitlitbrain

"★ Exquisite illustrations .... Lovely". — Imagination Soup

""Wordless masterpiece." — Let's Talk Picture Books

"The sweetest tale of connection and love of reading. No matter what form reading comes in—whether it be on paper, online, audio, or even extraterrestrial, we are all connected to great stories. Each page is packed with adventure and curiosity and I promise you'll love the journey!" — Squarepegsroundworld