The books we love when we’re growing up shape us in a special way. The characters in the books we read help us decide who we want to be.

Haven’t we all dreamt of being able to talk to our favourite book characters, or even better, be able to enter their worlds? In Anna James’ world, some of us actually can. I wish ‘bookwandering’ really was a thing! But that’s the magic of books, isn’t it? In books, we can go where-ever we want.
Eleven-year-old Tilly Pages has lived with her grandparents above their bookshop ever since her mother mysteriously disappeared when she was a baby.

When Tilly begins to see her favourite characters in the bookshop, and finds she can travel with them into their stories, family secrets are revealed, not to mention a whole ‘underground’ library system, entered via The British Library.

Tilly’s favourite books are Anne of Green Gables and Alice in Wonderland so readers familiar with these stories will have an advantage over those who aren’t. (However, a reference that assumes knowledge of Animal Farm would be lost on most eleven-year-old readers and was incongruous.) Although set in contemporary London, this book has an old-world charm about it. There is never any mention of modern technology, and Tilly would be considered a bit of an odd child by her peers with her head always buried in a book, rather than in her mobile phone! There is a distinct sense of nostalgia which I loved as an adult - I hope it’s as appealing to its intended audience.

I loved the illustrations by Paola Escobar and the use of different typography to indicate Tilly slipping between the real and imagined worlds.

Tilly and the Bookwanderers is a homage to books and their magic. As Tilly’s grandmother explains ‘we’re lucky enough to be able to use the natural magic of books and reading.’

This is the first in a series of adventures which is a total delight.