The Horn Book Guide

INTERMEDIATE FICTION

Krishnaswami, Uma

Book Uncle and Me

151 pp. | Groundwood | September, 2016 | Trade ISBN 978-1-55498-808-2 $14.95

(2) 4-6 Illustrated by Julianna Swaney. Nine-year-old Yasmin is horrified when her friend Book Uncle, who runs a free lending library on a street corner in her neighborhood, is told he must shut it down. She enlists friends, teachers, and the media to fight the ban. Krishnaswami effortlessly evokes everyday life in this Indian import, incorporating details of India's food, transportation, commerce, and more to paint a vibrant picture of Yasmin's world.

Reviewer: Martha V. Parravano | Horn Book Magazine Issue: September, 2016