Wreck This Picture Book: How to Make a Book Come to Life is hilarious! Keri Smith’s definition of ‘wreck‘ is most likely different from your definition of ‘wreck‘. Keri Smith most likely means dilapidated rather than damaged. Books are not meant to simply sit on shelves. Books are living, breathing things that want to go on adventures. A book is waiting for a person to love it, take it everywhere with him, and do everything with him. Now that is how a book becomes dilapidated or a wreck. How many of you enjoy the feeling of holding a book, touching it’s paper, smelling it, and / or hearing the sound of its pages while they are being flipped? These are the actions books are waiting for to bring them to life according to Keri Smith. Now as a librarian and former elementary school teacher there are a few actions in this book that scare me: taste, fold, roll, fly, wear, drop, bump, spin, read it upside down… but if the book belongs to the child- why not? As a librarian and former elementary school teacher we want children to LOVE books, right? As a librarian, I always knew a book was enjoyed or truly loved when it came back dilapidated and falling apart, or “WRECKed” in Keri Smith’s words.

Keri Smith’s photographed 3-D textured, art style is fun and whimsical to behold! The books with faces on them remind me of Mr. Potato Head. The people made from wine corks are adorable. Plus, there are directions for how to make these cork people inside the book jacket. The front and back end papers each have a different list of items to locate inside this book.

“YOU CAN TELL A WELL-LOVED BOOK BY HOW WRECKED IT IS. HOW DOES THIS ONE LOOK NOW?”