(Review) Alfred Zector, Book Collector

TITLE: Alfred Zector, Book Collector
AUTHOR: Kelly DiPucchio
ILLUSTRATOR:Macky Pamintuan
PUB DATE: April 2010
PUBLISHER: Harper Collins
PAGES: 32 Hardcover Kids book

SOURCE: I actually borrowed this book from the library on a recent visit.

ABOUT THE BOOK:
In his warm, weathered house, stuffed in crannies and nooks, were heaps, rows, and stacks of beloved bound books.

The only thing that brings Alfred Zector joy is collecting books. And so he sets out on a mission to collect every last one, until his home on the hill is stretched at the seams with books big and small. But what happens when the rest of the townspeople have nothing left to read? In this clever rhyming story, Alfred Zector discovers what it means to find true joy in a good book.

MY THOUGHTS:
This book called out to me one day on a recent visit to my local library. I think all us book lovers really need to read this one as its something that we can all relate to.

The story is about a boy named Alfred Zector who is a book collector and he has books all over his house (like we all know we do as I can relate to this) in every nook and cranny. He was a shy boy that was always trying to fit in but never could. He found comfort and companionship in books.

As he grew older so did his piles of books (like us). With spacing running out he was starting to put books in his cupboards, fridge etc. Alfred thought that he would be happy after one more book but he wasn’t he needed more. Sound familiar?

His obession with books grew and grew but he was still never happy and he resorted to trading his shiny bike for a book because he had taken all the books that the town had. He was happy he had all the books but wasn’t really happy and decided that he must read them all and that he did. What he didn’t realize was that the town was uphappy.

When he finally read all the books in his house. He sat back to think. He was a tired old man now and was housebond. He realized that his once joyful life was now filled with doom and that basically the books were the death of him and felt that there was something missing from his life. So being housebond and blocked in from his books his only way out was by the chimney. It was then that it hit him about what was missing.

My favorite quote in the book was:

“The best kinds of books are the books that are shared.”

I have to agree with that quote and I can honestly say I do share my books and pass them on. I have to say that I think I am like Alfred with his way of thinking about just getting that one more book but that never ends with just one more right?

Looking around I don’t think my house is like his but I do have full to capacity book cases and piles of books and I should stop buying because at this rate I will never get to read them all in my life time but I just can’t help myself.

Don’t forget to check out the author and illustrator’s websites.
Kelly DiPucchio’s website
Macky Pamintuan’s website