#385 - Digging For Words
by Angela Burke Kunkel and illustrated by Paola Escobar
“Digging For Words” by Angela Burke Kunkel and illustrated by Paola Escobar. Published by Schwartz & Wade Books, an imprint of Random House Children’s Books. An incredible true story of José Alberto Gutiérrez and the amazing library he built in Bogotá, Colombia using books that he found in garbage.
The book tells the story of how José began a library, through the eyes of another José who is a little boy who loves visiting the library. Little José always looks forward to Saturdays when he and other children from his neighbourhood like to run to the library. It is similar to a race but one in which all will win. Everyone will find books to read after all! :) These books have painstakingly been rescued from discarded stuff by José who works as a garbage collector.
Señor José left school when he was a little boy as his mother could not afford to pay the fees. He had to start working as a bricklayer and work with his hands until nothing became something like a wall or a home or a building. Despite his struggles, he never missed reading with his mother every night which felt like being in paradise at the end of a long day. Now, when he works as a garbage collector, he scans the sidewalks of the city and looks for hidden treasures which are books (of course!). Some are kept in neat piles as if they are waiting for him while others take a bit of digging to be found. But José doesn’t mind as he gets to experience a slice of paradise and a different world within each of these books. Read about the journey of this awe inspiring person who is rightly known as “Lord of the Books” and how his library has helped thousands of children experience the joy of reading.
My 8.5 year old son and I enjoyed reading this book sometime last year. Given that true stories are of great interest to him, the book appealed quite a bit. This was the first book set in South America that we were reading. It gave us a peek into life in Colombia. The accompanying illustrations in the book are gorgeous and full of details. Some of the books that have had a lot of influence on José have been shown through the illustrations like “The Little Prince”, “Anna Karenina” and “One Hundred Years of Solitude”. Quite a few Spanish words have been used in the narrative to give it that authentic regional touch I guess. The story portrays the universal power of books and reading on children and adults alike. The book ends with a note by the author on additional facts about José and how he continues to run his library which was started in 2000. In addition to running his library, he now directs a foundation called “La Fuerza de las Palabras” (The Strength of Words) which provides reading material to schools, libraries and organisations across Colombia. What a wonderful person he must be!! Not only did he get to enjoy reading, he made it accessible to thousands of children who got to experience and enjoy this paradise thanks to his efforts.
Recommended Age
The book is apt for children aged 5 and above.
Reasons to Read
Simply for the love of books and reading!!