The Bridges

When a mysterious package arrives at Mia’s house, her life changes beyond recognition. Gone is the monochrome dullness, no longer is she alone with a sad face and eyes that look downwards. Soon the package takes her to a world of hope and curiosity. The package is a book and with each word and every age, Mia’s adventures extend. Her smile radiates and her eyes look upwards at the new horizons stretching before her.

Tom Percival uses the metaphor of bridges throughout the book to demonstrate how reading, words and books can lead us to new worlds and can help us to make incredible connections. Mia follows bridges which grow stronger the more she reads. She visits magical worlds, discovers new facts and makes friendships all because of the power of reading. Now a confident, volitional reader, Mia knows how to help others who look lost and alone – she offers her book to them and continues to build even more bridges.

This is a beautiful story in every sense. The illustrations draw the eye, colour is used to show the contrast between Mia’s sadness and her joy at the discovery of story worlds.

This book bangs the drum for reading and all of its rewards. A library must have!