Zoom

Zoom the cat has an affinity for the sea. “The sea is in his blood, “ his friends say. One day he discovers a dusty diary he'd never seen before inscribed to him from his Uncle Roy, and on the last page is an address and a map of how to get to the sea. And so he goes.

A wonderful story. Magnificent illustrations. If you love picture books as I do, you really must get a copy and read this book.

And how did I come across this book? Pure serendipity. I found it in my Little Free Library and I thought I'd give it a quick read and put it back in the box. When I opened the book, I began to read a lovely and unexpectedly erudite introduction to a picture book. More serendipity. The introduction is by James Mustich, Jr., founder of A Common Reader, a periodical I adored as a young stay-at-home mom, filled with recommendations of books Mustich had run across and loved. I recently put my money where my mouth is and bought in-hand and ebook copies of Mustich's book, 1000 Books to Read Before You Die: A Life-Changing List. You probably need to buy that book and read it, too.