When Lucy Mangan was little, stories were everything. They opened up different worlds and cast new light on this one. She was whisked away to Narnia, and Kirrin Island, and Wonderland. She ventured down rabbit holes and womble burrows into midnight gardens and chocolate factories. With Charlotte's Web she discovered Death and with Judy Blume it was Boys. No wonder she only left the house for her weekly trip to the library. In Bookworm, Lucy brings the favorite characters of our collective childhoods back to life and disinters a few forgotten treasures poignantly, wittily using them to tell her own story, that of a born, and unrepentant, bookworm.
Passionate, witty, informed, and gloriously opinionated
-- Lucy Mangan's passionate, amusing and nostalgic reflection upon her favourite children's books deserves to become as much of a classic as the novels she revisits.--Sunday Express A witty and thorough history of reading for children from the 17th century to the present day. Fiercely unsentimental and often funny, it's a memoir that will strike a ringing chord with anyone who spent most of their childhood glued to a book.--Irish Times Deft, warm and beautifully balanced. Made me smile. Made me glow. Made me think again and again.--Jason Hazeley, co-author of the adult Ladybird series Funny, nostalgic and super-interesting... Warm, witty and a must-read for every bookworm.--The Sun The Guardian columnist has composed an enthusiastic love letter to childhood reading, and the classic books that have shaped many young lives, as well as providing a resource and guide on how to build a children's library--Guardian Funny and engaging.--Sue Barraclough, Irish News Bookworm is for anyone who longed to be on Kirrin Island with the Famous Five, slip through a back of a wardrobe into Narnia or will always think fondly of the penis named Ralph in Judy Blume's Forever--Red Magazine A warm, witty story about stories and the way they shape us.--Lucy Brookes, CultureWhisper Lucy Mangan's passionate, amusing and nostalgic reflection upon her favourite children's books deserves to become as much of a classic as the novels she revisits.--Charlotte Heathcote, Sunday Express Enchanting.--Ysenda Maxton Graham, Spectator Joyful and heart-warming.--Muddy Stilettos Entertaining and hugely engaging... An entirely inspiring read.--Eithne Farry, Sunday Express ... like a heated but enjoyable discussion with a best friend bookworm.--Jacqueline Wilson, The Week A love letter to the books we all read as children.--Mike Gayle, Metro [W]ise and witty... all the time Mangan has the ability to be ceaselessly and apparently effortlessly funny--Books For Keeps If you're a book lover of any form then you will almost certainly get something from this book... you will look fondly back on the books of your childhood too--Paul Cheney, Nudge In Lucy Mangan's Bookworm...childhood books are brought vividly to life, as are the remembered pleasures of first encountering them--Harriet Baker, Times Literary Supplement Lucy Mangan's funny, warm Bookworm is personal and universal in the way that the very best books are--Aliya White, Den of Geek, **Books of the Year** Beautifully narrated, Bookworm brings the favourite characters of our collective childhoods back to life and brilliantly uses them to tell her own story--Psychologies An enchanting, nostalgic, comfort read--Mail on Sunday