When he was quite young, the Word Burglar desperately wanted to learn to read, but his mother and father were too busy working and caring for his big brothers and sisters to stop long enough to teach him. "Please", he begged. "The words look good enough to eat. Please, somebody! Teach me how to read!" Children at the cusp of reading will understand the insatiable desire that turns this quiet little boy to a life of crime, stealing words from the books of friends and neighbours with the faint hope that one day he will be able to read. The Word Burglar reveals the beauty and power of language and helps children understand that without reading skills they become diminished. With a glossary of the Word Burglars purloined words and intriguing art that puts the power of books in proper perspective, this tongue-in-cheek tale will delight logophiles of all ages and encourage new or struggling readers to persevere.

 

This book was recognised in the Reading Skills/Literacy category by the Moonbeam Children's Book Award.

. This book is part of a reading scheme, meaning that it is a book aimed at children who are learning to read.

There are 28 pages in this book. This book was published 2013 by Bright Sky Press .

Like most writers, Chris Cander was first a readerof books, of course, but also cereal boxes, shampoo bottles, and billboards. Her favourite gift as a kid was a dictionary, which she read from cover to cover. After graduating from the Honours Program at the University of Houston, she attended the Ploughshares International Fiction Writers Seminar at Kasteel Well, The Netherlands, and the Bread Loaf Writers Conference, where she worked with the creators of some of her favorite books. In addition to writing childrens stories, she writes fiction and screenplays and works as a journalist. A member of the American Society of Journalists and Authors, Society of Childrens Book Writers and Illustrators, the Authors Guild, and MENSA, she lives with her family in Houston, Texas. Katherine H. Tramonte holds her BA in art with a concentration in watercolour from St. Edwards University in Austin, Texas. The founder of Horseshoe Studio, she is known mainly for her portrait work in watercolour and acrylics, but she enjoys exploring other mediums.