The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

Joyce, W., and Bluhm, J. (2012).
The fantastic flying books of Mr.
Morris Lessmore. New York:
Atheneum Books for Young
Readers.

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore

By William Joyce and Joe Bluhm

Atheneum Books for Young Readers

New York

2012

56 pages

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore is an imaginative adventure that was originally a stunning, Academy Award-winning short film. Mr. Morris Lessmore is a young bibliophile whose life is orderly and organized until, suddenly, his personal library is blown away by a terrible wind. His beloved books are torn apart and his world is upended in a matter of minutes. Suddenly, Mr. Morris Lessmore is at a loss. He no longer has his books and is literally lost among black and white ruins of disordered pages. Finally, books re-enter his life when one day he spies flying books carrying a young woman through the air. One of the books comes down and leads Morris to a local library. The books flutter through the air and when he starts reading, all of the color returns to Morris’ world. Because of the books, his world is turned right again.

This book is a poignant, unifying metaphor of life that connects readers to books and powerfully represents their importance in life. The theme of the story, that of the transformative power of books, is displayed beautifully through the author’s descriptive, imaginative diction and whimsical illustrations. The book would be particularly appropriate for children who have experienced tragedy of any kind, as the story celebrates life and how it can transform. Morris seeks refuge and then finds solace through books in a library, and readers of this book can seek refuge from their real-life issues themselves. Moreover, the book will inspire readers to contemplate the power of books.

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore is also a 2011 animated short film directed by William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg. It was awarded the Best Animated Short Film at the 84th Academy Awards. The book was released in late 2012. Purchase it here.

Visit The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore's website!