The Magic Bookcase by Robert Ingpen

Internationally acclaimed illustrator and author Robert Ingpen spins a fantastic spell in this imaginative book. The illustrations are taken from a massive mural he donated to the National Library of Australia in 2018. It depicts a bookshelf without books. Instead, the shelves are filled with characters from classical stories who, through the imagination of the illustrator, are borrowed from the pages of books where they traditionally belong.

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I can't wait to see this in person. Even on Kindle it's amazing, with sections of the mural reproduced with quotes from the relevant books, and a full reproduction of the mural at the end. I've always loved Robert Ingpen's slightly dreamy illustrations, and this is a lovely sample.

It's not a story at all, though, so be aware of that if it matters to you; it's literally just parts of the mural with book quotes. Beautiful to look at, but probably not a goodnight read. It's great to have all the best quotes in one place, too, including a couple I didn't know at all! I'm ashamed of myself for it.

I'm going to spend a lot more time with this book, both on Kindle and in real life, because these pictures absolutely deserve to be pored over.


The Magic Bookcase publishes on 1st October, 2020.