I really liked "The City of Dreaming Books" by Walter Moer. It is fanciful story with lots of cute illustrations by the author. [return][return]This is the story of Optimus Yarnspinner a "Lindworm" (dragon) from Lindworm castle, of course. All Lindworms come from Lindworm Castle and all Lindworms are natural born Authors. After the death of his godfather, Optimus Yarnspinner goes to "The City of Dreaming Books" to find the author of a mysterious manuscript that he inherited. The City of Dreaming Books is full of bookshops, publishers, agents, authors, and book hunters. He meets lots of strange creatures, eats strange food, and goes on a bit of an adventure.[return][return]It is a very literary story, in the sense that it is about books and authors. It has a lot of references that adults will enjoy, such as literary agents who can not tell good writing from bad and famous authors disguised by scrambling their names (and some of their most famously quoted words). I was reminded of "The Phantom Tollbooth".[return][return]Unfortunately the writing is a little heavy handed in places. The author occasionally repeats himself as if afraid we will miss a plot point. The main character is a bit pompous and unlikable at times. Altogether the writing is not as inspired as the author would like it to be. Which makes it a good book rather than a Great one. Although one can not be sure how much of this is a fault of the translation.