The Story of the Search for the Story

by Bjørn Sortland, Lars Elling (Illustrator)

Each night, nine-year-old Henry reads to his uncle. One night, the book he chooses is The Story of the Search for the Story -- but it turns out to be nothing but blank pages and loose letters. His uncle sends him off to the library for another copy, and along the way, Henry begins an adventurous journey through the world of books! He meets a number of famous authors and well-known characters from literature, and learns a little about each one as his trek continues. There's a man who likes his stories set in Ireland (James Joyce), a woman who tells of safaris and lion hunts in Africa (Karen Blixen), a man who is trying to hold on to time (Marcel Proust), and others. The last person Henry meets is the Shah of Blah, who explains to him how important it is that everyone be able to write and tell their stories freely.

40 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Lisa]

A book I love to reread every year. The “search for stories” as censorship abounds and people think they know what’s “best for us all”. . . Books that are banned. Books being changed from the original so that they are “politically correct”. We gradually lose more and more autonomy and the ability to learn from past mistakes.

[JustOneMoreBook.com]

A swirling stew of settings, characters and literary greats drift between puzzling nested plots and enticing factual references to make this dramatically illustrated, dreamlike adventure an intriguing exploration of literature, censorship and the importance of storytelling and independent thought.

You can listen in on our chat about this book on our Just One More Book! Children's Book Podcast.

[Claudia]

Sumptuous illustrations guide you through a story...in search of a story. Little Henry usually reads to his uncle, but today the book has no pictures and no words...only letters that scatter to the floor. He sets off to the library to find the book, and along the way he stumbles inot some of the best known authors of the 20th century...all eager to share a story or a setting or a character with him.

This is one of those books that make me want to teach again. What a wonderful way to introduce Hemingway and Joyce, THE LITTLE PRINCE, and censorship.

Henry and I both learned a lot.