Ben wants to build a castle out of his father's poetry books, and I'm wondering why I didn't think of that sooner. The lesson here is about working together, and I love the illustrations. They're so bright and colorful. The expressions on Ben and his father's faces show lots of emotions. It was a heartwarming book and I would highly recommend it. Kids could make a pillow fort instead, but making a fortress would be a fun activity. ( )

This is a pretty cute book. I liked the descriptions, both verbal and in illustrations, of how young Benjamin's home was filled with books. It was a little sad that Benjamin and his dad were both working alone for most of the story, but I liked how they came together at the end. ( )

It's okay if want to call me a sucker for books about people who love books, because I totally am. This book was a lot of fun. The boy wants a castle in the grand old style, but all he has to build it are a multitude of books that his father has collected as he attempts to write great poetry. His father is so single-minded in his quest that he doesn't notice the construction occurring in the backyard. In the end, his father is frustrated by his inability to write the perfect poem and comes out of his trance only to discover that his son's great construction has collapsed in a rainstorm thanks to his unwittingly weakening the structure to find the perfect word in his book walls. They have a great moment where they come to realize that they can both achieve their goals by working together and appreciating each other more. Great book. ( )

As an avid collector of books (who often struggles to find homes for the new ones on my shelves), who is also the mother of two boys, this book is attached to my heart. ( )