Right off the shelf, Bob Staake’s The Book of Gold shimmers with promise; the lions of the New York Public Library beckon, and you just know something fantastic awaits.
In muted sepia tones of a vaguely bygone era (trolleys, bowler hats), we first meet Isaac. Everything bores Isaac, despite living in one of the most exciting cities in the world with parents who try desperately to pique his interest. When a shopkeeper sets him on a mission to find The Book of Gold, Isaac starts in Brooklyn, determined to be the book’s discoverer. At the onset, he is merely interested in the promised riches, but the book proves enigmatic and well hidden, and it’s only a matter of time before Isaac begins to actually read the books he examines. We leave the sepia tones behind as Isaac ages and his quest takes him around the world. Will he discover the truth that all readers know?
Renowned author/illustrator Bob Staake writes with the heart of a true book lover, but illustrates with an equally strong and passionate eye. Staake’s round, expressive characters feel slightly old-fashioned—you might just as easily find them in a picture book from the ’50s—but not at all outdated. Brooklyn and Manhattan bustle and burst with detail, interesting sights and people in every direction.
Readers of all ages and backgrounds will love every inch of The Book of Gold. You might be tempted to turn over the bookshelves and find that mysterious book. But then again, maybe you’ve already found it.
