Today, I’m delighted to be hosting a stop on the official blog tour for Pages & Co: The Bookwanderers by Anna James. This bookish middle grade story is all about what happens when the books you love come to life, and the power of stories. So to celebrate, today I’ve put together a list of the top 5 literary characters I’d like to meet.
1. Abigail Rook from the Jackaby series
I almost put R.F. Jackaby himself for this list, the eccentric paranormal investigator from the Jackaby series by William Ritter. But when I thought on it, I realized I’d much rather hang out with his plucky assistant, Abigail Rook. She is such an endearing, charming character, and can tell me all about Jackaby and her other friends, and recount more stories of her adventures with Jackaby (as I haven’t yet convinced the author to write more books for me to read). Plus, we’d chat at length about our mutual love of dresses with pockets.
2. Iorek Byrnison from His Dark Materials
His Dark Materials is my all-time favorite series, and I’ve re-read the books countless times now. There are SO many characters I’d love to meet from this series, but I think my first pick would have to be Iorek, the armored bear. Iorek is wise and thoughtful, and has been through quite the journey as a character. I’d love to just have a chat with him, and listen to his advice and insights.
3. Sherlock Holmes
I’m quite sure I’d leave this meeting highly insulted, but I wouldn’t pass up the opportunity to spend time in the presence of such an intriguing and brilliant literary figure. I first started reading Sherlock Holmes stories when I was in middle school, and I’ve revisited them many times over the years — both in their original versions, and in countless retellings, adaptations, and re-imaginings.
4. Lazlo Strange from Strange the Dreamer
One of the things I loved most when I first read Laini Taylor’s masterful Strange the Dreamer was how the main character, Lazlo Strange, was a lover of fantasy books –whose very face was shaped by books, when one broke his nose — and who finds himself wrapped up in one of the stories he has long loved most. At it’s very core, Strange the Dreamer is an ode to fantasy readers and the lovers of stories. Lazlo is the embodiment of the ultimate book nerd.
5. Magnus Bane from the Shadowhunters series
Magnus is a centuries-old warlock of unbelievable power, and he’s witnessed incredible moments in human history. He’s also just FABULOUS. I’d love to hang out with Magnus, hear some of his wild stories (especially about some of my favorite Shadowhunters), and discuss why glitter is one of the best inventions of all time.
An enchanting story about the magic of books and the power of imagination from debut author Anna James. Perfect for fans of Inkheart, The Land of Stories, and Story Thieves. Soon to be a major television series!
Since her mother’s disappearance, eleven-year-old Tilly Pages has found comfort in the stories at Pages & Co., her grandparents’ bookshop. But when her favorite characters, Anne of Green Gables and Alice from Wonderland, start showing up at the shop,Tilly’s adventures become very real. Not only can she follow Anne and Alice into their books, she discovers she can bookwander into any story she chooses. Tilly’s new ability leads her to fun and exciting adventures, but danger may be lurking on the very next page…
When new secrets are uncovered, it’s up to Tilly to solve the mystery of what happened to her mother all those years ago. From debut author Anna James comes a charming and exciting adventure about a bookish young heroine, a mysterious librarian, and a magical bookshop that will delight book lovers everywhere.
Anna James is a writer and journalist. She was a school librarian before joining The Bookseller as their Book News Editor. She now writes for a variety of newspapers and magazines, and chairs events at bookshops and literary festivals across the UK. She lives in north London, in a flat full of books. Visit Anna online at anna-james.com. Follow her on Twitter @acaseforbooks.
Novel Novice 
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