The Girl Who Hated Books

Based on the book of the same name by Manjusha Pawagi (a softcover copy is included with purchase), The Girl Who Hated Books is part of the National Film Board of Canada's Talespinners collection of animated tales from a wide range of cultural communities. Backed by a hip Bollywood-tinged soundtrack, the story centers on Meena, a ‘tween in a family of bookworms, who resents her parents' love of reading. Maybe a tad jealous (or perhaps just inconvenienced by her folks' piles of volumes stashed all over the house), Meena is adamant about her hatred of books, until one day she finds her cat Max stuck at the top of a tower of tomes. As the stack topples, a plethora of fantastical creatures, animals, and strange beings tumble out of the books—all confused and displaced characters who need Meena's help (through reading, of course) in order to match them up to their original stories. And guess what Meena's parents find her doing later that afternoon? A charming ode to the joys of reading, this is highly recommended. Aud: K, E, I, P. (J. Williams-Wood)