Author: Christina Francine
Illustrator: Ksennia Kudriavtseva
Publisher: Waldorf Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-64764-880-0

“Your friend will have something solid from you to hold, and maybe he will write a letter back to you,” Mr. Inker tells Rafiq in Christina Francine’s children’s book, Mr. Inker Finds a Home.

Part of the Waldorf Readers series, this forty-four-unnumbered-page paperback targets children ages six to twelve years old who enjoy stories about a talking pen. With no scary scenes, it may be best read out loud to beginner readers due to some complicated wording. Simplistic illustrations grace half the pages.

In this short story, a writing pen named Mr. Inker is given as a birthday gift to a boy named Rajiq. When the pen begins to talk, the child is excited but leary as he is new to the country and misses his friends from Pakistan. As the writing tool coaxes the kid to write a couple of jokes, he also suggests writing to his old friends, hoping he will get a response.

Since we have a six-year-old granddaughter who is learning to read, this is an apropos story that stresses how writing is not only fun, but important in keeping in touch with others. I like that it focuses on writing instead of typing letters on a computer. With a drawing on one side of the open pages, the opposite sides have bold font wording against white backgrounds, making them easy to read.

Those who do not like reading may not like this book. Others may struggle with the three-and four-syllable words, and some may not understand the two corny jokes. Those who prefer picture books may not like the rudimentary drawings.

Although the illustrations are understandable, it would be nice if there were more detail to each of them. There are a few punctuation errors that could be corrected.

If you are looking for a book about a talking pen that finds its home with a young boy who is new to America and misses his friends, this may be a good way for a young reader to adjust to a new life while keeping in touch with the past.

Thanks to Waldorf Publishing, Bookpleasures, and the author for this complimentary book that I am under no obligation to review.