Nicholas Page was a children’s picture book. He was particularly proud of his bright colours and cheery story. To Nicholas there was nothing better than putting a smile on a child’s face.

He was first published a long time ago and placed on a shelf in the children’s section.
Nicholas loved his cosy home at the library. The librarians took great care of him, making sure none of his pages were bent or torn and that he returned to his spot on the shelf at the end of each day.

Nicholas Page had seen many children come and go. The library held a story time session three afternoons a week, and Nicholas was often picked to be read. The children adored Nicholas, and Nicholas adored them.

As the years went on, Nicholas noticed less and less children coming into the library. The ones that did visit, spent most of their time with the computers and hardly any time with the books. Nicholas became very dusty and he began to wonder if he would ever leave the shelf again.

One day, Nicholas decided that if the children wouldn’t come to the library, he would have to go to them. It was time for the children to fall in love with reading again. He jumped from his shelf, shook out his pages and skipped for the exit. The glass doors of the library slid open and Nicholas stepped out into the big wide world.

‘Where to first?’

Nicholas thought of all the places the children might be if they weren’t at the library.

First, he went to the zoo. The zoo was very crowded and very noisy. There were people running and shouting and moving all around. Nicholas spotted a group of children over at the lion den. They watched the lion shake his mane and let out a loud, “Roar!”

“There are books all about lions at my library,” said Nicholas Page, “would you like to come and see?”

“Maybe later,” said the children.

Next, Nicholas went to the beach. The beach was very crowded and very noisy. There were people running and shouting and moving all around. Nicholas spotted a group of children exploring the rock pools.

“There are books all about ocean life at my library,” said Nicholas Page, “would you like to come and see?”

“Maybe later,” said the children.

Next, Nicholas went to the park. The park was very crowded and very noisy. There were people running and shouting and moving all around. Nicholas spotted a group of children flying kites.

“There’s a book at my library that teaches you how to make your own kite,” said Nicholas Page, “would you like to come and see?”

“Maybe later,” said the children.

Lastly, Nicholas went to the arcade. The arcade was very crowded and very noisy. There were people running and shouting and moving all around. Nicholas spotted a group of children playing a racing car video game.

“There’s a book at my library that has pictures of all different cars,” said Nicholas Page, “would you like to come and see?”

The children were so focused on their game that they didn’t even hear Nicholas. It was no use. Nicholas was tired and sad and wanted to go home.

On his way back to the library a big black storm cloud stretched over the sky. Rain began to fall, and Nicholas was scared his pages would get wet and soggy. He ran as fast as he could back to the library and hopped onto his shelf, certain he would never leave it again.

Nicholas watched as the rain washed down the windows. He didn’t know why the children had stopped coming to the library and he wished there was something he could do to bring them back. Nicholas was drifting off to sleep when he heard the library doors slide open.

In walked the children from the zoo.

“Hi Nicholas, it’s all rainy and wet outside, so we thought we’d come and look at the lion books. Can you show us where they are?”

Nicholas was so happy.

Then the doors slid open again and in walked the children from the beach.

“Hi Nicholas, it’s all rainy and wet outside, so we thought we’d come and look at the books on ocean life. Can you show us where they are?”

Nicholas was so happy.

The doors slid open again and in walked the children from the park.

“Hi Nicolas, it’s all rainy and wet outside, so we thought we’d come and learn how to make our own kites. Can you show us where the craft books are?”

Nicholas was so happy.

He sat on his shelf and watched the children flip through the books. The library wasn’t very crowded, and it wasn’t very noisy. There were no people running or shouting or moving all around. It was perfect.

Well, almost perfect. Nicholas was happy that the children had come to the library, but he still wished someone had picked him off the shelf to read.
Then the doors slid open again and onto the mat stepped one child that Nicholas didn’t recognise.

“Hi Nicholas, I saw you at the arcade. I wanted to talk to you, but you left in quite a hurry.”

“Sorry about that, I wanted to get home,” said Nicholas, feeling a little sad.

“What book did you want to read?”

“You,” said the child.

“My mum said she read you when she was little and that you have the brightest coloured pictures and a story with a happy ending. Can I see?”

Nicholas was so happy. He leapt from his shelf and proudly showed his bright colours and cheery story and thought that there really was nothing better than putting a smile on a child’s face.