Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

Inkheart has everything for book lovers. Twelve-year-old Meggie is a reader who, when told to pack a few necessary items, first packs books. Her father, Mo, repairs old books, reattaching loose pages and covers and bindings. Their house has books everywhere.

What’s missing is Mom.

Early on we learn that Mo has a special, mysterious talent. He and Meggie both love to read, but when Mo reads aloud – something he no longer does, ever – items and characters from the book come to life. Something from this world, however, then disappears into the book. But where his wife, Meggie’s mom, has gone is a mystery.

Years ago, Mo read Dustfinger out of Inkheart. Dustfinger, who calls Meggie’s father Silvertongue on account of his magical skill, wants to get back into his world…back into Inkheart. But Mo refuses, terrified that something or someone else he loves will disappear. When Dustfinger arrives one rainy night and announces that Capricorn wants the book too and will kill Mo to get it, what follows is an adventure full of chases, double crosses, stolen copies of Inkheart, and travels between fiction and reality.

By the way, about Capricorn. You know how authors create really nasty characters? The baddest of the bad? Characters willing to do whatever evil, wicked, or murderous thing necessary to get what they want? That’s Capricorn. And he’s now in this world too.

There’s more characters and settings and mysterious circumstances than I can mention here. The best way to experience them all is to read yourself into this wonderful book.

Books two and three in the Inkworld series: Inkspell and Inkdeath (English translation - October 2008.)