Friday Video Fun: Book Returns, Flying Books, and After-Hours Magic


Elizabeth Bluemle - February 17, 2012

There are some amazing bookish videos circulating around the Internet lately, and in case you’re one of those rare people who has been getting actual work done instead of marveling at these, I’m posting them below for your weekend pleasure, along with the world premiere of a teeny, snarky little video on misadventures in bookselling by yours truly.
“The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore” is a magical, award-winning (and Oscar-nominated) animated short film directed by William Joyce and Brandon Oldenburg. It tips several pixels at The Wizard of Oz, celebrates the power of books and stories to comfort, delight, entertain, teach, and restore. This video might make your throat a little lumpy in places and, if you’re me, cause the ol’ eyes to leak a few tears. It’s marvelous and a little mysterious.

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore from Moonbot Studios on Vimeo.
A bookstore comes to life after hours in “The Joy of Books,” a mesmerizing little stop-action film by a husband-and-wife team and many many volunteers. The labor involved in making this will be evident to anyone, and especially to booksellers who can’t help imagining the hours it took to shelve and move and reorganize and reshelve all those books!). Share this with children of all ages; it will make bricks-and-mortar stores even more magical to little ones!

And now, in case you HAVE seen the previous marvels, I am presenting a humble chuckle: the latest in my Bookseller Frustration Video series, “Book Returns.”
Book Returns
by: EHB

(The first video in the series is called “I’m Looking for a Book.”)
What bookish delights have you discovered lately?
 

4 thoughts on “Friday Video Fun: Book Returns, Flying Books, and After-Hours Magic

  1. Ellie Miller

    FINALLY! a film I can honestly ROOT FOR!!!!!!! at Oscar time! “Flying Books” is beyond wonderful! Thank you for sharing it!

    Reply
  2. Steve Ashley

    Thanks Elizabeth,
    I think that Flying Books might have gone under the radar without that
    post and I just loved it. It has the same emotional impact as the Briggs
    “Snowman” AND it’s about books.

    Reply
  3. puddlelib

    Thank you. I had not seen the Fantastic Flying Books and hope that like The Library by Sarah Stewart, my life will reflect this joy, mystery, and the many volumes of books. One day my story will be entwined with theirs.

    Reply
  4. betty tisel

    Bone to pick with Joyce and Oldenburg: there is no excuse for creating animations peopled with all-white characters. Oh, that photo on the wall at the end? seemed like an “oops better put a black guy in here” moment. Other than that – loved. it.

    Reply

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