Brainstorm 147: Library Love

Last week I included all the subjects taught at our school…except library. I know! How can the librarian forget library!? To make it up, this week’s post is all books for library classes and library lovers. Maybe this worked out well anyway, because there are lots of great books about libraries. In fact, too many to include in just one post. I may have to do another one of these sometime.

Fiction Picture Books

Bunny's Book Club by Annie Silvestro, ill. by Tatjana Mai-Wyss
Bunny gets hooked on books during the library's outdoor story time in summer. But when story time has to move indoors again, Bunny finds himself in desperate need of more books. He figures out a way into the library and soon he's got several other friends hooked on books. But everything is in danger when Bunny and his friends get caught by the librarian one night. Will they lose access to the wonderful books forever?

Recommended Readers: Anyone who loves books, reading, libraries, and cute animals.

Goldie Socks and the Three Libearians by Jackie Mims Hopkins, ill. by John Manders
Goldie Socks takes a short cut through the woods to school since she's running late and comes upon a house made of books. As a book lover, she can't resist the home of the three libearians (bear librarians). It takes her a while, but she eventually finds some books that are just right, and then a cozy place to read them.

Recommended Readers: A nice pick for prediction exercises and fairytale comparisons as this doesn’t quite end like the normal tale. Of course book lovers and pun lovers will enjoy this the most.

The Librarian from the Black Lagoon by Mike Thaler, ill. by Jared Lee
Kids share horrific rumors about what the school librarian and library are like, only to find out it’s a bit different.

Recommended Readers: Hand this one to your favorite librarian. It is my personal favorite of the series because the bolting and the laminating bits are hilarious. Oh, kids think these books are funny too.

The Mermaid’s Purse by Patricia Polacco
Polacco relates a story of a girl born during a storm who developed a love for books, created her own library, and from a young age devoted herself to sharing books with her community. When disaster strikes, the community she blessed with books and knowledge returns the favor.

Recommended Readers: Any and all book and library lovers. Readers who like fiction books based on real people (make sure to read the author’s note in the back about her grandmother and the real Mermaid’s Purse). There's a lot of words in this picture book (as is common for Polacco) so this might be better for middle elementary grades than preschool or kindergarten. It would also make a good inspirational read aloud for middle graders before they brainstorm ways to help their own community or how to help those who need disaster relief aid. And of course, recommended to those who like inspirational, feel-good stories.

The Midnight Library by Kazuno Kohara
The midnight librarian and her assistant owls help all the animals find the perfect book, and encourage reading till dawn.

Recommended Readers: This is definitely a book aimed at library lovers, book lovers, and owl lovers, but what will most likely enthrall a larger audience is the unique illustration style. Kohara illustrates the entire book using only thick black for outlines, midnight blue for the background, and yellowy-orange for highlighted items/creatures. It is utterly unique, but captivating and so very cute, so don’t be ashamed to pick this up for the artwork or cute factor too.


Picture Book Biographies

The Man Who Loved Libraries: the Story of Andrew Carnegie by Andrew Larsen, ill. by Katty Maurey
A picture book biography of Andrew Carnegie, who worked his way up from an immigrant bobbin boy to one of the wealthiest men in America. He invested much of his wealth in philanthropic interests, such as building libraries. This book focuses on how a library was important to Carnegie growing up and how that inspired him to build more libraries. Further information on Carnegie, his philanthropic endeavors, and how he went about deciding where to build libraries can be found in the back of the book.
Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for a free early read of this in exchange for an honest review.

Recommended Readers: Picture book biography fans and engaging nonfiction fans, those studying the history of libraries (and why libraries/access to knowledge are important), and those studying philanthropists and strategies of making sure local communities are involved in philanthropic endeavors they benefit from.

Miss Moore Thought Otherwise: How Anne Carroll Moore Created Libraries for Children by Jan Pinborough, ill. by Debby Atwell
A biographical picture book about one of the women who helped create the modern children's library.

Recommended Readers: Picture book biography fans and engaging nonfiction fans, library and librarian lovers, and just perhaps kids who take access to library and books for granted.


Juvenile Nonfiction

Book: My Autobiography by John Agard, ill. by Neil Packer
Book introduces readers to his earliest origins and many forms, from clay to leaf to skin to paper to digital, and the various cultures who influenced his development. Book also gives readers little history lessons on alphabet origins and other writing and printing tools that have revolutionized his from over the years. And lastly, he gives a little shout out to libraries through time.
(And just a warning, this book has the worst title to find using a search engine of any kind. My librarian hint, look for the author John Agard instead.)

Recommended Readers: Engaging nonfiction fans and random history sponges, book lovers and librarian lovers.

The Library of Alexandria by Kelly Trumble, ill. by Robina MacIntyre Marshall
Trumble takes readers back in time and tells about the formation of this legendary library, the famous men who helped build it and studied there, and how it likely came to disappear.

Recommended Readers: Those interested in ancient scientists, ancient mathematicians, or just Greek and Roman Empire history. And of course, library lovers.


Middle Grade Fiction

Mr. Lemoncello’s Library series by Chris Grabenstein
A series about a string of competitions involving puzzle solving, book knowledge, and library skills run by eccentric Mr. Lemoncello for kids and often revolving around the astounding library he’s built in his hometown of Alexandria, Ohio.

Recommended Readers: Adventure fans, puzzle lovers, and book lovers just can’t get enough of this series that Chris Grabenstein is still adding to (#4 is said to be coming out next May).

Book Scavenger series by Jennifer Chambliss Bertman
A series about kids who love puzzles and books and are involved in an online book puzzle competition called Book Scavenger developed by Garrison Griswold. The kids solve various mysteries that revolve around books in each of the books in this series.

Recommended Readers: Adventure fans, puzzle lovers, mystery lovers, and book lovers really enjoy this series which is also still growing. Also a good one for those random history sponges, especially tidbits about San Francisco bay and Mark Twain in book #2 and Alcatraz Island in #3.

The Forbidden Library series by Django Wexler
Alice's world is turned upside down the first time when she accidentally sees her father having a conversation with a real, live fairy. Her world is then overthrown again when her father is presumed dead after the boat he is traveling on sinks in a storm and she is sent to live with an Uncle Geryon she's never heard of. Life there is rather dull, until she follows a cat through a rather unusual library on the grounds of the estate and finds herself inside a book. After this accident, Alice discovers that she is a Reader, someone who can find and use magic in books. Once this becomes known, it is clear that there are many people and other creatures interested in using Alice for her skill. Alice's one goal is to figure out what for sure happened to her father, while others want to use her skills for the power struggles going on in this world that she just stumbled into.

Recommended Readers: Fantasy fans ready for a little more serious adventures (I feel like this series is a good segue between lighter middle grade fantasy and more serious YA/Adult fantasy). Library fans will find the library that Alice explores most extraordinary and intriguing. Readers who prefer to only start a series after is it complete can dive into these books safely. The last book just came out in the past year and the series is now complete at four books.


YA/Adult Fiction

Jade Dragon Mountain (Li Du, #1) by Elsa Hart
Li Du was an imperial librarian until he was exiled by the Emperor. Since then he's been traveling and gathering knowledge here and there. He has shown up in Dayan, the southwest of China and must register with the local magistrate in order to pass through. Unbeknownst to him, he's planned his visit just as the Emperor is about to visit for a grand festival where the Emperor will make an eclipse happen. As a scholar, Li Du knows the truth, that Jesuit astronomers have determined the date of the eclipse and the Emperor is just going to take advantage of it to further establish his authority in these borderlands. Li Du's plans to just pass through town get disrupted when a Jesuit priest he meets is murdered just days before the arrival of the Emperor. The magistrate - who happens to be Li Du's cousin - wants to sweep it under the carpet and pretend the death is natural. But Li Du can't let it rest, and with the help of a traveling storyteller, persuades the magistrate to let him investigate. But he must solve the case before the Emperor arrives. With just days to unravel the case and a host of suspects it will take all his wits and powers of observation.

Recommended Readers: Librarian fans, Chinese history fans, and mystery fans. Historical mystery fans who enjoy series can rejoice that there are currently two books in this series out with a third one is coming out this next week. Note: There is some violence.

The Invisible Library series by Genevieve Cogman
Irene, a spy for the Library, works to rescue unique books from perilous times and locations for preservation. To do her job she must travel to many different times and universes, but thankfully she can make a passage anywhere there’s enough books. She is sent on several missions that don’t go quite like expected with her assistant, Kai, who is training to be a librarian even though he is a dragon and the Library tries to distance itself from the fey/dragon tug of war going on over various worlds.

Recommended Readers: Library fans, book lovers, fantasy fans, and alternate history/steampunk fans are most likely to enjoy this series. Note: There is a minimal amount of swearing and some violence.