I Know a Librarian Who Chewed on a Word

by Laurie Knowlton, Herb Leonhard (Illustrator)

A most exciting word has the whole library abuzz. What combination of letters could possibly drive a person to do such absurd things? Fascinated children look on as Miss Divine dines on a table, chomps down a chair, and savors a shelf-all to chase down a single word. Written in the style of "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly," this book reveals the only verb that could make a librarian practically purr, and that word is READ.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Storytime, Books About Books

32 pages, Hardcover

First published February 15, 2012

Reviews

[Mother Goose Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

I Know A Librarian Who Chewed On A Word written by Laurie Knowlton and illustrated by Herb Leonard, is a fun and silly retelling of I Know An Old Lady Who Swallowed A Fly. Knowlton’s writing is clever and will have readers chanting along and laughing out loud. Leonhard’s illustrations are amusing and bring the story to life. This is a fun read aloud in a school or public library story time. It would also be fun to read to children who love all the different retellings of the classic, I Know An Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. To kick off the school year in my elementary school library, I would read this book aloud to my second grade classes (each grade level had a different library themed read aloud). The students loved reciting the repeated refrains and giggled along with me! I loved the student participation when I read I Know A Librarian Who Chewed On A Word. It’s such a playful read aloud!

[Becky B · Rating 3 out of 5]

A librarian twist on the "Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly." After the librarian chews on a word, she needs to eat a book, then a book cart, and more! But one little girl just wants to know what the word was that started the whole thing?

This one whacky and wild tall tale. The illustrations are cartoonish and whacky to match. I think my favorite illustration is the librarian holding up a whole book shelf. See if you can sing this book to the tune of the original song it is based on. Might be a good choice for library classes or music classes, or for kids who like zany picture books.

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

Similar to the story "There Was An Old Woman Who Swallowed a Fly", this is perfect for library visits or storytimes with the younger crowds. The audience will be anxious to find out what the "WORD" is that the librarian swallowed.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

A re-write of "I know an old woman who swallowed a fly" centered on books and words and items found in a library. May be a good one to use in the library at the beginning of the year. I like how the intensity builds in the pictures until we discover the original word she swallowed at the end.

[Brittany · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book follows the pattern of There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. While the illustrations are lively and energetic, the depictions of the librarian are stereotypical and the text doesn't have much content.

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Another version of I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. Loved the vivid colors of the pictures, the craziness of the librarian and the simple and profound ending.

Recommend as a read aloud for younger kids.

[susan nolan · Rating 5 out of 5]

very funny

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Horn Book Guide Fall 2012
In a variation on "I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly," a librarian ingests a succession of library items, from an unnamed word to a bookshelf. The rhyme is fine but the ending predictable (the word she swallowed? Read). The illustrations are garish, and the cover features a librarian--finger to her lips--in a bun, wire-rimmed glasses, and a shirtwaist.

Library Media Connection October 2012
In the tradition of "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly," this Marian the Librarian consumes ever more outlandish things, starting with a simple word and progressing to an entire bookcase. None of this appears to unhinge her bun. However, it astonishes the children who witness it all and frustrates the heck out of one little girl who keeps asking what word set off this absurd behavior. She finally gets satisfaction when an iridescent bubble pops out of the librarian's mouth bearing the answer: READ. Even non-stereotypical librarians will have fun sharing this one with children. Kids will enjoy the librarian's preposterous antics and the technicolor pictures that capture the pop-eyed expressions of incredulous children. Kick off a new school year with this celebration of books and the unexpected in the library. Jan Aldrich Solow, A. Scott Crossfield Elementary School, Herndon, Virginia. RECOMMENDED

School Library Journal August 1, 2012
K-Gr 2-Drawing on a cumulative rhyme similar to "I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed.," Knowlton uses a stereotypical, bespectacled, bun-sporting librarian to tell a spin-off of the tale. Miss Devine devours assorted library items such as a book, a bookcart, a table, and a shelf, with the students each time exclaiming, "How absurd" before the conclusion. Their large, grotesque childlike faces are bug-eyed with astonishment at their librarian's antics. Their skin tones are garishly sunburned orange/red and a bizarre yellowish-brown to add to the outlandish tone. At the finale, the librarian's chewed word that everyone wants to know is anticlimactic. Nothing much new here that will hold interest past the initial reading.-Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System, Manassas, VA (c) Copyright 2012. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

[Rhonda Aldrich · Rating 5 out of 5]

A friend read it aloud and that gave the story more personality (she does voices, well). I laughed so hard I cried. You don't have to be over 50 with old-people-hearing or old-people-memory to enjoy the humor centered around a forgetful Librarian. We LOVED and ADORED the story. Our grandkids got as much fun from the book as they did from the animated reading.

[Dianne Casas · Rating 5 out of 5]

An adaptation of the popular “I Know a Lady Who Swallowed a Fly,” Miss Devine is a librarian who began chewing on a word. The children want to know, “What’s the word?” Ms. Devine is on a rampage through the library swallowing chairs, tables, a bookcart, and even a whole bookshelf.

"I know a librarian who ate a book-cart, munching and crunching every last part! She swallowed the cart to hold the book. She swallowed the book to embrace the word. She practically purred when she ate that fine word. HOW ABSURD."

At the end, she eventually spits out the word. Spoiler alert!!! (It’s “READ!”) This is a clever remix of the traditional tale and librarians will love chewing on the words in this fun and delightful book.

[Monique · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thought I would like this book better. My daughters and I are very familiar with "’There was an old lady who swallowed a fly, but I don’t know why she swallowed a fly…” We really enjoy the rhymes. But we weren’t so excited about this book. It’s a cute book, but I just didn’t love it. And neither did my daughters. My 6-year old was turning the pages faster than I could read them, but it wasn’t because she was excited about the book; she was trying to get it over with and move on to the next one.

The illustrations are fun, and a bit exaggerated, which we all liked.

I give this book 3 stars out of 5. I wish I liked it better.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ha ha, very amusing, especially for a librarian. This book follows the pattern of I Know an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly. The artwork is bright and colorful. The expressions on the faces of the children as the librarian eats increasingly ridiculous items are well done. A diverse set of children is represented as well. The "word" that she chews is indeed well chosen, although it's a shame that the librarian wears glasses and her hair in a bun. In any event, I think this would be a fun book to read to a child that visits the library.

[Lorna · Rating 3 out of 5]

I'm kind of conflicted about what kind of review to give this book. In many ways it was very good - a new twist on the "old lady who swallowed a fly" tale. Fun illustrations, great vocabulary. But....the bun and high-necked blouse...in 2013? Really?? Librarians don't look like this anymore. They can be hip, pierced, young, MALE. I would wager no child in the targeted range for this book would even understand this old, tired stereotype.

[Alicia Evans · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is very cute and I really enjoyed reading it in my family storytime about libraries. The kids thought it was funny and ridiculous, though they also had to keep telling me that it couldn't really happen. I think it would definitely work better with younger kids and I look forward to reading it again with them.

For: storytimes about libraries/librarians/books.

Possible red flags: health concerns (if taken literally like some did).

[David Bril]

The brilliance of this book is how it doesn't tell you the word right away, making it a fun guessing game for the kids. It's a neat tale about a librarian who swallows a bunch of work related items, all while the children in the story want to know what word she swallowed. The animation is just ok here, leaving the book with an old feel for whatever reason. Still this was a ton of fun to read to my kids and figure out what the word was!

[Tam · Rating 2 out of 5]

This has a cute ending but my boys (ages 7 and 11) were bored with the rest of the book. The librarian swallows a word followed by a book, a book cart, the story-time chair, a table, and a shelf.

Excerpt from the book:
I know a librarian who chewed on a word.
She practically purred when she ate that fine word.
How absurd!

Hey! Did you see that? Miss Devine ate a word!
What word?

[Sharron · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such fun, a great take-off on the 'I knew' poems and songs that children love. I like the twists and turns, but especially the absurd things this librarian 'encountered'. Fun for kids of any age.

[Shavonne Bright · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. Repetition is always good for kids because they get excited to recite words and sentences over and over. The illustrations were realistic and colorful and the best part was the end.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun! Would work with older kids, maybe for scout visits?

[Hoover Public Library Kids and Teens · Rating 4 out of 5]

For everyone who loves books and libraries, esp. the Hoover Public Library!

[Anna Zbacnik · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun library read aloud.

[Mandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miss Devine shocked the boys and girls at her library by eating a word. But she didn't stop there, soon she was devouring other things found in the library!

[Tye · Rating 2 out of 5]

The illustrations were great.

The concept was good. The text was okay.

[Jamie · Rating 4 out of 5]

My 6 year old son says this book is funny but weird funny.

[Peacegal · Rating 3 out of 5]

I know a librarian who swallowed some Lysol.
She swallowed the Lysol to clean the bum
She swallowed the bum to catch the creep
She swallowed the creep to catch the thief...

[Jennifer · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a super cute library book! heehee

[Nora · Rating 3 out of 5]

A delightful remake of the old lady who swallowed a fly.

*I'm partial, because she's a librarian.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute book with a good message. Based on "I Know an Old Lady who Swallowed a Fly.@

[Robert J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely adorable. For the pictures alone it is worth giving this book a look. The looks on the children's faces are priceless. For that alone I gave it a 5.

[Brindi Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of my favorite librarian books :)