Dear Bookstore

by Emily Arrow, Geneviève Godbout (illustrator)

A picture-book love letter to bookstores, inspired by a song from award-winning children’s songwriter, ukulele player, and debut author Emily Arrow.

Dear Bookstore, I remember
the first time I ever visited you.

For one little girl, the local bookstore is not only the beginning of her reading journey, it’s a world that’s always there for her—one that allows her imagination to soar, provides any answers she needs, and sparks her curiosity. It’s a place of wishes and dreams, where everybody and every book fits in. There’s always someone there who is happy to see her and help find her next exciting chapter. With cozy, fanciful illustrations by Geneviève Godbout and based on musician Emily Arrow’s song of the same name, Dear Bookstore is an ode to bookstores, the people who love them, and the books that fill them with magic.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Books About Books, Juvenile, Fiction, Music, Contemporary

32 pages, Hardcover

First published March 11, 2025

About the author

My journey began with a profound love for both music and education. With an undergraduate degree from Berklee College of Music and currently earning my Master of Arts in Teaching, I’ve dedicated my career to merging these passions. My goal is to create engaging, innovative experiences that inspire children to embrace literacy through the joyful power of music. Through my work as an experienced teacher, author, and award-winning songwriter, I strive to ignite a love of reading and self-expression in the next generation.

I am a consultant for children’s film and television programming and I offer teaching residencies and workshops around the country at schools, libraries, and arts-based organizations. I am also a Writing Instructor for Literary Arts, Music Director of Storïwr Children’s Theater Company, and the Resident Host of the Portland Book Festival’s Children’s Stage.

Reviews

[Janet Bruins · Rating 5 out of 5]

A love note from a girl to her bookstore — remembering how they first met, the feeling of belonging, and all the magic created and shared there. It’s tender and personal, like flipping through memories that smell faintly of paper and dreams. Each page feels like a quiet thank-you to the stories that shaped her and the place that always felt like home.

[Noémie Courtois · Rating 5 out of 5]

Parfait en tout point ❤️

[Chantel · Rating 1 out of 5]

There is something to be said for the warmth emitted by a collection of books. No matter the age of the reader, or curious eye, books can offer the wanderer & eager spirit the comfort of something more. This particular book seeks to highlight this experience by presenting a young protagonist who grew up visiting her local bookstore. Within the shop, she saw all kinds of books; the shelves held every genre imaginable & walking between them, she saw the readers who had come to the store, like her, in search of the perfect read.

Although I can appreciate the message that the author is attempting to convey, namely that books are an important aspect of our lives, the book she has offered to the masses tosses the reader into the deep end without easing them through the meaningfulness that one is meant to assume exists within the binding. Specifically, the protagonist is grateful for this bookstore. The story itself opens with her greeting the facets of the store that she enjoys & is eager to meet when she arrives (e.g., the cute puppy & the books outside).

However, the simplicity of this approach falls short as the author pens that people are no longer reading as they once were, which is a false statement. There have always been people who ate through books like starved souls; those who managed to read more than any other person they knew; those who read once or twice a year; those for whom a printed book did not offer their eyes the ability to consume the mangled letters; those whose fingers were not gifted brail; those who suffered as an afterthought of the common whims of the publishing world—the list goes on. I find it tiring & boring to see an author include this statement in a book intended for a child, one who may not yet have the ability to read.

The lesson here could be remembering the eager joy one feels when being met with stories. Screens do provide us, as a society, with many benefits. I am writing this review on a computer & someone will read it on a screen. It seems odd to disregard the fact that screens offer people of all sorts & ranging abilities the opportunity to consume the written word. Rather than reflect on this fact, the book encourages one to purchase books, forgetting again the social gold that is the library & the lending system at writ large.

Ultimately, the illustrations are lovely & enhance the story. A more thoughtful approach when writing this book would have been beneficial, as this particular story is intended for young readers who might not be able to gauge the nuance of a world where the dual existence of a screen & a page has its place.

Oversimplifying a complex issue as though to sway the naive mind of the young is rather a rotten thing to do, particularly as books are meant to teach us things; to welcome us further into the world, & to broaden our horizons.

Instead, this book shades the sun & makes society seem burdened by the liberties we have achieved through technology, as though the imagination is stunted when using a screen to track down a beloved book, or when messaging a friend about the book one has just read, or as one shares with the world the beauty of a bookstore one adores.

Thank you to Edelweiss+, Candlewick Press, & Emily Arrow for the free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

[Anthony Lacroix · Rating 5 out of 5]

ouiiiiii !

[Tatevik · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a sweet, sweet book about bookstores and physical books! Definitely a keeper.

[Maude Fleurent · Rating 5 out of 5]

Si tu aimes la lecture, tu aimeras cet illustré!

[Cath.Lambert · Rating 5 out of 5]

Direct dans les achats du 12 août! Une belle et douce ode aux librairies et aux libraires.

[Evalynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

I will definitely be revisiting this book soon, but the parts I liked most on a first read were the moment where I realized we get to see the young girl grow up into a young woman who loves her bookstore dearly. It was a touching read, as a bookseller myself. Is it every child's experience? Possibly not, speaking as someone who very rarely had the economic privilege to enter a bookstore as a child. But oh, when I could, I was so happy. And now as an adult, I feel the same way as this woman. I also really liked the recurring characters in this book (bookstore dog(s) + aging bookseller).

[Béatrice · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tomber en amour avec un livre comme ça. J'adore 💛

[Alana/MiaTheReader · Rating 5 out of 5]

The words in this book are nice, but Genevieve Godbout's illustrations are what get 5 star reviews from me everytime.

[auré · Rating 5 out of 5]

bin voyons donc !!! c'est bin trop mignon ça !!!

[Kate Willis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely beautiful and sums up perfectly how I feel about my bookstores and library. 💙 I love the illustrations too!

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Magnifique pépite 💛

[Dactylaura · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️ une belle mise en valeur de notre métier 🥺❤️

[Gabrielle Stoller · Rating 4 out of 5]

My favorite thing about this book, hands down, are the illustrations. I have a total girl crush on Genevieve Godbout. I mean, come on, I have one of her prints above my desk! So a book that is a love letter to independent bookstores, what is there for me to NOT love??

[AlaniA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loggin in :)

[Louane · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cest trop cute je chiale. Ca me redonne foi en mon métier

[Cel Kila · Rating 5 out of 5]

Idéal pour sensibiliser les enfants à l'intérêt de la lecture... et d'une librairie. ☺️
Illustrations magnifiques ! Ma fille en redemande !

[Juliette · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mignon. Vive les librairies indépendantes <3

[Jaclyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful love letter to your local bookstore and the power it holds

[Élise Massé · Rating 5 out of 5]

J'adore ! Tellement une belle marque de reconnaissance pour le meilleur métier du monde ✨️

[GlutenFreePixels · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to be honest, I do not like the trend of using painfully neon colors in children's books.

[Bethany · Rating 5 out of 5]

DEAR BOOKSTORE celebrates a child's love for books and the magic of bookstores. With everyone turning to ebooks, many smaller bookstores are being forced to close down. While digital libraries are taking over, they can never replace the magic of walking into a bookstore or the smell of a new book. This book reminds readers how intriguing and welcoming physical bookstores are.

For one little girl, she's inspired as soon as she walks into her first bookstore. It's a place where she feels at peace and like she belongs. This book is her way of showing how much she appreciates that little book store filled with magic, dogs, and different worlds. The illustrations are soft and it's a great tribute to bookstores and libraries. In a world where technology is taking over, I love how this picture book brings people back down to earth and teaches children how much fun it can be physically picking out their next read. It might even encourage them to take a trip to their local library or bookstore.


Final Verdict: I would recommend this to children four and older who have a love for reading and books. It teaches them how much fun it can be to browse the shelves of physical books and the warmth bookstores have.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forse non siete pronti per questo. Io non ero pronta. Questo albo mi ha presa, accarezzata, abbracciata, poi scossa forte forte, poi abbracciata di nuovo.
Sulle ultime tavole illustrate ho fatto cadere dei grossi lacrimoni, mentre pensavo alla me bambina che, per mano alla nonna, vagava tra gli scaffali di una libreria del centro. Fuori, le decorazioni natalizie e il freddo pungente. Ero lì dentro per scegliere il mio regalo di Natale da parte di nonna e NIENTE a dicembre era più importante di quel momento. Ho fatto un tuffo tra i ricordi sbiaditi della mia infanzia, ma sfogliando il libro diventavano più vividi. Sono cresciuta leggendo voracemente a fianco di mia sorella, sullo stesso lettone, fingendo di essere la bibliotecaria nella stanza in cui torreggiava l'enorme libreria di mia nonna, guardando mia mamma che leggeva fino a tarda notte.
Qualche anno fa ho varcato per la prima volta la soglia della mia libreria del cuore grazie alla mia amica Giulia, la libraia Marta mi ha sorriso e da allora mi sono sentita a casa.
Quasi tutte le librerie che ho visitato sono state casa mia, e a loro devo la mia felicità.

[YSBR · Rating 5 out of 5]

Based on a song by YouTuber and former teacher Emily Arrow, this picture book is a love song to bookstores. A little girl has her first visit to a bookstore and falls in love. As she grows up, she continues to stop in and read and spend time with the bookstore dog. Every visit is special.  As a young woman, she hears bookstores around the city are closing, so she dashes to her bookstore and is relieved to see it is still busy and full of books and life. The main character has light-colored skin but a diverse group of people are shown visiting the bookstore.

The illustrations by Godbout are just perfect. They are soft and gently colored, except for the yellow. The vibrant yellow highlights different aspects of the story; it appears to glow on the pages and cover. At first, only the books in the bookstore glow, but as the story progresses, more and more things glow, like the animals in the stories that are being read. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[Mother Goose Librarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dear Bookstore written by Emily Arrow and illustrated by Genevieve Godbout is a sweet, ode to bookstores. If you’re thinking that the author’s name is familiar, you are correct! She is the infamous singer and songwriter, who creates songs for many wonderful picture books. If you are not already familiar with her music, you must look her up on YouTube. Her music is delightful! As a matter of fact, Dear Bookstore was inspired by Arrow’s song by the same name. In the book, a young girl enters a bookstore and is greeted not only by the bookseller but also by a bookstore dog, a comfy chair, all the books, and MAGIC! The book includes an important author’s note. Godbout’s artwork depict soft hued, dream-like illustrations. They were created with pastel, colored pencil, and gouache. If you are a bibliophile and bookstore lover, or if you want to share your love for books with children in your life, Dear Bookstore is a perfect picture book for you. For readers of ALL ages.

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Since I work at a bookstore, this new book by Emily Arrow shows what goodness can happen in a bookstore, mine and those who run independent stores. We do have people coming in who've been coming since they were children, just as the young girl tells in this story. Emily shows her love continuing as she grows. searching for new, a mystery perhaps, or then about music! The bookseller always says "I'm so glad you're here." There is mention of bookstores struggling, maybe even closing because more are reading "screens"! The girl rushes over, to find the words, "We're still here!" There is more, including a letter from the author with a song she's written and a QR code to help with singing along. The bright illustrations by Genevieve Godbout show happiness at the bookstore on every page!

[Kimberly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Simple illustrations - kind of faded and in neutral colors, with a bright highlighter yellow used for when the book's magic appears. About a little girl who loves the magic of bookstores and sees how that magic affects those around her in the bookstore! But then as she grows older, she finds out a lot of bookstores were closing because people were using their phones to read, so she runs back to the bookstore, and the bookstore components all assure her they're there for her. Shows how bookstores can foster imagination and community and is a safe place for people of all ages to interact and learn! 1-2 sentences per page. The author's note discusses the importance of local bookstores and its benefits, shows you how to find your nearest bookstores, and encourages readers to send their bookstore a note. Brings attention to an important issue/change recently and the importance of bookstores.

[Pascal Scallon-Chouinard · Rating 4 out of 5]

On accompagne une petite fille qui, en entrant dans une librairie, plonge dans un univers rempli de livres, d’imagination et de possibilités infinies. La librairie y est présentée comme un espace magique où tout le monde peut rêver, apprendre et voyager à travers les histoires; où tout le monde peut se sentir chez soi ou s’évader. C’est un réel hommage aux livres, mais, surtout, aux lieux et aux personnes qui permettent de les découvrir, peu importe notre âge. L’histoire demeure simple (peut-être un peu trop), mais les images viennent enrichir le propos et permettent de belles découvertes, au-delà des mots. Ma fille, qui aime particulièrement entrer dans une librairie et y bouquiner (pensant parfois que tous les livres sont pour elle!) a bien apprécié cet album.

[Jared White · Rating 4 out of 5]

Between the text and illustrations, this is an adorable book and a lovely tribute to local bookstores. Working together they convey the cozy welcome of this lovely shop and how it helped to inspire the author's love of reading.

I loved the whimsy sprinkled throughout the illustrations; the bright yellow that indicated the imaginative elements.

As a children's librarian, libraries are my first love, but good local bookstores are a close second and are probably my favorite type of shop to visit. I think libraries and local bookshops both contain a little bit of magic and can both be welcoming and inspiring places to their communities.