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How to Save a Library
Casey is tired of always being the new kid at school. Now, for the first time in Casey’s life, he finally feels settled—that is until his dad’s job at the library is threatened.
Every year Casey’s life seems to be boxed up and shipped to a new city. His dad thinks moving is an adventure, but at this point Casey is so over adventure. In Armstrong's Point, Casey life finally feels stable. His talent on the soccer field has made him a natural fit with the popular kids and he loves the apartment he shares with his dad.
But when Casey discovers the local library, where his dad works, is in need of extensive restorative repairs, his future once again feels uncertain. In order to save the one place in the world that feels like home, Casey joins the Kids Community Action Network (C.A.N) where his team will compete for community funding. Unfortunately, this means working with Addison—a former friend, turned not-so-friend—who isn’t going to make it easy on him.
Award-winning author Colleen Nelson weaves together a story of heart and humor, highlighting the power of libraries to bring communities together.
Every year Casey’s life seems to be boxed up and shipped to a new city. His dad thinks moving is an adventure, but at this point Casey is so over adventure. In Armstrong's Point, Casey life finally feels stable. His talent on the soccer field has made him a natural fit with the popular kids and he loves the apartment he shares with his dad.
But when Casey discovers the local library, where his dad works, is in need of extensive restorative repairs, his future once again feels uncertain. In order to save the one place in the world that feels like home, Casey joins the Kids Community Action Network (C.A.N) where his team will compete for community funding. Unfortunately, this means working with Addison—a former friend, turned not-so-friend—who isn’t going to make it easy on him.
Award-winning author Colleen Nelson weaves together a story of heart and humor, highlighting the power of libraries to bring communities together.
- GenresCanada
224 pages, Hardcover
Published November 25, 2025
37 people want to read
About the author
Colleen Nelson
31 books131 followersColleen Nelson is the author of YA fiction books Finding Hope (2016), 250 Hours (2015), The Fall (2013) and Tori by Design (2011). 'The Fall' and 'Tori by Design' both won the McNally Robinson Book of the Year Award. 'The Fall' was also nominated for the White Pine Award. Currently living in Winnipeg with her husband, two young sons and three grown step-children, Colleen manages to eke out time to write everyday, but usually in the early morning after a strong cup of coffee. A junior high school teacher for ten years before having children, Colleen is familiar and comfortable with the tricky phase of life called 'adolescence'. Now a Teacher-Librarian in Winnipeg, Canada, Colleen is constantly on the look-out for books that will catch the attention of her reading-reluctant sons.
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
November 21, 2025
Copy provided by Publisher Spotlight
Casey and his father have moved around a lot with his father's job as a librarian, and have most recently landed in Cornish, where they have been for over a year. It's a great small town, and the two rent an apartment from Mr. Nakamura. Casey plays soccer with Steve and Alex, who can be unpleasant jerks at times. There is a lot of tension between Casey and his former best friends Addison and Vivienne, but the cause of this is not revealed until later in the book. When the public library needs expensive renovations, Casey is worried that his father will lose his job, and they will have to move again. To try to avoid this, he joins a school club called Kids C.A.N. (Community Action Network) that is working to win a contest that will provide $30,000 to a community project. The library is heavily used, and has a huge fan base, in part because of a duck, Daisy, who comes back yearly to nest on the roof! The only two kids willing to work with the grumpy Mr. Olivera who was "voluntold" to help? Addision and Vivienne. Luckily, Addison also wants to work to help the library, since her mother has a bakery right next door. This also makes sense, because Casey and Addison's friendship involved a lot of bonding over books. Impressed by the money making ideas that the girls have, Casey tries to play to his own strengths to earn something for the project, and approaches his soccer coach with an proposal. What if his team ran a soccer camp for younger players? Sign ups go so well that the Coach asks the girls' team to do something similar. Steve continues to be a jerk on and off the soccer field, and after a scuffle during a game leads to Casey being injured, Casey finally stands up to him. Will this be enough to repair his friendship with Addison? Most importantly, will the Kids C.A.N. group be able to win the contest and provide the money the library needs in order to keep Casey's dad employed??
Strengths: There were several threads of suspense that ran through this, and I don't want to ruin any of the twists. I liked Casey a lot; he seemed like a solid Everyboy who is trying to live his life and not irritate people around him. He is active in soccer, gets along with his dad, is a good student, and occasionally has to deal with difficult relationships. Every school has jerks like Steve, and it was good to see that he at least apologizes at the end of the book. Addison and Casey's relationship also makes sense; I wouldn't have talked to Casey under the circumstances, either, even if Vivienne was more understanding. Many libraries are having difficulties, and avid readers will be invested in saving the Cornish Library.
Weaknesses: While I appreciated the happy ending, the help came out of left field. The cover of this might make it a hard sell to 7th and 8th graders, since it looks very young. It wouldn't have hurt to add more of an air of possible romance between Addison and Casey.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who want a library centered story like Sumner, Jamie. The Summer of June, Bishop's The Things You Can't Say, Tan, Amy Rebecca. A Kind of Paradise, Coats, J. Anderson. The Unexpected Lives of Ordinary Girls.
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
Casey and his father have moved around a lot with his father's job as a librarian, and have most recently landed in Cornish, where they have been for over a year. It's a great small town, and the two rent an apartment from Mr. Nakamura. Casey plays soccer with Steve and Alex, who can be unpleasant jerks at times. There is a lot of tension between Casey and his former best friends Addison and Vivienne, but the cause of this is not revealed until later in the book. When the public library needs expensive renovations, Casey is worried that his father will lose his job, and they will have to move again. To try to avoid this, he joins a school club called Kids C.A.N. (Community Action Network) that is working to win a contest that will provide $30,000 to a community project. The library is heavily used, and has a huge fan base, in part because of a duck, Daisy, who comes back yearly to nest on the roof! The only two kids willing to work with the grumpy Mr. Olivera who was "voluntold" to help? Addision and Vivienne. Luckily, Addison also wants to work to help the library, since her mother has a bakery right next door. This also makes sense, because Casey and Addison's friendship involved a lot of bonding over books. Impressed by the money making ideas that the girls have, Casey tries to play to his own strengths to earn something for the project, and approaches his soccer coach with an proposal. What if his team ran a soccer camp for younger players? Sign ups go so well that the Coach asks the girls' team to do something similar. Steve continues to be a jerk on and off the soccer field, and after a scuffle during a game leads to Casey being injured, Casey finally stands up to him. Will this be enough to repair his friendship with Addison? Most importantly, will the Kids C.A.N. group be able to win the contest and provide the money the library needs in order to keep Casey's dad employed??
Strengths: There were several threads of suspense that ran through this, and I don't want to ruin any of the twists. I liked Casey a lot; he seemed like a solid Everyboy who is trying to live his life and not irritate people around him. He is active in soccer, gets along with his dad, is a good student, and occasionally has to deal with difficult relationships. Every school has jerks like Steve, and it was good to see that he at least apologizes at the end of the book. Addison and Casey's relationship also makes sense; I wouldn't have talked to Casey under the circumstances, either, even if Vivienne was more understanding. Many libraries are having difficulties, and avid readers will be invested in saving the Cornish Library.
Weaknesses: While I appreciated the happy ending, the help came out of left field. The cover of this might make it a hard sell to 7th and 8th graders, since it looks very young. It wouldn't have hurt to add more of an air of possible romance between Addison and Casey.
What I really think: This is a good choice for readers who want a library centered story like Sumner, Jamie. The Summer of June, Bishop's The Things You Can't Say, Tan, Amy Rebecca. A Kind of Paradise, Coats, J. Anderson. The Unexpected Lives of Ordinary Girls.
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
https://msyinglingreads.blogspot.com/...
January 8, 2026
Seventh grader Casey is tired of moving. He and his widowed father have moved 10 times in as many years, but now, at Armstrong’s Point, Casey finally feels at home and thinks his Dad does too. They have lived there for more than a year and are starting to feel settled in their apartment and in the community. Casey loves hanging out at the Cornish, the historic library where his father works. It’s where he met Addison, his first friend in Armstrong’s Point, with whom he bonded over favorite books. At school, Casey is a good student and a standout soccer player, and has made fast friends with teammates Steven and Alex. Steven is a mean-spirited prankster and bully, who cheats on his schoolwork and is frequently in trouble, and Alex is his sidekick who videos and shares many of his pranks. Casey doesn’t love their behavior but does love having kids to hang out with; unfortunately one of Steven’s pranks has driven a wedge between Casey and both Addison and her best friend, Vivienne.
When Casey finds out that the Cornish Library is likely to be closed down due to much-needed and very expensive repairs, he worries that will mean another move for him and his dad. He decides to join a student club called Kids CAN, an opportunity for student groups to create a community service project and compete against other groups for a $30,000 grant. He arrives at the club meeting, and not surprisingly, the only other members are Addison and Vivienne, who are enthusiastic about raising funds for the library. They will have to work together to create an appealing presentation for the competition and organize some fundraisers, and each of them brings their own special talents to the project. Casey has mixed emotions: cautious optimism about the chance to rebuild his friendship with the two girls; anxiety that Steven and Alex will mock him or find ways to sabotage the project; and worry that their efforts to save the library will be ultimately unsuccessful (especially when they learn that the repair costs are much higher than originally estimated, and that the town has revoked the library’s landmark status, thus releasing any municipal financial obligation). All of these feelings turn out to be valid, but help arrives from unexpected sources, and there are happy endings all around.
How to Save a Library is a good pick for kids who enjoy books about friendship drama, sports stories, family problems, and/or community activism. There’s even a cute subplot for animal lovers, as the library annually hosts a duck named Daisy who lays her eggs on the rooftop each spring and later parades her ducklings to the water. Casey is a likeable protagonist; his first person perspective brings authenticity to the story and provides insight into his feelings about the other characters and his motivations for the decisions he makes. Readers will definitely relate to him and his classmates as they navigate the muddy waters of middle school social life. Important lessons about learning to compromise, learning to apologize, taking chances, and being true to yourself are embedded throughout. Many adults play pivotal roles - parents, coaches, teachers, neighbors, and librarians - but they are mainly in the background compared to the young people. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
When Casey finds out that the Cornish Library is likely to be closed down due to much-needed and very expensive repairs, he worries that will mean another move for him and his dad. He decides to join a student club called Kids CAN, an opportunity for student groups to create a community service project and compete against other groups for a $30,000 grant. He arrives at the club meeting, and not surprisingly, the only other members are Addison and Vivienne, who are enthusiastic about raising funds for the library. They will have to work together to create an appealing presentation for the competition and organize some fundraisers, and each of them brings their own special talents to the project. Casey has mixed emotions: cautious optimism about the chance to rebuild his friendship with the two girls; anxiety that Steven and Alex will mock him or find ways to sabotage the project; and worry that their efforts to save the library will be ultimately unsuccessful (especially when they learn that the repair costs are much higher than originally estimated, and that the town has revoked the library’s landmark status, thus releasing any municipal financial obligation). All of these feelings turn out to be valid, but help arrives from unexpected sources, and there are happy endings all around.
How to Save a Library is a good pick for kids who enjoy books about friendship drama, sports stories, family problems, and/or community activism. There’s even a cute subplot for animal lovers, as the library annually hosts a duck named Daisy who lays her eggs on the rooftop each spring and later parades her ducklings to the water. Casey is a likeable protagonist; his first person perspective brings authenticity to the story and provides insight into his feelings about the other characters and his motivations for the decisions he makes. Readers will definitely relate to him and his classmates as they navigate the muddy waters of middle school social life. Important lessons about learning to compromise, learning to apologize, taking chances, and being true to yourself are embedded throughout. Many adults play pivotal roles - parents, coaches, teachers, neighbors, and librarians - but they are mainly in the background compared to the young people. Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...
January 9, 2026
HOW TO SAVE A LIBRARY BY COLLEEN NELSON .
Colleen Nelson’s How to Save a Library is an engaging, heartfelt middle-grade novel that celebrates community, resilience, and the transformative power of stories. With warmth and authenticity, Nelson captures what happens when young people discover their voices—and use them to defend something they love.
The story follows 12-year-old Evan, a quiet, book-loving kid whose world shifts when he learns that his beloved local library is at risk of closing. What begins as worry soon becomes action as Evan, his classmates, and unexpected allies rally together to save a space that has shaped their lives. Along the way, Evan confronts friendship changes, personal courage, and the realization that even young people can spark real change.
Nelson excels at writing characters who feel real: imperfect, thoughtful, funny, and emotionally honest. Evan’s journey is relatable for middle-grade readers who are discovering who they are and where they fit. The novel also highlights the essential role of libraries—safe spaces for learning, creativity, community connection, and belonging—making it an excellent choice for classroom discussions and library advocacy programs.
Themes of civic engagement, literacy, empathy, and community activism are woven seamlessly into a narrative that never feels heavy-handed. Instead, the book invites readers to imagine themselves as leaders and changemakers. Its pacing, humor, and emotional depth make it accessible for a wide range of readers.
Verdict: A moving and inspiring middle-grade novel that champions libraries, young activists, and the belief that every voice matters. Highly recommended for school and public library collections, especially as a read-aloud or book-club pick.
Colleen Nelson’s How to Save a Library is an engaging, heartfelt middle-grade novel that celebrates community, resilience, and the transformative power of stories. With warmth and authenticity, Nelson captures what happens when young people discover their voices—and use them to defend something they love.
The story follows 12-year-old Evan, a quiet, book-loving kid whose world shifts when he learns that his beloved local library is at risk of closing. What begins as worry soon becomes action as Evan, his classmates, and unexpected allies rally together to save a space that has shaped their lives. Along the way, Evan confronts friendship changes, personal courage, and the realization that even young people can spark real change.
Nelson excels at writing characters who feel real: imperfect, thoughtful, funny, and emotionally honest. Evan’s journey is relatable for middle-grade readers who are discovering who they are and where they fit. The novel also highlights the essential role of libraries—safe spaces for learning, creativity, community connection, and belonging—making it an excellent choice for classroom discussions and library advocacy programs.
Themes of civic engagement, literacy, empathy, and community activism are woven seamlessly into a narrative that never feels heavy-handed. Instead, the book invites readers to imagine themselves as leaders and changemakers. Its pacing, humor, and emotional depth make it accessible for a wide range of readers.
Verdict: A moving and inspiring middle-grade novel that champions libraries, young activists, and the belief that every voice matters. Highly recommended for school and public library collections, especially as a read-aloud or book-club pick.
October 28, 2025
3.5 stars. This was a cute book about a boy who is raised by his librarian dad. They move all of the time (not exactly sure why?) and our main character is tired of moving. He's finally found a place he wants to stay, but the library is in danger of being shut down because it needs to many repairs. Our MC joins Kids C.A.N.- a group that allows kids to make change in their community- and compete to win money for the library. We also see our MC's love for soccer and his friends. He was close friends with 2 girls who had a lot in common with him, but then something happened that made them dislike him. As the reader, we don't find out what that is until 1/2 way through the book. He also has friends from the soccer team, but they're a bad influence and I liked the commentary about how important it is that we choose friends that build us up, not put us into bad situations. The one thing I didn't love was the inclusion of the gay relationship at the end. It felt very awkward and like a plot twist and I don't love when that is used as a plot device. Theres also a really convenient 'oh, you're loaded and can step in and save the day!? GREAT!' ending and I don't love that. Overall, this was cute but I'm kind of glad I read it solo instead of with my kids.
November 28, 2025
Seventh grader Casey is tired of moving for his father's job and always being the new kid in school. Now that he feels at home in Armstrong's Point, the chances of their moving AGAIN are high since the local library is in danger of being shut down due to expensive repairs. He joins two other classmates in an effort to save the library--and maybe salvage his friendship with someone who he threw to the wolves at a birthday party. The more time he spends with the other two students, the more he realizes just how unkind a couple of his other friends on the soccer team are. Casey is likeable, relatable, and a hero even though he doesn't always do the right thing. The fact that the library's closure will be a disaster for Daisy, the duck that nests on its roof, adds even more poignancy to this story. A good read aloud choice, this one is a 3.5 for me. It's nice to see librarians and library kids win one occasionally.
October 6, 2025
Sweet story full of emotion, heartache, friendship, and finding your place/purpose. Casey's constant bad luck was almost draining at times, watching a kid go through so much and feel so down from so many sides of his life (school, home, friendships). What I did appreciate was the fast moving timeline and the evolution of what was happening. Casey's ability to recognize and work through emotions was something I thought was a great conversation starter for kids reading the book. I read with my own 10 year old and found we were able to start conversations about who they think is wrong/right and how they would handle this situation. Overall really enjoyed the story. It felt hard and heavy at for the first 60% of the book, but I liked that there was an evolution to the characters.
November 27, 2025
Colleen Nelson knows her audience masterfully well and presents themes that are genre perfect. Navigating friendships, trying to fit in, standing up for yourself and others, these are battles that middle-grade readers face everyday. In How to Save a Library, main character Casey is bravely dealing with all that and more. His yearning to belong and set down roots is written with tenderness and compassion, truly investing the reader in his journey. Sports passages woven throughout are lively and engaging and will keep even the most reluctant reader enthralled in this charming novel. The heartwarming library plot and Daisy the duck (love!) are cherries on top.
January 7, 2026
How To Save A Library is an engaging, captivating, brilliant, lively, and moving middle grade novel! Recommended for ages 8-12 but enjoyable for all ages, this book packs a powerful message. Casey may have a history of annual moves due to his dad's work and be newer to the community, but loves the community library as passionately as anyone else. In fact, he might recognize what a gem the community and it's library is better than anyone else because it has finally given him a sense of home. His fight to save the library from closure is truly beautiful and forces him to find courage in uncomfortable situations. He is one passionate kid!
December 26, 2025
This was a really well done book but I struggled with figuring out the age recommendation for this book. The characters are all in the grade and the plot of the book would do well with grades 5-7. But the cover.....its designed to suit a MUCH younger audience. Its likely to turn away a more mature reading audience which is a shame because its a really well done book inside.
November 7, 2025
How to Save a Library (Hardcover)
by Colleen Nelson
A sweet story of finding resilience in the local library. Its not only the books that are important, but the connections with the community that the library brings.
July 17, 2025
A little sweet, a little silly, but who doesn't want to save a library?
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews