I'm So Happy You're Here: A Celebration of Library Joy

by Mychal Threets

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Dubbed "the Internet's librarian"— and now host of the relaunched Reading Rainbow — Mychal Threets invites all to take a look and find themselves at the library! Perfect for little readers who are regular visitors and those who might be stepping into the stacks for the first time.

Welcome to the library!

It’s a place just for you! There are activities, movies, games, and SO. MANY. STORIES. Best of all, it’s a place where you will always belong.

Take a tour of the library with the internet’s favorite librarian, Mychal Threets! This heartwarming debut picture book from Mychal extends an invitation to anyone who could use a little library joy and a reminder that libraries are for everyone.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Storytime, Books About Books, Nonfiction, Juvenile, Contemporary

33 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 3, 2026

About the author

Mychal Threets also known as Mychal the Librarian, is an American librarian, media personality, as well as an advocate for literacy and mental health. Threets is known for his upbeat viral videos featuring book recommendations, observations and anecdotes from the library, and affirming messages.

Threets produces literacy-related social media content for PBS and PBS Kids as their resident librarian. In September 2025, the network named Threets as the new host of Reading Rainbow.

Reviews

[Veronika]

I've been following Mychal Threet's librarian journey online for a while and I am excited to read this upcoming picture book! Anyone who is passionate about libraries and spreading library joy is ok with me!

[Christian Schultheiss]

Mychal is just such a cool and happy guy, and I couldn’t believe it have been happier when I heard he got reading rainbow started up again and I’ve loved the happy nostalgia I’ve gotten in watching it renewed with my son. When I heard he published a children’s book that’s pro library love, it checked all our boxes. We finally got a copy in a week ago and while it’s simplistic in nature it exudes happiness and it’s so reread-able with little ones that we’ve gotten into this nearly every night this last week. 3.75/5

[Meg]

This may be my first time wishing a picture book was longer rather than shorter!

[Melo]

This debut book celebrating book joy, belonging, and community! If only when some of us were young, we had a librarian like Mychal who spoke out to us kids directly and made sure we knew we belong, we matter. This title is simple with a huge message. Thank you Mychal for welcoming us all and seeing us!

[Caitlin]

a wonderful and joyous introduction to the library and all it offers for kiddos! the illustrations were great and very inclusive.

[Jeremy]

I'm super suspicious of celebrity/influencer books (no matter how benign), and tend to roll my eyes at kids books that pander to librarians more than the kids who the stories are for. HOWEVER, "I'm So Happy You're Here" is actually pretty sweet--moving even!

I intend to try it out this fall when classes visit the library.

[Courtney]

Such a joy! Read at the library of course. Love that you can see his library card tattoo.
Hope Mychal writes more books

[Jenny]

I'm pretty sure that the library and community on the title/verso page of this book is based on the library/town where I work and you can't convince me otherwise.

[Shannon]

I’m So Happy You’re Here: A Celebration of Library Joy

I Picked Up This Book Because: A whim.

Media Type: eBook
Source: CC Public Library
Dates Read: 3/9/26
Rating: 5 Stars


The Story:

This was excellent as expected. Mychal is never shy about sharing Library joy and you can feel it in his words. The illustrations were so good at showing a variety of different people and supporting the message that everyone belongs at the library.

[Alex]

"I'm So Happy You're Here" is a wonderful book. A friend of mine at the bookstore mentioned it (and I like spoiling my nephew with books, so this works out nicely) :). The book is so joyful and is a great celebration of library joy. It's also inclusive and welcoming. The illustrations are great and so is the book's theme. Altogether, it is a superb book.

[Anita Weber]

I smiled while I read this book! So inclusive and positive, this story embodies the safety and happiness that I have always found to be integral to libraries and their staff.

[LJ]

I follow Mychal Threets on social media, and I just love the joy he shares about libraries and reading. This book was absolutely adorable and such a sweet celebration of everything that makes libraries special.

It’s warm, welcoming, and full of charm — and honestly, it made me wish I had little kids to read it with. A really joyful read.

[Candice]

Lovely all-inclusive book about children visiting the library. My granddaughter uses a wheelchair and there was an illustration of a child in a wheelchair. I got her this for her birthday.

[Lisa Pineo]

I came across Mychal Threets on Instagram years ago and loved how excited and entertaining he was about being a librarian and having all his "library kids." I was sad when he said he quit being a librarian because of how he was being treated, especially with how open he is about his mental health. Seeing him back with Reading Rainbow and now writing a book is wonderful since even more people will get to see how engaging he is. While I really like the idea behind this book I was a little disappointed with the feel of it. I didn't get the joy I was expecting. I didn't really get much of a mental health angle either. I get that this is for little kids who want to know what it's like to go to the library, but because it's from him, I thought there would be more focus on those things. I liked the art but wasn't blown away by it. I still think this is a great book for kids to learn about the amazing things you can do there aside from taking out books and the happiness librarians have from helping fellow book lovers.

[Tayler K.M.]

Very simple but clearly filled with love for libraries and library kids. I may have teared up a few times.

Illustrations were great. I loved all the little details down to a kid having a bandaid on their knee and the due date card pocket in the front of the book. There are slight differences in the endpapers from the front vs the back but I can't see everything because I got this book from the library and the jacket is taped on, so I can't look under the flaps. But again, just really cool little details.

I love that Mychal has a cat with him on the front endpapers and that his author bio on the back flap includes "His cats, Machine Gun Kitty and Kissin' Kat Barlow, did not help at all, but he still appreciates them."

[JC]

A little piece of joy from one of America's favorite librarians. I love the bold illustrations here and message of all the things a library can do. I like to imagine this would be a great resource for teachers the day before taking kiddos to the school library/media center for the first time.

[Haylee Perry]

This was so cute! Mychal is a wonderful narrator. Highly recommend this book for any parents or teachers of young children to help inspire a love of books and libraries. Thanks Libro.fm for the ALC!

[Victoria Horn]

MYCHAL THREETS FOREVER!!!

[Casey]

I ❤️ the library and I ❤️ Mychal, so this was very sweet indeed.

[alysa]

This book is such a sweet love letter to libraries. As a library lover, I can’t wait to gift it to the newest reader in my family :) Really cute art too!

[Monday]

A short but sweet story on the joys of the library.

[terra 🩰🎵]

mychal frigging threets.

[mlact]

I attended the NCTE National African American Read-in event in which Mychal did a storytime of this book. I CRIED! I love libraries, I love being a librarian, and I love seeing librarians of color lead us into the future of communitybuilding and memorywork. And to see all the kids on the Zoom call get so excited... I'M CRYING AGAIN! LIBRARY JOY 💛💛💛

[Alicia Birdie and the books]

As someone with a physical disability, you don't see many physical disabilities celebrated in children's books. This is the first children's book that I've read in a while. that actually made me cry

[Elizabeth]

I'm So Happy You're Here is such a perfect celebration of library joy. I'm a big fan of Mychal Threets's videos and posts online, I love Reading Rainbow, and I love books and libraries, so I was thrilled to hear this book would exist. As someone who often felt more at home in the library than any other place in my life, who really relied on the existence of libraries, this book really hit the sweet spot for me. It celebrates libraries as a place everyone is welcome, everyone is safe, and we can all find passionate joy in the things we love to do. The art is really cute too. I read this at home, but I felt library joy while reading it. Highly recommended!

[Bonnie Thrasher]

A beautifully illustrated book which shows that libraries are welcoming to everyone. Libraries are safe havens, no matter your position on life’s path.

[Hilary]

This book is a precious gem, just like Mychal. I loved the illustrations. And of course I'm a sucker for pro-library propaganda.

[Shelley Martin]

Great for young kids to help them know the library is a great place to be!

[Sammy]

Absolutely positively perfect in every way. This book screams "Library Joy" and I am here for every bit of it.

[Bonnie]

Sweet, inclusive, affirming, and joyful!