The Library Ghost

by Carole Boston Weatherford, Lee White (Illustrator)

At night, a ghost visits the library to find the answer to a riddle.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Books About Books, Ghosts, Ghost Stories, Halloween

22 pages, Hardcover

First published January 31, 2008

About the author

Carole Boston Weatherford is a children's book author and poet who mines the past for family stories, traditions, and struggles. A number of CAROLE's books tell the stories of African-American historical figures such as Harriet Tubman, Jesse Owens, and Billie Holiday. Other books recount historical events such as the Greensboro Sit-ins and the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church in Birmingham. CAROLE's books have received a wide variety of awards, including a Caldecott Honour for “Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People To Freedom”.

Reviews

[Stefanie Burns · Rating 1 out of 5]

Was overwhelmingly disappointed in this book. Many websites and blogs listed this book as a must read for the beginning of the year as an elementary school librarian. I highly disagree. The rhyming text is stretched at times to rhyme and to make sense. Younger readers would need a lot of explanation as to what is really happening in the story. I'm not sure why the ghost looked up trains on the web at the end of the story and I would be hard pressed as to explain why there a ghost reading to kids in the library each day. The stories I like explain about the library or are interesting or cute. This book does not equal any of these criterion. The story references many diary tales and classic stories which is fun to make connections with knowing those stories, but it's not enough to support this confusing, odd story. The illustrations match the text, but that's not helpful since the text is not clear!

I don't get it. The ghost at the end of each story makes no sense to me and the scaffolding needed for complete comprehension is overwhelming.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this little story. That's me. The ghost, that is. I want to be the ghost who stays in the library reading all the books I didn't get to read when I was alive. And the new books that will be amazing after I'm gone. I love the illustrations too. A bit old-timey that has a certain charm to it.

To the reviewers who gave this book a one or two star(s). It's a children's book. It doesn't have to be correct or proper. It's fun and children will like it.

[Cathy Hodge · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rhyming story with wonderfully detailed illustrations. The former reference Librarian is haunting the Library because she wants to answer the riddle to help a library child. The present-day Librarian finds the ghost, uncovers the mystery, solves the riddle to save the day. Now the ghost librarian is happy to help with Storytime. Enjoy.

[Lara Lleverino · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rhymes. Lots of allusions to other fairy tales and classic stories. Story of the ghost of an old reference librarian who can’t rest because she didn’t help a patron answer a riddle. The young current library helps her find the answer by searching the internet 🫤

[Rebekah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Nice rhyme but I thought the story was boring.

[wildct2003 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rhyming read

[Nicole · Rating 3 out of 5]

fun rhyming throughout the book

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Published in 2008, this is about about Ms. Mimms the librarian can't figure out why each night the library is ransacked. She figures out there is a library ghost going through all the books asking questions of all the characters. She finally figures out that it is the old reference librarian's ghost and she plans to stay!
Themes are ghost stories and other fairy tales. This is a great read aloud easy going ghost story! Teachers can have the students identify all of the characters mentioned in the book and from which fairy tale they came from. Ages 5 and up.

[Alice · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was okay. As a librarian also I want an explanation on why I leave the place tidy and when I get there in the morning it is a mess. I want it to be ghost but in my case I think they are called "two year old's"

This story is about how the books get a messed up at night...of course it was the book ghost, the old dead and gone librarian whose portrait was on the wall...from the afterlife she still seeking answers in books...until the 'alive' librarian helps her and also introduces her to the world wide web. Who knew you could surf the web in the afterlife?!?! :-D

[Tara · Rating 3 out of 5]

This lyric story invokes all the wonder and magic of a library at night. Told in a wonderful rhyming rhythmic tone, this is a shoe-in for story-time! The library is a mess each morning and a librarian decides to stay over night to see what is causing such mayhem and discovers that the library has a ghost. The Library Ghost is an old librarian who is obsessed with answering questions! With the current librarian helping her, she finds a place helping out with story-time!

[Krista the Krazy Kataloguer · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story was a tad disappointing, though I loved the illustrations. I do enjoy the idea of a librarian ghost haunting the library, trying to answer that last unanswered reference question. Librarians would do that. What I didn't like was the way Ms. Mims, the current librarian, answered the question--via the internet. I'm not certain a riddle can be answered that way. An entertaining tale but not satisfying.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written in verse, this is the story of a librarian that has reached her wit's end with a night time intruder that is messing up her shelves. So, she takes matters into her own hands only to discover that the ghost of the former reference librarian is unable to find the information she needed to answer a riddle for a patron and that happily she is able to help that librarian find her solution. A very pleasant ghost story, one that I'm sure people will enjoy.

[Angie · Rating 2 out of 5]

The kids will like it just because there's a ghost. I did like the illustrations. The story (about a librarian who couldn't "let go" of her job) just didn't do anything for me.

[Karen Arendt · Rating 3 out of 5]

The rhyming was sometimes forced. The ending was not extremely satisfying.

[Bear · Rating 3 out of 5]

The rhyme is a bit halting in places so you definitely have to read with the correct cadence but the story was fun and a good read-a-loud for young ones.

[Peacegal · Rating 4 out of 5]

Story about a ghostly reference librarian who haunts her former workplace. When I die, I sure hope I'm not stuck in this place!

[Sydney McClure · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kids will like this because it is about a ghost, and it is funny what the ghost does. Also, would be good to teach inferring and about messy libraries.

[Brandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a creative book to get kids imaginations wondering. Very funny and mysterious book!

[Tara Mensing · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book stimulates children's imagination, as a ghost ransacks the fairy tales in the library. The illustrations are unique.

[Kirstin Kemppainen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Allows children to wonder what happens in their library after everyone leaves... A very fun book to inspire children's imagination.

[Emily Rosbottom · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very, very cute story about a ghost librarian. Loved the pictures! However, I recommend knowing the students in your class before reading this to them. It would have scared me to DEATH.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Scary, but cute book about a librarian ghost. Great illustrations. Defianitly makes me wonder what happens in libraries when nobody is there!

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sprightly rhymes tell the story of a haunting librarian with lots of excuses to namecheck literary figures.

[Emily · Rating 2 out of 5]

Wanted to like it - didn't.