Children's Books discussion
The Picture-Book Club
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August 2024: Celebrate Libraries and Librarians!
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For a Listopia of Picture Books about the Library, see here:
https://www.goodreads.com/list/show/7...
If, like me, you love bookmobiles etc.:
https://indypl.bibliocommons.com/list...
and don't miss the photos here:
https://thispicturebooklife.com/pictu...
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Mama's Library Summers
Books by Horseback: A Librarian's Brave Journey to Deliver Books to Children
Librarian on the Roof! A True Story
Moose's Book Bus
The Ghost Library
The New LiBEARian
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Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré is excellent and there are some other picture books about Pura Belpre too.
I gave a copy of The Librarian of Basra: A True Story from Iraq to my wonderful librarian for Christmas. She is a veteran, so I wanted to say ''thank you for serving in more ways than one''. She loves it. Mrs. Cassidy is very kind and trustworthy. When my mom was in the hospital last year, Mrs. Cassidy took time to deliver my on-hold books to my house. [The only person I can send as a messenger is also my only caregiver except for Mom.]
I love completing listopias [by reading every book on them in order] and dream of completing every listopia there is. I know that all I have to do is send her a link to a listopia, and I know she's on it. Whenever I return something, she checks the list and makes the next request for me, also filling any empty hold spaces I have. I never need to worry about anything library-related because she's got this.
A caring librarian is a wonderful thing.
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Too bad that this wonderful book is on the hit list of book banners and has been censored and restricted in many libraries (mostly because the haters despise the fact that the heroic librarian is Iraqi and Muslim, sigh).
Manybooks wrote: "Too bad that this wonderful book is on the hit list of book banners and has been censored and restricted in many libraries (mostly because the haters despise the fact that the heroic librarian is Iraqi and Muslim, sigh)."While you're probably right, the excuse it that the story depicts scenes of violence unsuited to the age group. It's not on the contemporary banned lists. It was challenged in 2015-2016 when coalitions of parents in Michigan, FL and NY claimed the book promotes Islam and is too violent for kids. In 2018 as part of the 3rd-grade curriculum at Colter (WY) Elementary School a Parent wrote to the school board and complained that the book was un-American and upsetting for their family.
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Funny, the only thing that is actually un American are book banners and those who support it.
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I'm so glad you are excited about the topic :-)
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This is one of my favorites!
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I love this story, thank you for sharing. Mrs. Cassidy sounds like an amazing person.
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Did anyone else watch an 80s science fiction tv show called Tomes & Talismans? It was produced by Mississippi Public Broadcasting, and each episode explained some type of library research (starting with the Dewey Decimal System and moving on to more complex stuff like microfiche). The Bad Guys were rapacious aliens who stripped the environment and destroyed knowledge. Some librarians heroically stayed behind to hide the book for future generations and one librarian remained in suspended animation so she could be explain the library to future survivors.
Each episode would have some sort of puzzle or question that they had to figure out through research, using actual books that would have been available in the library. I remember being very excited when it was a book I had read or could guess!
Mir wrote: "Did anyone else watch an 80s science fiction tv show called Tomes & Talismans? It was produced by Mississippi Public Broadcasting, and each episode explained some type of library research (starting..."I don't believe that aired in the Boston area market! It sounds like an incredible and educational show. I hope it's on YouTube so I can watch it now.
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Wow, no, I don't think I ever saw that but it sounds amazing! I will try to watch. Thank you for sharing :-)
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I had never heard of this before. Thanks to Serena's link, I have saved it to watch when I have some time.
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Library on Wheels: Mary Lemist Titcomb and America's First Bookmobile
This is EXCELLENT - for older readers. It's more academic than a story but it's a biography that needs to be told. I need a full length biography and her personal papers and photos donated to an archive for the public to see. Mary Lemist Titcomb's contribution to library service deserves to be recognized. She never took no for an answer. Surprisingly, she was not from an elite family but a regular humble farm family who believed in the importance of education. Mary Lemist Titcomb served as a librarian and asked to be a part of the ALA part of the 1893 World's Fair but Melville Dewey (the one who invented the DDS) told her she didn't have enough national recognition. Later in life she did serve as the vice president of the ALA.
When Mary Lemist Titcomb had the idea for a book cart to serve the farmers of rural Washington County, Maryland, the board thought she was nuts! Farmers don't read! Well they do if they have access to books and Mary wouldn't accept no for an answer. A horse drawn cart with a personable driver and a friendly librarian made 31 trips in 6 months loaning out over 1,000 books! How's that for crazy!
An accident in 1910 turned out to be a blessing in disguise. The automobile was rapidly taking over the streets and Mary's next bookmobile was "horseless carriage" that cost $2,500 (1910 dollars I assume). A even crazier board member believed in the plan and donated the money! This bookmobile held 300 books at a time and covered new routes, each route three times a year. The next one held 500 books plus a passenger seat for a younger, friendly library assistant. By this time the mobile library was so famous, everyone wanted to join the ride.
This book is part scrapbook with photos of Mary Lemist Titcomb, her bookmobiles and other photos of the Washington County bookmobile from the early 1900s to today. Today they have a huge BUS!
Sadly, Mary Lemist Titcomb died unknown and was buried in Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Concord, Mass. in an unmarked grave. The author of this book was thrilled by the discovery that the subject of her new book was buried so close to the woman whose book inspired her to write books in the first place, my hero also, Louisa May Alcott.
I'm super excited the author helped get a headstone for this amazing librarian and next time I am in Concord and it's not raining or snowing, I'll leave her a book on her grave. (People leave pens and pencils for the authors all the time, someone comes along and collects them).
Backmatter is extensive and includes author's note, (end)notes, select bibliography including online collections/websites and publications by Mary Lemist Titcomb.
Miss Brooks Loves Books!
This is a funny, charming little story for reluctant readers and the librarians who just keep trying and giving and giving until that ONE book reaches that ONE kid and makes a reader out of a non-reader. Kids will enjoy the story at the kid's level and adults will be so touched by Miss Brooks and her love for books.
Miss Brooks is the kind of school librarian who dresses up for storytime, who encourages the kids to dress up and report on their favorite stories. She loves the best books The Runaway Bunny, Babar, Where the Wild Things Are, The Very Hungry Caterpillar ... most of the kids adore her and follow along eagerly. The unnamed main character is the lone stand out. She does not love books, costumes, dogs, bunnies, pink, etc. and can not get excited about books like Miss Brooks does. She insists she'll never love a book the way Miss Brooks loves books. Miss Brooks says "don't be so sure." An offhand comment from the child's mother about how picky she is sparks an interest in one of the books Miss Brooks sent home with her! THAT makes her a reader! The other kids seem excited to join in even if her taste is unconventional.
The illustrations are traditional 2D drawn illustrations and very charming. I like the little girl [I'm guessing girl?] and how her facial expression and body language change as she discovers that ONE book.
I keep trying this tactic with my nephew and hopefully one day he'll find THAT book he can read, understand and love.
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I love this! Subtle tenacity is so important with a reluctant reader ;-)
(I enjoyed the Miss Brooks book when I read it some time ago, too. Gave it four stars.)
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(Also not a picture-book, not yet read, the graphic novel Teen Titans Go! To the Library.)
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Houndsley and Catina at the Library (leveled reader)
A Library
The Library Fish
No Cats in the Library
Little Libraries, Big Heroes
Please Bury Me in the Library
Such a Library: A Yiddish Folktale Re-imagined
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I haven't read either of those but will try to get them. I remember we read some Houndsley and Catina books once upon a time but I don't think we ever read this one. I thought No Cats in the Library was pretty cute. Little Libraries, Big Heroes is a great topic -- I love Little Free Libraries -- but I wasn't a huge fan of the illustration style.
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However, the story itself is really lovely. It feel it captures the magic of a good book to inspire and encourage, the feeling that book characters can be true friends, the imagination that stories can weave that lead you outside of yourself and into empathy with others or greater alignment with your truest self. The illustrations are charming and I love how even the library itself feels somewhat enchanted through Nancy's eyes, (the stone statues of animals coming to life, for example). This book is a true celebration of libraries and librarians and the way that a really intuitive and encouraging librarian can change the life of a child for the better. I loved how Nancy found her own empowerment through books and that (view spoiler)
I see several reviewers were disappointed this was not a more thorough biography. So, know that going into it, but if you really love libraries and want to celebrate librarians, I would still recommend giving this book a try.
That Book Woman
This is a must-read for anyone who doesn't understand the value of libraries! Cal, a farm boy in Appalachia (Kentucky) in the 1930s (I'm guessing) has no use for that chicken scratch. He resents books because they take his sister away from the farm chores and Cal must do them all. His sister is always reading! One day a woman comes with books and his sister is eager for more to read but they don't have any money. Pa tries to trade the poke berries Cal picked for a pie and Cal is fuming. No, says the librarian. The books are FREE and in 2 weeks exactly she'll return for them and exchange them for new ones. Cal's sister is in heaven, Cal not so much. However, winters are long and cold with nothing to do and still that book woman shows up on her mule with books! Maybe there's something to that chicken scratch after all!
I'm not a big fan of stories in verse but this one is short enough to work. It was inspired by the same source material as one of my favorite American Girl short stories "Kit and Aunt Millie Ride Again" (Kit's Short Story Collection, the Kentucky Packhorse Library Project. I wish that much information was included in this book. It doesn't have much detail on the project.
The illustrations are really nice and realistic but not too realistic. Cal's mother is visibly pregnant with her 6th child while still holding and rocking her 5th. There's Cal, his sister, twin boys, baby and brand new baby PLUS the parents and grandparents all living in what appears to be a one room cabin. The snow is very deep and it looks very cold. I can experience the sensation just from the picture.
This family is obviously very poor and illiterate but the parents seem to believe in education, allowing their daughter to read all the time. I doubt that's realistic for that time and place but the story is inspiring just the same.
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This is a must-read for anyone who doesn't understand the value of libraries! Cal, a farm boy in Appalachia (Kentucky) in the 1930s..."
I loved that one, too! I actually have two other librarians-on-horseback picture books out from the library now and will see how they compare. (Also loved Waiting for the Biblioburro, same idea but in South America.) It's not yet in at our library but I'm on the holds list for Junia, The Book Mule of Troublesome Creek which was released in March.
(I've not read it yet, but for slightly older readers (not a picture book) Down Cut Shin Creek: The Pack Horse Librarians of Kentucky is supposed to be good.)
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I thoroughly enjoyed this picture book biography of a famous children's services librarian and storyteller from last century. The book does tell us that she got her first library job in 1937, but the author doesn't tell the reader if she ever retired before her passing in 1998. August Baker was an interesting woman and did much to improve literature for black children in her day. The mixed media collage, acrylic and pen illustrations fit very well with Augusta's story. The book concludes with a timeline, a bibliography, an author's note, and a couple of photos. One of the photos is of Mrs. Baker showing a book to a young girl. This book is a great companion to other books about children's librarians: Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré, Librarian on the Roof! A True Story, and Miss Moore Thought Otherwise: How Anne Carroll Moore Created Libraries for Children.
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A cat who loves books! What could be better! Appealing illustrations decorate this adorable story.
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I thoroughly enjoyed this short story of one fictional horseback librarian as she made her rounds and delivered books to individuals and a classroom of children. However, the author never mentions from where she acquired the books to deliver. This librarian either has to camp out or be a guest in the home of one of her book customers.
I have read two adult fictional novels about Kentucky horseback librarians. Both of those main characters lived in a small town near the district-distributing library. In each book, these librarians delivered their books on a pre-planned route, along with other librarians who had different routes. These librarians completed their routes in one day, and then delivered to different people on a different route the next. Each day, they would pick up books from the previous delivery and leave more books. Then they would return the returned books to the district library.
(Wonderland Creek and The Librarian of Boone's Hollow)
I simply found the contrast between the librarian who had to camp out, and those who came back to their homes each night interesting.
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Birds and libraries--what better combination could there be in a picture book? Polacco shares some incidents from her early childhood, including her early love of making art and of bird watching.
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Birds and libraries--what better combination could there be in a picture book? Polacco shares some incidents from her early chil..."
Sounds amazing and Polacco is extraordinary. I have got to get this one!!!!
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This was my favorite of the two packhorse librarian books I brought home. I love everything about it! The illustrations are totally my style; they feel so evocative of the era with lots of lovely detail but also with a slight dreaminess to them that, for me, really highlights the beauty of the Appalachians and the heroism of our intrepid librarian. My oldest even picked it out of the book pile and read it himself -- which rarely happens with picture books at his ripe old age of eleven! The storytelling captured me and I felt transported into Edith’s day and the moments, both mundane and momentous, as she strives to get a requested book into the hands of a young patron far back in the mountains. It’s a wonderful adventure story that highlights the bravery of these packhorse librarians. Even though the focus is not so much on the books themselves, the importance of sharing stories is so highlighted by the lengths to which these librarians would go to get the books into the hands of those who want to read them. The Author’s Note explains more about the horseback librarians, the communities they reached, and the overarching events of the era (particularly the Great Depression and the WPA, which gave rise to these jobs.). There’s also a Bibliography. While I wouldn’t say this book gives a complete picture of horseback librarians, since it is so very much a slice-of-life story, it is a great introduction and surely could be paired with more if readers wish to delve deeper into the topic. My kids liked this one best of the two, also.
The Horseback Librarians
We read this one second, so perhaps it suffered by reading order. It felt a little tame and lackluster compared to Edith’s breathtaking adventure in BOOKS BY HORSEBACK. Also, I was not a huge fan of the illustration style – the colors are nice but the overall effect felt a bit too cartoony for my taste and not as representative of the era as I would have liked. Also, there’s no Bibliography so boo on that. What I do like about this is that we see the librarian in a variety of situations, so it gives a broader picture of what their duties involved. She camps under the stars one night, sleeps in a barn another; she brings books to invalid children, to a school house, and even saves one to read herself. I also like that actual book titles were given; I think this helps children today get an understanding for what people of that era were reading (and that good stories endure! We still have Alice in Wonderland and Grimms’ Fairytales and Emily Dickenson’s poems!) So, while this one didn’t resonate for me on a heartfelt level, I do think it’s worth checking out if you are interested in the subject of packhorse librarians or if it was the only one on offer at your library.
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I wasn't quite as excited by Such a Library, though I can see the appeal for others. I think it just hit too close to home for me to find it humorous, though I appreciate the message of the original Yiddish folk tale (and my youngest was really captivated by the original story, too!) I'm very sensitive to external stimuli so I felt such empathy for the poor little boy who just wanted a quiet place to read, didn't have it in his own home, and felt frustrated that the library couldn't be that place. I am glad libraries can be vibrant places with community activities and don't have to be stark and unwelcoming or squelch all but the most timid whisper, but I do sometimes feel it's overboard these days with how loud they can get and those of us who really do need quiet spaces have lost one of the last vestiges of that in our modern society. (One of our local libraries even advertises itself as "Not a Quiet Library!") I'm so grateful that some libraries are still creating quiet spaces; one of our libraries even has a special sensory room: "With gentle lighting and tactile installations, this space is designed to support sensory processing needs in a calm and welcoming environment." I know this is beyond what most libraries have space or budget for, but I would love if even very small libraries could offer some "quiet hours" even just a few times a week for those who really need it...
The last book I have for now is A Library Book for Bear which was cute enough -- I have a soft spot for curmudgeonly, misunderstood protagonists ;-)
Our libraries here in my cities (I live on the border of two major cities) both have separate children's libraries. The big city library has a dedicated teen space with doors, study rooms and a reading room for contemporary fiction/new books/new non-fiction. Upstairs on the other side (2 19th-century buildings connected by a modern annex) they have reference and adult non-fiction. The small community library has a maker space in the basement, the community meeting room in the basement, the children's library upstairs and a cafe seating area for puzzles, reading newspapers and magazines. It's not quiet upstairs when the kids are there but downstairs it's generally quiet. Plus outside there's a patio on the street side and a new backyard garden. I like the patio even though the city is noisy, it's more peaceful sitting alone and tuning out the outside noise.
Stacey's Remarkable BooksThis one, based on Stacey Abrams, is more about the books but Stacey serves as a sort of librarian/teacher to her new friend and makes even more friends through the power of books.
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That's great! The library in our neighboring city changed one of the meeting rooms into a family space, mostly geared to 0-5 year olds. All the fiction picture books were moved there, and the play space, there's a seating area for the adults to gather while the kids play and hang out. It's so much quieter in the main section of the library now. I am grateful. Most of the kid programs with the loud music are held outside. Of course, it's more challenging for the smaller libraries but it's good to see efforts being made where possible to help provide at least some quiet areas.
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Some had study rooms, or a good design so it would be easier to find a place to be quiet.
My mother, in the Pima County (Tucson) area, saw and immediately checked out a blood pressure monitor - she gets to use it for 8 weeks! (I checked the catalog here and found three of the libraries have kits but they have to borrowed and returned in person, so we can't use the courier system.)
When I get back to OK I'll be checking what all they have. I know the one my youngest is working at does have a maker room with a 3D printer.
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The Bad Seed discovers the local library, but to his horror, he finds out that the books he borrows have to be returned! This very easy beginning reader is so funny and cute, and I loved that the librarian is a peanut! The illustrations by Saba Joshaghani are adorable and rendered in the style of Pete Oswald.
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Each page thanks the library for some aspect, such as books, places to read, craft time and more. The collage and digitally painted illustrations are full of life and happiness, and diverse, large-eyed people.
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A enjoyable story about a little goldfish who taught herself to read. When she leaves her fishbowl, she wears a bubble of water over her head as she moves about the library learning the alphabet then learning to read. Very appealing illustrations do a good job of furthering the story.
Children's Books
Books mentioned in this topic
Behind My Doors: The Story of the World's Oldest Library (other topics)Write to Me: Letters from Japanese American Children to the Librarian They Left Behind (other topics)
Dear Miss Breed: True Stories of the Japanese American Incarceration During World War II and a Librarian Who Made a Difference (other topics)
The Library Bus (other topics)
Anne of the Library-on-the-Hill (other topics)
More...
Authors mentioned in this topic
Anika Aldamuy Denise (other topics)Patricia C. McKissack (other topics)
Jerry Pinkney (other topics)
Patricia C. McKissack (other topics)
Jerry Pinkney (other topics)
*Click here to see the list of books from our 2012 Libraries theme here:
https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
**If you would like to join the discussion about some of the challenges libraries are facing these days, I invite you to head on over to the "Discussion of Censorship, Equity and Other Concerns" thread. QNPoohBear is doing a stellar job running that and posts frequent updates: https://www.goodreads.com/topic/show/...
(We also have a few other general discussion threads about libraries; you can simply search “Libraries” by topic in the Search category and it will bring those up.)