Our Library

August 1, 2008
K-Gr 2-When Miss Goose informs the children that the library will have to close because it is in need of repair, Raccoon and his friends spring into action. The first thing they do is check out books ("How to Lay a Perfect Roof" and "Library Painting for Beginners"), read them, and accomplish the necessary tasks. However, their problems are far from over. Now the library needs operating money and it has to be moved. Each time, the children turn first to books to guide them toward a solution, until at last the spruced-up library sits cozily in a meadow. The reasons this library is so important to everyone, from toddlers to senior citizens, are woven nicely into the plot. Bunting's style has a graceful simplicity, descriptive enough to be evocative without overwhelming: "On rainy days, we stay cozily inside. On sunny days, we lie in the shade of a big whispering oak tree and read." Smith's watercolor and acrylic illustrations are charming and should have most children longing to enter the buttercup-yellow library with the grass-green door. An excellent vehicle for discussing the importance of libraries, books, reading, and teamwork, this one is a winner."Grace Oliff, Ann Blanche Smith School, Hillsdale, NJ"

Copyright 2008 School Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

November 1, 2008
Preschool-G Miss Goose, the librarian, tells her young patrons that the library is going to close forever because its old. The animals, however, refuse to take that news without a fight.An oldroof and shabby weatherboards?The animalsfind books that give them the know-how and proceed to lay a perfect roof and paint the outside. Although Miss Goose is thrilled, she now worries that it takes money to run a library. After reading about how to make money fast, thekids hold bake and candy sales. Almost thwarted by the next obstacleGoat owns the library land and wants it backthe patrons realize they can move the building. Championing problem solving and showing that you can learn anything through reading, the message-heavy book may have more adult-appeal than kid-appeal. But the winsome illustrations and can-do spirit will find some fans.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2008, American Library Association.)

January 1, 2009
After finding out that the library has to close due to lack of funds, a young raccoon takes up the cause of saving it. How does he know what to do? By reading library books on such topics as construction, fundraising, and diplomacy. Bunting's public-service-announcement message is soft-pedaled by the story's humor, also evident in Smith's friendly watercolor and acrylic illustrations.

(Copyright 2009 by The Horn Book, Incorporated, Boston. All rights reserved.)