Library Love – Part Two

Library Love Part Two

The Library The Library –  This charming book by Sarah Stewart, about a young girl Elizabeth Brown, who loves books, she loves them the most, she has such an enormous collection of books that there is barely room for her in her house.  What she does with her expansive collection will be sure to impress.  Elizabeth Brown is quite remarkable, the illustrations are just fabulous and make the story come alive. Such a sweet story, I love how the book starts where Elizabeth Brown falls from the sky into her mothers arms.

Library Mouse a World to Explore Library Mouse: A World to Explore – Daniel Kirk does a fantastic job of creating a character who you want to get to know.  In this case Sam a charming mouse who lives in the library in the children’s book section.  Sam is a quite the story teller he writes children’s books.  In A World to Explore he meets Sarah who loves adventure.  These are great stories that are perfect to add to your own library.

A perfect activity to do after reading Library Mouse, would be to explore what your own petite might like to write a story about.  Library Mouse is the perfect platform for young budding writers to build their confidence and start writing their own tale.

Lola at the LibraryLola at the Library – Anna McQuinn and Rosalind Beardshaw have created these absolutely lovely stories about Lola and her love of books and reading.  I love theses stories because Lola loves the library and goes with her mom and her love of books and reading grows and grows.  Another reason that these books are so special is because Lola has a little brother Leo and she reads to him which is one of my daughters favorite things to do with her little sister.  A great story for any petite who loves to go to the library with their family and loves to read books to their siblings.

library-lionLibrary Lion – If you haven’t picked up Michelle Knudsen’s absolutely darling book you need to get your hands on it immediately.  Kevin Hawkes is an amazing illustrator.  Have you ever met a librarian that has told you to shush?  A librarian that is a stickler for rules?  Well if so, you will love this book and Miss. Merriweather will tickle you.  She loves her rules and one day a lion comes in to check out story time; this story will surprise you with what happens when Miss. Merriweather and the lion meet.  Go get this book immediately and add it to your collection – you will not regret it.

A really fun activity is to ask your petite which unlikely library patron they would like to meet at story time and they can draw a picture.  Candlewick Press created this really handy informational packet to go with the book, with activities, questions, and books to try next if you liked Library Lion.  You can check out the packet here  http://www.candlewick.com/book_files/0763622621.kit.1.pdf.

The Midnight LibraryThe Midnight Library –  A book about a little girl and her three owl assistants.  She opens the library every night at midnight and it is peaceful and quiet, until one night when a special group of friends come and want to do something a little too loud for the peaceful library.  When she solves that problem another one arises and then another.  She is quite the helpful little librarian and finds solutions to all of the problems that her patrons may have.  A lovely little story, the illustrations are so charming, my petite also liked how only four colors are used in the illustrations; she is also a book sniffer and this one smells divine!

Now is where I need your help, I am sure I am forgetting a book or a few…help me out and tell me which ones I need to add to the list.

Happy reading,
Erin

A Tangerine Dress and a Fabulous Story

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A few months ago we were at our local independent bookstore.  This bookstore is awesome…the type of place you could lose track of time.  My husband found this book on the shelves and we were sold.  Morris Micklewhite and the Tangerine Dress, by Christine Baldacchino with illustrations by Isabelle Malenfant is a touching story.  It is about a young boy named Morris, his favorite activity at school is the dress up center, he loves the tangerine dress.  His classmates tease him and exclude him from playing their games because they don’t understand.  Morris retreats into his imagination and what a great one it is.

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This story brought a tear to my eye, because I have known so many little kids who have loved to do things that are not “typically” in their gender role.  In my opinion there is nothing wrong with this, and I love that this story gives trying new things and doing what you love a spot center stage.  I want my girls to know that being different, or liking different things is okay.  That doing what you love is okay.  That doing the things that make you happy and make you smile is okay.  Above all I want them to know that I love them for who they are.  I love Morris Micklewhite and hope you will too.  This book is a fabulous book that, in my opinion, should be in every school library and in the hands of all of our petites.

Happy Reading,
Erin