National Library Week is April 7-13, and we’re celebrating by sharing books about libraries! Some are inspirational, some involve murder, but all show that libraries are the place to be.
This lyrical picture book explores the wonder of books and libraries through the eyes of a child. Children and adults will appreciate the beautiful illustrations by fine artist Erin Robinson. Giovanni writes that libraries are a place where a child can “sail their dreams” and “surf the rainbow” without ever leaving the room and we agree!
Word to the Wise by Jenn McKinlay
Oh dear! There’s a dead body staged outside of the library, and library director Lindsey Norris’ fiancé is the prime suspect! This is part of a series of cozy mysteries featuring Lindsey Norris as both a library director and amateur sleuth. In this book, Aaron Grady is a newcomer to town who is giving Lindsey undue attention and is acting inappropriately. When he is killed, her fiancé Sully becomes the prime suspect, and she must solve the crime to have her happily-ever-after.
The Most Beautiful Libraries in the World by Guillaume de Laubier
If you are looking for a coffee table book with incredible pictures, this is your choice! De Laubier is a famous architectural photographer, and photographed twenty-three of the most beautiful libraries in the world, from famous libraries like the Bodleian Library in Oxford to obscure private libraries in monasteries and abbeys. Accompanying the photos is text from journalist and translator Jacques Bosser, and shares the history of libraries from the Renaissance to present day.
The Underground Library by Jennifer Ryan
As bombs drop on London during World War II, three women work to save the Bethnal Green library. When a bomb hits the library, Juliet, the deputy librarian, relocates the stacks to the Underground station, so people sheltering from the nightly bombing can escape through the power of books. But Juliet, her coworker Katie and Jewish immigrant Sofie, find they are up against a mountain of tragic circumstances (personal and professional) that threaten to destroy their library community.
Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library by Chris Grabenstein
Mr. Lemoncello’s Library is a fantastical place that every kid wants to visit, but only a select few get invitations to the opening night lock-in. However, no one told the kids they’d have to puzzle their way out of the library the next day! This is a book that people of all ages will love reading, especially if you are a fan of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. This is the first of the series, with several other books about Lemoncello and his zany library.
This is the first of the Great Library series. Caine has created an alternate universe, where the Library of Alexandria didn’t burn down, and controls the world by controlling what people read and learn. Jess Brightwell is the son of a famous black-market dealer of printed books, which are illegal in this world. He is sent to the Library to train (and to spy for his father), but he believes strongly in the mission of the Library. When he inadvertently learns a huge secret, his loyalty to the Library is tested. This young adult series is hard to put down!
Mary Beth Adams is the Community Engagement Librarian for Alamance County Public Libraries. She can be reached at madams@alamancelibraries.org.