Little Bookshelf: Books about the Library

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We love libraries and know you do too! This month our guest librarian Heather Hageli from the Vernon Area Public Library shares some books to help get kids excited about the library.

“When I got [my] library card, that was when my life began.” ― Rita Mae Brown

September is library card sign-up month! With school starting, don’t forget to come to the library for help with school assignments and to keep your children’s brains entertained with some pleasure reading! Studies show that children who are read to in the home and who use the library perform better in school and are more likely to continue to use the library as a source of lifetime learning.

There are tons of books about libraries, but here are a few of my favorites!

Books about the Library

Library Lil  by Suzanne Williams, illustrated by Steven Kellogg

Brave librarian Lil inspires the people in her town (who love TV a little too much) to be readers and defends reading against the anti-reading motorcycle gang! Authored by real-life librarian Williams, this story is super silly, and the illustrations enhance the hilarity. Turn the TV off and read this one to the whole family!

Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes

All libraries have some rules: how long books can be checked out for, where you can be loud, where you have to be quiet. But most libraries do not have rules about lions! Pick up this very quaint picture book to find out just what happens when some library rules need to be broken by a lion trying to save the day!

The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore by William Joyce

This book is the mastermind of author William Joyce (the filmmaker behind Meet the Robinsons, Rise of the Guardians, and other movies and characters you love). It literally comes to life on the page when you download the app from Moonbot Studios to your iPad and wave it over the book for an enhanced reading experience. Joyce also made the story into an Oscar award-winning short film (YouTube).

The Midnight Library by Kazuno Kohara

This new picture book is about a library that is only open at night! The librarian’s assistants are owls, and her patrons are nocturnal animals! The reader is taken on a tour of the Midnight Library through the story as the librarian finds a wolf crying from a sad story, a band practicing in the quiet room, and a turtle who is a slooooowww reader. She handles each situation and leaves the reader feeling cozy, making this a perfect bedtime story.

Dinosaur vs. the Library by Bob Shea

Bob Shea’s “Dinosaur versus …” series is just chaos and comedy in perfect combination. Dinosaur loves to roar, so coming to the library could be a challenge. But with his friends all around, he figures out that storytime is too fun to pass up!

More Library Resources:

Check out this guide from the American Library Association on connecting with your children at the library!

Libraries are not just about books (though we think they are mighty important). We have CDs, DVDs, video games, board games, puzzles, puppets, and more to checkout. But you need a library card to take advantage of the materials your library has to offer. Find your local public library here: http://bit.ly/NEILlibs, and then visit to sign up for your library card!

Here at the Vernon Area Public Library, we use the five early literacy practices — TALK, SING, READ, WRITE, PLAY — as the foundation for all of our storytimes. It’s never too early to start on these five activities to set the stage for reading readiness.

We offer storytimes beginning at birth, and all are welcome to stop by and visit — no library card required. But if you are a resident, you can sign up for your library card while you are here! Find our calendar of storytimes and other events.

If you would like more information about early literacy, what is happening at the library, and a printable calendar, subscribe to our quarterly Early Literacy eNewsletter.

Find more book suggestions on our Bookshelf!

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