The Library Book

* "This cheerful picture book opens on a rainy Saturday morning.... Written in 1989, with upbeat lyrics, natural-sounding rhymes, and a catchy tune, the song “The Library Song” creates a surprisingly good text for a picture book. The words can be read aloud easily, as the cadence is evident when the words are spoken, but the effect is more magical when the words are sung (the tune is readily available online). Groenink...magically brings the song to life on the page through his pleasing pencil-and-digital artwork. From the rainy-village street scene to the library interiors to the child’s cozy bedroom, the pictures are well structured and full of intriguing details for children to find and enjoy. Fun for story hours and satisfying for reading one-on-one." * Booklist, July 2017, *STARRED REVIEW* *
"Chapin and Mark's "Library Song" is reinvigorated into an inviting picture book.... The digital-and-pencil illustrations are quite appealing.... the singsong-y text and the action...carry the entertaining story. A playful tribute to libraries." * Kirkus Reviews, July 2017 *
"This picture book uses the lyrics of “The Library Song” as text, then adds digital and pencil illustrations to share a young African American girl’s extraordinary visit to her neighborhood public library. The pictures have a nostalgic feel.... As the girl happily reads away the rainy morning, more and more characters sing and dance around the library, inviting all the library patrons to join in. The “shushing librarian” stereotype humorously is turned around when the girl asks the librarian to stop singing so that the girl can read in peace...a fun read-aloud that will familiarize young children with the library." * School Library Journal, August 2017 *
"Singer-songwriter Chapin follows The Backwards Birthday Party, also illustrated by Groenink, with a second picture book adapted from his extensive catalog.... Even the serious librarian gets caught up in the increasingly rowdy fun, earning her a “shhh!” from the girl, who is ready to start reading. It’s a book that could easily be used in elementary school classrooms before visits to the library, and readers will enjoy spotting recognizable characters in Groenink’s cozy illustrations. This celebration of reading and libraries is sure to charm those who love both." * Publishers Weekly, September 2017 *