Have you read the picture book The Library by Sarah Stewart, illustrated by her husband, David Small? From the moment I saw the cover illustration, I knew I would love the book. I couldn’t resist that depiction of a young woman coming home from the library, her nose in a book and pulling a wagonload of books behind her, while her cat looks on. Books upon books, books and more books, until there was no room to move in her house filled floorboard to rafter with stacked-to-the-ceiling-high books.
Her house and books formed a library, and her life came full circle, with her daily destination again becoming the trove full of treasures, her very own library of books.
A library is a worthy destination for a reader… and a writer.
One assumes that a writer is a lover of books and of reading, and such a person would find an easy second home in a library. A library is a wonderful place for research, as well (although the internet has, no doubt, cut into that a great deal).
A library is also a place to read to children, or to witness others doing so. To see what catches their attention and holds them rapt, or what makes them turn to the toys in the corner, to see which books are dog-eared from much use, from many small hands, from repeated readings, and which are still pristine on the shelf.
Libraries are also one of the places where we hope our books are destined. Some day it will be our books those children are pulling off the shelf — or leaving alone. Some day it will be our books stacked in those precarious piles being carried out of the library.
Let’s make sure we do our best for those kids, so that our books will become the dog-eared, much loved, “read it again!” stories that children make a beeline for, when their destination is the library.
This is the last of my mini-series of musings on book titles. Thanks for reading! On Monday (tomorrow, January 23) I’ll return to my regular Monday, Wednesday and Friday blogging — with a new feature and a GIVEAWAY!
What A GREAT POST! Libraries are great places. We go to our town library for an afternoon some days. I am always happy to see lots of people at it! I haven’t heard of this book -I’ll check it out (at the library)!! 🙂
Thanks so much, Erik! Spending an afternoon in the library is one of the best things to do — sometimes I tell myself I’ll just pop in and get one book, but you know that it doesn’t happen that way, don’t you? I nearly always end up with a whole stack of books.
Hope you enjoy The Library (the book) as much as you enjoy the library (the place)!
Great book selection Beth. I’m sure I would have snatched this one too. I love David Small’s illustrations and the idea behind the book. Nice post on libraries Beth as it rings so true.
Thanks, Pat. I could pore over David Small’s illustrations for ages. The morning after SCBWI, David and Sarah were at a table near me having breakfast. I so wanted to speak to them both, but decided to respect their privacy and allow them a quiet moment to themselves. Wish I could have had it both ways, I would have loved to have spoken to them.
I worked in a university library for 23 years, and I’d often laugh when I’d go to the public library on my way home from work, and see one of my co-workers there as well! There’s something about libraries…
Love the cover art too! Looks and sounds like a great book.
Thanks, Sally! The cover art is just a hint of the wonderful illustrations within the book. David Small is so talented, and he and his wife Sarah Stewart make an unbeatable picture book team.
Hope you find the book and enjoy it!