Library Lion

by Michelle Knudsen, Kevin Hawkes (Illustrator)

Overview

An affectionate storybook tribute to that truly wonderful place: the library.

Miss Merriweather, the head librarian, is very particular about rules in the library. No running allowed. And you must be quiet. But when a lion comes to the library one day, no one is sure what to do. There aren't any rules about lions in the library. And, as it turns out, this lion seems very well suited to library visiting. His big feet are quiet on the library floor. He makes a comfy backrest for the children at story hour. And he never roars in the library, at least not anymore. But when something terrible happens, the lion quickly comes to the rescue in the only way he knows how. Michelle Knudsen's disarming story, illustrated by the matchless Kevin Hawkes in an expressive timeless style, will win over even the most ardent of rule keepers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780763622626
Publisher:	Candlewick Press
Publication date:	07/25/2006
Pages:	48
Product dimensions:	11.44(w) x 10.94(h) x 0.50(d)
Lexile:	470L (what's this?)
Age Range:	4 - 8 Years

About the Author

Michelle Knudsen is the New York Times best-selling author of Library Lion, illustrated by Kevin Hawkes; Argus, illustrated by Andréa Wesson; Big Mean Mike, illustrated by Scott Magoon; and Marilyn’s Monster, illustrated by Matt Phelan, as well as the Trelian middle-grade fantasy trilogy and the Evil Librarian YA horror-comedy trilogy. She lives in Brooklyn, New York, and is terrified of spiders.

Kevin Hawkes is the illustrator of more than forty books for children, including The Three Mouths of Little Tom Drum by Nancy Willard; Weslandia and Sidewalk Circus by Paul Fleischman; and Handel, Who Knew What He Liked and Me, All Alone, at the End of the World by M. T. Anderson. Kevin Hawkes lives in southern Maine.

Editorial Reviews

No roaring allowed. That's the only stipulation Miss Merriweather the librarian places on her unusual new visitor at storytime: a lion. He turns out to be a model patron, "doing things without being asked. He dusted the encyclopedias. He licked the envelopes." But a thorny dilemma arises when Miss Merriweather falls and injures her arm: Should the lion break the rules and roar for help? Delicate, expressive pictures pair well with the understated humor of the text-which, for all its fun, may spark discussions about when it's okay to break the rules. For kids who love forays to the library, this is a must-read. (Ages 4 to 6)
Child magazine's Best Children's Book Awards 2006

Knudsen and Hawkes pick a perfect setting to express the idea that breaking rules can sometimes be a good thing. When a lion wanders into a small town public library the Head Librarian, Miss Merriweather, brushes off the protestations of her realistically officious colleague Mr. McBee and allows it to stay-so long as it keeps quiet, doesn't run and makes itself useful cleaning books and licking envelopes while waiting for storytime to begin. Anxious-looking patrons of all ages quickly become accepting ones in Hawkes's soft toned watercolors, and if Miss Merriweather's hair and dress seem a bit stereotypical, occasional CRT monitors balance glimpses of rubber date stamps and a card catalog in his gracious, old style interiors. When Miss Merriweather takes a fall, the lion roars to attract help, then slinks out in shame-but McBee redeems himself by bustling out into the rain to inform the offender that Exceptions to the Rules are sometimes allowed. Consider this a less prescriptive alternative to Eric A. Kimmel's I Took My Frog to the Library (1990), illustrated by Blanche Sims-and it doesn't hurt that the maned visitor is as huge and friendly looking as the one in James Daugherty's classic Andy and the Lion. (Picture book. 6-8)

Kirkus Reviews

Proves that every now and then you have to break the rules.
—New York Times Book Review

This winsome pairing of text and illustration is a natural for storytime and a first purchase for every collection.
—School Library Journal, starred review

Knudsen's gentle tale of a revered yet welcoming community destination will ring true for many readers. Hawkes's (Weslandia) evocative, soft-hued acrylic-and-pencil illustrations have a timeless feel, depicting a cozy book-filled haven that any story fan would love to visit, rules and all.
—Publishers Weekly

Knudsen and Hawkes pick a perfect setting to express the idea that breaking rules can sometimes be a good thing.
—Kirkus Reviews

Appealing. . . . Children will easily see themselves in the wild lion, who yearns to explore and enjoy the library but worries about the constraining rules.
—Booklist

A beautiful book that is sure to be shared and wept over again and again.
—The Bloomsbury Review

A picture book treat for any library lover.
—Nancy Pearl Book Reviews, KUOW Radio “The Beat"

Sweetly celebrating all things bookish and guaranteed to tickle young readers’ funny bones.
—Child

Kevin Hawkes’ illustrations are a brilliant fit, rendering the lion’s softness and a modern library seen from a child’s eye level.
—Chicago Tribune

There are lessons here about making assumptions, breaking rules and taking care of friends.
—San Francisco Chronicle

The happy ending will leave a smile on children’s faces whether they read it themselves or hear it as a read-aloud.
—Kansas City Star

The delights of a small-town library come to life in this charming tale.
—Star-Ledger

An old-fashioned, heart-warming storybook.
—Louisville Courier-Journal

Written and illustrated in the orderly style of mid-20th century classics such as Andy and the Lion, the story’s special charm is in the characters.
—Times-Picayune

With masterful subtleness, [Hawkes] evokes emotions and movement around this magnificent furry lion.
—Sacramento Bee

If you can buy only one book this is the one.
—Daily Herald, featured in "Good Reads for Kids"

A very gentle book with a good word to say about breaking the rules.
—Detroit Free Press

Graceful details add to the retro feel of this utterly delightful book. Curl up at your favorite library with this winner of a tale!
—BookPage

This beautifully illustrated story will be a joy to read over and over again with your little cubs at bedtime.
—Houston Family Magazine

This is a book parent and child will enjoy again and again.
—About Family Magazine

From the Publisher

No roaring allowed! Well, sometimes rules need to be altered if there’s a very good reason! Normalcy prevails at Knudsen’s Library--story hours with attentive youngsters, patrons browsing the stacks and using computers, librarians providing assistance. But then a lion walks through the door. What’s normal about that, and how will Miss Merriweather handle the personal and personnel problems that arise? Christine Marshall has the calmness of a lion tamer and a librarian. She lets the subtleties of the plot and the humor speak for themselves. Her quiet tone gives way to dramatic punch when the lion shows up; her pacing heightens the pleasure in each twist of the story. Poring over Kevin Hawkes’s illustrations while listening brings additional pleasure. A.R. © AudioFile 2008, Portland, Maine

JULY 2008 - AudioFile