For young book lovers, few places are more magical than the library. More than a building filled with books, it’s a place of imagination, knowledge, comfort, and possibility, where the shelves are filled with innumerable worlds just waiting to be explored. To honor the impact that these spaces have on young readers, we’ve gathered nine picture books that capture the sense of wonder and joy that can be found beyond the doors of the local library.
A Big Surprise for Little Card by Charise Mericle Harper, Illustrated by Anna Raff
Little Card lives in an apartment building with many other cards, like price tags, prize tickets, and office folders. Little Card and his friend, Long Card, are the only ones who don’t yet know their purpose until the day their job letters arrive. Little Card finds out that he is to be a birthday card and eagerly attends birthday card school, learning all that he can about birthdays and surprises. But when he returns home, he finds that there was a mix-up: Long Card was meant to be the birthday card. As for Little Card, he has a different destiny in store — one where he just may be able to put his love of bringing people joy to good use. With a colorful, energetic tone and a delightfully satisfying ending for library lovers, this is the perfect picture book to get little ones excited for their first library card.
The Not So Quiet Library by Zachariah OHora
In the home of brothers Theodore (a little boy) and Oskar (a bear), Saturdays are the best day of the week. Dad starts the day by bringing them to the bakery for fresh donuts, and then it’s off to the library! Theodore and Oskar head straight for the kid’s section and happily settle in for some quality storytime. Until a five-headed monster named Seymour/Chuck/Winston/Pat/Bob interrupts by making a racket… EATING BOOKS! They find the taste rather displeasing, even after loading the texts with condiments. When Theodore explains that books are for reading and not eating, the cranky monster decides that they will eat the brothers instead! OHora has a knack for creating stories that are filled with simple, original plots and the type of oddball humor that kids love. This tale is no different, managing to capture the joy of spending a quiet day at the library in a story about monster(s) who pour sprinkles and mustard on books (not to worry, friends — they learn the error of their ways).
This Book is My Best Friend by Robin Robinson
Two children meet unexpectedly as they reach for the same picture book in the library. Each gently explains to the other that they NEED the sole copy of the book, Factory Friends, it is their best friend. Sunny loves it because it stars a robot and helps make long hours at the hospital for Mom’s health problems less scary. Aarush loves it because it stars a mouse and brings moments of peace to an otherwise hectic home life. Both kids do their best to help each other find a suitable replacement, but there is just nothing to compare to the friendship that their chosen book provides. After all, it’s so hard to make friends, and when you find one that gets you and your feelings? You want to hold on tight. Maybe books are like people, and they can have more than one best friend? Amusing yet quietly touching, this title is a testament to how libraries can not only introduce new favorite books but new friends as well.
Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré by Anika Aldamuy Denise, Illustrated by Paola Escobar
After moving to the United States from Puerto Rico in 1921, Pura Belpré became a bilingual library assistant in the famed New York City Public Library system. Seeing a need for Spanish-language and bilingual programming for the library’s youngest patrons, she began a popular bilingual story hour in which she told the cuentos folklóricos — folk tales — of her birthplace to children. When she noticed that there were no books available for children in Spanish, she began writing her own and sharing them at every library branch, classroom, community center, and church that would have her. A fitting tribute to one of the most beloved librarians in American history, this incredible title deftly pays homage to Belpré’s mission through its ingenious and artful format: a modern folktale that combines English and Spanish flawlessly in its lyrical text.
Little Libraries, Big Heroes by Miranda Paul, Illustrated by John Parra
When Todd Bol was a little boy, he loved stories of heroes despite not being a strong reader. His mother, a former schoolteacher, encouraged him regardless, promising that he had something special to offer the world. When Todd’s mother passed away, he channeled his grief into building something he believed she would have loved: a small, wooden “library” installed at the edge of his yard, filled with books that passersby could borrow. Todd’s remarkable inspiration was the beginning of the Little Free Library movement, a grassroots campaign spearheaded by Bol and his friend Rick Brooks, which went on to become a fixture in neighborhoods and communities around the globe. Sweetly recognizing not only Bol and Brooks but other figures who made major impacts on the movement’s growth, this story shows young readers what is at the heart of every library, big or little: compassion and generosity.
Please, Louise by Toni Morrison and Slade Morrison, Illustrated by Shadra Strickland
When young Louise heads out into the rainy day — umbrella, rainboots, raincoat, and little red wagon in tow — the world seems a threatening place. There are abandoned houses, barking dogs, and jumbled junkyards along her route, but she is determined to make it to the library and use her new library card. Choosing a book and cozying on the rainbow rug to explore the possibilities within, the rain abates, and Louise’s world seems to be transformed. This is brought full circle as she walks home, wagon laden with books; where she saw menace before, she now perceives hope and potential. Mother and son duo of Toni and Slade Morrison pen a beautiful ode to the transformative power of reading and libraries, as well as the doors it can open for children who have few other sources of encouragement, based on the elder Morrison’s experiences as a youth librarian.
Library Lion by Michelle Knudsen, Illustrated by Kevin Hawkes
Everyone knows the library rules: no running, be respectful of the books, and no roaring. On the day that a rather large lion enters the library, the patrons and librarian, Mr. McBee, are shocked and appalled until the firm yet fair head librarian, Miss Merriweather, points out that the lion is not breaking any rules. He does let out a roar in protest when his first storytime ends, but after a stern reprimand from Miss Merriweather, he doesn’t re-offend. Instead, he becomes a cherished staple of the library, charming the children and acting as an aide to Miss Merriweather however he can. That is, until the day that his beloved Miss Merriweather injures herself, he unthinkingly roars for help. Once assistance arrives, the lion departs in shame for breaking the rules… but an unexpected ally rushes out to assure him that sometimes, even the library rules can be broken. This unfailingly sweet tale will have every young library patron — and perhaps every librarian — wishing for a library lion of their own.
The Librarian’s Stories by Lucy Falcone, Illustrated by Anna Wilson
Inspired loosely by Vedran Smailović, the Cellist of Sarajevo, this tale opens on a children’s birthday and ends in tragedy as soldiers begin to bomb the city, destroying buildings and homes, including the local library. In the days that follow, an oppressive sense of fear pervades the citizens, young and old, as they gather resources and attempt to adjust to their new normal. Yet in the town center, every day, the librarian of the demolished library sits on a bench, her voice filling the air with stories. The adults shake their heads but stop to listen anyway, and the children return day by day to remember what life was like before. Combining stunning art and a soul-stirring story, book lovers of all ages may be moved to tears over this testament to how libraries — and librarians — can bring comfort and hope to communities in dark times, offering a place of safety and assurance in an uncertain world.
Dreamers by Yuyi Morales
Bundling their only belongings on her back, a mother takes her infant across a bridge to a new land. Leaving all she knows behind and unable to go back, she places her faith in the promise their new home holds, of education and opportunity. The language spoken is unlike her own, but she tries, until the day when she stumbles upon another place of education and promise: a public library. She marvels that the librarians open their arms, sharing books and language and trust and safety. As her son grows, they both use the books and resources to learn, to adapt, and to stretch their dreams ever higher. “We are stories. We are two languages. […] We are dreamers, soñadores of the world.” Not just one love letter, but many — from mother to son, from patron to library, from reader to book, from immigrant to both home countries — all folded into a story that inspires, relates, and deeply moves.
We hope that you and your young readers enjoy these wonderful reads about the library and that they inspire you to pay a visit to your local branch. Happy reading!
For more of our favorite books about the power of libraries, check out this article on Picture Books That Celebrate the Tremendous Impact of Bookmobiles.
For all of our recommendations for mini bookworms, check out our Bookshop bookshelf.
